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 21. Frank PlumThey were soon at Haywood, after a tense ride. Hector had been trailing after them, and no one had seen anything suspicious.
They went up to the fifth floor, and the conference room there.
Ella came with a food trolley. When she saw Tank she immediately came over and gave him a hug.
"I´m so glad you're not hurt."
"Thank you, Ella."
They went into the conference room, where Tank took a cup of coffee for him and Annie, and then sat down with her in the chair next to him. She didn´t say anything, just held his hand.
Bobby, Cal, Hal, Hector and Ram came inside the room. They took their coffee cups, and sat down.
Hector called someone on the telephone, and put on the speaker when he had an answer.
"Any news or suspects?" Ranger asked over the phone. "And I´m glad you're OK."
"Thanks. I don't know about suspects, but I talked to mayor Juniak at the same restaurant about two hours before the shooting."
Tank gave a quick summary of their conversation.
"And I thought he sounded sincere. I don't know if there will be a press conference tomorrow, though."
"Maybe you should call him and ask if he wants some bodyguards? Some that aren't either police or connected to the mayor´s office." Annie said.
Tank just looked at her at first, then he nodded.
"I agree," Ranger said. "Somehow I don't think he´s the one behind the shootings."
"I can call him," a female voice on the phone said. "I still think he´d trust me."
"Steph," Tank said. "Juniak especially asked me to tell you that Uncle Joe is sorry."
"He should be. But we all make mistakes. I´ll call him."
Ranger and Stephanie finished the phone call. The people in the conference room continued the discussion.
"You want to save Helen Plum as well?" Tank asked Annie.
"She can take care of herself," Annie said. "Besides, I don't think she´d be interested in any help from this company."
"You're probably right."
"How´s Morelli?" Tank asked Bobby.
"Sobering up. Ironically I think it was good for him to be taken here. I mean, besides probably being a prime target for shooting."
"Maybe I should use that when I talk to him. Right now he can stay there; I've got enough on my plate."
Tank turned to Annie.
"You OK with staying here tonight?"
"As long as you're here."
"Of course."
Gazarra called and reported that the shooter had had a long distance rifle, and obviously was a marksman. The bullets would have hit Tank right between the shoulder blades. They had found no obvious evidence at the spot where the shooter had been, but had taken some samples, hoping to get DNA. And both bullets were deformed when hitting the car.
"Were you wearing a flak vest?" Annie asked.
"Of course."
"Why didn´t the shooter try for your head then? Not to downplay the shooting in any way, but was this a serious attempt?"
"It's much harder to hit the head," Bobby said.
"But this was a shooter who had very good aim, Gazarra said," Annie pointed out.
"You think the shooting was a warning?"
"I believe it was meant to give some kind of message, but don't know what. Or maybe it's a smoke screen…"
She was silent for a while, thinking.
"Have you had any time to look into commissioner Ford? According to what Helen Plum said he seems to be a lot more off the straight and narrow than Juniak."
"We've left him to Gazarra. Ranger gave him some names at the FBI to contact, that Ranger knew were clean. Gazarra hasn't told us more about it, but since he's in the middle of this unofficially and has his ordinary job to do as well…"
Annie nodded.
Ram had been silently listening in.
"I think she´s got a point. That you wear a vest on a job is no surprise, and it seems probable that he or she would have been able to make a headshot."
Ram clarified to Annie.
"I was an army sniper."
Annie sighed.
"This makes my head spin. I don't think I´ll contribute anything else."
"You´ve been a great help," Bobby said. "And I think we all could need a break."
"How about some food as well? Pizza maybe."
While they ordered their pizzas Steph called back.
"Uncle Joe thought you had a point when he heard about what happened in the parking lot. I changed the venue for his talk with my dad. The easiest would be if you could pick him up at work, and keep him at a safe house or Haywood tonight."
"Got it."
Bobby picked up their pizza-order, and they ate in the conference room.
Annie ate a couple of slices and some salad, then was content with sitting close to Tank.
"How are you?" he asked.
"I´m not the one who was almost shot. And even believing that they were not out to kill you, it's frightening. I mean, what if you had ducked a millisecond too late, and instead of hitting the car or maybe your vest they´d hit you in the head."
"You know what I do for a living," he said. "All I can promise is to do my very best to get back to you."
Annie just looked at him, and he could see her lip tremble.
"I really need that promise," was the only thing she said.
After the dinner they went into Tank´s office, where Annie crashed on the couch, and Tank tried to get all the facts and theories to fit together. He heard a soft knock on the door, and Ella came in.
"Mayor Juniak will be in the room Annie had last time. I´ve changed the sheets in your usual quarters, but Steph just called and said you could stay on seven if you preferred."
"Thanks, but my usual quarters will be fine. I wouldn't feel comfortable up there, it´s Ranger´s place, even though he has moved."
"The only thing that kept him in Trenton was Steph, so unless she gets tired of Miami I hardly think they'll be back."
"I don't really believe they'll be back, but I still think of it as Ranger´s place. And I have my house."
Ella looked at Annie.
"Go to bed. It´s been an intense day. Is there anything special Annie likes for breakfast?"
"She mostly just has fruit and plain yoghurt before working out, and coffee, strong, and maybe a cream cheese bagel afterwards. Oh, and she doesn't want any artificial sweeteners or
reduced fat. She prefers smaller portions of what she calls "the real thing", and to work it off."
"Got it. The usual for you, or have you given up meat?"
"The usual will be fine, Annie doesn't insist on me eating all-vegetarian."
When Ella had left Tank scooped up Annie in his arms and carried her to his quarters. She woke a little, but burrowed into his neck, and fell back asleep.
Tank hesitated, but decided to go down and talk to Morelli. He wrote a message for Annie and left on the pillow next to her, and then called Bobby.
"I´ll go down and see if Morelli is ready to talk. Annie´s asleep and I´ve left a message. Would you like to listen in?"
"Absolutely. Meet you down there."
They met in the basement, and Tank brought another bottle of water plus a sandwich to Morelli.
"Morelli."
Tank took the empty bottle and the old sandwich wrapper.
"Not hungry?" he asked as he saw the half eaten old sandwich.
"I know you're trying to mess with my sense of time, but it's not been that long in between feedings."
"Suit yourself."
"Anything you´d like to say."
"Not to you."
"Well, I don't especially feel like talking to you, either."
Tank went to the door, and just as he was leaving he said:
"Oh, and I think you should be grateful no one can find you here. Someone took a shot at me earlier today. A sniper with a long distance rifle."
He left without giving Morelli a chance to reply, and he heard him swear loudly behind the cell door. Bobby stood by the door.
"Do you think that will make him talk?"
"No idea, but hopefully it will make his sleep more troubled."
They were on their way to the stairs when Tank got a call.
"Yeah."
"-"
"Now?"
"-"
"I see."
He hung up and turned to Bobby.
"We´d better go to the medical suite. Frank Plum and mayor Juniak started a fistfight. Woody and Vince got them separated, and thought it was better you took a look at them rather than the hospital."
Bobby sighed, and they both went upstairs.
When they got into the medical suite both men looked worse for wear. Frank Plum had a shiner over his left eye, and his nose seemed swollen. Juniak favored his ribs; it seemed he had gone for the face and Frank for the ribs and/or the kidneys. Somehow they didn´t seem especially angry.
"Why did you marry her if you knew Valerie wasn't yours."
"Stupidity and a sweet tooth. Helen´s always been a good cook. And I got Stephanie out of the deal. And even though she's not mine biologically, Valerie´s my daughter in every way that counts. But I don't understand why you hooked up with her. There must be better women out there."
"Undoubtedly. A miserable marriage and a drive for angry sex. It never felt like an ongoing thing, just a string of unconnected hook ups, and suddenly you realize it's been a long time. But I am sorry it was your marriage I was destroying."
"It wasn´t a marriage for a long time. And since Helen and I were both raised Catholic and living in the Burg... I didn´t want to be alone, and there was no one else."
Bobby saw to their injuries, but didn´t say anything. Tank just leaned on the wall, silent.
"I suspected Helen of having an affair for a long time, but I didn´t really care. I think I subconsciously wanted her to find someone else and go away, but…" He sighed. "I only regret I let her treat the girls so harshly. Mostly Stephanie, I suppose. Shit, Helen´s had my balls in her purse for a long time."
He looked up at Tank.
"Is there a vacant couch around for tonight?"
"There is one in the apartment mayor Juniak will be staying in, if you're done fighting."
Frank didn´t say anything at first, just looked over at Joe Juniak.
"I´m done fighting," he said.
"Me too." Juniak held out his hand, and they shook.
"Let´s raid the fridge in the break room," Bobby said.
In the break room they found Woody and Vince.
"You're following mayor Juniak first shift tomorrow. Hector and Zero will take the second shift. And during the press conference you'll be reinforced with Hal, Cal, Ram and Eric."
Tank turned to Juniak.
"Do you have a flak vest?"
"Yes."
"Good, you keep it on for the next days, at least."
Tank turned to Woody.
"You're responsible for the detail round mayor Juniak. Meet me in my office 0700 tomorrow."
"Will do."
"And you," he said to Vince, "ask Ella to put together an overnight kit for Mr. Plum. He'll be staying on the couch in Juniak´s rooms."
Vince nodded, and Tank turned to Juniak and Frank Plum.
"See you tomorrow."
Then he returned to his quarters and found Annie awake.
She was sitting up in the bed and reading a book. When Tank came back she immediately put the book away and started to get up from the bed.
"Why don't you stay there. I'll be glad to join you after a quick shower."
"And I would gladly join you for a not so quick shower."
"That could be arranged."
After the shower they drank some tea and talked a little. Nothing at all regarding Morelli or the mess surrounding him, instead they laughed a little about stories from them growing up.
Annie looked at him and lightly chewed on the side of her lip. Tank had already learned that she was thinking of how to tell him something she thought he wouldn´t like when she did that.
"Spit it out," he said.
"My parents will be visiting in July." She hesitated.
"I´d like you to meet them, but only if you want to."
"Absolutely. Are you planning on staying here, or travelling around?"
"A little New Jersey, some New York. They´ll be visiting after a dentist´s conference in Washington."
She yawned.
"Let´s go to bed."
After they had made love again Annie cuddled up to him, and soon fell asleep. Tank lay awake a long time holding her, just listening to her breathing. Today was too close, he thought, even if he agreed with Annie that the perpetrator probably hadn't meant to kill him.