Skalany and Jody exchanged bemused looks, and the brunette got slowly to her feet. "My lord and master calleth. Wonder what's up now?"
Jody rolled her eyes and reached for her phone. "Beats me. He's been like a bear with a thorn in his paw ever since Peter was suspended. Go give him someone to yell at besides me for a change, wouldja?"
"Thanks, Partner. Next time you're about to walk into the jaws of death, I'll remember all the support you've given me."
"Any time, Mary Margaret. Any time." Jody punched in the numbers to her call and waited for it to ring through.
Squaring her shoulders, Skalany walked into Kermit's office without knocking and stood just inside the doorway, her back pressed against the wall.
"What are you doing?" Kermit snapped irritably.
"Trying to find the best place to duck flying debris." She sauntered over to a chair and sat down. "What's biting you today?"
He peered intently at his computer screen. "Something rotten in the state of Minnesota."
"And that would be?"
Kermit's face tightened in grim lines. "Got a readout here on the plane accident involving Kacie's flight."
"And...?"
"And initial investigations show it was no accident. The size of the pieces of plane that were found and the amount of land area they were scattered over showed signs of an incendiary device."
"A bomb? A bomb went off and made the plane go down?"
"You got it, Sweet Cakes. A small one, to short-circuit the plane's computers, and a bigger one that exploded on impact. Somebody wanted to make sure there were no survivors."
Mary Margaret's eyes widened. "Who the hell was on that plane? Some mobster? A politician? Protected witness?"
Kermit slowly shook his head. "Nobody like that. Just ordinary, everyday people who thought they were safer flying than driving. It's not who was on the plane that bothers me, Mary Margaret."
"You're not bothered by all those people dying because some nut case blew up their plane? What the hell are you bothered by then, Kermit?"
"Somebody who was supposed to be on the plane and wasn't."
She stared at him, dumbfounded. "You can't mean..."
"Awfully coincidental that Peter's life has gone all to hell since Jason Fischer died, isn't it? Unfounded IA investigations, this plane crash, and now a multi-million-dollar lawsuit?"
"Just how are we going to go about proving anything, Kermit?"
He smiled from the teeth out. "We'll try it the police way first."
"And if we don't turn up anything?"
Cold eyes glittered from behind green lenses. "Why, Mary Margaret," he said softly. "There are so many, many ways of finding out what you want to know when you know the right ways to ask questions."
Detective Brandl extended his hand to Caine, who shook it firmly. "Master Caine. I wasn't expecting to see you. What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
"I wanted to share my information with you."
Brandl looked surprised. "You've turned up a lead in our case?"
"Perhaps. There is not much to go on. But my son says much police work is based on...hunches?"
"Come on over to my desk, Master Caine," Brandl motioned toward the work areas in the squad room.
"Please. Call me Caine." His eyes twinkled. "We need not be so formal, if we are working together."
The detective looked pleased. "Thank you, Caine. Call me Ron."
The pair reached Brandl's desk, and the detective motioned for Caine to sit. "May I get you something? Coffee? A soft drink?"
Caine made a face. "A glass of water, please."
Brandl walked into the break room and returned carrying a mug of coffee and a cup of water. Handing the water to Caine, he unbuttoned his suit coat before sitting down with his coffee. "Now, Caine. What have you got for me?"
"As I said, it is not much to go on. The community is very guarded with their words. It is more a feeling I have."
Brandl nodded encouragingly. "Go on. What is the feeling?"
"They are very reluctant to speak. Nervous. Frightened. Only someone with great power could create such fear."
"Have you got any names?"
"There is one name that shrivels their tongues. That of Wong."
"Wong? As in Jack Wong?"
Caine shrugged. "That is doubtful. Young Wong has not proven himself. He is what you could call a...rookie? He is as a blowfish. He...puffs himself up, but is actually a very small fish."
Brandl grinned at the mental image. "I'd say you have Jack Wong pegged, all right. What about the old man?"
"His grandfather holds the fear and respect of the people. He is very powerful. He controls the lives of many through threats and violence."
"And drugs."
"Yes. He and those like him are a...cancer in the community." Caine sighed. "There has ever been that element in Chinatown."
"Chinatown has no corner on the market, Caine. There's corruption everywhere in our society." He picked up a pen and scribbled on his desktop calendar. "Has anyone actually come right out and said Wong was involved with Fischer's murder?"
Caine shook his head solemnly. "No. At times I hear whispers. Fragments. But no one is willing to say the words."
"Well." Brandl rubbed a forefinger under his nose. "I appreciate your stopping in today, Caine. This gives us a little more, but my captain is ready to write this one off. The idea you had about the shurkin was a good one, but we couldn't find a single shop or dealer in the city who would claim it as theirs. We did stop at one place, and I could have sworn the guy recognized it, but he refused to admit it. Strangest thing, he had every other kind of martial arts weapon in his store, but no shurkins. None of any size anywhere."
"Coincidence?"
"Huh. I doubt it. I think we have the right place, but, like you said, people are afraid to talk."
Caine rose to his feet. "If there is nothing more I can do, I must be going."
Brandl stood up and extended his hand again. "Thank you, Caine. I really appreciate the assistance you've given us, especially after the way we...disturbed...your son's wife when we questioned her. I still regret that whole scene."
Caine bowed. "She is fine now. The incident is forgotten."
"If I had been in your son's shoes, I'd have decked me."
Coughing softly, Caine said, "I believe the thought had crossed his mind. On more than one occasion. He also has forgotten the incident. Please, trouble yourself no more about it."
"You certainly have an amazing family."
Caine raised an eyebrow. "You have no idea." He bowed, fist in palm, and left the bemused detective staring after him.
Simms opened the folder and briefly skimmed the contents. "How were you able to get all these financial records, Kermit? Especially when we have absolutely no jurisdiction in Minneapolis, or anywhere in Minnesota, for that matter?"
He grinned. "You don't really want an answer to that, do you?"
She massaged her temples before rubbing her eyes. "No, I do not. But the point is moot when you also tell me there is no case here."
"I never said there was no case. I just said there was no concrete proof. But how else do you explain a hundred-thousand-dollar cash withdrawal and no major purchases of any kind? The woman doesn't gamble and has no known mob ties. She's been here in our city for the past six weeks. Living in the same hotel, driving the same rental car, and eating at the same restaurants. She hasn't been anywhere to spend that kind of money."
"What's her motive, Kermit? Are you trying to tell me she would sacrifice an entire plane full of people just to get to Peter Caine's wife?"
"People have done stranger things than that when they're thirsting for revenge or mentally deranged."
"What makes you think she's mentally deranged?"
"There's something about the fire that killed her parents that bothers me. Seems pretty coincidental that both she and her brother were gone from the house at that particular time." He cracked his knuckles and stared at his hands as he did. "I have some time coming to me. I'd like to take a few days, Captain. I've always heard the fishing in Minnesota is out of this world."
"Are you sure you can tear yourself away from your computer for that long? You haven't exactly had the time for anything else lately." Simms's tone was peevish and she scowled at him.
"Taking my laptop along with me, Captain." He stepped closer and spoke more softly. "When this is all over, I'm sure I'll have much more time. For a lot of things." He glanced toward the door and made sure the blinds were drawn before he cupped her cheek in his palm and lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb. "A lot more time."
A knock came at the door, and he swiftly dropped his hand and stepped back to put a respectful distance between them.
Simms cleared her throat, never taking her eyes off Kermit, and called out, "Come in."
Peter stuck his head in the door and grinned. "Hey, Captain. The lawsuit against me got dropped today. I'm a free man. I got word my suspension's lifted and I can come back to work. Is tomorrow morning soon enough?"
"Fine."
He backed out the door and immediately opened it again. "Oh, Captain? Could I get my gun and badge back now? I feel sorta undressed without them."
Simms opened the bottom drawer of her desk, pulled out Peter's badge and gun, and handed them to him.
"Thanks, Captain. I'm heading home now to tell Kacie the good news." He turned to leave and immediately spun around again. "Um, excuse me, Captain, but is there anything in particular you want me to work on?"
"I'm sure Chief Strenlich can prioritize your caseload for you, Detective."
He beamed at her and closed the door again. It had barely shut when it opened once more. "Hey, Captain? It sure will feel good to be back."
She glared at him in exasperation, and he quickly said, "Sorry. I'll quit bothering you now." The door slammed shut.
Simms and Kermit stared at the portal, half-expecting the effervescent Caine to reappear. Kermit grinned and commented, "Don't worry, Captain. In about two months he won't act like this any more."
"What makes you so sure?"
"He'll be too worn out from raising Caine at home to raise it here."