Douglas Dorow - The Ninth District

“Yeah.”

“What’s going on, Jack?”

“Nothing.”

“Jack?”

“Well, something.” Jack sat down on the step again. “You may see it on the news tonight. Somebody took a shot at me while I was out for my run this morning.” Jack heard Julie suck in a breath. “Don’t worry. I’m OK. I think it was the Governor. I don’t think he knows where you guys are staying, but I came over to your mom and dad’s to check it out. To make sure he didn’t come over here. Where are your mom and dad?”

“They decided to go up to the cabin.”

“That’s what I figured. Are you going up there?”

“We were planning to stay here for the Fourth, remember? We’re going to Nicollet Island together,” Julie said.

Together, she said together, Jack thought. They should be safe in a crowd and if he was with them he could keep an eye on them. “Sorry, with all this stuff going on I forgot what day it was. I can’t wait for the four of us to hang out together, but I don’t want you staying at your mom and dad’s and,” Jack hated saying it, “I don’t think you should come home. Where else could you stay tonight?”

“Jack, I can’t put somebody else out tonight. It’s the Fourth of July weekend. People have plans. You don’t think we’d be OK at Mom and Dad’s?”

“I’d sleep better tonight knowing you weren’t here. How about you guys go down to the Marriot at the old depot downtown, the one with the waterpark. I’ll get you a room and bring you your clothes and swimsuits. The kids can swim and you can sleep in.”

“You know what we need?”

“I’m sitting at your parents’. I’ll throw some stuff together and drop it off for you at the hotel. You’ll have fun, I’ll sleep better, and I’ll pick you guys up in the morning and we’ll walk over to Nicollet Island to spend the day.”

Now it was Julie’s turn to be quiet. Jack listened to the silence on the other end; the only sound was the voices of his kids in the background arguing over something.

“Jules?”

“OK. We have some other stuff to do today. We’ll get that done and go to the hotel.”

“Pinky promise me you’re not coming over here.”

“I promise,” Julie said.

“I’m really serious, Jules. You have to stay away, lay low, take it easy.”

“I promise, Jack.”

“OK. I’ll get the stuff, leave it at the hotel, and I’ll pick you guys up tomorrow morning at nine? We’ll get some breakfast together.”

“The kids are looking forward to tomorrow.”

“Me too. Turn off your phone and check for messages at the hotel. This guy knows his stuff and he’ll track you if he knows your phone number.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I’m serious. Turn your phone off. I’ll get you a different one.”

“OK, Jack. Talk to you later. Be careful.”

“Always am.”

Jack held the phone to his ear to make sure Jules wasn’t still there, not wanting to let go. Finally he flipped the phone shut, got up, and got the key out again from its hiding spot and went in to gather his family’s things for the next few days.

“Junior, any news?”

“There’s a team working the river sites. Nothing’s turned up yet. You OK?”

“Yeah. I’m cleaned up and ready to get to work. You ready for some field work?” Jack asked.

“What’s the plan?”

Jack pulled his car into the convenience store lot and stopped at the gas pump. “I have to get some gas and cash and then I’ll pick you up. Be ready to go in fifteen minutes. Bring the files with you so we can take a look at them.”

Jack stopped the Mercury Cougar outside the door of the FBI offices to pick up Ross. “Come on, Junior,” Jack said to the windshield. There was a lot to do and he wanted to get going. He took another drink of the convenience store coffee and grimaced at the bitter taste of the lukewarm beverage. He opened the car door and poured the coffee onto the parking lot. The passenger door opened and Ross got in.

“Had enough coffee?”

“Enough of that coffee. Buckle up; we have a lot to do.” Jack put the car in drive and drove out of the lot while Junior struggled with the seat belt with his one good arm.

“You sure you’re OK, Jack?” Junior asked.

“Patty’s been shot. I’m OK, but I’m pissed.” Jack turned left through a yellow light, and then made a quick right into the drive of the Marriott Hotel at the downtown Depot, a refurbished train station that now housed a hotel, water park, and indoor ice-skating rink.

“What’re we doing here?” Ross asked the empty driver’s seat. Jack was already out of the car and walking back to the trunk. Ross fumbled with the seat belt and opened the door. “You want me to come with you, Jack?”

“Yep, let’s go. This is the first stop.” Jack didn’t stop to check on Ross. Instead, he walked straight up to the front desk.

“Can I help you, sir?” The college-aged woman with blonde, shoulder length hair smiled at Jack.

Jack returned her smile. “Hi…,” Jack searched for her name tag, and Ross joined him at the counter. “Hailey. I need two rooms, preferably across from each other. One with two beds for a woman with two children, the other room can have one or two beds.”

Hailey directed her attention to her computer. “Let me see what we have available.” She guided the mouse as she searched. Her manicured nails clicked on the computer keys.

“Above the ground floor,” Ross added.

Jack looked at Ross, nodded, and turned to Hailey. “Right, above the ground floor.” Jack was glad Ross was along. He may be beat up, but he was thinking straight and had figured out what was going on.

“I have two rooms on the second floor, across the hall from each other. Both have two queen-size beds.” Hailey looked at Jack, then quickly glanced at Ross, his face, and then the arm in its sling and she smiled again at Jack.

“Sounds great, I’ll take them.”

“Did you want the water park package too?”

“For the room with the mom and her two kids.”

“What credit card did you want to put this on?”

Jack took out his wallet. “I’ll be paying in cash.”

“That’s fine, sir, but I still need a card in case there are other charges.”

Jack laid his FBI credentials on the counter in front of the young woman. She looked down and then back and forth from Ross to Jack. Jack leaned forward and spoke in a husky whisper. “I need to pay in cash and I can’t have anybody be able to track these rooms right now.” Hailey nodded, the smile gone from her face, and Jack continued. “I’ll put one room under Julie Jacobson.” He spelled the last name and looked at Ross. “That’s her maiden name.”

“The second room?” Hailey asked.

“Just a minute. Are you working the check-in desk for a while?”

“I’ll be here all day.”

“I’ll have her ask for you. She may be looking for a room under Miller, but please don’t put that in the computer.” Jack smiled, still leaning forward on the counter.

“Not a problem, sir. And the second room?”

“Hailey Fruen.” Jack pocketed his credentials. “And Ms. Jacobson isn’t to know about the second room. Check them in, give them their water park passes and let them enjoy the evening. If they want anything else, keep the bill and I’ll cover it when they check out.”

“You can just pay later, sir.” Hailey slid card keys to both rooms across the counter to Jack. “The elevator to the second floor is down the hall on your left.”

“Thank you, Hailey. I’ll put their bags in their room and return the key to you in a few minutes. Remember, this is to be kept quiet and no word of the second room to Ms. Jacobson.”