Catahoula: Shallow End Gals (A Shallow End Gals Book 4)

by Vicki Graybosch

  Spicey shrugged, “Weren’t too graceful, but that’ll work.”

  Dakin ran into the center of the street, right past Agent Thompson and right in front of Agent Cross. She put her hands out in front of her and began chanting and hissing at Claude.

  Claude screamed, “Get away from me, you crazy witch.”

  He was mesmerized by her chanting that got louder and faster. His gun barrel began to shake. Claude didn’t notice Agent Thompson approach the truck from the passenger side. Thompson whistled. Claude turned his head to see Thompson’s gun pointing at his head. Agent Cross grabbed the shotgun when Claude turned.

  Claude was dragged from the truck, cuffed and sat on the pavement waiting for a patrol unit to respond. Earl had been released by Spicey and Sasha, cuffed and placed next to Claude. Sasha had assigned herself to do crowd control and Spicey was handing out business cards. Thompson saw the patrol unit approaching and moved toward the tailgate. He looked at Betty Sue’s face and marveled that someone would actually do their truck that way.

  He glanced past Betty Sue and noticed a wallet lying in the bed of the truck. He carefully climbed up, retrieved the wallet and opened it. There was no money, but the driver’s license was for Judge Ingle. That name he knew. Looked like the bubbas had a lot of explaining to do.

  Mathew Core let Nathan Cottard walk into the police station first. Core told Nathan on the way over he could make the arrest. Gayla noticed Cottard walk in and she gave a little wave. Core and Cottard walked over to her desk and Cottard asked, “Where’s Dooley?”

  A voice from across the room belted, “Over here. What do you want?”

  Mason Dooley was leaning against the water cooler. A few of his friends stood near him.

  Cottard walked over and stood in front of him. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back. I have an FBI warrant. You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Senior Assistant Attorney General, Steven Marks.”

  Dooley shouted, “This is bullshit! You’re not arresting me.”

  Cottard squared his shoulders, “Please resist.”

  Dooley’s friends started moving toward Cottard. Core stepped forward. “You men step back.” Core’s expression left no doubt they should listen.

  The group looked at Core and looked at the determination on Cottard’s face. They stepped back. Dooley pushed Cottard’s chest and screamed, “You’re gonna have to earn it boy.”

  Cottard flipped Dooley to the floor, placed his knee on the back of Dooley’s neck and started cuffing him. Dooley tried to flip over, Cottard put his other knee on the small of Dooley’s back and yanked Dooley’s arm towards his shoulder blades. “I wouldn’t go there.”

  Dooley stopped resisting and Cottard yanked him to his feet. “Let’s go.”

  The Department Chief stepped out of his office and smiled. He had been watching from his observation window. Roger had alerted him to the arrest warrant and the Chief had agreed to keep Dooley at the station until they got there. The Chief beamed with pride at how professional Cottard handled the arrest. Yep, he had a good one there.

  Gayla jumped up from her chair and cheered. She couldn’t contain it any longer. She yelled at Dooley through tears, “They’re gonna get you for Marla, too!”

  Nathan Cottard looked at Gayla and smiled.

  Ellen had us chase down Ward Bromley. We found him sitting in his car in the police station parking lot. He was parked next to Dooley’s car and on his cell phone. The transmitter Thor placed in Bromley’s watch was picking up both sides of the conversation. Teresa shouted, “He’s being told to shoot Dooley now. Right in the middle of his arrest!”

  Mary hit the alert button on her watch to send live transmissions directly to Roger’s cell phone. Roger saw the alert and listened. Roger heard Ward Bromley say, “I don’t kill people. You know what? I’m done.”

  Bromley looked in the rearview mirror at his refection. He had done a lot of illegal things for the machine, but he was not a murderer. They would either protect him because of what he knew, or not.

  Roger called Core. “You have Bromley in the parking lot. He was just ordered to shoot Dooley, but he probably won’t do it. I want Bromley too, since he’s there. We have plenty on him.”

  Core couldn’t figure out how Roger knew the things he did, but he learned a long time ago not to question it. Core looked at Cottard. “We’re going out the back door. Grab keys to a cruiser.”

  One of Cottard’s fellow officers had been listening and threw a set of keys at him. “Take mine. It’s right at the back door.”

  Core looked at the other officer, “Go with him.” Core looked at Cottard, “I’m getting Bromley.”

  Core looked out a side window of the station and saw Bromley in his car. There wasn’t any way to sneak up on him. He had backed into a space and parked along a fence row. Linda said, “I’m reading Mathew Core’s mind. He knows Bromley is here. He’s not sure how to get to him.”

  I had an idea, “Remember when we turned into animals? Maybe we could just turn into monkeys and take Bromley’s gun away.”

  Linda looked at me. “He will shoot us.”

  Mary said, “We’re already dead. Nobody will see us except him if we do this right.”

  Teresa asked, “Why do we have to turn into monkeys? Can’t we just take his gun away?”

  Hmmm. Monkeys would be more fun. Teresa is just too practical.

  I was trying to come up with a good answer when Teresa yelled from Bromley’s car. “He’s not going to do it.”

  Bromley was sitting in his car with his hands up.

  Linda said, “Mathew Core is watching him.”

  Bromley threw his gun out the window. Core went to the driver door, threw it open and stated, “You’re under arrest!”

  Bromley stepped out of the car and put his hands behind his back. Core cuffed him and walked him back to Core’s car. Core cuffed him to the cage in the back, and grabbed the gun from the pavement.

  Core looked to the back seat through his rear-view mirror as his car left the parking lot. “Seems to me you’d be curious what I’m arresting you for.”

  Bromley answered, “Does it matter? It won’t stick.”

  Core chuckled, “Do you know who wants you arrested?”

  Bromley shrugged, “I’m telling you it doesn’t matter. Do you know who I am?”

  Core shrugged, “Yes. A cockroach. When you’re gone, a thousand more will replace you.”

  Nathan knocked lightly on Roger’s door. Roger looked up. “Good, you’re back. Where’s Core?”

  Cottard answered, “He’s bringing in Ward Bromley. They should be here any minute, sir.”

  Cottard stood silent a moment.

  Roger asked, “Was there something else?”

  Cottard asked, “Could there be a place for me with the FBI, sir?”

  Roger opened a desk drawer and took out three pages stapled together. “Here. I have already filled out the sponsor section. Mathew Core said you would ask for it. Your application for internship is now sponsored. Have someone here help you fill out the rest. This would start you in the program. There are extensive educational requirements. You can satisfy them while working an intern position. Read all of this carefully, it takes a long time and it’s a lot of work. If you decide to proceed, we would be honored to have you, Nathan.”

  Roger stood and extended his hand. Nathan Cottard shook it aggressively, “Thank you, sir. Thank you.” He backed out of the office and Roger heard him let out a yelp down the hall.

  Paul stuck his head in the office doorway, “Remember when we thought this was fun?”

  Roger smiled, “Bromley here?”

  “Yep.”

  Roger called Cat. “Bromley and Dooley are in holding if you want them.”

  Cat answered, “I do. Say, Dillard Boggs says his alibi for the night Molly Jarvis was murdered is Mason Dooley. He claims Dooley was by his side all night at the nightclub. Since we know that is a lie, I want Boggs to make a formal written s
tatement so we can charge him later for lying. No big deal, but I think Molly would like it.”

  Thursday 3:00 pm

  Cat spent ten minutes asking Ward Bromley questions he wouldn’t answer. Roger knocked on the observation window. Cat excused himself and joined Roger. Roger handed Cat a recorder.

  Roger smiled, “I have the conversations you wanted recorded in the order you wanted. Your Solicitor General has arrested a member of his National Security staff as the contact in his office. The Solicitor General negotiated a deal with him that includes anonymity and witness protection in exchange for names and testimony. You were correct about it being Virgil Holmes. Here are your names for the New Orleans people.”

  Cat winced at the names on the paper. “This time I was hoping to be wrong.”

  Cat walked into the room with Bromley again and stated, “I’m going to write down two names. You confirm your relationship to them and their involvement in the death of William and Molly Jarvis. If you cooperate, we may be able to deal.”

  Cat took out his recorder. “Before you decide, let me enlighten you to today’s FBI technology. Were you aware that secure, encrypted SIM cards on burn phones could actually be recorded? Amazing. Both sides of the conversation, too.”

  Roger listened from the observation room and hoped that was really true somewhere in their intelligence network. Right now Cat was using angel technology.

  Cat clicked off the recorder. Bromley was pale after listening. “Would you like to hear the one about the cemetery bodies or the dead girl named Marla? Maybe you’d like the one where you encouraged Acer to stay on point with the machine, forgive them for the bomb at the hotel. I like that one. Machine. Sounds unstoppable, doesn’t it?”

  Bromley dropped his chin and looked up to Cat’s eyes. “What kind of deal are we talking?”

  “I’m afraid it’s not a very good one. Oh, I forgot to show you the names.” Cat slipped the piece of paper across to Bromley.

  Bromley read the names and looked up. “So, now you know.”

  Roger played Mason Dooley the tape of the hit being ordered on him. Dooley pushed his chair back and stood. “That’s a lie. That’s a trick. That would never happen!” Roger played it again. Dooley had his head in his hands.

  Dooley sat back down and looked up, “Can I deal?”

  Roger shrugged, “You know, I doubt it. It’s not up to me though. We have you cold for attempted murder of Steven Marks, the murder of Marla Wilson, Judge Ingle, six bodies in the cemetery and who knows how many more? We have you, Dooley. Why would we deal?”

  Roger left Dooley in holding and joined Paul in the hall. “I think Cat is close to wrapping up.”

  Cat walked up to Paul and Roger. “I have all I need. I need you guys to follow me.”

  Roger answered, “Our pleasure. We’ll wait in your lobby for the call. Give me a time frame for the TV station.”

  Cat answered, “An hour?”

  Roger watched Cat leave the room and slap open the double doors to the outside. Cat’s body language told Roger that Cat was troubled by what he was about to do.

  Paul looked at Roger, “There goes a man with a lot on his mind. How do you think he’ll handle it?”

  “Cat’s going in for the kill.”

  Reuben and Ed sat on the set of the news station. The station manager was beside himself. “Reuben, can’t you at least give me a hint what this is about? For God’s sake, the FBI called me to arrange this thing. It must be huge!”

  Reuben smiled at his dad and whispered, “Should we tell him?”

  Ed nodded. Reuben crooked his index finger for the station manager to come close. “Swear you’ll keep this secret? This is my dad, Edward Meyer. Federal authorities are announcing all charges have been dropped against him for the murder of Molly Jarvis. They are going to announce a new arrest today, too. Let me guest anchor this part of the six o’clock news and your station can have it first.”

  The station manager stood with his mouth open. “Edward Meyer? You’re dead.”

  Ed smiled, “Evidently not.”

  The station manager looked at Reuben. “Hell yes you can guest anchor!”

  Cat arrived at his office at exactly four thirty pm. He glanced around to see who was there. The addition of the new attorneys and their staffs had certainly increased the amount of activity. Martha frowned at him. “You told me this morning you’d be out a couple of hours.” Martha tapped her watch face.

  Cat remembered. “I guess you could say I got sidetracked. Sorry.” He winked at her and she shook her head. “You know the stack of messages on your desk is in two piles now. Urgent and he better call me now or else.”

  Cat laughed. He could only imagine the number of rumors circulating by now. Jarvis case reopened, Steven Marks’s assassination attempt, William Jarvis’s body exhumed and Mason Dooley and their investigator, Ward Bromley, arrested. Quite a day and it wasn’t over.

  Ted walked out of his office, “Thank God, you’re back. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  Ted didn’t look very happy. Cat tilted his head toward his office, “Sure.”

  Cat sat down and Ted opened a file folder. “I just received this request for representation from Investigator Ward Bromley. He works out of this office, Cat. Evidently he has been arrested by the FBI.”

  Cat nodded, “Yes, he has.”

  Ted sat back, “You’re not surprised? What did he do?”

  Cat frowned, “Not as much as you.”

  “Pardon me?”

  Cat hit the buzzer, “Martha, could you join us, please?”

  Ted looked puzzled. Martha came in and took a seat in the corner, flipped her notebook and nodded she was ready. She assumed Cat wanted her to take notes.

  “Ted, I’m not going to bother to Mirandize you. The FBI will do that in a few minutes. I just want a record of exactly what I am going to say.” Cat held up a recorder. “I’m recording, Martha, I just want you to hear this.” Cat smiled at her. Martha was in an obvious state of shock at what she was hearing.

  Cat looked at Ted. “This is what happened the night Molly Jarvis died. You picked up a car that had been stolen by Mason Dooley and left in a prearranged spot. You drove to the Jarvis house, shot Molly three times and wiped some of her blood on a rag. You returned the stolen car to where you picked it up. Left the bloody rag and gun in the car. Dooley drove the car to the alley where he injected Ed Meyer, wiped blood on him and the car, and put Meyer’s fingerprints on the gun.”

  Ted laughed, “You’ve gone mad.” Ted nervously glanced at Martha.

  Cat continued, “Once Molly was buried, you nurtured William’s grief to gain his trust. On the night he died, you drove to his house and injected him with a fatal dose of insulin. Then you took his hand, placed it on the revolver and pulled the trigger. You know what really gets me? I have a seven a.m., time stamped photo, of your car parked in William’s parking spot. It’s in this building, the morning his body was discovered. You knew he wasn’t coming in, and you wanted that spot. Still have it, don’t you?”

  Ted stood. “You are mad. Why in the world would I kill William?”

  Cat pointed to Martha, “Because she told you to.”

  Ted sat down and Martha stood up. “What?”

  Cat frowned at her and raised his voice, “Sit!”

  Martha sat down.

  “I can prove everything I’m saying with enough evidence that a first year trial attorney could win these cases. I want to do this myself though.”

  Cat looked at Martha, “Your own son. Mason Dooley. You ordered a hit on him less than two hours ago. Don’t bother denying it. We have it recorded. Your ‘secret contact’ at the Solicitor General’s office, Ward Bromley, and your baby boy will testify to everything you’ve done.”

  Martha’s facial expression began to change to a sneer. Her brows pushed forward and she snarled, “You have no idea what you’re up against.”

  Cat leaned back in his chair and looked at his watch. “Darn! Toss me tha
t remote.”

  Martha tossed him the remote and looked at him as if he was mad.

  Cat turned on the TV to the interview. “Remember that guy? It was actually his crazy political rants that solved this case.”

  Ted went pale. “That’s Edward Meyer. How…?”

  On the TV the voices of Reuben and Edward filled Cat’s office:

  Reuben asked Ed the question, “Why do you think you were chosen as the scape goat in this plan?”

  Ed had a thoughtful look on his face and answered, “I could do a two hour lecture of how a complacent society allows injustices. The real reason I was chosen was because I dared to challenge conventional thinking.” Ed looked in the camera and pointed his finger. “Conventional thinking is simply the palatable term for the machine’s design. Nurtured, bought and paid for.” Ed looked at Reuben, “Ask the tough questions until you get a logical answer.”

  Reuben smiled, “Give me an example of an unanswered tough question.” He knew his dad had baited him.

  Ed smiled. “That’s easy. Look in the sky at the sun. Then ask yourself why we drill our earth. Then think of who benefits from not answering that question.”

  Cat shut the TV off. “Martha, your job has been to watch me. Not watch out for me. Ted, you thought the machine would never let you down. You waited eight years for this Governorship and you proved you earned it. Remember the evidence they insisted you give them? The insulin needle with your fingerprints and William’s DNA? Pretty good stuff. I have it now.”

  Martha went pale. Cat pushed a button on his cell phone. “Guess we’re ready.”

  Ted leaned forward, “Cat. You have to listen. They made me do it. Let’s deal.”

  Martha frowned at Ted, “Stupid coward. Shut your mouth.”

  Cat looked at Ted. “I don’t deal, remember? I’m the office litigator, Ted. We go to court.”

  Cat looked at Martha, “Know when I first thought of you? The night you brought food to my apartment, I checked my activity log in the morning and guess what? My computer had been on while I was in the hospital. Only one person other than me knows my passcode. You have obviously operated under the premise you were protected from consequences.” Cat pushed his chair back and sighed. Martha’s contorted facial expression revealed her true personality.