C16 Chapter 16

The phone rang ten times before it was finally answered.

“Eric?”

“Sanchez! Nice to hear from you man. It’s been a while.”

“It sure has. It’s good to hear your voice too.”

Eric was in the FBI jurisdiction under which Hurstville fell.

“What can I do for you?’

“I had a visitor yesterday. A highly placed source who told me about a drug network expanding to Hurstville. Are you guys aware of the operation? Are you tracking anything that way?”

Eric was silent for a moment. “Who’s your source?”

“He’s highly placed. He told me that his source told him there’s a bunch of corrupt cops involved in this ring and that Hurstville is the last stop to opening a cross country drug-running highway. His source set up the network in other towns before Hurstville and is now setting it up in Hurstville too. He came to me because he doesn’t know who to trust in the police.”

“Okay. That was a good move.”

“So you guys are tracking this group?”

“I didn’t say that,” Eric said. “Just goes without saying that if he doesn’t know who to trust in the police, he should try someone in another law enforcement channel.”

“Yeah, it does. I get the feeling you’re not telling me something, Eric. I’m trying to help a long time friend here.”

Eric paused then sighed. “You trust your source?”

“I do,’ Sanchez replied.

“Okay, listen. You can’t tell him anything but I’ll fill you in on what I can, but you tell me who your source is.”

“Okay,’ Sanchez replied. “My source is Zane, Police Chief of Hurstville.”

Eric was silent a moment as he made a note. “Okay. Interesting. Like I said though, you can’t tell him anything. We got to be careful that no-one knows what we’re doing. This thing is

big. We’ve had a few corrupt cops contact us and pretend that they wanted to share information. But they’ve only been trying to find out if we know something. So maybe your source has turned. Tread carefully okay? We’re talking about billions of dollars in a corrupt police network here. We’re not just trying to figure on how to take it down but how to do it in a way that the rest of the country doesn’t get wind of how far this goes. If they see how corrupt the police force is, we’ll all have a hard time trying to get faith restored in the police force in this country. It’s not a position we want to be in.”

“Okay, I promise,” Sanchez said.

Eric told Sanchez where they were with the investigation. “We know there are a few high profile members in the police force involved as well as a commissioner and a few judges too. If your source is reliable, then we want to talk to him. But we can’t do anything on the phone. This network is bigger than any we’ve had to deal with yet on home soil and they’re pretty technologically advanced as well.”

“Okay, but I should go back to him to tell him something.”

“You can’t. If anything, tell him we got nothing. I’ll talk to the team here and we’ll arrange a personal contact in Hurstville okay?”

“Okay, got it,” Sanchez replied. “And Eric?”

“Yeah, buddy?”

“Can you keep me posted? Zane’s a good friend of mine.”

“Will do buddy. Take care,” Eric hung up and Sanchez decided to wait a while before calling Zane.

Zane parked outside the station and entered.

“Morning Chief,” Brian greeted him.

“Morning Brian. You hold up the fort okay yesterday?” he asked.

“Sure did boss. Wasn’t much going on except mostly donuts and coffee.

Zane smiled, “Glad to hear it. Get the team together in the meeting room. We need to talk in as soon as possible.”

“Sure thing,” Brian said.

A short while later the team was gathered in the conference room. Zane got straight to the point.

“As you are all aware, we arrested a queenpin earlier this week who subsequently escaped. The children we arrested have all been released on bail. I have visited one of the children but he gave me nothing to go on. They all seem to have been informed that they are safe as long as they keep quiet. Unless they’re just running scared. Nevertheless, I want them all questioned individually. However, before that happens, I have received an anonymous tip-off regarding how we can arrest the queenpin and I’ve already put a plan in motion to do so.”

The officers looked at Zane surprised.

“What plan?” Brian asked.

“The Old Mill,” Zane replied.

Brian looked at Zane, not understanding.

“I received an anonymous tip-off that if one of the boys our queenpin hired show up at the Old Mill at three pm, our queenpin will arrive soon after to meet them and maybe recruit them. She promised all these kids education in return for their service.”

The officers all looked at one another.

“I have arranged for one of the kids to be at the Old Mill at three pm today. We need to get there by two so we can get in place. Even if we do arrive early we need to be discreet. The place is being watched by the sounds of it. I’m guessing that if one of the boys she recruited turns up there, she gets a call and will come to see them to offer them work.”

“You want to use a kid as bait?” Brian said incredulously.

“I understand your concern,” Zane replied. “But the kid is eighteen. He can make his own choices and is willing to be bait. Besides, I don’t think she’ll kill a young kid. She might have a mile-long record but there’s no violence on it.”

“That’s nuts,” Terry said. “If word gets out that we’ve implicated a kid in this our careers are over.”

“The heats all on me,” Zane replied. “I’m not worried. The kid will be safe. I don’t think she’s going to come running with a bunch of thugs to meet a kid. Besides, no-one knows about this arrangement except the kids and they were released from custody before they even spent one night in jail. Why would she think the kids had spilled the beans?”

“I’ve already arranged for one of the kids to be out at the Old Mill at three this afternoon. It’s all in place. Now I need you all in place and out of sight, ready to take her down when she arrives. If we assess the risk as being too high we walk away and the kid’s okay.”

“Which one of the kids have you arranged it with?” Brian asked.

“It doesn’t matter. Suffice to say one of the kids will be there. We just need to be in place and ready and watch out for whoever’s watching the place.”

“Have you checked it?” Terry asked. “As far as I know there’s a caretaker. He must be the guy that’s going to place the call when the kid turns up.”

“Well, see what you can find out. The kid told me he’s not expected to talk to anyone. He just has to show up.”

“I don’t think you’ve thought this through chief,” Brian said.

“I have. I’m sorry to be scarce on detail but I’m keeping a tight lid on this. This is probably our last chance to catch her and I don’t want anything going wrong. That having been said, if we succeed this afternoon, don’t try to be a hero. Don’t be fooled by her. As you all know, she beat Brian over the head so if you happen to find her and get lucky enough to arrest her, don’t think about being a hero and trying to go it alone. She’s a fighter. I doubt we’ll have another chance like this.”

Zane looked at his team and they slowly nodded.

Zane continued. “I also want you to get to your contacts on the street and start pressing them for information. This woman’s either going to try to push them out or supply them. My guess is to push them out. We can expect some drug-related violence coming down the line soon.”

He allocated duties and ended the meeting. Brian stayed behind after the other officers left. “You seem pretty tense about this thing.”

“I am. Re-election’s coming up and I plan to be re-elected. I can’t have this rabble coming in here and pulling this city apart. And that’s what’s going to happen unless we stop it.”

“So what do you want me doing Zane?”

“Get in touch with your informants and ask them to get in touch with us as soon as they hear anything. Have you heard anything from the other towns where this woman was arrested?”

“Not yet,” Brian said. “I’ll chase them. They should have reverted by now.”

“Thanks,” Zane said.

“I can’t believe this woman was so easy to catch and now she just seems to have disappeared.”

“Yeah, it’s strange, isn’t it? But I’m pretty confident we’ll get her this afternoon.”

“Let’s hope so,” Brian said sounding unconvinced.

Zane turned and left the station. He made his way to the car and was stopped by a lady’s voice.

“Zane? Zane, is it you?”

When he heard the woman call a third time he turned around and froze. He could not believe

what, or rather, who he saw. Amanda Tarrant. She stood rooted to the spot where she had

seen him and called out his name. She stood with her hands on her unbelievably sexy hips. She had long hair that flowed freely down her back and she looked hardly a day older than when he had last seen her which was all of ten years ago. She wore a thin, cotton mini dress that reached about midthigh. It was transparent and the sunlight that shone from behind her silhouetted her beautiful thighs. Unthinkable thoughts took flight in his mind and he wished he had his sunglasses with him.

“Amanda, what are you doing here?” Zane asked as he approached her slowly.

“Well, I did grow up here,” she joked.

“Yeah, yeah, I know that,” Zane smiled as she reached her and took her hand in his gently. He leaned forward and kissed her on each cheek.

“I just mean I thought you left for the bright lights and the big city. I didn’t expect I would ever see you in this town again.”

“Oh, Zane,” she sighed, “It’s always good to come back and visit the place where you grew up. Besides, my mom’s still here and I’ve come to see her. She’s not well and she’s getting on.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sorry to hear about your dad’s passing too.”

Amanda was silent studying his face for a moment as she tried to decide if he meant what he said about her father. Her father had passed away a few years before but they hadn’t spoken

in ten years. Her father had been the cause of them parting ways.

They had dated for a while, seriously. But when he had finally asked her father for her hand in marriage things had gotten nasty. Her father had refused, saying that Amanda was worth far

more than being the wife of some small-town cop with no ambition. Zane was sure her father had pressured her to end the relationship. She never admitted it but their relationship had slid

downhill pretty fast after that and ended before she finally moved away.

Zane checked if she was wearing a ring but she wasn’t. Still, that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

“You married?” he asked.

“Wow, you don’t beat around the bush do you?” she smiled.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help but wonder. I figured someone like you surely tied the knot by now.”

“Zane! You really know how to make a girl feel welcome,” she said laughing.

“Oh damn. I’m sorry. I’m such an idiot. I didn’t mean to say it like finding a man, getting married, settling down, and having babies were your main priority. I just meant that you must have lots of interested men in the big city. And with all those interested men, you just might be married.”

Amanda laughed. “You’re so funny, Zane. No, I’m not married. Never been married. It’s just never been my focus and I’m more interested in other things. Sure, many men are interested

but I’m not tied to anyone.”

Zane nodded. “How long are you in town for?”

“Two weeks, maybe longer. I don’t think mom’s going to hold out much longer. If that is the case, I guess I’ll be here longer than I expected to wrap up the estate.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Zane said then looked at his watch.

Time was getting on. “It’s been great to see you but right now I’ve got to run. Shall we catch up after work today if you’re free? Maybe six pm?”

“That would be great,” Amanda smiled.

“Okay. Let’s meet at the Woodchipper. Then we can chill and catch up instead of standing on the street and chatting.”

“Sure. Sounds like a great idea,” Amanda said.

They traded phone numbers and Zane climbed into his car.

He watched Amanda as she walked down the street, her short skirt flicking from side to side as he enjoyed her stunning thighs from behind.