by Anne Hagan
“Mel and Holly are telling me that a woman in this area, Delores Chappell, who is also known as “Relic”, is a trustee for her family’s farms. Where are those farms located Mel?”
The room was quiet. All eyes were on Mel as everyone waited for her to move the finger that was pointing to State Route 44 somewhere else. She didn’t move it.
“They’re all along SR 44…”
“Relic is a woman?” Tim interrupted.
“We believe so. All indications seem to point that way.”
Phil whistled low. “I didn’t see that coming!” The other men nodded.
I turned back to Mel. “We’re going to have to find out a lot more about her, but my gut says she and the family businesses are where we need to focus. Phil, pull up satellite please and give us the bird’s eye view of that area.”
Phil tapped a few keys on his laptop and pulled up Google maps. He focused the projector toward the wall beside the map and then quickly zoomed in on the area.
“Sheriff, show us the three farms in question, please.”
“The crop farm takes up a lot of acres, and it’s along here,” Mel motioned, “going mostly away from the road. The horse farm is in the middle surrounding the homestead. It’s pretty small except for some pasture area. The dairy farm is further along.” She moved her hand further northeast on the road. “It’s got several hundred acres of pasture, and several barns and other buildings to facilitate the milking and hauling operation.”
“Dawes said he delivered to a very large barn. Phil, zoom in on the buildings on the dairy farm please.”
“Well, I see that there are several large barns on the property. Mel?”
“These two have been around a long time,” she said as she pointed. “Then this one is the one they run the cows through to milk them.” Running her hand slightly away from those buildings she landed on a big one. “This one is newer. I’m not sure what its function is.”
“It has a loading bay which appears to have a dock seal that would seal off the back end of a freight truck while it’s being loaded or unloaded,” Tim said. “What would a dairy farm need with a freight loading dock?”
Dana stood. “Bingo! That’s what we need to find out. That said, Dawes told me that the times that he has hauled there he’s had freight marked equipment or machinery which could very well be for a dairy operation but that other times the load is marked clothing or it’s not specified on the manifest.”
Jay smirked. “There’s no need for a truck load of clothing at a dairy farm unless cows are into high fashion now.”
“If that’s even what’s in the load. We have no way of really knowing for sure but I think we’ve figured out where the smuggled goods are getting broken down for distribution. We need surveillance on that farm.” Tim made some notes.
“Holly and Mel have brought it to my attention that “Relic” is a retired bookkeeper who may be doing the books for the family businesses or who may be keeping the books only for the illicit gang businesses the family appears to be involved in. She’s a trustee for the entire estate but she doesn’t live on any of the properties. She appears to be maintaining un-computerized financial records for something in her home, well away from the action, so to speak. We need to get those ledgers but we can’t subpoena them or get a search warrant at this stage of the game and tip our hand. Let’s get that drawn up to use for the end game.”
“Getting a peek at them sure would be nice Dana; let us know if we’re on the right track,” Jason said.
“We can’t do it legally…” I looked at Mel and Holly and they looked at each other.
“We’ll see what we can do but, no promises. I’m trying to run a clean department here.”
“Roger that, Sheriff. Okay everyone; we have our work cut out for us. We need to get a hold of the chopper pilot, get him up and get an aerial recon done of that farm then we need to set up surveillance. We need to follow up with Gene and see if he has a line on the lawyer that skipped, Jonathan Joseph, yet. I have an informant in the area I need to track down to find out what he knows and maybe see if I can get him inside that farming op. Mel, we’re going to need a little surveillance support from your department and we also need you to find out everything you can about the Chappell’s, especially Delores. We have to figure out the gang connection and her role.”
“On it.”
“One more thing, Mel.”
“Yes?”
“We need to know where the Secret Service is on the counterfeiting case. This has the potential to get really ugly if it becomes an interagency case.”
Tim nodded. Jason and Phil both winced.
“I think it would be better,” I continued, “if, at this point, you contacted Agent Webb to see what he knows. He may be more forthcoming with you than he would be with me.”
“I’ll give it a shot but I don’t expect much.”
“Duly noted. All right everyone, noses to the grindstone!”
###
I needed to get right on tracking down Brice Buhler to see what he knew about operations at the Chappell farms. He’d been a hand most of his adult life, as he’d once told me. Chances had to be pretty good he’d run across the Chappell’s, at one point or another. I called his cell but my call rolled right to voice mail. I decided to drive over to his place and see if I could catch him at home. I hadn’t even started my car to head out on my search when my cell rang.
“Hi Gene. Please tell me you have some good info for me!”
“Well, Jonathan Joseph isn’t lying at the bottom of Lake Calumet. How about that?” He only paused for a breath. “He was, as we hoped, on the run. We picked him up our damn selves trying to cross into Canada with an expired passport.”
“I love it when a plan comes together! Where’s he at right now?”
“He’s being detained there pending transport to Chicago. We’re working on charges so we can extradite him back.”
“Charge him with conspiracy to commit murder for the prison hit. That ought to fly! Does he have to go there? Any chance you can move him to Ohio?”
“Sorry Dana. Everything’s already in motion for extradition back into the city once the charges are filed. You don’t need to go up there though. I can go and do the questioning myself. We need to attack this from all fronts. That shipment moves in less than two weeks.”
“We’ve already gotten some great info out of Sheriff Crane and her team Gene.” I quickly filled him in.
“I’m impressed. An hour on the ground there and you already know more than we found in weeks of investigating. See; I knew it would pay to bring Crane into the loop.”
I winced at that but then I realized Gene wasn’t taking a dig at my abilities. He was just excited that we might be able to nail this one shut after all. “We’ll see about that.”
“Be careful Rossi. I’ll be back in touch once Joseph is in our local custody.”
“Okay Gene, thanks.”
I called Tim and let him know about the capture and extradition of Joseph and then I rolled out.
I cruised past Buhler’s trailer first. There were no vehicles parked outside and no signs of life on the premises. Not wanting to draw attention to myself, I maintained my speed and kept going on down the road. Luck, for once, was on my side. Buhler passed me coming the other direction. I caught his eye and held up my cell.
My wait was short. Just after his rattle trap truck passed out of my sight, my cell rang.
“Is there somewhere we can meet to chat for a few minutes?”
“Keep heading in the direction you’re going. Pull off at the Pilot Station about 10 miles on out and meet me in the Hardee’s there. Just let me pull in at the trailer and go in for a few minutes…”
“Gotcha.”
After another couple of miles, I crossed a State Route. It was smooth sailing from that point as I actually entered another county that had bothered to maintain their portion of the road. Ten minutes later, I pulled into an oversized Pilot Station and truck stop just off the interstate. Our meeting here wouldn’t be private but I doubted Buhler would have suggested it if he felt like there would be trouble here.
I went in and waited in a short line for coffee. I’m not a big coffee drinker and I’d just had lunch but I was trying not to look out of place. I picked a table in an el where I could keep an eye on the door but where we would have semi privacy and not be in full view of the large front windows.
Brice Buhler walked in five minutes after I sat down. I caught his eye as he went to wait in line. He was dressed much the same as the last time I’d seen him, it seemed forever ago, but in reality had been less than two weeks. He had a little bounce in his step though where, before, it seemed as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. I bet he got a job!
My suspicion was somewhat confirmed when he turned from the counter carrying a tray piled with food and approached my table. I motioned for him to sit.
“A little hungry, are you?”
“I’m a workin’ man now. I gotta eat. Want some? I’ll share.”
I smiled, genuinely happy for him. “No thanks. I ate. That’s great about the job. What kind of work are you doing?”
“Farmin’ same as always. Got on with a big dairy outfit out in the county. Buddy of mine work’s for ‘em and hooked me up.”
Dairy, eh… My ears were pricked but I tried not to look overly interested. I need to find out who he’s working for… “Good deal! Big milk producer or what?” I just didn’t know how to frame my question on the fly.
Buhler eyeballed me as he downed a burger. “Yeah… dairy, like I said. They do mostly milk for commercial uses though. Cheese making… you know, that sort of thing.”
“I see. I guess I never really thought about it. Kind of like that Micelli’s operation that does cottage cheese and sour cream and stuff?”
“Sort of but this is Chappell’s. They sell to national brands though so their name doesn’t go on the stuff ‘what gets made.”
She shoots, she scores! Now, how do I play this? While I was thinking about it, Buhler continued to talk. He was a real chatterbox, for once.
“Right now, I’m workin’ as a general hand and getting a little time in the milkin’ operation learning the systems. I’ll be dealing with calving a lot when that time comes. Got a lot of cows with calf, in such a big outfit.”
“I don’t suppose you’ve had time then to do much poking around, since you’re a working man now and all?” I purposely kept my tone friendly.
“I did some but didn’t find nothin’. Here’s the thing though, and it might be somethin’… I just don’t want to mess up my job. I’ve been hurtin’ a while and this is a good deal for me.”
So, he sees something at the farm… “What does it have to do with your job?”
Buhler was quite for a minute while he chewed his food and let his mind run. Finally, he started speaking again. “I was mendin’ fence the other day with another hand and he told me that there’s sometimes easy extra work, under the table, for good pay, if I know how to stay low and keep my mouth shut.”
“What kind of work?”
“Didn’t say and I didn’t push, like. I just said I’d be interested in that.”
“And?”
“And, he said he’d put in word with the foreman. We left it there.”
“Who’s the foreman?”
“Dunno his name. Just do what he tells me. One of the Chappell grandkids, Heath Jr., is the man though. The foremen all answer to him.”
I just wasn’t sure where to take the conversation because I wasn’t sure Buhler really didn’t know the foreman’s name and because I didn’t want to tip my hand just yet. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head. I leaned toward Buhler and asked quietly, “Do you think Carter had any connection to this Chappell family or to whatever is going on there, “under the table”, as you put it?”
He looked thoughtful, then spoke; “Could be. His family ran in the same circles as the Chappell’s. He would have been ‘bout the same age as Jr.”
“Is there a Heath Sr.?” I played dumb.
“Yeah.”
“Is he involved in the farm operations?”
“Naw, don’t seem to be. ‘He’s really up there in years. Besides, them people got money. They’re always off at horse jumpin’ shows and this country or that country. They don’t hang around the county much. Junior actually runs the whole show.”
That explains Mel’s confusion about why the younger generation was more involved over the older family hierarchy. It also tells me that there may be stuff going on there the older generations know nothing about or that they’re turning a blind eye to.
“Well, like you said, it could be something but we really don’t know anything. Might be another dead end too.” I leaned back and played it cool.
Buhler shrugged. “I suppose I’ll find out eventually.”
I tipped my head toward him and then nodded. “Keep me in the loop. If it is something after all, rest assured the farm isn’t going anywhere if senior isn’t involved. I’ll see to it that you don’t get made.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Chapter 23 – Teamwork
“I’m going stir crazy. I have to get out of here!”
Holly made soothing sounds in my direction. I wasn’t amused or soothed.
“I’m serious. I’m the damn Sheriff! It’s crazy that I’m holed up here like some scared little school girl!”
“Sheriff, no one thinks you’re scared. We just can’t afford to lose you. What’s crazy are the lunatics out there gunning for you, literally.”
I blew out a breath and sank down in the chair beside Holly’s desk. “I know. It’s just so frustrating being stuck here when I should be out there.” I leaned forward and whispered, “especially now that the customs team is here. I just know, at some point, all hell is going to break loose and I should be out there helping.”
“What’s all of this about?” Dana stepped into the room.
“Rossi, I want to help. I can’t just sit here. I won’t just sit here. This is my county!”
“Whoa there Nellie!”
“Don’t you “whoa” me!”
Dana held up her hands in protest.
Holly jumped to her feet, “Do I have to get between you two?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m just not meant to be the one caged up. My job is to do the caging.”
“Sheriff… Mel, you’ve already been a huge help. Both of you have. We’re convening a team meeting at 5:30 if you two want to sit in. Any further information like we talked about is certainly welcome.”
“I’d love to sit in,” Holly began, “but it’s almost five now and I really have something I need to do that I can’t put off any longer… I can come back later tonight, if that helps?”
“Go Holly. Do what you need to do. No need to come back tonight. I’ll figure out a way to entertain myself.”
“I’ll be back bright and early Mel, I promise. What would you like me to bring you for breakfast?”
“No need for that either Holly.” Dana waved her off. “I think the team and I can help the Sheriff out of her predicament, at least for a little while.”
“Awesome. I’ll just be off then.” With that, Holly strode out the door.
Dana and I just stood and stared at each other. Finally, she broke the silence. “Let’s go into the conference room and get set up for the meeting.” She turned and headed out the door and down the hall. I
followed her like a lost puppy. I hated myself for the way I was feeling.
###
Dana
“Okay, everyone. Busy day!” I stood and looked around the room. “First of all; thanks Ron for joining us.” I addressed the chopper pilot who would be responsible for doing our aerial recon. Then, I introduced Mel to him, the only person in the room he didn’t already know.
“Now, moving on, checklist from this morning; Tim?”
I took my seat as Tim Singer started speaking. “First, I’m still working on getting access to those two who ran Mel off the road and were shooting at her. They’ve lawyered up and they’re not talking.”
I shook my head. “Figures. I’m really not surprised. Go on.”
“We’ve briefed Ron up and he’s taken a look at the aerial maps.” Singer looked at the pilot.
“Right. I’ve gotten a good overview. I’ll head out with one of you when we’re done here and we’ll get up tonight for a quick look around, scout for some potential vantage points for ground surveillance. We’ll do a bit more overhead watching in the early A.M. when I expect things will be a little busier on a dairy farm.”
“I’ll go up with him tonight and tomorrow,” Phil spoke up.
Phil was a former Army Ranger and a great asset in recon and surveillance operations. “Great. Thanks Phil. If you see anything out of the ordinary tonight, I want a full report ASAP. We’re not playing with a lot of time here.”
“What else, Tim?” I looked back at my right hand man for the op.
“Do you want to talk about Jonathan Joseph, Dana?”
“Oh, right. Thanks. For those of you that don’t know, Joseph was stopped by Canadian Border Patrol and then remanded into the custody of our guys. Gene is working on extradition back to Chicago on conspiracy to commit murder charges. Once he’s in custody there, Gene will fly up and do the interrogation.” There were nods all around. “We’re making progress gentlemen…er…team!”
“That brings us to your informant…”
“Yes it does. I was able to make contact with him today. Turns out, he’s recently become employed as a farmhand by our suspected targets and put his name in for some “special work”. Without tipping our hand, I let him know I had an interest in what’s going on and to keep me posted.”
