The Late Show

40

Ballard used the time to walk over to the print shed that was located behind Piper Tech. Knowing how citizens were often treated when they attempted to pick up their impounded and printed vehicles, she half expected a delay in the paperwork from FID releasing her van. But it was ready to go. She wasn’t wrong about her expectations about its condition, however.

The first clue was the driver’s door handle, which was still dusted with black fingerprint powder. She opened the door and found the driver’s compartment bombed with powder as well. She knew from crime scene experience that the black powder could ruin clothes and be impossible to get out with home car-washing. She went back to the garage’s office and angrily demanded that the van be returned in drivable condition. This resulted in a stare-down with the garage manager, but he changed his demeanor when Ballard produced her badge. He dispatched two of his garage greasers with a high-powered vacuum, a roll of paper towels, and a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner to the van.

Ballard stood by, watched the work, and pointed out every spot they missed. After an hour she thought about calling Polly Stanfield but she knew that would only annoy her. She decided to check in at Hollywood Detectives instead and called Lieutenant McAdams’s direct line.

“Ballard, what are you doing awake?” he asked. “I have you back on the schedule tonight.”

“I’ll be there, L-T, don’t worry,” she said. “Just checking in. What’s happening in the Six?”

“Only thing I got going is an assist with the feds. They got a takedown team surrounding some fool holed up in the Batcave.”

That was a reference to a cave up in Bronson Canyon that had been used during the filming of the 1960s Batman television show.

“What do they want him for?”

“A double-bagger in Texas. Killed two armored-car guards a couple years ago and lammed it over here.”

“What are we doing?”

“Crowd and traffic control.”

Ballard knew it was the guy she had spooked with Compton. She wondered if she would escape with no blowback from the feds if they successfully brought him down at the Batcave. Just then, she got a call-waiting buzz on her phone. She checked and saw it was Stanfield.

“Hey L-T, I have a call coming in. I gotta go.”

“Okay, Ballard, go.”

She disconnected and switched over.

“Polly?”

“I got a hit on that thumb. It’s a cop. What did you get me into, Renée?”