SHUTERBUG

SHUTTERBUG

Kelly pulled into the parking lot, then checked the rearview mirror of her car, followed by the side mirrors, and then she did an over-the-shoulder scan of the area. It didn't look like anyone had followed her this far. She pulled her baseball cap low over her forehead and grabbed a pair of sunglasses that were lying on the console and jammed them on. She quickly walked across the parking lot, up the stairs, and into 52 Division of Toronto Police Services. She moved not so fast as to draw attention to herself but not so slow as to provide an easy target. As she opened the heavy doors to the police department, she surreptitiously scanned the perimeter again and then crossed to the reception desk.

“How can I help you?’ The receptionist's smile was sincere, friendly, and calming.

“I need to talk to an officer,” Kelly said quietly.

“What is this pertaining to?” asked the receptionist.

“I need to speak to someone about the car bombing that took place this week.”

“ Which car bombing would that be?” She asked her smile still bright. She didn’t even bat an eye. Obviously in other realms, this statement would cause a disturbance, however, in police headquarters, such statements and questions were an everyday occurrence.

“The Tony Morelli case, I saw it on the news the other day.”

“You have some information?:

“ Yes. Please, can I just talk to someone privately?”

The receptionist raised her voice, “Carter, front and centre.”

A tall man in a crisp suit unbent from beside the water cooler and shouted back “YOO!”

“Your customer,” the receptionist nodded, waving him over. “This wisecracker is Detective Carter, he can help you if he’s not too busy flirting with the lady cops at the water cooler or making jokes. But watch out, he eats pretty young things like you for breakfast. He likes to let people think he is a lady killer, he’s incorrigible, but…

He flashed the receptionist a small grimace and broke in. “Let's not scare away the customers. Thanks, Knox. I’ll take it from here”. 

“Please, can we go somewhere private and discuss this”, Kelly glanced towards a group of men walking into the front door of the police station, pulled her hat lower over her face, and turned her collar up to conceal the bottom half of her face. She glanced over her shoulder towards the glass doors.

The suit wasn’t born yesterday. He recognized a scared woman when he saw one, and this one had the look of a soft fuzzy bunny rabbit being hunted by a ruthless predator.

“Of course, come this way please,” he led her down a corridor to a small interrogation room. Usually used to question perps, he felt that she might be more comfortable and confident in these smaller rooms than in the open office area which housed the detectives and officers of the division. The open cubicles provided little privacy while the interrogation rooms were more secluded and despite their austere surroundings, they did offer more privacy.

He closed the door behind them and gestured to one of the two seats on either side of a small table fixed to the floor, a solid black iron pipe was attached to the wall beside the metal table a place to secure prisoners.

 Kelly sat down, moving her large over-the-shoulder messenger to one side and crossing her arms tightly over her chest, she let out a long breath.

“ I’m Detective Kyle Carter. Homicide Department.”

“ Kelly Holt,” she leaned forward and shook the hand he offered, and then retreated back into her chair.” Do you usually call the people who walk into your police department customers?”

“You’ll have to forgive us, sometimes humour is our way of dealing with some of the seedier sides of the city and often as police personnel, we see a lot of the dark side of life. Humour is just the way some of us cope. It’s our defense mechanism. Now, how can I help you?”

 He sat in the chair opposite her, and for the first time, she really looked at him. Tall dark and handsome would be the way her grandmother would have described him, and a hunk would be the way her mother would have described him, Kelly just thought he looked hot. Even in a suit he looked ripped, and she was sure he probably spent a good deal of time at the gym. But now was not the time to be ogling men.

“I think I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see.” Kelly wound her honey-coloured hair around her finger, creating small spirals.

“Go on,” he encouraged.

“I saw on the news the other day that a mob boss got killed when a car bomb exploded and blew him to smithereens.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Tony Morelli. We’ve been after him for years, but he has always been like Houdini. Just when we think we’ve nabbed him, he disappears in a puff of smoke. We figure either a rival gang blew him away or one of his henchmen wanted to take over the mob and fill his shoes and therefore took him out. He didn’t exactly go for a swim with the fishes but I can’t say we were sad to hear that he’s in harp land. Well, Tony Morelli is probably running from little red guys with pointy tails and horns carrying red hot pokers.” Carter gave a boyish grin and then smiled at the little story he told.

“He’s not dead,” Kelly stated as she twirled her hair faster.

“Say what?” Carter leaned forward and braced both hands on the metal table.

“Tony Morelli is not dead.”

Carter straightened from his relaxed position in the chair and leaned forward towards Kelly, the smile was replaced by a serious look.

“What do you mean he’s not dead?”

“I saw him. Alive. This morning.”

“Impossible. The idea is inconceivable. You must be mistaken.”

“It's true, I have proof,” Kelley nodded her head, her fingers still spiraling in her hair..

“Tell me about it. What do you know?” Carter's face was a picture of concentration.

“ Ok! I was down at the marina early this morning taking pictures of all the birds that hang around down there. I am a bit of a shutterbug, a freelance photographer. Today I was taking pictures of the seagulls on spec. There are a couple of ornithology magazines that I sometimes sell to. I always use a telephoto lens when I’m taking wildlife pictures. Anyways, I’m hiding behind a stack of crates snapping away when a big black car pulls up to one of the docks and some guys get out and head towards the boat that is close to the land side of the dock. Two of the guys are carrying a bunch of suitcases. There was this pushy little seagull that started to dive-bomb the guys and I thought that might be a good shot and I could write an article about how seagulls are such intrepid creatures. Then the guys loaded some boxes up in this humungous boat, and then this older guy in a suit and an overcoat and one of those old hats, oh yeah a fedora; gets out of the back of the car, and walks towards the boat, The seagull dive bombs him and the guy starts dancing around, I start clicking away, then his hat falls off I zoom in and get a good look at his angry face. He finally connects with the bird and the gull flies off and the guy is helped into the boat by the two dudes who were unloading the car. I think it's pretty funny and start to laugh, they hear me and look over to see me taking pictures. The old man motions to them and draws his hand across his neck and they clammer off the boat, pull guns out of their jackets, and start racing down the dock. There are a whole bunch of docks sticking out in the water at the marina and they have their boat tied up several docks away. But I have a clear view cuz the boats between are just small ones. I see the guns and take off running. They were older guys and they had like, suits and dress shoes on, I had runners and yoga pants, what I am wearing now actually. There is a lot of junk on the beach and I outran them easily dodging here and there. I was on the track team in high school. I reached my car and took off out of the parking lot. But one of them had doubled back and got the big black car. He picked up the other guy and they chased me for a few blocks. I think I lost them the closer I got to the downtown core. I pulled in behind a building and they drove past. I waited. I got out my camera and checked the photos I had taken; not the gulls but the car and the guys and the guy that was shooing the gulls away and doing a little dance. I never would have even seen the photo. I took a long, hard look, and guess what? It was none other than… 

“Tony Morelli.” They said in unison.

“I never would have even noticed that it was him if he hadn’t motioned for those other guys to get rid of me. It was like something you see in the movies. The mob Boss draws his hand across his throat and his henchmen…” Kelly broke off, her shaking hand covering her mouth.

“I don't get it,” said Carter, “ it was one of our surveillance teams that actually saw Tony Morelli get into the back of the limo and then they saw the car blow up”.

 There was silence for a moment then Kelly said. “Maybe the surveillance guy was on the take, maybe he got paid a lot of money by Tony Morelli to say that he saw him blow up.”

“You know, maybe you are onto something there. No, but I saw the footage the guy took. It was dark but it was definitely Tony and the car did blow up.”

 “Did it blow up right away or was there time for him to go in one door and out another door on the opposite side of the car? “

“You know, I think there was time. It didn't blow up the moment he got in the car. His driver closed Morelli’s door, reached into his pocket for the keys, dropped them, fiddled with them for a moment, opened the front seat, and then turned on the car. The bomb was hooked up to the ignition. The driver turns on the car and…Boom.”

“So Morelli obviously had a few seconds to make his escape. Maybe back into the building, do you know if there was a door around the far side of the car? Like one going into the building, maybe that the surveillance guy wouldn't have noticed since it was on the other side of the car?”

“But you are forgetting something. Forensics said there were two bodies in the car.”

“So, if you were Tony Morelli and you didn't mind knocking off a few people to save your own butt… I mean, how many people do you think Morelli has “offed” in his lifetime?”

“Countless.”

“So, two more hardly counts. Especially if you know your butts in a sling, the cops are all over you and the government has declared war on your gang.

 “ The Mafia don't look at themselves as gangs, they are family. I mean there are motorcycle gangs in Toronto, Hells Angels, The Outlaws, then there are the street gangs, I mean there's got to be over 150 street gangs in the city. You‘ve got your triads, Bratva…”

“Bratva, what's that?” Kelly inquired the hair spiraling going faster.

“Russian Mafia. Then there are your…”

“No that's enough I don't want to know about anymore. I thought Toronto used to be called, “Toronto the Good.”

“Ha! Those were the days. We are the third biggest city in North America, New York, LA, then Toronto.” 

“How about Chicago?

“We are bigger than Chicago, but they are” badder.” Badder, yeah you can't beat Chicago for the number of gangs. They birth them and put a gang tattoo on them the next day.”

A look of horror passed over Kelly's face.

“ I'm joking, I'm joking, they wait till the kids are ten. Still joking, but Chicago is the most gang-occupied city In North America. Blame Al Capone. Anyway getting back to this news, you obviously must have proof of all this.”

 Kelly reached beside her and pulled her Canon camera out of the messenger bag that lay across her chest. A long telephoto lens protruded from the camera. Kelly fiddled with the camera for a few minutes then turned it towards Carter and showed him the photos with the time stamp in the corner.

“Holy crap. That's him alright. Large as Life.”

“Did they ever get close enough to see your license plate?”

“No, I don’t think so. They definitely got close enough for a bullet to hit my car, and look here,” Kelly reached for the left shoulder of her jacket and displayed a neat hole through the shoulder pad. That happened when I was running after I got off the dock”.

“Holy Crap. No doubt about it. I've seen enough of those in my day to tell a bullet hole when I see one.” 

“Ever get hit? Kelly asked.

“A time or two.”

“I see you made it through.”

“More or less. You know what they say about being at the wrong place at the wrong time”

“Since you are a cop I guess it's frequently the wrong place at the wrong time”.

“We just call it an occupational hazard and have done with it”. There was a pause while they both contemplated life.

“ It’s funny how when you have told someone something important and get it off your chest, there is an enormous sense of relief. I mean I am still worried but after telling you everything …”

“I understand. I have that effect on women.”

“This isn't a joke.”

“ I know. Glad that you understand.”

Kelly rolled her eyes and hid with her hand, the smile that tugged at her l lips.

 Kelly broke the silence.” So what happens now?”

“Well, now that I have verified everything, I need some information from you”.

“Name rank and serial number.”

“Yeah, something like that,” he smiled.

“Don't you need to write this down or something?”

“Nope!” he smiled his little boy smile again.

 Gosh, he was handsome thought Kelly.

“ I have a Photographic memory eidetic memory, hyperthymesia. Whatever you want to call it.”

“I need your full name, cell number, date of birth, and address. Also your next of kin and I need to find out if you are currently in a relationship?”

“Seriously. I feel like I am supposed to die now.” 

“Are you currently in a relationship?”

“ No, …” her forehead wrinkled,” I don't understand why the police department needs to know that.”

“They don't. That was a personal question. You can ask me that question if you like.”

“What do you mean? Ask you if you are in a relationship now?”

“No I’m not, but thanks for asking. I am footloose and fancy free as my Grandpa always used to say. So now that we have established that, I am off duty in…,” he glanced at his watch, “thirty-two minutes. At that time, I will have a very important question to ask you.”

“You are, what did that woman, Knox was it? What did she call you… incorrigible?”

“That’s me, Kyle Incorrigible Carter, at your service.”

“Oh, that must be another Grandpa joke.”

“Hey, you are a fast learner.”

The smile quickly fled from his face. “But seriously now. If they were close enough to read your plate then you’ve been made.”

“What? Oh no, they never got that close.”

“ If they did, they probably now know more about you than your mother does. These guys are pros and Tony Morelli did not get to be Mafia Boss by being stupid. He would not hesitate to get rid of anyone who stood in his way. Look at all the trouble he has gone through to convince the world that he is dead. There were two bodies at the scene of that explosion and one of them was the driver that he had for twenty years. With Tony, it is “easy come easy go”. And he doesn't even know you. The Ministry of the Attorney General has an excellent Witness Protection Program and has the support of agencies like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, the local Police Departments, and the government as well. 

“What do they do?”

Provide protection where there is a security risk for those who are assisting the law with investigations or in the prosecution of criminals. It's meant to provide security for those who play a key element in the crown’s case. One that would involve the indictment of a mafia kingpin or boss would most probably warrant being in the OWPP

“ How long are people in the program? What do they do?”

“Whatever is needed, they take care of your rent, utilities food medical expenses counseling, changing names new identification documents.”

“What have I let myself in for?”

“Only time will tell.”

“Well, it’s a good job I’m sure they didn’t get close enough to read my license plate.”

“Ok great, now you only have to watch out for one thing.”

“What’s that?” asked Kelly.

“ Well I will send a team over to locate and arrest Tony Morelli, they will put him away for life, so now you just have to watch out for me.” Kelly laughed as Carter flashed his boyish grin.