Isle of Dogs

"Whoa!" Andy said, gently taking Custer by the elbow, closing the gown and blocking Nurse Carless to prevent further physical harm to the patient. "Where are your clothes, so you can get dressed?"

"My son brought me over some. In that drawer there, " Moses said. "Don't you get them!" he snapped at the nurse. "Let the trooper get them!"

Andy helped Moses dress over the protests and attempted interventions of Nurse Carless, and then helped him into the wheelchair.

"I'll wheel you out to the car, " Andy said. "We don't need your help, " he warned the nurse, who was getting put out and more aggressive.

"It's hospital policy that a nurse must roll the patient out, " she protested.

"And it's state police policy that someone in protective custody will be transported by an officer of the law, " Andy replied. "I suggest you don't interfere, Nurse Care-less. "

"It's Car-less!" she declared, defiantly putting her hands on her big hips.

Big nurse's shoes sounded after them as Andy rolled Moses swiftly through the hallway.

"I'm reporting you to my supervisor!" Nurse Carless called out as she shoved an intern out of her way and caused another nurse to swerve and almost crash an IV stand that rolled precariously into a potted corn plant.

Major Trader was not the sort to ride the bus unless he was desperate. But when he read the latest

Trooper Truth essay, he thought it might be a good idea to stop by the Trailways station and get a one-way ticket to Key West, where he had relatives who shared his pirate heritage and would never turn him in to authorities. Clearly, an intensive investigation was underway that would reveal many facts that would not serve Trader well.

Governor Crimm would be no friend when he learned for a fact that Trader had been poisoning him for years. Nor would the governor be happy to learn that Trader had, as a matter of course, lied, withheld and blocked information, forged notes when needed, been lazy, framed colleagues, manipulated news releases to his egotistical and financial advantage, used an Internet alias to conduct illegal business with pirates, was in fact born of pirate stock, was a pyromaniac as a child, and had murdered the fisherman on Canal Street, to mention but a few of Trader's failings.

He left the bus station, the ticket in his pocket assigned to an assumed name, flagged down a taxi, and headed to Canal Street. Realizing time was ru

"That nurse slowed us up, " Andy explained. "And I'm supposed to meet a suspect at two-thirty, which is just fifteen minutes away. "

"I'll be glad to go with you, " Moses replied. "I been cooped up for what seems like a month. A little fresh air and activity would do me good. Can I help with anything?"

"Can you remember anything else about being assaulted?"

"Nope. All I recollect is an angel saying her car broke down and promising me something unique. "

"Unique?" Andy puzzled.

"That what she say. "

"Do you know how to fish?" Andy then asked.

"Is a pig's ass made of pork?" Moses replied.

Andy parked several streets down from the predetermined location, which just happened to be the place where Trader had murdered Caesar Fender. When the so-called Captain Bo

"All you got to do is fish, " he told Moses as they walked in the direction of the retaining wall at the river's edge. "You just fish and don't pay any attention to me. What will happen is a man will show up and try to pick up this suitcase, as if it belongs to him. He won't be able to move it an inch and will struggle with it. I'll volunteer to help him, and next thing he knows, he'll have on handcuffs and will be on his way to jail. "

"Uh huh. Sound good to me, " Moses said.

"Then I'll get you home safe and sound. "

"Yeah. " Moses limped along. "That sound fine. "

Tatters of yellow crime-scene tape fluttered in a stiff cold wind and Moses looked around a bit uneasily and stared at a burn mark on the concrete and an overturned plastic bucket.

"Well, look at that, " Andy said in a

He set the bucket on the wall and placed the heavy suitcase several feet away. Moses tied a plastic worm on his fishing line and attached a bobber.

"This ain't where that fisherman blowed up, is it?" he worried.

"As a matter of fact, it is, " Andy replied, preparing his own fishing gear.

"I hope you ain't meeting no killer here, " Moses said. "I had my share of mean people for a while. "

"Don't be alarmed, " Andy assured him. "Just mind your own business and fish. The person who'll show up isn't going to do anything to you. All he wants is to grab this suitcase and run. "

"Got to admit, no one would ever recognize you in that getup, " Moses said, smoothly casting his line into the sluggish, rocky river. "You look like a leftover hippie, one of them types that drives an old VW with big flowers stuck all over it. "

"Good. And make sure you don't call me Andy or Trooper when this dude shows up. "

"Not me, " Moses said. "I ain't tipping my hand with no killer around. Why'd he blow up that poor black fisherman, and what makes you so sure he won't take one look at me and decide to do the same thing? You go

"This guy just wants to take the money and get the hell out of Dodge, " Andy said as he clipped a bobber on his line and cast it into the river. "Besides, I'm here, and if he tries anything, he'll have a big problem on his hands. "

"You packing?"

"Got my friend right here in the back of my waistband, " Andy said as he felt a slight tug on his line.

Major Trader rolled up in a Blue Bird taxi and told the driver to wait or he wouldn't get paid. Trader spied two bums fishing on the wall and a beat-up aluminum suitcase sitting all by itself. His loaded flare gun was in his coat pocket just in case anybody tried to give him a hard time, and he strode right up to the suitcase.

"This belong to either of you fellows?" Trader asked.

"Never seen it before in my life, " Andy replied, because it was perfectly acceptable to be deceptive when one was undercover.

"Me neither, " Moses echoed. "Was sitting there just like it is when we come here to fish. "

"Someone stole my car and my suitcase was in it, which is why I had to take a taxi, " Trader lied. "I had a feeling whoever the culprit was, he'd probably dump the suitcase somewhere because there's nothing in it but clothes and a few books. "

"Help yourself, " Andy said.

Trader took a good look at the two fishermen to make sure they weren't paying him any mind and would not be able to identify him later, should they ever get questioned. Both of them were obviously losers and probably had never held a real job in their lives. Why else would they be out fishing on a Friday afternoon while decent people were at work? Trader grabbed the suitcase handle and his shoulder practically came out of the socket as he yanked.

"Shit!" he muttered in surprise.

The damn thing must weigh two hundred pounds! He imagined hundreds of silver dollars and stacks of bills and maybe gold. The pirates must have made quite a score. He tried to lift the suitcase again and couldn't get it an inch off the ground. Then he tried to open it, but the combination was set and the locks wouldn't budge. While he was deliberating what to do and furtively glancing about and starting to sweat, the old black fisherman, who looked as if he had been in a bad car wreck, jerked up his pole and started reeling hard.