by Rick Polad
She smiled. “That’s a start. Let’s continue from there after all this is settled.”
“Fine by me. But I am sure of one thing. You’re a friend I don’t want to lose.”
“Me either. We’ll figure it out.”
Chapter 44
We all met in the captain’s office. Rosie, me, Pitcher, Tanner, two other detectives, and two FBI agents. One was the head of the newly formed Hostage Rescue Team that was only about a year old. They would have drug agents standing by outside. I figured we had enough people to fight a small war, which might be what we were doing.
The FBI had the lead and Tanner reviewed everything he had seen that morning. Basically the plan stayed the same. The FBI wanted to know if we could get more information about what was going on inside. That would be hard without tipping our hand.
The FBI said that we would meet a block away from the house at seven and wait for the van. I suggested staging a fake accident. That would put police cars and ambulances on the scene and stop the van without arousing suspicion. Stosh got a map, and Tanner located a spot to stage it.
Stosh ended the meeting with a suggestion to get to bed early. He asked me to meet him in his office.
***
After we had sat down Stosh let out a big breath. “I hate waiting. I’d much rather just go get those kids.”
“We’ll get them.” I wondered what he had on his mind. I didn’t like the look on his face.
“Three things, Spencer. Belva is out on bond. The DA charged her as an accomplice on five counts. But she obviously cooperated and seems to be an unwilling accomplice, so he thinks most of the charges will be dropped and she’ll get probation on what’s left. We don’t think she’s a flight risk so bond was pretty low. She has agreed to cooperate and testify if we find others who are involved.”
“You mean like Walters’ ex-partner? There has to be something there.”
“We’re looking at it. He’s off today. We have someone watching his house, but he hasn’t shown.” Stosh fidgeted in his chair and looked pained. “And the second… I don’t know quite how to say this, Spencer.”
I knew I had some kind of lecture coming, but I didn’t know how serious it would be. “Well, at least you can’t fire me,” I said with a little smile.
“What?”
“I said…”
“I heard what you said. What the hell are you talking about?”
“I figure I’m in trouble for any number of reasons, and…”
“Oh Jesus. You probably should be, but nobody’s complaining.”
“Then what…?”
“We got a hit on those prints.” He looked worried. “Her real name is Cheryl Wallace and she’s wanted in three states for insurance fraud.”
I just stared at him in dismay.
“Spencer?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
He opened a file. “Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. She and a fellow by the name of Joseph Stone are wanted for insurance fraud for setting up and collecting on phony deaths of her father.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “So her father isn’t dead?”
“Oh, her father’s dead.” He turned a page. “Died when she was six. They make up new identities for her and a father and buy an insurance policy. We’re still waiting to hear from Georgia, but in the other two they created an identity and then reported him missing.”
Nothing about this made much sense, especially the part about my being taken in. “How did the insurance companies not pick up on the scam?”
“It’s actually pretty slick. If you look at what happened here, without those prints on your mirror you just have a strange story to tell. They wait a while, file a claim, and cash the check.”
“I wonder if someone in the insurance companies was involved.”
“Certainly a possibility. We’re following up. Lots of people are talking.” He handed me a photo of a man. “Would you show this to the lady across the street and see if it’s the same guy?”
“Sure.” I looked at the photo. “Missing person in all cases?”
“Yes.”
“They’re wanted for fraud?”
“Yes.”
“So that wasn’t a quick process. They’d have to wait for the missing person to be declared dead.”
“Yup. We’re talking fifteen years since the first one.”
“How much were the policies?”
“A million dollars.”
“Jesus. I could wait fifteen years for millions of dollars.”
I looked down at the photo and then back up at Stosh. “Our case is murder.”
He nodded. “It is. I guess they got tired of waiting years for the payoff.”
“Holy crap, Stosh! They burned someone.”
“They did.”
“I felt sorry for her and gave her a hug!”
“Well, that’s because you’re one of the good guys.”
“It’s because I’m a gullible jerk, who just happens, by the way, to be a private detective.” I thought Belva was a good actress. She was nothing compared to this monster.
“Something you’re pretty good at. Chalk this up to another lesson about gut feelings.”
“Thanks. Just what I needed.” I stared at the photo some more, hoping it would give me some answers. It didn’t. “That’s one ballsy woman. She picked a private detective to use as her dupe.” I just shook my head.
He closed the folder. “Like I said... not a bad plan. Who’s going to question a death that a P.I. is vouching for? If your mirror isn’t broken, they get away with it.”
I let out a short laugh. “I almost had it fixed a month ago. I don’t remember what meaningless chore kept me from doing it.”
“Sometimes you don’t know what things are going to matter later.”
“I assume you’re looking for them.”
“Yup. All the normal channels in multiple states.”
“How about putting their photos out on the news? Someone might see them.”
“That was suggested. We don’t want to spook them. They think they got away with another one. We’re contacting insurance companies to give them a heads-up.”
“Were the others all the same company?”
“Nope. All different.”
“Amazing.”
“Wipe that forlorn look off your face and forget it. Let’s go get those kids.”
“I don’t know about the look, but we will get the kids,” I said.
“And Spencer… Don’t stop having gut feelings. Just look for a few more facts before you make decisions.”
“Thanks. I’ll tell that to Harvey when I see him.”
He smiled.
“You said three things, but I have one for you.”
“I figured you would. That’s my third thing.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “The fake accident is a good idea but after we get the kids I’d really like you to go to the hospital.”
I was sure my look told him what I was thinking.
“Spencer, you’ve done a lot, but bottom line is you’re a civilian.”
“A civilian who pretty much handed all this to you.”
He sighed.
I shook my head. “That’s not going to happen, Stosh.”
He shrugged. “Didn’t figure it would, but I had to try. Okay, you go in with the foot crew and you’re the last one in.”
I knew that was the best I was going to get and agreed.
Chapter 45
I caught Carol as she was starting to cook dinner. Billy was watching cartoons, but not the great cartoons I grew up with. Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, and the Flintstones were far better than anything I saw today.
I told her I had a story she wouldn’t believe and offered to take them out for dinner. She accepted. Before we left she identified the man in the photo as the one she had seen. Billy wanted to go to McDonald’s, so we went to one with a Playland. After dinner, he played while I told Carol the story. She was shocked.
> As we sipped coffee, I said, “That leaves me without a secretary. I’m dreading going through that again.”
“You don’t have anyone you already saw that you could call back?”
“Well, there’s one.”
“Great, that’ll save you a lot of trouble.”
“It will if she accepts.”
“Why wouldn’t she?”
“She didn’t exactly apply. She has a little boy to take care of and may not want the job.”
She set her cup down and looked at me with a furrowed brow. “Do you mean me?”
I smiled. “I do. You were great. If I hadn’t already hired Samantha I would have begged you to take the job.”
She looked at me with her mouth half open.
“So, I’m begging you now.”
Billy came running in and asked for ice cream. Carol started to get up.
“My treat, Carol. We’ll be right back. You think about how you’re going to say yes.” I gave her my best smile, which hadn’t worked on anyone in the last few weeks.
As Billy licked, we talked.
“So, how do I twist your arm?”
“Actually you don’t have to twist my arm. I could use the money, and it would be fun.”
“Is there a but coming?”
“Yes.” She nodded toward Billy who was about halfway through the cone.
“Not a problem,” I said.
“You like to explain that?”
“It’s a pretty flexible job. I’m basically looking for someone to be around sometime during the day to do some paperwork and check the mail and be there if someone is coming in. I don’t much care when that is. Being right across the street you could even work at your place. And if you had to, you could bring Billy to the office.”
“Well, I don’t know about that. Are people done shooting out your windows?” Her eyes twinkled.
I laughed. “I’d say that was a once-in-a-lifetime event.” At least I hoped it was. “Why don’t you think about it overnight and let me know.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to risk losing the opportunity. If you’re willing to be that flexible, I’ll take it.”
“Great!” We shook on it.
“When do you want me to start?”
“Why don’t you come over Monday morning about ten and we’ll get it worked out.”
“I’ll look forward to that.”
Billy finished the cone and asked if he could play some more.
“That’s enough for one night. We’ve got some chores to do at home,” Carol said.
On the way to the car, Carol thanked me for dinner.
I held the door while she and Billy climbed in.
Following Stosh’s orders, I was in bed by ten and asleep by ten after.
Chapter 46
It was raining Friday morning—one of those gentle spring rains that lasts all day. Nice day for a car accident. By seven-thirty we had set up the accident scene. The front right bumper of one car was touching the driver’s door of another at a little less than a right angle. Unless you got right up to it you couldn’t see that there was no damage. Two ambulances were parked next to the cars with lights flashing. Two police cars were parked at the curb and officers were directing traffic. When we got word that the van had left, they would shut down the area for a block in all directions. Officers had already walked the neighborhood and told people to stay in their houses. I was excited.
I had my gun but had been told to stay away from the van. The police would take care of the heavy lifting. I was in charge of the kids and making the transfer to the ambulances.
At five after eight we got word that the van had left the house with six kids. We had three minutes. I saw the van coming from the east. It slowed when it approached the accident scene and an officer stopped it and approached. There was another man in the passenger seat. The officer neared the van and I could see both men in the van watching him. I also saw two officers approaching the van on the passenger side. As the driver rolled down his window, the officer on the driver’s side and one on the passenger side yanked open the doors and pointed their guns at the two men. It was over in seconds.
The two men in the van followed orders and put their hands on the dash. With guns still aimed at the men, two other officers pulled them out of the van and cuffed them. Two other officers rolled open the side door and went in with me. Six boys were seated on bench seats. One was Martin. They just stared at us but did as they were told, which was to climb out of the van. I called to Martin but he didn’t react to his name. We led them to the ambulances, which took off for the hospital.
***
I followed the van and two unmarked cars to the factory, and we all pulled into the alley. The van stopped in front of the door, waited for the rest of us to take positions against the wall on either side of the door, then honked the signal. After ten seconds, the door slowly rose.
The van pulled into a dock area, and as the door started down we all moved in as agents jumped out of the van. There were guards inside the building, but they obviously weren’t expecting trouble. The only one in the dock area was the man who had opened the door. The lead FBI man motioned for everyone to spread out.
The dock was filled with cardboard cartons stacked on pallets. Through large windows I could see a large open space filled with lots of kids seated at long tables. The man who had opened the garage door was against the wall being patted down.
As the officers made their way to the big room, someone came through the open door and saw the man against the wall being frisked. As he raised his gun I shot him in the chest, and five seconds later all hell broke loose.
I picked up the man’s gun as four men came running from the other room. When they entered the dock the man against the wall yelled, “They’re behind the cartons!”
The four spread out along the glass windows and moved out of my view. Shots were fired almost continuously from both sides. The FBI and cops had to be careful because the kids were on the other side of the windows. I saw four cops move into the big room where several more men simply put their arms in the air.
As I slowly made my way down the row of cartons, praying that a bullet wouldn’t come through from the other side, one of the drug men came around the corner with his gun pointed down. He paused a second too long. I’m sure all he focused on was my .38.
“Make one move, please,” I said.
The only move he made was to drop his gun. I ordered him to the floor, picked up his gun, and stood over him. Shots stopped a few seconds later, and the FBI man yelled for a status report.
Three of the four men were dead and I was standing over the fourth. The guy who had opened the door was in cuffs.
Someone opened the overhead door and the drug agents came in. I could hear sirens in the distance.
I told the lead man I had shot one of them and asked if he needed me. He didn’t but told me the police would want my gun. I stayed until the ambulances arrived and made sure the kids were being taken care of. Then I headed back to the station.
Chapter 47
Stosh was on the phone when I walked into his office. He waved me to a chair. His conversation didn’t have anything to do with the case, and I could tell he wanted to get off the phone. Two minutes later he did.
“All over, Spencer. Three dead… not ours. Seven under arrest. One injured... one of the hostage team. He’ll be okay.”
I laid my gun on his desk. “One of the dead guys has my bullet in his chest.”
He frowned at me. “So much for going in last.”
“It was because I went in last. I was the only one who could see the guy who was about to take out one of yours.”
He nodded.
“How are the kids?” I asked.
Doc says they were full of some pretty strong stuff. They’ll be okay, but it might be a long road.”
“Any of them able to talk?”
He shook his head. “Sounds like the staged accident went off without a hitch.”
“Just as planned.”
“Nice when plans work out.”
“Yup.” I thought for a minute. “We have to be missing some people.”
“Okay, why do you say that? But first, we found Bringman, Walter’s ex-partner.”
“Where did you find him?”
“Hiding in a closet at the factory.”
We both laughed.
“He’s been spilling everything he knows, and probably some he doesn’t, hoping for a deal.”
“He going to get one?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.”
His phone rang.
“Powolski.”
He looked over at me. Now what?
“Yeah. Thanks.”
I was looking at him with raised eyebrows.
“Four kids are ID’ed. We’re getting ahold of families for those we have contacts for.”
“That’s great.” I’d have to drop in at the Blue Note.
“So who’s missing?” he asked.
“Maybe only one. Something was bothering me last night.”
Stosh just looked at me and waited.
“How did Walters get his money?”
“Good question.”
“Direct deposits to his account would be easy enough to find. So let’s assume he was smarter than that. So how does he get his money?”
“Riverview.”
“Exactly. I wonder who writes the checks.”
Stosh hit the intercom button and asked his secretary to call Mrs. Meyers.
While we waited, I asked if he thought Maggio was involved in this.
“Of course he is.”
“Can we get him?”
He shrugged. “I doubt it. But this was all about getting the kids back, so it’s a success. And we shut down that operation.”
“Yup, a good day’s work.”
Stosh’s phone rang a few minutes later.
Chapter 48
I walked into Block’s office at two. Randel looked at me with disgust and told me he was busy. I told her that only worked once. As I told her I was going in whether she helped or not, I pulled aside my jacket and showed her the reason that was going to happen. She called Block on the intercom and said I was here and coming in. She didn’t bother getting up.
