Bad to the Bones(36)
“Or it could just be some guy with the same name.”
“Or it could just be some guy with the same name,” Lytton agreed.
“You do know the Bihari whackos can just get heroin elsewhere. The Marins, the Ochoas, the f*cking Joneses.”
“Ochoas will never sell to them, not after Ford politely asks them not to. Just find out the chain of command down there. Slushy’s got some connections at the border, some lawyer guy named Bloodgood who owes us a favor.”
Knoxie remembered something. He stroked his stubbled chin, thinking. “Bellamy said the heroin was coming from Riker’s Island.” It all made sense now.
Lytton nodded briskly. “There you have it. Riker is out bad as far as we’re concerned, so he should at least have his ink removed, ‘cause I’m sure he’s not flying his colors. Just do your best to track him down. You’re good at that. You and Ford.”
Knoxie cheered up. “Ford’s coming with me?”
“Nah. He can’t risk that. I’m sending you down with Ziggy.”
Knoxie understood. He was the best bet, being a new Prospect who could move around under the radar. “And what about that judge and Pure and Easy councilman in the hospital?” Lytton had interrupted Knoxie’s enjoyable break with Bellamy earlier that morning to tell him that a councilman’s car had broken down on the access road to Bihari yesterday. A few Bihari loonies had stopped to offer “help”, giving them some water to drink while they waited for their mechanic to arrive, presumably Bellamy’s replacement. Later that night, their wives had blazed them to the emergency room, and that was the last anyone heard. And that heads would most likely roll.
“Mann Montana went by to visit Judge Harmon and Councilman Rizzoli early this morning. Turns out it was salmonella poisoning, obviously from the water they drank. Harmon wants to bring first degree assault charges against the loop-de-loops, but what kind of f*cking proof do they have? The loonies just poured them water from their own bottles.”
“Why would they want to poison a judge and councilman? Does anyone ever die from salmonella poisoning?”
“Well, we asked Maddy. She said you can purchase salmonella bacteria from certain medical supply companies. It’s not often fatal. More than likely they wanted to prevent Harmon or Rizzoli from doing something—that’s what we’re trying to figure out. It’d be helpful if we had someone on the inside to gather proof. Maddy could tell them what to look for, certain lab equipment. I don’t want to endanger Bellamy by bringing her back there or anything, but now that she’s got a phone, can she contact anyone in there?”
Knoxie nodded. “I think I’ve got someone inside, don’t need to involve Bellamy. In the meantime, our best shot to take down those bioterrorist nozzles is, hate to say it, through the long arm of the DEA. I want to nail them for more than causing some down south slip’n’slide. I know we don’t work with the law, for good reason, but we can squeeze that swami until he pops, and there’s evidence all over the f*cking place that he’s importing Sinaloa dope.”
“Yeah,” agreed Lytton, “a much more serious charge than assault by poison. But you never know. They got Capone on tax evasion.”
Knoxie said, “The cultists already have a bad enough image in the P&E community. The only people voting for their councilman candidate next week are going to be inside their walls, so an assault charge isn’t going to sway the election one shred. Let me go try and contact my informant.” Knowing he’d have use for Rafael later, he had pried his burner number out of the reluctant CI before cutting him loose. He and Rafael shared the same interests in taking down the same people. Knoxie stepped aside to make the call privately, but Speed waved an arm holding a socket wrench, so he had to go over.
The good-natured doofis said, “Hey, honsquelo. Heard you’re sending Maddy’s old friend Bellamy to help me.”
“That’s right. I hope you don’t mind, but she seems to be a good wrench when it comes to bikes. I’m sure she won’t be able to help much with the heavy equipment.”
Speed nodded. “That’s cool. They said in church we’re going to be protecting her. You can rely on me. I used to have a stupid crush on her when we were teens, but I’m over that now. Tess is my property, my old lady.”
Knoxie chuckled. As if the drop-dead gorgeous Bellamy would pick a cauliflower-headed goon like Speed. He wanted to punch himself, though, when he caught himself thinking, she’d choose me first. She should choose no one. That’s who she should choose while she got the pieces of her personality put back together. “I’m sure she’ll be safe with you, Speed.”
“I’ll give her her own set of tools if she doesn’t have anything.”
“We might be able to liberate some of her stuff within the next couple of days.”
Just as he spoke, Maddy’s cage drove through the open doors of the hangar. She liked to park her ragtop Camaro inside the hangar to avoid sun damage. Knoxie was stunned into silence when Bellamy unfolded herself from the car. She was one fine, long-legged colt, a bit on the skinny side maybe, having been probably underfed up at that nuthouse. But in Madison’s high-heeled boots, long black leggings, tiny jean skirt, and a bomber jacket, Knoxie would be proud to call her a back warmer any day of the year.