The Swedish Days Swindle

by J. B. Michaels

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Millie’s mind raced as she neared the exit for Geneva. She kept a close eye on her phone and really shouldn’t have. She’d hoped Nick would get her the info she needed. Swedish Days was in full swing at this point.

  The earpiece Mac gave her didn’t crackle for some time. Radio silence.

  Dermot did actually help. He took her deal, but he couldn’t actually give him the money back because it needed to be returned to the bank before tomorrow’s open. She thought through a way to maybe make him think the money was his. If he considered the bank vault his pot of gold, then maybe he just wanted to miserly hoard his cash and not actually do anything with it. A stretch, perhaps. Still, until the day played out, at least, Marie stood watch and won’t let him anywhere near the goblin vault.

  “Millie?” Mac’s voice burst into her ear.

  “Yes, yes. Go ahead.” Millie turned the AC’s fan down in her parent’s car.

  “We were right. Frank Halloran is holding Mary and Jeff hostage and forcing them to help the Bucs.”

  “How are they helping? Is it the bags?” Millie pulled onto the exit for Geneva.

  “Yes, apparently, Frank is Mary’s brother! How come he can’t use magic?”

  “Not every magic users’ family has the ability to do magic. Dad can’t.”

  “Yes, but you and your siblings all have magic powers.”

  “That is just genetic luck, Mac. Seriously, let’s focus on the Bucs. You cannot go over there and play the hero and get yourself killed.”

  “I wasn’t going to go over there. Nick said money was already appearing on the desk in Mary’s office. They laced those five bags you took from the bank with essence of hummingbird. Should I tell Vince?” Mac sounded impatient.

  “Oh boy, things could be getting interesting at Swedish Days already. How will we explain to Vince and the Chamber of Commerce about cash bags that make money vanish?”

  “We may not have to explain that much. Nick said that Mary made sure to tell Frank that most of the money will be coming in after close of business today when they divide up the cut for Chamber of Commerce. Hopefully one of the vendors is just using it to store cash right now. You have to get the bags back ASAP. Still, Millie, something isn’t right. Why would Frank Halloran go to all this trouble to take us out for some cash? I am telling you there is something else going on. Something at Swedish Days that we are missing.”

  “You’re right. Something else must be at play, but what? Also, Frank took the both of us out and then used the cash I stole to buy up essence of hummingbird legitimately. Who tipped him off that we used the essence for travel magic? Was he stalking us?”

  “Yeah, why not just keep the cash and skip town? It’ll probably be more than the Chamber of Commerce’s cut for one day. He probably did his homework. Halloran and the Bucs make sure to study and plan out every move. They probably did stalk us and with Mary and Jeff being Coven leaders, he has even more of an advantage. He didn’t know how to get the essence of hummingbird any other way. He knows he can’t use magic or just rob the Morris shop with guns ablaze. Marie would wipe the floor with him,” Mac said.

  “He killed two birds with one stone. He thought he eliminated us both from the equation. Boy, he is wrong. I can’t wait to bust him, Mac. I will make sure to walk up with new bags as soon as possible.”

  “Love you, Millie. Be safe.”

  “Love you, too. Let me know if Frank leaves the house.”

  “Your Dad is watching the house now. Talk to you later.”

  “Bye.”

  Millie smiled. They just needed to bust the Bucs and keep the whole magical aspect hidden. Their plan would have been hard to stop had Frank had spared Terry.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Mac sat down on the side of Millie’s old bed.

  “What the hell else are you up to Halloran?”

  He rubbed his leg. It ached more today than it had in a long time. He still didn’t feel great after the hex. Perhaps the two were connected somehow.

  Mac thumbed through his phone. He still had that one active voicemail notification: the one from Vince. He examined the rest of his voicemail list. There was another voicemail that someone had listened to, from Edith. He decided to take a listen. The message was from around nine last night when he was abducted and out cold.

  “Hey Mac. I think I mentioned this to you this morning, but we have some precious cargo coming in at 1pm for the Tiny Wanderer’s charity auction tomorrow night. We are all just a little anxious about having something so valuable coming into the store on such a busy weekend. Just wanted to know if you could come in and provide some security for us. We would love to have our hero cop help out. Thanks.”

  Mac’s jaw dropped. It was just after noon now. Whatever the Wanderer was auctioning off was what Halloran really wanted!

  Mac called Edith, “Hello Officer, where have you been?”

  “Edith, I am so sorry. I just turned on my phone. Do you still need me?”

  “Not to worry, your brother Vince has a special plainclothes officer here to keep watch,” Edith said.

  “I can still come by anyway. If you don’t mind my asking, what is it you are auctioning off? The Holy Grail?” Mac laughed.

  “Well, every so often an old contact from when we used to have more exotic goods sends us something really special. It is a Jade emperor statue about a foot tall encrusted with diamonds and other jewels from China. It is worth millions. I am so nervous. It will be here soon.”

  “Wow. That is impressive. Must be some auction! Deep pockets,” Mac said.

  “The deepest pockets in Kane County. The auction is for a good cause: cancer research.”

  “Okay, be there soon.”

  “Wonderful, the more security we have, the better.”

  “Bye.” Mac ended the call.

  Vince’s number showed up on his screen. He didn’t even need to call him.

  “Hello?”

  “Well, I am downtown and just found out something real interesting. The Tiny Wanderer is getting in a ridiculously expensive artifact for their auction tonight. That is what the Bucs really want.” Vince’s voice sounded excited. Noise from a busy Swedish Days festival played in the background.

  “Edith just told me. She wanted me to help with security. You have to watch it like a hawk, Vince. The Bucs are master thieves. Don’t even let it out of your hands.”

  “Mac, we both know we have to draw them out. We want to dangle it in front of them and then bust them in the act,” Vince said.

  “Still, don’t let anyone else touch it that you don’t trust.” Mac thought about the essence of hummingbird. A little essence dropped on it and it was gone.

  “Mac, why are you skittish? This is the easiest bust ever. We will handle this.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Mac threw caution to the wind. He couldn’t let the Bucs get away again. They murdered someone. Hexed him. Framed Millie. Took several people hostage. Coerced. Manipulated. Lied. All to get some damn jade emperor statue. He decided to take matters into his own hands. He could no longer sit on the sidelines.

  He walked down the stairs. He didn’t even say goodbye to Becca and Nick—he just walked out the front door. He hobbled, but moved swiftly, to the side of the house and entered the garage code. The door opened.

  His blue Chevy sedan waited for him.

  Hank called. Mac looked at the time. 12:30. He answered, “Let me guess. Frank just left the house.”

  “That is exactly what is happening! Ha!”

  “Do me a favor and follow him. Call me when he stops. Don’t follow him too closely, Hank.” Mac ended the call before Hank could respond.

  He opened his trunk. Plenty of handcuffs, his favorite handgun, and the files of the cases he didn’t quite solve. Inside were the pictures of the Bucs crew from six years ago. Mac could eliminate Frank’s brother, so that left six more of the crew that could still be active. Mac wouldn’t forget any of their face
s. He just wanted to brush up on the finer details in case they wore a disguise.

  “I am coming for you, Frank.” Mac threw his cane onto the passenger seat and sat in the driver’s seat. Started the car.

  Nick opened the house entry door, lettuce and ketchup, falling out of his mouth and started to say something.

  Mac ignored him and drove the car out of the garage.

  Millie handed Rachel, the Kraham’s employee, the replacement Vera Bailey black bag she’d bought from the Tiny Wanderer’s tent for the Chamber of Commerce’s cut.

  “So sorry about this. My boss is super specific about what bags he wants used. I work for Salem bank down the street.” Millie showed her work ID.

  “Oh, okay, no problem. Wait, I swear there were a few dollars in here from earlier.” Rachel looked confused and put the new bag down, examining the old one.

  “I‘m sure it just got misplaced. See, that is why we are replacing the bags. The old ones have holes in them, apparently. How much was in there?”

  “Only twenty bucks, but still.”

  “I have that on me.” Millie reached into her pocket and handed Rachel a twenty.

  “Thanks so much.”

  “I’ll just take that old bag now. Thanks.” Millie put her hand out.

  “Oh, right. Here you go. Want a chocolate or something?” Rachel asked. A long line of people lined up behind the good witch.

  “I am okay. Thank you!” Millie was relieved. She recovered all the bags. She was about to call Mac.

  He beat her to it.

  “I got all the bags, so we are good there. But…I did grow a tail. Someone has been following me since I switched the third bag,” Millie whispered and held the phone tight to her ear. She navigated her way through the crowded Third Street.

  “Lead him to the Tiny Wanderer, that’s where Vince is. Your tail is headed there anyway. I am coming to help. No arguments please. I have a plan.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  12:40pm. Mid 70s. Clear skies. Swedish Days Festival.

  Mac parked behind the Tiny Wanderer. The homes near downtown Geneva were just across the street. The loading dock of the Wanderer was where he assumed the package would be dropped off. Alas, he wasn’t here for a stake-out.

  Mac wanted to hunt.

  Hank called.

  “Where is he?”

  “He just went up into the courthouse for some reason.” Hank shared.

  Mac peered down the street. He could see the Ferris wheel, multi-colored tents, carnival games, and concessions set up behind the red brick courthouse. From his spot, Mac could see the copper-oxidized roof of the center structure on the building’s rooftop.

  “The center tower, Hank. Is anything up there? Isn’t the courthouse closed on weekends?”

  “It is closed, but he got in easy. As far as the tower, not really anything in there—just some scaffolding. Dangerous up there. Nobody goes up there.”

  “Well, it would give a good vantage point of all of downtown and if no one goes up there…”

  “Be a perfect place to hide a hostage like Jeff.”

  “Keep an eye out, Hank. Thank you.”

  “You bet.” Hank ended the call.

  Mac wanted to flush out Frank from his hiding spot. The injured former cop exited his car and looked for the Bucs. He walked across the street and stood behind some bushes on someone’s lawn. First, he spotted Millie walking from the direction of Third Street along the side entrance of the Tiny Wanderer. She held the newly confiscated bags in her hand.

  “Still being followed? Don’t answer, just nod or shake your head.” Mac spoke to Millie through her earpiece.

  Millie’s blonde-haired head bobbed up and down.

  “Chubby guy about 5’8”. Striped shirt, looks like Mr. Smee? That’s Duckhorn. He is a Buc. I recognized him.”

  She nodded.

  “Okay, break off from him now. I got him. Let’s see where he goes next.”

  Millie walked under the yellow awning and into the Tiny Wanderer.

  Smee, aka Duckhorn, stopped on the sidewalk next to the awning. He checked his watch and then resumed his walk in the direction of Mac. He answered his phone. Stopped. He looked a little distraught, but soon Smee’s anxiety lessened. Someone soothed him or yelled at him first, then soothed him.

  His phone call ended. Smee waited.

  A taller, thin man approached him. Ade. Three of six Bucs accounted for.

  Just needed three more. Daniher. Macklemore. And Ryan.

  Mac heard a group of males laugh from the sidewalk closest to him. Mac hit the ground and laid down under the cover of a bush.

  “Easiest score ever.”

  “How much time we got left? About seven minutes, boys.”

  “One of us will spread this essence crap on it. It will be me. There’s Duckhorn and Ade.”

  Three voices. All familiar.

  The voices faded as they crossed the street away from Mac.

  Mac lifted himself to his knees.

  All five were together. Mac smiled.

  “Millie. It’s time. As of now the coast is clear back here. Everyone is on Third Street. Again, it’s time.”

  Mac’s earpiece crackled with Millie’s voice. “Mac. I got this.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Millie walked out of the side entrance of the Tiny Wanderer.

  The five Bucs gathered right behind the Wanderer, all waiting on the arrival of the jade emperor statue. All were dressed in summer clothing and they didn’t look like criminals—they didn’t look like they were about to fight.

  Millie would change that. She pulled her wand from her purse and pointed at the Bucs.

  Duckhorn suddenly held a bottle of beer in his hand. He looked befuddled. Scared.

  Another, taller Buc suddenly held a bottle, too.

  Duckhorn proceeded to smash the bottle on the taller one’s head.

  Millie smirked.

  A drunken fight had broken out. A rather loud and violent one at that!

  Both bottles were smashed in seconds. Another, huskier Buc proceeded to use a broken bottle as a shiv.

  Millie ran back into the Wanderer and to the center office, next to the toiletries section of the vast retail mansion, “Vince!”

  “Huge fight out back, right? Yeah, we are already on it. We were watching the area for the delivery and called in uniforms already. And a few minutes before the delivery, too. Edith, make sure to call your courier and say not to worry, bring the jade emperor in anyway.”

  “Will do.” Edith nodded.

  “I will head out there now. I hope this doesn’t spook the Bucs and we lose them!” Vince ran through the lamp department and out the side entrance. Millie followed closely behind.

  By the time the pair reached the back of the Wanderer, two GPD SUVs had already rolled up and had their guns trained on the Bucs.

  The smell of beer and sweat filled the air.

  Vince pulled his gun. “Put down the broken bottle and get on your knees!”

  Five cops. Five guns. Five Bucs. Two broken bottles.

  “All right. All right. Just cooperate with them, boys.” Duckhorn said. He put his hands up.

  “Little early for a drunken fight, huh, boys? Or should I say Bucs? Don’t you think?” Mac walked out from behind a bush across the street from the fight.

  Vince shook his head at his brother.

  “What are you doing, Mac?”

  “Preventing a robbery. Frank Halloran, their boss, is at the top of the Kane County Courthouse, probably watching his best laid plans go to hell.” Mac turned and lifted his middle finger at the copper-topped tower down the street.

  Millie’s phone buzzed. She recognized the number: the sinister voice.

  “Hello.” Millie’s heart pounded.

  “I have two people up here in this tower with me. One is Jeff. The other is a guy named Hank Paderson. They both die unless I get what I want.”

  “Dad!” Millie cried, her face turning red w
ith anger.

  “Get them in the squads.” Vince told his uniforms.

  Mac and Vince looked at Millie. She handed the phone to Vince.

  “I want the statue and these two go free,” Frank said.

  “Nice—and typical—of you to not want to free your crew. You just want the damn score. Vince O’Malley, GPD, nice to meet ya. Frank, you aren’t in a great spot. Not sure how you are going to get down from there.” Vince put the call on speaker.

  “It’s simple. If I don’t get what I want, I throw these two guys off the roof and into the nice family friendly carnival right below me. Lots of little kids down there.” Frank’s voice was very calm. Too calm.

  “Frank, it’s over: Vic Sabatini talked. Told us everything. You have too much baggage to make any demands. Who do you have up there?”

  Frank ended the call.

  “Who does he have up there?” Vince looked at Mac and Millie.

  “My Dad. That’s all we know of for sure. We have to get up there now!”

  Vince looked pissed. “Mac, how the hell do you know Frank’s up there?”

  “I had Hank follow Frank for me.”

  “How did you find the Bucs in the first place?” Vince pressed “You were supposed to be laying low.”

  “We don’t have time for that now! Let’s go!” Millie yelled.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Millie never ran faster in her life. Her hamstring actually ached. She ran up Fourth street, a similar route as her Christmas Walk chase, except one street over on a less crowded street. There were still lots of cars and people milling about.

  She looked behind her. Vince admirably followed her, running fast and keeping close. Mac was far behind.

  The red-brick, four floor expansive building grew closer. The copper-topped center tower could technically be considered the fifth floor. Millie wished for a broom so she could fly right to it and make quite short work of Frank. She needed to save her Dad, but she didn’t have a broom. She barely had a plan.