Big in Japan Ch. 01

"No, it's nowhere as good as that." I said.

"Why do you say that?" asked Nancy Harding.

"Because if it was as good as my sister's, you still wouldn't know it existed." I replied. "But I've interrupted you, Agent Stevens. Please carry on."

"O-kayyy." said Dwight Stevens, a bit shakily. "The bottom line is that we're starting to tighten the nets around the group. And the Yakuza believes that the Takaki have been either behind our actions, or working with us. Ergo, they put out a bounty on Takaki Nagamasa and Takaki Mariko, Misaki's children. They thought Mariko was in Texas, trying to get Jen Sakai to turn double agent and help them against the Chinese. But Mariko was not down there; she's still up here, working with Todd Burke at BOW Enterprises."

I felt as much as saw Teresa's eyes on me. I met her look, and barely noticeably shook my head: no, don't say anything, my eyes conveyed.

"And Mr. Burke's wife showed up in Louisiana," said Nancy Harding, "and spooked them. So they went for her plane instead."

"Soooo," I said, "we need to be on the lookout for someone coming up into my Town & County, and trying to do mischief to Takaki Mariko, Todd Burke, and maybe Teresa again?"

'So we're reading the riddle." Owen Lange said. "How wrong are we?" The TCPD Officers (except Tanya) chuckled at that. The Federal Agents didn't seem to be as amused.

I shook my head. "You're not." I said. "I've reached a similar conclusion, though for other, totally unrelated reasons. Any idea just who we're dealing with? Any super-spies or assassins of whom I need to be aware?"

ATF Agent Nancy Harding said "The Yakuza have trained assassins that root themselves in the traditions of the ancient, legendary ninja. They're assassins that work alone or in small groups, and are virtually unstoppable. They are extremely dangerous."

"Challenge accepted." I said. Teresa nodded vigorously in agreement. Nancy Harding looked utterly shocked.

"There's also the Amida Tong." said Melina, speaking up for the first time. "The name is a fiction, but the Red Chinese Government allegedly has an elite unit that trains as assassins in the traditions of the ninja and the old Persian Assassins. They've come to be known as that, the Amida Tong, in Intelligence circles around the world."

"Why would they be interested in any of this?" asked Nancy Harding.

Melina: "If the Red Chinese want to get their operative Jen Sakai back, or kill her if they think she'll turn back to us, they might send someone from a covert unit like that."

"This just left my pay grade." Jerome Davis said jokingly.

"Not if they're coming here, to our home turf." I replied, very seriously...

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

After the meeting broke up, I invited Karina White and Nancy Harding to my office. They declined my offer of coffee or water, which did not stop me from pouring coffee for myself.

"So, Agent Harding," I said as I sat down, "it's very obvious that you are very expert on the Yakuza and their smuggling operations here in the USA."

"Yes, she is." said Karina White. "That's why I asked the ATF to loan her to us for this investigation."

"I'm based in Seattle." said Nancy Harding. "That's one of the Yakuza's major US operations hubs. I've been after them for years, but this operation in Texas may be our biggest chance ever to really hurt them."

"Good. And I hope you get that big win." I said. Then, after a pause, I said "But what I need to know, for the sake of the safety of my Officer and her husband, who is my nephew, is how the perps knew Teresa was in Lake Charles, and were able to sabotage her aircraft as quickly as they did."

"I... I have no idea, Commander." said Agent Harding. Karina also shrugged and shook her head slowly; she didn't know, either.

"It's just a something to look into, if you're of a mind." I said.

Karina said "You were vague in the meeting, but I get the sense you have ideas in your head that something is going to happen, and soon. Anything you can point out to us, to help us in our mission?"

"Yes." I said. "In spite of all this excitement, don't take your eye off the ball that is the original reason for your investigation. This is still about an illegal whisky and rum smuggling operation..."

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

After all the Feds had left the building, Teresa came to my office. Being a smart Police Officer, the Iron Wolf accepted my offer of a cup of coffee.

"Do you want me to say anything to Tanya over asking about where Mary was?" she asked..

I thought about it for a few seconds, then said "I'll leave it up to you to decide. If and when I say anything, it'll be official and formal, and I don't want to go there."

Teresa nodded, then said "The reason I came in here is because of what they were talking about in the meeting. You and I know that Mariko left for Japan because her father is ill, but the Feds don't seem to know that. So we're not sharing that with them?"

"Noooooo." I said. "First of all, are you absolutely sure Mariko went to Japan?" That caused Teresa's eyes to widen with shock for a second, and then she recovered.

"Uh, Todd was very sure, and he's been keeping in touch with his people in Japan about Misaki-sama's condition." she finally said. "But I guess he could've been tricked, also? So I guess I'm not so sure."

"Well," I said, "I am sure. She's in Japan. So either the Feds know that, and that ruse is part of their operation; or they don't know, and perhaps think Mariko really is still up here in our Town & County. That would explain why Eduardo Escobar came on up, and why ATF Agent Nancy Harding is up here instead of in Texas, where she rightfully should be."

"Damn, this thing is getting really convoluted." Teresa said.

"No, not really." I said. "But listen: I need you and Todd to be very careful for the next few days. Keep your eyes peeled, be on watch for any danger to yourselves and your children. The dangers to you are not over yet, especially if the Enemy thinks Mariko is still here."

"So you're expecting something to happen?" Teresa asked, peering at me.

"I'm hoping not." I replied. "But I won't be shocked if something does happen..."

Part 6 - It's Bourbon Night

Sundown, Friday, September 4th. Teresa, Sheriff Griswold, and I were on the deck of The Cabin. We had several bottles of different whiskeys on the table, and the Sheriff was educating us on them. Teresa would be educating him back on Scotches at a future date, but tonight was bourbon night.

"For a whiskey to be a bourbon," the Sheriff said, "it has to be distilled in America. Not necessarily Kentucky, but definitely in the USA. The mash bill must be at least 51% corn, and distilled to no more than 80% alcohol-by-volume (ABV), i.e. 160 proof. It has to be stored in new, charred oak barrels... the Lumber Lobby got Congress to mandate that one... and put into those containers at no more than 62.5% ABV, or 125 proof."

Sheriff Griswold: "There is no specified aging requirement, but it must be bottled at no less than 40% ABV, or 80 proof. If it's aged at least two years, and has no coloring, flavoring, or other spirits added, it can be called 'straight' bourbon. Bottled-in-bond (BIB) whiskey, which meets certain Government specifications, is aged at least four years."

Sheriff Griswold: "Bourbon is 51% corn, and there is just about always a percentage of malted barley, as that has the natural enzymes to turn the starches into sugars that get fermented into alcohol. Most often it has rye grain, which give a 'spicy' flavor, not in the hot-sauce-spicy sense, but the black pepper sense. Sometimes rye is not used; instead, wheat is used as the other grain. Makers' Mark, Pappy Van Winkle, Larceny, and Weller are 'wheated bourbons'. They generally have a 'softer' taste than the rye bourbons, and rye whiskies."

Sheriff Griswold: "Whiskey that is 51% rye grain is called rye whiskey. Rye that is only 51% rye mash is called 'barely legal'. Canadian Royal's Northern Harvest Rye is 90% rye, and Bulleit Rye is 95% rye. Rye whiskeys faded in popularity after Prohibition, but have been making a comeback. Even Jack Daniels has made a rye whiskey, their first non-bourbon mash bill in over a century, so they say."

Teresa asked "Isn't Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey?"

Griswold: "Jack Daniels qualifies as bourbon that is then taken through what they call the 'Lincoln County process'... their relatively famous charcoal filtering process. That Lincoln County process is what enables Tennessee whiskeys, and the rye, to be given the 'Tennessee' label."

"Does anyone make whiskey that is 51% wheat?" I asked.

"You betcha." replied the Sheriff. "Those are called 'wheat whiskeys'. Old Elk in Colorado makes a 95% wheat, 5% barley mash bill whiskey. And ASW in Atlanta makes a 100% malted rye whiskey, called 'Resurgens'... like the city after Sherman burned it."

"I remember Wild Turkey from college days." I said. "That and Jack Daniels were the big ones to mix Coca-Cola with."

"Har." said the Sheriff. "Funny thing is, Wild Turkey worked on their reputation, and they're now considered to be a premium sipping whiskey, especially their 'Rare Breed' bottling."

I had produced three 'Glen Cairn' glasses for sampling these bourbons. They were tulip shaped, with bulging lower end that tapered to a smaller top, which held the vapors coming off the liquids better. Sherif Griswold poured one of his stash into our glasses.

"This is Angels Envy." the Sheriff said. "It's finished in port wine casks. So, you may know this, but I'll explain anyway for Crowbar's benefit. We call what I just poured a 'pour'... using the word as a noun. Scotch drinkers call their pours 'drams' sometimes. What we do is 'nose' the pour, using the word 'nose' as a verb."

"Obviously someone who'd already had a few drinks came up with that abuse of the English language." Teresa quipped as she 'nosed' her 'pour'. We laughed.

"What do they do with the used casks?" I asked. "By definition, they can't use them again to store and age bourbon."

Teresa said "The Scotch makers buy and use them. The also buy casks that had been used to make sherry or other wines. The bourbon and sherry casks impart flavors to the Scotch, and usually good ones." I nodded.

"This stuff can get complicated pretty quickly." I said.

"And we haven't even begun talking about the chemistry of it all." growled Griswold. "That's for you to tell us, Crowbar."

"I won't bore you with it, at least not tonight." I said.

The Sheriff had us sample some Maker's Mark (wheated bourbon), Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101 ('normal' bourbons), and Bulleit 95% rye, to distinguish between the flavors.

"Wow, spearmint." I said as I sipped the Bulleit 95 Rye.

"You have a good nose. "said the Sheriff. "We call what we smell and taste a 'note'. So you're getting that spearmint note?"

"Yes sir." I said.

"I'm getting a spicy flavor... like when I put too much black pepper on something." Teresa said. As they drank, I saw a nearly-full bottle of Jack Daniels Rye and picked it up.

"That's 70% rye mash bill." said the Sheriff. "The Lincoln County process dulls the spice of the rye, if you ask me. But go ahead and try it."

I did so, rinsing out my Glen Cairn glass with water, then pouring a healthy sample of the JD Rye. "Cheers." I said as I sipped it. A moment later, I said "Wow, I'm getting a banana flavor... er, note."

"Jack Daniels products are well known for having a banana-'ish' note." said Griswold. "What else are you getting?"

"A little bit of the charcoal," I said. "And maybe some... dill?"

"That's from the rye." said Griswold. "As you probably would get from the Bulleit if you really tried." He peered at me, then said "You like that Jack Daniels Rye?" His voice connoted disdainful surprise.

"Yes sir." I said. "In fact, I think I like it best of what we've tasted here."

"You can keep that bottle, then." said the Sheriff. "What do you think of the Maker's Mark, Teresa?"

"It's good, sir." said Teresa, practicing good asskissing skills. "Wheated bourbons taste softer than those with rye in them. Makes me wonder what Pappy Van Winkle is like?"

"Why don't we find out?" said a voice behind us. We turned to see Laura coming up, carrying a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 year Reserve... which sold on secondary markets for $3000 or more a pop. I observed that the bottle was already opened, and was about 80% full.

We cleaned out our glasses and Laura poured us all a 'pour', including one for herself in the glass she'd brought out. We 'nosed' it, then tasted it.

"Mmmm..." said Sheriff Griswold. "So this is what money tastes like." We all chuckled, practicing good asskissing skills.

I said "Maker's Mark was created by a man named Bill Samuels. He didn't have time nor money at first to experiment, so he took the recipes he'd thought of and had loaves of bread made with each one, then went with the one he liked best. But on top of that, he got a lot of help from another expert wheated whiskey maker... a guy named Pappy Van Winkle, whose distillery was making Weller products at the time."

"That's the legend." Laura said. "And I believe it to be true. I'm not sure Pappy is really all that much better than Weller or even Maker's Mark... but like the Sheriff says, it's the taste of money that must make the difference."

"Har." said the Sheriff. I noticed he helped himself to a couple more 'pours' of it, for testing purpose, of course. And I noticed his cheeks becoming rosier and rosier...

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

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

Bowser began barking furiously as my Police iPhone rang at nearly 1:00am, Saturday, September 5th. I had been dozing on the sofa of the greatroom while reading the NTSB report of Weston Windham's plane crash.

"Troy." I said, answering. "Wow.... okay, send a Patrol car up to The Cabin to take me there." While we had stopped drinking relatively early, I did not think it would be wise (nor legal) of me to drive myself.

Bowser watched me most unhappily as I dressed and then put on my armor and gunbelt. I took a few minutes as I waited to be picked up to pet him and soothe his nervousness at my getting a phone call and then leaving. I don't know how he remembered, but that night I was called and walked into an ambush remained fresh in his canine mind. (Author's note: 'Reichenbach', Ch. 03-04.)

Lieutenant Jerome Davis was driving 'his' Police SUV that came and picked me up. As we drove towards the crime scene location, I texted Cindy to go pick up Teresa and bring her to the scene, but to not let her inside without my explicit and personal permission.

"How are things with Inga?" I asked Jerome after I finished sending my texts.

"Well... I'm not sure, sir." Jerome said. "She seems to be recovered, and will be re-qualifying with her service weapon next week. But things with me are going much slower. We go out to lunches, and we talk about things, but it's not like it was before..."

"I hear ya." I said. "Okay, this is the house. Hmmm, it's the house that belonged to Cassie Sanderson. Murder was done here in the past." I gave Jerome a brief synopsis of that case. (Author's note: 'The Hot Wife Photos'.)

Captain Tanya Muscone was already on the scene, as were Detectives Julia Rodriguez and Teddy Parker, who led me to the room that had once been Cassie Sanderson's office/study room. I just looked into the nearly empty room from the door.

The body of the dead man was sitting in a chair, tied to it. He was naked, and I could see that he was fairly tall, broad shouldered, still fit in his mid-30s to possibly early-40s. He had brown hair that appeared to be curly, but was also now matted with blood. Blood was all over the room around the victim, much of it having soaked into the carpet around the chair.

"Sir, you know that phrase about tearing him a new one?" Tanya said as she looked on, eating a lollipop as she did so. "Well, they did... literally. It looks like they gouged out one of his eyes while he was still alive, then they forced an object into his rear end and forced him to sit down on it. I'm not Martha the M.E., but from the blood that poured from him, I suspect that object punctured a kidney. It's also possible that they whacked him on the back over his kidneys until one or both burst."

"He would've bled out quickly, then." I said. "If they were torturing him for information, they weren't going about it very well."

"It may have been their last act on him." said Tanya. "You see the knuckles on his fingers and toes? The purple and the swelling? I think they were crushing his knuckles with pliers, one at a time. Then they went to work on his eye, and then got serious with his ass."

"Okayyyy." I said. "You know my first question: how did we find out about this? Who called it in?"

"Neighbors." said Tanya. "One family across the street, another a couple of doors down, made separate 9-1-1 calls, both reporting hearing noises like screams. And the woman across the street said she saw a light on, and the house has not been occupied for some time."

"That's not quite true, though I would not expect her to know the truth." I said. "Was anyone seen leaving?"

"Yes sir." said Julia Rodriguez. "The woman across the street said a black car backed out of the garage and drove away just before the Police arrived. I called it in to Intel branch, and they are working on getting film footage of the area."

"Good." I said. "Anyone get a fingerprint off this guy?"

"Yes sir." said CSI tech Garst Gailey. "We sent it in on the app to the FBI and State databases. The SBI came up empty, but the FBI inquiry sent a message saying the information was unavailable, and to contact the nearest FBI office for more information. That's a standard message if the prints belong to someone in the FBI, or is the subject of one of their more classified investigations or operations."

"Yes, yes it is." I said. "And I'm not surprised, if this guy is who I think it is------"

Just then we heard a commotion outside. "Teresa's here." I said. "I gave orders to keep her from being allowed in."

"Why can't she come in?" Tanya queried.

"For the same reason I didn't let you into a crime scene once." I said. Tanya's eyes grew wide with shock as she remembered the night Officer Peter M. Feeley was murdered. (Author's note: 'Case of the Black Widow', Ch. 05.)

I excused myself and hurried back to the front door of the house. Teresa Croyle had arrived with Cindy, and was being prevented from entering by several Officers, led by Lt. Rudistan.

"What could possibly be so bad that I'm not allowed to see it?" Teresa was complaining, though not in full 'Teresa Cunt' mode yet. "I don't understand why I can't go inside."

"Because I said so." I said, coming outside.

"Okay, sir, but why not?" Teresa asked.

"Because I don't want you to see what is in there." I replied. "I believe the victim is your ex-husband, Easton Windham..."

To be continued.