"Jessie are you up to some undercover work?" I asked him with a smile. Jessie was surprised, but then he smiled.
"Well. If I have the right playmate," Jessie told me. "I have the best suggestion."
"So do you think Shaun would help us out?" I asked him witha sly smile.
"Definitely Boss," Jessie said. "Maybe Andrew could help us here as well."
"Well I think I can do that," Andrew replied with a smile.
"Does this mean Jessica and Steven are clear?" he asked me. Bob and I just looked at each other.
"Oh!" Andrew said understanding.
"We'll use the club for surveillance and back up," I told him. "If we can avoid it. We won't make an arrest at the club."
"Because it puts to many in danger?" Jessie asked. I nodded yes.
"Answer one question for me," Serena asked. "Why can't Jessie just walk into the club by himself."
"Entry to the club is by membership only," Andrew told her. "Or as a guest of a member."
"And both Andrew and Shaun are members," Jessie told us.
"Jessie go call Shaun and see if he'll come give us a hand," I told him. "And tell him congratulations on the new job." Jessie just furrowed his brow at the last part.
"I have a question," Troy Romanoff said. "What if Sanchez or Collins wants to play with Jessie and won't take no for an answer?"
"Well I can tell you this. Sanchez comes to Chicago to play with guys," Andrew told Troy. "In that respect he's as gay as you are Special Agent Romanoff." Causing Troy to turn bright red. And few of us snickered at it.
"Anyone got a problem with some of us being gay or bi?" I asked the team. "So speak up now. I won't hold it against you."
"And if we do and don't say anything?" Omar asked.
"Then I have to do something about it," I answered. Everyone indicated they understood.
"So what's the plan?" Joe Mendez of the FBI asked, as Jessie came back in smiling.
"Well Jessie?" I asked after a minute.
"Shaun hopes to be here tomorrow after he talks to Mr. Kingman the U.S. Attorney," Jessie told me. "He wanted to know how you knew."
"I recommended him," I told Jessie.
"Who's his boss?" Bob asked us.
"His boss is my boss," Serena told him. "Doug Kingman, the U.S. Attorney of Albuquerque."
"Now let's lay it out." I said cutting off further talk.
So we laid out a rough plan. Jessie and Shaun would go to the club with Andrew to start us off. Jessie would pretend to meet Shaun for the first time. That way they could get an eye on them.
I told Jim Tucker to see to the placing of the wires In Collins Investment group. Thanks to Andrew, Jason, and Jessica we had permission to place them. Andy Jr and Eric didn't know. To be safe Serena got us warrants as well.
Jessica and Steven had planted a virus for us. That way we could come in as I.T. personnel. This would give the FBI a cover,
"Well let's call it a day," I said finally, I personally have a phone call to make." Bob and Jessie laughed.
"Oh yeah. Jessie," I said getting his attention. "Are you ready for me to tell Dante that you and Shaun are joining the rest of us in May?"
"Is he cute Jessie?" a grinning Troy asked him from across the room. "Just so you know. This room has great accoustics."
"Shaun takes my breath away most days," Jessie told him. "He has become my life blood."
"And what are you talking about?" Jessie asked, trying to be unknowing to my meaning.
"You were seen asking Shaun to marry you," I told him. His smile growing bigger slowly. "John and Peter told me. They over heard."
"All right," Jessie said with a smile. "You two can count us in. But ask Dante to not tell Shaun that you know."
"I want to tell him when he gets here," he told me. I smiled at him.
"I'll ask Dante to keep it under his hat," I told. "But you know Dante."
"We wanted to ask you both together," Jessie told me.
"Well I'll see you guys in the morning," I said heading for my room. "Time to make my call."
The rest wondered off to bed one or two at a time. I first called my CPD contact Sgt. Frank Vaughn. I told him what was up and to meet us for breakfast. Then I called my Dante. Who I was missing terribly.
The next morning Bob, Jessie, and I headed for our meeting. We met them at a favorite restaurant of Frank's. We got there first. But Jessie was the first to see them.
"You look like hell Billy," Frank said as they got closer. He had a crooked smile on his face. As did the detective he brought with him.
"Well I didn't sleep to well last night," I told him honestly. He asked a question with his look. "I haven't slept alone for a while." Both Bob and Jessie grinned a knowing grin, but kept they're silence.
"So you have someone special back in your life?" Frank asked me with a smile.
"I do," I told him without elaborating. Which Frank caught.
"That's great to hear Billy," Frank congratulated me. "Billy, Bob this is Detective Jake Hemstead."
"I was hoping that you knew Jessie Holmes here," I said introducing Jessie.
"We've met," Frank said. "I just couldn't remember his name."
"So what's up Marshal Hickok?" Jake Hempstead asked. Bring us back to the point.
"Let's order breakfast before we talk business," I said as I added sugar to my badly needed coffee.
So we ordered breakfast. Once the waitress was gone.
"So what have you two heard about us and what we're here for?" I asked them.
"There's a lot of talk about your task force," Frank told us. "But there's nothing concrete to base it on."
"So what does bring you and a federal task force here?" Jake asked me. I looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to us.
"Frank you remember Gabriel Cabral Sanchez?" I asked him. Frank nearly choked on his coffee.
"So that's why you called me to meet?" Frank asked. "I remember that son of bitch."
"Enlighten me?" Jake asked us.
"What was it? Seven years ago we had a line on that cartel son of bitch?" Frank asked me.
"Just about," I said in answer.
"When we closed in. He knew we were coming," I told him. Stunning Frank a little. "Frank, Terry Graff and I thought we had him trapped."
"When we entered the building he was in. They all opened fire on us," Frank told him. "Sanchez led the three of us off."
"Then he killed Special Agent Graff."
"Frank and I were cut off by cartel soldiers," I added. "But we both saw him shot an already wounded Terry Graff."
"Sounds like he knew you were coming all right," Jake said. But he got Frank's attention.
"Could be," I said. "He's friends with a certain police lieutenant."
"Who!" Frank demanded.
"Eric Collins, " Bob told him. "We found out from his father and sister that they've been friends since college."
"Andrew just moved to Albuquerque. Sanchez uses the family's investment firm to launder money," I added.
"Are you sure?" asked an obviously shocked Jake.
"Like I said. They've been friends since college," I reiterated. "They have a very close relationship."
"What would that be?" Frank asked finally.
They're part time gay lovers," I told him. "The family is sure of it."
"And Collins wife is Sanchez's cousin," Bob handed him the file we had started with.
Frank looked through it carefully. Then he handed to his man Jake.
"I assume you're asking us in?" Frank asked. I just nodded. "We're in."
"Shouldn't we ask the superintendent and bring in IAD?" Jake asked Frank.
"We talk to the Superintendent tomorrow," I answered. "And IAD is out. Collins may have someone working there."
I laid out the plan we had so far. They looked at Jessie when we explained what his job was. Otherwise Frank made a few suggestions about how to use his team.
Then Shaun walked into the dining room carrying a bag. As Jessie stood, Shaun threw the bag to Jessie. Who caught it on the fly, puzzled.
"If you're planning on crossing the Bridge of Eros. You need to be better dressed than what you packed," Shaun said. Hugging then kissing Jessie.
"And Dante wants to to know why you couldn't send for him," Shawn told me. Bob and Jessie laughed as they sat down.
"Who's Dante?" Frank asked with a smile.
"Billy's very cute fiance," Shaun told him. "Sorry but I was out at the ranch when Jessie called."
"And thank you for including us."
"Dante told you?" I asked.
"Of course," Shaun said with a smile.
"Dante huh?" Frank said. "That'll be an interesting story when we get a chance."
So we had some more coffee and Shaun had breakfast. I decided to tell them about Dante. Just so it was out of the way. Bob, Jessie, and Shawn added things. All I could do was grin and bare it.
Then we got back to talking about the case. They told us about Eric Collins Narcotics unit. Then we learned some good news. Frank's people had heard we were looking for Ignacio Mendoza. And he was spotted in Chicago. He was said to be clearing a way for Felix to come to town. Then we went to the house. Frank had his team meet us there.
When we got there I informed my team what we had learned. Serena and Nina smiled.
"Our idea seems to be working," Serena said.
"There's been talk about them for almost a month," Jake Hempstead told us.
"Miss Baker had a good idea," I told them. "Frank see if your people can learn more about their being here."
"Felix Mendoza doesn't like Sanchez, or Collins."
The rest of the day was busy. Omar worked on a back stop story for Jessie and Shaun. Shaun stopped by to check in with us. He had borrowed his old car from his dad. He made suggestions on Andrew's and Jessie's first foray to the Bridge of Eros. And that they should go tonight for the Fourth of July Celebration there. Then Jessie and Shaun vanished for a while. Later Jessie and Andrew went to the Bridge of Eros. We sent two people to shadow them. They ran into Eric and Sanchez. Andrew explained that Jessie had come to Chicago to help him move somethings to New Mexico. Eric was wondering how long they were staying. They were interested in Jessie, obviously.
The next morning Bob, Joe Mendez and myself went to the CPD Headquarters to talk to the superintendent. We were stared at by everyone as we made our way to his office.
As we walked into his outer office. I smiled at the secretary who promptly frowned. Bob and Joe chuckled.
"Marshals Driscoll, Hickok, and FBI Special Agent Mendez to see the superintendent please," I told her. She looked annoyed by us.
"I'm sorry but you'll have to wait Marshal Hickok," she told me with a snide grin. "One of our Lieutenants is with the superintendent."
"Who," I asked her.
"Lt. Collins of Narcotics," she told me.
"That's fine," I told her. Then I turned to Bob and Joe. "I wonder if it has to do with our investigation?" I asked them loud enough to be heard. Bob had to cough to keep from laughing..
"I do believe you and your task force may be the subject of their conversation," the secretary offered up.
Just then the door opened to the superintendent's office with a jerk. It was Lt. Collins who turned to see us. Collins and another detective froze upon seeing us.
"Marshal Hickok. If you plan on freezing my unit out of your investigation..." Collins started.
"Collins!" Superintendent Lange barked cutting him off. "You will remember yourself."
"Bob if you'll stay out here while we talk to the superintendent," I told him.
"Will do Billy," Bob said.
"Lt. Collins. Since you're here. Join us," I said pushing past him. "It'll save us a trip to your unit."
"And my sergeant?" he asked me.
"Sure," I told him. "It would be good, he knows what's going on." We then closed the door.
"Now are we being left out and why?" Collins asked.
"Well you're aren't actually being left out ," Joe told him. "Because we're actually here to give you a heads up."
"A heads up," the sergeant asked.
"We're here because we have intel that Ignacio and Felix Mendoza being in Chicago," I told him. Collins was taken aback by me revelation.
"We understand he doesn't like you. And your name was mentioned."
"Felix is believed to be coming in to deal with you and your team," I told him. "So you and your team are out of it."
"But we know them," the sergeant protested.
"That's why you're out," I told them. "They know you and your unit."
"You're our bait," I told them.
"So if we catch you investigating. We will charge you with interfering with a federal investigation."
"Basically they don't need to know we know," Joe told them.
"You can't do it without local cops," the sergeant said.
"We don't plan on it," I told them. "If it's okay with you Superintendent Lange. I would like to use Sgt. Frank Vaughn's Special Investigations unit."
"Why them?" Lange asked me.
"Most of my team have worked with Frank Vaughn at one time or another," I explained.
"Now if you and the good sergeant will leave," I told them, "There are things that we need to discuss with the Superintendent. In private."
"What if we hear something from our informants?" Collins asked.
"Either tell the Superintendent or Sgt. Vaughn," I told him. "They'll be able to get that information to us."
"Can I tell my people anything?" Collins asked as he opened the door.
"Just what we've told you here today, and keep up with your open cases," I told him.
I knew I was pushing it a little. But they turned and left. Joe closed the door behind them.
"So what else is there?" A suspicious Superintendent asked.
So Joe and I told him the rest of the story. He wanted to know why we hadn't arrested him right then and there. We explained our planned and when we planned on arresting Eric Collins and his dirty cops.
"What is it you hope to get out of this?" Lange asked.
"Confirmation that Collins tipped off Sanchez in the murder of Special Agent Terry Graff," I told Lange. "Then we'll have him as a accessory to the murder of a federal officer."
"And the father of my Godchildren" I said hopefully under my breath.
"Terry was a friend to some of us," Joe told Lange. "And we want those responsible."
"Do you know why Collins did it?" Lange asked.
"He and Sanchez are gay lovers," I told him. "Since they were in college."
"I don't want them to know anything," Lange said slamming his fist down in his desk.
"We'll have to feed him somethings," I told him. "So they don't suspect a thing."
"Fair enough," Lange said. "So tell me anything they need to be fed."
"We will," I told him.
"Time to go," I said and we turned to go.
On the elevator ride down. We told Bob what had happened behind Lange's closed door. Then we headed back to the house. Now the work really began.