This Time? Chapter 16
"We did all the work nailing the driver and we don't get to interview him?" Celina questions.
"Officer Juarez, you know the rules," Nolan responds. "We bring them in and the detectives investigate. Besides, we're needed back on the street. We need to check on what's happening with Chen."
"Shouldn't Bailey be coming home about now?" Celina asks.
"If everything goes according to schedule. But when does that ever happen? She's supposed to text me when she gets in. Maybe we'll get a chance to swing by the house. But right now we have to go back to see if Chen's drawn any attention.
The truck drives by the house where Lucy's undercover and then turns back again. The truck bed is loaded with paint, lumber, and tools. The driver and his cohort sport what look like well-worn blue coveralls with a few paint spatters on them. Their heads are topped by painter's hats.
Lucy spotted them the first time and as they come by again, makes a show of limping as she collects the envelopes she'd planted in the mailbox by her front door. She's sure the driver saw her. If he and his buddy are going to work their con, it may not take long for them to knock on her door. A few minutes later, she hears the truck pull to the curb.
"Hold back! Did you see that truck?" Nolan asks Celina as she drives toward the sting house. "If those are our guys, they won't go near Chen if they spot us."
The man who knocks on Lucy's door removes his hat and inclines his head diffidently. "I'm sorry to bother you Ma'am, but I just finished a job in the neighborhood and I have some materials left over. So if you need some painting or a repair, I can do it for half price."
Lucy leans against the door frame as if trying to support herself. "I don't know. Repairs cost so much, even at half price, and I don't know you. Do you have a contractor's license or something?"
The man produces a document from a deep pocket. "Sure. Here you go."
Pretending to study it, Lucy immediately sees that it looks nothing like the genuine article John Nolan worked to get after coming to California. "OK, it looks all right, um, Mr. Lakos. And the house really needs painting. And the porch needs fixing too."
"Yes, you don't want to trip and hurt yourself out there," Lakos agrees. "And you can call me Nick."
"OK, Nick. When can you start?"
"Right away, but I need a $500 deposit for the materials."
"I can manage that. Do you take credit cards?"
"Of course, Ma'am. I just need to scan it with my phone and we'll be all set."
Lucy hands him a card for an account set up for UC work. She wonders how long it will take for "Nick" to try to max it out.
"Park out of sight around the corner," John instructs Celina. He hops out of the shop and trains a pair of binoculars on the two men setting up to paint. Lucy's probably already signaled the detectives. But John will make a call just in case. The hook is set, but there's no telling how long the fish will just hang on the line. His phone dings a text from Bailey that she's arriving home. He smiles at the screen. "Perfect timing."
"I'm sorry I can't stay to get you settled," Bailey's driver apologizes after bringing Bailey's duffel bag inside for her. "My orders are to get back ASAP."
"I understand," Bailey says. "My husband will be coming to check on me and a couple of guys from my firehouse will be coming over. I'll be fine."
"OK, take care," her escort says, and almost collides with a rushing John Nolan on the front walk. John hurries in the front door, leaving Celina to watch the unit and monitor calls. He holds out his arms to Bailey but doesn't embrace her. "I'm afraid if I hug you, I'll crack something."
Bailey stretches upward. "Nothing wrong with a kiss."
John hunches over to meet her lips with his. "Nothing wrong at all with kissing my wife. I love the sound of that."
"Me too," Bailey agrees.
"Thorsen's all set to organize a bash to celebrate whenever we're ready. Celina's all excited about it, which beats agonizing over her sister's death all to hell."
Ribs in mind, Bailey resists the urge to laugh, but her eyes dance. "I can see where it would."
"Listen, I'm on patrol and I can't stay long. When are the guys from your house due to come over?"
"Any minute. And they're bringing food."
"Mmm, fire station food. I wish I could stay."
Celina sticks her head in the door. "Nolan, we have to go, 10-14."
Bailey looks up questioningly. "Citizen holding suspect," John explains, bending down for another quick kiss. "See you later."
"Any details on the 10-14?" Nolan asks as Celina backs out of his driveway.
"A security guard at Melon Books caught a shoplifter."
"Maybe someone should have gotten a library card," John comments.
Manuel Deacon, a retired cop, points to his zip-tied prisoner. The suspect is 5'5", twenty-ish, thin, almost gaunt, with straggly long hair, and wearing sweats. "I caught him trying to walk out with a bunch of books stuffed into his pants. They were practically falling off him. I don't know how he thinks he could have gotten away with it. He probably wouldn't have made it to the next block."
"Which books was he trying to steal?" John asks.
Deacon points to a pile on a nearby desk. "I knew you'd need to see them for your report, so I put them there."
"Celina, make an inventory with the titles and prices," Nolan instructs.
After a quick glance at the suspect's less-than-pristine pants, Celina pulls on a pair of gloves and starts to go through the stack. "Nolan, you should see what these are."
John regards the volumes. "Chemistry, electronics, the history of revolutions." He studies the suspect. "Why did you want those particular books?"
"None of your business, Overlord," the young man retorts.
Nolan and Celina exchange glances. "All right, let's go," Nolan commands the prisoner.
Grey looks over the list of books. "So you think this guy might be looking to become a terrorist, Nolan?"
"The books he tried to lift have information he'd need to make weapons and he is interested in revolution. Plus Celina says he has a dark aura."
"We can't charge a guy on an aura. The most you've got is a misdemeanor for shoplifting."
"But with everything going on, he could build a bomb or try to shoot up the LA Times. Or he could be looking to join up with a militia group planning an attack," John protests.
"We don't have anything approaching proof for any of that," Grey points out. "But I can have a detective question him and see if there's anything worth investigating. I'll get with Carradine to assign someone."
"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate it."
"Don't get too excited, Nolan," Grey cautions. "If this turns out to be nothing, Carradine is not going to be a happy camper."
"Yes, Sir. I understand."
As they dig into chili supplied by a firefighter chef, Bailey leans her head on John's shoulder. "So you really think that shoplifter could be dangerous?"
John presses his lips to Bailey's hair. "I don't know. But if there's one thing this city doesn't need it's another mad bomber or school shooter."
"Have you heard any more about how Lucy's UC op is going?" Bailey asks.
"Just that the work crew painted part of the sting house. And no charge was drawn on the credit card they scanned. They'll probably try to use it for something bigger. But so far all we have them on is falsifying a contractor's license. Lucy will be sleeping over, with an unmarked unit outside, and we'll see if they show up, or try to use the card to rip her off tomorrow."
"Is Tim going to look in on her?" Bailey wonders.
"I doubt he'll be able to stay away."