...
My wife, Christy, shuffled her shopping bags into one hand to gesture to Perfect Pizza, about a block away, “Do we have time to eat?”
“Why wouldn’t we? I have the day off. Do we have someplace to be?” I asked as we walked.
“No, but are you going to work?” Christy asked.
“I said I have the day off.” Cristy gave me a doubtful look.
I stopped and turned to her, “Ok, I know ‘day off’ hasn’t really meant ‘day off’ recently, but the Lansing case is over. I’m all yours now.”
Cristy smiled. “Good. Your work’s important, but I get tired of sharing you.” She noticed my gaze shift away, 'What are you looking at?” She turned to see a van marked ‘Matt’s Plumbing’ parking beside us.
A man opened the back door and stepped out. “Johnson! We need you ASAP.”
I looked at Christy. She hugged me, then said, “Just take a different day off please. I’ll pray for you.”
I stepped into the van, “This better be good, Wilson.” The vehicle screeched off.
I chuckled, “Late for a meeting?”
“Yes,” Wilson shoved a wallet into my hand, “trade.”
I handed over my wallet and peeked in the new one. “You couldn't have picked a better name than Sebastian?”
“I didn’t pick it. If it were up to me, Sebastian would be here, not you. But he just got arrested. ..again.”
“A not-so-reliable informant, I’m guessing?”
“Reliable source of information, not reliable as a model citizen. He’s supposed to meet Henry Lawson today in the abandoned factory on Transit Street. We’re fairly certain they haven’t met before, so Henry won’t know you’re not Sebastian.” “Fairly certain?”
“As far as we know. Anyway, we’re not sure why Henry wants to meet, but I’ve been trying for years to nail his boss, Mark. This is our best shot.” The van stopped. “You’re Sabastion Drake. Age twenty-five, your wife’s name is Lisa, no kids. You’re a tanner by day, a drug dealer by night, and you enjoy occasional safecracking in your free time. This is a big one,” Wilson said as he opened the back door and shoved me out of the van, “don’t mess it up.” And he slammed the door shut.
I rehearsed the sparse information as I walked, ‘Sabastion Drake,’ I thought, ‘Twenty-five, wife’s Lisa, no kids, tann- oh shoot,’ I turned, but the van was gone. I swallowed hard. No turning back now. I resumed walking, ‘drug dealer ... safecracker . . . Sebastion Drake . . .” I opened a door and winced as the metal screeched.
I stepped inside, then heard an engine. I made my way to a window in time to see a car pulling away from a rather bewilderedlooking man. He shook his head, straightened up, and headed toward the factory. In a moment I heard the screeching door again. The man closed the door and stepped toward me. We both stood there for what seemed like an eternity. ‘Fairly certain,’ rang in my ears. Did he know I wasn’t Sebastian?
“You’re early,” he said.
“As early as you, Henry.” He walked up to me, “You’re a tanner?”
“Yes.” Henry paused. “You any good?” “Of course.”
He paused again with a quick shift of his eyes, “We’re outfitting twenty fake FBI agents. Can you handle that many?”
“Yes,” I replied. “So . . . you can do what we need?”
I racked my brain. What does this guy need? I thought I’d get more context clues. “Yeah,” I answered.
“Great . . . uh . . . what exactly is your plan to make sure it gets done?” Henry asked.
“Well, I mean, it’s my job, isn’t it? I’ll get it done, don’t worry, it’s no problem at all. Do you have any extra specifications for what I’m doing?”
“You’re the expert, I wouldn’t presume to encroach on your work. As long as you can get it done.” I nodded, “I can get it done.” “Ok . . . well, the drop-off point is here, two weeks.” With that, he left.
I breathed a sigh of relief. In a few moments, I found the van and stepped inside. “What’d he want?” Wilson asked.
“Do my tanner job. They’re outfitting twenty fake FBI agents. Drop-off point is here, two weeks.” “Eh, they’re going all out, forging FBI wallets and everything. Great job,” Wilson slapped my shoulder, “I hope he didn’t get too technical to see if you’re legit.”
I shook my head, “Wilson, what in the world is a tanner? Because I don’t know and I don’t think Henry knows either.”