White Death (23 page)
I was promoted to sergeant, received the gold medal for Valor, and a bonus of one-thousand-five-hundred dollars. Awarding the medal was an event. The Chief of Police read the citations and presented me with the medal. Ray and Roy were there, along with some other brass. Family and friends were also invited. As I sat down and while others received various awards, Karen gossiped to me how close Jamie and Mike were sitting.
The next day, the FBI called Inspector Ray Schmidt of the Intelligence Division with an unusual request. They noted the only people who know James Sixkiller is a fed are dead, except for Tyrone Jones, who is serving two life sentences. Accordingly, they would like to preserve his identity by spreading false information saying he escaped shortly after capture and is a federal fugitive. Part of the disinformation package includes reports of Sixkiller flying drugs across the Texas border and living in Cartagena, Colombia.
Roy called to ask if I would approve their request. He pointed out the obvious; this was a feeler for whether they could use me again sometime in the future. He also mentioned questioning and arrest by local police is possible but unlikely. An inconvenience the FBI could fix rapidly. I told him to let me consider the proposal.
I called Jamie and asked to meet with her. She knew nothing about it, but tears came to her eyes when I explained the request.
“Haven’t you suffered enough?” she said. “A gold bar to pin on your chest and fifteen-hundred dollars. Have you slowed the drug trade? Most gold medals are awarded posthumously. Maybe you could get another one. What do you think Karen would say?”
“Straight to the point, I see.”
“Karen won’t say no, but her heart will scream it. Jake, how
can you be so smart and so stupid at the same time? Both of us love you, and we know you need more time to heal fully. Another undercover assignment is too intense now. You still suffer from nightmares?”
“Karen told you?”
“Of course. She tells me almost everything about you, especially remaining fallout from the Barranquilla case. Tell them you need more time. Urban police work is enough excitement for now. Say you will consider a proposal in the distant future, and let them make you a fugitive because right now you don’t care what they say or do.”
“I always value your advice, Jamie. Thank you. You and Karen seem tight. Although I had initial doubts, I’m happy about the outcome.”
I changed the subject. “How are things with you and Mike?”
“He’s really sweet,” she beamed.
We hugged, and she kissed me on the forehead. As she walked away, she looked back at me with a mischievous smile.
1
Washington Area Law Enforcement System was an early computerized system which maintained information on such things as outstanding arrest warrants and stolen cars. It was also used by the neighboring counties.
2
In a cage car the prisoner sits in a steel cage which surrounds the back seat.
3
A speedball is a mix of heroin and cocaine.
4
“10-99” is a common code for a one-person unit.
5
A vortac looks like a round cone about ten feet high. It gives any pilot who uses it his position along one of the 360 degrees of a compass. With sufficient altitude, the DME allows the pilot to fly a perfect arc around Cuba and then “home” on the Non-Directional Beacon located on the Matthew Town airport.
6
CDW: Carrying a Deadly weapon, usually a gun.
7
A hummer is a minor thing to be overlooked.
8
Among the most important codes are: 10-33 (policeman in trouble); 10-7 (out of service); 10-8 (in service); 10-20 (location of person or place); 10-4 (two-man unit); and 10-99 (one-man unit).
9
The Major Crimes Act of 1885 gave the federal government jurisdiction over specific heinous crimes committed in Indian country.
10
Pilot’s Operating Handbook or POH.
11
In Florida the state police go by the name of Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
12
Interpol uses seven color-coded notices for different purposes. For example, Yellow is for missing persons; Black is for help with unidentified bodies; and Red is arrest and hold for extradition.
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