Chapter 19
“Before I begin, I need to expand more on what I told you at the get together last weekend. I glossed over some of the things.”
“Like?” Erin asked.
“When Boggs, my former boss called me into his office about Karen, he told me that Karen had killed a woman by the name of Abby Strokes.” He paused and watched as Yvonne started hanging pictures on a wall they had decided to use as the murder board.
“When she was found in the prison, standing over Strokes’s body, she did not resist, and had told them she did it, but she wouldn’t speak one word until she could talk with me. ”
“Why?” Clark asked in concern.
“Because she wanted to tell me about the bingo card.”
“What the hell was that?”
Yvonne stepped forward, but stayed beside Kevin.
“While I was still an FBI agent, I was on a task force to help out the gangs division. This was about ten years ago, and it’s been ongoing.
Not me on the task force, but the problems with this particular gang.
See, they are all of Asian descent, and they have what they call a bingo card for the punk ass kids that want to join.
I’ve never seen one, but one of the squares on the card was to kill a cop. ”
“Shit,” Erin said. “Sorry, go on.”
“The reason Karen killed Strokes was because she overheard Abby on the phone, telling the person on the other end that she knew where a cop lived. That if he wanted to cross off a square on his bingo card, then he could come to my home and kill me. Karen heard this from Strokes talking on the phone. The Warden was able to get a copy of the recorded phone call. Sure enough, clear as day, there on the recording was Abby Strokes talking to a gentleman, and she said everything Karen said she overheard. The video shows Karen at the edge of the frame, listening to Abby on the phone.”
“Why are the phone conversations recorded?” Pru asked.
“For things like this. It’s in all jails, men and women alike.”
“That’s not entrapment?”
“No, it proves that Karen was right in what she overheard, and it will go easier on her when they charge her. I’m not saying she was perfect, but it brought this gang to the attention of the police.
Then when I asked Ryan to come and have my back, he brought Denver, Perry, and Manny with him.
The four of them were able to take down the gang members that came after me.
Not to kill, but they were cuffed and lying on the grass bruised and battered by the time the cops arrived.
Within the week my home was boxed up, and on its way here to Colorado.
Ryan stayed a couple of days longer so I could take him to the prison to talk with Karen.
They discussed what they had to, and we came here. ”
The entire room was quiet for several minutes, then it was like the entire room exhaled at once after learning the entire thing.
“Does anyone know what the bingo card actually says?” Cole asked into the silence.
“No one knows what is actually on it, at least they haven’t physically seen the alleged card.
We don’t know if it’s just a saying, or if there is actually a physical card.
It’s been rumored that the more blocks you can mark off, the higher up in the gang you can be initiated in,” Yvonne explained.
“When SSA Harmon gets here, he might have a copy of the card. We do know that there are gangs like this in Seattle, Miami, Denver, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles. Those are the only cities I know of, there might be more. All members are of Asian descent.”
“One good thing,” Kevin said with a small chuckle that held no mirth.
“Ryan and the others took out seven gang members in my backyard. They all had outstanding warrants, and when I talked to Brooks yesterday, they were still all sitting in jail. They also all have former felonies on their records.” He saw their expressions, and explained, “Brooks was the DA out there in Seattle that took me to the prison to see Karen. My boss didn’t think I should drive out there myself. ”
The people refilled their coffee mugs and mingled before Reid looked over at Kevin and Yvonne. “Okay, now that we know the back story, why were we called over here?”
“You know why Yvonne and I are here, right? Naomi and Cole are thinking of selling some racehorses, so we run background checks on the potential owners, trainers, and jockeys.”
“Correct,” Naomi said.
“Well, I got the information I was waiting for back, and have found that one of the alleged trainers I was given information on is Abby Strokes’s first cousin.
The owner he allegedly works for doesn’t have the space for the horse at his home.
” He looked at Yvonne, and the Google Earth search was shining on the wall.
Kevin lifted his hand to stop the questions he knew were coming, so he nipped it in the bud.
“On the application there is a section that asks where the horse will be housed, and with their signature at the bottom, then the owner agrees for someone from New Double to go out and inspect the area the horse will be boarded. If for any reason, the person doing the inspection doesn’t like the conditions, the sale will not be granted. ”
“Damn, Babe,” Clark said with a grin as he looked at Naomi. “That was smart business.”
“I learned from the best,” Naomi said with a grin as she pointed between Cole and Erin.
“So, what happened?” Erin asked as she settled back in her chair.
“According to the date on the application from Shedrick, an alleged potential owner, the request to come view a horse came in ten days ago. I need to know if he applied on his own, or did Cole or Naomi reach out to him.” He went to the kitchen counter, the only space in the big portion of the room that had an area to hold papers.
He grabbed the application from Shedrick and walked it over to Cole.
Before he handed it over to him, he withheld it.
“You are not in any trouble at all. I just need to know if you reached out to him, or if he reached out to you.” At the confused look on Cole’s face, Kevin rubbed the back of his neck.
“If he reached out to you, then it might mean that he knows about me, Ryan, Manny, Denver, or Perry. This gang is all over the country, and SSA Harmon is trying to take them down.” He looked over at Yvonne.
“I’m assuming there are other agents in the other states trying to do the same thing? ”
“Yes, but before the attack on you, there was nothing concrete. There were rumors of the bingo card, and nothing was solid until the arrests in Seattle. That opened the can of worms.”
“That’s why we’re here now. We need to plan to bring Shedrick, his trainer, whose name is Strokes, and the jockey here. We’re going to take him out, and anyone else that comes with them.”
“Do you believe there will be more than the three?”
“I do. Call it gut instinct, but I believe they might think they have me where they want me. I want to coordinate with you guys to take them down.” He looked directly at Naomi and Cole. “I believe we are far enough away from the horses that we won’t harm them.”
“Good,” Naomi said, and looked at the others. “I’m going to sit in on the planning, but I won’t partake in the arrests.” She looked around the room with a serious expression, then grinned.
“What?” Clark asked with a smirk. He knew that look meant she was plotting something.
“I think, but this is my civilian opinion, because you guys will turn military in your planning, but I believe that we should delay the people arriving by holding them in this area.”
“Why and how?” Kevin asked.
“Because no one is allowed further onto the property without the owner present. That’s on the application they have to sign, and it’s my own rule.
I’ll be over at Broken Wheel, or Erin’s Way, it is tax time, and Erin and I will have to coordinate our paperwork,” she grinned when Erin snorted a laugh.
“It might be some time before I can make it over here.”
“I like the way you think.”
“I have a suggestion,” Erin said. “Also, like Naomi, I’ll sit in on the training, but I won’t participate in the mission. I know from experience it will be a military operation. I will be at Erin’s Way, and will learn about it once it’s over.”
“Okay, but what’s your suggestion?”
“I’m not saying you should do this, but what about reading Jake Cogburn and his men in on this?
Again, I’m not saying they should be here, but what if you read them in, got them pictures of this Strokes and Shedrick, if you have them, and maybe they can look for them coming through town.
” She whipped her head over to Yvonne. “If these people came directly from that address in Denver, would they come to us through Fool’s Gold, or from the direction of Colorado Springs. ”
Everyone looked at Erin, and Reid shook his head at her. “Is that so Jake can know where to watch out for these people and call us with the heads up?”
“That’s what I was thinking.” Erin looked around and didn’t see any censure on their faces. She shrugged. “Just a thought.”
“And great one,” Kevin admitted.
“Okay, I only have one question, then I’ll sit back and listen.” She wrinkled her nose at the snorts of laughter. “Fine, but I have one question before you start planning.”
“What’s that?” Yvonne asked quietly, admiring the woman before her.
“I’m only asking this out of love, but what about Ducky?”
“Oh, shit,” Cole said.
“Yeah, I have no problem with him coming over to Erin’s Way, but someone’s going to have to bring him over, unless he comes over before the meeting.
I know you’re going to call this Shedrick to set up a time and date for them to come out and look at the horses.
That’s why I thought you could reach out to Jake and have his men be on the lookout.
” She turned to Yvonne with a raised brow.
“Oh, sorry, if it were me, I’d come here through Fool’s Gold.
” She walked over to the computer and brought up the map.
She used a yardstick she’d found in the corner of her office, and used it as a pointer.
The military personnel in the room gathered around as she used the stick to map out the route she would take.
They all discussed the area, and Kevin went over to Erin to verify the number he had for Jake was correct.
He stepped back into his office and made the call.
“Cogburn.”
“Jake, it’s Kevin Lassiter.”
“Oh, hey, homicide detective, Seattle, but now at New Double.”
“Correct.”
“What can I do for you? Do you have someone you want me to run?”
“No, but I might need your help with a situation.”
“What do you need?”
“Is there any way you and a few of your guys can come out to New Double. We have a situation brewing that we might need the help of Brotherhood Protectors.”
“When do you need us?”
“How soon can you get here?”
“An hour.”
“Okay, I’m expecting SSA Harmon from the FBI to come within the next three. Do you want me to tell you now, or wait until you get here.”
“Wait until we get there so you won’t have to keep repeating it. Is Delta team helping?”
“Delta?”
“Clark and his former team.”
“Oh, yes, and the women also. So far, the only people not involved, or who say they won’t be involved are Erin and Naomi, but they are in on the planning stages.” He grinned when he heard Jake’s chuckle.
“Of course, they are. Give me an hour, possibly an hour and a half. I’ll have to make some calls to get the guys gathered. Are you at New Double?”
“Yes, we’re in the new security office at the end of the driveway before you get to the main house.”
“That must be new.”
“Cole told me Clark put it in for us to run security.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.” They rang off, and Kevin went back out. The others looked at him, and he nodded.
“Jake’s gathering his guys and should be here within an hour and a half.” Before anyone could say anything Kevin’s phone dinged with a text message, he opened it, grinned and looked at the others, who were looking at him.
“Cogburn wants to know if you guys want some pizza?” Everyone agreed, and he sent the text back with the number of people that were already there, and reminded him again about the FBI coming, but unsure of how many people would be arriving.
He only received a thumbs up emoji back.
Kevin pocketed his phone and went over to see what everyone was discussing.
He had yet to tell them about the information he had uncovered about Shedrick, and Strokes.
He figured he would wait, like Jake said, for everyone to get there.