Author Archives: starediting

Jack first met with Dan at a coffee shop the next morning. Dan said, “You showed me again why I enjoyed being your partner working homicide cases. You were spot on in using the Brandon magic logic to find the sniper’s shooting site. Once we had the starting point the rest was just routine police work. I’m sure the artist’s sketch is a very good likeness of the perp. Several people remembered seeing him. All our reports were in the file I left for you at the hotel. Guess you know the captain gave me credit for finding the sniper site and putting together the following sequence of steps to get the sketch. You know Captain Vogel, his replacement, is taking over very soon. He has no use for you and let it be known no one in the Bureau was to have any contact with Shorer’s ‘fair-haired boy.’ He knew somehow that you were with me when I found the sniper site and wondered if you knew more about this crime than you were telling us. Don’t be surprised if he tries to pin something on you.”

“I didn’t think he would be so vindictive. I guess we won’t be in touch for a while.”

“Give me your cell,” Dan said. “I’ll warn you if Vogel tries to get you on some charge. He thinks you must be ‘dirty’ to have so much money.”

Jack got up, gripped Dan’s arm and said, “Your son is set up for treatment in New York City. The plastic surgeon wants to see him now. This is our secret. Tell John if you have to, but no one else. Okay?” The two men shook hands.

Jack left and drove toward Howard’s office. He parked the Suburban in a nearby lot and walked the half block to the office in a three-story 1950s brick building surrounded by look-a-likes, one more drab than the next. Howard’s office was on the top floor. Jack walked up two flights and turned right in the dimly lit hallway to the open door of Howard’s detective agency. Howard saw Jack and motioned for him to come in.

“What brings you to my shop just before lunch? No food but I can offer you a fresh cuppa coffee.”

“Thanks Howie. I’ll take it. I’m leaving town for a while and wanted to check with you before I left. Anything happen I should know about?”

“Two of the guys you had us following turned up dead the day after I gave you their addresses.”

“What do you think happened? A fall out among drug organizations?”

“No, Jack. I don’t think so. The killings were too neat. No emotion. Just two guys shot up close with .22 hollow points. Same gun.”

“Sounds like you heard something from the homicide guys. How did that come about?”

“Augie, one of my guys. I don’t think you knew him, ran one of the dead guys’ plates through his old office and a detective investigating the killings located one of the victim’s cars on the street and the girl on the desk remembered she had just run the same plate for Augie a day ago. The detective calls on Augie and Augie fessed up to running the plate and referred the detective to me. The guy comes right over wants to know why I was interested in one of dead guy’s car.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“I told him the truth. We routinely work missing-person investigations and this plate turned up in the process. The detective looks at me hard and says, ‘Okay that matches up with some files we found in one of the apartments and apparently the two dead Paks were part of a kidnapping team picking young women off the street.’”

“Is that all?”

“No. I asked him if they could roll up the rest of the gang. He said no. The killings were professional. Not much to work with. The forensic unit was finished and it was going down as a gang killing. Motive unknown. How’s that sound to you, Jack?”

“Sounds right. Now the police are engaged, the families should stop talking about police indifference.”

Howie said, “I heard whispers that Captain Vogel said he was going to reinvestigate a number of cases when he takes over.”

“Howie, this is one of those times when I am really happy I’m no longer on the job.”

“You got that right.”

“Thanks for the coffee. If we’re all square with the finances, I’m pulling out. See you next time I’m in town.”

“We’re all square. Easiest money I ever earned in this business. Come back any time and bring your check book.”

Back in their hotel suite in Pittsburgh, Jack found messages from Captain Shorer and Dan Reilly. He called Captain Shorer, whose secretary told Jack that he was out of the office but he wanted to drop by the hotel to see them. Jack agreed and told her anytime in the next few hours would be good. He then called Dan. Dan answered and said, “I’ve made some progress. Using what you gave me we contacted fifty-plus people in the area of the shooting site and got several hits. I now have a police artist sketch. Using the timeline you figured out we went over all the camera footage in the area and found a pickup truck parked in the street near the site. Interviews with shopkeepers, street vendors, and panhandlers identified the truck as being in the area more than just on the day of the shooting. One more thing, Captain Shorer was astounded by your work but told me you were off the case and I shouldn’t contact you again. He told me not to ask questions and that he was going to give me credit for your work. I protested but he said it’s going down like that and no more talk.

“Jack, I don’t know what’s going on but I got a package for you of our findings. I left it at the desk.”

“Dan, I’m not sure what’s going on, either, but it must be tied up with the captain’s retirement. You know his replacement, Captain Vogel, has no use for Captain Shorer or me. Captain Shorer’s coming to see us at the hotel in the next few hours. How is your son?”

“Thanks for asking. He’s recovering. But he needs extensive reconstruction surgery and the Bureau’s insurance plan will not cover all he needs. One of his doctors told him he should go to see a specialist in New York City. But the cost is more than we could do, even re-mortgaging our houses wouldn’t be enough.”

“No questions Dan. Make the appointment and give me the doctor’s name. I have some influence I can use. Just get John up there as fast as you can.”

Jack used his iPhone to record the doctor’s name. Siri gave him the phone number. He loved asking the female genie in his phone to provide information he requested.

Kathy called for a pot of coffee for the visit by Captain Shorer. He arrived at the same time as the coffee.

Gideon charged the door, barking. Shadow, recognizing the Captain’s scent, pushed Gideon out of the way as Kathy opened the door. Captain Shorer said, “Perfect timing. You guys are good. So that is Shadow’s stand in.”

Jack said, “That’s him. He is full of himself. Glad I have Shadow to help me train him. Come in. We are honored that the soon-to-be retired policeman has time for we mortals.”

“Thank you. But neither of us is going to like this visit. Give me my cup of coffee before I give you the bad news.”

Sitting around the dining table, Captain Shorer said, “I’m out next week. Vogel is practically sitting in the hall waiting to take my job. Between us, he is a poor example of a police officer. I don’t think he ever got anything right in his entire career. I can’t stand the man. The only thing he’s good at is sucking up to his superiors. And, Jack you know, he never liked you since you solved cases he couldn’t. He’s heard you helped me on a couple of cases since you retired and has sworn to see you never get in another police building unless you’ve been arrested.”

“Will he cause trouble for us?” Kathy asked.

“Yes. If he can. That’s why I’ve been purging some files. I gave credit to Dan Reilly for the outstanding job you did in find the sniper’s shooting site and setting the investigation on the right path.”

“I don’t mind that,” Jack said, waving his hand with indifference. “Dan is a good officer. I always enjoyed working with him.”

Captain Shorer nodded sadly. “I thought it would never come to this, but I need both of your badges and police gun permits. Sorry.”

“We understand. You know I’m not going to drop looking for this sniper and the human trafficking thugs. I’ll try to give any leads to Dan. If that doesn’t work, we’ll get the information to the FBI.”

Kathy and Jack put their badges and permits on the table. Captain Shorer said, “You two are great investigators. You should start your own firm.”

Kathy said, “We’ve talked about that, but it was comforting to have real badges. I’m not sure I want to take legal risks along with the danger involved in our kind of investigations. We certainly are not going to work on finding evidence for one spouse to use against the other in divorce court.”

“I would like to say I’ll watch out for you and be available for you but the reality is contact with me will only hurt you as long as Vogel and his keepers are in power. Jack, Kathy, it’s been great knowing you. Hope our paths can cross again. Thanks for the coffee. I must get back and continue covering some of my tracks.”

He hugged them both and left. The closing door made a forlorn sound as it quietly closed.

“He’s a good man. He deserves better,” Jack said. “We need to take his warning seriously.”

Jack went down to the front desk to pick up Dan’s package. Back in their suite, Jack put the large manila envelope on the table. Kathy, noting the size of the package said, “Dear God. What did he put in there?”

“Dan is very thorough. He put everything he turned up on his investigation. We have as much as the police do.”

Opening the envelope, Jack said, “We have a collection of video from surveillance cameras near the sniper’s shooting site, Dan’s several-page report, and a police artist sketch of the suspected shooter. Someone Dan interviewed noted a tattoo on the right forearm of a small American flag. Fairly common, I suppose, but I’m not an expert on tattoos. But, tats are a great way to identify people.

“I’ll go over Dan’s report once we get back to McLean. Be glad to get back. Walking these two bear-like creatures around here takes forever. Everyone wants to stop and talk to them and ask questions. Gideon may be still be a puppy but he leaves dog-sized droppings for me to pick up. And, he needs far more exercise than several short walks a day.”

“I assume you’re going to see Dan before we leave. Can you see him tomorrow morning? Then we can be out of here around noon. I’d like to let Kelly and Sally take the plane to Dulles. We can drive to the cabin. I’d like to spend a few days there before we start looking for the sniper. It would be a good place to begin Gideon’s training and we could end our official honeymoon.”

Jack said, “I also want to see Howard tomorrow. It shouldn’t take long. Check us out of here and we can get on the road before 1:00 PM.”

On the flight from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, Gideon wandered around the plane like a seasoned flyer. After checking everything out and getting into an open cabinet of snacks, he curled up beside Shadow in the back of the plane.

Jack told Kelly and Sally about the consequences of the kidnapping and rescue. They sat around the small conference table and Jack said, “Neither of you can go back to your before life. The police don’t know what happened and we’re not going to tell them. You both know no talking to anyone, and I mean anyone, about the last week. But when people working with the kidnappers see Sally, and they will, they will connect a few dots. They will know that the people who followed her and set up the kidnapping are dead. They will know the men taking you to Amelia Island are missing without a trace and so is the boat. We don’t know the identities of the people who first spotted you and alerted the kidnappers. When you go back to your previous life, they will see you and alert their contact. You will then be their number one target. They’ll want to know what happened. Something you obviously know. No matter how you rationalize what happened and what you can now do in your old life, your chances of living two weeks more are marginal at best. They will find you and kill you. Kelly, your chances are better but not much. Your close association with Sally is known. Showing up with her after the kidnapping ties you to her. If they can capture Sally alive, they will make her talk. Then all of us are in danger. Kathy and I can handle the risk. Neither of you are ready for that yet.”

“You’re telling us we have to disappear?” Kelly said, taken aback.

“No. Just move somewhere else and don’t tell anyone. I want you to keep working with us but you have to cut your contacts here.”

“How about Sally? Can she work with us?”

“You know the price of joining us. The commitment, difficult training, limited ability to develop a relationship with anyone, and more than little personal risk. I believe she has what it takes but the commitment is serious and not easily changed. We’re open to the possibility. We need to hear from Sally.”

Kelly turned to her friend. “Sally, you’re on. What say?”

“Will I be in a kind of witness protection plan?”

Kathy broke in. “No. You can keep your name for now. But you must cut your ties here and move somewhere else. The bad guys are not super smart. Just don’t make it easy for them.”

“What about the training Jack talked about?”

“Let me answer that one,” Kelly said. “The training is hard, both physically and mentally. Jack and Kathy are really good instructors. I never felt like quitting or questioned whether I was doing the right thing. I’m happy and feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. There is no public credit. Many times we work outside the law doing what no one else seems to be able to do. It may not be legal but it is the right thing. I’ve given you my position. I love these people. They are my family. No regrets.”

Sally sat quiet for a minute. “Will you take me? I’ll work as hard as I can. My faceoff with death or worse made my life so far seem frivolous. I want to make a change. I can go anywhere. Can Kelly and I be together?”

“We don’t want either of you to be alone for a while,” Kathy said. “The buddy system works. Your training may be different at times. And you will be on your own at times. Mostly the training is faster and better if done with a partner. There are some rules. No stupid mistakes, no not following orders, no telling anyone outside the four of us anything about what we do, have done, plan to do, or any personal information about any of us. Jack is extremely hard about security. There will be no second chances. Lastly, don’t hold anything back.”

“What is your financial status?” Jack asked.

“I’ve a small trust from my family that I can draw on up to $40,000 per year. I’ve used that money and some more to finance my education. I have some savings from my work in a law firm. I passed the Montana bar exam last year and specialized in cases involving the acquisition and sale of land. Someday I might want to open my own firm.”

“Tomorrow I’ll open an offshore securities account for each of you in the range of five million dollars, mostly in foreign stocks and gold certificates. You will be partners in an overseas security firm my attorney set up last year. Not only for cover purposes but also to give both of you a way to pay U.S. taxes. Your training will start when we get you both relocated. Kathy suggested you move into our house in McLean, Virginia. Kelly knows the place. Be prepared to go there tomorrow. I suggest you leave everything behind. Including cars. Sell them if you can. If there is something you must have go get it. Go together and be discreet. Kathy and I will join you in McLean in a few days. If you owe anyone money, pay in cash. If you break a lease, leave enough to pay the rent for three or four months. Tell them they can rent it immediately. Family problems forced you to go home. Do not leave any addresses or phone numbers with anyone. Any questions?”

Kelly nodded. “We’ll check in to a hotel tonight. See you in a few days.”

“Wow! Talk about action,” Sally said, wide-eyed.

“You should have seen the planning and action it took to rescue you and the other 23 young women. Everything was at warp speed.”

“When we get off the plane, you two get a taxi to a hotel and begin your planning to get out of Pittsburgh tomorrow. Listen hard now. Stay together! Kelly, carry your SOCOM. Sally, cancel your current cell phone account and throw your cell in the river. We’ll get you a special iPhone in McLean. Kelly, introduce Sally to Paul Kim and get her started on a hapkido program to round out her Aikido. Get used to training together. You both need it,” Kathy instructed.

As Buck was descending into the Philadelphia Airport through a light rain, Jack was staring through the mist, admitting to himself that he was an action junkie. Two days in an overly solicitous luxury environment tried his patience. The call he got from Captain Shorer cheered him up. When the authorities got their act together and a warrant, they raided the freighter and after a hard search a Coast Guard officer found a hidden compartment. When they broke in they found 23 young women in varying states of health and drug addiction. The ship was impounded and the entire crew under arrest without bail.

Kathy told Jack to stop pacing around like a tiger in a cage. Sally had needed the rest and eventually she snapped back to her previous outlook on life, but there were shadows. Not fear, but a looming question: What was she doing with her life? What she was doing before her kidnapping now seemed petty. She had long talks with Kelly who finally had to tell her that she was not at liberty to tell anyone what she was doing and to please stop asking. Kelly’s response shocked Sally. Kelly, seeing the shocked embarrassment, told her to talk to Kathy but warned her under that polite exterior, Kathy was a hard, tough warrior.

When the Lear touched down and taxied into the private plane section of the Philadelphia Airport, Jack told Kelly and Sally to either stay with the plane or wait in the clubroom. Buck or his co-pilot would show them. Jack told Buck he and Kathy would be no more than three hours and he wanted to leave for Pittsburgh when they returned with the new puppy.

Having a police badge certainly made traveling by air easier. Especially if you owned the plane. Their limousine was allowed to come up to the airplane. Jack suspected Buck’s longtime buddy chain of friends also helped. Shadow jumped in the back seat with Kathy and Jack. When the driver turned in shock to look at his canine backseat passenger, Shadow stared at him and yawned, showing off his massive jaws. The chauffeur asked Kathy if the dog was safe. Kathy said with her best impish smile, “The dog is safe and you will be too if you don’t upset him. He is very smart and knows if you like him. He prefers to ride up front. If he bothers you back here, I’ll tell him to jump up front.”

The chauffeur said, “No! He’s fine back there. Has he ever bitten anyone?”

Kathy was going to give the chauffeur another smart remark, but Jack stepped in and said, “Only on command unless he sees someone attacking us. Then he does his thing.”

Jack handed the chauffeur the address of the breeder’s kennel and said, “I want to be back here in no more than three hours. Can you meet that schedule?”

“Sure, unless you stay longer than an hour at the kennel.”

Jack had expected the address he was given was to a kennel. Instead the limo pulled into a driveway of a private house in an attractive suburban community. The chauffeur moved the limo around to the back of the house. A woman came out and introduced herself as Cynthia Morgan and invited them inside but suggested that Shadow stay in the car. Cynthia said, “Your puppy is in the house with his mother and she doesn’t like other dogs around her pup. She barely tolerates other people handling her pup. She is upstairs but would set up a tremendous brewhaha if she picked up your dog’s scent.”

Cynthia asked Jack and Kathy to wait in the living room and she would bring the pup down. Kathy nudged Jack and nodded at the sheets and covers over all the furniture. Jack shrugged. They both looked up as they heard sounds of a dog charging down the rug-covered stairs. Kathy was expecting a puppy still in the pick-me-up-and-hold-me size. Instead, a 40-pound bouncing bundle of brindle-coated Bouvier slid around the corner and leapt upon the couch while wagging his stubby tail. From couch to arm chair to floor and back again the streaking pup hit every piece of overstuffed furniture in the room before pausing and grinning at the two open-mouthed humans. Cynthia arrived and said, “He has show-dog manners but not much of any other training. I call him Tory, short for tornado, but you can give him a new name. His registered title is too long to remember. If you change his name put that on the form I’ll give you to send to the AKC. His shots are up to date. He is very healthy. I had the pick of the litter. He was the smallest but the heaviest. He has excellent conformation and loves the show ring. Unfortunately, the failure of the second testicle to drop disqualifies him for competing beyond the age of six months. Tory was on his way to be a great champion. Winning Best-in-Breed at the National Show for four- to six-month-old Bouviers when he was only four months, the youngest dog in the show, is no small thing. It breaks my heart to lose him, but my dogs have to pay their way.”

Cynthia was basically talking to Kathy. Jack was down on the floor bonding with Shadow’s son. Only Shadow didn’t know it yet. Jack stood up with Tory in one arm struggling to lick Jack’s ear. Kathy said, “Does he ever stop moving?”

“Only when he’s sleeping.”

Cynthia was very organized and had feeding instructions, health records, pedigree records, and her phone numbers. “If for some reason it doesn’t work out, I want him back. You come with very high recommendations so I doubt there will be any problems. Get him to a very good vet if you’re going to have him neutered. But not before he is a year old. The papers enclosed here explain all that.”

Jack asked Cynthia if he could take Tory out to meet Shadow. He had brought a collar and leash for him. Cynthia said, “My place is fenced in when the driveway gate is closed. But Tory can’t even spell ‘recall.’ So he will come back to you when he is done running as fast as he can for as long as he can.”

“I’d like them to meet off lead. I’ll close the driveway gate.”

Jack came back to get Tory after the gate was closed and Shadow was loose, checking the local scents. Jack put Tory down and he charged Shadow, who turned his shoulder and took the charge. Tory bounced back and Shadow, using the Bouvier hip maneuver, knocked Tory down and put his huge front paw on the wiggling pup. After a few seconds, Shadow backed off and let Tory come over and lick his face and then run off as fast as he could. Shadow ran after him and the two Bouviers played the age-old game. By the time Kathy came out, they were lying down side-by-side watching their human pack members. Cynthia came out and stood still in shock as Shadow and Tory walked up together to meet them. Cynthia said, “Your Bouvier is huge with show-dog qualities even with his graying muzzle. I’ve never seen Tory so calm with another dog. Shadow looks to be seven or eight years old.”

Jack said, while rubbing both dogs’ heads, “Shadow is close to eight. He’s serious about manners. He’ll help me train Tory. Before we go I’d like to see the bitch. I’ll put Tory and Shadow in the car.”

“Okay. But be careful with her. She’s very protective.”

The bitch was as standoffish as Tory was in your face. Kathy hoped the “puppy” would be somewhere in the middle. Tory’s father was a champion many times over.

Jack sat up front on the trip back to the airport. Kathy wanted to sit in the back with the sleeping dogs. Tory had his head in her lap and was sound asleep. She thought, I’ve only known this dog for 40 minutes and he’s already stolen my heart.

Jack said, “If we are going to change his name, the sooner, the better. Do you have one you like?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. My parents had a wonderful German shepard that I grew up with. His name was Gideon, it means warrior. Is that okay with you?”

Jack put his hand on Tory’s head and in his deepest voice said, “Henceforth, your name will be Gideon. Carry it well.”

“That sounded more like a baptism than a name change. But thank you.”

Jack estimated they would cover the approximate 40 miles to the marina in less than four hours. He used one of the cell phones he took from the Night Lady and called Captain Shorer. He was put right through. The captain said, “Jack, where in the hell have you been?”

“How about I tell you later. Now I have some intelligence for you. There is a freighter, Twisted Moon, tied up at the wharf in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island bound for the Middle and Far East. I am certain there are captives on board. When I hang up, I’ll fax you the contact instructions in our possession. With this information I don’t believe it will be hard to convince whomever that the vessel needs to be boarded and thoroughly searched. I suspect the women will be found in a hidden compartment. If these people think they’re in danger, they’ll dispose of all the captives. I have no evidence that will hold up in court. When you find the women you will have all the evidence you need.”

When Jack hung up, he knew the captain wasn’t happy. The world of criminal protection at the expense of victims had taken over effective law enforcement. Sally McGovern and at least a dozen other women would be on their way to a short life of sexual slavery if they had to count on conventional law enforcement to rescue them. Maybe his way was too hard, but the victims they had saved over the years never complained. Jack felt they could beat the odds only so long. Then someone might have to pay.

Sally had a bout with heroin withdrawal soon after the Surveyor was under way in the open ocean running at 25 knots. Kelly sat with her. She refused small amounts of morphine to help her down, telling Kelly that she wasn’t ever going to let anyone feed her heroin again. By the time Jack reached marker 675 and slowed to enter St. Simons Sound and the Fredericka River, Sally had made some improvement. Jack had called Buck, the pilot, earlier and told him to move the plane to St. Simons on Sea Island, Georgia, and to make reservations for himself, the co-pilot, and four others at the Lodge. They needed three bedrooms and Shadow had to be permitted in Jack’s room. He instructed Buck to remember that cost was not a problem and to reserve a year’s dry storage at the nearest marina in the company’s name for a 50-foot motor launch. Lastly, he asked Buck to please have a limo waiting at the marina in three hours.

******************************************

Two nights at the resort were wearing on Jack. Kathy knew it was time to leave when even she started getting bored. The downtime was needed and the sex was wonderful. She rolled off Jack and said, “Lover, it is time to be on our way. I don’t want to lose our edge. The rescue of Sally was better than textbook. We are on a roll so let’s go. I want to pick up our Bouvier pup. So crank up your toy plane and let’s get out of this plush trap. I’m ready.”

“What, you’re tired of sex and good food?”

“Food yes. Sex no. We Carolina girls like our sex quick, hard, and often. But we don’t want to kill our men, especially when they are over thirty.”

“Listen lady, have I ever left you high and dry?”

“No. But there is always a first time. So call Buck. I’ll get our poor girls without mates on departure alert for tomorrow.”