The Morelville Mysteries Collection

Chapter 3 – They Meet Again

Chapter 3 – They Meet AgainDana

The Border Patrol arm of the agency had caught an illegal selling knock off high end handbags in Texas. He sang a crazy tune and fingered a gang banger in Chicago as his goods connection. I drew the lucky assignment to fly back to the Windy City, track down one Mr. ‘Freestyle’, and try to figure out what he knew.

I landed at Midway late the next morning. I headed straight to the Chicago Field Office for a brief with the task force boss on what was known about Freestyle. I learned that the word on the street was that he had recently gone underground after a dust up with another member of his own gang. Armed with my sidearm and the names, addresses and phone numbers of his known family members and associates, I hit the pavement. As it turned out, my quarry was hiding in plain sight.

Freestyle's Grandmother lived in the Englewood neighborhood. Thinking I was the mail carrier, she opened the door to me when I stepped onto her stoop. My luck turned. The former gang banger was sitting in her living room watching afternoon soaps with her when I got there.

I drew on him in case he had a gun nearby and I flashed my badge. Grandma sank, shaking, into a chair.

I put the badge away and, still training my pistol at his head, I identified myself as a Customs and Border Protection agent. I quickly glanced sideways at the old woman. She was in a daze but motionless.

“I want to talk to you about smuggling,” I said.

He sneered at me and tossed his head. “Nice lookin' white lady like you. You could get hurt real bad comin' round here pointing a piece where you got no business.”

“I'm just looking for some information. We can do this the easy way or we can do it the hard way; your choice.” I wasn't about to show this guy any fear.

“Buzz off. I don't talk to no cops, man.”

“Antoine!” It was the old woman. “Enough. I'll not have violence in this house! We've been through enough!”

Properly cowed, the sneering look disappeared. He released a loud breath and leaned back on the sofa. After what seemed like an eternity, he asked, “What do you want to know?”

“I need to find Relic.”

Freestyle looked away. “I don't know him.”

“All I need is to find him. Anything that would put me on his trail...”

He didn't look back at me. After several more long seconds, he shook his head. Then, very faintly, I heard, “What's in it for me?”

“I'll talk to my command but, for them to do anything; you have to give me something first.”

“Maybe so, but not here. How do I get you, man?”

I laid my card on the table in front of him. Looking back at him, I said, “Just call that number, 24/7. Don't make me wait. I found you today. I can find you tomorrow too.”

I backed out of the house and holstered my gun but didn't fasten it. I wanted fast access.

I returned to Cleveland and, the next day, I drove to Zanesville. I walked into the Sheriff's Office and announced my presence. I explained that I was a federal agent, that I was armed and that I would not be giving up my weapon.

Sheriff Crane stepped into the receiving area and said to the Desk Sergeant, “Let her pass.” She looked the part of the lady in charge from head to toe. She eyeballed me with an unreadable expression as I moved toward her.

“Let's talk in my office.”

I followed her down a short hallway. She opened a door on the left side and, moving around behind a Government Issue desk, she pointed to the only other chair in the room. The room was sparsely decorated and not at all what I expected of a County Sheriff's own office.

She moved a stack of mail from the middle of her desk blotter to the corner then leaned forward, hands folded over her desk blotter. She grinned and eyed me casually. It was disconcerting after her attempt at roughing me up in our previous meeting. “So, what can I help you with today?”

“You tell me. You’re the one who stormed the Cleveland Port Office and demanded to be a part of our investigation.”

“Look; why don’t you just tell me what you’re really working on?”

“I’m not going to tell you because that information is on a need to know basis and you don’t need to know.”

“Then why did you come back down here? This is my turf. I need to know what’s going on here, in my town, in my county. I’m starting to think you came back just because you couldn’t stay away from me.”

“You don’t have the clearance, Sheriff.” I spat her temporary title out like it was something distasteful in my mouth. She had hit a nerve.

“Why don’t you just give me the general overview... somewhere for me to start? I have reason to believe that what I’m working on and what you’re working on are linked together.”

“I assure you, they’re not.”

“Let’s be clear. If you stir up any trouble here, I’ll be on you like white on rice.”

“Promise?” I instantly blushed. Uggh! Where the hell did that come from?

She laughed. It was a beautiful, deep sound this time that took my breath away. I caught myself staring at her and quickly turned away. Snap out of it! I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“Geno Corelli told me that you’ll be my liaison. Isn’t he the boss?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes...” I trailed off.

“He’s in charge of you, isn’t he?

I was evasive. “Locally.”

“So, liaise.” She smiled again. She knew it got under my skin when she did that.

I attempted to draw in a breath and then, inexplicably, I gave in. “We’re working on a knock off goods smuggling operation.”

“Money laundering or counterfeiting of bills involved?”

“Not that we’re aware of so far but, I suppose it’s possible.”

“How is Morelville involved?”

“It isn’t... that we know of.” I was guessing there. The team had so little to go on but I didn’t want her to know that. I certainly didn’t want her to know Sheriff Carter had been a key player in the whole scheme. I planned to hold that card close for a while longer.

“Then why were you there the other day?”

“I was meeting with someone who we thought might have some information. I left with no more than I started with.”

“So, you have nothing.” It was a statement not a question.

I bristled. “We have a date when we know a large, high dollar shipment is moving but we don’t know the origin or the final destination.”

“How can I help you?”

I shrugged and said, “At this point, I don’t know. If we get some more intel that leads us back to this area, I’ll let you know.” I really didn't think she could help and I didn't want her involved in the case anyway. There were still too many unanswered questions. She or other officers in her department could be involved. We just didn’t know yet. Going with that, I feared I may have already told her too much but Gene seemed to believe that she was one of the good guys.

She donned a skeptical expression but I wasn't giving her any more. Much to my relief, she stood up, signaling the end of our meeting.

“Thank you.”

As I stood too, she extended her hand to me. I leaned in to take it but in my clumsiness at the thought of touching her, I bumped the desk and sent her stack of mail skittering to the floor.

“I'm so sorry!” I skirted the desk and stooped to pick up the mess I'd created as she did the same. We jostled each other as we reached for the same large envelope. It was full of photographs of her that spilled out of it onto the floor.

There were dozens of shots taken of her with her sister and a couple of kids. In some, she was in the khakis and the plaid shirt she'd been wearing two days before. In others, obviously shot with a high powered lens, she was in other clothes, both inside and outside of her home, alone and with the others, preparing food, eating, changing...

“What the hell are these?” I yelled.

She was snatching up the photos and stuffing them back into the envelope. “Nothing. Don't worry about it.”

Maybe she didn't want me to worry but she sure was!

I sat back down. “When were those taken?”

She blew out a breath. “Over the past two days. That's what I was wearing yesterday”, she said as she held out one of the photos.

“After you arrested me and after you went to Cleveland and met with Corelli?”

“That has nothing to do with it!”

“The hell it doesn't! Smuggling designer knock-offs is big business and some of these people we're dealing with consider killing people that get in their way as all in a day's work.”

“Gee. I'm such a moron! I must have missed the bad guy class at the academy!” She smiled. I knew now that she smiled at me to mock me. Our short truce was over!

Without thinking about what I might be revealing, I blurted out, “Look, there are people around here that probably know we're investigating a smuggling operation. Someone saw you visit the Port Office. They didn't 'appreciate' it. From here on, you need to stay out of what we're working on.”

“I'm a big girl. I can handle the risk.”

“I'm not asking you to stay out of this. I'm telling you to.”

“What are you going to do, tell my mommy? Seriously Dana?” She was pissed. “Whatever danger is threatening the peace and quiet in this county, you can be sure I’ll be out there fighting it.” Mel scowled this time, showing her teeth.

I wondered what she’d do if I tried to kiss her. My heart raced. As volatile and bad-tempered as she was, she might just draw her service weapon and shoot me. Still, kissing those lips would be worth the risk. I resigned not to do it. That wasn’t why I was in town. I had business to take care of and chasing after beautiful butch women was no longer a part of my life anyway. I had too much baggage to carry. Nobody deserved to have to deal with all of my crap just to be in a relationship with me.

“Stick to catching runaway livestock.” I moved toward the door. “Just forget about me and my crew.” I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be forgetting about Mel anytime soon.

I walked out of the station and away from Mel Crane. At least I had a potential lead in Chicago. Freestyle would have to figure out how much he could tell me and I needed to figure out how to protect him from his former gang. I needed to talk to Gene about that. I also needed to make sure no one hurt Mel.