by Doug Ball
Joe Kress from the drug team entered after climbing the stairs. Tan asked, “Got anything for us we don’t know.”
Joe asked, “What don’t ya know?”
“Who dunnit.”
“That’s obvious. Someone with guns and a lot of ammo and chutzpa. Or, have you already figured that out.”
The expectant looks died. Heads shook. Tan laughed as he said, “That about covers the whole of our information and surmises.”
“Then I got nothing new for you. High quality drugs. Lots of them. Probably around 25 kilos per man. The one heading south was a woman. She’s in the Nogales Medical Center. The one that was shot lost a bit of blood. We’ll try to get DNA out of it and run a search in the FBI DNA files. There’s a good chance these dudes were military and we will tag one.”
“Prioritize this one, Tim. I want that info soonest.” Tan turned to Joe Kress the Cochise drug chief, “You got any feel for the dope. Who is bringing it in? Where’s it come from? Who’s it going to?”
“Not right now, but I’ll go after those questions with a gusto,” Joe responded.
“Sara, how can we get more folks on the border again? That cut back the governor’s office put in place before she left office is killing us when stuff like this happens.”
“Tan, we need three times the men on that line than are available. Volunteers? Militia? Hire more? Off duty cops and deputies? All those maybe, or some of each.”
“Where’s the money going to come from?” Tan had to chase the political reality.
Tan’s phone buzzed. “Tan.”
Josie said, “Governor up for you. I’m done for the day.”
“Mr. Brown, what’s going on in this state? It’s got to be stopped.”
“Governor, we are working on all three cases with five cops and an assistant. They are all on the trail no matter how thin or thick. Nothing is offering any route to conviction at this time as I told you three hours ago. We don’t have a real clue that’s going anywhere. The train was robbed and two men died. No solid evidence is as yet in play. The finger prints lifted from the train are being sorted with the prints of the employees and guests. That will take a day or two.
“The shooters down here left a few tidbits for us, but it will take a few days to process the DNA and other info. We are doing the best we can with what we have.” Tan tried to keep his voice level and calm.
“Do you need more men?”
“Yes Sir, about 2,000 to keep an eye on the border and 50 to chase ideas and people, places, and things.”
“That will not happen, Mr. Brown.”
“May I deputize volunteers?”
Tan could almost hear the wheels turning before the Governor said, “Carefully, very carefully.”
“No pay checks, just workers.”
“Try it. If it goes south, it is on you.” The Governor hung up.
Tan laughed as he tossed the phone on the coffee table. “That man expects miracles and I’d love to give him one. The only thing he doesn’t want is the buck, as in the buck stops here. The buck now stops with me. Okay, I will take that buck and run with it. All I have to lose is my job and you folks have two waiting for me.”
Tan looked around the room, “Y’all might as well get some sleep. Nothing we can do until we get more info except dig for even more info. All available troops are out there chasing rainbows hoping to find the break at the end. Ninety five AzBP officers ain’t gonna cut it. Who’s the BP boss in this sector?”
Sara said, “Good man, you might know him. He came from your neck of the woods up Flagstaff way. Bubba Jackson. Former sergeant Coconino County Sheriff’s department.”
“Bubba. Nobody messes with Bubba. Where is he?”
“Nogales. You want him here?”
“Yeah. 9 AM.”
Tucson
Denny’s
“Look, Colonel, we did the best we could with the situation at hand. Two groups came up the mountain. We were expecting one, so we gave them both a show. The gal was pregnant so she was disqualified for the party. The group with all the guns was an easy take out order. Our guy is doing okay. Two of the men are watching him at this moment and a medic from my old unit is taking care of him, antibiotics and all. The train robbery went just about as expected. There’s over a hundred thousand dollars American coming your way after the jewelry is fenced. The operations went off well.”
“Look here, Sergeant. I said make it a horror story and you let a woman go because she was pregnant. Only those who tried to fight back were killed on the train, I specifically told you to kill a few. I am paying you for violence, not swift getaways.”
“Sir, we staked a man to an ant bed. We killed a mess of people. Your take is enough to pay us and then some. There was no reason to shoot up the folks on the train. They were all wealthy business men and families. The ruckus that would have resulted from a shoot up like that would have put every person in Arizona and a few from other places on our trail. We have left a trail of blood and guts, and not much more, everywhere we’ve been. What more do you want?”
“I want Arizona in such turmoil, that I can bring in a new government and lots of money in my pocket from the selling of privileges to the cartels, gangs, casinos, and a dozen other enterprises. The money is in government if you know how to establish that government. Arizona is ripe for the picking. In order to do that we must establish a state of confusion bad enough to get the current leaders kicked out by public demand.”
“The thing that interests me, Colonel, is there have been few news stories about the massacres down south and only a very light coverage of the train incident.”
The waitress came by with coffee, poured, and asked, “Will there be anything else, gentlemen?”
“No. Please do not bother us again,” commanded the Colonel.
“Yes, sir.”
The Colonel pulled out two envelopes. “Here is your payroll and this has the next two tasks. One of them will require some thinking and planning on your part, but I know you are the man for the challenge.”
“Not too sure if that’s good or bad, sir. You know I’ll do my best. I want to be in on the follow-up of all this. ”
“You will. I assure you there is a place for you in the outcome. We will win Arizona.”
The older man got up and walked out the door leaving the Sergeant to pay the bill.
The Sergeant casually threw a $100 bill on the table.
Phoenix
Governor’s Office
Governor Estabon Reeves got out of his car. The driver pushed the button that popped the trunk, and locked the doors. The Governor retrieved his briefcase, slammed the trunk, and stomped his way to the office he was beginning to hate. The guard had unlocked the office upon notification that he was entering the building. Josie was not there to greet him.
He looked at the clock. 7:40 AM. Josie would arrive at 7:50 as she always did. By that time the coffee would be ready and, hopefully, she would bring power pills. The Hawk and the leaders of the major committees were due in the executive meeting room at 9.
Josie arrived on time, followed by the Speaker of the House, Anthony White. “Tony, what are you doing here so early?”
“I came over early to get first pick at the boxes of sweets and to talk with you.” In his hand was a large manila folder and a thin briefcase.
“Grab one and come talk to me.” The Governor turned, “Josie, bring in the box of jelly filled, please, and shut the door on your way out. Thank you.” He sat down. “Speak to me.”
Josie entered and offered the Speaker a donut before setting the box down on the coffee table and leaving, closing the door behind her.
The conversation quickly came to the point, which was one of the things Tony was known for. “We need to do something about the murders along the border and the robbery of folks on a train excursion. My sources, Ms. Vasquez from down Cochise County way, tells me there’s been more killing than was truly told and it hasn’t been just a shooting or two as the press
would have us to believe. I understand there’s been a rape and a lone survivor, a visit from south of the border, and a couple more groups shot down. What’s up? Why isn’t this in the news all the way instead of just a light dusting of information?”
“Because I asked them to hold off. Mr. Brown and his crew are working on it as we speak. I have been in touch daily.”
“Why haven’t you told us?”
“That’s not my job. My job is to lead the state, not be the town crier.”
“Governor Reeves, I fear we have a different perspective on our mutual jobs. My opinion is we are here to improve our state, to guide our state, and protect our state. Hiding information is not conducive to any of that.”
By the time the Hawk arrived, the discussion had turned into a serious argument, red faces and all, around a box of donuts on the table. The Hawk burst in demanding, “Did you get any sugar free donuts?”
The two adversaries were so startled they stopped their screaming and just looked at the Hawk who said, “I figured you didn’t, but, men, that isn’t sufficient reason to be screaming and yelling at each other.” He walked back to the door, opened it, “Josie, would you go get some of those sugarfree donuts, please,” handing her a $20 bill.
“Yes, Sir.”
He turned back to the room as he closed the door. “Now, let’s begin this again like the gentlemen we are supposed to be. I could hear you two 50 feet down the hall with two closed doors in the way. The gubernatorial bodyguards were standing next to the door with hands on guns. It just isn’t the way we do things, you know.” He pulled up a chair and grabbed a donut, “They don’t sell sugarfree at the donut shop.”
11
Patagonia
Stage Stop Inn
Tan woke with a start. Someone was calling his name and pounding on his door. The disorientation of a hotel room, dark, loud voices, and his name being yelled none too softly, had him standing on his feet in his underwear with a gun in his hand. “Yeah?”
“We goin’ next door having breakfast. You gonna make it?” Tank said.
Tan opened the door a crack, “Meet ya in ten. How about ordering me something with coffee, eggs, coffee, meat, coffee, and a side of fruit. Oh yeah, coffee.”
“Will do, boss. Fella named Bubba, says he knows you, is also waiting.”
“Get him breakfast, but make him pay. He’ll eat up the budget in ten minutes.”
“Uh, sure, boss.”
Tan closed the door, set up the one cup coffee maker and hit the shower.
Arriving in the Gathering Grounds ten minutes later to the cheers of six men and a woman in the back corner of the upper level, he yelled, “Coffee,” while holding his almost empty paper cup out. The waitress pointed to the hot-pots on the counter. He pumped a cup full and joined the party with a hot-pot in his hand.
“Anything new.” He was looking at Sara who shook her head.
He looked to Joe Kress who said, “Not a smudge.”
Tank was next. A head shake.
Abdul just smiled.
“Deputy Higgins?”
He gave a head shake as he reached for more coffee.
“Bruce, what about you?”
“Not a thing, boss. Not a thing.”
“What are you doing here, Crazy Man?”
“Ted Fuerte, aka Crazy Man, reporter extraordinary, always at the scene of the action, at your service. Besides that, Phoenix is getting dull with our new Gov. He is one dull man, but so far he is effective. And, no, I have nothing new. Matter of fact, I know nothing except for a call I got last night about a rape and pillage that occurred over around Montezuma Pass. Is this another one? Sheriff’s office in Sierra Vista said you were meeting here this morning, so I figured this was the place to be. And by the way, you are buying. I am broke. But, so is the newspaper business.” He smiled as Higgins filled his cup from the pump pot he had commandeered.
“Looks like we are all in the same boat, Crazy Man. What’s the word on the street?”
“Nada. Nothing. Zip. Zero. Scratch. Period. The street is quiet and peaceful. My paper has not seen fit to publish much on any of this. There was a train hold up that’s getting some play, but nothing else.”
“By the way, Tan, tell your illustrious Governor I am printing it all tonight. I gave him an hour and he has not gotten back on the full story and this has been the longest hour I’ve ever lived.”
“I am not telling him anything more than my normal reports. That’s your job. He broke the promise to you, not me. I’m in enough hot water to keep this place in coffee for a year.”
The waitress came by to pick up the coffee pot and get orders.
“Where’s Bubba?” asked Tan.
“In the john. Said he ate something last night that didn’t set well with him.”
“That boy can eat anything without problems. He must have gone south of the border.”
The conversation was limited to the weather due to a lack of much other than surmises at the table. Abdul said at a quiet point, “You think dat robbery of the train could be connected to dis shooting stuff down here?
Everybody just looked at him. The food came to distract the looks and change the subject.
Bubba came up behind and slapped Tan on the back. Fortunately, the coffee cup was on the table. “Hello, old pal. Here we are working together again. This time you cannot stick me with any more stripes or responsibility. I got it all already.” He pulled up a chair from the table next to them.
“You old, fat dude. Sit. Join the party. It’s right up your alley. Hit and run.”
“So I read in the reports.”
Chuck called just as Tan got his mouth filled. He answered on the fourth ring. “Yeah.”
“Tan, we are running on empty up here. Very little evidence other than a few shoe prints and tire tracks. Vehicles suspected of carrying our robbers were found in Seligman. Not a print on them. We did find a couple of hairs, but they match the owners. Both were stolen out of Flagstaff and had full tanks of gas as if to say ‘thanks for the loan.’ Other than that we’re high and dry.”
“All I can say is we are too and keep on keeping on. How can I help?”
“Could use some more investigators and a couple of gofers.”
“I’ll get back to you later on that. Adios.”
“Yup. Hey!”
“What?”
“Rachel graduates a week from Saturday. We gonna make it?
“One way or the other. Call me around dark and we’ll talk again. Do not report to the Governor. Let me do all that. I don’t want him playing us against each other.”
“10-4.”
Tan turned to Bubba. “Train robbery. Nothing that matters showing up, just like here. How many more troops can you get to watch the border?”
“Maybe 50, including myself, my secretary, my wife, the two kids, and the Mayor of Nogales with his council. There are a couple of reprobates crawling the streets who might be interested. Will that do?”
“No. We need to put listening posts all along the border and follow the next group or groups that come across and ambush the ambushers.”
“That’s a dream. You always did go for the grandiose schemes. That’s why you shoulda been the sergeant in Flag instead of me. I’m just a simple country boy. How about we call up the National Guard?”
“No money.”
“Open the Prisons for volunteers. Seven days off their sentence for every day served. If they run, 10 more years tacked on?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“My responsibility.”
“Oh. How about the militia? Or a call up of patriotic souls like they did with the War for Arizona?”
“That might work. Let me chew on that while I chew on the rest of my breakfast. Oh, by the way, folks this is Bubba.” He went back to eating.
Tank asked for the bill and dropped his credit card on top of it when it came. The Crazy Man voiced his thanks and Sara said, “When did rookie cops earn enough money
to pay the ticket?”
“Folks helped me a lot and now I can return the favor. Besides, I own a gold mine.”
A few folks laughed. Tan said, “I got a piece of it. Bruce and most of the office have pieces.
Tank added, “Got two men digging and I check on it from time to time. Just last week they dug out about ten ounces of flake along with 6 tons of promising ore goin’ to the vibrator sluice in my backyard.”
“Your neighbors must love that.”
“My neighbors are a half mile away.”
“Oh.”
Phoenix
11:35 AM
The Governor stood up tapping his water glass. “Ladies and gentlemen, are we agreed? Arizona will continue on the path begun by my predecessor. We take no money from the Federal Government. I will not call the President without consulting with the leaders of both houses. You will enact a bill that will eliminate the slowdown in our judicial system to ensure that all cases come to trial quickly and eliminate all mandatory sentencing for non-violent felonies. You will also streamline our schools even more, while requiring more of the students, and giving more to the students for successful completion at various points in their education. Last and still important, you authorize Sheriffs, DPS Sergeants and above, my investigative office, and National Guard Officers the power to deputize assistance when needed. Is there anything I left out?”
“You left out the suggestion that all people will be referred to as Americans in a public forum. No more Black Americans, Mexican Americans, just Americans, which is just a suggestion, just a suggestion.”
“I’d like to make it a mandate, but that would be against the first amendment, at least that’s what I think and so does the Attorney General. We can do that all on our own by setting the example. Maybe folks will catch on and follow the leaders.”
The room was nodding like a bunch of bobble heads in the back window of an American’s car. “Thank you all for coming. You need to get to work. I see one more power pill in that box on the table, so while you’re working I will finish it off. Good day.” He reached for the plain cake donut.
