Read Online The Killing Hands by P.D. Martin - Free Book Online Page B

My first point of contact, as always, is Brady’s assistant, Melissa. She’s got her finger on the pulse and seems to know a helluva lot of people in L.A. law enforcement. Maybe her knowledge extends to the State Department and, if not, I’m sure she’ll be able to point me in the right direction.
    Sure enough, a couple of phone calls later, I’m on the line with Lara Rodriguez from the US State Department.
    â€œHi, Ms Rodriguez. I’m Special Agent Sophie Anderson with the FBI.”
    â€œHey. What can I do for you, Sophie? And please, call me Lara.”
    â€œThanks, Lara. We’ve got a John Doe who we think may be a foreign national. I’d like to e-mail you his prints for you to check your database.”
    â€œSure.” She spells out her e-mail address.
    â€œI’ll send the prints to you now.”
    â€œI’ll give you a call the minute I get something.”
    â€œThat’d be great. Thanks.” I’d missed a call when I was talking to Rodriguez, so I dial up my voice mail. Ramos.
    â€œHi, Anderson. Joe De Luca from the DEA can’t meet us until late this afternoon, so I’ve set up a five-thirty with him. Catch ya later.”
    I delete the message and add the 5:30 p.m. appointment into my calendar. Time to do some walking. My first stop is Agent Pasha Petrov, who reports to George Rosen and heads up the FBI’s gang unit here in L.A. Petrov’s first-generation American, and speaks fluent Russian. It makes him a major asset for dealing with organized crime run by the Russians in L.A. He consults to at least a couple of the Safe Streets task forces in L.A. Petrov also happens to share a surname with a nasty serial killer I was lucky enough to apprehend—but Petrov is a very common name in Russia and Bulgaria.
    He looks up as I approach. “Agent Anderson. What brings you here?” His ice-blue eyes contrast his friendly tone, but I’m used to his eyes now and realize they’re alert rather than cold. This is the first time I’ve come directly to Petrov, although we see each other in the weekly division-head meetings. Over the past few months I’ve discovered he’s worked for the FBI in New York as well as L.A. and has particular experience with the Russian Mafia and to a lesser extent some of the Asian gangs and organized crime operations.
    â€œHey. I’m looking into a John Doe, and it seems it might be gang related.”
    â€œWhat you got so far?”
    â€œVictim was found in Little Tokyo early Sunday morning. Detective Ramos from LAPD sent around an e-mail with his pic and we heard back from Agent Joe De Luca at DEA. Our John Doe was photographed coming out of a house in Long Beach.”
    â€œYeah, I saw that e-mail from the LAPD. And I know Joe. We both consult to the Los Angeles Gang Impact Team.”
    â€œSafe Streets?” I ask, also noticing the use of Agent De Luca’s first name—they must know each other well.
    â€œThat’s right. The Gang Impact Team is this area’s Safe Streets task force.”
    I nod. “Is there anyone else I should be talking to? Other task forces?”
    â€œThe e-mail should be enough for the moment. It would have gone to all the relevant people. You meeting with Joe?”
    â€œYeah, five-thirty this afternoon.”
    He nods. “De Luca is good. He knows what he’s doing.”
    â€œWhat about the ATF?”
    â€œI’ll give the L.A. head a quick call but he would have got the e-mail with the pics, too.”
    â€œGreat. That’s it. See you at tomorrow’s meeting.”
    Petrov gives me a mock salute. “See you then. And keep me in the loop on this one.”
    With the fingerprints moving and my ass covered in terms of who should know about our vic’s possible connection with the Asian Boyz, I’ve got some time up my sleeve. I could continue working this case, or I could try to get a chunk done on the arcade