by Anne Hagan
Valentine’s Day...it came in a flash. I wasn’t ready for it. I still had no plans. The only ones I’d made all week, I’d already ruined. It’s a wonder Dana is even talking to me at all.
I knew I had to make it up to her but I didn’t have the first clue how to and, even if I could come up with a workable idea, there were no reservations to be had anywhere to do anything. It doesn’t help at all that I’m ass deep in a murder investigation and a multiple person manhunt.
Working today was a given. Working everyday was a given until I had Victor Voll and Major Foote in custody, at a minimum.
Sitting up slowly, I tried to ease off of the bed without rousing Dana. I only realized she wasn’t actually sleeping when she reached out a hand to touch my leg and then asked, “Where are you going?”
Looking down into the shine of her eyes that I could only just barely make out in the dim early light, I smiled at her and then lay back down beside her for a minute.
She nuzzled close to me and stretched an arm around my waist to pull me in even tighter. “Please tell me you won’t be working all day.”
I kissed her forehead. “I really hope not,” I told her, “but I just don’t know. I’m so sorry baby.”
“It’s okay,” she whispered into my neck.
Pulling back just a little so I could look her in the eye again, I told her, “No it’s not okay. It’s Valentine’s Day and I wanted to have a whole day with you, just the two of us; the whole weekend even but...well I had to settle for dinner and...” I trailed off. I didn’t know how to tell her I’d failed at even arranging that.
She closed the distance again and kissed me lightly at the curve of my neck and shoulder.
“Dana, I’m sorry.” I exhaled loudly. “I really am sorry, believe me, and I promise to make it up to you. I’ve been so wrapped up in work that, by the time I even took a minute to get us reservations anywhere, I couldn’t get a thing. I feel like such an ass.”
“Don’t...don’t beat yourself up. You have a job to do. I knew what I was in for when you ran for the office. We’ll figure it out.”
“We’ll do better than ‘figure it out’. When I catch this Victor Voll guy, we’re going to get away from all of this crap for a while. Nailing Voll and a couple of his minions is my only focus right now.”
Dana jerked backwards and half sat up.
“You’re mad...” I started to say.
“No...no; I’m not. It’s just...Oh, I don’t even know where to begin.”
It was my turn to sit up. Facing her, the dawning sun finally starting to filter through the window, I searched her face.
“Do you know something I should know?”
“You’re after Victor Voll; who’s married to Erin Voll, formerly Erin Brietland?”
“I don’t know; I guess.” I scratched my head and stared at my wife. “How do you know Erin Voll? Why did you ask that?”
Dana took one of my hands in hers. “It’s time to play a round of true confessions.”
I was all ears.
She took a deep breath like she was working up a little courage but then she dropped her eyes as she started to speak. “I’ve been a little bored lately. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy writing but it’s not something I can sit and do for eight hours. I can get the flow for maybe an hour or two and then it just stops.”
Putting a finger under her chin, I tipped her face back up. When I could see her eyes again, I asked her, “So, you’ve been doing a little freelancing for the firm you used to work for?”
“You know?”
“Let’s just say that I put two and two together, just now.”
“Are you upset?”
“No; we’ve talked about you starting your own firm before. You were the one who had concerns about your mobility issues. My only concern is for your safety.”
She nodded.
“What about the store?”
“Mama doesn’t need nearly as much help in there now that they’re up and running and we all know that I have zero interest in the whole nail salon idea of hers. She’s on her own there!”
We both grinned at that thought.
“Anyway, I talked to Russ Young, my old boss, earlier this week and he threw an investigation job my way. Nothing dangerous, just information gathering...sort of.”
“And this not dangerous, ‘sort of’ information gathering assignment involves the leader of the motorcycle gang that’s been terrorizing Zanesville and Morelville?”
“Not exactly.”
I quirked an eyebrow at her. “What exactly?”
“I’ve been investigating Warren Brietland’s granddaughter Erin who’s due to coming due to get her hands on, I’m guessing, a pretty significant trust fund. Apparently there are morals conditions or some such thing...Brietland is the client. He didn’t make me privy to all of the details. What he did though was give me a real short fuse. He wanted a report by today.”
“Dana, all this crazy stuff that’s been going on is because Victor Voll, who leads a motorcycle gang, is apparently stepping down and his ‘followers’, if you will, are jockeying for the top dog spot.”
“I, uh, heard something to that effect but I wasn’t sure if what I heard and what’s been going on were related.”
“Heard how?”
“Erin Voll has a lover. The name he’s using around here is Conal Floyd. He’s actually a ranking Gangster Demon Lieutenant originally from Detroit whose gang name is ‘Preacher’. His real name is Floyd Donaldson.”
“The Demons again?”
Dana nodded. “Yeah; I thought we were all done with them around here nearly a year ago after the big smuggling bust that landed me in my present condition but they’re trying to make a comeback and it looks like Floyd – whichever his name is – is here to lead the charge.”
“And Erin Voll has jumped the fence for what she believes are greener pastures.” Mel shook her head.
“It’s not just that.” Dana shook her head no this time. “This ‘Preacher’ guy is gunning, er, his men are gunning for Voll. They – him and Erin Voll – want Victor Voll dead.”
I thought for a minute then looked back at my wife. “When you were ‘hearing’ things, did it sound to you like Preacher wanted to take over everything in the area?”
It was Dana’s turn to think. She took her time to reply but when she did, she laid a couple of things on me that tied up everything in my mind.
“Erin knew who killed a Demon in a drive-by, Mel. She called him ‘Rat Tail’ which, I’m assuming, is his gang name. Preacher said ‘someone’ had to pay for that. He was gunning for Victor as the leader. Erin told him she’d be happy when he had ‘the whole city wrapped up’.”
Light dawned for me. “The Demons want control of all the drug trade in the county.”
“I don’t know how involved Erin is in the doings of her husband’s gang but I’m certain she’s dealing for Preacher.”
I shook my head ruefully and then I told my beloved, “I have a couple of gang leaders, a killer and a woman playing fast and loose to catch. You, young lady, need to report to your client as expected.”
“And tell him what?”
“The truth, of course. Brietland only expected you to investigate. He’ll take your findings under advisement and have it handled from there. By the time he’s ready to make a move, I’ll already have Victor and Erin in a noose and Floyd Donaldson too if I can work it all out right. Brietland will just have to decide if Erin’s worth saving for himself.”
Chapter 19 – Report
Dana
10:00 AM Saturday Morning, February 14th
The Brietland Family Estate
Things were so much easier when I worked for Young before...Here goes nothing.
I was shown into Warren Brietland’s study again. As soon as I entered the room, I remembered him advising me that he used Young for ‘fast, discreet service.’ I swallowed hard and prayed that the little bit that I was about to tell him would be enough without me hav
ing to provide a lot of detail.
“Ms. Rossi,” he greeted me, indicating the chair across from his desk. “I didn’t fully expect to see you today, in all honesty.”
“Oh? Why is that?” I was puzzled that he would say that after I’d agreed to his demand to report today.
“I’m not going to mince words with you. Your lack of experience and your shock at my short timeline for the job seemed to have you in a tizzy when you left here before.”
Not wanting to argue with him but feeling the need to defend my background I, in as tactful a tone as possible, told him, “We didn’t actually go over my entire resume Mr. Brietland.” I smiled. “I assure you, I have years of investigative experience and I left here with the proper sense of urgency that the job required. Now, shall we get down to business?” I smiled again and then reached into my case and pulled out his copy of my investigation file.
“Of course. Proceed.” He held out a hand to me.
“In the couple of days I’ve had to investigate Erin, I’ve come to one basic understanding and two specific conclusions. One, during my brief time watching her, she spent little time with her husband Victor other than overnight and she has little regard for him.”
“And you came to that understanding how?” His question wasn’t angry but curious; his slight smile giving away his hope that his granddaughter was coming around.
“Because the first of the two specific conclusions I’ve been able to come to is that Erin is having an affair.”
His slight smile turned into a look of shock. He started to speak, stopped to clear his throat then began again, “With whom?”
I flipped the file folder open and pulled out a headshot of Donaldson taken from a booking photo that came in with the background info on him Russ had found for me and I placed it in front of Brietland.
“Is this a mug shot?”
I nodded. “His name is Floyd Donaldson. He’s 29 years old and from the Detroit area. He hasn’t been living in Ohio long; three or four months, maybe.”
“So Erin hasn’t been associating with him very long?”
“That I don’t know for sure. There wasn’t time to dig that deep.”
“But you are sure she’s having an affair with him?”
In response, I took copies of the car photos I took at the motel out of the file and handed those to him. “They meet at a no-tell in Gratiot. Those were taken there.”
“I see.” He worked his lips, seeming to be trying to frame his next question.
I didn’t wait for his thought processes to catch up. “Mr. Brietland, this guy makes Victor look like a small time hood. He’s a top lieutenant in a Detroit area gang with national reach. They’re everywhere. He may have been sent here to run gang operations for them here.”
“Are they the ones responsible for all of the rioting and looting that’s been going on or was that Victor?”
“I can’t answer that sir. My focus was strictly on Erin, where she goes and who she associates with.” And I’m not going to tip Mel’s hand...
“You said you came to two conclusions about my granddaughter. What was the other one?”
“You told me Wednesday that you knew Erin was into drugs but you needed to know if she was also dealing.”
“Yes. Is she?”
I nodded. “She is, but not for Voll, for Donaldson. She ferries product around, distributes it at private homes, collects money and gives it to him when she meets with him.”
“And he isn’t connected to Victor in any way?”
“No.” I kept my tone as even and as matter of fact as I could.
The older man fell silent and leaned back in his chair. His eyes fluttered closed as he raised a hand to his temple to rub it. I waited and watched.
After a couple of minutes of me watching him in that state, he seemed to remember that I was there.
“Is there anything else you think I should know, at this point?”
“From what I’ve seen and heard sir, Erin may well be setting Victor up to take a fall and throwing in with this guy. I’m sorry.”
Brietland waved a hand in the air. “Not your fault. The question is, now what am I going to do about it?”
Chapter 20 – Come Together
Mel
Saturday Morning February 14th
Muskingum County Sheriff’s Department
The Mayor was on my ass and the Police Chief’s ass to catch the gangbangers who, he said, were still running rampant in Zanesville.
Armed with the information Dana gave me, I now knew where Victor Voll was laying his head at night and I was already having the place watched for activity. I called Shane Harding and got him on his way out there before I even got in the shower. If I couldn’t manage a warrant to get in there before either of the Volls left to do whatever they spent Saturday’s doing, undercover deputies would follow both him and her. I hoped Victor would lead me to their hideout and to Foote and that Erin would lead me to Donaldson. We’ll get them all with one fell swoop. That ought to shut the Mayor up!
I had a sit down with the DA, first thing, and briefed him and Janet Mason on the new info that I had from my ‘confidential source’. The goal, I told them both, is to find and take out all of the gang leadership from both gangs that we can lay our hands on. Today.
###
10:38 AM Saturday Morning
“I’m tailing the female suspect Sheriff.”
“Where are you right now?”
“She just left the house.”
“Joe’s in an unmarked. He’ll move in to watch the house now.”
“Roger. No signs of other movement back there but his vehicle is still there.”
“Keep your head down following her. Gates will be your backup.”
“Will do.” Shane rang off.
Shane Harding followed a block or so behind the young woman as she stopped at homes and businesses on a path that took them north through South Zanesville and west through Zanesville. After nine stops, she got on Main going west and took the Route 40 leg off of the Y bridge.
Shane got back on the phone and called Mel’s duty cell.
“Sheriff,” he said when she answered, “looks like her deliveries are done. We’re on 40, headed west out of downtown.”
“Copy. She’s going to meet up with her supplier, if she holds true to pattern. I’ll put your backup in motion. We want them both.”
“Roger Sheriff.”
Erin Voll crossed under Interstate and quickly moved over to the far right lane. She turned right on a commercial road that ran between an Exxon station and a McDonalds. Shane followed as closely behind her as he dared.
When she turned right again, just past the fuel pumps, Shane feared she was headed to the Super 8 motel located behind the station but then she pulled into a parking slot across from the drive-thru for the A & W restaurant that was attached to it. He breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled his unmarked seized Chevy into another slot along the front of the station.
Voll walked across the drive-thru lane and went in through the restaurant door. Shane quickly radioed his location so Gates could find him if need be and then entered the building through the station, turned left and walked slowly toward the restaurant, watching his quarry.
She looked around at the fairly busy eatery and then pulled her cell phone out of her purse and looked at the face of it, checking the time. Shrugging, she got in line to order at the counter. Shane followed and tried to appear uninterested as she texted on her phone. Instead, he watched the door on the side where she’d parked. She glanced at it occasionally too until it was her turn to order.
As she told the cashier what she wanted, a leather-jacketed male appeared at her side. Shane started almost imperceptibly. He hadn’t seen the other man coming.
The man ordered for himself on her tab and then waited while she paid the bill. As soon as it was offered, he grabbed his cup and moved off to the root beer dispenser without waiting for her. She moved down the counter and waited for t
heir food while Shane stepped to the register to order.
When his order came up before theirs, he loitered at the condiment station a little longer than necessary while he hoped Floyd Donaldson, the man he was sure had appeared, would take a seat.
Floyd finally did move toward a table but he took one with no empty tables adjacent to it. Shane had to settle for a spot a couple of tables away from them. He had a good visual of the couple but no way to hear their conversation. He doubted he would have been able to anyway in the crowded venue.
Taking out his duty cell, he tapped out a quick message to Mel.
At A&W. Visual, no audio. Standby.
He hoped she’d understand and pass his message to Gates who was probably within a minute or two of pulling into the lot in his marked cruiser.
The couple ate quickly and didn’t appear to be talking much. Shane followed suit. He wanted to be ready to act if they got up to leave and take care of the money and drug exchange elsewhere.
Ten minutes after his text to Mel, when the couple both rose and started to collect the remnants of their lunch, a quick scan out the windows along the front and side showed him no visible sign of any overt police presence outside. He waited until they were both out the door before rising himself and going out the same way.
They got into separate cars, both parked opposite of the drive-thru. Shane hadn’t seen a pass off so he was torn about who to follow with them now leaving. He sauntered toward the same lot himself as first Donaldson, and then Voll backed out. Instead of turning right to go back toward Route 40, one followed the other out of the left side of the lot.
Shane started to panic. While he pretended to be headed toward another car parked further behind the spots they’d occupied, they were driving away. He prayed they’d continue over to the Super 8. That would give him time to work out an alternate plan.
As he stepped up to an unfamiliar car and pretended to fumble for his keys, he glanced around to see them turning left again to leave out of the back of the lot.
He snatched his phone out of his jacket pocket and speed dialed Mel.
“I’m losing them. Two cars, turning east on National Road behind Super 8!”