The Harvesters: A Detective Devora Lobos Novel

by William J Manning

  “I’m not back. Just correcting a mistake.”

  Another agent getting murdered is my fault. Never should’ve trusted my brother; I should’ve followed procedure and took him to the goddamn agency building. I let the fact he’s my brother cloud my judgement, the very thing I told Tanner I wouldn’t do. Sorry, my family drama got you killed, Roy, but I’m gonna make it right, whatever it takes, partner.

  Everglades

  The lonely two-lane highway has huge sprawl wetlands on both sides of the road, with towering trees growing out of the swamp. Raindrops patter on the windshield, forcing me to switch on the windshield wipers. Again, like clockwork.

  I glance to the roadside, and relatively large gators are resting in the grass, enjoying the damp brush. The road leads into a small town where I pass a sign that says Everglades City Welcomes you. Now time to find Deputy Emma Roth.

  I park the car at the Sheriff’s substation, a double-wide trailer with a sign on its side that reads Collier County Sheriff’s department. I knock on the door, and a scrawny man in an all-gray uniform with black pocket flaps on his shirt answers. “Uh, how can I help you, ma’am?” his accent is not Floridian, but Alabaman.

  “I’m Special Agent Lobos with the DEA. I would like to speak with one of your deputies. It pertains to a case I’m working on.”

  “Wow, we sure don’t get many Feds in these parts, but yeah, let me get’er on the radio. Have a seat, and if you want coffee, there’s some in the break room.”

  “No, thank you. I’m fine.”

  “Come in unit 71.”

  “Unit 71. Go ahead.”

  “I need to you to RTB. A lady with the DEA wants to talk to ya.”

  “What the hell for.”

  “Look, Emma, I don’t know, just get back here now.”

  Ten minutes later, a woman in a gray uniform enters the office. She has her black hair pulled back in a bun; if I had to guess, I’d say she was seriously into CrossFit by her frame. She rests her hands on her gun belt. “Okay, G-woman, what can I do ya for?” She pulls off her gold-framed aviators.

  “I would like to discuss the unsolved missing person’s case you were working when you were with Miami PD.”

  “Perhaps we better go somewhere more private. Come on, I know a place.”

  ***

  She takes us to the Bayou Cafe overlooking the waterway leading into the wooded wetlands. She orders us a cup of coffee. “Okay, Agent Lobos. What the hell are you doing digging around in a cold case that ain’t drug-related?”

  “It actually is drug-related.”

  “How ya figure?”

  “Your kidnap victims are actually murder victims because the Russian mafia would use dating apps to lure their victims. They would post an attractive woman or man to lure them in. When they would show up thinking, they found a possible soul mate… then the Russians would strike and take them to the Harvesters to be cut open and have their parts sold and their empty husks used as a smuggling vehicle.”

  She takes a sip of her coffee and nods. “Yeah, I knew the Russian Mafia were involved with the kidnapping, but I thought it was human trafficking most people that went missing was young and attractive men and women, but I didn’t think they were doing all that,” she says, in disgust.

  “Also, what if I told you the police commissioner Gerald Tobin was involved and the mayor?”

  She crosses her arms. “I’d say those are some serious accusations coming outta that yap of yours, Agent Lobos.”

  “I have proof the mayor is connected to organized crime, but no such evidence on the police commissioner; however, trying to arrest the mayor would be a pointless endeavor considering he was murdered last night.”

  Her blue eyes light up with shock. “Damn… seriously?”

  “Yeah, surprised you haven’t seen it on the news yet.”

  “I’ve been so busy with my shifts and keeping these spring breakers in line I’ve not even looked at my phone or the TV, so I been out of the loop with current events, unfortunately, but I guess the wages of sin finally caught up with the mayor.”

  “You knew he was dirty?”

  “Yep, but I never could prove it. All I had to go on was my gut.”

  I take a sip from my mug. “I need your help with your old case.”

  She cocks her head to the side and narrows her gaze. “Hell no, lady. Now you look here, I tried to work that case, and it got me and my partner booted off the force for trying to tag the people involved. That case nothing but a trudge through a river of bullshit.”

  “So no justice for the victims?”

  She stares at her coffee, rubbing her thumb on the side of the cup. “Agent Lobos.” She frowns. “The dead don’t care about justice; only we do to make ourselves feel important.”

  “If you really feel that way, Deputy Roth, then why do you still put on the badge every day?”

  She shrugs. “I got bills like everyone else.”

  “So more victims gotta die because you lost your will to give a fuck?”

  Funny coming from me, just a few hours ago, I was ready to say fuck this case because my cage got rattled.

  “Now you listen here, don’t you dare guilt trip me into stepping back into this shit and ruining yet another career. I gotta good life in this town where the biggest crime is Marijuana without a prescription and underage drinking, or some tourist gets too loaded on booze.”

  I place my number on the table. “Deputy, I wasn’t always a fed. I know what it’s like to do grunt work, only to have it taken away from you. So trust me, if you help me solve this, you’ll get full credit. In fact, it’s to my benefit you get all the credit because, see, my brother is the one who killed the Mayor and a DEA agent last night.”

  She stares at me wide-eyed. “Well, kick me in the ass; I thought my family was dysfunctional. All things considered, I’m so sorry for your brother, but I gotta good thing going here. Sorry, you wasted a trip out here.” She raises the mug to her lips.

  “What about your former partner?”

  She places the mug on the table and scoffs. “If you wanna see if you have better luck with him, you’re gonna have to fly to Hawaii.”

  “Mayor said he was working at a bar on South Beach.”

  “The mayor’s information is out of date. My partner is serving drinks to tourists in Kona, Hawaii. I can save you from wasting your breath on a phone call; he will tell you exactly the same thing I told you.”

  “You know, while you’re sitting here enjoying a comfy life in a cozy little backwater pisshole, innocent victims are being lured to their deaths every day on a dating site.” I toss a picture of the recent victim on the table. “Evelyn Waters, a single mother that was kidnapped, her body emptied and dumped in an alleyway like she was garbage. So you think about that while you’re rousting potheads and drunks.” I storm out of the restaurant and head to my Dodge.

  I don’t blame her for telling me to fuck off. It doesn’t take a genius to know this case is going to be a death march.

  I light up a smoke and open my car door. I crank my car when Deputy Roth appears in my peripheral. She tenses, and her eyes burn with worry. “Single mother, you said, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  Her grip on the door frame tightens, and she briefly stares at the ground and exhales a long breath. “Where in Miami are ya staying?”

  I smile. “The Sunset Resort on Ocean Drive. Room 204.”

  “Okay, I know it. I’ll see ya there later. I gotta sort some shit out here and put in for vacation time and let the wife know so she won’t worry.”

  “No need to bullshit your boss. Just head over to the hotel. I will talk to your boss and get you assigned to me.”

  Chapter 14

  Sunset Resort

  After hanging up with her boss and getting her assigned to me, I dial up Tanner.

  “Go ahead, Lobos?”

  “I assigned Deputy Emma Roth to our case.”

  “I wished you had run that by me fir
st.”

  “Running it by you now.”

  “I know, but it wasn’t your call.”

  “Sir, you always said this case is a conflict of interest because of my brother.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, wouldn’t it just be easier to just have the Sheriff Deputy crack her cold case and give all the credit to her?”

  He sighs. “You make a good point.”

  “Any sign of my brother?”

  “No. he’s in the wind. Lobos, I’m sorry things with Raul worked out like this, but you know he has crossed the point of no return.”

  “… Yeah.”

  “You going to be alright?”

  “Deputy Roth is on her way, and I’ll give you an update on our investigation soon.” I hang up on him.

  My boss coddling me will not change what my brother did; nothing will. Raul played the drums to his own death march. Only thing left for me to do is shut down the Harvesters and bring in my brother or… kill him. Either way, this plays out; I’m getting an extension on being the Lobos family’s black sheep. On a side note, this hotel has a better view than the previous one. I have a 3rd-floor balcony that faces the beach.

  There’s a knock at my door. I glance through the peephole; it’s Roth wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a sheriff badge hooked on her waistband armed with a Kimber 1911. I answer the door. “I squared things with your boss and mine, so us working alongside is legit now.”

  “Good, so where do we go from here?”

  “I would like to review your previous case.”

  “What for?”

  “I believe your old case is related to mine and I need to see if I missed something.”

  She smirks. “I thought you might wanna go over my old investigation, so I brought it with me.”

  “I thought you gave this up?”

  “I tried and tried. Just can’t seem to let it go. All I can think about now is the Harvesters and those poor girls dead somewhere with their bodies empty.” She places the file on the table. “I just can’t get that woman’s fear-stricken face out of my head. Do you think she was alive when they, you know?”

  “I don’t know, Roth, but let’s hope not.” I pull out her case report.

  Eyewitness reports first victim Sarah Marshall, Hispanic female age 19, last seen meeting a young male at the Spartan Fitness at 7pm. The victim left with the man.

  “Did you ever figure out who this man was?”

  “No, it’s weird. It’s like he just vanished off the face of the fucking earth.”

  “So, do you have any POIs?”

  “I had one, but before I could interview him, they fired me from the force.”

  “Who was it?”

  “It was a high-ranking police officer… a police captain.”

  “Name?”

  “Saul Freeman.”

  This piece of shit again. When I was Miami PD, I had this son of a bitch cold on taking bribes from politicians, but somehow the bastard slipped through the cracks and gets promoted.

  I take a sip from my flask. “Where can we find this prick these days?”

  “He has a house in Coconut Grove.”

  “Ritzy living for a police captain’s salary. He must get his cut from the Russians.”

  “I wouldn’t doubt it one bit, Lobos.”

  “Let’s go talk to him.”

  “Wait, don’t you need a warrant.”

  “We don’t need a warrant for just small talk.”

  ***

  The captain leaves his house and gets in his BMW. I approach the driver’s side, and Deputy Roth comes to the passenger side. I knock on the window and press my badge against the glass. He glares at the badge, rolls his eyes and opens the car door. “What idiot let you back into the DEA, Lobos?”

  I smile. “And I’m surprised a shit bag like you made it to captain, Freeman.”

  He sighs. “Lobos, why have you blocked me in my driveway?”

  “We wanted to ask you some questions about the money you’re taking from the Russian mob.”

  He smirks and glares at Roth. “I see Roth has been telling you her wild stories about police collusion with the Russian mafia. Well, Special Agent Lobos, I can assure you this woman is nothing more than a glory hound. She ran around throwing accusations at powerful people with no evidence to back up the claims.”

  “Because you and your thugs destroyed my evidence, you goddamn asshole!”

  He smirks and leans his head back against this seat. “She never had evidence, Lobos, so she creates wild stories about corrupt cops destroying her evidence on her case.”

  “Here’s the thing, Freeman. I’ve known you a lot longer than she has, and I know what a slimy snake you are, and if you’re involved with the Harvesters, I will burn you.”

  He gives a brief chuckle. “Me, mixed up with the Harvesters? I’m not what you call a model police officer, but deranged I am not.”

  I turn my head to the side, wearing a look of disbelief. “So you’re not involved with Radomir’s black market organ trade?”

  “… Maybe you should lay off the sauce, Lobos. It’s killing your brain cells. Now either arrest me or move your fucking car.”

  “Let’s not bullshit each other, Freeman. We both know you always made illegal money on the side, but I’m here to tell you this side money you’re taking will end you one day.”

  His mouth curves upward. “I saw your sex tape. You really know how to drive a stick. A shame we never hooked up; your partner was a lucky man.” His brow furrows. “Funny, I never pegged you for a screamer.”

  This is what he wants is for me to knock his teeth out, so my investigation gets tossed out. It’s tempting, but I won’t give him the satisfaction.

  “The mayor received money from them, and then he was murdered. How long do you estimate you’ll last? Food for thought, Freeman.”

  Irritation stirs in his eyes. “Go back to Tampa, Lobos. Before something reaches out and grabs you.”

  I turn my head to the side. “You threatening me, asshole?”

  “No, just a friendly warning from one cop to another. Now, if you got nothing to bring me in for move your damn car.”

  “We’ll keep in touch, Captain.”

  We head back to our car and let him out.

  Roth runs her hands through her hair. “Well, that was utterly fucking pointless.”

  “Not really.”

  “What are you talking about? We got nothing.”

  “Have you forgotten how to be a detective? Did you see his pause when I mentioned the mayor murdered? His body language told me he’s taking money from the Russians, and he’s worried.”

  “So, him taking money from criminals is nothing new?”

  “Back when I was Miami PD, I had him dead on a bribing beef, but instead of being fired and charged, he got promoted, and I received disciplinary action, which resulted in me being kicked out of the Special Investigations Unit. However, the money he’s taking here just may be the money that gets him killed when the DEA cranks up the pressure.”

  “The hell did he mean I saw your sex tape? Are you doing pornos on the side?”

  The hair raises on the back of my neck. “No. To make a long story short, I cheated on my husband. The PI, my ex-husband hired got it on tape. My Ex posted it on a porn site to get back at me for my cheating.”

  “Wow. That’s fucked up, Lobos.”

  I exhale in frustration. “Yeah, because of my ex, the entire world knows what I look like naked. Now enough with the past, let’s move on to present matters.”

  I had a feeling that fucking sex tape would surface during this investigation, eventually.

  “So, what next?”

  “Going to call that PI I worked with and tell him to follow Freeman around.” I dial up Jerry.

  “Hello?”

  “Dermot, it’s me.”

  “You back in Tampa yet?”

  “No, I stayed and work this case.”

  “What happened to the dea
d don’t care about justice?”

  “I decided I care.”

  “So, what do you need?”

  “I need you to follow Miami PD captain Saul Freeman around and let me know what you find out.”

  “Roger that, Lobos.”

  She shakes her head. “What the hell is the world coming to when cops need to make extra money by taking bribes and doing work for monsters like the Russian Mob?”

  “The kind that should’ve been politicians.”

  I cross the bridge leaving Coconut Grove; Roth takes a sip of her water and gazes at the tourists racing jet skis through the bay.

  My cell rings. “Go ahead, Tanner.”

  “Lobos… you need to get to your brother’s condo.”

  “Why?”

  “Your brother’s… here.” His voice grim.

  Chapter 15

  Raul’s hanging upside down from the ceiling, his chest black and blue and his face smashed in, blood dripping into a puddle accumulated under him. Snitch written in blood on the caramel walls. They left him hanging from the ceiling like a piece of meat on a hook.

  “Hey, Lobos. I’m sorry,” Tanner says.

  My vision blurs from tears pooling in my eyes. “Me too.”

  “Well, it’s obvious who did this.”

  “Russians?” Tanner says.

  “Raul gets taken into custody by me. Russians find out I’m investigating them, and they string him up and beat him to death with hammers.”

  Goddamn it, Raul. How long did you expect to last without me?

  “Only this was not the Russians,” The ME chimes in.

  “What are you talking about? Who else could it had been?”

  He glances at me. “Russian Mafia is sadistic, but hammers are not their style.”

  “What makes you so sure?” Roth asks the Medical Examiner.

  “Russian Hitmen would’ve slit his throat to send a message, not beat him to death with hammers, and this looks like multiple attackers. Russian assassins are often a solo act.” The ME adds.

  “Agent Lobos, This was damn stupid of him to think he could hide who you really are from people like this, but for what it’s worth, I am sorry for your loss.”