Thin Slice of Life

Chapter 35

O.B. Hadnott received news from the DPS radio dispatcher that a Mr. Charlie Sweetwater and Miss Marisol Cavasos were safe and unharmed after reporting that they had been forcibly abducted the previous night. He also learned that local citizens at the Shady Boat and Leisure Club were holding three men—two Vietnamese and an Anglo—for questioning on Ransom Island on suspicion of assault and kidnapping. He managed a half smile when he heard that “medical assistance would be required for two of the alleged kidnappers.” It was time for Sergeant Hadnott to call headquarters to report on his case. To his Field Captain, he recounted the evidence that had been assembled against Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Bao—a criminal past in a foreign country, lies about his relationship to the U.S. corporation he secretly owned and operated, death threats, and allusions to arms dealing on a recorded telephone conversation (in Vietnamese), possible involvement in a kidnapping, and incriminating (verbal) indications from several people (one now dead) about Bao’s illegal activities. “Not bad”, said the Captain, “but not enough.” Sergeant Hadnott had to agree. He thought wistfully about the early days of the Texas Rangers when he could’ve walked into CHAPTER 35 244 35| Bao’s fish house, smacked the little bastard upside the head with his revolver and drug him behind his horse to the hoosegow. O.B. Hadnott, mired in the 20th century, sighed. “Anything breaking on the Pomade case?” asked the Captain. “That bein’ the original reason you’re down there, and all.” “No, sir. But if Bao or any of his people had any involvement, I expect that at least some of the Vietnamese fisherman around the harbor will know about it. There don’t seem to be many secrets among that group.” “Will any of those people talk to you? Last I heard, you said most of them didn’t even speak English.” O.B. thought of Nu Dang and Sammy, and he thought of Trinny. His mind had been weighed down almost unbearably by last night’s exchange with her. He had not slept well. “I think so, Captain. Some of ‘em anyway.” The Captain snorted. “Well, see what you can get from the alleged kidnappers. Maybe they’re ready to give up their boss.” “Yes sir, Captain.” “Say, Sergeant?” “Sir?” “There’s somethin’ else. I just got the damndest phone call from the District Attorney of Travis County, down in Austin. Said a Cajun fella called him this morning and started dropping the names of a bunch of POIs you talk about in your reports. This fella sounded about halfway crazy, but the details he mentioned got his attention. Especially when he told him a Texas Ranger had also been snooping around. “I didn’t get the whole story, but it appears to involve Bao and Senator Cudihay. Said that whole business about the Senator’s aide getting shot was some kind of put-up job gone wrong. I wonder just how far Cudihay might be mixed up in some bad bidness.” “Yessir, Captain,” said Hadnott. “It occurred to me, too.” He’d avoided trying to tie Cudihay to Bao, as much as he’d had his suspicions. Mentioning a powerful sitting state senator as a Person of Interest in an ongoing criminal investigation was tantamount to career suicide, as any rookie cop could have said. But now that the Captain had brought it up…. Hadnott felt an involuntary surge of anger and anticipation. “We rode out the hurricane together, sir. Beyond that, I don’t have 245 |35 anything concrete.” O.B. tried hard to keep his voice level, even though the possibility of kicking a board up Cudihay’s ass made him feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. “Well, the DA in Austin asked me to ask my point man—you— whether there’s any substance to these allegations and then to call him back. He said he’s gonna meet up with this Cajun fella later this afternoon to see if there’s anything to the guy’s cock-and-bull story. Step lightly, Sergeant. I don’t have to tell you these politicos have mighty thin skins and, like it or not, they write our budget. But keep an eye on our elected friend. Shit, it shouldn’t be hard, judging by the cable news. Just look for the nearest TV camera.” “I...