Silent Crickets: A Shallow End Gals, Trilogy Book Three

by Troutman, Kimberly

  It was like watching a horror movie. Roger wanted the team to know what was happening. He called Ray and had him bring up the satellite on his computer at the Star Ship for the team to watch. Jackson moved the van to the back door. Roger, Paul, and Mass watched as person after person was practically carried from the back door into the van. Paul counted fourteen people.

  Abram and Jackson bumped fists with the man at the back door and got in the van. They pulled away from the building and headed down the road.

  Roger called Abram back, “I can’t believe you guys just did that!”

  Abram was shouting, “We’re scared shitless! No goin’ back to the hood after this. Should we take these people to the hospital? They don’t look so good.”

  Roger answered, “Yes. We have troopers on their way to escort you. How many men are in that building now?”

  Abram and Jackson had some discussion about that. Abram finally answered, “I saw six, but Jackson said one of the guys said they be expecting a drug delivery from Manio. They usually send three guys. It’s not just that building though, whole neighborhood crawlin’.”

  Roger instructed Abram to come back to the field office when they were done at the hospital. He wanted them to fill out a witness statement. He also wanted to know what they needed for their security.

  Abram saw the flashing lights of cop cars in his rearview mirror. One state trooper car passed him and continued just in front of him clearing traffic with his lights and siren. Abram saw at least three more cop cars pull in behind them.

  Abram looked at Jackson, “This be the first time I saw a lit up cop car from the back.”

  Jackson watched the police cars behind them through the side mirror and said, “It’s just hittin’ me what we did, man.” He looked at Abram, “We did the right thing. Some kid just told me, right decision always be the hard one.” Jackson frowned at Abram, “You didn’t take no money, did ya?”

  Abram exhaled loudly, “Can’t claim I didn’t think ‘bout it, but the answer be no.”

  Now two patrol cars cruised in front of them, and three in the back. They turned into the hospital trauma entrance where a sea of people in blue scrubs waited for them. The minute the van stopped, the back doors were popped open, people were put on gurneys, and then were wheeled through the large double doors.

  Abram and Jackson got out of the van. A state trooper came over to them and put his hand out. “I would like to shake your hands and thank you for what you have done. That took some real courage.”

  Jackson could feel his chest swell with pride. He looked at Abram who casually swiped a tear from his cheek.

  The trooper said, “I’ll be giving you an escort back to the FBI office when you’re ready.”

  Abram studied the trooper’s face. Suddenly his eyes opened wide, “I think I know you.”

  The trooper smiled, “Yeah you do. We’ll be forgettin’ all that.”

  Roger said, “We need to secure that building for evidence. National Guard still has jeeps in the area. Let’s have them patrol the neighborhood, so we only have to worry about this building.”

  Paul was holding the email from Abram, “The main guy at this place is Daryl Cotton. I’ll pull the mug shot.”

  Roger dialed Thor, “You guys want to come here to the field office and suit up? I have the Guard handling the neighborhood. I’d like to secure this building before any more of them show up for work.”

  Thor hung up from his call with Roger and everyone was staring at him. He almost laughed at their eager faces. This team just never stopped. “Yes, we’re taking over this building. Got to suit up.”

  Pablo stood up from the couch. Thor frowned at him, “Don’t even think about it.”

  Pablo smiled, “I was going to the head.” He lifted his sling, “I don’t expect I could do much more than hold the door open for you.” Everyone laughed.

  Jeanne was already on the stairs and looked back smiling, “Did Roger mean today?”

  Thor shook his head. Did she have to be first at everything?

  Daryl sent two of the new guys into the holding room to hose down the floors into the center drain and check that all the beds had working handcuffs and not too many bugs. Nobody liked that job, but it had to be done. If people got too sick to perform, it cost Manio money.

  Daryl dialed the number he had for the driver bringing the new shipment of people from Baton Rouge. No answer. He dialed again. No answer. He wanted an estimated time of arrival, so he could plan his day.

  Daryl dialed Chiclet, “Hey man. Check that number you gave me for the prostitute delivery. My number must be wrong. There ain’t no answer.”

  Chiclet repeated the number, and it was the same. They didn’t know the U.S. Marshals had located the vehicle, done a felony stop, and were loading the people into ambulances about an hour outside of town. The driver was in police custody.

  Daryl exhaled, “I guess I wait then. Abram took the old ones, so we’re ‘bout ready.”

  Chiclet was surprised, “Abram took the old ones? That don’t sound right.”

  He hung up and dialed Abram’s number. No answer. Chiclet shrugged. Seems nobody wantin’ to talk to nobody. Make no difference to him no how. It be lunch time.

  Carol and Cindy stood outside Spicey’s Voodoo shop. The sign out front said ‘Closed’. Cindy peeked in the big picture window, “Lots of really cool stuff in here.”

  Carol pressed her nose against the glass. It was tricky getting in close because her fake boobs were in the way. “Don’t see anybody inside. Dang it.” She leaned back and said, “That park we wanted to see is just a few blocks down. Jackson Park.”

  Cindy asked, “Is that the one with the statue of the guy on a horse?”

  Carol nodded as she adjusted her big fake boobs. “The brochure said local artists and musicians hang out there. Sounds good to me. If it keeps getting hotter out here, these boobs might have to go. At least one of ‘em.”

  They walked to the park looking in every storefront along the way. Voodoo shops everywhere. Carol said, “Man. Spicey’s got some competition here. Must be everybody in New Orleans has a Voodoo shop.”

  They made it to the park and found some musicians with a pet monkey holding a tip hat. At first it was cute the way the little monkey would grab Carol’s hand and try to take her purse. Cindy knew the time would come when it would be an out and out war over the purse between the monkey and Carol. Cindy talked Carol into walking away just as it started getting nasty. Carol and the monkey were sticking their tongues out at each other. They walked the length of the iron fence. A portrait artist sat at an easel drawing. They walked behind him to see what he was drawing.

  Cindy asked, “Who is that woman you’re drawing? She’s beautiful.”

  Dusty smiled, “I just met her. Only know her first name is Amy.” He smiled again.

  Carol rubbed her big boobs against the back of his shoulders and said, “He’s in love!”

  Dusty leaned forward, shook his shoulders, and laughed. “My name’s Dusty. You gals visitin’ Nawlens for long?”

  Cindy answered, “Five days. We’re from Michigan, but we have a friend who owns a Voodoo shop here. We’re just waitin’ on her to open.”

  Dusty asked, “What’s your friend’s name? Might be I know her.”

  Carol and Cindy answered in unison, “Spicey.”

  Dusty’s eyes opened wide, “I know her! Took her and her little friend out to see Mambo yesterday. I heard she was back out there last night for some kind of Spirit meetin’. Hope she made it back okay. Place scared the piss out of me last night, and I was with the FBI. We found a dead guy and arrested a bunch of guys ‘bout that same time. There be gunshots out there too last night!”

  Carol asked, “Who’s Mambo?”

  Dusty crooked his index finger at them. Carol and Cindy leaned in close. Dusty whispered, “Mambo is the Voodoo Queen. She’s like three hundred years old or somethin’. Lives in a creepy hut on the back end of Honey Island, smack dab in t
he middle of the swamp. Spooky blue lights all ‘round her place. Little blue flames poofin’ out of the water. Eyeballs be lookin’ at ya from every bush. Mean soundin’ noises everywhere. Little skulls hangin’ from the trees.” Dusty shuddered.

  Cindy and Carol were frozen with their mouths open.

  Cindy asked, “You sure we talkin’ about the same Spicey?”

  Dusty described her and added, “She got this little friend named Sasha who works with her too.”

  Carol yelled, “She told me about Sasha!” Carol looked at Cindy, “What if she didn’t make it home last night, and she’s lost in the swamp?”

  Cindy straightened up, “Then I would say she has a problem. Don’t even think you’re getting me to go in the swamp.”

  Dusty said, “I got a friend was out there last night told me about her there. You want I call and see if he knows she got back?”

  Carol and Cindy nodded and watched as Dusty dialed Alan, “Hey, did that Spicey Voodoo lady leave okay last night? Couple friends of hers worried ‘cause she not open yet.” Dusty listened a while and said, “Thanks man.”

  Dusty said, “Alan said they left before he did, and he didn’t see ‘em anywhere. They probably got back okay. They were with Willie. He knows the swamp good.”

  Carol looked at Cindy, “How ‘bout we have Dusty do our picture then go back to Spicey’s?” Carol looked at Dusty, “How much do you charge for a picture of us together?”

  Dusty answered, “It’ll be less if I don’t have to draw them boobs.”

  Carol reached in and took her boobs out. “Now how much?”

  Dusty told them twenty dollars each. Carol and Cindy sat on the rock wall next to the sidewalk and Dusty guarded Carol’s boobs under his easel. She told him her money was hidden in there. When he finished, they squealed with delight.

  Cindy clapped her hands, “This is terrific! You are really good,” Dusty beamed. Carol put her boobs back in her dress. Cindy asked, “Where should we eat lunch? There are a million places to choose from, but we want to make our money last.”

  Dusty stood and pointed, “You see that place with the blue siding way down there? Got good food, and the price is right. Looks like a dive but decent inside. Fact, went there with Spicey and Sasha couple days ago. Don’t you walk past there though. Neighborhood gets real bad, mighty fast.”

  Cindy and Carol waved goodbye and made their way to the diner. As they passed the musicians again, the monkey stuck his tongue out and screeched at them. Carol mimicked the monkey right back.

  Cindy shook her head, “You already pissed off a monkey and scared a cyclist half to death on our first day.” They both laughed. This would be a vacation to remember.

  Ellen sent us all a message on our watches to go to Spicey’s shop for a surprise. Personally, I have seldom been happy with surprises. My life usually required time to prepare. Just sayin’. Teresa, Linda, and Mary were hanging outside on the sidewalk watching the tourists go by, and waiting for the Voodoo shop’s sign to say open.

  Linda said, “Bob and the boys finally finished putting the new floor down in my living room. It looks fantastic.” She smiled, “It was nice just being around them for a while. They seem to be doing okay. Bob moved our favorite picture over to the nightstand.” Linda brushed a tear. “Still having some mortal feelings makes these home visits touchy.”

  Teresa was nodding, “I visited every single one of my relatives. I thought the same thing when I was with Mom. I know she is missing me a lot, and I wish I could let her know I’m okay.” Teresa smiled, “Actually, I did. I left her a note.”

  Mary added, “I did that, too. I left a note saying I’m fine on the refrigerator at my sister’s house.”

  Linda looked at me, “How’s Kim?”

  I just started laughing, “She got arrested for talking to herself, but she’s okay now.” I knew I was the lucky one. Since Ellen chose to use Kim to communicate with angels, I get to talk to her all the time, and she can see us.

  Teresa asked, “I wonder what the surprise is?”

  Linda pointed, “I don’t believe it! Look who’s walking this way!”

  Walking toward us were Carol and Cindy from our favorite bar in Niles, Michigan. The four of us met at the bar before we left for the airport and ended up in our fatal accident. Carol and Cindy arranged the wake for us at the bar, too.

  Teresa was laughing, “Look at the getup Carol has on!”

  Mary said, “That’s her old lady outfit minus the wig.”

  Linda laughed, “It must be hot ‘cause she’s carrying her boobs. I bet they are on vacation and coming here to see Sadie.”

  I cleared my throat, “You mean Spicey.”

  Carol and Cindy walked up to the door and rattled it. “Dang! Still closed.”

  Spicey poked her head from behind the curtain and let out a squeal. She ran to the door and unlocked it. Sasha followed and squealed too, even though she didn’t know what was going on.

  Spicey was jumping up and down, “I can’t believe you guys are here! Wait ‘til you hear what’s goin’ on!”

  Ellen sent us all a signal and address on our watches with a 911 tag. EEKS. Never got that before. Teresa took the lead, and we ended up at a building about six blocks from Spicey’s. We saw Roger and his team arriving.

  Roger, Paul, and Frank rode in one SUV. Thor, Jeanne, Simon, and Nelson rode in another. Roger confirmed the National Guard was posted at the end of each street, in the neighborhood, and visible.

  Roger gave Thor’s team the signal to go in the back. Roger, Paul and Frank went in the front. Roger was the first in the building and yelled, “FBI. Freeze.” Daryl Cotton was sitting at a table and reached for his gun. Roger shot Daryl’s hand. He needed Daryl taken alive. Roger yelled, “Freeze” again. Roger removed Daryl’s gun from the table as Daryl cradled his hand to his chest and screamed.

  The men in the building had no intentions of just surrendering to the FBI. The way they saw it, they had the home base advantage and superior gun power. Bullets began flying everywhere. Suddenly Ellen froze time on everyone but Roger and Paul.

  Roger’s phone rang.

  Paul was panting and looked over, “You’re kidding me?”

  Roger answered as he looked at the surreal scene. Kim’s voice said, “Ellen said to take their weapons and force their arms up in the air. You can’t remove the bullets that are in the air but you can move the people to get them out of the way. She says you have to be fast. She can’t hold this freeze long. She is going to zap their memories and interrupt the satellite before she is done. Mom, Teresa, Linda and Mary are there helping too. Don’t forget the guys that are outside.”

  Roger yelled Ellen’s message to Paul as they disarmed the frozen men and threw the weapons in a pile. Moving their arms was difficult. They moved like robots. In all, ten men were in the building, two outside the front door coming in armed, and three coming toward the back door. Roger and Paul followed the bullet trajectories and moved people the best they could.

  Paul went out the front door and Roger ran to the back. We helped take weapons and moved people’s arms up. Paul kept jumping as the frozen men somehow robotically moved their arms. Paul yelled to Roger, “This is beyond weird. I think we have helpers.”

  Ray watched the satellite feed at the Star Ship. He took a big bite of an apple and stopped chewing. “Pablo, look at this. What the heck is going on?”

  Pablo walked over to see the four split screens. Everyone but Paul and Roger appeared to be frozen. Roger and Paul took weapons and raised the arms of the suspects. Pablo looked at Ray, “What the heck? These guys look like they’re frozen or something. I would say the feed is frozen but Roger and Paul are still moving. They are taking weapons.”

  Ray pointed to another screen where Simon, Nelson, and Jeanne were in assault stance in the back of the building, and three men stood frozen with their weapons aimed directly at them. They watched Roger come out the back door, disarm the men, and raise their hands. Roger ran back i
nto the building. The satellite feed went dead.

  Ray and Pablo looked at each other and didn’t speak. Ray pushed his chair from the computer and spit out his apple into his hand and threw it in the basket. He looked at Pablo, “Tell me what you think you saw.”

  The freeze ended and Paul and Mass instructed the remaining six men to stand against the wall. Paul cuffed them as Mass held them at gunpoint. Nelson came through from the back and walked over to help pat down the men against the wall. Thor and Jeanne led three cuffed men from the back into the main room. Simon had stayed in the back to guard that door.

  Thor caught a glimpse of a man through the window. He had a weapon, and he was focused on Jeanne.

  Thor yelled, “Look out!” He leaped to his right pushing Jeanne to the floor as the man’s gun went off. Roger turned and shot the man at the same instant Nelson and Paul shot him. Roger looked over to where Thor lay motionless on the concrete floor. His heart sank. Jeanne crawled over to Thor and lifted his head. Her heart was pounding.

  Thor’s eyes opened tiny slits. “Son of a bitch. That hurt.”

  Roger couldn’t believe his eyes when Thor began to sit up. Thor reached in his shirt and pulled out the amulet hanging from a leather strap around his neck. The bullet was crushed and imbedded in the center of the amulet.

  Roger looked at the amulet and looked at Thor. “I can’t believe this. You’re okay?”

  Thor opened his shirt and showed them the bullet never even hit his vest. The amulet stopped it completely. Thor stood and looked at Jeanne. “You alright? Sorry about that.” Jeanne nodded and turned away. She walked to the back to help Simon guard the back door until the local PD came to take the men. Slowly her heart rate returned to normal. She took a few deep breaths. The vision of Thor lying motionless on the concrete floor was etched in her mind.

  Simon asked, “What happened in there?”