Part 7: Charlie

"We got something on Charlie," Joe Blisflix says as he enters Jaime Villa Lobos's office. He's trying to sound bored. Villa Lobos looks up from his computer screen. "Refresh my memory," he says. He notices the paper Blisflix is holding start to tremble.

"The new moon guy," Blisflix says. "The slugs we pulled out of his head match ones recovered from an drugstore holdup in the Tenderloin."

"Any arrests in the robbery?", Villa Lobos asks.

Blisflix shakes his head.

"Any suspects?"

"No, sir," says Blisflix. "It was awhile ago." Villa Lobos waits. "Fifteen years ago."

Villa Lobos sits back in his chair. "Maybe the guy did a stretch," Blisflix offers.

"While somebody babysat his gun," Villa Lobos says. "An armed robber goes vigilante. Uh-uh. How'd our Bronson wannabe get a banger's piece? Is he a cop? Ex-cop?"

Blisflix shuffles his feet. "Could be," he says.

"You don't think so?", Villa Lobos asks. Blisflix shakes his head. The lieutenant goes on: "Why not?"

Blisflix says lowly, "He's too smart."

"He's smart enough to find himself a satchel of old guns," Villa Lobos says. "Now let's see if he's dumb enough to try again next new moon."

"We're IDing more targets," says Blisflix. "But I'm not sure that's gonna help. He's watching. We need to be looking for somebody watching."

"You're going to spend the next month looking for a peeping Tom?", Villa Lobos asks.

"Not peeping," Blisflix replies, "Watching. Tailing."

"You'll be working nights," Villa Lobos says. "Like old times." He's not smiling.

"I'm cool," Blisflix says.

"Take Smith," Villa Lobos says.

"Smith?", Blisflix asks. "Why?"

"Did you just ask me why?", Villa Lobos replies in mock indignation. "You know why. You get weird at night."

Villa Lobos turns and squints at his computer screen. Blisflix stands up. "We start tonight," he says. "Who's breaking the news, you or me?"

Villa Lobos gives Blisflix a quick sideways glance and then turns back to the monitor.

"That's what I thought," says Blisflix as he leaves.

Smith, thinks Blisflix as he walks back to his cubicle. He's already thinking about how to lose her. Gotta get her chasing some wild geese.

Part 8: 2D