A Different Sort of Case
Chapter 07
(A New Direction)
They had adjourned from the hotel and were heading for the sheriff's office. They were going to meet there and review what they had with him and get any updates on recent activities that may shed some light on what they were working on. The rode in silence, each considering what they knew or suspected to date. Jane's new information offered new areas of speculation and suggested more avenues of investigation. No one was pleased with the new data. As Van Pelt had said, "That's creepy!!" No one disagreed.
Jane, as silent as the rest was speculating of a different area. He had just realized that he'd asked two direct questions of Eliza and received exactly no information. He was absolutely nowhere reading her, understanding her, really knowing her or anything about her. He grimaced, wondering if he was losing it. He wondered if his circadian rhythm being out of sync was throwing him off. "No," he "thought. It's not that. It's her. "
She was a fountain of knowledge about local crime. They'd discussed the drug trade and she called many of the higher level dealers by name in such an easy and familiar manner that it was almost like she was very familiar with them They talked about a drug importing biker gang, and when she talked about them and their leader, when she mentioned the leader, by name, her body language indicated that she was quite fond of him. She discussed murder, rape and torture in such a matter of fact, clinical manner that he had to admit that it "creeped" him out.
oOo
"Good morning, sheriff," Lisbon said. "This is the CBI Team." She introduced each, Jane last.
Jane took the Sheriff's, shaking it. "Good morning, sheriff. I understand you have some gang activity around here."
The sheriff nodded. "We may not be big city, but we have our gangs and drug traffic. Can't get away from it, can you?"
Jane smiled. "No, I guess you can't. Is the the Ducks?"
The sheriff made a short, sharp Pfft sound. "You mean Duk's Raiders, as they're known. Duk is their leader. He is one weird dude."
The sheriff was going to say more, but Jane interrupted him. "How about the Deacon?"
The sheriff snapped his mouth shut and yanked his hand from Jane's grasp. "The Deacon?"
"Why yes," Jane said, smiling. "you know the Deacon, don't you?"
The sheriff seemed very uncomfortable. "I, ah, I can't say that I really know him. More like I know of him."
"I see. But haven't you arrested him?" Jane was still smiling.
"Oh no! I've never arrested the Deacon. The Deacon does not get arrested. That just doesn't happen."
"I see. Thank you sheriff. That was very enlightening." Jane smiled and stepped back, indicating to the team that he was done.
The briefing continued in a very normal and mundane manner, offering very little to their knowledge. Everyone on the team realized that Jane seemed to know more about the case and the area than all of them put together. Jane was feeling uncomfortable because all the real information he had came from Eliza, and she was a total mystery. "Enigma," he corrected himself. We're dealing with a mystery and she's the enigma that this mystery seems to be wrapped in
oOo
"Well, that was uninformative," Rigsby complained.
"Waste of time was more like it," Van Pelt chimed in. Cho said nothing.
"I'm not sure it was all that uninformative. Weird is not a term I'd expect to be used about a major gang leader and the sheriff seemed to be terrified of the Deacon." Jane observed. "I think we can guess where the real power lies."
They all nodded in agreement. Lisbon was the first to speak. "With your new insights, do you have any suggestions? "
"Yes, I think I can suggest a direction. We need to know more about both of them. I'll volunteer to take Duk's Raiders if you'll take the Deacon. From the way the sheriff was acting, I don't have the political clout to get close enough to the Deacon to do any good. Getting information about a gang is mostly psychology." He smiled. Knowing a personal friend of the gang leader didn't hurt either. Based on her references to Duk, he was sure they were at least friends.
oOo
A quick cell phone call and Eliza had been quick to agree to arrange a meeting between Duk and Jane. She never even questioned his "inside" knowledge that they were friends. She met him in his hotel room and entered carrying a duffel bag.
"What's in the bag," he asked, not even allowing her the chance to explain.
"Clothes. First of all, you're in for a bike ride and this is Maine. Second, where we're going, you will want to blend in as much as possible. I have some juice there, but we really don't want to have to fight our way out. One of us could get hurt."
Jayne had no doubt which "one" she was referring to. He sighed and got undressed. As he reached for the clothes that Eliza had set out, Eliza leaned forward and whispered, "Do we have time?"
Jayne groaned out loud. Eliza smiled. "OK, I can take a hint. You're working. Get dressed!"
After the ride to what they'd been calling yuk-ville on Eliza's chopped hog, Jane finally knew the meaning of terror. Once, he'd seen the speedometer bounce off of 130mph (210Kph). They drove through a seedy area of town that Jane would not want to be caught dead it – mainly due to the probability of ending up dead – and stopped in front of a bar. Then number of chopped hogs parked out front was a clear indication of what was inside. The sign over the door said, "CHAINS".
oOOOo
