Chapter 23
Paul leaned his hipsagainst his desk, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared hard at the man that was becoming a fast friend.He didn’t speak until Warren deflated, and settled in a chair, sipping his coffee.
“Sorry, I was out of line.”
“Apology accepted, however, did you forget?”
“Forget what?”
Paul pointed between himself and Petra.“We’re not civilians, and this isn’t our first rodeo, we are both federal agents.”
“Shit, yeah, I did there for a moment, sorry.”
“Accepted.Now, I didn’t tell Cass what Petra found, because at this point, it’s just a theory.At the end of the day I am in charge here, Cass and his office are my backup, not the other way around.I’m the one meeting these people.Cass will be doing the paperwork to backup what we’ll be getting first-hand knowledge of.I’m the one pounding the pavement to get answers.This investigation is just starting.It might be bigger than what we can handle, but I have more agents coming.They will be here because they are just like me.Compromised in their undercover work.Just like Cass.Where Cass was assigned to a desk, these guys were sent to their real homes for sixty days to straighten out anything that needed to be handled, and they are coming to me.
“They know this assignment is undercover, however, the only difference is that every single member of the Tainted Shield will be a federal agent.We will be controlling the narrative.”
“What if I wanted to quit my job at the State police and ask to join the club?”
“You would be welcomed with open arms, however, I wish you wouldn’t.At least not for a while.”
“Why?”
“I’m going to be blunt here, Warren.I want to use you and your bar.You saw the drugs being distributed and used yesterday.What if you work with us, and set up your bar as a place they can purchase the drugs, or guns, or whatever.I refuse to pedal human flesh though.”
“That wouldn’t work, everyone knows I’m a cop.”
“Yes,” Petra said as she refilled her and Paul’s coffee cups.“But what if we can spin it in our favor?”
“Spin it how?”
“What if you’re a disgruntled cop?Say, you’re frustrated that all your attempts to make any arrests are thwarted by the higher ups.Say, you want to supplement your retirement because you can’t live on a cops pension.From what I’ve seen from all the events you’ve taken us on this summer, you are highly respected by the one percenters, even though you are a cop.Use that to your and our advantage.”
“Ah, I see, be the disillusioned, pissed off cop that has finally met his limits, and wants a better life.Dealing drugs and guns is the way to go.”
“Correct, and you know the guys that come into your bar.You know what they’re into.”Paul nodded.“I’m not saying this is going to happen overnight, or even this year.Hell, it’s August already, and I do know that Gator is coming shortly, like in twelve days, but I don’t know about the others.No one has contacted me yet, other than Gator.”
“Do you think they’ll come?”
“Yes, but see, Flynn and Kessler told them to only contact me once they’ve been home for a certain amount of days.When they have an ETA for here, they are to reach out to me.I have no clue who will be coming.I do know of six other guys that were in Devil’s Scorpions, and I’m shocked they haven’t reached out to me yet, but something might have happened when they went home.I’ll learn that when they get here.”He studied his friend intently.“Don’t think for a minute that I forgot about them.I have a mental date in my head about when they should be arriving here.If I don’t hear from any of them by that date, I’ll call them directly, then depending on what I learn, I’ll reach out to Kessler and Flynn.”He looked at Petra and nodded at her worried look.“I don’t think they are compromised, I don’t feel it in my gut.Deep in my heart, I believe they are just catching up with family after being away for so long.”
