CHAPTER THREE

"Vecchio! My office! And you might as well bring Big Red along, too," Lt Harding Welsh's voice rang out into the bullpen of the Chicago PD's 27th District. Detective Ray Vecchio looked up from the report he was attempting to type and sighed. Now what?

"C'mon, Benny, let's see what's up."

Constable Benton Fraser, RCMP, followed his friend and unofficial partner into Welsh's office. He had come by the station as he and Ray were going to have lunch together; those plans got scuttled as soon as he entered the bullpen.

Ray closed the door behind him as he and Fraser entered the Lieutenant's office. Welsh handed him a case file. "Uniforms just picked up this guy on a B&E over on LaSalle. He's clean in Chicago, but NCIC turned up records in Eastbridge, New York. Small-timer. See what you can get out of him - for instance, what is he doing here in our fair city. You might start by calling the Eastbridge PD to see if there's any outstandings there."

"Eastbridge, New York? What the hell's he doing here in Chicago? And where the hell is Eastbridge, New York?"

"Vecchio, you're the detective - go and detect. Isn't that what you draw a city paycheck for?"

The two men left the Lieutenant's office and went to Interview 1 to review the file before going to Interview 2 where the suspect, one Arthur Malinson, was being held. He hadn't lawyered up yet , which was good because Ray knew if they were going to get any useful information out of him it would have to be before a Public Defender or State's Attorney arrived on the scene and made any questioning virtually useless. While Ray read over the file, Fraser watched Artie through the two-way mirror. Artie appeared extremely nervous, constantly shifting and pacing around the room.

"Ray, do you see anything odd in this man's behaviour?" Fraser asked.

Ray glanced briefly into the mirror. "So he's antsy. So what?"

"Ray, he has quite a record. Granted, it's all relatively minor offenses, but sitting in an interview room in a police station should be nothing new for him. Yet he acts as though he is terrified. I think we might find out that that has something to do with his presence in Chicago."

"Yeah, well, why don't you go and dazzle him with some of that Mountie charm of yours before the lawyers show up and screw up the whole thing."

Fraser went into Interview 2 and closed the door. "Arthur Malinson?" He held out his hand to Artie. "I'm Constable Benton Fraser, Royal Canadian Mounted Police." Artie reluctantly shook Fraser's hand. "What the hell is a Mountie doing in Chicago?"

"Well, that's a long story - it takes exactly two hours to tell. But that isn't important. I'd like to know what you're doing here in Chicago. This is a long way from Eastbridge. Something appears to have you very scared; I'd like to help you if I can."

"Yeah? Can you get me out of here? Alive?"

That last word got Fraser's attention. "I'll do what I can; first you have to tell me what it is that has you so scared."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't. You'll just have to try."

Artie snorted. But he thought about it for a minute. How the hell can this nutbag in the red suit help me? Artie thought. *I really don't wanna stay here in Chicago after all; but I don't want to go back to certain death in Eastbridge either. Maybe Battaglio didn't really see me well enough to identify me. Maybe Scali can keep me safe if I go back there and tell them what I know. Hell, I'd like to be rid of Collette just as much as the cops would; he scares me.*

Fraser watched the thoughts and emotions playing across Artie's face. All he had to do was be patient, and if there was one thing Benton Fraser excelled at it was waiting.

Finally Artie sighed. "OK," he said. At that precise moment the door opened and Ray came in. "Hey, who's he?" Artie asked, nervous again.

"This is Detective Raymond Vecchio, my unofficial partner. You can trust him; if we're going to help you he'll have to know anyway. I have no jurisdiction here."

"I dunno...."

Ray knew enough about Fraser's methods to keep quiet. He tried to smile reassuringly, let Artie relax again. He wasn't entirely sure he succeeded.

"You're sure he's OK?"

"Absolutely."

"If I talk, you'll drop the charges against me here?"

Fraser glanced at Ray, who said, "Depends on what you bring to the table. If it's good enough, I'll see what I can do."

Artie looked at the two men for what seemed an eternity. They needed to get this wrapped up before the lawyers got there. Ray prayed for a traffic jam. Finally Artie sighed, and started to talk. When he had finished, Fraser and Ray looked at each other, then got up and went to the other side of the room.

"Whadya think, Benny? Think he's on the up-and-up?"

"I believe he is, Ray. He certainly seems frightened enough for it to be true."

"Yeah, I thought so too. Hell, anytime we can cut a leg off the Mob, no matter where, I'm all for it. You stay here with Artie; I'm gonna go talk to Welsh. Keep an eye out for the lawyers."

"Will do."

When he had relayed Artie's story to Welsh, Ray asked about putting the man in protective custody as a precaution until they could contact authorities in Eastbridge. Welsh agreed, albeit reluctantly, but only for a few days.

"OK, Benny, we're gonna keep him here until someone from Eastbridge can get out here and pick him up. I gotta go make some phone calls. Where the hell is Eastbridge, anyway..." Ray muttered, returning to his desk leaving Fraser and Artie in the interview room.

"So I gotta stay in jail, huh?"

"It isn't exactly jail, it's protective custody. But here at the station will be the safest place for you, until arrangements can be made to transport you back to Eastbridge. I should think you will be back in New York by the end of the week. The leftenant has agreed to drop all charges against you."

"Great - I'm off the hook in Chicago, maybe dead in Eastbridge. How lucky can one guy get? And what the hell is a 'leftenant'?"

While Fraser explained the differences in Canadian and American pronunciation of certain words, Ray was talking to Eastbridge Police Commissioner Tony Scali.