PART II Chapter Twenty-four
Kate slept well and woke refreshed. She had just enough Jameson to induce restful sleep but not enough to cause the next day hangover. Kate had a good idea of just where the stopping point was. She would love to go for a run but that wasn’t too likely at the moment. The weather was changing and there had already been enough snowfall to remind her what Boston winters could be like.
Megan was still asleep, or at least still in her room. Kate stuck her head in the door opening and said, “Be careful this morning, we got snow last night. They are expecting close to a foot by this evening.”
Megan replied, “I got a text from the university, classes have been canceled for today, that was why I haven’t gotten up yet. I am just mad I did all that math homework last night and now classes are closed.”
Kate replied, “Now you can just take it easy around the house today.”
Megan responded, “I could make us some hearty soup for dinner tonight.”
Kate said, “That sounds good, go for it.”
Kate made a hot breakfast before going out. Since she couldn’t run anywhere without a dogsled she was happy just cooking a hot breakfast. She would have made enough for Megan but she had no idea when Megan would be getting up. After breakfast Kate put her dishes in their dishwasher and washed the skillets and put them away. After a shower and some makeup Kate would be ready to face the captain. A whip and a chair might be useful but she would just have to try it without them.
The traffic had already been out on the roads. Kate had put chains on her tires and she navigated around town without problems. She had lived in the area for a long time and was used to snow like this. She made her way slowly but steadily to the station. Kate knew there would be a lot more traffic work for the department than anything else.
Cindy had parked just seconds before Kate and they walked together into the station. Kate told her about her plan to get a volunteer to go undercover and try to get inside the gated community
Kate said, “We will wait for a while to talk to the captain. He is going to be busy working out all of the traffic problems. “
Kate waited for the lull in the action to talk to the captain. She stressed that she was working the murder case and not the kidnapping. That is when she told the captain that all of the guys who worked with the victim as a recruiter still were working except she left out about her informant. She told the captain that all of the recruiters delivered their acquired girls inside the gated community.
Kate and Cindy brought up finding a volunteer to go undercover. Kate laid out what would be needed and then she told the captain that she would do it herself but she could never pass as a college student.
Their captain told them he would gather all of the female officers who qualified for this duty and assemble them together so they could ask for a volunteer.
Kate got a text from the captain telling her he had the candidates gathered in the squad room. Kate and Cindy walked to the squad room to explain what they were looking for and then see if anyone volunteered.
Kate told them they were looking for a killer and she didn’t see any interest sparked, but when she said the killer they were looking for was likely the mastermind of a sex-trafficking ring that kidnapped college girls and forced them through drug addiction into the porn industry. After that was added a young woman stepped up to volunteer.
The young girl introduced herself as Karen Richards. She told Kate she was ex-army and was ready to help in any way she could. Kate was impressed so far that this girl who claimed to be twenty-six looked every bit of nineteen. Kate knew she could pass the age test and she was ready to hear about her other qualifications.
Kate invited Karen to come with her and Cindy and they would fill her in on their project. They gathered in Kate’s office that she shared with Cindy and a couple of other officers that were rarely around. Kate began giving Karen some background information about the case. She started by telling her about her daughter waking up in the trunk of a car, but managing to escape. She told her about the man they discovered who had drugged her drink and she told her he had gotten killed.
Karen said, “Okay, you should be happy that asshole is dead.”
Kate replied, “I am, but he was working for someone else, someone who was running a porn studio, using drugged kidnapped college girls and whoever that person was had him killed to shut him up. That is the person who orchestrated the whole thing and I intend to find him.”
Karen responded, “Okay, I understand. Now that I have the facts, I understand what you are doing. So the boss has all of these recruiters hired to drug college girls and bring them to him to use in porn movies while they are still not able to say no. You need someone to pretend to be a college student and hang out at the clubs where girls have been picked up.”
Cindy answered that question, “You are exactly right; you catch on quick.”
Kate said, “I am impressed by your skills and background. I like that you are ex-military and a combat veteran. I think that gives you the stamina you will need for this. I am also ex-military and I appreciate what that means. Hanging out at the clubs would be a good place to start but also hoping you get invited to private parties.”
Karen replied, “I know about your military background. Let me be frank. I saw you in the news a lot when I came home and learned of your military service. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I got back and seeing you helped to inspire me to enter law enforcement.”
Kate responded, “Thank you, I am flattered. The question now is, are you in?”
Karen answered, “I went to war to seek adventure and I guess I got into law enforcement for the same reason. I think it will beat writing speeding tickets.”
Kate responded, “I will take that as a yes. If this goes well, it should accelerate your career. You can go farther here than with years of writing speeding tickets. Since you will be going undercover, we don’t want you to be seen in public with us or any other officers. We will arrange for you to be enrolled in college classes, in case there is someone there who tips off the recruiters.”
Karen asked, “Will I actually be attending classes?”
Kate answered, “Yes, we need to establish you as a student. You need to make some friends so you get invited out clubbing with the girls.”
Karen replied, “Okay I can do that. How will you guys contact me?”
Cindy said, “You will get the full package. We have several outfits that college girls would wear, except for the GPS tracking devices and transmitters that are sewn inside.”
Kate said, “Given the weather we will wait before we get you inside the school. I think you should meet my daughter, she may be able to help.”
Karen replied, “That sounds like a good idea. I bet she could help, she is the one who shot the intruders isn’t she?”
Kate replied, “Yes, she’s the one. At school I don’t want you to seem too friendly with her because someone may be watching her. She was captured and got away, it would be very much the thing for them to do, watch her and see who she talks to. Cindy and I would both love to do this ourselves but we couldn’t pass for a college girl.”
Karen replied, “There is also a matter of you having been in the news. Someone would recognize you and that would be the end of the project.”
Kate said, “We need Megan to meet you. I need to figure a way that wouldn’t have us all seen in public.”
Karen said, “I used to deliver pizzas when I was first back from the army. I still have my uniform and some empty pizza boxes. I come to your house delivering pizza and you invite me in to warm up from the cold.”
Cindy said, “Damn, that is an excellent idea. Can you make it in this weather?”
Karen said, “I have a four wheel drive jeep with chains, I have been able to go wherever I want.”
Kate said, “I guarantee if we pull this off and catch this guy or these guys, I am going to ask to transfer you to my department permanently.”
Karen said, “I would like that.”