by Tom Haase
Something was nagging him as he viewed it.
“I’m rewinding to see the part where we drive by the cars,” he said.
“What did you see?”
“Can’t put my finger on it. There’s something familiar with the face of the man. I want to see it a few times to see if it jerks my memory on where or when I’ve seen him before.”
He watched the video three more times but with negative results.
“You got time to take a little spin in the Chris-Craft? Might help to clear my mind. Murphy can go with us.”
“Sure, let’s go. I need a few hours break. Maybe something will come to you. Might be the break we are looking for, who knows? Besides, Murphy needs petting.” She picked up Murphy, gave him a hug and walked toward the boat dock with the dog in her arms.
Chuck put Merlin, the parrot, back in his cage and they traipsed to the boat and prepared the Chris-Craft for the trip.
Eddie called Ramon from the backyard of the house on 71st Street. He wanted to know what was going on with the delivery of drugs. Something seemed off to him, and perhaps Ramon could clear up his sense that something was off because of the way Ramon had acted during their last talk.
“By now you’ve found out that your place got raided this morning and two of your men are dead. It wasn't the police. I did not know of any raids, and it surprised us,” he said. “Believe me, the police had nothing to do with this.”
“It’s those damn Bahamians. They did it. They killed my men and took my few remaining drugs that I kept as a last ditch stash. I’m going to pay them back tomorrow night and take their drugs.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I plan on robbing the truck coming from Florida. I got info on when it’s coming. I have informants who owe me favors, and they told me about this delivery. We’ll take it before it gets to them. They won’t be able to set up here and I’ll have the goods to get our business up and running at a profit. You’ll receive your five.”
“You mean the drugs coming in are not for you but for those guys?”
“Yes, they’re coming from Miami via Jacksonville for the Nassau boys. The same goons that attacked me this morning are supposed to get them. I’m gonna steal their goods and then attack their position and kill every damn one of those dirt bags. Just think, Eddie, your five percent will be worth a lot when I get the entire drug trade here under my control. We’re gonna be rich.”
“When is the truck coming?” Eddie needed to know this to ensure the Tsarina understood that her truck was targeted.
“Gotta go. Talk later,” the call ended.
Eddie had already decided on which side he wanted his bread buttered. He also started to have questions about the attack on Chuck in which Darlene died. Ramon never mentioned it beforehand, and he insisted that Chuck hadn’t killed his man, yet someone died at Chuck’s hand. This whole thing struck Eddie as a little odd. Was the assassin one of Ramon’s that he wouldn’t admit to or was it one of Kareem’s throwing Ramon under the bus for the hit?
Perhaps the man purported to work for Ramon to throw off Chuck and to get him to take out the opposition. Interesting supposition, but he held nothing to support it at present, so he decided to find out for his personal satisfaction.
“You know that I have kept in contact with Ramon?” he asked when the Tsarina answered. “I just talked to him.”
41
Chuck steered the Chris-Craft out into the Savannah River and headed east while Eddie spoke with the Tsarina. The tide stood at slack, and the wind came up the river at only five or six knots providing a perfect day for a short trip. Murphy had already moved to the bow wearing his yellow lifejacket.
“This is the first time I have been on your boat. You told me about it when we worked on the interior design of your boat dock which still has several small modifications to complete,” Emma said.
“This is the only time I’ve taken it….”
“Since Darlene. Oh my, God, I’m sorry,” Emma injected.
“It’s okay. Let’s enjoy the fresh air and the scenery.”
The dog came back from the deck and jumped in with them on the bench seat. Chuck took the boat on to plane and let his mind go where it wanted. After enjoying a brief spell of exhilaration from the speed of the craft racing along the river and the wind blowing through his hair, he suddenly pulled the throttle back.
“What’s wrong?” Emma said.
“I remember where I saw the face.” He paused. “Houston, we have a problem.”
Without saying another word, he turned the craft around and headed back to his place.
“Wait till we get back,” he said to Emma ten minutes into the return trip. Emma appeared ready to pelt him with many questions. He had to take time to think this out before saying anything to her about what was streaming through his mind. She was going to blow a gasket if he was right and he thought he was but wanted to roll it over a few more times to be sure in his mind that he hadn’t made a mistake.
After they arrived back at his place, he secured the boat in his dock, and then took Murphy out for a relief walk. When Emma started to ask questions, he held up his hand and told her he’d be back shortly. He promised to tell her what was going through his mind when he returned. He got a beer from the fridge and gave it to Emma.
“I promise I’ll explain everything in a few minutes. Just give me time to get it all straight in my head.”
“Okay, but hurry back. I’m dying of curiosity.”
After putting a leash on Murphy, he took the dog outside. This outing would give him even more time to consider the different scenarios running through his mind. His first impression couldn't be on target. It must be false. Eddie wouldn't do what now seemed to be the only explanation that fits his recent actions. They had known each other many years and never had there been even the slightest suspicion that underneath he in time would become a crooked cop.
Chuck didn’t want to believe it.
The only mistake which enabled him to put all this into perspective, had taken place outside the police station when Eddie bumped into a pedestrian. That pedestrian–the man in the video–Eddie had not waited for the man to go ahead as would be normal after accidentally bumping into someone, he had walked with him a few steps along the street, and he couldn’t remember if they had talked. Chuck could only conclude that he had witnessed a deliberate meeting by the two men. The purpose remained unknown, but he felt one of them had somehow orchestrated the meet. After running it through his head a few more times and reaching the same ending in his every effort to change the outcome to something other than Eddie being a crooked cop.
After more thoughts about the event he witnessed, he failed to change his conclusion.
When he returned to his place, Emma pounced on him after he let the dog off the leash.
“Enough with the stalling. What the hell are you up to?”
“It’s not me. Let me take you through my thought process and see if you reach a different conclusion. Play devil’s advocate for me.”
“Sure, you deserve a devil in your life,” she laughed.
“The man in the video was outside the police station, and Eddie met with him there.”
“Holy shit. You’re kidding. That doesn’t make sense. Eddie’s a good cop and has helped us.” She kept walking around while she spoke. “Take me through your thought process as I believe you are wrong from the get-go.”
“My guess is Eddie is playing one side against the other in this drug trafficking business. So let me explain, and I’ll need you and Qing to use your resources to help confirm or to destroy my hypothesis.”
“Sure thing, but what do you think he is doing? Give me more to go on. So far you have nothing but a sighting with no information on what took place. I’m the devil, so convince me. So far nada.”
“He's on one side or the other or perhaps both at this point. We have suspected all along someone in the department was working for the drug gang even after w
e got rid of the last mole. Eddie, being from here, would know Ramon and his people. But he has no reason to meet or bump into someone from the Nassau drug people unless he somehow has a connection with them. What could that be?”
“Like a devil's advocate, I’d say if your initial supposition is true, then it's reasonable to assume he has an association with Ramon. On the other hand, for him to be talking to the Nassau boys, I’d offer that the most logical reason he would take that course of action with the Bahamian boys is he got offered a lot of money. That’s assuming there’s a solid connection with Ramon, which you haven't proven. I want to point that out.”
“Point taken,” Chuck said. “I believe if this is more than a hypothesis then he has to be putting the money from one or both somewhere safe.”
“Most assuredly, he has an offshore account we can’t access. He has been playing it smart and not spending a lot or flashing money around. Has he been out of the country recently?” Emma said.
“Don't know. We need to find out. He also is the only one providing us with info on Ramon and as I remember, nothing on the Bahamians. He met with them. I'm certain. Let's dig into his travel and more on his background.”
“That won’t take too long. I’ll get on it right away,” Emma said.
“You need to know I only met Eddie when I joined the police force and they wouldn’t be doing a lot of deep background check on a local boy entering the academy,” Chuck said.
“I’ll do a better background check on him than they would have back then and I’ll ask Qing to do her thing on finding out where he might hide his money, assuming you’re correct and he’s being paid by the gangs. If not, you owe him a huge apology.”
“If we’re wrong, and I don’t feel we are, he’ll never discover anything we did.”
“You better make sure, or he’ll have your balls,” Emma asserted.
42
Eddie’s call had informed the Tsarina that he still maintained his ties with Ramon. Now he waited for her to acknowledge that fact. He wanted her to accept his maintaining relations with Ramon and his people as a good thing. His switch of allegiance to her was now final, and she had to know it was real. By his change of loyalty, it allowed him to keep his connection with the mythical five percent Ramon had promised thereby staying in the Ramon camp while serving the Tsarina. Eddie now understood the promised five percent, a pipe dream, and would never materialize.
She didn’t respond at once, and Eddie decided he must clarify his position for her.
“The contact I’m maintaining has permitted me to find out more information. I believe you will find it useful.”
“What would that be?” she asked.
“I have found out he intends to attack and seize your supply truck coming from Florida with a shipment within the next two days. Somehow he knows about it and where it will be arriving from–Jacksonville. He wants to pay the Nassau boys back for the attack on his place and the theft of his supplies.”
“Interesting. You were indeed smart to maintain the connection. You must find out when and where they will attack,” Tsarina said.
Eddied took a deep breath of exhilaration on hearing her response. This conversation now followed what he wanted to happen.
“I can’t promise I can accomplish that. I will try, but another call to him might well set off alarms at this juncture. I already asked too many questions, and he didn’t answer my last question. I fear he’ll be leery after my last contact and the questions I asked. If I ask more on that subject he won’t be of any help because he’ll clam up. I need to keep on his good side as long as possible.”
The call completed, Eddie returned to his office to file a report on the events at 71st Street. He couldn't figure out how he could get the information the Tsarina wanted from Ramon without exposing himself. He believed any more questions would set off alarm bells in the man's mind and could get him killed, partner or no partner.
But reaching his early retirement date had become a real possibility. If all went as planned, Eddie could even use the four hundred thousand he was currently holding in the Caymans for Ramon.
In the end, the Tsarina’s men would have to purge Ramon’s group completely. That would solve a problem for him and eliminate any possibility of him being found out by Ramon. At least, it was his hoped-for outcome of all his plans.
Qing phoned Chuck at six in the evening.
“I tried to get Sam, but he must be doing something with his furniture business and not on his cell. You’re the one who most likely needs the info Emma requested me to look into. It took a little digging.”
“She has arrived, I’ll put you on speaker.”
“Your man is quite the devious one. There’s no increase in activity on his bank account in Savannah. The numbers in his local account present a perfect match for the salary he’s receiving from the department. No extraneous deposits or withdrawals, only the usual things one would find in an every day checking account.”
“Did you find out if he has gone out of the country?” Emma asked as she set her laptop in the dining room and dropped her purse on the floor.
“Funny you should mention that. Yes, it seems your man takes a trip to the Cayman Islands every two years to do scuba diving. I checked his hotel reservations and verified he was there for a week each time.”
“How does it get us any closer to him having money from the gang?” Chuck asked.
“Well, I looked into the banks located near the hotel. There were only two. It seems he opened an account last time he was there with a thousand dollars. That matches the money he took from savings to go on vacation and what he spent on food and accommodations on his credit card.”
“I’m sure I don’t want to know how you found this out,” Emma said.
“You sure don’t. But the interesting thing with the accounts occurred in the day after he opened the acount. A total of over five hundred thousand dollars is in the account now. Fifty thousand in the last two weeks. Before you ask, I tried to find out where it came from, but as of right now I don’t know. I’ll keep looking and sooner or later I’ll have the source of the funds. Four hundred thousand came from a Panama bank, but that’s all for now. I couldn’t find out who transferred the money from that bank to the account Eddie opened. Hope that helps.”
“Great work,” Chuck said. “Really appreciate what you’ve done.”
“Please keep me posted on how it’s going.”
“Will do,” Chuck said and ended the call.
He looked at Emma, who was smiling at him. He felt the vibes of excitement she displayed by her facial expression and the movement of her hands. She had something important to contribute and was eager to tell him.
“What have you found out? You are as anxious as a cat on the proverbial hot tin roof. So, out with it.”
She jumped up and moved hastily to retrieve her laptop from the table and brought it over to the couch in his living room. She took a few seconds to get it powered up and then connected to his Internet.
“This is what I found.” She pointed to the screen where a picture of Eddie standing beside a man identified in the caption as Ramon Escobar. They were in an embrace in what a source identified as a gay party at a SCAD student's apartment approximately ten years ago.
“It doesn't surprise me that he is or was gay. That I assumed from his lifestyle and manner of dress. I realize, I shouldn't profile, but it's a common trait almost anyone would point out. Sorry.”
“That's for starters. He seemed to relish the attention then, but a year before joining the police it all stopped. No more pictures with gays, only playing softball with a mixed group at Forsythe Park, working at the Hospice House as a volunteer. All things designed to portray him as a normal heterosexual male. I'm sure in my mind he did it on purpose while apparently hiding his true preference.” Emma rose and retrieved a paper from her purse on the floor.
“What else do you have?”
“A statement from the girl in the picture, the SCA
D student.”
“What does it say?”
“I visited with her today, and she gave me this written statement. I’ll read it for you.”
She unfolded the piece of paper and read, “I met both Eddie and Ramon when I was at college. We partied frequently. They were lovers. Everyone saw it. They lived together, and they were openly romantic. I can’t be more specific, but they stayed together until my senior year and then they headed their separate ways. I never understood why, but they appeared to remain, friends, but not lovers anymore. There was no hostility when we all went out together for a drink, and they got along fine. We all knew they had split but never found out why, but I didn’t care since they got along afterwards.”
“Wow!” Chuck exclaimed. “That puts a different light on things. We need to talk to Captain Kennedy and bring him in. I'm not sure yet what we have and how to use it. But there’s no way he has the ability to put that much money into an offshore bank account on a cop's salary. You are the devil's advocate, what does this mean?”
“It means we got him by the balls.”
43
Chuck asked Emma if she thought she could persuade the police captain to come out of his office for a meeting. He didn’t think it would be a good idea to reveal their findings to him at the station. She would call the captain when they had what they needed.
“Sure, that would be the best way to approach this with him. You gotta know he will be totally pissed. You’ve found one mole in his department and now another. They were both his handpicked successors. He’ll hate, really hate you with a passion. Right?” She put her hands akimbo and waited for his response.
“We have enough to convince him that Eddie is dirty, don’t we?”
“I’m not so sure it’s ironclad,” Emma said. “I’m the devil here, and I bet he could challenge you on everything you have as totally circumstantial. We can’t use the bank account information because we have no access to it. We can’t reveal how we know the information. Without that, all the rest is sort of flimsy. So, no, come to think of it now, we don’t have him by the curlies yet.”
