With Friends Like These....Part VI

[Robbie C.]

“I think I got something.”

Sonny looked up from his report and saw Lester standing in the doorway of Castillo’s office. It was just before noon, and he’d been reading the same damned paragraph for the last twenty minutes. “What’s up?”

“We’ve got someone listening in. It’s on the original outside line, and not on the new stuff Stan and I added.”

“The stuff no one else knows about.” Sonny finished Lester’s thought. “Any idea how long it’s been there?”

“Not long. Maybe a week or two.” He looked at a log book. “Stan and I were checking from time to time more to stay in practice. Our last sweep was two and a half weeks ago and it was clear then.”

“Thanks. Let the others know and have Rico swing in. And Lester? Good work. Let Stan know, too.”

Rico sauntered in moments later. “So we got a bug in the house I hear.”

“Yeah. The original outside line.” Sonny closed the report folder with a snap. “Lester says the others are clean. Just the one.”

“He have any idea…” Rico shook his head. “Naw, they wouldn’t, would they?”

“Know who did it? Not unless they left a ‘compliments of the FBI’ card tied to the damned thing. I don’t think they actually found the physical tap. Just evidence it’s there.”

“And if we pull it, then they know we know and they get sneakier.”

“Yeah.” Sonny grinned. “I could just make Hoover jokes on the line and see if those damned tan Fords show up outside.”

“Yeah, but like you said they’d just go looking for more.” Rico scratched his chin through his trimmed beard. “Any chance we can find out if there’s a warrant?”

“If it’s the Feebs it’ll be sealed, and again they’d just know we’re on to them.” Sonny leaned back and sighed. “No, I think I’ll wait for Marty to get back tomorrow and brief him on it. He’s got way more experience dealing with the Feds than we do. We know how to piss ‘em off, but not how to navigate this kind of crap.”

“You still want to do the deal tonight?”

“I can’t see us having a choice. We bail now, we lose those two maybe for good. But we might have to dangle Burnett and Cooper in front of those two bozos sooner than we’d planned.”

“Yeah, I can see that. If those chumps are our people, they’ll rat out Biggs and Patch right after the deal goes down. And we need to give ‘em a reason not to.”

“And I need a reason to avoid this damned file.” Sonny got up from behind the desk. “Let’s go see if our two bikers have any ideas.”

Stan looked up from the microphone he was working on. “We could always say one of our guys up north got busted and we can’t move as much product. That would let me get Burnett in, and then you could dangle Cooper in front of them.”

Sonny nodded. “It’s workable. What’s your take? You think they’ll fall for the money trap?”

“Only dealer I’ve ever seen who wouldn’t was that Delgado cat. And he was a freak of nature.” Stan chuckled. “Dealers as just genetically greedy. It’s what they know.”

“Even this new breed?”

“Maybe more so. It’s not guesswork like it was back when we took down Calderone’s people. Hell, they know how much is out there for the taking now. And they also know how short the lifespan can be. They want to grab it while they can.”

“Yeah. That’s how I roped in some of those bozos back when I was Burnett.” Sonny smiled, hiding the pain of the memory. “Thanks, Stan. I think that’s how we’ll play it. But with no number we’ll have to go with the meet anyhow.”

“Been thinkin’ about that, too. Leo gets ahold of those two somehow. Maybe we can use him.”

“That or just risk the face time.” Sonny shook his head. “It’s your call, big guy.”

“We’ll do the meet.” Stan didn’t hesitate. “Leo’s squirrelly on the best days, and those two didn’t look like they’d do well with a phone call. They might figure we’re ducking them. Randy and I will meet them, spring our news, and say we got someone lined up who could do the whole run at once. I’ll call you, you can do your big, bad Burnett act and dangle Rico in front of them.”

“Sounds good.” Sonny turned to go and then stopped in the doorway. “You look tired, Stan. Maybe you should grab a nap before this kicks off. Long night?”

The big man’s cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. “You could say that. And that’s  good idea. I’ll finish this up and grab some z’s.”

Back in Castillo’s office, Sonny went about reviewing the morning faxes and generally tidying up the place. He didn’t want to leave a mess for Marty, or routine things undone. As he worked, he wondered where they’d been and hoped they’d enjoyed the time away. He’d given Angie instructions to spend whatever she needed to make it happen.

 

Martin Castillo let his big Ford glide into his parking space as usual, looking over and smiling at Trudy in the passenger seat. Trudy Castillo he thought, shutting off the car and listening to the engine tick as it cooled. It’s an adjustment I’m happy to make.

She seemed to read his mind. “Now I know how Gina felt.” She smiled and repeated it. “Trudy Castillo. I like it. No, I love it. Let’s get inside, honey. I have a tune I want to work on.”

The house waited quietly for them. He knew Sonny and the others had looked in from time to time, and the alarm system was still working as designed. And it was good to be back. Good to be home, he reminded himself. It really was home now.

The wedding had been just as Trudy imagined it, complete with flowers and Gina and Jenny serving as dual maids of honor. He’d met her family for the first time, struck by how much she looked like her mother. They’d been in awe of him at first, but soon enough they’d started joking and smiling. And he could tell it meant the world to her, which made him happier than he could explain.

And the honeymoon. Angie had outdone herself. She’d looked at them both and said “Leave it to me black man an’ sista. Angie take care of you good.” And she had. He’d half-expected something tropical, but Angie had gotten them a cabin in the high mountains of Montana. Far away from everything except each other. “You need your time,” she explained as she handed them keys and directions. “Where no fools can bother you. You take care of sista, black man. You don’t, Angie will know and whup your ass.”

Lost in his thoughts, Martin smiled when he heard the piano. He knew she’d been working on something since the end of the wedding, but any time he asked she just brushed him away. “You’ll find out when we get back, my love,” she’d said each time. And soon enough he stopped, content to watch the stars blazing in the clear mountain air with an intensity exceeding what he’d seen in the highlands of Laos and Thailand. And they’d even gone in and come out by helicopter, another reminder of his past.

At least they’d have tonight. Tomorrow he’d be back at work, trying to catch up on everything they’d missed. And she’d be back trying to read the minds of men who thought of nothing but themselves. But at least for tonight they’d have each other without sharing one more time.

Walking into the living room he found her at the piano, the notebook open on its top. She’d dropped her shirt just inside the doorway and was playing with her eyes closed, letting the music flow from her mind to her fingers and into the keys. The moment engraved itself in his mind, her playing so vulnerable yet secure, tempting him with her music and her body in the same moment. It had been like that the entire time they’d been away, and he was glad to see it continuing.

The last note echoed off the walls of the room. She opened her eyes and turned to smile at him. “What do you think?”

“It was beautiful. And you are beautiful, my love.” He said the words in Vietnamese. “Does it have a name?”

“Yes.” She smiled then looked down. “Promise you won’t be angry.”

“I could never be angry with you.”

“It’s Jess and Andre’s Suite.”

“That’s perfect. You captured them both, I think. The hope and sadness. The flow of the ocean and the power of the engine. It’s all there, my love.”

“I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about Jess.”

“It’s perfect,” he repeated. And it was. Somehow she’d combined jazz and classical into something deeper, more powerful. He’d never heard a piece like it before.

“Come and sit by me.”

He settled onto the piano stool, feeling her warm body next to him. The purplish scar left by the bullet was fading, but he knew it would always be there. Like his were. To him it just made her more beautiful, even though he knew she was self-conscious about it. “Could you play it again? Then we can go out and listen to the waves and see if Jess approves.” He got up and opened the patio door. “There. Now they can hear it, too. It seems selfish to keep it to ourselves.”

“Are you ready to go in tomorrow?”

“As ready as you are.” He smiled. “I know you missed it.”

“Mostly when I was on bedrest.” She slapped his arm. “In the hospital, silly. Not with you. Anyhow, I missed letting my brain work.”

“I understand.” He smiled, listening to the music flow around them. Feeling the spirits of the place nodding their approval. He’d gotten closer to them back in the mountains, away from everything but Trudy and himself. Even his headaches had disappeared by the end of the first day. “And that suite is beautiful. I know they love it. Both of them.”

She smiled, a single tear tracing a shining line down her cheek. “I love you so much, Marty. All those years we missed…”

“We didn’t miss anything. We got to know each other. As people. It makes us more complete. It’s a very special thing. I’m very thankful for it.”

“You’re right.” She smiled. “Now let’s go listen to the waves.” She stepped out of her loose skirt. “And you’re overdressed.”

“Not for long.” His clothes joined hers on the floor in seconds. “Ready when you are, my love.”

 

“Ready when you are, guys.” Stan raised his wrist as though he was checking the time, speaking into the watch. “Give me a blinkeroo if you’re ready.”

Across the street the hazards on the Roach Coach kicked on and off.

“Got ya. We’re goin’ in.” Turning he nodded to Randy. “Let’s get this party started.”

“Roger that.” Randy swung his leg over the gas tank of his Harley. “Sooner the better as far as I’m concerned.”

Stan nodded. The address Frank had given them was one of the new dance clubs on the edge of Wynwood. Not the kind of place bikers usually frequented. Still, he figured the door policy would be loose and no one would look too closely under their jackets. Which was a good thing. No way in hell he was walking into this one unarmed.

The sign flashed something he couldn’t read in shades of neon that looked like a kid had puked after eating six flavors of cotton candy and taking one too many turns on a carnival ride. The doorman looked them up and down, shrugged, and let them pass with no comment. Inside it was just what he expected: music too loud, a recycled disco ball from some closed roller disco rink sending reflections bouncing all over hell and gone, too many underage girls wearing too little, and a bar near the far wall which would charge too much for drinks that were mostly ice and promises.

Randy leaned in. “What the hell is this?” he shouted over the pounding bass.

“Someone’s nightmare. Or kids having fun. Ain’t sure which,” Stan shouted back, keeping his wrist well away to keep from blowing the mic. “Keep an eye out for them.” Randy nodded, and Stan went back to scanning the crowd the best he could through the damned disco ball and strobe lights. “Got ‘em,” he shouted. “Far end of the bar.”

Frank was wearing what looked like the same business suit, but the girl had changed it up. Her skirt was shorter, the heels higher, and her top clung to her like it had been painted on. Stan looked again. Judging from her nipples he figured it was painted on, but in the erratic light it was hard to tell. Frank nodded as they got close. “Outside. Easier to talk.”

“Ya fuckin’ think?” Stan looked at Randy and nodded. Like we have any choice. He kept his hand close to the right side of his jacket, ready to draw the Browning at the first hint of trouble.

They went out the back door. The club opened onto an empty lot that in turn butted up against a convenience story and one or two other buildings that could have been apartments or offices. Frank nodded. “Much better. But we had to be sure no one was following you.”

Stan looked around. “Looks cool, Patch.”

Randy nodded. “So let’s get down to it. We can only take the lower quantity right now.”

Frank looked at the girl, and Stan noticed the subtle glance that passed between them. “That isn’t what you said before.”

“That was before we found out two of our guys got rolled up by the damned pigs back in the Panhandle. We can only handle so much between the two of us.”

Stan shook his head, playing it up. “There is a dude I know who might be able to help out. Been a bit since I talked to him last, though.” The girl moved, and he smiled inside. Not a paint job, just really sheer silk. Nice. Good distraction for some.

“We have already arranged for the higher quantity. These things cannot be changed easily.”

“Then I’d better give this guy a call. All he does is transportation, so it should be a no-brainer for him.”

The girl shot Frank another quick look. “The name?”

“Oh? You mean the dude? Sonny…yeah…that’s it. Sonny Burnett.”

“I know that name.”

“Well I’m sure he’ll be damned flattered. It’s been a bit since I talked to him last, though. He don’t work the Panhandle, and that’s where I’ve been.” Stan dug in his jeans pocket. “Lemme get a quarter and I’ll give him a call. You cool to wait with our friends, Patch? There’s a pay phone at the front of this dump.”

“We can all go.” Frank waved his hand. “I want to make sure it is Burnett you call.”

“Hell, moron. I ain’t callin’ the cops. But if it makes you happy, be my guest.” Stan turned and headed for the phone, trusting Randy to cover his back.

Making a show of digging a slip of paper out of his oversized wallet, Stan dropped the quarter in the slot and called one of the Roach Coach’s mobile numbers.

Stan tried not to laugh when Sonny picked up on the third ring. “Burnett.”

“Hey, Sonny! This is Biggs. We ran about two hundred pounds of Jamaica’s finest about two years back. Remember?”

“Big biker bastard? Yeah. I remember you. What’s up?”

“Look, man, I need someone to help move some product. Damned good stuff, but not my usual line, you know? Two of my boys got picked up, and me and Patch might get left holding the bag. I’ll give you a ten percent cut.”

He could hear Sonny chuckling on the other end of the line. “How much we talking?”

“Forty keys.”

“A bit small for me these days, but we do go back a bit. I’ll do it. When and where?”

Stan put his hand over the receiver. “He’s good. We can do the full forty.”

Frank looked at the girl, trying to pretend he was looking at her tits instead of into her eyes for his next line. “Ok. The product will be ready in four days. Meet us here again at the same time. And bring this Burnett with you.”

Nodding, Stan lifted his hand. “The sellers are jackin’ us around a bit, but it’ll be cool. Four days from now. I’ll call you first. They want to meet you. Some lame-ass dance club down in Wynwood. We can have a beer and I’ll get you your cut.”

“Give ‘em hell, Biggs.” There was a click, and the dial tone filled Stan’s ear.

“Ok, Frank. You and your bitch here got a deal. I don’t like hangin’ around here for four days, but if that’s what it takes that’s what it takes.” He jabbed a finger in Frank’s direction. “Just don’t fuck with me, man.”

Randy sighed. “Ya gotta excuse Biggs. The guys that got busted are old friends of his. Me? I didn’t know ‘em that well. But I agree about Miami. It’s high time we headed for fresh places. But I gotta get that money invested. We’ll see you in four days.”

Back at the bikes, Randy looked at Stan and grinned. “I want to know what the damned deal is with that girl.”

“You and me both, buddy. But making the call did do one good thing.”

Randy followed Stan’s gaze and grinned. “Got ‘em in the open and in good lighting. I’ll bet Dave got some good shots. And not just of her tits.”

“Yeah.” Stan looked back, noticing the two had already disappeared. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Taking their usual roundabout route, Stan and Randy got back to the office after the rest had settled in. Sonny looked up as they walked in and grinned. “And yes, Dave did take pictures of something other than her tits.”

Mindy chuckled. “I hope so. Otherwise I’d have to tell Debbie.”

“Now that just ain’t playin’ fair.” Dave laughed and then turned serious. “I did get good facial shots on both of them. Don’t know that it’ll do much good, but we can run ‘em and see what pops up.”

Rico nodded. “When he said he knew Burnett’s name, how did he look?”

Stan wrinkled his forehead as he thought back. “Just like it was a name he’d heard somewhere. She got tense, though. I think it meant something to her, but she’s damned good at hiding expressions.”

“No shit she is.” Randy sat down and opened the can of Coke he’d pulled from the office fridge. “Girl could be a damned store dummy half the time. But she doesn’t miss a thing. Those eyes are always movin’.”

Sonny nodded. “We got a few days in hand now. You two lay low. At least as Patch and Biggs. Marty should be in tomorrow morning, I mean this morning.” He looked at his watch. “I’ll bring him up to speed. Mindy, see if you can get those photos rushed and sent out for ID first thing. And I’d say we’re done for the night. Have your reports ready for Captain Castillo as soon as you can tomorrow.”

Gina was still awake when Stan walked into the apartment’s living room, sitting on the couch watching late night TV. “How’d it go?” she asked, jumping up and kissing him.

“Good. We got four days now. Castillo will be back tomorrow, and Trudy too I’d guess.” He looked down into her deep brown eyes. “You gonna come in to say hello?”

“I should. I want to hear about the honeymoon, and thank Marty for the chance he gave me to fill in.” She smiled. “It’s not for me, but it was fun. And speaking of fun, I’ve been doing nothing but thinking about you since eight tonight, mister. Lock that door and let’s go to bed.”

 

Martin Castillo looked in the bathroom mirror, making sure his pencil-thin black leather tie lined up perfectly with the buttons on his white shirt. He could hear Trudy moving around in the kitchen, finishing the last of her green tea and putting the cup in the sink. He hated leaving the house, but part of him had missed work. He knew himself well enough to admit that fact.

Trudy looked up as he came out of the back rooms, her smile bright and the red dress clinging to her body like a glove. “I must have lost weight up in the mountains,” she announced with another smile. “It’s been a year or so since I could wear this one.”

“And you look beautiful as ever, my love.” He kissed her gently on the lips. “But we’d better go if we want to get there on time.”

The Challenger roared to life as soon as Trudy turned the key. “I wouldn’t worry about getting there on time,” she said with a sly smile. “I did miss the driving in the mountains.”

“And I missed watching you drive.” He smiled as she pulled out of the garage and let the car crawl over the dirt track leading to the main road. He knew as soon as she hit pavement she’d turn the car loose. And she did just that, the tires squealing and the V-8 responding with a roar as they shot up toward the expressway.

The ride up to the tenth floor was quiet. He could feel her unease, and reached over to squeeze her hand. She hadn’t really been back since she’d been wounded, making it almost three months since she’d been in the task force offices. He remembered his own recovery, and coming back was never easy. But she wasn’t doing it alone.

Mindy met them with a smile and a hug. “How was the honeymoon? Wait, you can tell me later. Gina, too. She’s waiting to see both of you.”

Castillo nodded, almost overwhelmed by the emotion in Mindy’s voice. “It’s good to be back. I expect Crockett has a briefing for me?”

“He does, captain. It’s been…” He could see her searching for a word. “Strange the last week or so. He’ll explain.”

Gina, Stan, and Lester jumped up from their seats at the conference table. “Welcome back!” Gina said, coming around and hugging Trudy. “Come on, girl. I want to hear all about it. Mindy, too. You boys can talk shop.” She paused in front of Castillo. “Marty, I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity here. I’ll be going back to Victim Services, but I was glad to help out where I could.”

“You’re welcome any time, Gina.” He smiled, touching her hand. “I understand this isn’t for you. There’s no shame in that. What you do is just as hard, but in different ways. And those girls need both of us doing what we do best. You excel there. Go back to them. I’m sure they need you, even if they won’t admit it.”

She blinked, nodded, and turned back to Trudy. Gathering himself, Castillo turned to Stan and Lester. “Where’s Crockett? And Tubbs?”

“Waiting in your office, captain. They’ve got the briefing ready.”

When Castillo walked in it was like he’d never left. Crockett and Tubbs sat in the chairs in front of his desk, reports neatly arranged in a line on its flat top. “Welcome back, captain,” Sonny said with a smile. “And am I glad you’re back. I even unplugged that damned fax machine to celebrate.”

“I gotta know, Marty. Did Angie send you to Thailand? Someplace tropical?”

“No.” Martin paused for a moment, then smiled. “Montana. She got us a cabin in the middle of the mountains. It was beautiful. Just what we needed.”

Sonny shook his head. “That girl knows her stuff. Out away from everyone and everything? Perfect.”

“It was. We needed the time. And the space.” He wanted to go on, but couldn’t find the words. Not even with these two men. “What do we have?”

“Two things. And I don’t like either one of them.” Sonny filled him in on the operation they’d picked up. “We’ve got searches going now on the photos,” he finished. “But the fact it we don’t know squat about these two other than they like to rat out the middlemen once they make a deal and the product’s delivered.”

“Your plan’s sold. Stay with it.” Castillo felt his brain slipping back into work mode with a practiced ease. “You said there were two things.”

Rico nodded. “Yeah, and it’s the second one you won’t like. Sonny fielded a call from Pete early last week sayin’ someone was, in his words, ‘sniffin’ around’ about us. Nothing since then. And yesterday Stan and Lester found a tap on the original outside line.”

“And you haven’t spoken with Pete?”

Sonny shook his head. “That’s on me. I thought he was talking about the AUSA at first, since we’d had a shooting involving Randy and Stan. But now I don’t think that’s what he meant. Mindy said one of her contacts let her know something’s up, and so did one of Dave’s. But they don’t know what.”

Castillo nodded, letting his brain slide over the possibilities. “What do your guts tell you?”

“Either the Feeds or ATF. I’d put my money on the Feebs.”

Rico nodded. “Only the FBI’s got that kind of reach. There’s a long shot it’s the Company, but tapping our phones just don’t seem like their style.”

“No.” Castillo shook his head. “They’d bomb the office. And if they were up to something I’d hear about it.”

“That’s what we figured. And we’ve done some solids for ATF before that whole Holmes show.” Rico looked at the files. “The FBI’s the only bunch we don’t have a line on. And we’ve beaten them to the punch at every turn since we started.”

“The FBI doesn’t like being embarrassed. Never mind if they don’t do their job.” Castillo turned and looked out the window, finding himself missing the mountains that had been his companion for the last few weeks. “I’ll arrange a meeting with Chief Deputy Washington today. They’d expect that, since I’m just back in town. Do they know we found the tap?”

“No. I’ve had everyone carry on like normal. Lester says all our other lines are clear, though. It’s just the declared one they’re monitoring.”

“Good. That tells us what they don’t know. They don’t have a good picture of our operation. Have you noticed any surveillance?”

“Nothing yet.” Sonny waved out the window. “But they could be in any of those buildings watching the garage. Stan did put tremblers on the windows, though. So if they try any fancy listening stuff they won’t get squat. He covered it by calling down and volunteering to ‘test’ some experimental equipment.”

“Good work.” Martin sat down, feeling the mantle of command slip over him like a physical thing. “Keep working on that meet and identifying the two suspects. I’ll let you know what Pete has to say.”

[mjcmmv]

Excellent! I loved the part with Marty and Trudy. It's good to have them back! 

[vicegirl85]

All of the pieces falling into place, and the Task Force has prepared a real spider's web for the meet.  But anytime the Feds show up, it's because they have another agenda... so I"m wondering what it is, and who on the Task Force will end up taking a hit this time.  Looking forward to more (even if I'm squeezing my eyes shut at the same time).    

[Robbie C.]

Glad you're enjoying! And ya just gotta love the Feebs...