“Daughter of Darkness!” Rachel’s voice ended Jean’s lesson. “She’s a cop. We don’t hurt cops, you ninny.”
Jean released Bently and helped her up, wishing she could mouth about ten insults on her Mom while doing it. “Chief Dickerson will be here shortly. Go over by your patrol car, Officer Bently. If you stay here, I will arrest you for impeding a federal investigation and case.”
Bently eyeballed Jean, rubbing circulation back into her hand.
Sonny walked forward with a hand in cautioning manner. “Please do as Jean says. Your meat wagon and the Chief will be here shortly. We’re not your enemy. The only action Marshal McCarty had was to kill this young man before he turned his hideaway weapon on us. Quinn? Escort Officer Bently over to her patrol car.”
Quinn grinned at Bently as he moved to do Sonny’s bidding. “C’mon, Suz. The only thing that could happen here is Jean kicking the crap out of you. We’re here to help, not get into fights with police officers.”
Quinn’s voice had a soothing effect on Bently, who looked up at the six and a half foot tall Quinn’s lean features with an acknowledging nod. She let him lead her over to the patrol car. Furlough moved nearer the still kneeling gang members who Benny had motioned Sammy over to watch.
Furlough gestured at Squiggy’s crew with exasperation. “This shit happens on an increasing basis here. Pacific Grove was a tourist’s favorite destination, where we literally used to only have a mild theft arrest or disorderly conduct charge. For the last decade gang intrusions mixed with the escalating terrorist refugee problems have turned a simple tourist city into a small war zone at times. Ah… here comes the Chief.”
Chief Neil Dickerson had already left his vehicle and driver with the Monterey County Coroner’s vehicle and an incarceration arrest vehicle right behind it. Neil walked with an annoyed persona straight for Officer Bently, standing next to Quinn by her squad car. She straightened as Dickerson neared them.
“What the hell didn’t you understand about aid and assist these federal agents, Bently?! Marshal McCarty called me on the way over here to let me know you aimed a weapon at his daughter. You’re damn lucky she took it off you before he blew your head off! From now until the end of time you make sure you follow my orders to the letter when I ask in a federal intervention. We have these scum now that have been terrorizing the school and surrounding area. Marshal McCarty’s son, Benny recorded the entire event as bait to draw this gang in front of the school with weapons and drugs.”
Dickerson put a hand over his head in a thought gathering process while Quinn grinned at the mortified Bently. The Chief waved a hand finally in dismissive fashion. “How close, Quinn?”
“With Mom spotting, probably a heartbeat. She doesn’t take kindly to Jean getting drawn on. I think Officer Bently understands we don’t exactly operate within local police guidelines, Chief. We all make mistakes. Jean didn’t frisk the leader, having already wounded him. Dad had to kill him. The little gangster went for a hideaway at his ankle.”
“Oh shit! Rachel was spotting for Nick. Good Lord, Bently! I should put you on administrative leave. You’ve used all your luck up on this one. Stay here with Quinn until I sort the rest of this out.”
“Yes, Sir,” Bently answered.
Chief Dickerson walked over to the scene where the last of the gangbangers were being loaded into the detainee vehicle. The coroner worked quickly around the aforementioned Squiggy, completing his analysis quickly before his two assistants loaded the body for transport. The coroner, Donald Waverly, gave Dickerson a small wave of acknowledgement.
“He’s dead, Neil.”
Dickerson enjoyed that pronouncement for a moment. “Thanks Don for arriving so quickly. I’ll get the first responder reports and my own observations to you before the end of the day.”
“No hurry. I’ve handled Marshal McCarty’s sniper backup operations before. A head shot with his .50 caliber M107 leaves very little need to puzzle over cause of death.” Waverly knelt next to Sammy, stroking the dog’s head. “Damn. I remember this big mutt when he was a small ball of fur yapping around your ankles, Benny.”
“Yes Sir, Sammy’s all grown up and super-smart,” Benny said.
Waverly moved toward his vehicle with a wave. “Good seeing you all. Tell your Dad and Mom hi for me, Jean.”
“Will do,” Jean answered. “Take care, Don.”
“Take Bently and follow the meat wagon, Jim,” Dickerson told the officer.
Jean turned her attention to the Chief then. She shrugged. “I screwed up a little, Uncle Neil.”
“So I heard. Thanks for not ending Bently. I heard from Quinn it was close.”