THE MAN WHO SAID NOTHING

The Mount Olive Police Department was rebuilt several years ago, across the street from the fire departments new building. Several times a month a large blast on a horn would indicate that fire equipment was heading out of the large parking bays, and going to a fire call. The sound rattled the police station for a few moments then the sirens started screeching. Most of the officers at the station didn’t even pay attention to the shaking and noise after hearing it as often as they did.

The detectives on the third floor didn’t let this bother them too much. They had a job to do and did it with all the vigor possible. The citizens of Mount Olive deserved the best and the detectives followed that rule to the letter. A few cases would be very interesting and prove to take all the efforts possible. Matching wits with the average criminal became routine. It was the master criminals that made the big cases.

Detective Tony Langel sat at his desk in the squad room working on various cases. The file folders almost seemed to be ready to tip over. A few adjustments of the files and Tony was ready to select the next case that needed the most attention.

He started out joining the force after two hitches in the Navy, and then served as a patrol officer with the MOPD for 10 years. He was promoted to detective grade about two years ago. He stands six foot and weighed about 175 pounds in those early days. After fourteen years, his weight went up to 195. He blamed it on too much seat time in patrol cars and chair time in detectives. The lack of will power to exercise didn’t help, resulting in the weight gain. Age may have been a partial factor as well. He felt fine and still performed his duties well.

Detectives just didn’t work one case to the finish, but have a lot of responsibility to handle multiple cases and had to delegate their time wisely. When a major case is solved, the detectives would have a coffee-pastry party in the squad room, celebrating the closure. Of course this didn’t happen unless the case had gained some recognition from the chief of police and the mayor. Tony’s recent case did merit such recognition. The cases that won citations usually ended up with a big party at Charlie’s Bar.

An informant had provided information to Tony that a chop shop was in operation in the cities southwest side of town. A good detective needs the help of informants that are reliable for information concerning what’s going on if the streets. The detectives like to refer to this kind of information as bread and butter. This area has maintained a reputation of drugs and other illegal activity.

The Michael’s Garage was known to be a chop shop was placed under surveillance for about a month. The owner for the past four years is Mike Jones, a small time booster that made enough money to go into business for himself. Cars coming and going were recorded from a storefront across the street that once was a bakery shop. The building had been closed for over two years. The detectives managed to get permission from the owner to set up a surveillance site. The front windows were covered with paper. A camera peeked through a small hole that could take pictures all day and night if needed. The detectives slipped in and out from the rear door.

Tony drove a repossessed vehicle that was provided by the Drug Enforcement Agency. DEA provided phony documents for the car to the garage.