C19 Chapter 19

Amanda woke the next morning to the smell of breakfast. She looked around and grabbed Zane’s shirt from its hanger. She put it on and walked to the kitchen.

Zane was busy in the kitchen, frying eggs and bacon for them. He did not see nor hear her as she approached him. He jumped when she wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged him.

“Whoa!” he said. “Careful! You frightened me. I could have burned you.”

“Would it matter? You shot me already last night,” she smiled.

He took the food off the stove and dished it up for them. He placed the food on the table and then he turned around and put his arms around her. He lifted her and put her on the kitchen

counter.

“You’re wearing my shirt?” he asked as he took in the sight of her.

“I am,” she smiled.

“That just drives me wild,” he said as he kissed her. He lifted the front of the shirt where her thighs disappeared beneath it. Seeing her naked pussy under his shirt he shook his head,

“That’s just trouble so early in the morning,” he growled as he stroked her thighs and kissed her before running his hands over her body and squeezing her breasts through the material of his shirt.

Amanda moaned as he aroused her with his touch.

“I suggest we eat and get out of here Chief. Otherwise, I might just do something criminal and you’ll have to shoot me again.”

Zane had unwillingly agreed with Amanda. They had eaten breakfast, showered together, miraculously keeping their hands mostly to themselves, and he had driven her home. He was already running late so he had not stopped by but he assured Amanda he would stop by later after work and greet her mother.

After he left Amanda’s home, he drove a short distance until he found a place to pull off the road safely. He had questions that he needed to ask Hope. And he wanted answers. Questions that had kept him awake the night before.

He sent a message to Hope.

“Still in town?” He waited patiently for an answer. Finally just as he thought he wasn’t going to get an answer just then, his phone pinged with a reply.

“Hello, and how are you too?”

“I don’t have time for sarcasm. Who killed the boys?”

“Don’t know what you talking about.”

You know what I’m talking about damn well. You were at the Old Mill yesterday to meet James. You better tell me or all bets are off. Hope I don’t catch you again. You won’t escape next time. I’ll see to it, Zane sent.

I’m sorry you feel that way. Go back over what I’ve told you and ask yourself who I care about. If you can remember everything I’ve told you, you’ll realize I have tried to warn you. I have given you the answers you need to save your ass. Yesterday was just the beginning. I had nothing to do with it. I did not order those boys killed. These people will stop at nothing, Hope replied.

End the cryptic bullshit and see me. Tell me everything. Neutral ground. I can get someone to help, Zane sent.

How do you know you can trust them?

I just do. Trust me.

Oh, I do. It’s not you who’s the problem though. Every word I send you is a warning. Save yourself. No-one is safe anymore. There’s a very tight timeline and nothing will stand in their way now.

Zane tossed the phone aside. He picked it up again and tried calling Sanchez. He was connected to voicemail and he left another message. He had already lost count of how many messages he had left Sanchez and he was beginning to lose hope. Then he tossed his phone aside on the seat beside him and headed for town.

Zane walked into the station and ordered everyone into the meeting room. When everyone was settled he began.

“I don’t know what the hell happened yesterday. I guess that we are being followed, bugged, or watched. Sorry to sound paranoid but considering that those boys were all murdered after

we tried to set a trap at the Old Mill for the queenpin, tells me someone was worried about them. And they must have known something if someone thought it necessary to kill them all. I will not tolerate that kind of violence in this city. We need to shut this down as fast as possible. What can you report yesterday? Johnson?”

Johnson was the newest member of the force in Hurstville. Recently graduated from the academy, this was his first posting. He had been learning the ropes from the fellow officers but Zane feared the other officers had been taking their time in teaching and sharing

their knowledge. After all, nothing like this happened in Hurstville before. Zane suspected that it was going to get worse, rapidly.

“I spoke with some informants yesterday. They say they don’t know anything about new drug activity or gangs trying to find traction in this place. Not a single one of them.”

“Terry, anything?”

Terry shook his head. “Nada Chief. I got the same answers as Johnson from the calls I made before joining you.”

Zane considered the situation. A new group was beginning to make inroads into Hurstville and the informants knew nothing? He could understand that the informants might try their luck with Johnson who they probably still considered green behind the ears. They would lie to him and see if they could get away with it. The informants weren’t always clean and liked to play both sides which meant that while they had lied and strung Johnson along, they had time to tell other people they worked for, who or what Zane and his team were looking for. If they didn’t know, then yesterday’s shootings would have made them sit up and take notice. If nothing else they might realize that they had just as much interest in removing this new group from Hurstville as Zane did despite their motivations being different.

Why was it that no-one listened until it was too late, Zane wondered?

None of the officers had any information to share and Zane felt unease twist in his gut. At the end of the meeting, he told Johnson to swap partners with Brian for the day. He told the others that he needed to test Johnson’s progress.

He dismissed everyone after instructing them to check with the informants again after the shooting the day before. Johnson followed Zane to his office where he returned a message from the commissioner.

“Zane, thank heavens you called. What can you tell me? I need answers.”

“We have news about a new group trying to set up drug trafficking here to open a drug trafficking highway across the country. They have already been in other cities and have now set their sights on us. We arrested the queenpin the other day but she escaped. She beat one of my officers with his pistol and escaped. We arrested some young kids along with the her and they were freed on bail the same evening. I think they were innocent and just ended up working for her because they were poor kids that needed some money and so took the first job they could get. We arranged for one of the kids to meet the queenpin yesterday and he was gunned down by a sniper…”

“…What? You used a kid as bait?” the Commissioner interrupted disbelievingly.

“I didn’t use him as bait, Sir…”

“What would you call it?” the Commissioner said.

“We were there. We had him covered,” Zane said.

“If you had him covered, he wouldn’t be dead!” the Commissioner said angrily.

“He was killed by a sniper, Sir. Someone knew we were coming.”

“Holy shit Zane! Have you lost control in your city?” the commissioner asked. “Are you telling me you have corrupt cops on the force?”

“I didn’t say that, Sir.”

“Then how else did anyone find out about your plan?”

“Maybe the queenpin set it up and told the sniper to be there. We weren’t seen. They just gunned him down and then killed the rest of the kids we arrested in the initial bust.”

“Zane,” the Commissioner’s tone was angry but soft, “Get a grip and fast or I’ll have you removed. This is out of control and you’re not costing me an election. Got it?”

“Yes sir,” Zane replied calmly despite feeling the blood rise to his face in anger. “We are doing all we can do. I expect though that we might need reinforcements soon. I fear that we are going to see a gang war erupt in this city which will leave us with our hands full. My men have never handled a gang war although they’ve had some basic training for it. I certainly don’t think I have enough men to deal with it if it happens though.”

The Commissioner was silent for a moment as if considering something. “Okay, Zane. Send me a request if you think you need backup. I’ll see where I can pull men from. You know the election’s coming up and this is the last thing we need.”

“I’m fully aware of that sir,” Zane replied tightly.

“I can’t afford to let something like this be a blemish on an otherwise spotless term. There’s no fucking this up. I get re-elected you get re-elected. Got it?”

“Yes sir,” Zane replied. “I understand sir. I won’t let you down.”

“Good. Keep me posted,” the Commissioner said and hung up.

Zane put the phone down. Johnson was watching him and heard his side of the call. He was sure Johnson could tell he was upset. He refrained from swearing and expressing his thoughts about the Commissioner. It would not be a good example for a subordinate.

Forcing a smile he spoke to Johnson. “Okay. That’s taken care of. Let’s hit the road.”

Johnson decided to say nothing about the reaction he had seen from Zane when he spoke with the Commissioner. Instead, he followed Zane out to his cruiser.

“Shall I drive Chief?” he asked.

“I’ll drive,” Zane replied. “I’m not fucking royalty and I don’t need my ass kissed. Got it?”

“Yes sir,” Johnson replied.

“Got it?” Zane repeated.

Johnson hesitated not sure why Zane was asking him again.

“Okay, got it, Zane.”

“Good man,” Zane smiled and they got in the car.

“Where are we headed?” Johnson asked.

“We’re going to see some of the informants again. Some of the informants you questioned yesterday.”

“Why?” Johnson asked hesitantly.

Zane replied bluntly, “It’s time you got to know me. I generally don’t sugar coat bullshit. You can make shit look pretty but it still stinks. Things have been far too easy for far too long in this city and we have a shitstorm banging on our door but no-one’s listening. I’m guessing too, that some people are blowing that storm along. Now here’s the thing. I get that this is a little hicktown where nothing much has been happening for a while and so no-one places much emphasis on making sure new people like you, learn the ropes properly and quickly.

So today, I’m going to teach you as much as I can as quickly as I can because we need all the capable, experienced hands we can lay our hands on right now.”

“Okay,” Johnson replied slowly, “Do you not think that the training I’ve had so far is good enough?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But I want to see for myself. Now one of the things is that when informants see new cop blood, they laugh like a bunch of hyenas. They’ll sell you a load of shit while they go and warn who you’re looking for that we’re looking for them.

So today, we’re going to revisit some of the informants from yesterday and test their stories.”

“Okay. Got it. This will be interesting.”

As they rode, they made small talk. Zane asked him about the informants he had seen yesterday and he named the three he had seen. Zane headed for the first one and pulled up at a shack.

“Who’s place is this?” Johnson asked.

“It’s Jerry’s,” Zane replied and then hesitated as he wondered why Johnson was asking who’s place it was. Had Johnson not seen Jerry yesterday?

Zane decided to say nothing and wondered if Johnson had realized what he had just asked. Johnson did not say anything more and Zane turned off the engine and got out.

Zane knocked and waited, gun drawn. Johnson followed suit. After a few moments, Zane called out through the door.

“Jerry, it's Chief Zane. I got some questions for you. Come out with your hands up and clear.”

“Okay Chief,” came the reply from inside the shack.

A few moments later the door creaked open and Jerry stepped out hands in the air. Zane kept his gun trained on Jerry and they stepped inside the cabin. Jerry retreated and sat on a

rickety sofa while Johnson and Zane stood at opposite sides of the room.

Johnson said nothing but looked confused. Zane noticed the look on his face but gave no indication he realized Johnson was concerned about something. It didn’t do well for informants to see that cops weren’t on the same page.

“I believe you know Johnson,” Zane said motioning to Johnson. “You met him with Brian yesterday. I’m taking a personal interest in him so when he comes knocking you’re not going to shit him just like you don’t shit me. Got it?”

Jerry looked at Johnson curiously and then back at Zane.

“Got it Chief. No shitting,” Jerry repeated then laughed at the pun.

“Very funny Jerry,” Zane said. “Now, Johnson’s going to ask you again about what you know about a new crowd setting up to sell drugs in Hurstville. I’m here so I can tell him if you’re shitting or not.”

“Okay. I think someone’s shitting but it ain’t me,” Jerry said as he slid his eyes to Johnson and then back to Zane. He added, “Can we put the guns away?”

Zane looked at Johnson and nodded. They holstered their weapons.

“Sorry, Jerry. You must have heard about the kids that were gunned down in drive-bys yesterday?”

Jerry nodded. His greasy hair slipped forward into his eyes and he pushed it aside. “Really bad. I know nothing about who did that though.”

“What do you know about a queenpin goes by the name of Hope or Flamingo? She’s setting up shop here in Hurstville.”

Jerry’s smile faded. “That queenpin? She finally made it?”

“You know of her?” Johnson asked.

Jerry looked at him, “Man. Everyone knows of her. She’s fucking famous. I heard she was coming this way, I just didn’t think it was so soon. I heard she’s a real looker too man. But she’s like a black widow. She’ll fuck you then kill you.”

“How do we contact her? Who’s she working with?” Johnson asked.

“I ain’t got no idea how to contact her. She ain’t no friend of mine man. Who she’s working with? I hear she works quite well with the police,” Jerry snickered.

“Cut your crap,” Zane growled. “From what I hear she’s trouble all around. She’s got some serious trouble backing her up and they’ve got this city in their sights as part of their drug trafficking channel. That doesn’t bode well for you or us.”

Jerry shook his head. “Zane man. I really can’t tell you anything about this woman. I heard about her and heard she coming. I think she’s just a puppet though. But she’s big trouble and

I’ll be honest man. You’ve given me more information than I can give you. If you think I’m shitting you, then take me in.”

Zane considered Jerry’s comments. He didn’t think Jerry was lying. Jerry glanced from Zane to Johnson nervously. Zane couldn’t understand why Jerry looked so nervous about Johnson. He wondered if Jerry was hiding something and if Johnson knew something that he wasn’t saying. He looked over at Johnson quickly. Johnson had his eyes fixed on Jerry and was looking worried for some reason.

“Okay, I’ll let it slide this time, Jerry. Thanks anyway.”

You’re welcome,” Jerry said. Zane and Johnson made their way to the door. Johnson stepped out first and Jerry called Zane back as he did so.

Jerry pulled the door shut leaving Johnson outside. Then he pulled Zane close.

“You got cancer in your team man.”

“What do you mean?” Zane asked concerned.

“Did Johnson tell you he came to see me yesterday, that he spoke to me yesterday?”

Zane nodded.

“I’m taking cover man. You got my number. Don’t look for me here again okay?”

“What’s going on?” Zane asked.

“I ain’t never seen that cop of yours. There weren’t no fucking cops around here yesterday asking me anything. You’re in trouble and now so am I. Watch your back.”

Jerry turned and left the room.

Zane stood alone in the room and looked to the door as he felt a chill run through him. Johnson was new. A rookie? Was he corrupt? Had he already been corrupted in such a short time? Zane knew Johnson had looked confused or uncomfortable when they had arrived. Why had he not said anything? Maybe he would say something now in the car. Zane checked his pistol and then stepped out of the shack.

Johnson was standing by the cruiser looking nervous.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Sure. He just wanted to ask me something private. It’s how informants work. They scratch your back and you scratch theirs.”