Standard disclaimer. I don't own any of the FAKE characters. I write this for fun and entertainment. The only original characters I have so far are Walter Carrington, Derrick Williams (being introduced here), and Mr. Watson (yet to come).
Chapter 4
Surveillance
Commissioner Berkeley Rose had been busy since Drake and JJ last met with him. The neighborhood sweep didn't net any information as to whom had entered Addams' apartment. As usual, no one saw a thing. Even though he knew it would be futile he had to do it for a thorough handling of the case. No matter how slight, each single event had to be examined to the fullest. Sometimes it was the smallest thing that would break a case wide open. He couldn't chance missing something. This was one of his men that was being threatened.
He had arranged a 24/7 watch on JJ and his apartment, placed a tap on JJ's home phone, stepped up the surveillance on Carrington, and done background checks on the entire crew currently working on the model's latest shoot. The background checks teased him with the hint of a break. After reading the initial reports on the film crew he realized he needed a list of all personnel on all his previous shoots in New York City. A few shady backgrounds had shown up.
He also decided that he personally needed to speak with the Agency that was handling the shoots. Sending a regular police officer to do this wouldn't have the impact he wanted to project. He was going to pull rank here, show them that this was important enough to call in the Police Commissioner. Using the excuse that Mr. Carrington may be a target of a stalker, he visited the Agency's main office to see the manager. He had chosen a time that he knew both Carrington and Williams wouldn't possibly be at the Agency. The manager was very cooperative, especially since the Police Commissioner himself had been the one to personally come to request this information. Rose pleasantly asked that this investigation not be disclosed to Mr. Carrington, since they did not have positive proof yet and did not want to worry him unnecessarily. This type of thing, though rare, was not unheard of in their line of business, and the manager assured the Commissioner that everything they could do to assist the police would be done, quickly and quietly.
After comparing the personnel lists for all the shoots a few things had already surfaced. Almost every shoot that Carrington was involved in used the same photographer, a Mr. Derrick Williams. Rose immediately requested a full background check on Mr. Williams. It seems that both men hailed from the same area in Massachusetts, possibly either childhood friends or school buddies by the dates obtained. Mr. Williams had a few drunk and disorderly arrests but nothing more serious in convictions. But he did have two dismissed breaking and entering charges. Mr. Williams possibly had the experience necessary to break into Addams' apartment. On the other hand, except for the recent drug charge, Mr. Carrington seemed to have a clean record, but they were still checking for aliases on the two men. The surveillance was immediately extended to include Williams. Looks like they might have identified the accomplice. His photographic skills meshed with JJ's observations about the professional quality of the photos, and his physical build fit the person taped entering the precinct when the first envelope was found. He had majored in photography in college and worked with the agency for several years now as the head photographer.
Here in the station the phones in Parker's and Addams' office had been set to run through a recorder in case he received a call from whomever was leaving the photos. Security was tightened on all entrances to the building, and suspicious persons were stopped and questioned even if they were leaving the building. The carrier for JJ's cell phone was contacted and advised to forward all calls discretely to the phone at the precinct. The authorizing paperwork had been completed, judicially signed, and FAXed to them during the night. JJ was told not to use his cell other than at work. They would supply another for use while he was off-duty and on-call.
Although he had chosen the most reliable officers to handle various stake-out aspects of the case, secretive whispers and rumors were beginning to circulate the precinct that Detective Addams was under surveillance by the Department. The normal, "it's because he's gay" rumor was at the top of the list but it seemed a few of the officers wondered if there was a more serious reason behind all the security and secrecy. Rose hoped they could clear up the case before things got too out of hand.
It angered him that he might have to put a lid on the gossip by ordering them to refrain from speculating on any on-going cases in the department. They really shouldn't be discussing anything that was going on in terms of police work anyway; this is someone's personal life they are making public. Definitely once this is all over he'll give them all a good reaming. It would make him feel better to make them cringe a bit, to threaten them with a lengthy suspension for their participation in such malicious actions.
It was almost noon before the awaited call came through. It was Walter.
"Hello JJ. Did you receive the present I left for you yesterday?"
JJ felt his stomach churn. "What do you want Carrington? I have important things to do."
"Oh, so formal – Mr. Addams. Then let's get right to the point. I enjoyed our little affair and want you back. You were lots of fun and I miss that. Was that your latest lover that accompanied you home last night? I understand he left your place early this morning – with you. He ruined my evening by closing all the blinds. Did he satisfy you as well as I did?"
"What goes on in my apartment is my business. And it is not your concern who he is. Why the pictures, you have a bad memory that you need photographs to remember what you did?"
"Temper, temper. No, they are a bit of – incentive? – shall we say, to get you back in my bed. I miss my toy."
"I'm no toy. And blackmail won't work Carrington. You've got nothing you can hold over me. The department knows I'm gay."
"Ah-ah, there you go again with the temper. I like it so much better when you breathlessly pant, "fuck me hard Walt." He sighed, then his tone turned rough. And it's true they know, but wouldn't they be more interested in seeing exactly how you spend your spare time? I have some really nice shots of you in my living room … by the window…. I have a nice packet here ready to send to your Chief."
"Nice try, but I don't believe you. Fun talking to you Carrington. But don't call again." And JJ promptly hung up. But he looked rather shaken up by the call.
Drake looked at JJ, stunned. "What the hell are you doing JJ? You're baiting him to go after you!"
"I'm buying us some time. He wants to play and said the next packet goes to the chief. Fine, we wait. He doesn't know that the Chief already knows. Hell, he doesn't know anything as to what we're doing, how much has been set in place already. He's stupid and has underestimated me. He thinks this will rattle me, make me give in to his demand. So I'll let him think that, but in the meantime we gather more information on his activities. The more rope we feed him the tighter he will get bound.
"That's true, but it could be dangerous. So what does he want out of this?" Drake questioned.
"Me. He said he misses his toy." JJ said in a low hiss, then turned to look Drake straight in the eyes, a playful smirk now on his face. "And he wanted to know if you satisfied me as well as he did. He didn't like the fact you closed all the blinds."
"That sick fuck is watching you!? "Suddenly Drake's face took on a look of shock. "Uh, hey, wait a minute, he thinks we … you and I … together….?"
JJ laughed at the distress shown on Drake's face. "Don't sweat it. I won't tell him you're straight."
"JJ!"
"Come on, we need to make some plans with Rose. This bastard isn't getting the best of me. Plus Rose will get a kick out of you being my new lover."
Drake opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it. Grumbling to himself he reluctantly followed JJ to the Commissioner's office.
#=#=#=#=#
The next day the Chief received a manila envelope. The entire precinct had been alerted to watch for ANY packages, regardless to whom they were addressed, without a return address. They were to be put in an evidence bag and taken directly to the Commissioner's office as soon as they were found. This one had been found on the front desk with only the Chief's name on it. It was immediately delivered to the Commissioner unopened, encased as ordered in a plastic evidence bag.
"Well, he wasted no time if this is what I think it is. I sure as hell don't want to open it. Is Addams here yet?" The Chief dropped into one of the chairs in front of Rose's desk. "I know he's doing the fingerprinting for these but I don't see much reason to do so. We have Carrington on tape admitting he sent them."
Rose shrugged. "You know as well as I do that it's all circumstantial. We can't prove this is the package he was talking about. If we can get prints off anything in the envelope it gives us evidence." The Chief sighed knowingly and nodded in agreement. "We've also put taps on both Carrington's and Williams' phones. After what we found in the background checks and the surveillance results our favorite judge was quite willing to sign the order for us. We should get the first transcripts in this afternoon."
"Good, hopefully that will give us something to work with. Have we gotten the surveillance reports on Carrington and Williams from last night?" The chief shifted uncomfortably in the chair. He was nervous about the whole situation and wanted something he could sink his teeth in to help break this case. He didn't like any of his men being threatened any more than Rose did.
#=#=#=#=#
JJ returned to the Commissioner's office with negative results. He handed the envelope to Rose who immediately placed it in his safe with the other two envelopes and the security tapes, closing and locking the door.
"He's playing hardball sir. Those weren't the worst, but they were pretty damaging pictures he sent. He wants me to go back to him, but there is no way in hell I'll do that. I'm nobody's toy."
Both Rose and the Chief looked at JJ as he said 'toy'. He damned near spat the word. Neither man had ever seen JJ that angry. This was a whole new side of Detective Addams that they were seeing. Did Carrington really see him as such? And what was his reasoning for this line of attack on the detective?
"Do you think either Carrington or his friend Williams is watching me? Waiting for some reaction from the photos? Like maybe being relieved of duty while an inquiry is started? Isn't that the usual procedure in cases similar to this? Is he looking for me to be relieved of duty for some reason?"
The Chief nodded to Addams. "Yes, unfortunately sometimes it is. But I don't intend on doing such a thing. You're a good detective, and I believe your personal life, as long as it doesn't interfere with your work, is none of our business. Plus this is a bit different –you are being blackmailed – pure and simple. Someone has specifically targeted you, a police officer, for unspecified reasons. Due to the subject of this blackmail – your sexual preference – and what he is demanding as payment, this now becomes a hate crime."
Rose nodded in agreement. "What I would like to do is arrange a two-pronged attack – get both of them at the same time but not at the same place. Have neither aware that the other has been caught. Then we can then play one against the other. If Carrington is stupid enough to initiate this with a police officer he's bound to slip up."
Rose continued, directing his comment strictly to JJ. "Detective Addams, to do this you know we will need to bring in additional help. I feel the best detectives to assist in this would be Detectives MacLean and Laytner, do you agree? It would be on the need-to-know basis of course; they will not get full details, just what is necessary for them to competently do their jobs. And should there be a slip I believe that we can trust them to keep silent. I will allow Detective Parker to continue to assist you in any way he can. You seem to be more at ease with him by your side. Plus by already being partners you work well together."
JJ stifled a gasp and closed his eyes. His heart skipped a beat. Dee privy to my indiscretions! And Ryo. Oh god, can this get any worse? But no, this is serious business. There's no place here for childish emotions. Dee understands the gay lifestyle better than the others, with the possible exception of Commissioner Rose. And although Ryo may be my unwilling rival he is a damned good cop, there is no way he would be one to gossip about something this serious. And what other choices do I have? Ted and Marty are knee-deep in a mob hit and definitely not the new guys that transferred in last month. Nobody else had the experience for this type of case, at least anyone I personally can trust.
All because I wanted someone to love, and to love me in return.
After reflecting on the necessary course of action he looked toward the Commissioner, sighed deeply, and nodded. "That will be fine Sir. Although I didn't want it to progress this far, I can trust them to be trustworthy and discrete. They are all good men to have at your back." I can only hope they will be enough.
As the Chief and the Commissioner gathered the reports on Carrington and Williams' activities things began to fall into place quickly, and they realized they had the right people. The officers they had chosen to work the case had years of experience in plainclothes surveillance and were well trained and highly trusted men. Carrington and Williams were involved in some very dubious affairs, and luckily had no idea they were being watched so closely. Now just to gather enough evidence to prove it.
#=#=#=#=#
Three days after the Chief received his 'package', JJ received a rather irate call from Carrington. "I don't know how you did it but it seems my surprise to your Chief didn't quite go as I planned. Guess I'll have to find someone that it will surprise." He hung up before JJ could even start to reply.
The next day the commissioner received an anonymous manila envelope.
