Christ, I haven't even had coffee yet. Bad sign.
"Special Investigations Unit, Lieutenant Williams."
"Wow, big words now. What's wrong with just SIU? You think you're some big freaking deal now?"
"Hey Cheeks, to what do I owe the honor of this call?"
Josh listened as retired Detective Lieutenant Chris Hamlin laughed on the other end of the line.
"Can I buy you a drink after work? I should say, once you leave the PD after pretending to work."
"Oh shit," Josh replied, "this is going to cost me more than the price of a drink, isn't it? I've gotta start paying attention to caller ID."
"Now, now, my former protégé, have I ever steered you wrong?"
Josh replied, "I don't think I need to answer."
"I kept you out of prison."
"Well, to be more accurate, you pointed me towards an attorney who did. However, I won't argue semantics. Where will you be?"
"Amsterdam's on South Main work for you?"
“Oh shit, this is bad . Should I bring a fake passport and unnumbered weapons?"
"Nothing of the kind, just looking for a little help," Chris answered. "Not to worry."
"You know what Brennan says about those three words."
"Oh yeah, okay. Slight worry," Chris added. "See you there."
* * *
Josh left the SIU office at 5pm, heading to Providence. He wondered what this little favor for Chris would entail.
Chris Hamlin retired from the East Providence PD two years ago. This opened a Lieutenant's position and the job of SIU commander. Josh worked with Hamlin for several years as her assistant commander and now ran the SIU. It was, he believed, the best job in the world.
After retiring, Chris opened a private investigations company called Alpha Babes Investigations. The agency was a consortium of three women, Chris, Vera Johnson, and Margaret 'Maggie' Fleming. The last two made rather unusual private investigators.
Vera Johnson retired after thirty-five years as a librarian for the City of East Providence. Vera and Chris served together in Vietnam treating and transporting the wounded. Margaret Fleming resigned as an Assistant United States attorney after Josh's civil rights trial, citing her unwillingness to work for the former US Attorney, now Senator, Robert Michael Collucci.
The trio developed the idea over a dinner fueled by several Ketel One martinis. It became one of the most successful PI firms in the state. They handled cases ranging from the standard domestic fare to international clients.
Josh parked on South Main Street. He walked several blocks to Amsterdam's, a small, pub-style restaurant. The pub offered seating along the river.
As he entered the pub, he spied several Judges sitting at the bar. One of the Judges waved, the others looked and then turned away. The rest of the crowd was a mixture of people solving the world's problems.
Josh ordered a glass of wine and found a table outside, along the river. He preferred being outside enjoying the waning afternoon sun warming the view of the walkway and riverfront, a central part of the Providence Renaissance.
Chris and Vera walked into the pub, and then spotted him through the window. Walking over, they sat with him.
"Nice of you to make it, Cheeks," Josh said. "Don’t worry, I got my own drink."
"Poor boy," Chris answered, "I see you found a spot away from all your friends inside. Nobody invite you to join them?"
Josh laughed. "Bastards almost ran out when they saw me."
"Well, can you blame them?" Chris smiled, "You do associate with an unsavory defense lawyer who helped you beat the rap."
Josh shook his head and smiled, "Okay, you've dragged me down to your part of the world, what, pray tell, do you need?"
Chris looked at Vera and nodded.
"Josh," Vera spoke, leaning on the table, "I am the one who needs the favor. It's my niece I want to help."
Josh looked at Vera, "Anything you need, Vera. If I can help, I'll be happy to."
"You might want to hear the whole story first," Chris added.
Josh looked at Chris and back at Vera. "Okay Vera, let's send
"Special Investigations Unit, Lieutenant Williams."
"Wow, big words now. What's wrong with just SIU? You think you're some big freaking deal now?"
"Hey Cheeks, to what do I owe the honor of this call?"
Josh listened as retired Detective Lieutenant Chris Hamlin laughed on the other end of the line.
"Can I buy you a drink after work? I should say, once you leave the PD after pretending to work."
"Oh shit," Josh replied, "this is going to cost me more than the price of a drink, isn't it? I've gotta start paying attention to caller ID."
"Now, now, my former protégé, have I ever steered you wrong?"
Josh replied, "I don't think I need to answer."
"I kept you out of prison."
"Well, to be more accurate, you pointed me towards an attorney who did. However, I won't argue semantics. Where will you be?"
"Amsterdam's on South Main work for you?"
“Oh shit, this is bad . Should I bring a fake passport and unnumbered weapons?"
"Nothing of the kind, just looking for a little help," Chris answered. "Not to worry."
"You know what Brennan says about those three words."
"Oh yeah, okay. Slight worry," Chris added. "See you there."
* * *
Josh left the SIU office at 5pm, heading to Providence. He wondered what this little favor for Chris would entail.
Chris Hamlin retired from the East Providence PD two years ago. This opened a Lieutenant's position and the job of SIU commander. Josh worked with Hamlin for several years as her assistant commander and now ran the SIU. It was, he believed, the best job in the world.
After retiring, Chris opened a private investigations company called Alpha Babes Investigations. The agency was a consortium of three women, Chris, Vera Johnson, and Margaret 'Maggie' Fleming. The last two made rather unusual private investigators.
Vera Johnson retired after thirty-five years as a librarian for the City of East Providence. Vera and Chris served together in Vietnam treating and transporting the wounded. Margaret Fleming resigned as an Assistant United States attorney after Josh's civil rights trial, citing her unwillingness to work for the former US Attorney, now Senator, Robert Michael Collucci.
The trio developed the idea over a dinner fueled by several Ketel One martinis. It became one of the most successful PI firms in the state. They handled cases ranging from the standard domestic fare to international clients.
Josh parked on South Main Street. He walked several blocks to Amsterdam's, a small, pub-style restaurant. The pub offered seating along the river.
As he entered the pub, he spied several Judges sitting at the bar. One of the Judges waved, the others looked and then turned away. The rest of the crowd was a mixture of people solving the world's problems.
Josh ordered a glass of wine and found a table outside, along the river. He preferred being outside enjoying the waning afternoon sun warming the view of the walkway and riverfront, a central part of the Providence Renaissance.
Chris and Vera walked into the pub, and then spotted him through the window. Walking over, they sat with him.
"Nice of you to make it, Cheeks," Josh said. "Don’t worry, I got my own drink."
"Poor boy," Chris answered, "I see you found a spot away from all your friends inside. Nobody invite you to join them?"
Josh laughed. "Bastards almost ran out when they saw me."
"Well, can you blame them?" Chris smiled, "You do associate with an unsavory defense lawyer who helped you beat the rap."
Josh shook his head and smiled, "Okay, you've dragged me down to your part of the world, what, pray tell, do you need?"
Chris looked at Vera and nodded.
"Josh," Vera spoke, leaning on the table, "I am the one who needs the favor. It's my niece I want to help."
Josh looked at Vera, "Anything you need, Vera. If I can help, I'll be happy to."
"You might want to hear the whole story first," Chris added.
Josh looked at Chris and back at Vera. "Okay Vera, let's send
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