Every Breath You Take (21 page)

~~~

Watching the elevator door close, Peter was quiet for a moment. He threw Jake a quizzical glance.

“What’s your read, Jake?”

Jake dragged out a long sigh.

“Well, Peter, it’s like this. Unless Craig Spellman is the demon spawn of Charles Ponzi, Tom Roberts better have his dick protected by an ironclad cup. At least at this moment, the police commissioner is in serious danger of being ‘dickless’ in the next couple of days.”

“And if it’s not Tom?”

“Then we start looking for the whitest, dragon-sized prick we can find. Because, my exalted friend, I’m in a dick-removing mood.”

Chapter 20

Tom Roberts sat up straight in his chair. His normally serene expression tightened with concern.

“I don’t understand, Jake. This is the first I’ve heard that Sammie is staying with you. Does Cynthia know? Damn, I just hung up with her and she didn’t mention anything about Sammie. Did… did something happen at the Center? Was Sammie hurt?”

Jake squinted at the handsome man trying to decipher the Commissioner’s expression to determine what lay below his apparent concern.

“No, she wasn’t hurt. Look, I’m sorry to hit you with this, Tom. Lexie called me to indicate that Sammie was going to stay at the Center for a few days. I understand that Cynthia okayed it. Seems Sammie has been unusually aggressive lately. Particularly to her brother, but also to other children. There was another incident this morning and Lexie suggested that some time at the studio where Sammie could focus on her practice would be helpful.”

Tom put his head in his hands. When he looked up, his eyes were hooded, his brow furrowed.

“Damn, Jake. I’ve been worried about Sammie for a month now. She’s been unusually moody. She and I have a special relationship. We’ve always been exceptionally close. I’m closer to her even more than I am with Donny. Which is surprising since he is a boy. My only boy. But Sammie and I have connected since she was a little girl.”

“Do you have any idea what’s behind her behavior? Anything happening in the household that might be… upsetting her?”

“No, none that jump to mind. Just that she’s been moody with a short fuse. Both Donny and I have been treading carefully around her.”

Jake nodded. “Lexie and I didn’t have time to discuss any specifics but she did mention that Sammie seemed particularly upset with the Korean children at the Center. When Lexie pushed her on it, she burst out that she hates Koreans—especially Korean men. Cynthia couldn’t think of any Korean men who had bothered Sammie. She did say that you have several Korean friends on the force and some that you do business with. You ever noticed that Sammy is uncomfortable with them?”

The police commissioner startled. Jake didn’t miss the flash of anger that flickered in Roberts’s eyes. He waved his hand dismissively.

“That’s ridiculous. Obviously I would know if someone—particularly a man—was bothering Sammie. I don’t know what you or Lexie are thinking but I can assure you, you are barking up the wrong tree if you think that I would ever let anything happen to my daughter.”

Seconds later Roberts’s expression transformed into its customary smoothness but his tone was brusque. “In fact, the more I think about it, Cynthia is correct. This may be the beginning of our baptism into the joys of teenage girls. To be honest I had hoped we would have more time with the sweet young girl that Sammie has always been. But apparently Mother Nature gets the final say. Not us doting fathers who want our little girls to be their princesses forever.”

Jake decided to let the issue drop. After the disconcertingly forthright discussion with Spellman, Roberts was too damned smooth. Jake decided to aim for the fence.

“Tell me, Tom. Who do you think is behind the sale of young Korean girls to the brothels in San Francisco?”

The Commissioner visibly startled.

“What the hell do you mean, Jake? We all know it’s that fucking bastard Young-soo. He has a stranglehold on this city and most of the other large metropolises in the country. That’s what makes it so hard to make a dent here. As good as Dan Rourke and our force is—and Lexie and the rest of you are, I’ll be frank. That fucking Korean—no offense, Councilman—is just too big for us to take down.”

“I don’t disagree that Young-soo is
the
big dog. I don’t even disagree, that we ultimately may not get
him
. But I’ll tell you who we
can
get. Who we
will
get. And that is the fucking son of a bitch who is running San Francisco for Young-soo.”

Roberts shook his head. “I don’t want to rain on your parade, Jake. But do you honestly think with officers as good as Dan Rourke and Mark Peterson that we wouldn’t have captured that guy by now?
If
such a guy existed!”

When Jake just shrugged, Roberts was firm. “Look, I didn’t want to take issue with you in the meeting with the others. But, I profoundly disagree with your assertion. And I’m not just being protective of my territory. I’m convinced that this operation is being run straight out of Korea. They don’t
need
a man on the ground. They’ve got more international connections than we can conceive of.”

Meeting Jake’s penetrating gaze, Roberts threw him a bone. “Obviously you don’t agree, Jake. But if there is such a person, and I repeat, I do not think that there is, we know damn well he resides within the Korean
Jopok
.”

The Commissioner glanced at Peter. “Not to be overly race conscious, Councilman, but I would think that if anyone could break into their operation it would be you.”

A slight smile played over Peter’s lips. “You indicated that you have a few Koreans among
your
cronies. Any of them able to work their way into the Korean mafia—in that they are Korean and all?”

Roberts had the decency to blush.

“Fine. I admit I’m being defensive. But I refuse to believe that anyone besides Young-soo is running this operation. We’ve been on this case 24/7 since you and Alexis had your big show, Councilman. We can’t find a lead anywhere. Christ, man, try getting
daily
personal telephone calls from the Mayor
and
the Governor. And, just in case we didn’t hear them screaming, their fucking aides call every hour on the hour to see what we’ve found since they harassed us 45 minutes ago. Hell, do you think we wouldn’t love to put some poor asshole’s head on a platter and deliver it to the press thirty minutes before the start of the evening news? Call up CNN and tell them to send Anderson Cooper, that we’ve got O.J.-level breaking news?”

Roberts jerked back in his chair, visibly constraining his outburst. Within seconds his smooth professional aura reasserted itself.

He held up his hands.

“Look, I’m sorry. I don’t usually lose my temper. And I have no business turning on the two of you. I’m aware that you are working on this issue as hard as my force is. I just think that you are on the wrong track. Frankly, I don’t mind admitting that we’re in over our heads. This is not a case that is going to be solved by a local police force, even one as sound as the SFPD. This requires a full scale federal operation run out of Homeland Security. I’m not shirking my duty; I’m simply being realistic.”

Jake sized up the police commissioner and made his move.

“We agree that the international sex trade is a multi-billion dollar enterprise and affects every country in the world. We also agree that if it ever is taken down, it will be by an international force of dedicated operatives. However. That does not mean that we all don’t have a responsibility to do our part. To that point, I profoundly disagree with your assertion that there isn’t a Young-soo middleman who is running San Francisco.”

“Jesus, Jake, do you think I wouldn’t know that? That I wouldn’t have learned something that significant months ago? AND if there was a kingpin that I wouldn’t be all over him?”

The Commissioner was visibly riled. “Dammit! What kind of a shop do you think I run? Ever hear of informants, Jake? We have a fleet of them and not one of them has pointed to the presence of a middle man.”

Jake held the Commissioner’s gaze for a long moment and then went in for the kill.

“Perhaps you need better informants, Commissioner.”

Roberts’s smooth expression crumbled. For the second time in their conversation, he lost his usual composure. A red flush crept up his neck and stained both cheeks. His voice was harsh. “Now what the fuck do you mean by that, Jake? And before you answer, let me tell you that I don’t appreciate your insinuations about the ineptitude of my force or of my leadership. You are imposing on our friendship and I damn well do not appreciate it.”

Jake didn’t need to look at Peter to confirm that he’d hit the bull’s eye. This was their unspoken intent. To knock the polished performer off his customary stage. Now to capitalize on the chink in his armor.

“Let me tell you what
I
don’t appreciate, Tom. The other day you insulted Alexis. You blatantly accused her of being responsible for the deaths of three young exploited girls—”

Roberts broke in. “Dammit, Jake. I apologized for that remark. I was wrong. Goddammit. I was frustrated. Alexis knows that. She accepted my apology, why can’t you?”

“Because, Tom, you owe Lexie more than an apology. Practically single-handed she did more than you or Craig Spellman, or the Mayor, or the Governor did to expose the corruption regarding this issue. And before you have a heart attack, turning a blind eye, sweeping an issue under the rug, in my view is the ultimate corruption.”

Jake leaned forward in his chair. “No, Tom. You owe Lexie much more than your apology. You owe her your thanks. Apparently, relentless sleuth that she is, she has better informants than you or your multi-hundred person police force has. It just so happens that Lexie has discovered who
is
running Young-soo’s San Francisco operation.”

Roberts jumped to his feet, the blood draining from his face.

“What? What the fuck are you saying, Jake?”

“You heard me. Because of her ruthless pursuit of the truth, Lexie learned the name of the ringleader. The guy who is running San Francisco for Young-soo. They call him
Hayan-sek Rhyong
, which means the White Dragon.”

Before Roberts could ask, Jake shook his head. “No, we don’t know who the White Dragon is; but we are days if not hours away from determining the bastard’s identity. You see, Tom, thanks to
Lexie’s
informants we know how the kingpin controls the brothel owners. We also know how he brings shipments of girls into this city right under the noses of its illustrious police force. You
are
right about one thing. The
Jopok
is
involved. They contribute their Kkangpae warriors, the enforcers. But it is the White Dragon who calls the shots. And he takes his orders directly from Young-soo.”

“Jesus God, man. Tell me. Who the fuck do you think he is? Christ, I have a right to know!”

Jake shook his head slowly and gazed through hooded eyes at the shaken man.

“I can’t do that, Commissioner.”

At the Commissioner’s growl, Jake added, “We are at a sensitive point. Every minute counts. We can’t trust anyone unless we are confident that they are absolutely leak-proof.”

Tom Roberts rose to his full height then leaned across his desk, his face inches from Jake’s. He practically spit out his words.

“You insufferable, arrogant son of a bitch. I’ll have you arrested for insubordination and—”

Jake quirked a brow and shrugged. “You could try.”

Jake waited a long moment until the Commissioner swallowed visibly and stepped back. He was pale, trembling. Jake held his gaze not allowing him to look away.

“Since we both know you aren’t going to do that, Commissioner, how about you let
your
informants, as good or as bad as they are, know that the sky is about to fall. And that they best let anyone who is guilty know they should prepare for the worst.”

At the doorway, Jake looked back over his shoulder. Roberts had turned his back and was staring out the window. His hands were clenched in tight fists at his sides.

Jake said pleasantly, “By the way, I heard you’re running for Governor. Have to admit I was surprised. It seems to a ‘non-political’ type like me that you got enough on your plate.”

The Commissioner whirled around to face them. Surprisingly, Jake’s jibe seemed to anchor him. Roberts jerked his head contemptuously.

“No, that pipe dream is just one more example of Cynthia trying to make me something I am not.” Bitterness rang through his words. “Apparently selling my soul isn’t enough for her. Opening the doors to every social club in this city, hell, in the country, doesn’t count. Nor does making more money than a thousand Cynthia’s could spend in a lifetime—to the point that I don’t recognize myself when I look in the mirror. What more does she want? My blood?”

Jake breathed out a long, hard breath and considered the towering man who looked as though he’d aged ten years in the last ten minutes. Jake’s voice was low, hard.

“I can’t answer that, Tom. Some bargains are too evil to excuse.”

Following Peter through the doorway, Jake turned back and said as though as an afterthought, “Oh, and one more thing.
I
choose my friends, Tom. Carefully. They are men and women I would go to my grave to protect. They would do the same for me. Sorry, Commissioner, but you are not my friend.”

~~~

“You are prepared? Tomorrow is another test of your competence. An opportunity to confirm that I wasn’t foolish to believe you could handle this level of work.”

“I should be insulted. But I’m not. I’ve done every damn thing you’ve told me to do. They don’t call me the White Dragon for nothing. Do you think I don’t know the importance of dragons in Korean culture? I consider the moniker a tribute, a sign of respect.”

“That remark only confirms your foolishness. My chosen emissaries sneer at respect. They seek one thing and one thing only. To be feared. The way that you fear me.”