Rodriguez and Delano arrived in Chicago around 11 am on the Wednesday morning, caught a Cab and headed for the Belmont School of Correction. At the desk they were met by Missy Granger the lady who had given Agent Delano the knowledge of Zoe Prince and Richie Norman having attended the School almost thirty years previous. She was just as she had sounded on the phone, round and bubbly. "High there you must be Agent Delano and who is this handsome young man? she asked. (bearing in mind she was at least in her seventies) "This is Detective Manny Rodriguez he is leading the investigation" replied Delano, trying to hide her laughter. "You suggested on the phone that you had more information on Prince and Norman, can you expand on that? "Well" said Missy, "I remembered an old colleague of mine Barney Gillian. He was at this School long before even I arrived. He wants to meet with you, he say's he has a story to tell" "That's great Missy when can we meet him? asked Rodriguez. "Right now" she answered, "He is having coffee in the next room. I must warn you he is in his eighties and a little deaf but as far as I can make out his memory is all there" The three walked a few steps down a nearby corridor and entered a kind of Staff Room where sitting at a table watching an episode of Friends was Barney Gillian. "This is the Police officers I spoke to you about" shouted Missy Granger. Which at first stirred very little response in Barney. "Tell them what you remember about Zoe Prince and Richie Norman? she asked. "They were a gang" said Barney, "Six evil bastards who terrorized this place for three years. Their leader was Anthony something or other I can't remember. He was older than the rest but not by much. He wanted peace and harmony for his own benefit and would have his followers punish anyone who stepped out of line. I have warned you once, he would say, now I am warning you twice. There will not be a third warning, and the punishment could be brutal. "Who were these other gang members? asked Rodriguez. "Well there was Prince and Norman who you already know. There was a coloured young lady Delilah, don't recall her last name. A tall skinny guy by the name of Greg Roberts and a ginger guy they called Shorty Mullgrew. The place was a lot noisier when they left but at the same time not so much blood to clean off the floor. Rodriguez thanked Missy and Barney for their help, turning to Delano he told her that he would head back to New York and she should stay for a few days and go through the records of twenty five to thirty years ago. "You can stay with me" said an excited sounding Missy Granger. And before Agent Delano could refuse Manny Rodriguez gave her answer. "That would be great wouldn't it Delano" he said, "Captain Malone is already on my ass about the budget. See you in a few days" In the Quarters of Delilah Lancaster Peterson and Pollock discovered what they had suspected, a perfectly laid out Military Apartment. Everything was at right angles, all of the furniture was evenly spaced, a tape measure had definitely been in use. There was no mess, no remnants of the night before. In the kitchen cupboards all items faced the front like soldiers on a parade ground. Cutlery was in the proper sections and there was most definitely no rubbish drawer. On the bedside cabinet there was a prominent picture of Lancaster, a man and two children. "Is this her family? Gena Pollock asked Captain Nolan. "I am not at liberty to say" was his answer. "This is an investigation into multiple Homicides Captain" said Ryan Peterson, "If you won't tell us then I will make a call to Commander Brooking and he, as instructed by the powers that got us in here will" "Yes it is" said the Captain. "Thank you" replied Peterson. Therefor Lancaster is her married name? asked Peterson. "Yes it is" he answered. "Then can you tell me her maiden name? was the next question. "That I do not know" replied Captain Nolan. "Then I would appreciate you finding out" said an exasperated Ryan Peterson. "Yes Sir" said the Captain and left the building. "You were a bit harsh on him" said Gena Pollock. "I just can't stand this Army bull shit" he replied, "But our priority is to find her Laptop and anything relating to the SPIKES so get looking"
Weldon and Paine returned to the office where Manny Rodriguez was collating all they had learned in the past forty eight hours knowing that time was running out on the detention of Delilah Lancaster and Richie Norman before their entitlement to a Lawyer. "What have you got? he asked the Dynamic Duo. "The flat was clean Boss" answered Clarence Weldon, "But we did retrieve his Laptop and on it a message from his leader asking for confirmation of a successful mission" Good" said Rodriguez, "That is two in the bag". He was telling them of the leads they had discovered at the Belmont Correctional School along with the names and initials given to them by Missy Granger and Barney Gillian when Agent Chris Paine had a phone call. The call was from an Alcoa Supermarket in the Suburb of Madison in North Mid Town New York. "Hi" said the caller, "Am I talking to Agent Chris Paine? "Yes you are, how can I help you? answered Paine. "You were making enquiries about any substantial amounts of food being delivered to a Private Property, well we have had such a delivery for the past four or five years. It is to a large Home in East Madison which is semi rural with quite large properties but not with large families" "And how would you know the amount of residents in one house? asked Agent Paine. "We carry out regular surveys on the local population as the size of the store verses expansion equals local population in a radius of two miles. The Property in question is registered as a two adult, two children home but the monthly deliveries suggest upwards of twelve people living there" "You have been very helpful Mr? "Jonathan Wicks, the store Manager" answered the caller. "We will look into the situation Jonathan" said Agent Paine, "But just one more thing, the name of the Householder if you please? "I am reluctant to do this" answered Mr Wicks, "But as you are FBI, his name is Greg Roberts, and the address is 97, Oakfield Drive, Madison, New York" Chris Paine had placed the call on speaker therefor Rodriguez and Weldon were in the loop. "This is all yours Agent Paine" said a delighted Manny Rodriguez, "We need to know everything about this guy, and I mean today. Meanwhile myself and Detective Weldon will head out there and ask a few questions in situ" Pollock and Peterson had discovered the Laptop of Delilah Lancaster went through the Vigilante code and found that she was V5. Captain Nolan had returned with a file stating that she had been married, now divorced from a prominent City Lawyer Paul Lancaster and that her maiden name was Wilmington a name that following a conversation with Agent Delano was on the register of Belmont School at the same time as the other known SPIKES. "Commander Brooking would like a word before you leave" said Captain Nolan. "Absolutely" answered Gena Pollock trying to restore some kind of diplomacy to the matter. "We have one or two things to check out and we will be right with you" There was of course nothing more, all she wanted was a moment alone with Ryan Peterson in order to calm him down. "Someone in a high place has pulled strings for us" she said, "Someone personally known to Detective Rodriguez, and up until now the Military have reluctantly played along. Now using your own words Ryan we are in their world, a world that could explode around us at any time, do you understand? Ryan Peterson just stared at his young partner seemingly lost for words. Until, "Fuck me Pollock where did all that shit come from, you've been overdosing on 911. So lets go and see Brooking, and after all of that, you can do the talking" Manny Rodriguez received a call from Agent Chris Paine. ""Ok Boss" he began, " Greg Roberts is the Principal of the local Clairemount High School but get this, he doesn't live at the Oakfield address, he lives in a Cottage on Campus with his wife and two kids. When I spoke with someone at the School to their knowledge he had sold the place eight years ago, but according to the property register for Madison there is no record of a sale. I then called a local Realtor and according to him the house has not been lived in for a number of years, just how many he could not say" "Great work Chris" said Rodriguez, "We are almost there, but what you have told me makes me nervous of what we might find so I suggest you get in your car right now I think we might need you here" Weldon and Rodriguez parked up forty yards away on the other side of Oakfield Drive. The properties were large 1940's stile wooden framed units three floors high and with the front door being elevated pointing to the possibility of a large basement. Each property was surrounded by a substantial front, sides and rear gardens. Detective Weldon observed a neighbour two doors away mowing his lawn and decided with the OK from Rodriguez to have a word. "Hi there" he said producing his NYPD badge, and for the sake of not looking suspicious he had positioned himself in that the gentleman's back was to the suspected property. As a sideways glance under questioning could alert anyone in the house. "We are investigating a very serious crime which may or may not have taken place in this area. I would stress that it does not involve you, but it would help our inquiries immensely if I could see the layout of your house. Am I right in surmising that the properties in the Drive are all the same? "Yes you are Detective" answered the Gentleman, "Would your friend in the car be joining us? "No just me" Weldon replied. The two men entered the property it was huge. "I am mostly interested in the Basement if you don't mind" said Weldon. The owner whom he now knew as Colin opened the door to the downstairs and switched on the lights. "It's massive" said Clarence Weldon scanning the place, "You could hide a small army down here. How long have you lived in this house? "Twenty five years answered Colin, "Family grew up here, now it's only me and the wife" "And what would you know about number 97? "Been empty for a number of years" he said, "Although there always seems to be comings and goings. The owner Greg shows up on the weekends, but I said to the wife on many occasions I think someone still lives there" "Why would you say that? asked Weldon. "On account of deliveries, there are lots of them and someone is always there" answered Colin. Weldon thanked his host and returned to the car where he relayed all that he had heard and seen to Manny Rodriguez.
YOU ARE READING
SPIKES
General Fictiona wayward childhood, a way to get even, or are the intentions really good.
