Not in the Cards Read online

  “Besides, even if they did manage to slide someone in, they’re hunting a different animal than we are.”

  “Because they aren’t satisfied with catching the thin man.”

  Connie shook her head. “Nope, they’re not. They want Mr. Big.”

  Delta’s eyes sparkled. “If they’re not gonna go after him, then—”

  “We are. And I think the best way to do it is a two-pronged approach.”

  Her adrenaline surging, Delta leaned closer. She knew Connie would formulate a plan. It had only been a matter of time. “Prong number one?”

  Connie smiled. “We have a beautiful Camaro in the compound— cherry red, fast. And Smith says we can have it for a week.”

  Delta’s eyes lit up. “It’s worth a shot, don’t you think?”

  Another cop strode past them and Connie pushed a button for the screen saver to appear.

  “I can rig the computer to say that Officer so-and-so needs to inspect the vehicle for a couple of days. Do you think one is enough?”

  “Got any others?”

  Returning to the screen, Connie pulled up a menu of cars held in the compound. “We have a blue ’65 Mustang, but nothing else that compares to that red Camaro.”

  “Then skip it. How long can you get it for?”

  “A week, tops.”

  Delta shrugged. “Can you get a bug for it?”

  Nodding, Connie picked up the phone.

  Delta checked her watch; after two in the morning. “Isn’t it a bit late to call someone?”

  “Nah. Electronic wizards rarely sleep.” Putting her mouth to the receiver, Connie spoke into it. “Sal? It’s Connie Rivera. How’s our project coming along?” Connie made her hand like a duck and moved it in a talking motion. “Yeah, I need that wireless tap we spoke about earlier. No, I need a stronger one than that. Let’s say with a range of up to ten miles with a motion detector. You can? Great. No, I’ll be over later this morning to pick it up. I’ll also pick up that business card.” Connie listened for a moment. “It’s hooked up just to the machine, right? Excellent. You’re a gem. I’ll tell her you send your love, yes. Thanks a bunch, Sal.”

  Hanging up the phone, Connie turned to Delta and smiled. “Done. Sal’s a great connection. The tap will act as a homing device with a range of up to ten miles. It will begin beeping as soon as there’s movement. I’ll get you the radio receiver and a transmitter as well.”

  “What will it do?”

  “When the Camaro starts to move, the beeper sounds. When your vehicle starts moving, you look at the little picture and it will show you a green flashing dot, which is the stolen vehicle, and a red flashing dot, which is your unit. That way, you know where you are in relation to the stolen vehicle. It’s all laid out in a grid system. Sal showed it to me once. Pretty incredible stuff.”

  Delta shook her head. She was constantly amazed at technological advances. “Wow.”

  Connie nodded and grinned. “It’s a better way of tailing a suspect minimizing the chance of being spotted. The feds have something like it, but Sal’s is mostly military stuff.”

  Delta held up a hand to stop her. “I don’t want to know.”

  “Oh, yeah. Anyway, I’ll get it from Sal. You’ll just keep the receiver with you at all times and you’ll know when the car is grabbed.”

  “Okay. Prong number two.”

  Connie pushed the screen saver button again before scooting closer to Delta. “What we’re dealing with here are pedophiles. Last night, I read Krueger’s Analysis of the Behavioral Patterns and Conditions of Pedophilia.”

  “Certainly not the best bedtime reading,” Delta said coldly.

  “No, but I learned a great deal. Pedophiles enjoy correspondence and contact with other people like themselves. As if their sickness is some kind of a social club. What we need to do is become part of the local club.”

  Delta shuddered. “That’s such a gross thought.”

  “Yes, it is. But it’s also our best strategy. I’ve located the name of a fellow who organizes the local meetings and get-togethers.”

  “Get-togethers? These people actually meet?”

  “Yep. They even have their own newsletter. Believe it or not, the guy who runs the meetings out of Kempt’s Porn Palace is the vice president of the River Valley Baseball Program.” Connie grinned. “I got that little gem from one of the guys working the kiddie-crime unit. He’s an asset so they’ve let him continue to appear to be on the inside.”

  “Okay, so the VP of the baseball program may be our first contact.”

  “Right, but we’l need to be careful. We don’t want to burn a Fed asset who is involved in the Rene Guyon underground group.”

  Delta hadn’t heard the name before. “Rene Guyon?”

  Connie paused while a clerk set a file on her desk. “It’s a group for pedophiles who like to engage in sex with younger children. Their motto is `sex before eight or else it’s too late.’”

  Delta’s stomach heaved slightly. “Sick.”

  “No kidding. They even have a newsletter outlining upcoming events. There’s a membership of more than 1,000 people countrywide, and the Los Angeles and surrounding communities crowd meets tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow night? Can we be ready by tomorrow night?”

  “We have to be.” Connie shuffled through some three-by-five cards and plucked one from the deck. “My source thinks they may even be previewing one of the videos.”

  “Where?”

  “That was the only thing he didn’t know. It’s the secrecy that makes me think we’re onto something big. That, and the fact that this meeting was called in such a hurry.”

  “So now what? This doesn’t do us any good if we don’t know where they’re going to be.”

  “I’ve covered that as well. What you need to do is go undercover to Kempt’s and ask for Fibber.”

  “Fibber?”

  Connie sighed. “Yeah. As in Fibber McGee and Molly. Pedophiles tend to use nicknames from children’s shows.”

  “Okay, I go to Kempt’s and ask for Fibber. What’s going to make him tell me?”

  “Oh, ye of little faith. Hand Fibber a $100 bill folded around your membership card and ask him what’s shaking.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Connie’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look like I’m kidding? Del, these people have to be extremely careful. You know what inmates do to pedophiles in jail.”

  Chills ran down Delta’s arms. “Where do I get this membership card?”

  “One’s being made as we speak. It has a seal of some sort, so it’s taking a little while to duplicate one, but you’ll have it before you go. It says you’re from out of state, in case Fibber or anyone else wants to know why they haven’t seen you at any of the local meetings.”

  “Should I ask how you got your hands on one?”

  Connie shook her head. “Better not to. Plausible denial and all that.”

  Delta inhaled a deep breath. “I don’t like you hanging out on a limb by yourself."

  She shook her head.

  Connie smirked. “Not your call, my friend. .”

  “Anything else?”

  “Yeah. When you get to the place where the meeting is being held, you knock on the door and say that you hear they have some good pie.”

  “Pie?”

  “Yeah. It stands for Pedophile Information Exchange. It’s actually based out of London and has branches here in the States. Anyway, that should get you through the door. After that, the rest is up to you.”

  “You my back-up?”

  Connie nodded. “Wouldn’t have it any other way. Just remember, no matter how disgusted you might get, these aren’t the people we want. Just view them as stepping stones.”

  “Will I have cash with me in there?”

  “No. That’s too obvious. Remember, these people still retain their freedom because they are discreet. Just make some inquiries, watch the video, and leave the business card I’m picking up from Sal.”


  “Business card? For what?”

  “You’re going fishing tomorrow night and we need the little fishes to have some place to call if they take the bait. Sal has a phone line that’s just hooked up to an answering machine. The machine is then attached to her beeper. The moment the phone rings, her beeper goes off and she can get the message the second it’s recorded.”

  “Amazing. Do I get to meet this woman?”

  Connie grinned. “Soon. You’ll like her. She’s one of a kind.”

  “Then it’s all set. I drop some hints, we wait for them to pick up the bait, and then—”

  “And then we have to be very careful. If they bite, we won’t be dealing with pedophiles any longer. We’ll be dealing with kidnappers and murderers.”

  Delta thought about Helen, and about Casey and Colin. She wanted the killers. She wanted the people for whom there was no hiding behind the First Amendment. “Don’t worry. I won’t blow it.”

  “Great. Kiddie porn cases take a long time to unfold, so time is not on our side. The porn ring must know how close the feds are and will want to make a quick buck and an even quicker escape.”

  Reaching out, Delta laid her hand on Connie’s wrist. “Does anything ever escape you? This is incredible work in such a short time.”

  Connie laid her other hand on top of Delta’s. “I saw that look in your eyes the moment you knew they were coming our way. I knew you’d go after them. I just didn’t want you going off half-cocked, that’s all. Besides, I’m the brightest woman we know. It wasn’t that hard.”

  “I only hope my performance can match yours.”

  Connie’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, it had better. My only foes were the computer and time. Your enemy will be men with guns and blood-stained hands. You have to be better than good.”

  “Right. Anything else?”

  “Yeah. When’s the last time you talked to your girlfriend?”

  Delta sighed. She hated it when Connie came at her from out of the blue. “Well, I was hoping—”

  “Hoping won’t do it.” Picking up the phone again, Connie dialed and handed the receiver to Delta. “Tell her you’re on your way over.”

  Taking the phone from Connie, Delta sighed again. When Megan answered the phone, her voice was sleepy. “Hello?”

  “Hi, babe, it’s me.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I’m sorry to wake you up, but I was wondering if you’d like me to come over.” Delta could hear Megan wrestling with the covers.

  “I have a test in the morning, Del, or I’d love to.”

  “What about after? Want to have lunch?”

  “Um, well, Elizabeth and Terry want to go shopping for some clothes for their exchange trip. They’re going to Costa Rica.”

  Delta frowned. Who in the hell were Elizabeth and Terry, and why were they going to Costa Rica? Had Megan mentioned this once and Delta hadn’t listened? Suddenly, Delta felt very out of touch. “Sounds like fun. Where did you meet these women again?”

  “Meet them? Delta, they’re in my Intro to Law class, remember? I told you all about them and the exchange trip they’re going on this summer. Don’t you remember?”

  Delta didn’t. “Oh, yeah, I forgot. It’s late, that’s all.”

  Megan yawned into the phone. “Love? Is there something wrong?”

  Wrong? Megan was hanging around women Delta had never met, going off shopping and frolicking and who knows what, and Delta didn’t even remember hearing their names before. How could she be so apart from her lover’s life?

  “Uh, no, there’s nothing wrong.”

  Connie frowned at Delta and prodded her with a pointy finger to the shoulder.

  “It’s just that I feel a little disconnected from you. It feels like we are in different orbits.”

  “Then let’s spend some time together.”

  “Great. Can we do lunch or dinner tomorrow?”

  “Oh, I can’t. Paige has the lead in the musical and we’re all going out to dinner before the curtain opens.”

  Paige? Who in the hell was she? “Okay. You tell me the night.”

  “How about Wednesday night? I get off at 9:00, but we can go out after.”

  “I can’t. I have a class in Crime Scene Preservation. It’s over at 10:00 and then I have to go to work. I’m off Thursday night. What about then?”

  “Hmm. That doesn’t work for me. The animation festival is in town and a bunch of us from my paralegal class are going.” Megan paused and sighed. “I didn’t realize I was so busy. I’m sorry, baby. Friday works for me.“

  “Then let’s make it Friday night. Just the two of us.”

  Megan yawned again. “Sounds great. Keep your calendar clear, okay?”

  “You, too.”

  “I will. I’m exhausted. Be safe. Know that I miss you. .”

  The line was silent for a moment and Delta wondered if Megan was still on the other end. “Meg?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  “I know. I’m beat, honey. Can we talk tomorrow? I can barely keep my eyes open.”

  “Yeah. Sure. Later. Goodnight.”

  Click.

  Delta slowly replaced the phone in the cradle. “Looks like I’m free until Friday night.”

  “Del—”

  “Save it, Con. Megan and I will find our way. These are just growing pains, right? I have seventy-two hours to myself and I’m going to use every second I can to find these assholes and bring them in.”

  Connie frowned, but said nothing.

  “I’m going to Kempt’s tomorrow and we’ll set this whole action rolling.”

  “Don’t you make a move without me, Storm.”

  Delta forced a smile. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  “How do I look?”

  Connie stepped back and jammed her hands on her hips. “Gee, I don’t know. What’s a pervert supposed to look like?”

  Delta studied herself in the mirror. She looked appropriately wealthy, yet subdued enough to be believable. Believability was the key. They had to get their marks to take the bait now, or they would never piece this mess together.

  “Got some money?”

  Connie nodded. “Yeah, but don’t use it unless you have to. Flashing too much dough is a dead give away.”

  Delta turned and stared at Connie. “Mind using a different cliché— perhaps one without the word ‘dead?’ ” Delta adjusted her skirt and flicked off some lint. “God, how do women wear these blasted things? They’re so uncomfortable.” Pulling up the slack in her nylons, Delta shook her head. “And these are the worst. I’ll just bet some man invented them.”

  “Del, I don’t think I have ever heard you whine as much as you have tonight. It’s only for a few hours.”

  “A few hours? Some women wear them all day. If I had to wear a dress to be a cop, I don’t think I could do it.”

  Connie just shook her head.

  “And how do you keep the crotch from sagging? It feels like I’m wearing diapers.”

  “Keep your legs together,” Connie said, handing Delta a wad of $100 bills. “Hell, how should I know? I only own one dress and it’s a sun dress.”

  “Well, next time, let’s use that one, ’cause these nylons suck.”

  Grabbing the rest of their things, Connie pulled Delta out the door. Twenty minutes later, Connie pulled into the parking lot behind Kempt’s Porn Palace. “You okay?”

  Delta inhaled slowly to steady her nerves. “I am. I can’t say the same for my nylons.”

  Pulling out a small notepad, Connie flipped it open and scanned it quickly. “Okay, the guy at the counter with the reddish hair is Fibber. There should be a second guy called Philip. Apparently, Phil doesn’t know anything. All set?”

  Delta pulled her nylons up one last time. “Yep.”

  “Here’s your membership card. It’s not a fake, like I thought. So if they call that chapter’s president and ask if you exist, you really do.”

  “I’m impr
essed. You’ve got some pretty incredible connections, you know that?”

  Connie nodded. “All to keep you safer, my dear. Del, please be careful in there. I don’t need to tell you how dangerous these kind can be. Don’t get cocky.”

  “Cocky? Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I thought I was ‘mellowing.’”

  Connie couldn’t stop her grin. “Play it safe, Storm.”

  Delta saluted her. “Will do, boss.” Opening the door, Delta stepped unsurely on her high heels. “It’s a wonder podiatrists don’t make the FDA put health warnings on pumps. These are horrible. They’re the perfect compliment to the equally hazardous nylon droop.”

  Connie ignored her. “I’ll drive around to the front so I can have a good view of the front door. If anything gets weird—”

  “I’ll holler.” Delta checked to make sure the tiny microphone attached to the back of her necklace was still there. It was the smallest mike she’d ever seen.

  “Be careful, Del. I mean it.”

  Delta winked and walked around the corner and into the store. Kempt’s Porn Palace reminded Delta of a maggot’s nest—dark, creepy corners where even creepier people writhed from one aisle to the next, avoiding eye contact with the other maggots. Occasionally, there was heavy breathing in the video section, as a handful of men previewed the latest, hottest porn flicks. Of the dozen or so people in the store, Delta was one of two women. It was for that reason she and Connie believed no one would suspect her as a plant. Delta had to smile inwardly when her presence obviously made some men uncomfortable, like the first female reporter in the NFL lockeroom.

  Delta casually browsed through the video section, staying far away from the men who carried their hands in their pockets. She felt like a hen walking through a foxhole, as men peered out from under magazines, books, and video machines at her long legs.

  After ten minutes of idle browsing, Delta pulled the baseball cap down on her forehead before strolling over to the front counter where Fibber sat reading a Voyeur magazine.

  “Can I help you?” Fibber asked, not removing his eyes from the magazine. He rhythmically popped his gum as he switched it from one side of his mouth to the other.