THE BLUE STALKER

by BROWN, JEAN AVERY

  Ella felt good to have Frank’s friendship.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Special Agent Peterson picked up the phone and immediately called Agent Harris.

  “Agent Harris, can I help you?”

  “Yes, Bill, It’s Ben Peterson from Baker. We have a problem. You know the Coyote ring we’ve been trying to crack?”

  “Why of course. I’ve been going up against one brick wall after another.” Agent Harris said.

  “Bill have you ever thought you might have an informant in your agency?” Ben asked.

  “I’ve thought that a few times but I can’t put my hand on who it might be.

  “Well, I had a couple in my office today reporting two drop-houses in Coopersville. They said you raided one to find the Coyote’s and the Mexican hostages gone. That’s the one where you found the men in the desert.”

  “What about the second house? Where’s it located?”

  “That’s the clincher. They reported it to Agent Parker over two weeks ago.” Peterson said wondering what Bill would say.

  “No way in hell, Agent Parker hasn’t made a report of any sort. Who reported this information to you?”

  “Their names are Frank and Ella Smith but they are not married. They said they are good friends.”

  “I’ve ran a check on them and I know who they are. You can take their word to the bank or at least I know you can depend on Ella Smith. Neither have a record.”

  “Ben, I believe I have an informer working for the Human Smuggling Cartel in my office. This is why I haven’t been able to crack this case. Damn, I knew I was better than this. I thought I was loosing my touch. Okay, I will put a tail on Agent Parker.”

  The two agents discussed their game plan. They had the informant marked but who was head of the Cartel? Who is the boss of the body smuggling ring?

  Agent Bill called Agent Parker into his office.

  “What’s up Bill?” Agent Parker asked.

  “Sam, I think you’ve been working too hard on this ‘coyote’ case and are getting burned out. I want you to take some time off. At least take a week. Things have been quiet for a while. I can keep an eye on everything around here. Take your wife to Palm Springs for a few days. Anyway, as of tomorrow you’re on vacation.” Agent Harris ordered.

  “Are you sure about this.” Agent Parker asked with a puzzled look on his face. “I know what it’s like to get burned out. I don’t want this happening to my best agent.” Agent Harris said.

  “Maybe some time away will give me a clear head.” Agent Parker said agreeing with his boss.

  “Hey, give the little lady a call, tell her to start packing for some sunshine.” Agent Harris said with a chuckle in his voice.

  Meanwhile Agent Harris put things in motion. The drop-house raid would be tomorrow. He will pick up the search warrant tomorrow morning and the raid will take place at sundown.

  I hope the captives can hold on one more day, he thought to himself. Agent Harris checked his files over and over. Here, is where I let Agent Parker get past me. The drop-house on Fifth Street. He was on stake out the night they took the Mexicans from the house to the desert. I let that slip by. Damn! He thought as he pounded his fist on the desk. How could I let Agent Parker get away with being an informant? Damn, I must be loosing my touch. I can’t let anyone in the agency know of my findings. This one I have to work alone. His mind was spinning. He knew Ella Smith was an honest woman and she was telling the truth.

  Agent Harris left the office late and decided to catch a bite at Joe’s Coffee House. Since Bill joined the Coopersville agency he acquainted himself with a few of the locals. Larry the pharmacist happened to stop in at the coffee house.

  “Hey Bill.” Larry called out as he made his way to Bill’s booth.

  “You have a date joining you?” Larry asked as he slid into the booth.

  “No, I don’t have anyone. Did you see a line of women out the door?” Me neither.” Bill laughed as he flipped through the menu.

  “What you gonna have, Bill?” The waitress asked.

  “I’m looking at a hamburger and a chocolate shake.” Bill said as he handed the menu to Carol the waitress.

  “What’s it gonna be Larry, the usual?” Carol asked as she picked up the menu adding it to her collection of menus from the other booths.

  “Give me the usual.” He told Carol.

  “We’re in a rut.” Larry said to Bill.

  Carol shook her head as she headed for the kitchen.

  “Bill and Larry will have the usual.” Carol yelled to the kitchen.

  “I met a beautiful woman at the car wash. Actually I rescued her from this ugly guy looking her over.” Larry said as he pushed back in the booth as if he were a peacock fanning his tail feathers.

  “And do you have a date?” Bill asked with a smile knowing Larry hadn’t dated much.

  “No, but she met me here for lunch after the car wash incident. You’ve probably met her. She’s the owner of the new flower shop. Her name is Ella, Ella Smith.” He boasted pushing his chest out a couple inches.

  Bill was eagerly looking at him wondering what the next sentence would be.

  “No, I haven’t had a reason to shop for flowers.” Bill said as Carol loaded the table with plates of burger, fries, shakes and a bottle of ketchup.

  “Can I get you boys anything else?” Carol asked as she wiped her hands on the dish towel she carried over her shoulder.

  “No, thank you Carol.” Bill said smiling up at Carol. Bill is aware of Larry’s business at the drug store but Larry doesn’t know anything about Bill except he eats at Joe’s Coffee House every Tuesday evening. The men finished with their dinner and headed their own way.

  Bill drove by the house on Ninth Street and luckily the green van was in the drive. The lights were turned down low. Agent Bill decided to take a look at the activity in the house. He parked his sedan down the street and walked in. He crept around the house and could hear sobbing and cursing. He found a slit in one window shade looking in he saw a poor Mexican man tied up. His eyes swollen, his body bruised and dried blood covered his arms and face. He could see dried blood stains on the carpet and walls, the room were trashed. He knew he had to act without delay.

  Bill made his way back to this car. He wasn’t going to wait until late tomorrow to raid the Ninth Street drop-house. He would hit around two in the afternoon.

  Wednesday morning the town was bustling with a lot of people. On his way to the District Attorney’s office he drove by Ally’s Flower Shopped and it was busy.

  They must be buying flowers to take to Amy Bradford’s funeral this afternoon, Bill thought. Most everyone would be attending the two o’clock funeral while Bill and his agents raided the drop-house.

  Bill pulled in his best agents. They went over the plans for the raid. At one thirty the agents were strategically positioned around the house. All standing ready to charge the house.

  Agent Harris heard a commotion in the house. Men were begging for mercy.

  Mercy they will get. Bill thought as he banged at the door.

  “FBI open the door!” He yelled and again banged on the door. Bill and his agents kicked in the front door and advanced with weapons drawn. Jorge and Pedro fled out the back door with guns drawn and bullets flying. The agents took them down in an array of gun fire.

  An ambulance was called. After the ropes were removed from their wrists and ankles the hostages were taken to the hospital. There were suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. Their bodies were beaten, ribs fractured and their infected feet had been sliced like a butcher would slice meat.

  The coroner picked up Jorge and Pedro and hauled the sorry ‘sonabitches’ to the morgue. The van was impounded to be finger printed in hopes of finding others associated with the body smuggling ring. The agents were told not to speak of the raid to anyone. Not even to the other agents. Bill was determined to get to the bottom of the body smuggling ring in Coopersville.

  Pedro and Jorge are dead. That w
ould be the end of this drop-house but there would be others. Bill would wait and hope his informants would keep a good eye out. As far as Agent parker goes.

  We will not mention anything to Parker. I will enlist an agent from out of town to keep a tab on Agent Parker. He will slip up, he will get lapse in his doings and we will nab the bastard. A turn coat is the worst kind of human. Bill thought to himself.

  Meanwhile on the same Tuesday. Ella and the crew worked all day Tuesday putting together the flowers for Amy Brandon’s funeral service. She was thankful Alicia walked into her shop that day asking for a job. Alicia was bold and demanding and Ella liked that in a person. Especially one that would be part of her designing team. And one with floral designing skills dripping off her fingers.

  The back door swung open Ron and Susan came through the door. “Ella you should see the floral arrangements as they are placed around the casket. They are absoluately beautiful.” Susan told them.

  “We only have the casket piece to finish and I will get to that first thing in the morning after Tony drops off the orchids. I will also have the corsage ready to add the orchids.” Alicia said as she advised everyone that everything was under control.

  The shop was in disarray. Everyone, with the exception of Alicia, started cleaning and reorganizing the shop. Alicia kept her hands to the grindstone finishing the arrangements.

  The phone rang. Susan answered, “Ally’s Flower Shop, may I help you?”

  Another order and this one was from Frank and he wanted Susan to give the order to Alicia without Ella knowing about it.

  “I can manage that.” She told the customer as she laid the phone in its cradle.

  “What was that Susan?” Ella asked.

  “Just an order for Saturday.” Susan said as she tucked it under the order pad. When Ella wasn’t in the room Susan slipped the order to Alicia.

  Alicia read the card to be attached. “Ella, this was our day. Love, Frank. Susan an Alicia wondered what the card meant. But went about their business knowing it wasn’t any of their business. Alicia would have the red roses delivered from Frank to Ella’s home on Saturday and no one would mention the order.

  After work on Tuesday Ella made her way to the salon to have a manicure and a pedicure. Some days ladies need their ‘cures’ and this was one of those days.

  Upon leaving the salon Ella drove past the Ninth Street drop house. The green van was in the drive and the house was dimly lit. Hoping the Corvette wasn’t too noticeable she drove past the drop-house and pulled into the driveway of an empty house two doors down the street hiding her car. She walked to the back of the vacant house stumbling over yard debris and made her way to the alley. She could walk the alley to the drop-house and hopefully not be noticed. It was almost sundown. Ella made her way to the window where the Mexican man laid last week. She thought the rustle of the dried branches under her feet might be heard. Slowly she tiptoes across them tangling her feet she fell against the house making a loud thump. She lay still clinging to the wall of the house. She tried desperately to mold her body to the wall.

  The Mexican beast opened the back door and walked to the side of the house. Ella could see the shine from his gun. She tried to stop her heart from pounding so loud. His flashlight shined around missing her body which was now a part of the wall. Ella trembled seeing her fate flash before her. The beast turned and walked back in the house.

  “It must have been a cat.” She heard him say to his partner.

  “Should I peek in the window or should I get out of here?” Not using better judgment Ella stood up holding to the house hoping she hadn’t hurt herself and for sure didn’t want to break a fingernail. She took a glanced through the slit in the shade and there lay another Mexican man in almost the same position she left the other man days ago. She scratched on the window and he look up through his swollen eyes. He saw a face and mouthed help just as the other man. Ella made an okay sign in hopes he would understand. Ella stepped away from the house as she heard the door bang against the wall. Oh, she thought he’s going to beat him. She couldn’t bear the thoughts of the man being tortured over and over. Ella made her way back past the empty house. The Corvette, her get away car really looked good. She drove down the street hoping tomorrow the men would be rescued. If not, what can she do, she thought as she drove toward Joe’s Coffee House. Ella thought a hot cup of coffee might help to calm her nerves.

  Carol set Ella half way back facing the back wall. Ella was in deep thought when she noticed a man turn his face to the side. He looks familiar. Could it be? His profile looks like Phil Young? She leaned to the side trying to get a better look but with a full beard she couldn’t tell if it was him. If it was him she didn’t want him to see her as disheveled as she looked. Larry was facing her, luckily he didn’t see her. If it were Phil Young what was he doing in this out of the way town?

  Ella swirled the figured eight in her coffee, took a few sips, pushed the cup away and made her way to the cash register.

  “My, Ella you’re in a hurry tonight.” Carol said. punching numbers on the cash register. Ella handed her three dollars and rushed out of the coffee house. Leaving Carol with a dumb founded look on her face.

  Ella headed out of town. She couldn’t wait to get home. Her heart was racing as she drove up the drive.

  Ella fumbles through her purse in an effort to locate her house key while glancing over her back. Her hands trembling with such vibration the key drops to the ground. Dang, why didn’t I leave the porch light on this morning? Could it be because I didn’t plan on being out so late? Running her fingers through the leaves that had fallen during last nights storm she managed to feel the cold metal of the key as her freshly manicured nails scratched along the cold damp concrete steps. Quickly inserting the key into the lock and twisting the key. Upon entering the house she immediately slammed and locked the door behind her. Leaning with her back to the door her legs buckled and she slid to the floor.

  Had her eyes misjudged who she was sure she had seen at Joe’s Coffee House? Could it be the man she fell in love with many years ago? Did he see her and was he wondering if it was her? Was it him, or a figment of her imaginations?

  TWENTY-SIX

  Upon leaving the shop Wednesday Ella drove by the drop-house on Ninth Street. Kids were playing football in the street stepped aside for Ella to pass. Each looking at her sports car. One young boy with a look of urgency on his face waved Ella down.

  “Evening ma’am, you might not want to drive down this street in your pretty car. You might get it shot up.” Eyeing the sports car with envy in his eyes.

  “What are you talking about?” Ella asked knowing something must have happen at the drop-house.

  “Some cops came earlier today and there was a shoot out next door. I watched it. They surrounded the house and kicked the door in. Then there was yelling and shots fired. The guys that lived there came running out the back door and the cops shot and killed ‘um. A big black car picked up the bodies.” The young man pushed his ball cap back showing his intense blue eyes filled with excitement.

  “Yeah, and they took some Mexican guys away in an ambulance. It was just like on TV.” The young kid fidgeted around excited to tell someone.

  Ella was relieved to hear what had happen. This was good news.

  “Thanks young man, I’ll be sure to stay off this street. You and the other boys be careful, too.”

  Finally Ella could sleep without thinking of the torture the men were enduring.

  The phone was dancing in its cradle when Ella arrived home. Ella got to the phone before the San Francisco law office hung up.

  Ms. Smith,” the man on the phone asked.

  “Yes, this is Ms. Smith” Ella answered.

  “This is Attorney John Robbins I wanted to let you know we have everything in order for Juanita Garcia’s green card. We will send her the card and she will be able to cross the border without any problems.”

  “Thank you so much please send the bill to my addres
s in Coopersville.”

  “That will be up to the partners, ma’am.”

  Ella made a call to her travel agent telling her the circumstances.

  “Juanita will need a companion from the time she leaves her home until she is reunited with her daughter at my front door.” Ella told the travel agent.

  “I will make all the arrangements and get back to you.” The agent on the other end of the phone told Ella.

  “Let’s make the trip as close to Christmas as possible.”

  The house was quiet. Ella wondered where everyone might be. Soon Juan, Maria and Jose came up the drive. They had been grocery shopping.

  “We have more food than I’ve ever seen.” Juan carried in a bag after bag of groceries.

  “Maria said it would be economical to purchase the major staples once a month and pick up perishables when we need them.”

  Ella gave a helping hand and before long all the groceries were loaded in the house. Maria would have a fun time finding a place for all the food. Maria worked for a long time finding homes for the groceries.

  Ms. Ella.” Maria said standing at the living room holding a can of green beans.

  “I’ve ran out of places to put things. We need a big, I think you call it pantry.” Maria said dropping the can just missing her foot.

  “Maybe Ron can work one in with the renovation he is drawing up.” Ella laughed.

  Maria finally got everything put away and started preparing dinner. Ella heard the pots clanging and scurried to the kitchen.

  “How about we order pizza in this evening?” Ella suggested to Maria.

  “That would be so nice. I’m really tired from the shopping and putting away the groceries.

  “I’ll make the call and place an order. What’s yours and Juan’s favorite pizza?” Ella asked as she looked up the number in the yellow pages.

  “We love pizza any kind is fine Ms. Ella. We rarely had pizza back in Mexico.”

  Ella dialed the number and ordered a large combination and a pepperoni. Within a half hour the door bell rang and it was the same young man that delivered the pizza to the hotel. As Ella scrambled for the money Juan carried the pizzas to the cloth covered table. Where Maria had set the plates and drinks. It was family style with two boxes in the middle of the table. Everyone served themselves.