Complicated Matters (21 page)

   There was a loud thump on the door. 

   Taylor checked the monitor before letting anyone in.

   Flo attempted to shrug out of the grasp of the agent. “Taylor, what in the hell are you doing?”

   He saw no need to answer her. The arresting officer would have Mirandized her. He recognized Commander Phillips face from his laptop. “We don’t have any women’s holding facilities. The interview room is down the hall and to your right, gentlemen.” He extended his hand. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you in person, Commander.”

   “Same here.” Commander Phillips and another FDLE agent escorted Special Agent LaBoe to the interview room with Taylor following them.

   A guard was posted at the door and instructed not to let anyone near the door without Taylor escorting them, personally.

   Taylor led the way to the room where a surveillance specialist was monitoring Flo. “Gentlemen, there’s pizza and coffee in the observation room.” 

   Commander Phillips helped himself to the fresh coffee. “Do you always treat your visitors this nice?” 

   “I don’t think we ever had any visitors, Commander. Anyway, I haven’t eaten all day, and that’s why we have pizza.”

   “Good.” He sat down. “For a minute, I thought you were some sort of brown-noser.”

   “Not likely, sir.” Taylor laughed. “This is our Surveillance Specialist, Evan Evans.”

   Phillips studied the young man. “Your parents not like you, son?” 

   Evans didn’t miss a beat, or look up from his monitor. “I understand it was a rough labor.” 

   Taylor noticed the way the other agent was inhaling the pizza. “Commander, do you think I need to get some food in here? There are more teams on the way.”

   “You might want to do that,” Commander Phillips agreed. “There’s no telling how long it will take some of them to locate the suspects.”

   “I hope Subway’s still open.” He called the local Subway sandwich shop and ordered two sandwich platters, and a tray of cookies, and had them delivered. “Damn, this is killing my budget.”

   “Keep the receipts, Taylor. You’ll be reimbursed.” Phillips helped himself to the last of the pizza. “I don’t suppose we can get some Chinese food in here?”

   The surveillance specialist started laughing. “This ain’t Tallahassee or Miami, guys.”

   “He’s a real smartass,” Phillips commented.

   “Yeah, but he’s brilliant.” Taylor pointed to his laptop. “You are looking at every agent and deputy in the county.”

   Phillips stood behind Taylor drinking his coffee. “Any particular reason why you’re monitoring your own people?”

   “Daniels, Winthrop, Jones, and Edwards.” Taylor counted four fingers. “Add Flo to that list of reasons.”

   A buzzer went off. Evan put the camera’s feed on the corner monitor. Three deputies and a sheriff were escorting an older couple at the back door.        

   “That’s the Dixie County Sheriff’s Department bringing in the Monroes,” said Taylor. “I’ll be right back.”

   Taylor went down the hall and let his guests in. “Sorry about all the cloak and dagger stuff, but after what we’ve learned the past couple of days. I thought it best to take a few extra precautions. Follow me to interview one.”

   Mr. Monroe was taken to a holding cell, and Mrs. Monroe was seated across from Special Agent LaBoe and handcuffed to her chair.

   “The worse they can do is yell at each other,” said Taylor. “Besides, they might say something useful. Come with me.” 

   They followed Taylor to the observation room. “The coffee’s fresh and sandwiches are coming. Let’s watch the show. Make sure you get everything that’s being said, Evan.”

   “Don’t worry, Sheriff.” The young man beamed at his computer screen. “We’ve never had this much excitement around here before. It’s better than the movies. Too bad we can’t a big screen TV in here to watch it on. That would be so awesome.”

   Taylor patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll ask the city counsel.”

   It didn’t take long for Mrs. Monroe to start yelling at Flo. “It’s easy money, you said. Just baby sit the boat, and help whoever knows the password. Nobody will ever suspect an old, retired couple of having all that dope.”

   Flo glared at the old lady. “Will you just shut up? They’re taping everything that comes out of your feeble, old mouth.” 

   “This ought a get really good when the boat captain.” Taylor sat back and watched the yelling match.

   The front door buzzer sounded. “Evan, does that guy work at Subway?”

   Evan carefully studied the monitor. “No, he works for the newspaper.”

   Taylor shook his head. “Un-freakin’-believable.” 

   Evan watched the reporter fidget at the front door. “What are you gonna do, Sheriff?” 

   “I’m gonna let him in.” Taylor left the observation room and crossed the lobby.

   “Hello.” He opened the door. “What can I do for you?”

   The man walked inside carrying the order. “Just tell me where you want these, Sheriff.” 

   “One quick second.” Taylor locked the front door, and took the sandwich platters from the guy’s hands. Then he pinned him to the wall. “Okay, why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here?”

   Sweat dripped from the reporter’s forehead. “I’m just delivering sandwiches, man.” 

   “Are you sure that’s all?” Taylor eased up on him, but wouldn’t let him go.

   The reporter looked around. “Th-That’s it, man.”

   “Okay, if that’s your story.” Taylor spoke into the surveillance camera. “Evan, will you come in here please?” 

   Evan came down the hall. “Whatcha need, Sheriff?”

   “Who did you say this guy is?”

   “Nels Fuquay. He works for the Morgansville Times.”

   “Thanks, Evan. Take the sandwiches with you.” Taylor turned his attention back to the reporter. “Well, Mr. Fuquay, we have a problem. I don’t have enough holding cells.”

   Fuquay was starting to shake. “What’re you gonna do?” 

   “I don’t know. Perhaps you should talk to a state agent about this. Come with me please.” Taylor seated him in the lobby and handcuffed him to a chair. “I’ll be right back.”

   He poked his head through the surveillance room door. “Commander Phillips, will you please talk to Mr. Fuquay?” 

   “Sure. That reporter and me are going to become best friends.”

   The back door buzzer sounded again. “Sarge and Chisolm?” Taylor stared at the monitor. “I didn’t expect this.”

   “Do you know those officers?” Phillips’ assistant asked.

   “My last supervisor, and David Clancy’s former partner.” Taylor sat down his coffee and headed to the back door.

   He opened the back door and Sergeant Marx and Officer Chisolm escorted Valerie Berinski down the hall.

   “Right here.” Taylor instructed, as he unlocked the door to interview room one.

   After Miss Berinski was seated Taylor locked the door and joined the others in the hall. “What are you doing up here, Sarge?”

   Marx grinned. “I wanted to see if you’re still a pain in the ass. Here.” He handed Taylor his notebook and a video tape. “I tried to write down every word she said. The tape’ll fill you in on what I missed.” 

   Taylor observed Chisolm. “Sorry about the false pretense, man.”

   Chisolm rolled his eyes and laughed. “You’ve gotten good at that detective shit. I just thought you were horny when I gave you the name of that charter service.”

   “So no hard feelings?” Taylor raised his hand as if preparing for a handshake.

   Chisolm hesitated for a few minutes. A grin came across his face. “Hell, I can’t stay mad at a moody, little bastard like you. But Clancy is gonna have my ass for this.” Chisolm grabbed Taylor’s hand and slapped his back with the other hand.

   Taylor winced in pain, as the slap was on his sore shoulder. “I don’t see any reason for Clancy to know where that tip came from. I probably heard that story a thousand times myself, but just didn’t remember. We’ll chalk it up to precinct chatter. Let’s go to the observation room. We’re missing all the fireworks.”

   They could hear the laughter as they neared the observation room.

   “We thought you boys were going to stay out there all night,” the commander said. “It’s been total-nonstop-bitching in there since the boat captain arrived.”

   “We’ve been hearing it all the way from Coral Gables.” Marx rubbed the temple of his head. “I don’t see how Clancy dealt with that for two weeks every year.  My head is killing me.”

   Taylor shook his head and put on a fresh pot of coffee. “I keep some painkillers in my desk. You want to come with me and get them, Sarge?”

   “Thanks, Taylor.” The two men walked down across the lobby to Taylor’s office. They passed a young woman reading a magazine.

   “How’s it going, Marcy?” Taylor stopped at the night shift dispatcher’s desk.

   “All the action seems to be goin’ on right here, Sheriff. Phillips told the reporter to play nice and he’d give him his story in the morning.”

   “If you want, there are some sandwiches in the observation room. Just ignore Evan’s company.”

   Marcy looked up. “You sure?”

   “Go on.” Taylor gestured toward the observation room. “I’ll watch the desk for you.” 

   He unlocked his office door. “Come on in, Sarge. Take a load off.” He produced a small bottle of Aleve.

   Marx took the bottle from him. “I don’t suppose you got the other half of this kit in there, do you?” 

   Taylor sat back in his seat and laced his fingers behind his head. “I pretty much gave it up.” 

   “I hope she’s pretty.” Marx went to the water cooler and washed the little, blue pills down with a cup of water. “Damn that’s cold.”

   Taylor laughed. “What makes you think I had female incentive?”

   “Your wedding band’s gone.” Marx sat back down. “It’s about damn time too.”

   “Don’t read anything into this. She’s forbidden fruit.”

   “Under aged?”

   “My assignment.” He remembered how good it felt when they knocked into each other on the basketball court.
Man, I can’t wait to get this over with
. But over with meant moving on.
There has to be a way to make this work.

   The older man’s expression softened. “I’m glad to see you looking so well.”

   “You won’t be so happy to see me after the elections are over, and I’m your problem again.”

   “We’ll see, son.” Marx patted Taylor on the shoulder. “We’ll see. You ready to catch the show?” 

   They left the office, and Taylor locked the door behind him. 

   Taylor and Marx went inside the observation room to catch Valerie Berinski and Mrs. Monroe screaming at LaBoe as she sat stone silent.

   About midnight, the action started settling down, as even Valerie Berinski was running out of steam.

   “Gentlemen, I have two beds and a couch at my house if anyone needs to catch a nap.” Taylor tossed the Dixie County Sheriff his house key. “It’s that ass-ugly green one with the uglier yellow trim one block down this street. I doubt there’ll be any more fun tonight. They look pretty wiped out.” 

   Chisolm got up.

   “You may as well sit back down.” Marx headed back to the coffee pot. “We’re staying here with Taylor.” 

   “What are you going to do with the female suspects?” Phillips asked.

   “I’m going to get some female officers to take them to the bathroom. They’ll have to spend the night in the conference room. I only have six cells, and they’re all full.”

   Phillips scratched his head. “There’s no place for them to sleep?”

   “They’ll have to put their heads on the table. I can’t feel sorry for them. I’m not getting any sleep tonight either.”

   Chapter 25

   Marx prepared to go back to Miami. “It was nice working with you again, kid.” 

   “Take care of yourself, Sarge.” Taylor shook Marx’s hand. “I’ll be back before you know it.” 

   “Not if the state boys have any sense. You turned out to be a pretty good cop.”

   “Thank you, sir.” Taylor knew ‘pretty good’ was about as good as it gets in Marx’s eyes.

   Taylor looked at Chisolm. “Be good, or be good at it.”

   Chisolm slapped him on the back. “You too, Sheriff Taylor.”

   Taylor smiled a little. “I do believe this is the first time you’ve ever called me anything besides moody, little cuss.”

   “What can I say?” He shrugged. “You grew up.”

   “You mind if me and my boys walk out with ya’ll?” The Dixie County Sheriff asked.

   “Not at all, Sheriff.” Marx agreed.

   “How’s the fishin’ in the Atlantic?” The sheriff asked, as they headed to the door.

   Taylor had one more problem to deal with. He posted three experienced deputies outside his door and told them to let Clancy in.