Page 59 of Breathless
“He did?” Minchin said. “Wait. Are you Brotherhood Protectors?”
“Yeah, we are,” the same guy said.
“Shit. How did you find this place? The boss thought he was so smart hiding out here,” Minchin said.
“He probably was, but they forgot to take the girls cellphones from them before they left here,” the older man informed him. “And that led us and the police right to this RV park.”
“The police!” Minchin felt like he was about to wet his pants. He recalled what his boss had said about not bailing anyone else out if they got arrested. And he hadn’t even done anything wrong this time, just followed orders. He didn’t even think he’d lawyer up at the precinct then. There would be no need to. “Holy crap are they outside too?”
Asher steppedto the door and motioned for a police officer to come inside and within minutes the man was mirandized, handcuffed, and led out of the RV. Other officers and detectives came inside and started collecting evidence.
Rawlins headed to the bedroom where he found Chaney and Justus. He went to Chaney and kissed her forehead but didn’t disturb her for fear of tampering with evidence as two EMTs entered. A police officer with a camera snapped several shots of the room before he allowed them to start working. Then the EMTs worked with the girls, bringing them around before Asher and Rawlins were asked to carry them out of the RV to waiting stretchers and they were loaded into the ambulance.
“Well, it looks like I should be able to reschedule my flight to Montana for later today,” Kenneally said. “If you don’t need me for anything else? This really wrapped up faster than expected.”
“It really did,” Rawlins said. “If Liberty hadn’t suggested checking their cell numbers and those guys hadn’t overlooked the girls’ phones being on them instead of in their purses that they tossed, we wouldn’t have found them.”
“I hate to say it, but it was pure luck,” Asher said.
“I’m going to call Rafferty and let him know we found them,” Rawlins said. He walked to a quieter spot away from so much of the commotion in the RV park because there was a crowd of people gathered around the storage area trying to see what was going on. Yellow crime scene tape had already been corded off making a perimeter to keep the people back, but that didn’t keep them from trying to get through to get a closer look.
Rawlins pressed send as he walked and heard Rafferty come on the line. He sounded out of breath. “Are you exercising?”
“No, just been walking on crutches down the hallway and back. They had to make sure I could do it a few times before I could go home,” Rafferty explained. “Any updates on the case?”
“Yeah,” Rawlins said. “That’s why I’m calling. We got the girls.”
Rafferty let out a big sigh. “Wonderful.”
Rawlins filled him in on all the details. “Can you believe those guys were dumb enough to toss their purses, not realizing the girls had their cellphones in their back pockets.”
“You should celebrate their so-called stupidity,” Rafferty said. “It’s how you found the girls so fast. What about Warshafsky?”
“Apparently, he’s meeting with someone named Dan at one o’clock today at some bar. The guy that was watching over the girls told us. I can only hope that means he’ll be taken down.”
“That would be ideal,” Rafferty said.
“Let me know when you are getting out and I’ll come get you,” Rawlins said.
Leland was waitingin the back booth at precisely one o’clock when Dan O’Shea came into the bar using a cane and walking slow. Minchin had said he’d been paralyzed on one side after the shooting. And it looked like even after two months of physical therapy at that rehabilitation center, he was still showing signs of not being fully recovered, but he had been released and was supposed to be able to return to work. Leland wasn’t sure what he could have Dan do if he was still using a cane to walk.
Leland got out of the booth to greet him. “Dan, it’s good to see you again. I wasn’t aware you were using a cane.”
“Only a few more days,” he said. “Out of precaution, especially if I’m in unfamiliar areas.”
“I see.” Leland slid back into the booth.
Dan slowly sat on the opposite side and scooted in. “I want to thank you for taking the time to meet and for giving me the opportunity to potentially work with you again.”
“Potentially? Don’t you believe it’s a done deal?” Leland said.
“I know what your man told me when he visited the rehab center and told me to give him a call when I was released,” Dan said. “I also saw the look on your face when you saw me with my cane. I can assure you I am one hundred percent back to normal. It’s been a rough road, but I’ve worked hard to get here. If you feel I am not up to the task, I understand. And if you feel there isn’t anything I can do for you, I understand that as well.”
“I do need a man who understands my business and thankfully, you do that. When I lost Nuchols, Polaski, and Bidle in the raid I lost three good men,” Leland said. “Minchin, even with his faults, is still reliable. You could be that for me I think even though you weren’t with me that long. Because I am having to regroup, bring in more new men. Move my organization from one point in Colorado to another.”
“I’ll do what I can,” Dan said. “As much as I can.”
“I like to hear that,” Leland motioned to the waitress, and she came over. “Bring us…what can you have, Dan?”
