Chapter 4

Day 4

Mike woke up ready to try new things. The old things, that had been his whole world a couple of days before, hardly held any interest at all for him. His new gig seemed exciting. Who was the blond chick with the great boobs? It was almost all he thought about. He tried to figure a way to track her down but he had no idea how to unravel the thick cord of deception. He didn't even have a clue. He remembered the day before when during his ride home with Wes, Wes had suggested he run before breakfast to clear his mind.

Wes: You don't have to run far Mike. Just do it consistently.

Mike: Running makes my knees hurt. I have tried it.

Wes: Okay, do you have a bike?

Mike: There is an old one of mine from when I was a kid in the garage.

Wes: When I let you out of the car go right into the garage and pump up the tires and adjust the seat. Tomorrow morning ride that bike. It won't hurt your knees, but it will make your mind even sharper. Ride it out till you are exhausted, then head home. When you get home take one of these pills. It's the best high in the world. It's like really mellow man.

The next morning Mike rolled the bike out and took off on it. It was early enough so that there was almost no traffic on the road. He rode away from the house till he was tired, then he turned and rode it home. When he arrive home he took one of the white pills Wes had given him. He took his hot shower and felt better than he could ever remember feeling in his life, especially so early in the morning.

His mom was up fixing breakfast while he answered his email. They left early at Mike's insistence, so that he wouldn't be late. He and Wes arrived almost at the same time.

Wes: Did you ride your bike?

Where Mike was a clean cut kid, Wes looked like a homeless street person. The nerd and the hobo would have been a great tag line for them, Mike thought.

Mike: Damn right I did. I rode about five miles out and five back. When I got back I took the white pill and the shower. Man I am so fucking mellow I can't believe it. I don't give a fuck what happens.

Wes: This is our secret. Keep it to yourself. Wes used his key to get through the gate then drove his car inside, with Mike as a passenger. They drove up to the third level.

Mike: Did you run this morning?

Wes: I got a hangover, so I run till I throw up, then I run home.

Mike: Are you going to be okay?

Wes: Yeah Mr. Hangover and me are really good friends.

Eddie: Hey you two let's get some coffee, we need to talk. Mike, call Salina and tell her where we are.

Wes: Where is your Econobox with the slanted headlights.

Eddie: Lucille thought I should drive an American car, so she got one assigned to the Team. The car stays here and it's for official use only.

Mike: Like for coffee breaks?

Eddie: Yeah for those.

No one spoke again until they were in the parking lot of the local McDonald's. In the drive thru Eddie ordered three small black coffees.

Mike: I would rather have a coke.

Eddie: Three black coffees he repeated.

He pulled the full sized Ford into a parking space. Eddie passed the coffee around.

Eddie: Take small sips it's very hot. (after a couple of sips) Well, anything to report? I know you both worked last night so did you learn anything.

Mike: I couldn't find anything connecting the big titty blond to anyone. There is also nothing connecting her to the murder. She just happened to be in the lobby around the time Carlos was reported dead by his bodyguards. The only thing the blond and the woman with Carlos at the time had in common was she had a great body according to the guards.

Eddie: Yeah I knew all that. My detectives interviewed the guards. The medical examiner said he thought the drug dealer let someone stick an ice pick in his ear. Actually something a little larger than an ice pick.

Wes: There was an advisory to look out for people carrying very sharp pencils. According to the National Transportation Service, they believed they could be daggers.

Eddie: We didn't find any foreign stuff in the wound according the M. E. (Medical Examiner). A pencil would leave graphite behind. There was none.

Wes: Okay it was just a thought. I couldn't find anyone from the Swamp in town, but there is a former operative in Alabama. He most likely won't talk since he left in good standing. And he is the boyfriend of the Swamp's lawyer. He is the only one I can find living in the country.

Eddie: Well lets see how the rest of the week goes, if nothing pops out at us we probably should fly down and talk to this former Dog of War.

Wes: Technically he was just a contractor. Maybe we can find out a little about how the Swamp is organized.

Eddie: Well let's get back to work. Keep sifting the shit. Eventually something that doesn't stink will fall out. Mike you got any idea how to use that computer shit to cut down on the suspects, or find the connections.

Mike: To be honest boss we got lots of data, but we don't really know what questions to ask. We might already have the right data just don't know it. I will keep analyzing what I have. Maybe something will pop up.

Eddie: Mike, shift your focus to finding me a connected member of the cartel. We do know which cartel it was. Maybe someone who was there will want to help us. Wes let me know if any of your old CIA buddies ever met any of these guys. We are still trying to find a thread we can pick at.

Wes: If you just want a thread, we were sent details of an operation fifteen years ago. The email just said it was a private contractor. They had no rules of engagement, so they warned the bad guys a few times then they lit their asses up. They never named the contractors, but looking back on it, I'm sure they were from the Swamp.

Mike: Unnamed contractors came up in a couple of investigations that got dropped for security reasons. Frankly it didn't look as if the investigations were going anywhere anyway. I picked them up all over the world. I even got a few in the states.

The most recent was something to do with a Girl who got falsely imprisoned on one of those island countries which cruise ships visit. She was held in prison for almost a year. She was listed as a private contractor offering protection to a billionaire's family.

Eddie: Probably nothing but find out all you can.

The three of them went back inside and started to work. There was a donut box with a dozen fancy donuts inside, well not quite a dozen. There was also a brand new coffee pot sitting on a table. It had not been there at five the day before.

Eddie: So who do we thank for the Coffee and donuts?

Lucille: I arranged the coffee pot and I made the coffee. I am sure that it is better than anything you guys are getting at those drive thru restaurants.

May: I brought the donuts as a peace offerings since I have been a bitch. I promise I will do better. I am never going to like being ordered around by a cop, but I will try to be a team player. (she said it looking at Eddie)

Wes: Not that I'm complaining about the sugar fix, but what happened to you last night.

May: I had a very special visitor who convinced me it was in my best interest to pitch in. So meet the new May May.

Eddie: May May?

May: Childhood nickname.

Eddie: Well thanks for the donuts. As a matter of fact if you are serious, Mike is going to come up with some information. Take a look at it and run it by whoever you need to in order to get a current address on the woman in question.

In the meantime everyone one else work on the blond with the big boobs case. She is our best lead at the moment.

May: Why are we concentrating on this woman when that whole operation is what we are supposed to be investigating.

Eddie: We are looking at the operation of Swamp Dog and we are also trying to catch a thread into the cartel that is involved with it. There may be some kind of solid connection between the two. It wouldn't be the first secret alliance in history. Now back to work everyone.

Since Eddie had awaken at five in the morning cold as hell, he began to think of living as where he lived not the house he visited on weekends. The Kerosene heater, he used for the occasional weekend visit, was never going to do. He needed to consider a better heating system.

He made a call to a heating and air conditioning company in Bishop's Crossing. The guy agreed to come out on Saturday since it was the only time they could agree upon.