Chapter Fourteen

I rummaged through the cupboards for some decent cereal. Not the birdseed crap that Ranger stocked. I wanted the tastes-good, high-fat, high-sugar, low-nutrient kind. I could not find anything. Ranger sure knows nothing about eating. I took some of his birdseed cereal and gave it to Rex.

I looked at my messages. Nothing. Nada. No message from either of the Romeos, and no message from Morelli. I sent a text to Joe. "All quiet here. No messages. Everything okay there?"

Within seconds came the reply "Everything was quiet last night. Bob didn't even bark at squirrels this morning."

"Still be careful anyway", I said. I went to get my files from the office. I finished getting ready for the day, left the apartment, and went downstairs to eat some breakfast in the break room.

I sat down with Miguel and Eduardo with my hot oatmeal and dumped four packets of sugar and some cream on it. Unlike Ranger, I know how to eat. "We have a full day", I said. "We have two files from Vinnie to clean up, and four people to talk to for an additional file from Vinnie. I would suggest that we tackle the file from the State and Elm area first, then head to the Burg for the discussions with Pilkin's friends. If we have time, we could then try to capture the remaining felon for Vinnie. Does that make sense?" I asked. Both Eduardo and Miguel nodded their heads. I finished my cereal and, getting to-go cups of coffee for each of us, we headed down to the car. There was a blue rental SUV in the parking garage. Eduardo and Miguel headed for it. "What's this?" I asked.

"Tank said one of the Romeos was watching the office. If so, they would have noticed that all Rangeman vehicles were black. We are driving a dark blue car instead to help us go incognito. Anyone who is familiar with Rangeman will likely not put it together that you are in this car."

Eduardo drove with Miguel sitting in the front seat. I had my doors locked in the backseat, safely hidden behind the tinted windows. For added protection, Eduardo and Miguel had me tuck my head between my legs to hide my head from passing cars until they were certain that we weren't followed. I was glad to sit up again. All the blood had gone rushing to my head making my head felt odd.

We made our way to Oswald's house, me giving details of the theft to Eduardo and Miguel on the way. "He does not have a job", I said. "So he is around. I am sure he just didn't have a ride to the courthouse and that is why he missed his court date. I have lots of skips like that. They can't make it to the courthouse for one reason or another and decide to just skip the trial. This guy is wanted for petty theft. He will likely only get a slap on the wrist."

We got to Oswald's house. Eduardo and Miguel had obviously been trained by Ranger. They parked a couple of houses down the block from Oswald's, and they sat for a minute assessing the neighbourhood. Getting out of the car, they handed me a Kevlar vest. "Put it on", said Miguel. "Tank's orders."

"But the Romeos won't shoot me."

"It doesn't matter. They are Tank's orders. Besides, we are wearing Kevlar. It is part of our uniform." Phrased like that, I didn't feel like such an oddball, like someone who is being babied because of my potential relationship with Ranger. I would much rather think of myself as just one of the guys. I put on the Kevlar and grabbed my cuffs. I tucked them in my back waistband. I did not think we would have any problems with the takedown, so I did not strap on my gun or take out my pepper spray. Eduardo and Miguel did not have the same level of confidence. They checked to make sure their guns were loaded and ready in their holsters. On their utility belts they each had cuffs and pepper spray. They were going in loaded for bear.

Oswald lived in a dodgy rooming house. The walls were covered by peeling wallpaper and the house smelled like stale food. Meeting the landlady in the front hall, I started to introduce myself. The landlady did not care, interrupting me to ask who I was looking for, explaining that there was a good episode of Jerry Springer on and he was exposing women who chose to have babies with their grandfathers. Inwardly I wondered how they could get enough volunteers to come onto the show who qualified. After all, I didn't know anybody who had birthed their grandfather's baby.

"Oswald?" she said. "His room is on the second floor at the end of the hall." She turned around and hurried back to her show, desperate to make sure she did not miss anything.

We walked up the stairs and down the hallway to Oswald's bedroom. I knocked on the door and received a muffled invitation to come in. I opened the door to see Oswald standing on his head. Seeing the three of us, he dropped down and landed on his feet.

I introduced myself and the two guys and explained that we had come to take him in to reschedule his court date. "I am sure that you just forgot your date, but now you have to come in to reschedule."

"No can do. I am waiting to hear whether I got a job interview with our local grocery store as a stock boy."

"Do you have a cell phone?"

"Yes."

"Will they call your cell phone number?"

"Yes."

"Do you not have voice mail on your number?"

"Yes."

"Then you won't be missing anything by coming into that station right now, will you?"

"But I am hungry. I haven't had my breakfast yet."

I pulled out my phone and looked at the time. "There is still time for me to buy you a breakfast sandwich if you come quickly."

"I have to get dressed."

"Then get dressed quickly, or we will miss breakfast at the coffee shop and I am not buying you lunch instead. This is a one-shot offer. I will wait in the hall with Miguel while Eduardo waits in here with you while you change."

"I would be much happier if you waited in here with me while I change and the two guys wait in the hall."

I laughed. "Nice try, but not going to happen."

When Eduardo and Oswald emerged from the room a few minutes later, I cuffed him. Then we formed a human caravan – Eduardo walked down the stairs first, followed by me, followed by Oswald, followed by Miguel. We emerged in the sunshine, blinking as our eyes got used to the brightness after being in the dirty darkness inside. Miguel jogged down to the car and pulled it up to the house while Eduardo and I waited with Oswald in the shadows.

It is always a bit nerve-wracking for me to capture skips with some of Ranger's Merry Men. They are so professional, and I am so not. If something goes wrong with one of my captures, I am embarrassed and, in all honesty, with my captures something usually goes wrong. It often takes me several attempts at making captures before I am successful. So even though Oswald was small potatoes, and even though I suspect that he wasn't very smart – after all, using duct tape for a disguise? – I was still thankful that the capture went smoothly.

"I have to ask", I said as we climbed into the car and I strapped him into his seatbelt, "why were you standing on your head?"

"I lost quite a bit of hair when the duct tape came off. I heard that standing on your head would increase blood flow to your hair follicles, which would cause your hair to grow back."

"Is it working?"

"I think so. I think my hair is a centimeter or so longer than it was before."

"Good for you!" He reminded me of Bob, kind of pudgy, kind of dumb, but in his pudginess and his stupidity he was kind of cute. I bought him two breakfast sandwiches when we went through the drive-through. Eduardo and Miguel refused one. They had bacon on them.

We got to the precinct parking lot and waited while Oswald finished his breakfast. As I got out of the car to escort him to the station, Miguel laid his hand on my arm. "You and Eduardo can stay in the car. I will take your skip in. Tank's orders." He held out his hand for the paperwork. Making a face, I got back in the car and rummaged through my purse, handing him the papers he needed.

Oswald's capture made me feel a little more confident. We headed to the first of Pilkin's girlfriends, Francesca Krempett. She lived with her parents in a tidy duplex with white siding and black shutters and door. Red flowers lined the walkway to the front door. Her mother answered when I knocked. I apologized once again for her loss. "I don't know if you remember me, but I was the one who wanted to speak to Francesca about Gavin Pilkin. I promised to call but decided to come and talk to your daughter instead."

"Gavin Pilkin is a loser. Francesca is better off without him."

"I'm sure she is, but I would still like to ask her a few questions."

"She's at work right now", she said. "I can get her to call you when she gets in."

"Thank you. I would love to talk to her. The sooner the better, as I would really like to capture him." I gave Mrs. Krempett my card.

We then went to Theresa Russo's apartment. She lived in an upscale building, complete with all the amenities that my building didn't have. A swimming pool, a gym, a putting green, a rooftop garden, a shuffleboard, a workshop, a library and underground parking. What it didn't have was a Theresa Russo. Deciding she must be at work, we decided to tackle the last of the girlfriends before lunch.

Annie Katts was a stay-at-home mom with one-year old twins and a three-year old son. We arrived on her doorstep at a good time. The twins were down for their morning nap.

I introduced the three of us, explaining that we were looking for Gavin. "Shh", she said. "My husband doesn't know about Gavin."

"Is he here?" I whispered.

"No", she answered.

"Then why are we whispering?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. My three-year old is at daycare right now. I have to be careful with him as he repeats everything he hears."

"I can understand that. My nieces are the same. It can be quite embarrassing at times."

"It can, can't it?"

"We need to find Gavin. Because he missed his court date he is now considered a wanted fugitive. Once he goes back in to reschedule, he will be back to being someone who is just awaiting trial like he was before. Do you have any idea where he is?"

"He's not at my house, if that is what you are asking."

"I wasn't, but that is good information to know. Has he ever stayed at your house?"

"No. My husband is home nights. Gavin has to come during the day. He usually comes during the kids' nap time when my three-year old is at daycare."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"He has not been by in a couple of days."

"If you see him again or if you are planning on seeing him again, would you please let me know? If you do not, you will be considered aiding and abetting a fugitive. And that would be bad for you." Katts blanched, swallowed hard and, taking my business card from me, nodded her head.

We left the house and walked back to the car. "Well, I think we scared the crap out of her. All in all, a good morning! We may not have got as much information as we wanted to, but we did get a capture and I think one of Pilkin's friends on our side. Where do you want to go for lunch?"