Denouement of the current case... yes, I may have had to ask Fraser how to spell that. Don't worry, there's still a lot more to come.

Still holding out for a Canadian reader. ;D

Chapter Ten: The Canary Sings

Fraser found a mug shot he thought might be a match for our prisoner, and as soon as Ray came back from taking Franny to lunch and then dropping her at home, he told us he was sure it was a positive ID.

"It's the same nose," he said. "He looks a little different now, but that nose is just the same as it was in his juvie days. He's done well to have no convictions between then and now."

"So, he's smart," I said. "He's been building a career really carefully. He's probably gonna stay tight as a clam."

"Not necessarily," said Fraser. "Maybe he'd like a chance to start over. If so, this will likely be his last chance."

Ray nodded. "Play that angle and play it hard," he told me.

"And fast," said Welsh, coming over to us. "He's contacted a lawyer. I don't know how long it will take them to get here."

I ran my hands through my hair and tried to sigh out my nerves. "Okay," I said, stepping toward the interview room where the crook I now knew was named James Tanner sat waiting for his lawyer.

I did as Ray had advised, schooling Tanner on the subject of fresh starts and missed opportunities until his lawyer arrived. He hadn't said anything during that time, so I kept calling him variations of his name throughout: James, Jim, Jamie, Jimmy, even "Jimbo" at one point. After the lawyer sat down and advised his client that he didn't have to say anything (something Tanner was already well aware of), I went to the door. "I'm going to give you a chance to talk things over. Tell your lawyer what I told you and weigh your options. Just remember, it's not really you we're after. And it's not every day you get the chance to start over... Jim-Bob."

I pulled the door shut behind me, smirking to myself. Maybe I'd gone a little too far with that last one.

A few minutes later, I was up the hall questioning his partner.

"How long have you and James Tanner been kidnappers for hire?" I asked, getting up in the guy's face. It wasn't a nice face, so he was a little easier to yell at. Maybe that sounds shallow, but it's true. If someone looks like a thug, you feel more like treating him that way. If he looks clean, it makes you more likely to believe he might be clean in the police sense. Knowing the stereotypes you're susceptible to helps keep you from being fooled by them. This guy had stringy light brown hair and a short beard that didn't grow in very well on one side. Like I said, easy to yell at.

He wasn't any more eager to talk than his partner had been, but he didn't have as quiet an attitude. He would give me this look now and then, like he wasn't taking me seriously, or maybe like he was trying to rattle me. I got the feeling he'd been through this before, more than once. Still, when I said his partner's full name, I could tell it made some kind of impression. If we knew who Tanner was, it wouldn't take us long to figure out who he was.

"You don't seem like the kind of man to go down quietly for some guy you did a job for," I said, giving him a little more breathing room. I was mastering the art of playing good cop/bad cop without a wing man. Pressure on, pressure off. "Now, Tanner, he doesn't have a very long rap sheet. He's managed to stay out of trouble for quite a while now. How long is your rap sheet?" I moved closer again. "You got anything on there we can't help you with? Because Tanner's a smart guy, and he and his lawyer are in the next room down talking about cutting a deal right now." I was getting a little louder as I got closer. "The only way you come out ahead here is if you talk first. Because if he gives up your client, you can be sure as hell he's gonna give you up, too!" I poked his shoulder for emphasis.

"Don't touch me," he said in a whiny voice, like a kid talking to his brother in the backseat of a car.

"Don't talk unless you have something useful to say," I snapped. "What's it going to be? Are you going to get smart?" I backed off again. "Or are you going to be the sucker who gets handed to us on a silver platter by his junior partner?" I took on an almost pitying tone at the end.

"I think I'm going to be the guy who wants a lawyer present to ensure there isn't any police brutality." He gave me a defiant little smile.

I scoffed. "If they wanted someone to be brutal to you, they wouldn't have sent me, pal. Don't get me wrong, I've got no liking for you. You tried to kidnap my friend. But my partner is the brother of the woman you dragged across the street. What do you think he'll do to you if I can't get you to talk?" I went to the door. "You just think about that a while."

"Attempted kidnapping, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, carrying a weapon without the proper permit, firing a deadly weapon in a residential building, G-T-A..." I pushed the list of offenses across the table toward James Tanner. "It's a pretty long list. We can't make it all go away, but we can get you a good break if you help us out."

Tanner looked at his lawyer and gave a little nod.

"My client is prepared to offer you information about the reasons for his actions if certain conditions are met," the lawyer said.

To my left, Welsh sat up a little straighter in his seat. "My detectives tend to understand the concept of the greater good," he said. "Kowalski here won't hold Mister Tanner for the assault on himself, and he's willing to testify that the gun was not fired with intent to harm."

"That's a start."

"If we can get a solid testimony from Tanner, with evidence to back it up, that someone put him up to all this, then they can take the lion's share of the blame for the attempted kidnapping. He'll still do time, but he can expect a much lighter sentence. We'd also like to hear how his partner fit into it."

There was another exchanged look and another nod.

"Okay, Mister Tanner," I said as I double-checked to make sure our conversation was successfully being recorded, "let's start with how you got the job. Who contacted you and how?"

Slowly at first, but then more and more confidently, our canary began to sing. I started to see that this was one criminal for hire who had never been too sure of his career choice. He seemed a little scared and very tired, and maybe even a little sorry. Not much like his teammate in the other room.

It was late when we finally left. We'd all missed dinner, so Ray suggested going to get some food together.

"I feel like Chinese. Any takers?"

"Sounds good to me," said Fraser.

"Me, too," I said.

"Perhaps we should collect Dief... he'll smell it on me and I'll never hear the end of it."

"Take him a doggie bag," said Ray.

"We could pick up Franny, too," I suggested. "I bet she'd like to come."

Ray gave me a look. Then he sighed. "Fine. Give her a call. If she wants to come, we'll go get her and the wolf, too."

"Thank you, Ray," said Fraser.

"Yeah, yeah."

I made the call.

"You're going for Chinese now? What time is it, ten?" Franny asked.

"Nine."

"Still. I already ate..."

"You could just come to hang out with us." I paused. Then, hating myself for it, I said, "Fraser wants us to pick up Dief anyway, so..."

"Oh, right. Of course. Well, sure, I'll come along."

I knew she'd go if she realized Fraser would be there. I just knew it. Damn it. "Okay, we'll see you soon."

"She's coming?" asked Ray.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Well, you two can cram in the back with the wolf."

I didn't know whether to complain or to thank him.

It surprised me how chill Franny was about riding with a wolf hovering over her. Maybe she liked Dief so much because he was Fraser's, but I still couldn't believe she didn't complain about his hair sticking to her clothes, or the possibility of his drooling on them.

I was grateful to Dief for his loyalty to me, and, feeling a little out of place what with Ray and Fraser being back in their dynamic duo and Franny following after Fraser so obviously smitten, I petted him quite a bit on the way to the restaurant. He looked at me and wagged his tail now and then before turning his attention back to the rear-view mirror. Supposedly, reading lips was how he followed the conversation going on in the front seat. I still don't know if I believe that, but he sure picks up on more than any dog I've ever known.

Ray parked and everyone got out. As I opened my door a little sullenly, I felt Dief's breath on my neck and then he was licking my ear. I cringed. "Ah... okay, okay. Thanks. Geez." I got out, rubbing my ear against my shoulder to get the saliva off it.

"Wait here," Fraser told Dief firmly.

I looked up at the restaurant sign. "Hey... isn't this the place...? Yeah! This is the Lee family's restaurant—the ones whose son we rescued from that tong guy..." I stopped myself suddenly and tried to backtrack. "I... I mean that you rescued."

Ray raised his eyebrows. "Kid really did his homework, huh?"

Fraser nodded. "He was very thorough. Sometimes it was as if you never left."

"No kidding. You know, I'm starting to think Ma likes him better than me."

I snorted. "Not a chance." I almost wished it were true, but I knew it wasn't.

While the rest of us ate traditional Chinese food, Franny had a pot of tea and nibbled at some fried doughnuts. Mr. Lee himself served us, showing no end of respect and gratitude toward Ray and Fraser. He even sent someone outside with a plate of chicken for Dief. You never saw a wolf smacking away with such a doggish grin on his long, white face.

I got treated really well, too—it seemed that any friend of Fraser's was going to get the best from these people. And let me tell you, it was really good food.

I went out of my way to involve Franny in the conversation. I told her about interrogating James Tanner and his partner, Andy Tate. Tanner had named the man who arranged the job, and Ray had recognized the name as belonging to an important associate of one of the mob kingpins he had dealt with during his time undercover.

"We should get an arraignment soon, and then we can take the guy down," I told her.

"Do you think he'll try again? You know, hire another kidnapping team?" she asked.

"I doubt it. I don't think he'll have time before we get him in custody, and he probably won't try the same thing again."

"But he's rich... he'll be able to bail himself out."

"Unless we can get the judge to refuse to set bail. But we'll keep an eye on him. And you. I promise."

She looked down, smiling a little.

I realized that Ray and Fraser had fallen silent. Was Ray staring at me again? Probably not, but I couldn't help feeling like he was.

"I just don't like having to wonder..." Franny said quietly. "I used to feel a lot safer. You don't realize how vulnerable you are until someone..."

"I know." I kind of wanted to reach for her hand, but not in front of the guys. "Have you thought about taking a defense class?" I asked.

She nodded. "They teach them at the academy. I was thinking I should take one there. Just hadn't gotten around to it."

"That's a good idea," Ray put in. "It would make me feel better."

"More importantly, it would make me feel better," Franny muttered.

"I think we would all feel better knowing you were confident defending yourself," Fraser said.

She looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah. I'll sign up for the next one they start."

"In the meantime," said Ray, "if someone ever tries to grab you again, you make yourself a dead weight and scream your head off, okay?"

"Well, there's not much here to turn into 'dead weight,' but I'll do my best."

I smiled. I wanted to say something smart to that, but I knew if I got it wrong I'd be in huge trouble, so I kept my mouth shut. I was getting a tiny bit better about that... thinking before talking, I mean.

More soon. I've posted ten chapters. It would be nice to have a few lines of feedback in return. ~Ray K.