Dave and I exchanged startled glances. “Um, what else did he say?” I asked.
Mike’s face settled back into its professionally bland look. “Said to find out from you about the rest. All of them clammed up when asked about the guy who was tortured.”
I gave a fleeting look at Lenny, then back to Mike. “I’ll tell you, but the main reason I called was to get whatever information you had about Willie and his whereabouts.”
Dave set his coffee cup down with a loud clunk. “Before we get into that, have you heard anything about the people who were at the workshop? How many injured?”
Lenny nodded. “Twelve hurt, and one died at the hospital.”
My face heated up at that. “Who…”
“An older gentleman had a heart attack,” Lenny said. “Three others are critical, but all are expected to live.”
The stress dissolved when I closed my eyes a second. “Right. Okay, here’s what happened from our perspective…” For several minutes I talked.
“…When I had the hand-to-hand battle with their leader, he slipped and fell down the stairs. Cut his leg with his own knife.”
Mike sighed, shaking his head. “Alright, I’ll bite. How come there’s only blood in the office, and none on the stairs to the basement?”
Dave and I shrugged at the same time.
“Okay, okay. Since your story matches up with those at Wildacres, except everyone clammed up about how the guy in the office was killed, there’s not much else I can do. Unless we arrest all of you, and that wouldn’t go over very well, arresting several dozen people who were defending themselves.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Officially, we don’t condone torture or cold-blooded murder, no matter what the justification. So you’d better hope no one changes their story.”
I took a sip of coffee. “Any information concerning Willie, and where he’s gotten off to?”
“That’s why I’m here,” Lenny said, leaning back. “I’m not released for any work yet, so whatever you or I say to each other is strictly unofficial. You understand?”
I grinned. “Loud and clear, Ma’am. If you get any word about his whereabouts, could you pass it on to me?” We all paused while the waitress made a pass to fill our coffee cups.
“Give me your phone number; I’ll do it, long’s you keep me in the loop of things you find. That okay?”
“So far, all we got was where that van was crossing into Canada.”
Mike nodded. “Glad you called it in. We just heard an hour ago they’d been picked up with thirty kilos of cocaine. That’s another reason you’re not in jail.”
“We’ll gladly pass on information like that,” Dave said. “When our business is finished with Willie, we plan on going back to being normal citizens.” He glanced my way. “That right, Francis?”
I nodded vigorously.
“You might want to re-think that,” Mike said. “Willie’s boss is even worse than him.” He abruptly shut up, an embarrassed look on his face.
Lenny chuckled, wincing with pain as she did so. “Shame on you, Mike. Your vigilante streak is showing. And I’m not so sure about Willie. He might be just as bad, just more discreet about what he does.” She turned back to me. “All that said, Crosby is a bad person, Francis. In fact, Crosby’s a ‘she.’ Once you move on with what you have in mind, she’ll become involved.”
She hesitated, glancing at Mike before continuing. “She controls a large segment of the drug business in the state of Washington, and has for several years. No one’s been able to get anything on her, and most haven’t even heard of her. Any who’ve tried to get close enough to the organization to find out have died.”
Dave looked up from his now-empty coffee cup. “Sounds like you’re daring us, rather than warning us.”
“Might be a bit of both,” Mike said. “Willie seems to be down a chunk of money–somehow lost it from his bank accounts. Not sure how much, but it was enough to buy more than drugs this time. Looks like he’s trying to go into the business of counterfeit money.”
I managed to plaster a surprised look on my face. “Wow, I’d sure like to know. How much fake money we talking about?”
“The Secret Service got word at least two hundred million in counterfeit bills arrived in the U.S. from the North Koreans. That much would cost tens of millions, since we’re talking primo fake money.”
Lenny took an envelope from her purse. “Here’s everything we know about Crosby and Willie’s latest activities. Not sure she knows what Willie’s been doing, but if she finds out her subordinate expanded into something other than drugs and didn’t know about it beforehand, she’ll be pretty unhappy. Feels safer only working with drugs. At least that’s all she’s done for years.”
I took the envelope with a nod of thanks. “We’ll do our best, but only where it impacts our central concern. Removing the risk of reprisals from Willie, and now possibly from his boss.”
“Be careful when it comes to Willie,” Lenny said. “He’s vicious as Crosby when his back’s to the wall.”
Mike looked around the restaurant, which was now half-full. “Time to leave, I think.” As we were getting to our feet, he gripped my hand in a vise-like grip. “Stay safe, Francis.”
I nodded, catching his eye. “I’m not worried about me. It’s the others I’ve come into contact with since I got cross-wise with those punks who were beating up Lenny.”
“Not your fault,” he said, releasing my hand and striding for the door.
Lenny gave me another hug. “He’s right, Francis. It isn’t your fault. If you want to blame someone, blame Willie and Crosby.” With that she was gone, leaving Dave and me staring at each other.
“You sure tensed up when he mentioned the missing money. What’s
