“Nope. I’m taking a limo for the day, including any prostitute visits I have to make. I’ll have a driver who knows to keep their mouth shut and drive. I’ll write Diego scenes all the way to Seattle and back again.”
“You don’t mean Clyde, do you, Muerto?”
“Why yes, Payaso, that’s exactly who I mean. Clyde and I are just like brothers.”
“He hates your guts.”
“Okay then… step brothers.”
Chapter Thirteen
Seattle Safe Once More
In front of Seattle’s West Precinct building, Nick exited the black Lincoln Towncar dressed in a dark gray tailored suit, giving Bacall a wave. “I’ll call you when I need a ride to our next destination, Clyde. You can get something to eat or hang around here. I don’t know yet how long I’ll be.”
“I’ll get something to eat.” The moment Nick closed the door, Bacall sped off.
Kids today… ungrateful weasels. Nick spotted Tim and Grace walking toward him. Tim smiled, but Grace gave Nick the death stare. “Hello, my fellow Marshals. How have you been? Anything frightful happen in your negotiations with the Great Kate?”
Grace relaxed as Nick mentioned someone she despised more than Nick. “Great Kate? Heh…heh, good one. We just left a meeting with her. She bitched when we were here trying to help her before, and she’s bitching because we came back. Great Kate can’t catch the Ripper, but without someone else around to blame, she’s stuck taking calls from the DOJ and media for nonexistent progress reports. Great Kate hates your plan, but she’s been told in no uncertain terms you’ll be running the show with the prostitutes entrapping the Ripper. The Attorney General himself told her on a conference call she is to tell no one about the operation. He warned her if he hears one thing in the media or from another source about anything to do with the operation, he’s going to have her signing visitors in at the Washington Monument.”
“You can only imagine how much Grace loved that conference call,” Tim added.
“Watching Great Kate’s head nearly explode made me get that lovin’ feeling back for you, my little Muerto,” Grace said. “We’re uneasy with this deviation from your normal operation plan of killing everything that moves in and around the target. Tim and I munched popcorn in front of the TV news seeing the Unholy Trio’s actions in Centralia. That YouTube video was horrific, but I’ll bet effective. What’s with the new bring them back alive deal? We figured you’d wave your magic wand, find the Ripper, and put his head on a pike at City Hall with an accompanying El Muerto video.”
“Even Muerto must cool his trail a bit. I’m afraid Mr. Ripper will not get through this unscathed, but I’ll deliver him. I’ll run the show away from the task force. All I need from you two is some interference, and possibly facilitate something I get into the middle of on the street.”
“That works for us,” Tim replied. “We like your plan. I pray to God you can keep your bait alive and well or the Great Kate will throw us all under the bus so fast the driver will think we were speed bumps.”
“Let’s go meet the Great Kate, and get this initial crap storm out of the way. My buddy Paul put in a word with the FBI Director. I have him on speed dial. I’m sure the pep talk from the big boss set Great Kate on a helpful path, but in case she forgets her place, I have someone else closer to her paycheck to talk with.”
“Well c’mon then, Muerto,” Grace said. “I’m hoping she shoots her mouth off so I can listen to the resulting call to the FBI Director.”
“That’s fine, but remember to not lose your head and start spouting the Muerto tag. You did good with that Lieutenant Moragado in Charleston. Let’s try to get Great Kate on board with this even though she can’t stop it anyway. She might be vindictive enough get fired over leaking our operation just to screw us over at any cost. I don’t have to tell you that would go badly for her. The good guys and gals under Muerto’s protection do not suffer casualties because of ego maniacs in authority.”
Grace glanced over at Nick. “Understood.”
*
Agent in charge Kaitlin Anderson listened to the introduction from Marshal Stanwick with arms folded over chest in classic defensive body language. She ignored Nick’s outstretched hand. “So you’re the savior novelist they flew in to dump on me with, huh McCarty?”
There goes the kill them with kindness gambit. “That’s US Marshal McCarty, Agent Anderson. One more word out of you other than professional help offered on the case, and I have a direct line to the FBI Director. I have been told he will deal with you personally if you get in the way of my operation.”