Chapter 25

It was well after lunch before Anya got back with me.‭ ‬She stopped by instead of calling.‭ ‬We drove to the small downtown park in the town square for our show and tell.‭ ‬I could see the Hazelwood B&B from the bench where we sat.‭ ‬I knew that I was in for more than the name of the couple.‭ "‬So, let's have it, Detective Bostic," ‬I said, finally tiring of the suspense.

‎"‏Okay, I called around and found out that your code belongs to the house parent couple of a safe house for teens in foster care, who also need protection.‭ ‬I can't find out a lot more, because it's the US Marshal's shit.‭ ‬They don't like to share and they do have their reasons.‭"

"You can reach out to the Deputy Marshal in charge of her case.‎ ‏Find out what you can.‭ ‬I represent the grandmother of a girl named Topaz.‭ ‬Topaz was in regular foster care for several years then went to that coded foster care safe house.‭ ‬That means she had something to do with a criminal case.‭ ‬They don't disappear foster kids without a reason, I'm sure of that.‭"

"You are asking a lot.‎" ‏Anya said.

‎"‏I gave you a lot, ‭" ‬I replied.

‎"‏You know you can only play that card so many times‭?"

"Then what, ‎it becomes easier to kill me‭?"

"Could be," ‏Anya said seriously.

‎"‏Before I made that kind of decision, ‬I would ask around about how difficult that is to actually accomplish.‭"

"Well then, I am a cop," ‏she said, with a smile.

‎"‏Ah, thinking of planting some blow on me‭?" ‬I laughed.

‎"‏That would be one monumental mistake, as well.‭ ‬Aster is a small town and I know a lot of people here.‭ ‬But if you think that is your best move go for it.‭"‬ I looked toward the Hazelwood as I spoke, ‭ "‬You might need me again, you know.‭"

"Margie was very impressed with you," ‏Anya said seriously.

‎"‏You haven't finished paying for the last time yet.‭"‬ I stood to walk to the van.‭ ‬"Now you let me know what's what.‭ ‬Hell, ‭you might just want to send that Marshal person to see me.‭"

It was too early for my after lunch coffee break, ‬so I returned to the office.‭ ‬I poured a cup from the Mister Coffee, ‭‬then looked for Lucas.‭ "‬Hey Ed, ‭where the hell is Lucas‭?"

"Why the boy has a date.‎ ‏He took a long lunch hour.‭"

"I ought to tie a can to his ass, ‎" ‏I replied, a little miffed.

‎"‏He will be back in a few minutes.‭ ‬Why don't you try doing your own research‭? ‬Maybe you will appreciate him more, ‭" ‬Ed suggested.

‎"‏Oh my, Ed, you are getting awfully snippy with me.‭ ‬Are you and the kid having an affair‭?"

"You really are a cunt," ‏Ed said laughing.

‎"‏Now, where in hell did you hear a word like that‭?"

"I have been hanging around you too much, ‎" ‏he said.‭ "‬By the way, ‭if you find someone who is interested in taking Skeeter off the street, ‭‬I know a dog guy who can bring her back, ‭I'm sure.‭"

"I'll keep that in mind.‎ ‏Just in case I ever find anyone.‭" ‬I said smiling.

I pulled up the newspaper files for The Daily News.‭ ‬That was the name of the paper in the town in which the last open foster home for Topaz was located‭ ‬... ‭ ‬I set up an inquiry for the months before the transfer and going all the way back to her release date from Juvenile Hall.

In the small town, there were only a few high profile trials.‭ ‬Only one with any federal connections, ‭ ‬and the Grand Jury sat right around the time Topaz got transferred.‭ ‬The case was pretty hush, hush, ‭‬but it centered around a fire department captain accused of manufacturing and distributing child pornography.‭ ‬I knew, ‭just as sure as I sat in that fake leather chair, that Topaz had been a victim in that case.‭ ‬She must have agreed to testify.‭ ‬I suppose the feds agreed to disappear her in exchange.

I couldn't see the threat to Topaz at first, but it became obvious as I read the updates on the case.‭ ‬One of the stills shot on the scene showed a man I didn't recognize, ‭but the newspaper identified him as the third in command of a Russian crime syndicate.‭ ‬I did a quick extrapolation and came up with this scenario.

Topaz was an actress in the movie.‭ ‬She would have been a little old for kiddie porn, but still she was probably young and fresh.‭ ‬Since she had been in Juvenile detention, ‭‬she wouldn't be hard to recruit for the film.

She agreed to testify to stay out of prison.‭ ‬She was young enough and clean enough to be believable.‭ ‬After her testimony convicted the Russian, they needed to keep her on ice for the appeals.‭ ‬Then if they were planning to flip the Russian, ‭which without a doubt they were, ‭they really needed Topaz, ‬and the Russian's bosses really needed her to go away.‭ ‬No Topaz, ‬no pressure on the third in line to roll, ‭ so it was in everyone's interest to see that she disappeared.

If the Marshal verified my guesses, ‭‬then I would back off and let Helen know that Topaz was safe.‭ ‬I maybe could arrange a periodic update for the grandmother.‭ ‬If the Marshal chose not to cooperate, ‭‬I had a few more strings to pull.

‎"‏Max, ‭it's Anya.‭ ‬Can you meet me at the Waffle House out by the highway at‭ ‬6 PM‭?"

"Sure, ‏what have you got for me‭?"

"Just be there, ‎" ‏she snapped and then the line was dead.

‎"‏Touchy, ‭touchy, ‭" ‬I said aloud.

‎""‏What's up, Max‭?" ‬Lucas asked as he stood in front of my desk.

‎"‏Nothing is up.‭ ‬So how was your date‭?"

"It was just fine," ‏Lucas said that with a strange look on his face.

I was tempted to pressure him for details, ‭but the job came first.‭ "‬Come on kid, ‭we need to make a delivery or three.‭" That is exactly what we did until almost‭ ‬5 PM.‭ ‬I headed back to the office at five.‭ ‬We didn't arrive until‭ ‬5:30‭ ‬so, I was in a rush to drop Lucas and then get out to the Waffle House by the highway.

I found Detective Bostic sitting with a man in a suit.‭ ‬Suits aren't unheard of in a waffle house at six in the evening, but they certainly are not the norm either.‭ ‬I took a look around as I always did when I entered a public place.‭ ‬Another holdover from the bad old days.‭ ‬There were a lot of people around, but they all looked pretty harmless.‭ ‬Of course, I would look harmless as well.