Chapter 12
"Mitch report to Conference room 2," came the voice through the speakers in the gym.
She knew the security monitor had her in sight, so she gave a brief wave indicating she received the message and powered down the treadmill. There was no indication of "hurry up," "now," or "Stat," it was understood. She grabbed a sweat towel and hurried down the stairs.
Tank, Charlie, Junior and Jamie were already there along with Hal. It didn't take her long to figure there was a major FTA takedown in the works.
"Who and where?" she asked as she flopped down next to Charlie.
Junior chuckled, "Mitch cuts to the chase."
Hal gave a brief smile and began, "We've got a fire sale, three for one; all members of the Marbella gang: Diego Herman Hernandez, Jose Castor Paniagua and your friend Mitch, Silas Rodriego Murphy."
"From the Marigold bar?" she asked.
Hal nodded, "Two have had their bonds revoked and the third is FTA."
"What's the bond total on these losers?" Jamie asked.
"$675,000"
"Ouch," Charlie winced. "They need to be tucked back in."
"Word is they double dog dared us to come get them," Hal sighed.
Mitch gasped, "In the Marigold?"
"Yeah and I bet they have a reception party waiting. No more little old lady coming in the door, Mitch."
"Why are we hitting them at the Marigold?" Mitch asked. "They can't stay there all the time. We pick them off as available. They probably have sex buddies they visit from time to time."
"I bet Carmen Florez is one," Junior mumbled.
Nobody asked how he knew.
"Hector might know Paniagua's choice as he's an alternate player," Hal replied.
Michelle pulled out her cell phone and texted Hector. Within a few minutes she had her answer, "The man in the basement reports: Roberto G., short for Gonzales, aka the Scum."
Hal, Junior and Jamie shook their heads.
"I take it you know him?" Mitch asked.
"Male prostitute, big, mean and well-armed, deals in…everything. We've picked him up over the years. He was too high a bond for you to collect."
"So instead of storming the Marigold's bastions we are going to wait for a booty call?" Charlie asked.
"How long do we have Hal?" Junior asked.
Hal flipped through the pages, "Five to seven days."
Mitch shook her head, "Either they have "taken to the mattresses" in the Marigold waiting…"
Junior chuckled, "Godfather reference?"
Mitch shot him a wink, "…or they have alternate exits; basement or attic to adjoining units. Don't forget the sewer."
Junior scrunched his nose, "I'd rather forget it."
Jamie punched him in the arm, "Just another shit hole, this time the Marines aren't ordering you there."
"We need a map of the sewer system, there may be an entry other than street manholes," Hal added.
"Carmen's not particular, but she might draw the line at sewer smell," Junior mused.
Once again Mitch was curios how Junior knew. "You seem to know about Carmen, is she a friend of yours?"
Junior shivered in disgust.
"I bet the Scum Gonzales doesn't care about the smell," Jamie muttered.
This time everyone shivered in disgust.
Hal broke in, "Guys, this is getting too out of bounds. What we need is an IR camera to see if the attic is holding more than rats and squirrels."
"What about the basement?"
"IR can't get through the stone foundation, only the stairs leading down. We'd have to be lucky, correct angle and time. IR equipment eats through battery power quickly. We could miss them as batteries are changed," Hal answered.
"Could we put sensors to notify if something larger than a rat moves through the sewer towards the bootie pads or moves manhole covers?" Mitch asked. "I really don't want to go storming into the Marigold."
"You'd rather storm through the sewers?" Junior asked.
"We need Hector."
"Why is it Hector gets the nasty jobs?" she asked.
"Because he is tougher than all of us combined," Jamie uttered.
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Rangeman has an arsenal of pseudo municipal magnetic signs to slap against vans mimicking city services. There's also an array of safety equipment including ventilation equipment to keep the men, usually Hector and another team member, safe in the toxic gassy environments of sewers.
With motion detectors in place that would respond to something larger than 75 pounds and displacement sensors on nearby manholes, the sewer angle was covered. Occasional IR surveillance didn't show activity in Marigold's attic initially, but did show multiple men moving up and down the basement stairs. No doubt the liquor storage was down stairs, but the Marigold didn't do the business to justify that many trips to the store room. Additionally the bar received regular deliveries, too many deliveries. Something else was going on.
During one brief basement stair Infra-Red camera sweep Junior caught sight of a man coming up the stairs handing someone a rifle. "Oh damn," he muttered. He then watched the man continue up to the attic. "Mattresses, Mitch got it."
Two days later the Rangeman bond apprehension agents met again. Hal had pictures. "OK, we've spotted more than one rifle coming out of the basement. I don't want to do the apprehension in the bar if possible. IR is picking up someone in the attic; probably a shooter at the window. There are two of them, trading shifts, covering 24.
"How many windows?"
"One out the back. Plus there are two shooters across the street and the alarm system is top notch." Hal continued, "Hector has his minions are watching for our three losers around Stark Street plus we do have activity in the sewer from time to time. Most of the movement occurs after 02:00 when the bar closes. We ID the rats as they emerge. If they are our guys, nab them. Good call on the sewer Mitch."
Hal continued, "Mitch I want you and Charlie in the alley outside of Carmen Florez' apartment. Disguise yourself like a hooker. Charlie will be your John if people come near, get cozy with each other. We'll put someone else at the alley's other end.
Gonzales' apartment is several blocks from Carmen's but on the same sewer line. We'll have eyes there as well. If we can get all three in the same night, great, otherwise we'll go fishing another night."
Mitch got properly slutted up complete with a long black wig, high heel, shorts and tank top covering a ballistic vest. She had a sweater thrown over her shoulders to lessen the visual impact of the vest. Charlie was in jeans, ballistic vest covered by a hoodie,
"Ah, Charlie, let me apologize for what might happen tonight," Mitch said.
"What do you mean?"
"I may have to make this look real, otherwise nobody is going to believe I'm a working girl," she said almost shyly.
"Mitch, you are wearing a ballistic vest, I'm not going to feel anything and I promise to keep my hands high, probably holding your wig in place," he smiled.
"But there will be rubbing and kissing. It could get….uncomfortable for you."
"You think I should wear a cup?" he laughed.
Michelle, not Mitch, blushed. "I'm just saying, no tongue."
"I would have to tell Margie," Charlie kidded.
Michelle blushed. Charlie's wife Margie has become a good friend and Mitch/Michelle eagerly volunteered for the couple when they wanted adult time away from their daughter Becky.
Charlie was surprised; Mitch had never shown much of her feminine side, never a blush. Apparently Michelle was peeking out.
Carmen Florez' apartment was only accessible through a short alley. The far end was guarded by a "drunk," Binkie from Rangman who could roll himself up into a small ball and appear passed out. The street end was watched by Mitch and Charlie.
Meanwhile Junior and Jason were in the shadows by Roberto Gonzales' place. The apartment looked out over an alley giving the Rangeman men multiple hiding places. The nearest sewer manhole cover was at the end of the alley in the street. It was a quiet street.
Hector was just blocks away monitoring sewer traffic.
"Hay una gran rata en movimiento" (There's a big rat on the move) Hector reported.
After a few minutes he reported, "Carmen's."
Mitch and Charlie were already deeply concealed in the shadows but with Hector's message, they froze, not moving a muscle. A man came from the sidewalk and inserted the rod to remove the manhole cover. Quickly dragging the lid to the side, he stepped back, allowed another man carrying a box to emerge, then reset the lid and disappeared back through a door.
Mitch spoke into her microphone, "We have a spotter at the manhole. We need someone to keep his eyes busy."
"Bueno," came Hector's voice. Within a minute a black vehicle pulled to the curb near the manhole cover and parked and Hector got and began walking away from Charlie and Mitch giving them a chance to slip into Carmen's alley unseen. Charlie grabbed Mitch pushed her against the wall and Mitch responded by wrapping one leg around Charlie. At that moment a somewhat odiferous man entered the alley, saw the hooker and John and continued walking to Carmen's door.
"Hernandez," Mitch whispered. Charlie spun around and in four long strides had Hernandez down on the ground and cuffed. "Bond Enforcement," Charlie whispered. Mitch came over shining a bright light into Hernandez' eyes to blind him, Charlie slapped a piece of duct tape over his mouth and pulled out a black cap and pulled it down over Herhandez's eyes. Mitch read the label on the dropped box and stuck her thumb up, "Maravilla." (marigold) Mitch stepped away and quietly spoke into her microphone, "Transport Hernandez."
Hernandez was escorted to the street just as another big black vehicle rolled up and two Rangeman men jumped out, grabbed Hernandez and secured him in the back seat, first removing his sewer stinking boots and tossing them aside. The box Hernandez was carrying was lifted with gloved hands and put in the vehicle's rear compartment and locked.
Charlie and Mitch watched the vehicle drive off when they heard a door open behind them; Carmen's apartment.
They quickly returned to their previous location and position. Silas Murphy glanced at the couple in a sexual clutch and chuckled and turned away. This time though Silas saw Hernandez' boots nearby and sensed something was amiss. He had a knife drawn when Charlie grabbed him. Silas whipped his knife across Charlie's chest. The ballistics vest did its job, deflecting the knife. Charlie grabbed the knife hand with his left while punching Silas in the throat. The knife was dropped and Mitch moved in, kicked Silas's knee while grapping the other hand. Silas' knee moved laterally in an unintended direction. Mitch grabbed Silas's right hand and had both cuffed while crumbled to the ground gasping for air.
"Transport #2, Silas, same location."
This time Hector arrived with the vehicle. Bink the "drunk" at the other end of the alley was with him. They secured Silas.
Mitch and Charlie walked away. Neither had worked up much sweat in the takedowns, but Mitch's neck was itching. She blamed it on the sweater and removed it wrapping it around her waist.
Carlos Manoso emerged from the shadows. He had mixed feelings; he was proud how well the takedowns had occurred, Mitch and her partner worked well together. Yet he wondered if she was now too professional, too hardened and lost the Babe in her.
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There was yet another fugitive on the loose, Paniagua. Manny was monitoring the sewer while Hector took Silas Murphy to TPD reported new activity in the sewer, this time heading towards Robert Gonzales', the male prostitute's apartment.
"We have another rat, this time heading beyond Carmen's, possibly the Scum's location."
Junior and Jamie were already on site. Lester and Bobby had been on stand by and hurried to back up Junior and Jason. Paniagua emerged from the sewer several blocks away and actually cut across the street about a block ahead of Lester and Bobby. They were too far away to nab him, instead notifying Junior and Jamie their quarry was on his way. "Bread and water on the way" Lester told Junior and Jamie. When sufficiently past, Les and Bobby quietly exited their vehicle and followed.
"Target entering the building," Junior whispered. "Light on in the apartment."
Tank was following the action at Rangeman, "Patrol Unit 2, back up at Silas'."
Eric and Cal acknowledged the order. Six Rangeman may seem excessive but everyone knew they were lucky with the first two take downs, a third would be a blessing given Roberto Silas' record.
The Rangeman waited for Eric and Cal to arrive and everyone was in position. Paniagua was probably enjoying himself now.
Junior and Jamie quietly started up the stairs. The odor of sewer was ripe, Paniagua's boots were outside the door. The hall also had the sharp smell of weed. Somebody or multiple bodies were getting mellow. The noise coming from inside Silas' door was one man moaning either in pain or ectasy, another grunting. Junior carefully turned the door handle, it was unlocked and pushed the door open slightly. It was a male three way, all three men were naked.
"Bond Enforcement, hands up," Junior hollered. Gonzales backed away from the table, but instead of putting his hands up, he ducked and came up with a gun and fired off a wild shot. Junior's response was center mass on Gonzales. Paniagua stopped in mid hump and raised his hands in surrender. Jamie went in and quickly checked for additional weapons and began to handcuff Paniagua and pulling him away from the table. Table man remained still, "Hands away from your body," Junior commanded. The customer complied.
Lester and Bobby came up the stairs into the room and noted Gonzales was on the floor with a chest wound. There was a naked man on the table as yet unsecured and Jamie had Paniagua secured.
Jamie had already called in for TPD team and an ambulance. Bobby didn't have his med pack with him so grabbed a discarded shirt on the floor and applied it to Gonzales' chest to stem, or at least contain the bleeding.
Lester went to the man still face down on the table, "I'm securing your hands for our safety, you are not being taken into custody."
The man groaned, "I'm really fucked."
Lester wanted to laugh but only smiled. The smell of weed was strong and no doubt this customer was mellow.
TPD officers Gazzara and Big Dog were the first on the scene of three naked men. Junior had already set his weapon aside as it would be used in the investigation; the second gun, used by Gonzales was on the floor, untouched.
Big Dog went to the now secured man on the table and lifted him up to his feet. It was officer Joe Morelli, "Any chance you'll cut me loose? I was just a customer." For a brief moment Big Dog had a smattering of compassion for a stoned Morelli but then he spotted the syringe and spoon on a nearby table.
The EMTs arrived and started treating Gonzales. Meanwhile a call went out to TPD's duty sergeant to ask about Morelli. The sergeant swore, "I'm on my way."
Cal was in the hall and quietly called Hal, "There was a customer already in Gonzales' before Paniagua got here. It's Morelli."
"Who got shot and who pulled the trigger?" Hal asked.
"Gonzales fired first, Junior returned fire. Morelli is high, higher than simple weed."
"Paniagua?"
"In custody."
Hal hung up and called Tank who was monitoring police band back at Rangeman.
"Report," Tank barked.
Hal filled him in. "I assume statements will be taken so you'll be short patrol for an hour," Hal added. "I'm at TPD, they are waiting for a detective to open the box Hernandez was carrying."
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Detective Mitchell was called and he escorted Hank and Hal from Rangman out to the Rangeman vehicle. Hank handed the detective the key to unlock the compartment, "It's been secure, light weight."
Detective Mitchell donned gloves and carried the box to an open area in the parking lot and called someone narcotics. While he waited he photographed the shipping label with the Marold bar address.
Rex, the drug dog took one sniff and sat with glee indicating the package's content would earn him play time with his favorite toy and his handler's admiration. Anton the narcotic cop chuckled, "Now that's a happy dog."
The box was opened to reveal a kilo of heroin. "
"Damn," Anton swore. "This is gives 'baggie' a new meaning." Turning to the dog, "Rex, you earned your kibble this week."
The dog patiently waited for his toy.
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Mitch and Charlie had just exited the stairs onto the Rangeman's fifth floor when the Gonzales shooting occurred. Tank was busy directing new patrols to cover the city as two were tied up at the shooting. Mitch went to her cubicle and began removing her ballistic vests, weapon, just getting comfortable. She could not hear the action at the control center.
She had drank a bottle of water and was jotting notes down on her computer for a full report when Charlie came in.
"Tank needs to see you, now."
Mitch didn't ask what, she just got up, stretched a bit and noticed dawn was starting to lighten the sky. Long day. Tank had had his granite face on, she had come to realize this indicated something important. She feared one of the Rangeman men had been injured or killed. Her stomach clenched and a tiny prayer escaped her lips, "Please not one of the Merry Men."
Tank took her to his office and shut the door. Now she was really worried.
"Who?" was all she could say.
Tank wasn't sure how she'd take the news. "Not one of us. Morelli was a customer of Gonzales'. Gonzales fired on Junior, Junior returned fire hitting Gonzales. Joe was uninjured but apparently high as a kite."
Mitch stood for a long time, gathering her thoughts; Joe with a male prostitute, Joe on drugs. Her emotions were absent. She had long ago buried Joe Morelli as the obscenity from her past. She had tried to blame on her old persona, Stephanie, for the disintegration of their relationship but with Tank's help and the Rangeman counselor she saw all summer and fall; she no longer felt responsibility for the dysfunctional life. Joe's drinking was on him, not Stephanie. His abuse was on him, not Stephanie. She had not provoked his abuse after the engagement, she become docile, losing her fiery temper that had kept them constantly breaking up and coming back together, yet still he was abusive. When it came to Joe Morelli, there was nothing inside her any more.
"Tank, it means nothing to me. I'm glad no Rangeman was injured. As for Morelli…..he's been dead to me for quite a while."
"I'm telling you Mitch because there will be talk," Tank replied.
"I can't imagine Stephanie Plum is much on the Burg's lips anymore."
"This might renew it for a while. If you want, move into the satellite in Princeton for a while. Hal will keep you of bonds for a while."
She returned to her office, picked up her equipment and returned to her apartment on the forth floor. The report could wait until she showered and had a few hours' sleep. Then tomorrow she'll move to Princeton.
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Hal and Rangeman Bonds had their fugitives; it was now up to Trenton Police, ATF and DEA what they were going to do about the Marigold with the evidence Rangeman had obtained. Hal had other priorities, "Hector, get those sensors out of the sewers and set a few outside the manholes so we have plausible evidence. We don't want the city upset we invaded their sewers."
TPD moved into high gear. A kilo of smack with a Marigold bar mailing label was enough to obtain a warrant. Inside the bar they found the basement held more than booze; weapons, explosives and drugs. AFT and DEA were ecstatic. A further search of Gonzales' apartment found weapons from the Marigold cache and several thousand dollars' worth of heroin. Joe Morelli tested positive for Woo-Woo, heroin and marijuana. He was fired from TPD instantly. TPD cops when asked about Joe's firing only remarked, "Good riddance." A few blamed Stephanie Plum for Joe's fall, but they mostly were named Morelli, Helen Mazur or Valerie Plum formerly Kloughn.
For her part in the bond apprehension, Mitch's check was sizeable. She put all the money, as she had all bond apprehension money, into accounts for her nieces Angie and Mary Alice. She had perfected lean living over the years as a bounty hunter. She was doing fine on Rangeman salary and didn't need the bond money.
A/N: Michelle and Ranger start to talk next chapter.