Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the plot and Annie. Even the title is borrowed from Van Morrison.
Italics - Spanish
Some bad words, some violence, and fade into black sex-scenes, nothing too graphic.
Chapter 20. Mayor JuniakThe next day Annie said that she´d prefer to stay at the house and work, if that was OK with Tank.
"Of course. Just please remember that we still have no clue to who was trying to follow you the other day. If you want go somewhere please call me first."
"I promise. Now go away so I can start my torrid affair with Mrs. Gonzales."
Tank just shook his head and drove over to Haywood. He worked out, and then after a shower changed to a business suit.
Two of the meetings were in the building, for which he was grateful, and the third was another lunch meeting, even at the same restaurant as last week. On the drive over to the restaurant he felt like someone was watching him, but he couldn't catch any tail.
When he came to the restaurant he met mayor Juniak who was going inside. Tank gave him a nod, they had met a long time ago, and Stephanie had introduced them.
Juniak came over and shook his hand.
"Tank, wasn't it? Or maybe you prefer Sherman nowadays?"
"Tank´s still fine, mayor Juniak."
"I was wondering if you could spare me a couple of minutes?"
"Of course, I´m a little early for my meeting, so it will not be a problem."
They went outside, and found a secluded spot.
"Let´s get to the point," Juniak said. "Helen called me, and told me about a meeting in the park. She also described a photograph, that she has since burned."
Tank didn´t say anything, just looked at the mayor.
"What's the saying again; the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or something like that.
"I had the best intentions when I was a police commissioner. And I honestly think that I did a good job, with one glaring exception – Joe Morelli. At the time I thought the work I did as a commissioner was good enough to compensate for his shitty work. And I somehow convinced myself that I was protecting my wife. In hindsight it's easy to see that I should have told Morelli to go to hell, even if that had meant the end of my marriage and my friendship to Frank Plum."
"Isn't it hard to have a friendship with a man while having an affair with his wife?"
Juniak visibly shrank in front of Tank.
"It is. That's not how you pay back the man who saved your life. I just wanted to tell you that I have a press conference booked tomorrow morning at ten. And I will talk to Frank tonight. The shit is about to hit the fan. Take care, and take care of your woman. Helen talked to police commissioner Ford as well."
"Is that a threat?"
"On the contrary. It´s a warning from someone who don´t want anyone else hurt in this."
"Thank you, mayor Juniak. I appreciate the warning."
"Good bye, Tank. And maybe you could take a message to Stephanie? Just tell her that her Uncle Joe is sorry."
"I will. Good bye."
Tank returned to the restaurant, and ran into his client on the stairs. They had an amicable lunch, and after some minor alterations they were both pleased with their new contract.
Tank returned to his car, and beeped it open. Just as he was about to open the door he got an itchy feeling between his shoulder blades. No soldier ignored that feeling, and he immediately ducked. He heard the bullet hit the bullet proof glass in the car window. Tank rolled to the side, and got his gun from the holster. He could hear screaming, and the sound when a second shot hit the car. He kept moving and got in shelter behind the car. He could hear no more shots, and immediately called Rangeman.
"Tank here. Someone took a shot at me. I´m in the parking lot of the restaurant, they didn´t hit me, just the car. Send someone to pick me up, and alert the lawyers. I don't know if I´ll need them, but it's better to be prepared. Oh, and send Hector to keep Annie company and as extra security at my house. I´m not sure what this is about yet, but I suspect the Morelli angle."
He then phoned the police, and reported the shooting. He was still on the phone when the first police arrived.
"Police. Put that gun away!"
Tank slowly put the gun on the ground, and raised his hands. The young police immediately searched him.
"I´ve got another gun in my waistband, and one in my ankle holster. And a knife in a holster on my other leg."
"And a permit to carry concealed, plus an identification that says he works for a security firm. And he was the one shot at, not the shooter."
Tank looked over his shoulder.
"Gazarra," he said.
"Tank. Did you fire any weapon at all?"
"Not this time."
"Give it back to him. You ought to be able to smell that that´s not a recently fired weapon."
The rookie cop opened his mouth, but changed his mind when Gazarra flashed him his ID.
"What happened?"
"I was beeping the car open, and on my way to open the door when I got an itch between my shoulder blades. I ducked, and two bullets hit the car instead of me. I have no idea who it was or where the shooter was."
"An itch?" The rookie cop was still around, and he made the question sound doubtful.
"An itch," Tank calmly explained. "I was a soldier for ten years. You get a sixth sense for when someone is aiming at you. And I'd rather look a bit silly ducking for nothing, than have a bullet in me."
"I've called in the technicians," Gazarra said. "We don't really need anything more from you right now. We know where to find you."
"Thank you officer Gazarra. I´d appreciate if you'd pass on any information you´re able to."
Tank turned around and saw Vince waiting outside the cordoned off area.
They got in the car, where Woody was behind the wheel.
"We're taking a detour to my house, and then to Haywood," Tank said.
"Any suspicions?"
"I´m ninety-eight percent sure it's connected to the Morelli cluster fuck. Either Juniak or police commissioner Ford. Or maybe Helen Plum, if she can shoot. I met Juniak at the restaurant about two hours ago, so he knew where I was, but I don't think he´s the shooter. Or the one who ordered it."
They were soon at Tank´s house, and he got inside.
Annie and Hector were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talking. Annie looked a bit surprised to see Tank, but gave him a big smile. He didn´t say a word, just lifted her from the chair and held her tightly.
"Tank? Did something happen?"
He didn´t answer right away, just kept on hugging her. She hugged him back, and said nothing. Finally he was able to let go.
"Sorry. Someone just tried to shoot me."
"What!? How are you? What happened?"
Annie tried to step back, hug him and look him over all at the same time.
She suddenly turned to Hector.
"And you just happened to be in the neighborhood, right?"
Hector just shrugged.
"Tank asked me to keep an eye on you. And when he did I already knew he was alright."
Annie turned to Tank again.
"It´s as Hector said. I didn´t call you, because I thought it better to see you while we talked. And there was no point in calling and scaring you, when I should be able to come here almost right away."
"In a way I understand, but I don't think you would be that happy if I didn´t call you if someone took a shot at me."
Tank made a grimace, and she knew she had made her point.
"I´ll just take a quick shower and change my clothes. Please stay inside with Hector in the meantime. And I'd prefer if you came back to Haywood with me, while we're trying to find out who the shooter was. If not, I hope Hector can stay with you."
Hector just gave him a nod.
"I´ll come with you to Haywood," Annie said. "I think I´ll need to have you in my field of vision for the next hours."
Tank just looked at her again, gave her a quick kiss and disappeared upstairs.
"You´re good for each other."
"It sure feels that way."
She sighed.
"And I thought that soon things would calm down, and I'd be able to get back to some routines. I really miss my neighbor Bart, and our gossip sessions while working out at the gym."
"The fact that someone took a shot at Tank makes me believe that someone is really scared. Scared people make mistakes, plus we still have our ace," Hector said.
"If you mean Morelli, he's more like a Joker."
They finished their coffee, and Tank was soon down again. He held a flak vest in his hand, and looked at Annie.
She sighed and put it on.
"You have no idea how strange this is."
"Please."
"You don't have to beg me. I´m not stupid. If you think I need it, I'll trust you."
Before they went outside Tank called Vince and told him they were on their way. The doors to the car were open, and they quickly took their seats.
"Hi," Annie said.
"Hi, Annie," Woody and Vince said.