Case File #523: The Gang's (Are) All Here
Day: July 24th
Time: 2:17 P.M.
Location: Lego City PD-Cherry Tree Hills
Ted Baxter Dumped an Ice cube down the back of his neck and sighed. It was a hot day at the PD, and the air conditioning was straining as it was to keep the building cool. Whoever had designed the building with all these windows was an idiot when it came to heating and cooling. The place was a sauna in the Summer and an Icebox in the winter. Hopefully the heat would be enough to keep the criminals off the streets and in cooler places, like 5th floor basements. And ice cream factories.
"That's right folks, it's a scorcher today!" A voice said from the radio that sat by the break-room microwave. "And it's going to keep getting hotter! The Heat Wave is expected to last until the end of the week! Time to take a break, grab that sunscreen, and hit the beach!"
Ted groaned. Sure, it was easy for the DJ to be chipper-He got to stay inside all day. Any Cop that hadn't fallen from heatstroke was expected to pick up the slack, and that meant patrols in the hot sun. Three cops had gone to the hospital in the last two days. The rest were trying to stay indoors and in the shade as much as they could-Cars were not their friend when the AC started to give out.
"Baxter!" A voice called. Ted looked over to see the secretary, Bea, walk into the room. "You busy at the moment?"
"Just melting into the floor." Ted said, pulling another ice cube out of the tray.
"Well, stop melting and get out to your car. Officer Jenkins just called for back-up in the Pagoda district. She hasn't engaged yet, but she probably will have by the time you get out there."
"Yes, Ma'am." Ted said, standing up and pulling his blue work shirt off the back of the chair. Officer Jenkins was the PD's expert in Gang crime. Specifically, stopping it. And she'd been stopping it for the past three days, non-stop. The Heat wave had brought a Crime wave with it.
"And tell her that Chief Dunby wants to see her in his office right away, when you get out there." Bea continued. "He says it's urgent and he doesn't have time to wait for lollygaggers."
Baxter winced. It was going to be hard to convince Jenkins to come in for a meeting, especially when she was on patrol. And Dunby didn't like to waste time waiting for people.
"This is going to be fun." Ted said to himself as he walked out the door of the break room. Then he stopped, ducked back in, and grabbed an ice pack and some water bottles. Jenkins was one person that didn't need to be dropping from heatstroke.
Jenkins popped her gum and watched the group of gang members cross the street. They hadn't done anything-yet. But there was that shifty look about their eyes and the careful way they stepped that suggested trouble.
That, and they hadn't even bothered to take off their prison uniforms. A dumb move, but it made it easier to spot crooks from a mile away. They were headed towards the Gates of Tranquillity with a purpose that could only mean one thing-property damage. Jenkins tossed her gum in the trash and crossed the street after them, moving to intercept. She'd called for backup when she'd first spotted the group, but there wasn't any guarantee of it coming-not with officers dropping like flies.
"Alright!" One of them yelled as they reached the top of the steps. "LET'S BREAK SOME STUFF!"
Innocent citizens began to panic as Jenkins raced to the top of the steps. The gang members had started to smash decorative planters and carve...not-so-innocent things on the walls and the gates. There wasn't a whole lot to break, but they were certainly trying their hardest.
"Gentlemen, I'm going to have to ask you to stand down." Jenkins said calmly, watching the scene. "It might start to get ugly if you don't."
They didn't hear her. And if they did, they acted as if they hadn't. The chaos continued as citizens streamed away from the Gates. Jenkins smiled, shrugged and pulled out her grapple gun. She'd given them the obligatory warning.
Now the fun could start.
Three of the gang members were down before they even realized they were being assaulted. Jenkins got handcuffs on two of them, although the third broke out of his restraints disturbingly fast. The rest turned to see why their comrades had stopped, and one of them paled.
"It's GANGCRUSHER!" He shouted, backing away fast. "RUN FOR IT!"
The Gang members turned as one and began to run down the West steps. Jenkins fired the grapple gun again, but only managed to snag a couple. She growled. It was going to be a nightmare to track down the rest of them.
Then there was an engine rev from...somewhere. The crooks came screaming back up the West steps, terrified of something other than Gangcrusher. Then she saw why; a Police cruiser came roaring up the steps, not content to wait by the sidewalk for the crooks. But whoever was driving hadn't accounted for the stairs acting as a ramp-They ended up flying over the heads of everyone involved, and down the steps on the other side.
Jenkins wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth; the rest of the gang was in her sights again. She had the rest of them down on the ground and in handcuffs when the Cruiser came back up the steps. Slowly this time. It parked between a destroyed planter and an overturned cart, and the driver got out.
"What took you so long?!" Jenkins called as Ted Baxter made his way over, slightly unsteadily.
"Traffic." Baxter replied, grabbing the first gang member to shove them in the back of the car. "I got stuck behind three different ice cream trucks on the way here."
"Well, Try to make it two next time." Jenkins said, grabbing another crook and shoving him in on the opposite side. "This lot almost got away."
"No!" Baxter said in mock surprise. "They almost got away from Gangcrusher? How terrible!"
Jenkins gave him a glare the would have curdled ice cream. "Drop the sarcasm, Officer. just get these guys back to the station." She said as the grabbed the leader, who was cringing away from her fiery temper.
"Can do. By the way, Chief Dunby wants to see you whenever you get back in. Well, he wants to see you right now, but I told him you were a little busy." Baxter mentioned as he crammed a gang member into the trunk. "Geez, I should have brought the truck."
"And I'm staying busy." Jenkins said as she shoved the last gang member in, pushing the door closed behind him. "Crime doesn't wait for meetings and committees."
"I'm not going to argue with you." Baxter said, reaching into the passenger seat. He tossed her a water bottle. "I'm smarter than that. I'll ask you to reconsider. It's almost three, and I doubt another gang is going to make trouble right after these guys made a fuss and got arrested."
Jenkins looked at the water bottle in her hand. Condensation still collected on the outside, and she realized just how thirsty she was. She'd drunk half the bottle before she'd realized it. She looked up at the sun. It was now the hottest part of the day-only idiots were going to stay out in this heat.
"If you are going to stay out in this heat," Baxter continued, reaching into the car again. "Take this. We don't need one of our top officers passing out from heatstroke." He tossed her a baseball cap.
She looked at the cap in her hands, then at the sun. "I think I'll catch a ride with you. I'm not gonna put off Dunby 'till the end of the shift. He'd eat me alive."
"Not if you toss him a doughnut first." Baxter joked as he climbed in the drivers seat. "And I'm driving, don't fight me on this one. You take a break. You'll need your energy when you meet with Dunby."
It was a blessing to be back in a place with air conditioning. Jenkins watched with another water bottle as the gang was hauled out of the cruiser and into the building for processing. She leaned against the wall, closed her eyes, and listened to the opera of the Lego City PD; The echo of footsteps off the walls, the shuffle of paperwork, the dulcet tones of a phone ringing, and the not-so-dulcet CRASH that could only be Frank trying to fix the computer again. It was an office, sure. But it was also a kind of home.
"Jenkins!" Someone shouted. She looked up to see Chief Dunby calling from the second floor. "Briefing room! ONE MINUTE!"
She sighed, peeled herself off the wall and walked over to the elevator. Baxter followed her, in, tucking a file folder under his arm. "The meeting's about the recent crime wave thats hit the city." He said, handing her a piece of paper as the doors closed. "Dunby's hoping that if we put enough heads together we can find a common link between all these crimes."
Jenkins looked at the list and whistled. "That's a lot of crimes." She said. She wasn't exaggerating either-The PD hadn't seen numbers like this in years, not even during the Fury case last summer.
Baxter nodded as the elevator doors opened on the second floor, allowing a few more officers and detectives in. "This many crimes can't be a coincidence."
"No." Jenkins agreed as the elevator rose. "But most these look like they could be. I know most of these gangs; they all avoid each other if possible. I can't see them working together."
"Officer Spencer said the same thing about the car robberies." Baxter replied. "Way too many to be a coincidence, but none that have enough in common to suggest a link."
"And I suppose you've run into the same problem?" Jenkins asked.
"Actually, no." Baxter replied, scanning the list. "There haven't been any huge crimes or frauds. It's all little things."
"Well, we better find that link soon." Jenkins said as the elevator opened to the briefing room. "There won't be anything left in Lego City to steal at this rate."
The Briefing Room was a large, circular room where the BIG cases were discussed. There was a podium and stage, multiple chairs, and a popcorn machine. The PD knew what was important. It sat unused today, though-no one wanted extra salt when they needed to stay hydrated. Instead, officers milled around the room with water and ice cream bars, doing their best to beat the heat. Baxter spotted Shaky Harry over by the window with a cup of coffee, twitching nervously. Baxter wasn't sure if he'd had six shots, or only five, but it was clear he'd had far too much again.
"All right, settle down!" Dunby called from the podium. Around the room, officers and detectives settled into chairs. "I'm calling this meeting to order! Now, first off..."
Baxter listened with half an ear as the meeting droned on. The facts were essentially what was on the paperwork everyone had got: Lots of little crimes with no connection. LOTS of them. It was like looking for a catfish in a murky pond full of minnows. He looked at the data map on the wall. Lots of dots, no lines. Yet there was something about the data that bugged him.
"Baxter!" Dunby shouted. Ted jumped in his seat.
"Yes Chief?" He asked, sitting at attention.
"I'm putting you on Patrol duty with Officer Jenkins. I know its not your usual beat, but we need all the help we can get. And it's not like you've been doing anything recently."
Normally, Baxter worked paper forensics. He looked at paper trails and insurance scams, and stayed indoors most of the time. Because of that, he had a bit of a unique way of thinking. One that he applied now; instead of looking for something that wasn't there and should be, he looked for something that should be and wasn't. He took another look at the date map on the wall. And he found it.
Three days later, Baxter sagged against a wall as Jenkins cuffed another robber. He'd started a plain-clothes Patrol with her, and it had been an...interesting experience. Jenkins had this street presence around her, one that managed to keep crooks away to the point it was obvious they were crooks because they were avoiding her. She was calm, collected and had a look that said you were toast if you crossed her. Baxter, on the other hand, looked like a lost, absentminded tourist-In other words, a target. He'd been assaulted by ten pickpockets and robbers in the last three days. It wasn't intentional by any means. But it made finding and catching crooks a lot easier. If not a little more painful.
"That's five today." Jenkins said, observing as they tossed the crook into the waiting transport truck. "This is insane. They're getting out as soon as we put them in. I saw this guy two days ago in Bright Lights trying to rob an old lady."
"Really?" Baxter said.
"Yeah. Bit of a surprise for him when she started hitting him with her purse. It was kind of funny, really."
"I'll bet. I'll call the station and ask them to check security over at Albatross." Baxter said, reaching for the radio in the truck. Albatross Prison had lax security on the best of days. But it wouldn't do any good if crooks could walk off the island as soon as they got on. It was a minor miracle that they hadn't seen Rex Fury back on the streets. Or a nightmare, depending on your paranoia levels. He looked in the truck. The Radio was gone. "Of all the..."
"What?" Jenkins asked, looking over.
"They stole the radio."
"...This needs to stop. NOW."
"I know it." Baxter said, pulling out his personal phone, which thankfully was still in his pocket. "Bea? Baxter. Yes, I know. It got stolen. Look, can you ask someone to go check Albatross security? We're starting to see repeat criminals. Chase would probably be a good choice. He terrifies the warden."
"Why don't we ask someone who's seen it a little more recently?" Jenkins said, hopping in the back of the truck. "Now, why don't you tell us how you got back out on the streets so quick?" Jenkins said with a growl, pushing the crook into the back of the truck. "And maybe you would happen to know what's with the crime sprees recently?
Slicky Jims wasn't a brave crook by any means. But he wasn't stupid, either. "I don't know nuthin' about the hole in the laundry chute." He muttered. "And I don't know nuthin about the big rumble goin' down in Fresco tonight."
"Fresco, huh?" Jenkins pondered. She climbed out of the truck and looked at Baxter. "We might have a lead. If Chase is headed over to Albatross, tell him to check the laundry chute."
"Got it." Baxter said, and passed the information along to Bea. Then he hung up. "I hope we get this sorted out soon. Five more officers have gone to the hospital since yesterday-We're on a skeleton staff as it is."
"I know it." Jenkins said. Shifts were getting longer, and rest time was getting shorter. And the sun kept getting hotter and hotter. "Something's going to have to give soon."
"Well, we can at least get this fellow back to the PD and..." Baxter said, looking into the truck. "And he's gone."
Jenkins roared and hit the side of the truck. "That little punk!" She yelled. Baxter sighed. He honestly wasn't that surprised. Slicky Jims was called that for a reason. It was hard to catch him.
"Well, since we're short one criminal to take back to the station, why don't we grab something to eat?" He spotted a Pappalardo's ice cream truck parked by the road further down the street. "Come on, I'll pay."
"We just had a criminal escape on us and you want to buy Ice Cream?" Jenkins nearly shouted.
"Look, it was Slicky Jims. He's long gone by now, there's nothing we can do about it. Besides, I've got a lead I want to follow up." Baxter said, walking to the ice cream truck. "And I'd feel better about crooks stealing my wallet if there wasn't actually anything in it."
He walked up to the Pappalardo's Ice Cream truck and stopped in Surprise. No way he could be this lucky. Moe De Luca was in the truck, swapping money for ice cream cones faster than a professional cup-stacker. He waited patiently for the crowd to pass, then stepped up.
"Two Blueberry Pomegranate cones, please." He said, setting the money on the counter. "I'm surprised to see you out here, Moe. Don't you usually work in the office?"
"I wish I was." Moe said, taking the money and nodding to the other man in the vehicle. "The Ice cream business is booming. TOO booming, actually. We can barely keep up with orders as it is. Vinnie's got every man that's not working in the factory out on the streets, including me!"
"Really?" Baxter asked as Jenkins wandered over.
"Yeah! We're in an' outta there with barely a chance to use the restroom!" Moe said, handing over the two ice cream cones. "The boys haven't even had a chance to do the side work since this heat wave started-" Moe said, then cut himself off, wondering if he'd said too much.
"Shame." Baxter said, handing a cone to Jenkins. "Sorry the boys don't get any time off. I'm sure their families miss them at the rate they're going." He continued, pretending not to hear the comment that Moe made. He put a few coins in the tip jar and turned to Jenkins, letting Moe deal with the next customer. "Now what was that lead you said you had?" he asked, carefully staying within Moe's earshot.
"Slicky said there was some sort of rumble going down in Fresco tonight." Jenkins said, taking a bite of ice cream. "My guess is the gangs are tired of dancing around each others' feet. Don't know why it's in Fresco, though-that's the only place in the city there hasn't been any crime. Any worse than usual, anyway." She said, sneaking a side glance at the ice cream truck. "It's odd."
The music, which had been playing from the radio in the ice cream truck, ended. "Hey Hey Hey folks!" The chipper DJ said from somewhere in LEGO City. "We're taking a look at the weather and bad news! We've got a big ol' thunderstorm that's going to hit tonight! Stay inside and keep those windows closed, folks!"
Everyone around the ice cream truck looked at the speakers. Baxter was the only one who smiled. A Break in the weather and a break in the case.
The wind, hot and temperate, was picking up. Dark clouds started to cover LEGO City, sending everyone scurrying for home and the shelter of their beds. Well, almost everyone.
"Why are we out here again?" Jenkins asked. They were over looking a large plaza in Fresco, which was abandoned, at least for now. Baxter and Jenkins had climbed up to a small ledge which gave them some cover, but allowed them to view the scene and intervene, if necessary.
"We're going to make an arrest. Several, if we're lucky." Baxter said, watching the plaza for movement.
"And just now do you know that? Those gangs could be meeting anywhere in this District." Jenkins pointed out.
"Easy. It's right in front of Pappalardo's." Baxter said, pointing to the popular ice cream business, which was still going full bore. "Remember the Briefing a few days ago?"
"Of course."
"Well, something about all the data struck me as odd-it's all been small groups. ALL of it. We haven't seen any crimes from the big crime families in the City, including the Pappalardos." Baxter pointed out. "And remember what Moe said earlier? They're so busy the boy's can't do any of the 'side work'? The demand for ice cream is so high they haven't been able to keep up on the crime business. They've essentially dropped out of the race."
"I don't get it."
"Think of it this way; When we were looking for the link between the crimes, we were looking for this catfish in a murky pond full of minnows. Well, we couldn't find it because someone took the catfish out-It was never there. We weren't looking for a link, we were looking for a catalyst. And that Catalyst is the Pappalardos."
"Well, if you're so smart, why is the ruckus out here?"
"Easy-The small gangs are getting braver. They're trying to fill the power void left by the lack of big gang activity. The reason there's been no crime boom here in Fresco is they're still afraid the Pappalardos are going to come back. Except they're not afraid anymore."
"You don't think..."
"They're going to try to take out the Pappalardos for good." Baxter said, leaning against the wall.
Jenkins thought for a moment. "Well, What are we going to do about it?"
"For now? Just watch." Baxter said, pointing to the other end of the plaza. "They don't know it yet, but their little rumble is going to end in pain, and handcuffs."
At the other end of the plaza, a huge crowd was gathering. Crooks and criminals from all over the city were gathering to lay siege to the Pappalardo Crime family. They crossed the plaza, monster trucks revving and crooks cracking their knuckles. "Come on." Jenkins said, and crossed the plaza so that she stood between the mob and the factory. Surprised, Baxter followed.
"All right!" Jenkins yelled, bringing the crowd to a halt. "You have five minutes to cease and desist! Scram or you're going back to Albatross!"
There was a pause. Then the trucks revved again as the mob pushed forward.
"You can't arrest all of us, Gangcrusher!" Someone in the crowd yelled. "You'd need an army to catch us all!"
The storm broke, lighting and thunder echoing across the dark sky.
The gates to the Ice Cream factory opened.
It looked as if a small army had assembled within its walls. And at the forefront of that army was its general. Vinnie Pappalardo stepped out of the gates and looked at the mob outside his business.
"Now, I'm told that you folks want to start a little fight." He said, surveying the crowd with a steely eye as rain began to fall. "And I'm not too keen on starting a little scuffle now. Not in this weather."
NOW the mob was scared. It was one thing when it was just two cops. But the Entire Pappalardo Crime family... That was another thing. There was a long silence as the two groups sized each other up. Then a suicidal gang member rushed forward, waving a wrench. "We can take them!" He yelled. "They're only-"
A fist ran into his face. Then another to his gut. Then two strong arms cartwheeled him through the air and onto the ground, where handcuffs fell around his wrists. Jenkins looked down at the idiotic man then at the rest of the crowd. "Assaulting a police officer and aiming to start a riot." She stated, looking at the crowd. "Who's next?"
There was a single pause. Then every member of that mob screamed like a little girl and started to run. The small army that was the Pappalardos yelled and rushed forward, giving chase. Except for Vinnie, who stood to the side with Baxter and Jenkins and watched the chaos as the rain poured down.
"So...what now?" Baxter asked.
"We start arresting people." Jenkins said, walking away with a wolfish grin on her face. "Call Ellie and have her get people out here with prison trucks. We're going to need a lot of them."
Vinnie looked over at Baxter. He leaned in, his voice low. "Thanks for the tip." He whispered, then walked back into the factory.
Baxter smiled. He knew that Moe would come through. He pulled out his phone and called the station. "Hey Ellie? Round up the crew. We've got a lot of arrests to make..."