Chapter 21 Excerpt

Well, its March and I’m still going strong. I passed the 100,000 word mile marker and the ideas are still flowing. Writers block? What’s that? I hope I can continue to ask those two questions! Here’s the next excerpt. Sorry, but did not publish anything publicly from chapter 20. If you have any questions or need some fill-in information, please let me know! Enjoy!

If nothing else, Darin liked to be prepared. He and Jamie started making plans. If they were going in, they were going to go in with some knowledge. The aerial shots were a great help. The schematics of the compound were immensely helpful too. The schematic architectural drawings provided by the Mayor helped Darin and Jamie make their plans very precise. If they were possibly walking into a trap, everyone was at a loss as to figure out why the Mayor’s office was being so helpful.

After several days of planning and practicing, Darin felt that they were ready. Nobody was really sure who or what they would find, but that was not going to stop them from going in.

The Mayor tried, repeatedly, to get more detailed information about the timing of Darin’s plan and when he and Jamie would be executing the rescue mission, but he did not have much success. Darin did not even tell the Commissioner or Arnie that information. That made it easier on everyone’s part. Nobody had to lie about information they may have actually had.

Darin had a nagging feeling about this job. Something was not sitting right and he could not figure out what it was. As usual, Darin was worried about everything except for himself. The thing weighing on his mind at the moment was the welfare of the neighborhood. It would not take much for the rival gangs to turn the neighborhood back into the den of terror that it used to be. Darin had to make sure that it anything happened to him, that did not happen.

When Darin talked to Brandon York about his concerns, the Captain told him that he would take care of it since Darin was not allowed to leave the training facilities yet…

“Listen Darin, calm down.” said York “I can handle this for you. There’s no need of you getting yourself all wound up about anything.”

“If you could do that, that would be awesome.” said Darin. “I owe you one.”

“I believe it is I who is indebted to you and I’m not sure if I’ll ever get out.”

Brandon York tried to explain the situation to Mean Jimmy D., who, although he retained the name, he was anything but mean these days. His message was not coming through clearly. Worst of all, the Captain could not adequately answer Jimmy’s concerns about Darin and Jimmy wanted to know why any of this was even necessary. Unsatisfied with the Captain’s responses, Jimmy wanted to talk with Darin directly. Brandon York knew that the only way that was going to happen was if he took him to see Darin. He reluctantly took Jimmy to the compound to see Darin. He knew that Darin was already worried, so he couldn’t mess that one up.

When Brandon and Jimmy arrived, Darin, Jamie and Max had just finished a rigorous round of training. They were elated to have any visitors, but especially happy to see Jimmy. The Captain explained the concerns that Jimmy had and said that they couldn’t stay long. He would wait in the car.

Darin and Jamie took Jimmy for a little walk and talked to him about the neighborhood and how they were worried about things, but Darin didn’t mention why. It was then that he found out how much more, although still without a lot of detail, that Brandon York had shared with Jimmy…

“Oh, well the Captain wouldn’t tell me any specifics, like, you know. So you know,” said Jimmy, “I was jus’ kinda’ wonderin’ what all was up, you know?”

“Well in all honesty, Jimmy, there really is not a whole lot that I can tell you specifically. I just need to know from you that if anything happens to me you’re going to make sure everything we worked to established for the neighborhood stays in place.”

“Well, first of all, we been prayin’ for you, like every day. We know that God has his hands on you Detective. And, like I can’t speak for God; and I never would try, but, you know, if I was like able to do that, I would have to say that he’ not like finished with you yet,” said Jimmy. “You told me something one time that I’ve never forgotten. Maybe you should listen to it too. Don’t take on tomorrows worries today! Get through today first. Let God take care of tomorrow until it gets here and you’re actually able to do something.”

“Touche! Well, I was just planning,” said Darin.

“Two what?” asked Jimmy and they all laughed.

As they were walking Jimmy back to the Captain’s car the passed by the schematics posted up on a wall and Jimmy recognized them immediately.

“Man, you guys need some updated drawings, those things are old,” said Jimmy.

“What? You know this place, Jimmy?”, said Darin and he stared at Jamie with a surprised expression on his face.

“Oh yeah, we hang out there every so often. We kinda like all the stuff we can do there. Have lots of fun. Somebody’s been making lots of changes to the place though. It used to be deserted. Now there are guards posted all over the place and we can’t even sneak by them.”

Darin frantically waved to Brandon York to get him to come and join them and he called Arnie as well. When everyone was gathered around the schematics, Darin began to question Jimmy.

“So, Jimmy,” said Darin, “are you trying to tell me that this compound has been modified?”

“Oh yeah. Sure, it used to look like this and that was cool. But they’ve changed a lot of the entrances and stuff and it’s even like cooler now.”

“Jimmy, how many of those changes can you remember and can you mark them on the drawing for me?”

“That place is like a home away from home to the Wild Bunch, Inc. We know it like the back of our hand. You got a pencil? I can change this thing up for you.” Jimmy finished up the drawing and even indicated where the guards were posted; and said, “So when you going in? We want to help”

Everyone stared at Jimmy in surprise.

In answer to their stares, Jimmy said, “Well why else did you want me to update the drawing. I figured it probably has something to do with all of this stuff that you can’t tell me about. Jimmy D. might be dumb but he ain’t stupid!”

“Very astute, Jimmy.”

“Very a-what?”

“Never mind. Fact is, we’re not in full control of what is going on and I need you and your boys to stay away, OK?”

“You got it detective, just glad I could be of a little help.”

“Jimmy, could you go and wait for me in the car please?” asked the Captain.

“Sure. Don’t be long now.” answered Jimmy with a smile.

When Jimmy was in the car and out of earshot Arnie said, “Good gravy! The Mayor is feeding US mis-information! If we went with the old version of the schematics everything you trained for would have been nullified within 5 seconds of getting into the compound. Look at these changes. Now what do we do?”

“Nothing different,” said Jamie. Same plan, different layout.

“My thoughts exactly.” said Darin “As long as we learn the new layout, the plan will still work.”

“You two are amazing,” said the Captain.

“Ruff!” barked Max.

“Sorry,” said the Captain, “I mean, you three.”

“Rufff! Rufff!”

With that Brandon York walked back to his car and got in.

“Young man, you know what you just did?”

“If my guess is correct, Captain, I would say that I just like saved their lives.”

“You got that right,” said the Captain “Say, you ever think about being a cop?”

Jimmy paled visibly and said in a low voice, “I think we better go. I think you guys are great, but being a cop? I’ll check, but I’m pretty sure that like against my religion or something.”

Darin, Jamie and Max reset their training area so that they could practice with the new information that they had now and, sure enough, it appeared that their plans were still going to work.

When the Captain returned to the office, he had 7 urgent messages from the Mayor. “Get him on the line for me,” he told his assistant, “lets find out what he wants. Can’t be that urgent or he would have tried to reach me by radio.”

In a few minutes the assistant had the Mayor on the line….

“Yes, Mr. Mayor, what can I do for you?”

“Captain, I talked with the Commissioner, he said you might have detailed information about when our team will be executing their plan.”

“Sorry, sir, all I know is that in light of some new information plans have changed.”

“New information? What new information?”

“Unknown, sir,” the Captain lied, “and I also have no information on when execution is likely. I haven’t asked and, Frankly, I like to leave that decision in the hands of the people who are doing the job. I guess I still have that military mentality from my old Marine days. They’ll contact me when the deed is done. Hate to be rude Mr. Mayor, but I have a department to run and I can’t really talk right now. I’ll try to ring you back later.”

With that Brandon York hung up the phone without waiting for the Mayor to reply.

The Mayor called Mikey right away to give him an update, just incase things needed to change.

“Mr. Mayor, exactly what is this new information that they have?”

“Well, Mikey, I’m not sure.”

“Well,” said Mikey, “We don’t have any leaks on our side. We know how to stop leaks. Well, it doesn’t matter. When they walk into this trap, it won’t matter what information they have, they’re not walking out. They would need a small army if they even wanted to stand half a chance. They’re toast!”

“I hope you’re right,” said the Mayor, “it could be pretty embarrassing if you’re not.”

“I’m sorry Mr. Mayor, were you questioning me?”

“Uhhhhhh, no Mikey, of course not. I’ll call you if there are any updates.” With that the Mayor hung up the telephone. That was a close call. He better be more careful.

Woo Hoo I broke 100,000!

Woo Hoo!  I’m excited.  Could you tell?  My goal was to break 100,000 by March 1, but I’m only 9 days late.  Things got a little busy and quite a few times I had to other things even though I was dying to write.  My ultimate goal was 150,000 words, but I  don’t think the story will get to that many words.   I have added some points to my outline and there is an awful lot that I have yet to insert.  I know I need to do more to build my characters and make readability better as well.  Pray for me as I head down the home stretch and finish the final section of my book (the story is broken up into three sections) and then begin the mammoth task of going through the first edit.  I may take a well deserved break somewhere in between.  If I do, I’ll let you know.

Chapter 19 Excerpt

Well, here is an excerpt from the beginning of Chapter 19!  I’m still plugging along and am almost at 100,000 words.  I thought the book might go to about 15,000, but I don’t think it will make it that far.  Enjoy, and as alwys….send me you comments or leave them here!

Jamie absolutely hated being left out of the action, but she understood the reason why.  They could not afford to blow their cover and get the Mayor or Mikey Campinieri suspicious.  That would spoil all fo their plans.  Although Darin hated it, and Jamie did too, Darin’s family was taken away and hidden so that the likes of Mikey Capmpnieri and company would not have access to them.

There was a meeting in Mikey Campinieri’s office and he was none too happy:

“Listen Brutus, who’s paying who to get the job done?” asked Mikey, “are you trying to tell me that with all of the resources that you have at your disposal, there is no way that you can get a fix on Frost’s family.  They can’t have just moved off of the face of the earth.”

“Well sir,” said Brutus, one of Mikey’s most trusted minions as he reported back, “We have not been able to locate them as of yet, but we are still trying.  I think we need to put some pressure on the Commissioner.”

“Oh, so now you’re going to tell Mikey how to run his business?”

“No, sir, its just that—-”

“Its just that the Commissioner is nit wit!  A nothing!  A nobody in the grand scheme of life.  His boss, our faithful Mayor is the one that we need to keep after.  The Commissioner doesn’t even know what he’s doing.  Are you going to stand there and tell me that the family does not have resources to get this job done?  Better yet…..do I need to find someone else”

When that last sentence came out it was almost icy and meant, what Brutus knew was most likely sudden death for him.

“It seems that all of these orders have been coming out of the Commissioner’s office lately.”

“Probably just to spite the Mayor.  Those two are having their own little personal war and I’m not about to get pulled into it.  Use whatever other means and resources that you have to, but I want them found and I want them alive.  I have something special planned for them.”

“Mikey, we’ve looked everywhere and they’re nowhere to be found.”

“You obviously haven’t looked EVERYWHERE!” shouted Mikey, “Or you would  in here telling me where you found them, NOT that you couldn’t.  So, if you plan on a long life, get back out there and find them?”

Mikey knew that whoever was behind this was good and did not fear him.  He could not believe for a minute that it was the Commissioner.  Mikey still remembered that night long ago he and group of his men broke into the house of the, then, Captain.  He remembered the look of fear in his eyes as he pointed the barrel of his gun at his target.  He remembered the feeling of sheer exhilaration that he felt as he squeezed the trigger over and over again.  With every bullet he drove home he made a statement.  The statement that you did NOT turn done an ‘invitation’ to join the Campinieri family.  He remembered how he had gunned down the Commissioner’s young wife as she tried to run for her life because Mikey said she could go.  No, the Commissioner may have had the nerve to turn down the family, but he did not have it in him to be a problem to the family the way that Brutus was thinking.  There had to be somebody else, but who?  Mikey had to find out who.

***************

Darin and Brutus got up and went through their morning routine and were about go and get in the car, but Max would not let Darin near the car door.

“Whats the matter, Max?” Darin asked his partner.

Max walked over to the vehicle and began sniffing.  Something was amiss and he did not like it.

Max got to the hood of the car and barked 4 times.

“A bomb? Max are you sure?” Darin asked the dog incredulously—but he should have known better.

Not willing to take the chance, Darin called headquarters on this radio and had the bomb squad come out.

It took almost three hours to diffuse and remove the massive amount of explosives that were found withing the body and under the vehicle, but the bomb squad was able to do it and finally gave the vehicle their blessing.

The bomb technician was not one that Darin had ever seen before and there was something about his manner that really bothered Darin.  But when he got the report about the what had been found he dismissed it as paranoia:

“Good thing you have this K-9 here, detective.  There were enough explosives in this vehicle to blow it and everything else around it up into unrecognizeable little pieces.   That dog saved your life.  I think its pretty save for you to drive now.”

There was still something about the technician that was nagging Darin…..”Where’s William’s today?” asked Darin.

“He was on another assignment, so I took the call.  Probably nothing.  I  wish I was on his call!” said the technician.

There was something that was still not sitting right with Darin so he gave Max the command to stand guard while he went  inside to make a call.  Darin found out that Williams was now available and he asked him to bring a team and come and check the car, and to bring a few backup police units—and hurry.  He just had a hunch.

Just as the bomb technician and his team were done cleaning up, the saw Williams and his team pull up.  Williams got out of his truck….

“Thought you guys might be able to use a little help over here.  I heard it was a pretty big job.”, said Williams

“No, no, that’s OK.  Thanks for the offer, we got it all taken care of.”

“Well being that the Detective is a friend of mine, I’m sure you won’t mind my taking a look at your work and the stuff that you found,” said Williams, in an almost question like tone.

“Yes!  Yes!  I would mind.  You don’t think I know my job?”

“Well,” said Williams, “That’s hard to say as I’m having a really hard time placing your face.  I pretty much know all of the bomb techies,” Williams lied.

But his lie had done the trick.  Now the unknown bomb detective was on the defensive.  He was just about to reach inside of his overalls when he heard the unmistakable sound of high powered weapons being readied for firing.  A small army of police officers came out of the wood works and and took the imposters into custody without incident.

Darin gave Max the command to seek again and Max went over to the car and began searching.  It didn’t take long before everyone heard Max’s four bark warning.  Not once, or twice, but three times.  Indicating that there were still, at lest three bombs in the vehicle.

Williams and his team moved in and performed a complete examination in the area that Max had indicated.  The three bombs that they found were still tied to the ignition.  If Darin and Max had gotten into that vehicle and started it, they blown to bits.

It took a lot less time for Williams and his team to diffuse and dismantle the remaining explosives.  Upon examination of the things that were removed by the other team, it was found that nothing that had been previously removed was even close to being explosive.  They were all decoys.

This time not only did Williams and his team give the vehicle his blessing, but Max also gave it the once over and gave it his official Okie Dokie as Well.

***************

When word got out about this little mishap, Mikey had Lenny Cartelli bring Brutus to meet him out at his warehouse office.  The warehouse was yet another business cover for the family that helped them with their smuggling and money laundering operations.  Mikey kept an office out there so that he could keep an eye on operations as he felt necessary.  As the three men sat in Mikey’s office, cigars blazing, the conversation turned from the business to the news of the day…..

“So, Brutus, tell me, exactly what got into your mind?”

Brutus was not sure how to respond so he asked, “What do you mean Mikey.”

“You responsible for the team that put the car bomb in Darin Frost’s car?”

“Yes, sir, grand plot if it had worked.  Oh, well, those guys messed up.  They’ll get what they deserve.”

“THOSE GUYS MESSED UP?” shouted Mikey.  Brutus was scared and rightfully so.  “Brutus, you don’t put a car bomb in the vehicle of a bomb sniffing dog!  That’s not smart.  I think you’ve lost it my friend.”

“Well, uhhhhhh, it seemed like a good plan, sir.” said Brutus.

“Seemed like a good plan, huh?  Brutus you just became a liability.”, said Mikey

“A liability?  No, Mr. Campinieiri?”  Said Brutus pleadingly.

“Lenny.” said Mikey in nice calm  and heartless voice.

Lenny Cartelli did not need any further instruction.  He pulled out the weapon that was always nicely concealed under his fine tailored suit.

BANG!

“Do have somebody take out the trash, will you?”  said Mikey as he left the office.

Chapter 17 Excerpt

Sorry folks but I’m switching up on you. I was going to post an opening sequence from Chapter 17, but decided on the closing sequence because I had to keep on writing to see how this was all going to flesh out. Sorry about the gap that it leaves but those of you who really want to the “fill in the gap” info, can contact me. I may be obliged to send you a piece or two

Darin and Jamie sat in the Brandon York’s office. Jamie was on an emotional roller coaster. Now she was being told that this was NOT going to happen after all. Darin was not too happy either.

“How could this happen, Cap?” said Darin. “I thought everything was pretty much set.”

Brandon York was about to respond when the Commissioner walked into his office without knocking and unannounced.

“Sorry for being so rude, but I figured you three would be in here meeting.”

Nobody said anything because it was already established that all of the decisions to quash the proposed program had come from his office. Nobody would meet the Commissioner’s eyes. After making his initial assessment of the situation he began, with a snort, to speak in his gruff voice.

“So, this is it huh? Judge and jury. I’ve been tried and convicted in a room full of Christians….or so you say. I don’t know a whole lot about Christians, but the last thing I expected was to be judged.”

The Captain, Darin and Jamie each glanced at each other and knew that on that score, the Commissioner was right. Nothing like an non-Christian to get a Christian back in to line by telling them the truth!

Darin was the first to speak up and he spoke for them all. “Sorry, sir, you’re right. We were judging and you are also right, we should not be judging. For that we are sorry.”

“Apology accepted! Captain, may I sit down?”

“Like you had to ask? ” asked Brandon York.

“No,” said the Commissioner, “but every now and then I surprise even myself!”

Brandon York motioned the Captain to his chair and he moved from behind the desk. The Commissioner sat down and began.

“OK, listen up, because here’s the deal. The first thing you need to know, no beating around the bush, is that I didn’t give you the axe! Now lets talk about it. First of all York, is your office clean?”

“Yes Sir, you can speak securely here. No bugs.”

“How can you be sure?” asked the Commissioner.

“I’m afraid all I am willing to tell you on that score is that Darin and I set up the technology in my office and we have our indicators.” said Brandon York.

“Good answer Captain. If you had given me that information, in my book, you and Darin both would have been suspect. A+”

“Glad I passed. And to answer what I perceive your next question may be, I am confident that you can say anything in front of detective Carpenter that you can say in front of Detective Frost and myself. Campinieri does not have his claws in her.”

Jamie was taken aback by the Captain’s need to have to say that as well by the recognition that he had correctly guessed the Commissioner’s next concern.

“OK, we continue,” said the Commissioner, “How do you know I’m clean? You don’t.” He said indicating Darin and Jamie, “But your Captain does, so I’m gonna have to ask you to trust me as you have up to now. What we do know for sure is Campinieri is deep in to MY boss, our grand old mayor. I’ve been meaning to get with you Darin, because I’m sure you’ve been trying to get enough stuff to put him away and prove his guilt but he’s too slimy. I have it!”

The Commissioner holds his hand up because now Darin is ready to start in with the questions. “Save it, that discussion is for another time. Right now we talk about how we proceed with our current dilemma. The Mayor himself overturned my order and put the kibosh on Jamie’s training. He also expedited her transfer to get her out of here and away from you…….. I see the worried looks on your faces, not to worry, I did an end run around him on that one. We have a false paper trail setup so he’ll think that the transfer has gone through. Jamie, you’ll be temporarily reassigned for a couple of days so that he actually thinks you’re reporting to where he transferred you. He’s not good at checking up. It’ll work.

“Now #2, we go ahead with Jamie’s training, after our first rouse is bought into, by having her put on special assignment by my office. We have a clean facility that we don’t believe is compromised and you, Jamie; you, Darin; and you, Max will undergo special training for this new unit.”

“How are you gonna fund that, Sir?” asked Darin.

“I’m not, the Mayor is funding it with his slush fund. He thinks we’re doing other stuff with the money. Oh well, I don’t have any qualms about beating a crook out his money. Now after you training is done—and you guys are gonna have to learn quick because this must be expedited, you will be temporarily replaced on your beat by another team and be assigned to a special detail out of my office. Your job, should you decide to accept it. Sorry, had to throw that in. I love Mission Impossible.”

Everyone laughed briefly and the Commissioner continued.

“Your job,” he continued, “will be to get everything that you have so far together and amass as much more as you possibly can in the ensuing 30 days and we’re going to take those…. pardon me, I have to remember where I am and who I’m talking to….. we’re going to take those no good criminals to court and plaster them to the wall. I want as airtight a case as we can get.

“Now Campinieri is going to feel the pressure and he’s going to try to batten down the hatches, I’ll run interference on my side.”

“You’re playing a dangerous game Sir.” said Jamie.

“Aren’t we all, detective? If you’re going to put yourself on the line, I”m there with you! Frost, your family is going to get lost. You won’t even know where they are until its safe to tell you and there will only be secure communications from them to you. You will not be able to call them. My top people are on that now. Mikey will try to get to your family, but its not gonna happen. I’ve thought this all out and I think its gonna work. Still needs some massaging, but if you have any suggestions….nows the time. I’m all ears.”

Darin and Brandon had a few questions about some rough parts in the plan and helped the Commissioner to better develop some other parts that he hadn’t considered. Jamie sat back, listened, petted Max and learned. They came up with so many things that she never even considered. Jamie knew inside that this was going to work and that, one way or another, Campinieri and family were going down.

Everybody was as bit apprehensive before the meeting but God had worked it out nicely.

“One other thing, said the Commissioner everything about this operation points back directly to me. Nobody else gets implicated so if…..well never mind.”

But everybody knew exactly what the Commissioner was thinking. If anything happened and things were discovered….he was the top level guy. Campinieri would be coming after him.

“We’ll solidify everything in the next few days. No “unusual” contact with my office. Just the normal stuff. We don’t want to raise any flags. I’ll make secure communications with you when things are ready.”

With that the Commissioner rose and left without saying another word.

“Wow,” said Darin, “I don’t know what Campinieri did to him, but I feel sorry for Mikey. The Commissioner is throwing everything he has at him.”

“Let me tell you something kid,” said Brandon York, “A lot of years ago, when the Commissioner was brand new Captain, the family tried to get him on the take. He resisted. One night there was an attempted robbery at this house—at least that’s the way the report reads—the Commissioner took five bullets, one to the throat—-hence the gruff voice—his wife bought it that night. The word on the street was that the Campinieiris ordered the hit. Mikey’s father was in control then. Word is Mikey was the trigger man. Nobody knows, never been proven, except that the Commissioner says he never forgets a voice and Mikey liked to brag to his men while he did his jobs. It’s been a lot of years and the Commissioner has come a long, long way. But you can bet, first and foremost on his mind is that one way or another, he’s gonna get Mikey Campinieri. Now what you just heard doesn’t leave this office. Lets get to work.”