The Lady in Blue Ch. 13

"I figured it wouldn't be too long before you called me," Frank said with a chuckle. "You only call when you want something or you want to get rid of something that goes boom."

"That's right, Frank. I'm a needy bitch. You hear about Jordan yet?"

"Who hasn't?" he spat. "That jackass. You are the top homicide cop in the city and he wants to dump you. With a crowd, too. Word is everywhere. Kruger has been in his office for an hour, I hear. Lots of shouting and arm waving. Internal Affairs is sniffing around, too. Man, you like to stir up a hornets nest, don't you? I haven't had this much fun since the hogs ate Uncle George."

"What did you get out of the bomb?" I asked, my heart beating faster at the mention of Kruger. I wasn't going to talk about it, though. If he reversed my firing, I would get a call. Hell, I'd get a call from him soon either way.

"It's against department policy to give information on an investigation to civilians," he said piously.

I shook my head and sighed. "What'll it cost me?"

"Bribery, too?" he asked, shocked. "It's good I'm not in my office where other law-abiding cops hang out."

"Come on, you damned thief. What will pry it loose?" I asked with a smile. "You have your price. A bottle of scotch?"

"Dinner. Dinner and you tell me all the juicy details."

"Done," I agreed. "Give."

"The bomb was made out of common components but the trigger was special made," Frank said. "The circuit board had a part number on it that linked it to a commercial remote detonator used in construction and demolition. One that isn't available to the general public." The sound of satisfaction filtered into his voice. "One that is tracked by the State. Every company that uses them has to account for every single one and there are not many of them. It's a new model. I can text message the companies and numbers to you."

"How about the results of the canvas? You must have called them already." I asked, a bit annoyed. Why the raw information when he could give me the details?

"The Ranger insisted that we send him the information and he would follow up. We were told to hand it over and step back." Frank sounded disgusted.

I was flabbergasted. "Is he crazy or stupid?" I demanded.

"Yes," Frank said bluntly.

Shaking my head, I just accepted that Digger was really as stupid as I thought. Why not use the local resources? That was just plain stupid. "Text me and we'll do dinner as soon as this is done. Frank?"

"Yeah, Killer?"

My voice softened. "Thanks."

"It's us versus them, Kid. Chin up and call me if you need anything."

My step was bouncy as I exited the building. I'd get through this. This was a huge break. I slid on the bike and brought it to life. While I warmed it up, I slid my helmet on and considered calling Lisa. I decided to wait until I had more information.

When I got on the street, I automatically scanned for tails and damned if I didn't spot Digger back there. That was simply not possible. I had lost him and there was no way he picked me up so damned easy! He didn't evenknow about Kotov. My eyes narrowed. Thatbastard!

I took the corner at a roar and began weaving through traffic to blasts of horn and shouts of outrage. I grinned and enjoyed it. Let the asshole follow me through that. I needed a few minutes without him and I would know one way or the other if I was right.

Turning onto Main Street, I cut under the Interstate and into the McDonald's parking lot. I climbed off and yanked off my helmet angrily. "If that chicken-shit bastard did what I think he did, I will getso even!" I muttered to myself as I started looking closely at my bike.

It took less than a minute and I had it in my hand. A tracer with adhesive on it stuck under my seat. That had to have been planted at my house before I picked it up. The fucker had broken into my garage and planted an illegal tracker! There was no way he had a warrant for this! What a cheese-eating bastard.

I started cussing and kicked a rock into the side of the building. The two older bikers with the Hell's Angels jackets in the drive-through just grinned at each other. I opened my mouth to tell them where to stuff it when it came to me that I had an opportunity.

Jogging over to them, I grinned. "Hey, boys. You got a cig for a girl?"

The one closer to me nodded and started digging his pack out. "Sure. Nice bike. We don't see many chicks with a big hog like that. You taken? If not, I'll marry you."

I leaned over and planted the tracer on the license plate and let him have a nice look at my tits, laughing. "Yeah, I have this mean bastard that keeps me on a leash. You from around here?"

He passed over a cigarette and lit me up. Damned things. I puffed it and smiled through the smoke. I had to learn how for undercover work.

"Naw. We're from Hempstead. We just came in to drop off a pal at the bus station." He gestured to the Greyhound station right across the street. "You wanna ride back out with us?"

I shook my head. "I'd love to but my old man would freak. You boys have fun, but keep an eye out. I hear the cops are following bikers this week, looking for drugs."

"Thanks, Sister," the other man said. "We'll keep an eye out and ditch any that try. If your old man gets too tough, you come look us up."

I slid between them and gave each a kiss on the cheek. "I'll do that. Ride safe."

They pulled up and ordered while I jogged back to my bike, laughing to myself. With any luck, Digger would be a while figuring out what I just did to him. Life was sometimes cool.

In a few minutes, I was gliding through the back streets, just so I didn't run into Digger. I felt my phone buzz and pulled over to take a look. It was the list. Less than a dozen companies and their numbers right there. Frank was going to get a big ol' steak.

I pulled off my helmet and sat on the side of the street to start calling them. I knew the talk and one of them would have an unaccounted detonator, probably already reported to the police. At least, if I was lucky.