by Shane Crosby
“I understand that. Did I mention there were underage girls there? Two of the girls looked every bit of fifteen. And, my witness states they have sex in the back”
“Under aged girls? Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Do they serve alcohol there? They sell sex there?”
“Yes to all of the above.”
“You’re stating, that you and your partner saw girls there under age? And, you know they sell sex there?”
“Yes.”
“You got your warrant. I’ll call the DA right now and have them get it together. It’ll be restricted to the files ONLY. Some of those documents better say fifteen for at least one girl there.”
“Electronic, too?”
“You’re pushing it boy. You know that, right? Since this is the electronic age we’ll include electronic files, too.”
“Thank you, Uncle Frank.” I got up to leave.
“Oh, and Trevor, don’t bring your ass back in here with this trumped up mess again do you hear me? And, you better find some underage girls in that damn club. And, I don’t mean going to get them out of the neighboring high school and asking them to go inside just so you can make your case.”
I smiled. “Yes, sir.”
“Um hmmm, I know how you damn police are. You’ll violate a monkey’s rights if you can make a case and arrest someone. I’ll have it sent down to you.”
“I’ll see you later. Tell Aunt Penelope I’ll see her in a couple of days.”
“Okay.”
When I shut the door I almost started to scream, but this clerk walked by so I had to maintain my composure. When I got back downstairs I went outside ran around the building and let out the loudest yell I possibly could. Boy that felt great. Now I needed to go and change my shirt, after that meeting with my uncle it’s soak and wet.
CHAPTER TEN
UNEXPECTED DELIVERY
BERLIN
Don
For as long as I can remember there’s always been a strong bond between me and my brothers. Our parents wouldn’t have had it any other way. We vowed log ago to be there for each other no matter what. So, when my brother, Trevor called needing some help on a case, I, of course, jumped right in to help. The last time I spoke with him, he sounded like there was more trouble than he’d lead me to believe, but I didn’t push it.
Today, I received a package from him that included a file of some kind. From his instructions, I’m to make copies and put it away in a safe place. He also wanted to know if I had someone on base who could break the encryption. I do know someone, but I thought I needed to speak with Trevor to see exactly what’s going on.
Calling Trevor Alvarez...
“Alvarez.”
“Hey little brother, can you talk?”
“You got my present?”
“Sure did. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Let me go in another room.”
“Now. Don, I don’t know what’s going on. I got that file from a reporter who says he was instructed to give it to me.”
“To you? Why?”
“No idea. He kept it for months before he turned it over. He tried to break the encryption or get someone to do it. Get this, the guy told him it was encrypted by some military security type stuff. When he tried to break the encryption the electricity in his apartment cut off. Long story short, the two people he gave it to are now dead.”
“You’re not making this up, are you?”
“Hell no, Don. I didn’t believe him until a cop form homicide confirmed they were dead. The one guy tried to run. They found him in Lake Gochian.”
“What the hell is on that recording?”
“No idea, man. I wanted to send it to Dub, but I don’t know where the hell he is. We agreed to keep baby bird out of our mess. Scott and Mase would probably bring it to you. You were my last hope.”
“No problem, brother. I’ll put it in a safe place.”
“D, copy it. Make as many copies as possible. Hide them all.”
“Boy, this really got you spooked, doesn’t it?”
“Man, I just need to know why my name is on that recording at all. Do you think you can break it?”’
“I have someone who can, no worries.”
“D, be careful.”
“You too.”
BROTHERLY LOVE
BERLIN
Don
Listening to the fear in my brother’s voice unnerved me. I, too, wanted to know why his name was mentioned on some peculiar audio recording.
I picked up the phone and called a private I’m mentoring. He’s in the military because he hacked into the FBI’s database. He almost found himself in some hold in the ground for the next fifty years had it not been for connections he has. No one knows what those connections, but they had to have been pretty high up for him to have an option other than federal prison.
Knocking......
“Enter.”
“You wanted to see me sir?”
“At ease. Have a sit. Yes I did.”
“First, this can’t go anywhere outside this room. Are we clear?”
“Yes sir.”
“I need your skills with a computer.”
“What kind of skills sir?”
“The kind that got you here.”
“I don’t use those skills any more sir. You just said why.”
“I understand, but it’s for great cause.”
“May I ask what cause is that?”
“You can, but I can’t answer.”
“Is this some sort of national security thing, sir?”
“I don’t really have the answer to that question.”
“You don’t or you won’t?”
“No, it’s more like don’t.”
“May I ask what it’s pertaining to, sir?”
“Private Morris, let me rephrase. I don’t have any answers, that’s why I’m coming to you, to get them.”
“What’s the task?”
“I want you to unencrypt this audio file. Do you think you can do that?”
“Sure.”
“Let me warn you. It’s encrypted with military security.”
“Where did you get this, sir?”
“From a friend, well closer than a friend.”
“Family?”
“Something like that, yes.”
“Always the worst trouble, when family is involved.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“I can do it, sir. It may take a while, but I can do it. No problem.”
“Morris, listen and carefully, I want you to take this phone. Only use this until I tell you otherwise. Do not under any circumstances tell anyone you’re working on this. Do you understand?”
“I sure do, sir. I’ll keep it under wraps until I see you again.”
“Thank you private. Dismissed.”
INTERNATIONAL
PRECINT
Trevor
Before I could return to the case that’s quickly beginning to take over my life and everyone’s around me, I had to close a case Jack and I worked on a couple of months ago. We were successful in identifying the family and today, we had to go out and notify them of their loved ones passing.
I haven’t been in homicide long. I guess that’s why I’ve been able to avoid family notifications. Today, however, wasn’t a good day. I couldn’t avoid them anymore. I had to get my feet wet and jump into that tear filled ocean.
I see why some of the guys stop talking when they return from notifying the family. Of course Jack says those are the newbies, like me. After you’ve been on the force for some time, you stop wearing your heart on your sleeve.
When I was in the military, I didn’t have to see the families. We went in, hit a town, village or city and went back to base. In this job, seeing the emotionally destruction is something I can certainly do without.
“Hey kid, you’ll learn to live with the family notifications. If you need to go home, everyone will understand. Hell, I coul
dn’t come in for three days after my first.”
“Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately, very. It was a little girl, killed by a drive by shooting. The punks took the body and dumped it. Never seen that done before, but the LaNoche gang isn’t your average ignorant bunch of criminals. They designed crime and how to get away with it. Anyway, we found the body six months later. It was all decomposed. It just killed me to see that little girl’s body destroyed that way. I’ll never forget it.”
“I don’t think I could handle that either. As a matter of fact, I’m quite certain I’d have to take some time off.”
“Yeah, it happens. I just want you to know, it’s okay. We have enough cops eating their guns.”
“It’s the job. You see the worst daily.”
“That’s right. Heard anything from the military?”
“Nothing, except the DNA sample matched. Husband is a suspect.”
“He killed her over here?”
“See, that’s the thing Jack, I don’t believe he did. I believe he’s innocent, but my instincts tell me something else is going on here. Unless he’s a serial killer, but I checked. He wasn’t anywhere near this area when we found our bodies.”
“We have to find his angle. The checking him out?”
“Oh yeah thoroughly.”
“Come up with anything we can use?”
“Nothing, but I’m hopeful. Maybe if they can break him, he’ll give us something we can use.”
“When I started this job I didn’t believe in anything. After a few years, man I learned to pray, that’s the only thing that’s kept me sane and keeps me going when everything around me tells me to quit.”
“Already there. You sound like my mom. She believed in prayer.”
“With five boys, she had to.”
“Ha! Her words exactly.”
Phone ringing....
“Alvarez.”
“Detective Alvarez, this is Unit Chief Jansen here in the Netherlands. I’m calling about a young lady you inquired about as well as some murders we have here. Do you have a moment to speak?”
“I sure do. Let me get a pen. Do you have any additional information on the young lady?”
“I do not, sorry, but I am also calling regarding the note you placed in her file.”
“Any murders that fit this profile, please contact me. Yeah, I remember adding that.”
“We have discovered bodies like this around Amsterdam. I’m also aware that Germany and Paris has had the misfortune of this as well.”
“The same type of dismemberment? The head and hands removed?”
“Yes, exact. And, a few months ago maybe not that long, but we found a body that was burned so badly it fell apart when we tried to collect it. I know Germany has found one of those recently as well.”
“Chief Jansen, do you think I could take a look at those bodies? Could you send some pictures?”
“I’d be more than happy to. If you decide to visit, we will show you the bodies as well.”
“Did you say Germany has those bodies?”
“I did, yes.”
“I might be paying you that visit after all. I have family in Germany.”
“Okay then good. It might be better for your case as well as to compare, yes.”
“Yes. If you could send those photos that would be awesome and I’ll be seeing you soon.”
“I will do it. Look forward to it detective.”
“Good-bye.”
(Click)
“What was that all about?”
“Jack, it seems our crew has gone international. That was an officer in Amsterdam letting me know they’ve discovered bodies dismembered in the same way as ours here. And, get this, Germany and Paris has as well.”
“Is he sure they’re the same?”
“He acted like he was certain. He’s sending pictures.”
“Good. We can review them and compare.”
“If they’re a match, that’s going to be great.”
“I’ve always wanted to see Europe.”
“Jack, looks like you picked the right star.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
PRECINCT
Trevor
My time would be better spent here, working on getting into Club Hedonist and the other clubs in neighboring states. However, when I got the call informing me that there were other bodies matching my own being found in Europe, I had to drop what I was doing to check it out. I’ve taken care of everything I need for my trip. Jack has cleared it with his wife and we should be ready to fly the friendly skies in the next few days. Until then, we’ll be working what we got from here.
As usual with us, Jack beat me here, but all isn’t lost, I’m younger and even as the days go by I’m still younger. One day he’ll have to slow down and I can run past him up the stairs. When I do, just to rub it in, I’m going to do that Rocky dance all over the top step.
“Hey kid. I know you’re happy to see me sitting here this morning, before you I might add.”
“Yeah, yeah. What’s this?”
“No idea. It was on your desk when I arrived.”
“Cool. Something my brothers sending me for our trip.”
“You and that clan of brothers, unbreakable, huh?”
“Thicker and stronger than that.”
“I wish I could say the same.”
“You’ll work it out.”
“I sure hope so, kid.”
There was a large cooler sitting on the floor. I was excited to open it. I figured my brothers had sent me some food from Europe. I planned to take it home and get Jan to cook it for dinner tonight. I couldn’t wait to try it.
I cut the tape around the lid and opened it. There was Styrofoam pellets on top covering the food. I thought at least they packaged it well this time. I hurried and pulled the pellets off the top so I could see what delicacy they’d sent us. When I got all the pellets off, I couldn’t tell what kind of food it was. Everything was wrapped in plastic. I thought that if I turned it over, I would know if it was stake or some other meat they shipped over.
When I turned it over, I fell back and almost flipped over my chair. I nearly jumped fifty feet across the room.
“Kid, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“Hey, Alvarez, you all right, man?”
I wasn’t all right. I was nearing heart attack zone. I wondered if the house had a defibrillator because I’d surely need one. I tried to catch my breath but couldn’t. All I could do was point to the cooler. Jack went over to take a look. He lifted the package and the same thing stared back at him. Startled, he fell back, knocked over the coffee and water I’d brought into work.
The face of Mrs. Washington, Shana Washington’s mother was staring back at him from inside that cooler.
“Damnit! Warn a man before you let him pick up someone’s head. I’ve ruined a good suit.”
“Damn Alvarez, who you piss off? People sending you heads in a cooler. You must have made some enemies during your SEAL days.”
I knew it wasn’t anything I did as a SEAL that brought me this type of nightmarish gift to my place of work. It was that file. It had to be.
“Kid what do you want to do with this mess?”
“Take it to the coroner.”
“I’ll call the team in here to gathering all of this up.”
“Alvarez, what’s going on?”
“I think it’s the new friends Jack and I made.”
“With friends like this, you surely have enemies.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“Watch yourself.”
“I will, thanks.”
“Kid, you think this is our friends from the club?”
“I do.”
Someone from the front desk started calling my name.
“Alvarez, messenger here for you.”
“Messenger?”
“I hope that’s not a bomb.”
“Maybe we should clear the precinct.”
“Well, let’s see what they have.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
When the messenger walked in, we knew he didn’t have anything to harm us. He took a note from an envelope and read the message.
“This is to inform you that Mrs. Washington has found her daughter. And, it’s also to let you know, you can stop looking for Mrs. Washington.”
“I need that note, please.”
“Here you go, detective. Have a nice day.”
“Who knew I was looking for the mother?”
“No one except me and you.”
“Jack, I’m beginning to think, these people aren’t playing games.”
“From the bodies their dropping all over Gochian, you should’ve guessed that.”
“No, Jack, I mean, they’re in another league. This isn’t about some murderer or serial killer, they’re in a totally different atmosphere.”
“We can handle it, kid. They’re just trying to spook you.”
“I’ve worked in the military with people like this. They’ll do anything to protect what they got. I mean anything without conscience. I think that’s the type of people we’re dealing with.”
“Nah, you’re just spooked. Don’t let ‘em get to you.”
I listened to Jack brush off the threat that was delivered to the precinct. I wasn’t buying into it. We’ve fallen into something deep. I didn’t know what it was, but now, after this, I had no other choice but to find out.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ONE WEEK LATER
WHEREVER MURDER TAKES ME
AMSTERDAM
Trevor
The IU came to pick up the cooler and delivered it to the coroner. The cooler didn’t just have Mrs. Washington’s head inside, but her entire body had been chopped up and placed inside that cooler, along with her daughter’s hands and head. I couldn’t believe the gall and audacity they’ve shown. They’re clearly not afraid, but they want me to be. How ironic. They’re the ones breaking the law, but I should be afraid.
Jack and I met with the coroner before our trip and he confirmed that the tool used to dismember Mrs. Washington and her daughter left the same type of marks as the other victims that were dumped. Hearing that just made me angrier and more determined to get them.