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72
“Are you sure this is gonna work? I mean, I don’t need the Russian mob after me,” a visibly nervous Ernie Page said to Detective Jason Knox as they sat in the detective’s unmarked police cruiser at Edgewater Park.
“Not if you don’t calm down and stop shaking so much. Tick will smell that fear a mile away and this whole operation will be ruined. Don’t forget, your cooperation as a C.I. in this matter is what’s going to keep you out of jail and your wife from finding out about your extracurricular activities,” Jason admonished his newest confidential informant.
Jason had already prepped Ernie back at the 1st District station and fitted him with a wire to record his pending interaction with Tick. After meeting with Ernie the day before, Jason went to his superiors and filled them in to get the necessary warrants to conduct a sting of both Tick and the motel.
Accompanying Jason and Ernie were two plainclothes detectives who were wearing earpieces. They were going to blend in with the other people at the park while listening for orders from Jason.
The plan was that Ernie would repeat his actions from the prior day by buying ice cream and writing his phone number on the Styrofoam container before leaving it for Tick. It was an unusually warm September morning, even hotter than the day prior, but there was a nice breeze off the lake.
“Why can’t you just have one of those two guys do it?” Ernie had asked when briefed on the plan.
“Because Tick already knows, for a fact, that you’re not a cop. We can’t take any chances with him. You’re the closest thing we have to a sure bet.”
“Won’t he know that I’m the snitch after you bust him, though?”
“That part won’t matter, trust me. You leave that to me.”
“Forgive me for finding that hard to believe. I just don’t want to end up in a ditch.”
“Well, Ernie, you’re kinda screwed either way. Like I told you yesterday, those Russians are going to blackmail you, regardless. Your only chance at keeping that from happening is by letting us do our job, which believe it or not, includes protecting you after the fact.”
“Goddamnit, I feel so stupid. I never should’ve let my other head do the thinking.”
“Nobody’s perfect, Ernie, but you have the luxury of trying to help fix that mistake. You should feel lucky,” Jason smirked.
“Oh yeah, so lucky. I’m gonna go play the lottery after this,” Ernie said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“There’s our guy, right on cue,” Jason said, pointing towards Tick, who was making his way towards the same picnic table he sat at the day before.
“You can’t see the wire, right?” Ernie asked, just as he had five times already after being fitted with the surveillance device.
“Ernie, relax… even if he did see the wire, we are making the arrest regardless. You’ll be fine,” Jason reassured him.
“If you say so…”
“Alright… you ready?” Jason asked one final time.
“I think so…”
“Good. Go get ‘em, tiger. Remember, just do exactly what you did yesterday. The only reason you have the wire is in the event he talks to you first,” Jason said, giving his instructions one final time.
Ernie nodded and exited the vehicle. He took a look around before he began his walk towards the concession stand, which stood about 75 yards away from the detective’s car.
“Alright boys, Echo is on the move. Give the signal if you copy, over…” Jason said into his radio, Echo referring to Ernie. He had also instructed the two plainclothes detectives to signal that they could hear him through their earpiece by taking the hats that they were each wearing off for a second, bending the brim, and then placing them back on their heads. Jason watched through his binoculars as each of them complied.
The two detectives had positioned themselves at separate picnic tables on opposite sides of the pavilion. They not only had eyes on Tick, but they also were in clear view of Jason, who was watching from his car and ready to radio when necessary.
All three detectives kept an eye on Ernie as he tried his best to casually approach the concession stand.
“Tap your fingers on the table if you think Ernie is shitting himself right now,” Jason said into his radio. Both detectives discreetly began tapping. Jason chuckled.
If he wasn’t such a scumbag, I’d feel sorry for him…
After waiting his turn and then paying, Ernie received his ice cream order and after casually walked over to Tick’s table and had a seat. Jason, through his binoculars, watched as Ernie nodded at Tick, who also gave a quick nod in return as he took a long drag off of his cigarette.
True to form, Tick said absolutely nothing to Ernie. If anyone else had been walking by they likely would have assumed that it was just strangers sharing a table by the lake.
