by Neal Griffin
“You had your shot at Kane and you let him walk on an abduction case. With his history, you could’ve locked him away for the next ten to twenty years. Instead you all get in bed with Tanner … and, big surprise, he pissed backward all over you. Well, that’s too bad, because now he belongs to me.”
The mention of the hooker detail reminded Ben about his conversation with Graham. “Ms. Graham, I remember something you said on the phone. Something about surveillance tape from the night Detective Suarez had her run-in with Kane. What exactly was that about?”
Tia’s head swiveled between Graham and her boss. “What surveillance tape?”
Graham squirmed and looked at Stahl, who didn’t try to hide his frustration with the lawyer, who had apparently said too much. Stahl took a deep breath and spoke up.
“Well, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out, Jessup Tanner is a registered federal informant. His activities that evening in Milwaukee were being monitored. That of course is absolutely confidential.”
“You watched?” Tia said. “You watched those sons of bitches try to drag me into that van?”
Neither Stahl nor Graham said a word.
“You let him drive away? Did you hear the radio traffic? I broadcast an abduction in progress.”
Stahl directed his attention to Ben. “Look, Chief, we monitored the situation. We stayed on point until the officers took Kane into custody. We have since reconnected with our informant. We admonished him for the activity.”
Ben narrowed his eyes. “Admonished him?”
Stahl blew out a breath as if he was growing tired of explaining himself to the low level of local authority. “According to Tanner, Kane decided to finance the weapons purchases through prostitution. Apparently, Kane thinks it’s less risky than dealing in dope. We’ve directed Tanner to do whatever he can to keep that activity to a minimum. But I can assure you we’ve debriefed Tanner thoroughly. All the players involved are strippers, prostitutes, or border-jumping illegals.”
“So just a bunch of people not worth your effort.” Tia fumed.
“Chief, we have significant security concerns,” Stahl said. “We are highly exposed here. Kane is due to take delivery of the automatic weapons in less than twenty-four hours. We need to reinsert Tanner so he can orchestrate Kane’s purchase of the weapons. Then we’ll have him.
“That will be the act in furtherance of a major conspiracy. With that, plus the two years of intelligence we’ve collected, we can take down every major player in the NAF. We will cripple the organization in one fell swoop. Now please. Order your detective to turn Tanner over to us or, I guarantee, her actions this evening will be investigated by the federal government. I don’t think she wants that; do you?”
Ben knew exactly what Stahl meant. If Tia had been involved in a fatal shooting that was the least bit controversial, she was already highly exposed. If the federal prosecutor got involved, anything was possible. He knew the shit storm that Tia might be walking into.
“If you want my detective to cooperate with federal authorities, there are conditions,” he began.
Tia cut him off, “Hang on, Chief. I don’t care what they threaten me with. I’m not letting them take him.”
Ben ignored her and Stahl blew out a deep breath. “Such as?”
“First off, nothing that went on here tonight is subject to federal prosecution.”
“Fine,” Stahl said through gritted teeth.
“You get Tanner for twelve hours. After that, he will be turned back over to Newberg PD for prosecution on state charges and we will pursue the original abduction case.”
Stahl and Graham exchanged a glance.
“And from this point forward, your investigation is a joint operation. I am assigning Detective Suarez as my liaison to your team.” Ben looked at Sheriff Solo. “If the county doesn’t want to play, that’s their business, but Newberg PD is not sitting this out.”
Stahl leaned toward Graham, but she put up her hand, stopping him. She spoke directly to Ben. “That’s fine. I’ve got no interest in Suarez’s actions here tonight becoming part of an official federal record and I really don’t care what becomes of Jessup Tanner.”
Ben focused on Tia. “Twelve hours, Tia. Then the feds get Kane and we take Tanner. You’ve got my word, we’ll come back and search every square inch of this place.”
Tia looked around the compound and surrounding cornfield. Ben could feel her angst and was tempted to tell the feds to get lost. At last she turned back and gave him a single nod.
“He’s yours, Stahl,” Ben said. “After that, he’s ours. If you can’t wrap this thing up by then, you’ll have to do it without Tanner.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
Kane awoke with a start at the sound of a key in the door. The wall clock with the picture of the PBR Bear read 7:02 A.M. He’d dozed off in his office several hours earlier. Moving quickly, Kane swung his feet off the desk, leaned forward, and pulled a forty-five from the center drawer. He raised the gun to eye level, squeezing off the slack, as the door opened. Jessup Tanner took a single step inside and froze in place, his ruddy complexion instantly draining to ghost white. Tanner lifted a hand in front of his face and turned away, as if somehow that would stop a bullet. His voice came out in a thin, high-pitched whine.
“Jesus, boss. It’s just me.”
Kane held the nickel-plated handgun steady as he looked at Tanner over the top sight. “Where the hell you been, Jessup?”
He risked a quick glance at the closed-circuit TV monitors and saw that the bar and parking lot were empty except for Tanner’s vehicle. Good. In three hours they were scheduled to meet Curtis Bell to take possession of one hundred M4 machine guns and fifty thousand rounds of ammunition, and Kane didn’t want any spectators.
With a thud, Jessup dropped a backpack onto the grimy floor of the office. He stammered, “L-l-listen, boss. It was a hell of a night, but we got it done. Just like you said. We’re up twenty grand. It’s all right here.”
The barrel of the forty-five didn’t twitch as Kane gazed at the bag. “Twenty grand, huh?” he said, staring at Tanner.
Tanner nodded, his eyes stuck on the gun like he was waiting for the lead to come out.
Kane watched him closely. “So you did all right then, huh, Jessup? Got us covered?”
Tanner swallowed—Kane could see his Adam’s apple fall and rise in his throat—and nodded. “Yeah, boss. We’re good.”
“So what’s the story?”
“The story, boss?” Tanner seemed mesmerized by the gun.
“Yeah. I want to hear it. Start talking.”
“All right. All right. Relax, boss. Here’s how it went.
“I did like you said. I put the word out to the high rollers. Set up a red-light auction. Just like you figured, Pepper blew it up. Couple of those old boys got into a full-on bidding war. We pulled down fifteen thousand. Hong Kong Pete took top prize. He kicked in another five g’s for me to transport her down to his high-rise in Chi-town. I just got back.”
“Twenty grand?” Kane said with mild surprise. “That’s a high-dollar night.”
Tanner nodded again, robotically, still staring at the gun. “Anyway. That’s the story. We’re good, boss. We’re up twenty K.”
“So you couldn’t check in? Make a damn call?”
Tanner blinked a few times and went on the defense. “You told me never use the cell when we’re holding product. I turned it off like just like you said. Pulled out the battery. You’re the one who told me they track that shit.”
Kane nodded, more impressed with Tanner than usual. “So we’re good.”
“We’re fucking great. It went off without a hitch.” Tanner nodded toward the end of the gun. “Boss? You mind?”
Kane held Tanner’s gaze for a few seconds more, then dropped the gun to his side and eased his finger off the trigger. Tanner took a deep breath and blew it out in relief. Kane set the gun on the desk, keeping his hand on the grip, and watched as Tanner’s eyes refoc
used on the weapon. Smiling to himself, Kane used one foot to push a chair toward his second in command and signaled the man to take a seat. He gave Tanner another moment to settle his nerves, then started back in.
“So, that’s the story they gave you?”
“Yeah, boss.” Tanner sounded like a whipped dog. “That’s it.”
“You ain’t leaving nothing out, are you, Jessup?”
“Hell no, boss. That’s it. That’s all they gave me.”
“All right then.” Kane released the weapon and leaned back in his chair, not taking his eyes off the face of the man who sat before him. “Now. Forget all the federal bullshit. Tell me what really happened.”
Tanner hung his head and spoke each word slowly, as if each syllable was causing great pain. “Things got pretty screwed up, boss.”
“How so?”
“I was going to run the auction like you said, score as much as I could, capital-wise. Figured after that, I’d wait to hear from the feds so they could tell me when to set up the meet. Everything was going great.…” Jessup dropped his head and his voice drifted.
“What?” Kane’s eyes flicked back to the monitors. Still clear.
Tanner shook his head as if he knew the next piece of information spelled trouble for him. “That damn Suarez showed up. Came blasting in. That fella from Chicago, she took his ass out. Shot him dead where he stood. I mean he dropped to the floor, DRT. He was dead right there, boss. She looked like Annie Oakley or some shit. Like she was on some kind of mission.”
Suarez. Kane felt the slow boil of anger start in his chest. He’d had about all he could take of this small-town cop. From what he’d gotten out of Tanner, it didn’t make any sense that Suarez would be mixed up in the investigation.
“What are you saying?” Kane couldn’t keep the anxiety out of his voice. “Is she working with the feds?”
“No way, boss. That bitch was freelancing. The way they were all going at it, I’m sure of it. Yelling at each other and all. But I won’t lie to you, she caught me flat-footed and I gave it up.”
Kane sat forward, his voice louder. “What do you mean? Gave up what?”
“That I was working with the feds. I could tell that blew her mind. She didn’t know nothing about it.”
Kane leaned back, intrigued. “Then what?”
“Some calls got made. Feds started showing up along with a bunch of local cops. Next thing I know they put me on ice in the back of a squad car. That’s when they all started arguing with each other. That Stahl, the one I told you about. The fed. He finally came around and took me out, gave me the story I was supposed to pass on to you.”
Tanner nodded toward the bag on the floor. “Gave me twenty grand. Told me to bring it back and get this thing done. Said we need to close the deal on the long guns. No more dicking around, he said.”
Kane nodded. “And once I take the hardware, the jig’s up, right? They got me for conspiracy, possession, and intent to distribute. The whole damn thing.”
“Yeah, boss. Seems like they’re ready to pounce, that’s for sure.”
Gunther ignored him. “So they catch you red-handed, auctioning a woman off like cattle, but they let you walk so they can get to the promised land. Is that what you’re telling me?”
Tanner shook his head, confused. “How’s that?”
“Me, you dumb ass!” Kane shouted. “Me and the North Aryan Front.”
When all he got was a blank stare, Kane went on. “Don’t you get it? The feds don’t care about anything but dismantling the North Aryan Front. They see you boys as some kind of major players. Threat to the country. Jesus, if they only knew.”
Tanner shrugged. “All I know, boss, is they want to close this deal. Stahl don’t seem to give two shits how we do it. And I can tell you. There ain’t no love lost between Stahl and Suarez. He’s got a real hard-on for her.”
“So it would seem.” Kane nodded, mentally laying out his options.
“Maybe we ought to rethink this,” Tanner said in a pleading tone. “You know, sit down and do the math. Hell, between the club and working the fields, we’re up almost a hundred grand. Shit, boss, even the feds kicked up twenty g’s. That’s a pretty good stake. We can just disappear. Head back out to Cali. Pick off some youngsters and turn them out for some big money. We could do the hotel circuit in Vegas. There’s money in this trade. And the risk is nothing.”
Kane said nothing, so Tanner kept going. “Think about it, Gunther. We don’t need to be messing around buying guns and shit. The feds jump all over that sort of thing. Hell, we could be pimping out a dozen brown wets and nobody would give a shit.”
Kane shot back, “Now you want to walk away?”
Tanner shook his head and actually began to cry. “I just can’t take it anymore, boss. Trying to stay one step ahead of the feds is taking years off my life.”
“I guess you should’ve given that some thought before you jumped in bed with the bastards and flipped over with your ass up in the air.” Tanner sobbed and Kane kept piling on, his voice filled with disgust. “What did you think, Jessup? They were going to make you a junior G-man? Welcome you into the family?”
“They had me by the balls, Gunther.” Tanner was pleading again and Kane rolled his eyes, already tired of it. “They were going to throw my ass in a federal prison for twenty years. Take every damn bit of land I have left. What the hell was I supposed to do?”
“Stand tall, god damn it! That’s what you’re supposed to do.”
Tanner slumped in his chair and put his head in his hands.
Kane remembered how he’d discovered what was really going on. In a way, Suarez had done him a favor when she came to see him at the county jail. He’d already spent several nights thinking long and hard, trying to figure out how he was getting such a sweet deal. Suarez’s visit had crystalized it for him.
She was right, he realized. Someone in the van that night must have had some high-level coverage, a powerful friend running blocker. Kane didn’t figure it was the cargo they’d snatched up in San Diego and he sure as hell knew it wasn’t him. That left one suspect.
It didn’t take Kane long to get the truth out of Tanner. A lengthy and somewhat persuasive conversation, in the privacy of a well-stocked toolshed, convinced Tanner to give him the whole story. After that, it all fell into place. For the last two years, Tanner and the federal government had been playing Gunther Ulysses Kane for a fool. But now the worm had turned.
“So they’re waiting for us to close the deal with Bell?”
“Hell yeah, boss,” Tanner said, dragging his sleeve against the snot that bubbled from his nose. “That’s all this Stahl guy talks about. Wants to know what the plans are for the guns. How you’re planning to distribute the hardware. He keeps asking me about what the big operation is. Stuff like that.”
“And what do you tell him?”
“I do just like you told me. I just act like I don’t know much.”
Kane felt disgust as he looked at the sniveling wretch opposite him. “I imagine they bought that easy enough.”
Buster Cobb knocked once, then walked into the office. “He’s here, boss.”
“Good,” Kane said. “You got it done, right, Buster?”
“Yeah, boss. Went real smooth.”
“Any problems?”
“Nope. I did just like you said. Showed up in one of them really nice tricked-out black SUVs. Said her old man was hurt. She didn’t ask no questions.”
“Kids?” Kane asked.
“Told her to bring ’em. She was so upset she didn’t think twice about it. Course, once it started getting ugly, she turned on us.” Cobb held up a handful of Polaroids and tossed them down on the desk. “I got ’em nearby, but we best get them tucked away pretty soon.”
Tanner sounded confused and desperate when he asked, “What’s going on, Gunther? What’s he talking about?” He leaned forward to look at the photographs.
“Atta boy, Buster.” Kane nodded to the bouncer, ig
noring Tanner. “You pick a girl tonight and tell her I said it’s on the house.”
“Thanks, boss.” Cobb smiled.
“Put Bell at the bar and tell him to wait. But that’s all you tell him. You hear me?”
“Got it, boss.”
Cobb left, closing the door behind him. Tanner’s face was etched in horrified confusion. “Who are these people?”
Kane reached out and slapped the man hard across the head. Tanner drew up his shoulders and cowered. “Jessup Tanner, it’s like you really do have shit for brains. Have you not figured this out yet?”
When Tanner only stared back, Kane shook his head. “You’re just the middleman, you dumb ass. Right from the start, they’ve been playing you harder than they have me.”
Tanner stared at the pictures and Kane thought somewhere deep in the man’s limited intelligence the light finally started to flicker. He stood, grabbing Tanner by the scruff of the neck and pushing him toward the door. “Come with me, boy. It’s showtime.”
TWENTY-NINE
Tia drove around the last bend of the long driveway, surprised to see the beat-up yellow pickup truck parked in front of the house. The morning sun had cleared the horizon and the skies had gone to a brilliant blue. She stepped from the car into a world washed clean by the previous night’s hard rain. She dodged the mud puddles and moved to the porch where Connor waited, drinking coffee from a mug and reading the Milwaukee Journal sports page. He spoke from behind the paper without looking up.
“Says here the Packers might actually reach out for some free agents this year.” He shook his head. “Hope it’s about shoring up the damn defense. A-Rod can’t do it all.”
She ignored the topic. “I figured you would have taken off by now. Either that or be asleep.”
Connor looked at her over the top of his paper and shrugged. “You want me to leave? I can go.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” Tia had taken a quick shower at the PD and changed into clean clothes that she kept in her locker. Now she climbed the steps and leaned back against the porch railing. When she saw Connor waiting for her, the weight of the night finally began to lift. “I’m glad you’re here.”
