Chapter 22
I SURE DIDN’T SEE any way out of this sticky mess, and neither did anyone else. That’s why Mahoney had called me in, hoping I might have an idea to bail him out.
And of course, misery loves company, especially on a sunny afternoon when everybody wants to be anywhere but in the middle of a potential shoot-‘em-up where people would probably die.
The first situation briefing took place in a nearby grade-school auditorium. It was jam-packed with Washington police personnel, but also FBI agents, including key members from the Hostage Rescue Team. HRT was ready to roll if it came to that, and it looked like it might happen soon.
Near the end of the briefing, Captain Tim Moran, the head of SWAT for the metro police, restated the facts as he knew them. He had to be in a highly emotional state, for obvious reasons, but he appeared calm and in control. I knew Moran from my years on the force and respected his courage. Even more, I respected his integrity, and never more than I did that afternoon when he might have to go against his own men.
“To sum up the situation, the target is a four-story building where black-tar heroin was being turned into powder and a lot of cash. We have at least a dozen drug-lab workers inside, mostly women. We have the lab’s guards ? well armed and on at least three floors. Looks like about a dozen of them, too. And we have six SWAT members who attempted a robbery and got trapped inside.
“They apparently have a quantity of the heroin and cash in their possession. They’re pinned down between drug dealers and other personnel on the top floors, and about half a dozen more armed guards who showed up while the robbery was in progress. At this point we’re in a Mexican standoff. We’ve made initial contact with both sides. Nobody wants to give in. I guess they figure, what do they have to lose, or gain? So they’re just sitting tight.”
Tim Moran continued in a calm voice. “Because there are members of SWAT inside, given the complications of it, the Hostage Rescue Team will take the lead here. Metro will give our full cooperation to the FBI.”
Captain Moran’s summation was clear and concise, and it had taken some guts to hand the operation over to the FBI. But it was the right thing to do if somebody had to go inside and possibly fire on the SWAT guys. Even if they were bad cops, they were still cops. It didn’t sit well with any of us to have to shoot at our brothers.
Ned Mahoney leaned in close to me. “Now what do we do, Einstein? HRT is caught in the middle of a shit sandwich. See why I wanted you here?”
“Yeah, well, excuse me if I don’t fall all over myself thanking you.”
“Ah, you’re welcome anyway,” said Mahoney, and he punched my arm in a bullshit gesture of camaraderie that made us both laugh.