The Ninth District - A Thriller

by Douglas Dorow

  Dave walked over and the Governor put his arm around his shoulders. “Who’s our friend?”

  “He came up on us while we were working. Caught us by surprise. We’re not sure what he knows or heard.” Dave glanced over at the young man sitting along the wall. “I told him we’re a city crew and that he’s trespassing. Told him I was contacting the supervisor. That’s you.”

  The brothers, Steve and Rick, watched nervously.

  “OK. You did the right thing. Let me talk to him. Go calm those two down.” The Governor walked over to the young man, knelt down, and smiled.

  “Good morning, I’m Mr. Peterson. What are you doing down here? It’s pretty dangerous, especially alone.”

  The young man kept hugging his legs. “I was just exploring. Can I leave now?”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Mike. Mike McDonald.” The twenty-something man looked into the Governor’s eyes and then at the others. “Listen, I know what I’m doing. I can find my way back out. I’m not hurting anything. Can I just go?”

  “Tell you what. I can’t just let you go out on your own. This is a great place to explore with all of these caves and passageways, but what if you got hurt on the way out? You’d sue the city; we’d lose our jobs.” The Governor nodded at the others. “You have to understand where we’re coming from. Are you alone?”

  “Yeah, just thought I’d explore a little up this way, stay cool in the caves. Trying to find some new routes to show my friends.”

  “We need to get you out of here. We’ll all go out together. These guys need a break anyway.” The Governor rose and put out his hand.

  He pulled Mike up and turned to his crew. “Hey, guys. I think it’s time for a break. We’ll escort our new friend, Mike, out and I’ll buy us something to eat before we get back at it.” He winked at his crew. “You guys lead us out. Mike and I will follow. Let’s go out by the Chute. I want to check something out on our way.”

  The group made their way through the tunnels. The Governor could tell their intruder knew what he was doing. He had the right gear, knew how to move, where to look, how to crawl through the tight spots. Somebody like this could be useful if he was interested in joining them, but he was also dangerous now that he’d seen them.

  A low rumble turned into a constant roar as they turned down a passageway.

  “The Chute landing is up ahead!” Steve called back.

  In the next chamber, they all stood next to a river of water that flowed quickly past them through a half-pipe of concrete before disappearing with a roar through an opening in the far wall.

  The Governor took off his hard hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He leaned over and spoke in Mike’s ear.

  “Mike, you’ve been exploring these caves before. Have you ever been to the Chute?”

  Mike just shook his head.

  “No? Well, a couple of crazy guys rode this river in a rubber boat. Went through the Chute and lived to tell about it. Said it was the dumbest thing they ever did.”

  The Governor’s crew had worked their way to block the passage ahead and the passage from which they had come. Mike McDonald looked one way then the other and then stared at the Governor.

  The Governor stepped back from Mike and yelled.

  “Mike, we’re going to give you a chance to make history!” The Governor looked from the young man to the river. “How would you like to be the first to make the trip without a rubber boat?”

  Rick, the crazy younger brother, giggled.

  “What?” The rest of Mike’s thought hung in the rumble of the passage. He looked towards Rick standing in front of the path they had come from, and Steve in front of the path they were to follow. “Who are you guys?”

  The Governor shook his head and pulled a gun from his pocket. “Does it matter?”

  Rick giggled again. He took a step forward. “Come on, man, jump in!” he yelled.

  The Governor had his light and gun trained on Mike. Mike squinted from the light in his eyes and stood his ground. He turned and looked towards Steve. He shuffled his feet and kept his back facing the wall across the water behind him. Mike took a step to his left and there was a blast. Mike froze, Rick screamed a laugh. Rock dust and sand flew off the wall behind Mike from the bullet that crashed into it.

  The Governor pointed the gun at Mike’s chest. “I’m going to count to ten. You can take a ride down the Chute with or without a bullet in you. One, two...”

  Mike took a step back, looked at the Governor and his gun, then at the dark water that ran by. He faced the Governor again and raised his hands up. “OK, enough. I’ll leave. Just let me go.” He took a step towards the exit.

  “Three, four,” the Governor continued, and pulled the trigger. The flash filled the darkness and the noise echoed through the tunnels.

  “Wait!” Mike screamed. He was about twenty feet from the entrance of the Chute, where the water in the stream poured over the edge into a pipe taking the water deeper into the ground. He squatted down and tentatively put his right foot into the stream, trying to get a grip on the bottom while he leaned his arms on the edge for balance. The water was just above his knee. He shifted his weight to move his left foot into the water and his right foot slipped. He splashed into the water which then swept him downstream. The Governor and the crew hurried to the edge and searched for Mike with the lights on their helmets. They spotted him as he bobbed to the surface on his back, arms wrapped around the helmet on his head, the current carrying him along through the wall and out of sight.

  “God, he did it!” shouted Rick. He looked at the others. “Fuckin’ crazy!”

  “I think that kid was crazier than you, little brother,” Steve said. “He said somebody had gone over this before. You don’t think it was him, do you?”

  The Governor continued staring at the wall where the river disappeared. “He was crazy, but he gave himself a shot. He went feet first.”

  Chapter 11

  Jack pulled the car into his spot in the parking lot outside the building that housed the FBI in downtown Minneapolis and turned off the engine. Looking in the rear-view mirror, he ran his hands through his short, dark hair and checked his tie. Jules had taught him how to dress; 100% cotton shirts, starched and pressed, silk ties with a Windsor and a dimple, dark wool suits, polished black shoes, simple socks, and a belt that matched the color of his shoes. It served him well as an accountant out of school and carried over in his career at the FBI.

  “Happy Birthday to me,” he said, and got out of the car.

  Jack left the stairwell, and turned to head to his office, but stopped when Ross yelled, “Jack, I’ve got the videos from the three bank robberies set up in the conference room. Are you ready to look at them?”

  Jack turned to face Ross. This kid was anxious. “Junior, we’re going to Wayzata. I’m going to get my coffee and we’re out of here.”

  “I’ve got coffee in here and I might have something. Come take a look.”

  Jack shook his head. Just like his kids, no focus. As he turned into the conference room, the singing began.

  “Happy birthday to you...” Somebody pulled him into the center of the room, where he stood smiling, enduring being the center of attention. He jabbed a finger at Ross, raised imaginary batons in the air, conducted the group, and joined in at the end, bellowing, “Happy Birthday to me.” Jack looked into the faces of his friends and colleagues. “This is what I was waiting for. Not the singing, but the official breakfast of crime fighters, fresh doughnuts and real coffee. Thanks, everybody.”

  As people left, they wished him happy birthday, gave him a hard time about turning forty, shook his hand, or gave him a hug. Everybody here was family. Barb, his assistant, was last. She gave him a squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Thanks for pulling this together, Barb. Did you let everyone know it was my birthday today?”

  “Not everyone, a couple of people are on vacation. Happy birthday, Jack.”

  Ross stood at the
table. “They made me do it. Happy birthday.”

  Jack held a chocolate covered donut in his left hand and a cup of coffee in his right. “Thanks. I think I needed that today. Did you really have the videos ready?”

  “They’re ready to go,” Ross said.

  Jack and Ross watched the videos from the other bank robberies. “Well, that was a bust, nothing new. What’s next, Junior?”

  Ross looked at his watch. “There’s a temp from the Wayzata bank I need to interview. She lives over by Lake Calhoun. I’ll call her to make sure she’s there. We’ll drive my race course on the way over, conduct the interview and I’ll buy you a birthday lunch.”

  “Sounds like a plan. I’ll get to see your interviewing skills.” Jack said.

  Chapter 12

  Jack held his palm up over the air vent to check and see if it was cooling yet. “We’re sitting inside for lunch. It’s too hot to sit outside. Especially in these suits.”

  Ross drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as they drove around Lake of the Isles. Jack looked out the window and watched the world go by. His mind was a mess. His thoughts jumped from his kids and his birthday plans with them to what he and Ross had seen at the bank. He was struggling with coming up with an explanation for why the Governor had killed that woman. He thought their trip to the scene was going to help, but nothing had jumped out at him.

  “Jack, a dollar for your thoughts.”

  Ross’ voice snapped him out of his trance.

  “What?” Jack asked.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  “Too many things, that’s the problem.” Jack rolled his head to loosen his neck. “Tell me about this woman we’re stopping to see.”

  Ross smiled. “She’s about twenty-eight, long legs, blonde hair, and blue eyes.”

  “Very observant, Junior. What else do you happen to remember?”

  Ross tried to get serious. “She’s a temp. Works in the back room handling faxes, some data entry, etc. She worked pretty closely with the victim and seemed to take this whole thing pretty hard.”

  “So, why are we stopping to interview her?” Jack asked. “Because she’s cute?”

  “Well, that doesn’t hurt,” Ross said. “But like I said, she was pretty broken up by this and I wasn’t able to get much info from her when I interviewed her at the bank. She was too distraught.”

  “Any other theories on why The Governor killed the woman at the bank?” Jack asked.

  Ross shook his head.

  “One thing you don’t want to do is let your theories totally drive your questioning and investigation. Keep the theories flowing, but try to let the evidence and facts point you in the right direction.” Jack looked out the window. “I’ll see what other words of wisdom I can come up with to pay for my lunch.”

  Jack looked out the window again while his mind drifted to thoughts of the kids and Julie, wondering what they were doing.

  As they drove by the Lake Calhoun boat marina, Jack looked out at the kids learning how to handle the sailboats and the winds. A couple of kids were standing on the side of a boat tipped in the water, struggling to right it. It was apparent they were going to have to recruit a few more bodies to have enough weight to right the boat.

  “Hey, Jack. I think that’s her.” Ross signaled to a woman in sunglasses, a sleeveless shirt, khaki shorts, and sandals walking on the sidewalk ahead of them and across the street.

  “You’re right, she’s pretty. You know what you’re going to say?” Jack looked at Ross. “Just don’t blubber and drool. You’re a Federal Agent for God’s sake.”

  Ross laughed and pulled the car over. “Got it.” He put the car in park. “You coming?”

  Jack shook his head. “Too hot. Leave me here in the air-conditioned embrace of La Reina. You go talk to her. We’ll debrief over that lunch you’re going to buy me.”

  Ross grabbed the door handle to get out of the car.

  “Don’t take too long, Junior. I’m hungry.”

  Ross got out of the car. “Ms. Hoffman…” the rest of his words cut off as the car door slammed shut.

  Jack watched as Ross trotted over to the young woman. She looked up in surprise, then recognition. Jack saw she was a flirt from the start. She laughed, dug her toe in the dirt, and tilted her head as Ross asked her questions. Jack hoped Junior could concentrate.

  After a couple of minutes, Ms. Hoffman glanced at her watch and touched Ross’ arm. Ross nodded, walked her to her car, and opened the door for her before turning to head back to where Jack was waiting.

  “It’s nice in here,” Ross said as he got back in the car.

  “You get what you wanted?” Jack asked.

  “Like I said, she was a temp. Didn’t know many people at the bank except the deceased. Feels bad for her family. She’s been there a couple of months.”

  “You got that out of her?” Jack chuckled. “I thought you were coming back to tell me you had a lunch date with her and you were dumping me. If it wasn’t so hot out you’d still need the AC to cool off after that conversation.”

  “It wasn’t like that. She had to get going to meet a friend for lunch. She’s can’t believe what happened at the bank and isn’t sure she can go back to work there. She’s going to go talk it through with her friend.”

  “It’s a bummer, but she’ll be OK. So, where are you taking me for lunch? Remember we both need someplace cool.”

  During lunch, they tried to take a break from the case. Ross asked Jack more questions about his history at the FBI. Jack had been around long enough and in enough different field offices to have more than a few stories to tell. They watched the scenery walk by and Ross joked with Jack that his kids were going to grow up to look like the tattooed and pierced bodies that walked by the window.

  The waitress took Ross’ credit card to pay for lunch. Waiting for her to return with the receipt, Ross asked, “Jack, have you ever dated somebody from a case?”

  “Don’t even think it, Junior.”

  “Not during the case, Jack, but how about after? I meet her at a bar, she asks me to dance? There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?” Ross stuck out his hand to take the bill from the waitress as she returned. “I mean, she was coming on pretty strong, Jack. And she was gorgeous.”

  “Sir?”

  Jack and Ross both looked up at the waitress. She wasn’t handing the bill over to Ross.

  “Do you have another credit card, sir? There seems to be an issue with this one.”

  “What do you mean, an issue? Must be something wrong with the system.”

  “We tried it a couple of times.”

  Ross dug another card out of his wallet. “Can you try this one?”

  “Sure, I’ll be right back. Won’t take a minute.”

  Ross held the card and looked at it. “Wonder what’s happened?” he asked. “I just got this card.” Ross looked back at Jack. “So, theoretically speaking, could I ask her out?”

  “Theoretically speaking, if the case was all wrapped up and she approached you...I’d call her a groupie, but I think you could go out with her.”

  “Sir?” The waitress was back at the table.

  “That one worked, didn’t it?” Ross hoped.

  “This one has exceeded its limit.”

  “That’s impossible.” Ross took the card from the waitress. He turned the card over and looked at both sides. “Exceeded its limit?”

  Jack took some cash out and handed it to the waitress. “Keep the change. Sorry for the problem. Thanks for the birthday lunch, Junior.”

  “I don’t understand what’s going on, I haven’t used this card,” Ross said.

  “Let’s go. I have to go pick up my kids and you can call your bank.”

  Chapter 13

  “Hey, where are you? I’m right here.”

  The Governor snapped from his daydream to the hand waving in front of his face. He grabbed the hand and held it gently in his, stroking it with his thumb. “I’m sorry, babe.” He smile
d. “There’s no excuse. How could I be thinking about something else with a beautiful woman sitting across from me?” He looked at Sandy Hoffman, his gaze moving from the designer sunglasses covering her eyes, down a long, tan arm, to the hand with the manicured nails, held in his hand.

  “I don’t know, but you were a long way from here. What were you thinking about?”

  “It’s nothing. Just the morning. But that’s taken care of and behind me now.” The Governor reached out to hold her other hand, his fingers playing with the silver ring on her finger. “I’m all yours now. Please forgive me.” He looked at her eyes, hiding behind the dark sunglasses and smiled. “What were you saying?”

  She waited for a bus to rumble by. They sat on the sidewalk outside of the New French Bakery on busy Lyndale Avenue. “I was saying all sorts of things.” She pulled her hands back from his grasp and crossed her arms. “I was saying it was hot. I was saying that after lunch I’d like to go for a drive out to Lake Minnetonka and take your boat out, maybe go for a swim. I was saying last night was great.”

  “OK, now I’m listening. Go on.” The Governor took another drink of his iced coffee and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

  Sandy leaned forward to meet him and quietly said, “I was going to ask why you killed her.”

  The Governor looked over her shoulder and then glanced over his own. Then he put a finger to her lips to keep her from saying anything else. “We’ll talk about that later when we’re alone. What else do you want to talk about?”

  She grabbed her iced tea and settled back into her chair. “I thought we could go away for a weekend. Relax. Spend some time alone. Talk.”

  “That sounds great. I’d love to spend an uninterrupted weekend with you. Have any ideas?”