The System - A Detroit Story - Read Online Free PDF Page B

the corner of Montcalm and Brush.
    Washington pulled his service revolver as the van approached the stalled Avalanche. The Fish jumped from the cabin and ran. Fast. Purdy squealed the van to a stop.
    "C'mon," said Washington. He opened the door and yelled, "Halt. Police!"
    Almost ballet-like the Fish pulled a semiautomatic pistol from his pocket and fired toward Washington and the van. Sounded like popcorn. One bullet whizzed by Washington's head and shattered the window on the open van door. The other shots went ping ping ping into the door body. Washington hit the ground, took aim and fired a round, just missing the Fish's head.
    The Fish ran sideways and fired another wild burst of gunfire then sprinted around the corner down Brush. Washington ran, but stopped when he saw the young, agile Fish race across Brush along the front of Ford Field.
    Purdy caught up to Washington, put his hands on his knees and head down, winded. "I'm too flippin' fat for this," he said, trying to catch his breath. Washington gazed down Brush, the Fish now long gone. Where was the goddamn blue and white?
     

Chapter 6
     
    The Bunker
     
    The Bunker, as the DPD precinct station was called, sat between the massive green glass towers of the Renaissance Center and Hart Plaza, a surreal space with a circular metal sculpture like a portal to another dimension and an overhead fountain and floor that resembled an industrial washbasin. Slung low, made of rough concrete and dark glass with angled walls, the Bunker faced the Detroit River like a pillbox on the beaches of Normandy.
    Washington sat in the small debriefing area. Inspector Andre Davenport walked in with a blond, neatly dressed woman. A Fed, thought Washington. He could spot them a galaxy away. So now what, some Fed telling him what to do? Every Fed he encountered in his twenty two years on the job carried this air of superiority and arrogance. Every single one.
    "All right," said Davenport. "I've read your report." Davenport gestured to the woman. "This is agent Ann Peabody. DEA."  Peabody nodded.
    Washington nodded then acted like she wasn't there.
    "Where was our backup?" asked Washington.
    "The log says one-ten along with two other units was dispatched to a triple homicide. On Fernhill, off of Woodward. Near Seven Mile. Place was boarded up. Found a girl chained to a toilet. Fourteen years old, been missing two weeks. Shot dead, along with two men. Looks like both wanted her for themselves, one shot the girl out of spite, then they shot each other."
    "We should have been notified," said Washington.
    "Dispatch should have contacted you. I can't argue with that, but it is what it is," said Davenport. "These things happen."
    Over the years Washington learned the art of letting things go. Got good at identifying battles that couldn't be won. This was one of them. Washington looked at Peabody. "DEA and auto? I don't get it," he said.
    "Agent Peabody can use our help," said Davenport.
    "Hello Investigator Washington," she said, holding out her hand. Washington reluctantly shook it. "I'm Ann Peabody, Special Agent, DEA. I'm in Detroit for a reason," she said.
    Washington nodded. The woman was compact, thin but muscular. Her handshake was strong and cool to the touch.
    "I'll get right to the point," said Peabody. We believe a new heroin distribution route may be established here in Detroit, but we have no direct evidence," she said. "We believe there's an Albanian connection. We're looking at one individual in particular."
    She opened the case to a tablet computer, turned it on and within a couple of swipes a photograph appeared on the bright screen. A photograph of Vlad Dragovic.
    "This is a person of interest," said Peabody. His name is Vlad Dragovic. They call him 'The Dragon'. We believe he's well connected in Albania and perhaps Turkey. He's a legal resident here in Detroit. Along with heroin, we believe he's involved in auto theft, human trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution, illegal