Chapter 34: Bad Apples

Monday morning, Ed awoke in his plush bedroom.

He did his morning routine, then he left for the family room.

Ellen met him there. They hugged.

“Did you sleep well, dear?” she asked.

“Yes, thanks.”

Ed was eyeing the coffee pot when his phone rang.

“Hello, Ed?”

“Yes, what’s up?”

“Officer Ouray here. I just heard some news.”

“Let me put the phone on speaker so Ellen can hear.”

He put it on speaker. “Okay, go ahead.”

“That kidnapper we arrested yesterday. He was found dead in his cell this morning.”

“Oh, wow!” said Ellen.

“A death in police custody is unusual, I assume.”

“It certainly is. I’m glad I’m not in charge of the investigation, or I’d be pretty embarrassed right now.”

“I’d suspect an inside job.”

“Me too, but you don’t point the finger at your colleagues. I suspect he was silenced to protect others.”

“Which means there’s still a threat. Thank you for the warning.”

“I don’t want to see any harm come to you, Ed. Stay safe.”

The call ended.

Ellen hugged Ed. “Do you want me to increase the security detail?”

“I suggest you inform them and let them decide what level is appropriate.”

“Agreed.” Ellen picked up her phone and talked with her head of security.

“Done.”

The ghost of a dead henchman awoke, floating inside a police cell.

“What happened?” he said.

“You’re dead,” came a voice from nearby. It sounded familiar.

“I’m dead?”

“Yes. Look around you.”

The henchman ghost floated and turned around. Another ghost was in the corner, staring at him.

“Do I know you?” he asked.

“I should say so. You killed me and dumped me in the lake.”

“Okay, now I remember. You’re that thief who lost the diamonds. But how did I die?”

“You became a liability. The boss had you killed, same as he had me killed.”

“My memory is a little fuzzy.”

“Do you remember the attorney who visited you last night, after they arrested you?”

“Yes.”

“He wasn’t there to prepare your defense. The boss sent him to check if you were going to rat him out.”

“And the boss ordered a hit on me?”

“Exactly. Pretty ballsy to do it inside police headquarters. He must have an inside man.”

“Yeah. So now I’m dead?”

“You and me both.”

“What do we do now?”

“You can stay here or you could accompany me. We both know the boss was the one who called the hit on us.”

“I think I’ll come with you. I’m curious, and I don’t want to stay here.”

“Follow me.”

The thief-ghost and the henchman-ghost floated out through the wall.

Sara floated in the air above police headquarters. With the sunrise, commuters drove to work.

She sighed. It used to be her driving to work. She had a bright future as a detective. That was all behind her now.

Two ghosts floated up toward her, interrupting her thoughts.

“Excuse us, but we’d like to talk with you,” said one ghost, one she recalled from yesterday. He was the one she didn’t like.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I’d like to introduce you to the kidnapper you helped apprehend yesterday. He died in his cell last night.”

Sara looked at the second ghost. “You died in police custody? That shouldn’t happen!”

“And yet here I am, dead. They killed me to stop me from talking.”

Sara looked shocked.

“We were hoping you could help us. We know who killed us. We could tell your friend, and he could tell the police,” he said.

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Revenge. Our former boss had both of us killed. We’d like to see him convicted.”

“And do you have enough information to convict him?” she asked.

“I think so. We know where all the bodies are buried,” said the henchman-ghost.

“In his case, literally. I was more into thieving,” said the thief-ghost.

Although Sara didn’t enjoy the company of criminals, this was a gift that fell into her lap.

“Okay, I’ll take you to see Ed. You should know since you kidnapped his niece, he might not be so open to helping you,” she said.

“Understood.”

“You better not be messing with me. You get one chance. Be ready to share everything you have.”

“Understood and agreed.”

Sara led the two ghosts, and they left police headquarters.

Around midday, Sara and the two ghosts arrived at the mansion. They floated into the family room.

“Hello, Sara. Hey, Ellen, Sara is here,” said Ed.

“Pardon this interruption, but I brought two ghosts who’d like to speak with you. It’s important.”

The two ghosts moved forwards, the thief and the henchman.

“And who are these?”

“One of them helped me locate the kidnapper yesterday. The other is the kidnapper. He died last night,” said Sara.

“I heard about that. Died in police custody, no less.”

“Yes. Tricky business. Both are villains, but they want to give evidence on their former employer. It could take a bite out of organized crime.”

Ed turned to face the two ghosts. “So, you want to testify against your boss? You need me to tell the police?” he asked.

They both nodded.

“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t help you two because you kidnapped my niece. Since one of you died in police headquarters, it means your boss is still out there, and my family is still at risk,” said Ed.

They both nodded again.

“If I help you, do you have enough information to convict this boss and shut down his organization?” asked Ed.

“We do. We promise. Nothing would make us happier than to lock him up and shut down his business,” said the thief-ghost.

Ed turned to Sara. “I can take it from here. Thank you for bringing them.”

“I’d be glad to leave them in your company. Personally, I’d rather not see them again.”

Sara then vanished, leaving Ed and Ellen and two ghosts.

“I have to call in a police officer who trusts me. When he arrives, you tell me everything and I will tell him. Got it?”

They both nodded.

Ed took out his phone and made a call.

Officer Ouray was driving when he got a call from Ed. He pulled over and answered.

“Hello, Ed.”

“Please come over to our place. It’s urgent. Bring your notebook and pencil.”

“Okay. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

He ended the call and pulled back into traffic.

Within twenty minutes, he drove past the front gate and up to the main entrance.

Ed stood outside.

Officer Ouray got out of his police cruiser. “Were you waiting here for me?”

“No, the guard at the front gate called us.”

They walked inside and to the family room. The two ghosts lingered in a corner. Ellen had left.

“So, what’s this about?” he asked.

“That kidnapper who died last night. His ghost arrived this morning, with another ghost. Both worked for the same mob boss.”

“Okay.”

“They want to testify against their former boss.”

“Their testimony is inadmissible as they’re dead.”

“I know that. We’re hoping they can give you information that leads to tangible evidence. Perhaps enough to convict their boss and shut down his organization.”

“It sounds like an ambitious project. I’m not a lead detective, and they’ll question my sources.”

“Understood. Do you want to try?”

“Well, I’m here now, and I trust you. It will depend on the quality of the information,” said Ouray.

“Agreed. Okay, who would like to go first? Remember, it has to be information that leads to evidence. I must repeat what you say to the officer, so if I raise my hand, I want you to pause.”

“I’ll go first,” said henchman-ghost.

The ghost told Ed details of a criminal empire, with evidence to look for. Ed would raise his hand and repeat to Ouray.

A few hours later, Ouray called for a stop.

“Ed, I have a lot here. I need to include some officers I trust on this,” he said.

“Be careful. The mob boss has some people working in police headquarters. We don’t want to warn him.”

“You’re right. Perhaps I should bring in the FBI on this.”

“Do you know some FBI agents you can trust? I know a contact at the CIA,” asked Ed.

“Frankly, I don’t know the FBI. Could you reach out to your contact?”

Ed took out his phone and called Noah Johnson.

“Noah Johnson.”

“This is Ed Tanner, Diamond 9 4 0. I have intel on organized crime, operating in the Seattle area. It’s too hot to share with the police, so I thought of you.”

“Not on an open phone line. Come to my office.”

“I’m bringing a tribal police officer with me. He’s working with me on this.”

“Alright, I’ll see you both soon.”

The call ended. Ed turned to the officer.

“We have an appointment at the CIA.”

Ed then turned to the two ghosts.

“I guess you could join us, or you can tell me where to find you?” he asked.

“We’d better join you. We don’t have a home base anymore.”

Ed and Officer Ouray walked out to his police cruiser, followed by the two ghosts.