Extreme Heat Warning: A Shallow End Gals Trilogy, Book Two

by Graybosch, Vicki

Mathew Core was at the bookstore watching the activities across the street. He saw the saxophone man walk in and sit by the door. The door was all glass, and Mathew could tell he wasn’t talking to anyone. Mathew surmised he probably wasn’t a cop, but he was somebody. He had a knack for being where the action was. Mathew couldn’t tell who came out on a stretcher. He thought he would wait until the cops left, meet saxophone man, and get the gossip.

  John told Roger and Paul he was going to go to the hospital to drive Adele Brown home to see her son. Roger suggested John meet up with them as soon as he was finished to go over some paperwork and maybe take a quick jet trip to see the Director. John nodded. He knew that trip was going to be very interesting.

  Simon said he and Ray could use Jeanne’s help with the money transactions if she was up to it. Nelson and Pablo said they would try again to use the FBI center’s computers to find out something about Mathew Core.

  Thor looked at Roger and said, “I know I will regret this, but what do you want me to do?”

  Roger smiled and said, “I’ll probably have something in a few hours. Take some free time if you want, or you can tag along with Paul and me.”

  Thor looked surprised. “No offense, but I’m not up to tagging along with you! Just call me when the fun starts.”

  Mathew Core walked over to Mickey’s. Tourey had seen him in the bookstore window watching. He looked a lot like the sketch of the guy who had been at the Crab Shack. This should be interesting. Mathew took a stool about four seats away from Tourey and nodded to him as he sat down. Scotty, the bartender, came over and got his beer order. The TV over the bar was showing Breaking News about a shooting at Mickey’s Bar in the Quarter. News journalists had long ago stopped sending camera crews for events like this. They were just too common.

  Mathew looked at Tourey and asked, “You here for that?”

  Tourey put his street voice on and answered, “Nothin’ new for Nawlens. Missed the fun, got here for the clean up’s all.” Tourey started to push his stool out. If this was Mathew Core, and Mathew really wanted to talk to him, he would offer to buy him a beer.

  Mathew said, “You’re not going to make me drink alone are you? Let me get you a beer.” He raised his mug to the bartender and made a circular motion in the air.

  Tourey pulled his stool back to the bar. “Thanks man. It’s a hot one today. Don’t feel much like going back out in that.” Mathew was nodding. The news was still on.

  Mathew said, “Looks like there was a serious cop presence in here when that came down.”

  Tourey said, “Yeah, I’ve been comin’ here for years. Never seen that many in here. Place still stinks.”

  Mathew chuckled. Tourey still couldn’t figure out who this guy was. Mathew asked him, “There’s a good lookin’ broad left here. Wonder if she’s a cop too?”

  Tourey made his move, “That bitch is no cop. She’s FBI and let me know it, yesterday! She slammed my head on the bar just because I was on the sidewalk too long to please her.”

  Mathew shook his head and asked, “So why were you on the sidewalk too long?”

  “What, you FBI too?”

  Mathew’s eyebrow went up, “Let’s just say they interest me.”

  Tourey smiled, “Well, there you have it. They interest me too.” Tourey laid a ten on the bar and pushed his stool out.

  Mathew said, “You going to make me drink alone?”

  Tourey smiled, “I ‘spect you have friends you could call if you wanted.”

  Mathew Core smiled. “That I do.” Tourey left. He had made the connection. This guy might not be Mathew Core, but he was somebody.

  After Tourey left, Mathew called Scotty over and held up a hundred dollar bill. Scotty wiped the bar, took the bill, and asked, “What do you want to know?”

  “Tell me about that guy.”

  Simon, Ray, and Jeanne were in the basement computer room of the Star Ship reviewing the data from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ray was eating the lunch they had brought him and listening to Jeanne tell about Devon just walking in. Jeanne said she couldn’t believe Devon and Patterson were so stupid as to meet in a public place for lunch.

  Ray swallowed and said, “Actually a bar in the Quarter, in the middle of the day, is pretty safe. If a crook looks fairly normal, they just blend in with the tourists. The tourism in the Quarter supports the whole city.” Simon was nodding agreement even though he was concentrating on the printouts from the computer.

  Simon looked up at Ray, “Didn’t you specify you wanted non-swift code transactions too?”

  “Say what?”

  Simon frowned, “Non-Swift Codes. A swift code is a bank’s nickname by code. Many international transfers won’t allow for swift code especially if the currency is something other than US Dollars. You haven’t even been given the IBAN transactions and the ABA numbers from the Treasury for half of this.”

  Jeanne looked at Ray. “Slacker.”

  Ray frowned at her, “You know what he is talking about?”

  Jeanne laughed, “Not a clue.”

  Simon started rolling up his sleeves and said, “Where’s a notebook? I’m going to write down what you are going to tell the TREASURY Department we need, get their filter ID’s, and make the Security and Exchange geeks flip the correct flags. They just sent you trash to shut you up.”

  Ray spouted, “Those bastards. Let’s make them work and tell them it is FBI Level one.”

  Simon said, “It is.”

  John Barry headed toward the hospital to get Adele Brown and take her to Spicey’s. He had called Spicey and told her they had found Adele. He knew she had Jerome. John wasn’t sure what would work out the best for the reunion. Spicey told John, Jerome would be home from school around three. Spicey thought she would fix them a nice supper, and let them decide what to do from there.

  John walked into the small examination room at the hospital where Adele was waiting for him. The doctor had said too much time had gone by for a rape kit, and John had told him they really didn’t need one anymore. John told the doctor he was worried about Adele’s emotional state. Based on an earlier report, she wasn’t speaking to anyone. The doctor flipped through his papers and twirled his pen. “You know, I don’t think she spoke to me either. She just nodded and shook her head.” John said he wanted to talk to her before they released her from care, and the Doctor pointed him to her room.

  Adele was sitting on the edge of the small bed. She had huge brown eyes and was beautiful. She looked to be about thirty- four years old, had caramel colored skin, and held herself with perfect posture. John introduced himself and said, “I met Jerome this morning at the police station. He had come with his new friend Spicey to report you missing. She is a very nice woman who reminds me a little of you. She has been helping Jerome since you went missing.”

  John saw tears rolling down Adele’s cheeks. “The other women Devon took all said they were threatened. If they came back, their loved ones would be killed. Were you told that too?” Adele’s eyes were wide open, and she nodded. John continued, “The FBI shot Devon about two hours ago Adele. He is dead. We are on the hunt for the man who took you to that swamp. He has bigger problems than looking for you. You and Jerome are safe. I promise you.”

  Adele started sobbing. She slid off the exam table and cried on John’s shoulder. “I want to see Jerome,” she said as she pulled back and looked in John’s eyes.

  John smiled and said, “I’ll drive you to him and let you meet his new angel.” After he had said that, it reminded him he had a new angel too. Evidently a group of them. He wanted to get Adele and Jerome settled and get back to Roger.

  John and Adele parked as close as they could to Spicey’s place and walked the remaining two blocks. When John stopped at the Voodoo shop, Adele looked at him, “Here?”

  John smiled and nodded, “Yes, here. Let’s go in. Spicey is expecting us.” John and Adele entered the shop and the tinkling bells announced their arrival. There was a delicious aroma in the a
ir, and Spicey appeared from behind the colorful cloth door.

  Spicey squealed and came running at the sight of John with Adele, “You’re Jerome’s momma? Oh praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

  Spicey’s friend Sasha walked through the door to start her shift, and Spicey yelled at her, “Sasha! This is Adele, Jerome’s Momma!” Sasha squealed, started crying, and gave Adele a big hug.

  Adele was crying, “Mr. Barry told me you have been lookin’ out for Jerome. How can I ever repay your kindness?”

  Spicey swatted her hand like she was shooing flies and said, “You don’t owe me nothin’ ma’am. You have yourself a real good young man. We’ve been just fine.”

  Jerome walked through the door with his school bag and saw John. Then he saw his mom. He dropped his bag, and he ran into her arms sobbing. Sasha just started pulling tissues from a box by the handfuls and handing them to Spicey saving some for herself. Jerome wiped his eyes, straightened his posture, and walked over to John. “You told me you would look for my Momma, and you did.” Jerome hugged John’s waist.

  John looked at Spicey, “Is there a private place where Adele, Jerome, and I can talk for about ten minutes?” Spicey told him to go to the kitchen and stir the Jambalaya every now and then.

  They made their way to Spicey’s kitchen. John was glad that Adele assigned herself to the stove. John and Jerome sat at the small dinette table and John said, “Jerome, this is going to be a test of your character now more than ever before.” Jerome looked puzzled. John continued, “Over time your mom is going to say things that make you realize what hell she has gone through over these two weeks. She didn’t just leave you. She was stolen. What is the first natural reaction for you?”

  Jerome didn’t even pause, “To go get the son of a bitch that hurt my momma!” John held his hand up to stop Adele who was ready to slap Jerome for cursing.

  John said, “That is the natural reaction, but a man of character is going to look at the whole picture and see another way.”

  Jerome had fire in his eyes but asked, “What is that?”

  John said, “The main man that hurt your mom has already been caught by the FBI. He is dead. The other guy is scared and trying to hide. Do you believe me when I tell you we will find him?”

  Jerome nodded his head and said, “I believe you Agent Barry.”

  John smiled, “You can call me John, Jerome. I think we are friends now.” Jerome smiled. John said, “A man of character is going to realize that revenge on scum brings you down to their level. That turns you into scum by your own hand. Do you see that?”

  Jerome nodded, “That is what Ms. Spicey been tellin’ me about stealin’.”

  Adele asked, “Stealin’? Who been stealin’?”

  John put his hand up to Adele again. John looked at Jerome, “I remember my dad telling me that whenever I thought I had a choice in life, the right decision was usually the one that sounded the hardest to do.”

  Jerome answered, “You want me to leave the policin’ to the police and go about making good decisions for me.”

  Adele was ready to explode with pride. John rubbed the top of Jerome’s head and said, “I think you have yourself a man of character, Adele.”

  Adele smiled and said, “Yeah, I do.”

  Jerome turned to her and said, “It’s yes, not yeah.”

  Adele smiled and said, “You are correct Jerome. I am too intelligent not to speak properly.” Adele looked at John with a questioning look on her face.

  John stood and said, “I’m going to leave to join my team now. I wouldn’t have missed this reunion for the world.” He rubbed Jerome’s head again as he stood.

  Jerome stood and put his hand out for John to shake. “You gave me your card today. Can I still call you sometime? And you said you were sending me that class stuff.”

  John corrected him, “Class material, yes, I am sending it, and yes, I want you to call.”

  Jerome looked at his mom, “I’m going to be an FBI Agent.”

  Adele’s eyes got big, “Well, we’ll talk about that! Sounds dangerous to me.”

  John walked out to the front to say goodbye to Spicey and Sasha. They were on their second box of tissue and taking turns honking their noses. Customers were leaving as soon as they came in. John guessed it didn’t look good for someone who professed to talk to Spirits to be sobbing in the middle of the store.

  William Patterson sat in a club chair sipping a brandy, fixated on Mathew Core’s card. Mathew’s proposal would only leave him with about thirty million dollars. His hobby was costing him about five million a year. That would only be six more years of fun? And then what? There had to be another way out of this.

  “You’re going to give me how much money?” Rolland replaced a leather bound book on the mahogany shelf behind his desk. The sunlight was making stripes around the room as it fought with the slats of the blinds for prominence.

  William Patterson leaned forward and had his elbows on the massive desk. “Will you just sit down and listen? Christ. You have people who will tidy up for you. This is important.”

  Rolland sat heavily on his overstuffed desk chair and offered up a small sneer, “I am sure I heard ten million dollars. Now, what in the world kind of mess are you in that costs that kind of money?” Rolland was one of the founding members of the club. There were several members locally who shared the same appetite for children and numerous chapters of the club nationally. William Patterson had been the newest member, and Rolland actually liked William. Even though he only knew him by his alias, Bernard Jacobs.

  William whispered, “We only have time for the short version.”

  When William had finished, Rolland looked at him like he was from an alien planet. “What the hell are you telling me this for? Why do I want to know all this? What do you think I can do for you? Damn, I’m a retired U.S. Senator! You have FBI and this crazy spook type guy looking for you? I just now found out your real name? William f—— Patterson? Are you kidding me? You are legendary!” Rolland began pacing and flexing his fists.

  William had his head resting in his hands, he didn’t know where else to go. He whispered, “You have to help me….. or kill me. I know too much. About all of you. If you help me, you will be ten million dollars richer.”

  Rolland glared at him, “If I have you killed, at least I can sleep at night.”

  Teresa had found Senator Rolland Kenny’s name in Patterson’s black book. She had been listening to him talk to the man she now knew was Patterson. Teresa signaled for us to meet her. NOW. I was the last to get there, but at least I found them. Teresa brought us up to date on what the conversation had been before we got there. Linda decided to record and film the conversation while we floated near the ceiling.

  Mary didn’t look happy. “That is Patterson? We weren’t supposed to find him were we?”

  Teresa shrugged, “Too late now.” Oh brother.

  Rolland glared at Patterson, “You realize we are supposed to meet at the country house tomorrow night to review the contestant video? We have been waiting months for this. The whole damn bunch of us sitting there with the likes of you?”

  William said, “How different is my situation from the rest of you? None of us can be found out. Our lives would be ruined. We’ve always known that! I have money Rolland. Lots of it. I just need to lay low until I get rid of some of this heat. Why don’t I stay at the country house? After we pick our winners someone is going to have to keep an eye on them anyway? This might actually work out.”

  Rolland asked, “How do I get my ten million without showing it came from you?”

  William smiled, “I can have that covered with one phone call. I use offshore accounts Rolland. Deal?”

  Rolland looked up. “Deal. Make the call now. Then go home and grab whatever you need. In one hour I will send a car for you. If you don’t come out, I will assume you have been caught. We are going to have your house torched. Who knows what kind of evidence could be there.”

  Willia
m winced, his beautiful home. Oh well, he’d buy another. William opened his phone and began to punch in a number.

  Linda marked the time stamp and alerted Ellen we needed a phone call traced. Ellen answered, “Done.”

  Todd and Pablo arrived at the New Orleans FBI field office and settled in for what promised to be a grueling search for any information they could find on Mathew Core. Todd called Ray at the Star Ship and asked him which data bases they should use.

  Ray suggested a few and then said, “You know, you might have more luck in the military data bases for some of the background stuff. Roger said Core was used as a private contractor by us and the CIA. I’m kind of tied up chasing money right now, but if you log in with my ID number you can avoid a lot of password blocks.”

  “Good point. What’s your code?” Todd hung up and looked at Pablo, “Log out. We are going to use Ray’s ID for this stuff.”

  Pablo looked around and saw an agent heading their direction. “Right.” He logged out, leaned back, and snickered at the local agent, “You should have come with us to the swamp. Missed a real good time.”

  The agent he was speaking to looked about ten years older than he or Todd but had a big smile and said, “I don’t think I want to be anywhere near that Dance guy you work with.” He was laughing now, “We don’t normally pack that much fun in one day. I’m the asshole stuck doing all of your reports for you. I know what a good time you’ve had today.”

  Todd was busy scanning data bases while Pablo made small talk with the agent. Todd looked up and asked, “Were you in the raid yesterday on Mathew Core’s place?”

  The agent looked at him and walked over. He held his hand out to shake. “Phil Mathews, we only have four agents out of this office, so we all have to do everything. Yeah, I was there. Too bad we missed him.”

  Pablo asked, “How did you get a full assault team together so fast then? Were there more people here yesterday than normal?” Todd pretended to be engrossed in his computer.

  Agent Mathews answered, “Yeah, you called at the best time possible. We had three guys here from Virginia helping us on a weapons case. Some kind of planning meeting. I think that case will be blowing up Friday. Nasty mess from what I hear. I try to stay close to the office and as far away from field work as I can.”