On The Grind

Chapter 27

Time was short, so I couldn't spend the night with Alexa no matter how much I wanted to.

I sat in the back of Little Swiss while she drove to the lot by the Santa Monica Pier and parked. She opened the back door and joined me inside. We kissed goodnight and held each other.

'Tin never gonna sign off on something like this again," she told me. "I can't take it."

"It's an interesting thought," I said, "but if it's right, you'll do it again, because it's your job."

It was a little past three A. M. when I got back to the hotel. I went straight to my room, set my alarm for seven A. M. and fell asleep.

My next shift was a complete waste. As soon as I got to the station I found out Alonzo was scheduled to be in court all day testifying. Lieutenant Eastwood set me up for another dull day of shuffling paper.

Over in city hall all anyone talked about was the big SWAT event at Haven Park High and how the feds' Special Tactics team had jumped our play. Most of the uniformed cops I talked to thought we had a rat in the department. Because I was Haven Park's greenest hoot, I was getting some serious stink eye.

At end-of-watch I got into the Acura and pulled out of the parking lot. I'd used up most of my twenty-four hours and had accomplished nothing. I was scheduled to check in with Alexa as soon as I was EOW, so I returned to the Bicycle Club and called her from one of the pay phone banks in the casino lobby.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Alonzo was in court. I spent the day filing paper."

While she was mulling that over I asked, "How about one more day?"

I knew from the prolonged silence that followed that something was up.

"Gimme another twenty-four hours," I pressed. "Today was a complete loss."

"They still don't know you have that Mustang, right?"

"I parked a few blocks away. Unless they get into the Hertz computer and start looking at contracts, it should still be clean."

"Get in it and drive north. Take Pacific Boulevard. I'm notifying Agent Love. She'll make a field stop."

"What's up?"

"Homeland took over the case. They got spooked by all the AK-100s that were booked at the high school. You work for them now."

I certainly didn't want my undercover op run by people I didn't know.

"I told Ophelia I want you out of there, but it's a federal case now, so her people have to sign off."

"I'll be careful, honey."

"Shane, I need to be in the loop. You know what information hogs the feds are. You've got to stay in touch with me no matter what."

"I'll call twice a day. I love you."

After we hung up I walked the two blocks from the casino to where I'd left the rental. I got into the Mustang and drove out of Vista on Pacific Boulevard, heading north toward a commercial district filled mostly with warehouses and freight yards.

I'd only driven four blocks when two black Navigators with tinted windows hedged me in at the curb. Four FBI guys in dark clothes swarmed the Mustang. I was pulled out of my vehicle at gunpoint, handcuffed and then pushed into the back of the lead Navigator. As soon as I was inside, it roared away. Seated beside me was Ophelia Love.

"Sorry, but this bust was the best idea I could come up with on short notice."

She reached over and uncuffed me. "Those weapons we took off the Locos last night are new Russian guns. Some of them were minted less than two months ago. My bosses think the Locos are moving this stuff for Russian mobsters who have ties with local Al-Qaeda cells. Homeland wants this pipeline shut down now."

"I need more time."

"Your wife wants you out of here. I told my local supervisor that I agree that you might be compromised. But he still wants us to try for a result. As point agent, it's my call, but everybody is breathing hard."

"Today was a complete waste," I said. "Alonzo was in court."

Ophelia sat for a long moment before she said, "I like your wife. Td like to do what she wants. Every day you stay under, your jeopardy increases.'

"I'm up for it if you are," I told her.

We need to wrap this up fast. I need you to wear a wire. You have to lure these crooks into conversations. Try to implicate somebody like Talbot Jones or Sergeant Bell. Somebody who, once we bust him, will roll over to save his ass. If you agree to the wire, I'll let you stay for one more twenty-four-hour period. Otherwise I'm pulling you now."

Wearing a wire is an invitation to disaster because there's absolutely no excuse that works if you get busted. For that reason, I shoot my head no.

"Then I'm pulling you."

"You're not gonna pull me. This is a career case for you."

"Then you're clone," she said.

"Wear the wire or clear out? That's my choice?"

She nodded, her mouth set in determination.

"Gimme it," I said, holding out my hand.

She opened her purse and pulled out a digital recorder and a mike. It was just a little larger than a Bic lighter.

"You want me to send somebody from Tech Support over to wire you up?" she said.

"No," I said, putting the recorder into my jacket pocket. "The last thing I need is another meeting with the feds. I'll figure it out."

They dropped me at my rental car on Pacific. I got inside and, watching the mirrors for a tail, drove into Vista, parking again on the side street two blocks from the Bicycle Club. Then I hoofed it back to the hotel.

I probably should have called Alexa from the lobby pay phone, but I didn't want another argument and I knew Ophelia would tell her what was happening, so I just went back up to my room and flopped on my bed. I was out in minutes. I slept like a dead man — which was what I almost became.