Senile Squad: Adventures of the Old Blues Read Online Free PDF Page B

checkbook,” he said around the wad in his mouth.
    Bud exchanged a disbelieving look with Ben and Frieda. “The Sarge knows his stuff,” Ben said in a low voice. “That’s why I chose him—begged him—to head up our operation.”
    “Guess he never heard that discretion is the better form of valor,” Bud said.
    “Or the one about flies and honey,” Frieda said.
    “Listen and learn,” Ben said. “I know nothing about this stuff, do you?”
    The threesome took seats across from the Sarge. “Go ahead, Sarge,” Ben said. “Enlighten us.”
    A smile split Sarge’s face. “Right. How are those butt cheeks?”
    Ben couldn’t help it; he laughed out loud. The Sarge might be a gruff old bird, but he was also honest and forthright to the point of bluntness. Exactly what they needed for success.
    Bud and Frieda each fought back smiles, and the tension disappeared.
    “Okay,” the Sarge said, leaning forward. “These guys had to not only keep an up-to-date inventory, they organized and ran the entire police supply room. It was huge and they were unbelievable. They knew the expiration dates of all types of equipment—when it had to be replaced and where to get it. They regulated which personnel could go into their supply room and who could walk more than two feet inside. They went eight to ten hours in a windowless room forty hours a week, and they were as sharp at the end of shift as they were at the beginning.”
    The Sarge tapped his fingers on his desk and leaned closer to Ben. “You have any idea how hard it is to find one guy like that, let alone two? And it didn’t matter your rank; you didn’t have proper authorization, you didn’t get in. Sergeant, lieutenant, captain…even the chief himself…they didn’t care—believe me on this. Guys like that are always the backbone of any police facility with any type of equipment or weapon. Everything needs to be secure, and with what we’re gonna have behind these walls.” He thrust a wide thumb over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t trust to anyone except Paps and Jerry. Whatever we have— security, organization, and the sheer know-how to keep this operation functioning smoothly—needs to be in their very capable hands.”
    “Wait a minute,” Bud said. “Are you asking us to relinquish full control to you? You can’t be serious. This will be hundreds of millions of dollars worth in—”
    Ben exchanged a glance with him and shrugged. “We’ll give you a year of control,” he told the Sarge. “If we like the results, we’ll turn everything over to you; if we don’t like the results…” Ben let the threat hang in the air a long moment. “Then we’ve built an excellent retirement center and everything else goes away. Deal?”
    The Sarge gnawed on the still-to-be-lit smoke. After a long moment, he gave them a curt nod. “Deal.”
    Relieved, Ben settled into the leather chair. If the Sarge and his men knew what they were talking about—and it looked like they did— they’d achieve the outcome they wanted for the city.
    Ben stood to leave; Bud and Frieda followed suit. “One year,” he said. “Got an address on those two?”
    The Sarge scratched the names and addresses for Paps and Jerry and handed it to Bud. “Give ’em the same sales pitch you gave me.”
    Ben smiled and gave the older man a quick salute. “Will do.”

    A month later, there were Ol’ Blues manning the renovated Ol’ Blue Precinct. It was still in the initial phases of development. Ben Mitchell had persuaded Paps and Jerry to come out and tour the special retirement home for police officers. Paps and Jerry walked into the former vets’ home and exchanged a puzzled look with each other and their escort, Ben Mitchell. “You sure this is the right place, young man?” Paps asked.
    “Yes sir,” Ben said. “Just walk inside. I think you’ll like what you see.”
    Paps and Jerry did so. There was a large reception area with a beautiful white-tiled floor. There was a dark