Book Excerpts
“License and registration please,” I asked.
He was young, 20 something, tall and skinny. He looked as though he had to fold himself up in order to fit himself into the car.
“Do you know why I stopped you?” I inquired.
“Speeding” was his one word response.
He wrestled a small money clip from his pants’ front pocket that held his driver’s license and carefully folded bills in place, and reached over to his glove box and unlatched it. Inside the compartment was like the rest of the car: neat, clean, and orderly. He then handed me the license and carefully unfolded registration. He had a goofy look about him, but not a hair out of place and neat as a pin.
Chapter 3
The One That Got Away
He was young, 20 something, tall and skinny. He looked as though he had to fold himself up in order to fit himself into the car.
“Do you know why I stopped you?” I inquired.
“Speeding” was his one word response.
He wrestled a small money clip from his pants’ front pocket that held his driver’s license and carefully folded bills in place, and reached over to his glove box and unlatched it. Inside the compartment was like the rest of the car: neat, clean, and orderly. He then handed me the license and carefully unfolded registration. He had a goofy look about him, but not a hair out of place and neat as a pin.
Chapter 3
The One That Got Away
This S.W.A.T. callout would call for the arrest of a savage that had only hours earlier called his estranged wife to meet him in the front yard of the home she had just rented near Olympia Washington, then shot her several times and stood over her body and glistened into her dying eyes as she slowly lost the grip to her life. He then left her body in front of the home where her children would find her. Fifty miles later he stopped in the driveway of his home in Bonney Lake Washington, entered his home, locked the doors behind him, climbed into his bed, snuggled with his gun and whiskey, and awaited the cops. We would not disappoint him.
Chapter 6
Four, Three, Two, One, Execute!
Chapter 6
Four, Three, Two, One, Execute!
Detective, I use the word lightly with because you lied to me. Cops are not supposed to lie, yet you did and did it so well that I fully believed you, never even thought you were a cop. You looked like me, how is it you cops say, dirt bag. You’re worse, a lying dirt bag. I hope you’re happy, my life is ruined and I’m going to rot for years in this hell hole you put me in. When I get out I hope I RUN into you.
Chapter 10
Letters from Prison
It was mid 1980s and smoking in bars was perfectly acceptable but damn, if this place had a smoke detector it had given up before noon, and the bar was packed for a Saturday night. We moved slowly through the crowd, watching, making eye contact but not holding it, just long enough to let them know, “yes, I see you” then move to the next. I usually stop and give the bartender some time; people in the bar would see us talking and in appearance to them, as though we were working together, so to speak. When I was doing these alone, I would move through a bar slowly and deliberately, as though I owned the place, something I had learned from Carl. Pig was learning this and he walked as if he owned the joint. I watched him closely; he moved well but I could tell he was counting “outlaw” bikers. After about 5 minutes he wandered out the back door. He hadn’t been long when he returned. As he entered the main bar area he made eye contact with me, and a bit of a grin. Pig worked his way to me and said “one bike, 8 bikers.” I winked and told him to post.
Chapter 13
Comancheros
Chapter 13
Comancheros
Another problem presented itself, not like the one we had just evaded but a deadlier one, one that kills over time. We both immediately noticed it. Although it was dark in the garage, our eyes watered, throats burned, and every breath made our lungs scream. I swept the garage with my weapon mounted light and revealed our refuge was a cooking boiling red phosphorous methamphetamine lab.
Chapter 17
Shit Happens
Chapter 17
Shit Happens
I had a copy of Jordan’s rap sheet and one of his dad’s. I held up dad’s sheet and began reading the crimes off for Jordan to hear easily.
“Burglary, burglary, vehicle theft, theft and it goes on and on,” I said to Jordan.
“I’m no angel, I already know that,” he said.
“I wasn’t reading your rap sheet; that was your dad’s.”
Quiet, not a word; we just stared at each other.
“And if I’m still working 20 years from now I’ll read yours to your son that will be seated where you are now. The failure as a father results in sins of the son, he will turn out just like you and your dad” piling it on and it had the desired effect.
Chapter 20
Failures of Fathers; Sins of their Sons
“Burglary, burglary, vehicle theft, theft and it goes on and on,” I said to Jordan.
“I’m no angel, I already know that,” he said.
“I wasn’t reading your rap sheet; that was your dad’s.”
Quiet, not a word; we just stared at each other.
“And if I’m still working 20 years from now I’ll read yours to your son that will be seated where you are now. The failure as a father results in sins of the son, he will turn out just like you and your dad” piling it on and it had the desired effect.
Chapter 20
Failures of Fathers; Sins of their Sons
I already knew what was about to happen. The gangsters had been fighting and flashing signs at each other, basically, gangster shit. Fair cops had gotten involved, but didn’t want to write reports, just wanted them out of the fairgrounds, and they did so, roughly, so to speak. Some gangsters moved out of the gates talking their crap, others were physically tossed out and all were pissed off. Once outside they would turn their rage on normal everyday citizens. Gangsters would verbally insult women and children and the men of the family would protest, kind of what was expected of the man of the family, and he would flat out get his ass kicked in front of his screaming wife and terrorized children. It was like it had all been scripted. It was the responsibility of Puyallup PD to not allow this, and tonight was no different.
Chapter 22
Mace Rain
Chapter 22
Mace Rain
“Sorry, I was sound asleep, keep this gun under my pillow, you startled me, give me 5 minutes I’ll be ready,” he said.
“Yeah right,” I mumbled as I walked out not buying a single line of this bullshit display; it was planned out, but why?
Actually it was the first card pulled off his now dwindling house of cards career; he should have never let me in his home. I stepped into the kitchen area to await the idiot getting ready for work. That’s when I spotted it: a buck knife; not just any buck knife, but my buck knife. It had come up missing in the previous months and I had given up all hope of ever finding it again. I examined the knife closely; no doubt about it, it was mine and Justin had it. I had put out a note to the department that the knife was missing and if you were to see it, put it in my locker, and then I thanked them in advance. Fucking Justin had stolen it from my locker.
Chapter 25
Cop on Cop
“Yeah right,” I mumbled as I walked out not buying a single line of this bullshit display; it was planned out, but why?
Actually it was the first card pulled off his now dwindling house of cards career; he should have never let me in his home. I stepped into the kitchen area to await the idiot getting ready for work. That’s when I spotted it: a buck knife; not just any buck knife, but my buck knife. It had come up missing in the previous months and I had given up all hope of ever finding it again. I examined the knife closely; no doubt about it, it was mine and Justin had it. I had put out a note to the department that the knife was missing and if you were to see it, put it in my locker, and then I thanked them in advance. Fucking Justin had stolen it from my locker.
Chapter 25
Cop on Cop
Between the two front seats one of the dogs had left a fresh pile doggy poop, coiled neatly like a freshly served soft ice crème cone. I grinned at the sight. I know there is a God and he just used the dogs to serve up justice for Frank.
I smiled as I slid my flashlight into a sap pocket of my trousers. I slowly began walking in circles around the car. I used my right knuckle of my right hand to tap on the side of the car so the dogs inside could follow my movements circling the car. I kept count but lost after seven trips around the car. The dogs were having a fit, bouncing all over the car and at me circling it, slowly. I continued my movements and the dogs continued theirs. As I came to a stop at the driver door window, I slowly eased my flashlight from my sap pocket and brought it to bear on the driver’s window. In a flash I saw what I predicted would occur: dog poop spread throughout the interior of the car. It was even on the driver’s window. What an asshole I thought of myself. But I was no coward and would not slink away in the night. I noticed that Pig had been watching from a distance probably wondering what the heck I was up to.
Chapter 26
Dances with Dogs
I smiled as I slid my flashlight into a sap pocket of my trousers. I slowly began walking in circles around the car. I used my right knuckle of my right hand to tap on the side of the car so the dogs inside could follow my movements circling the car. I kept count but lost after seven trips around the car. The dogs were having a fit, bouncing all over the car and at me circling it, slowly. I continued my movements and the dogs continued theirs. As I came to a stop at the driver door window, I slowly eased my flashlight from my sap pocket and brought it to bear on the driver’s window. In a flash I saw what I predicted would occur: dog poop spread throughout the interior of the car. It was even on the driver’s window. What an asshole I thought of myself. But I was no coward and would not slink away in the night. I noticed that Pig had been watching from a distance probably wondering what the heck I was up to.
Chapter 26
Dances with Dogs
“When I arrived,” I hesitated wanting them to wonder if I was still talking about arriving in Hawaii or the apartment, “the front door was open and a lady and man appeared in front of me. The man was covered with blood but not from any stab wounds, just head lacerations and he refused medical aid and said he would get himself fixed up. The two began to tell me what had happened. The suspect was known to them. It was the lady’s old boyfriend and long since gone, she thought. Earlier that night he had shown up at the front door hoping to reconcile the relationship but learned of her new boyfriend. He had left the apartment upset and mad but showed no signs of violence. After going to bed they were awakened by the sounds of glass breaking in the kitchen and discovered “Author” had returned, smelled of liquor and had a large hunting knife. Very few words were spoken and suddenly Author went after the new boyfriend and tried to stab him. The boyfriend was able to grab the hand and arm that Author held the knife with, and the lady called the police.
Chapter 30
Shoot, Don't Shoot
Chapter 30
Shoot, Don't Shoot