Interlude Sixteen point Two, The Wanderer has an Idea
McNally and the Wanderer met in their usual coffee shop, and Wanderer
asked McNally about the latest two killings.
"Our friend is definately involved.
The street punks are running scared
in the areas he most frequents," said McNally. "The chunk of docks where the
killer is most commonly working has shown a step drop in street crime and
most pushers/dealers avoid it entirely now." McNally was a little
ambivalent. "I can't condone murder, of course, but these guys are
slime. The world is better off without 'em for the most part, and the
streets are a little safer for most folks. Still, it's wrong and I wish
we could bring him in."
"Any leads? or patterns of striking?" asked the Wanderer over a cup of hot
chocolate as he stirred the dark liquid with a french fry.
"No, dammit. Same MO as always: out of nowhere he strikes, sometimes
against
two or three armed punks at the same time. They all take daggers and he
walks away clean," McNally slapped the table in frustration.
The Wanderer slurped his hot chocolate and asked "Still the same goop in
the daggers?"
McNally nodded, "One of 'em. The other one got bare steel. That one also
hit with more force. We're working on the assumption that he actually
planted that one himself rather than throwing it."
"I imagine your cronies feel the same way you do about his choice of
targets?" The Wanderer stuffed a couple of fries into his mouth and
followed up as McNally paused. "Nobody is stepping up to be a decoy, eh?"
"Not yet, but just between you and me, some of the undercover boys
are getting a little nervous."
"I can imagine. Maybe he needs a bigger fish to fry?" the Wanderer paused
as the waitress ambled over and snapped her gum a few times while refilling
McNally's mug. When she left, he continued "Think we can smoke him out?
maybe put some word on the street about a new supplier in town?"
"Maybe, but his MO hits the street level. The only times it's gone
up from there it's almost been by accident," said McNally. "Unless you
know something I don't."
"Nah, he's sticking with the small fish so far," answered the Wanderer.
"Maybe its time for me to become a businessman, you got some buddies in
vice who want to buy what I'm selling?"
"Maybe," said McNally, "just maybe. Let me see what we can come up with."
"Goodie," exclaimed the Wanderer. "A couple of phony buys on the mean
streets of Port Alexander, and maybe we'll get a visit."
"Call me next week, and we'll see what we can set up," said McNally.
Last Updated 17 October 2001
