The audience sat silently, listening to Larsson’s address.
“The same applies, of course, to all of our other brothers across the country. Niko has a list of who is locked up where. If you have nothing else to do, then you should hit the road and go see your brothers. You all know visitations have to be worked out with the Gestapo in advance. It’s not a good idea to just show up and pound on the door of the brig.”
Some tense chuckles rose from the crowd.
“I’ll be meeting one-on-one with each of you in the coming week so we can discuss how I can help you in more detail, and how you can help the brotherhood. Be direct and honest with me about any possible problems.”
Larsson’s voice rose once again. “You are all my brothers and I’ve got your backs, just as you’ve got mine and every other brother’s.”
The speech ended and the men applauded.
* * *
Suhonen was sitting at his usual seat on the window sill in Takamäki’s office at the VCU. The detective lieutenant was at his desk; Sergeant Joutsamo sat on the other side.
“Wasn’t this case already transferred to Narcotics?” asked Joutsamo.
Suhonen had briefed them on the events of the last couple of days, except for his meeting with Salmela.
“Come on now,” said Suhonen. “Our unit knows the Skulls best. We’ve been going at it with them for the past three years. You should know, of all people,” he added.
Takamäki scowled at the undercover cop. Three years back, Joutsamo had shot and killed a Skull named Mika Kahma when the burly gangster had charged her. Takamäki had been there, too. In the same clash, a S.W.A.T. team sniper had dropped Raimo Jyrkkä, one of the gang’s leaders.
“Yes, I know them,” Joutsamo said. “As we all do. Complete shitheads.”
Neither Takamäki nor Suhonen had anything to add to that assessment.
“But,” she continued, “As far as I’m concerned, we don’t have the resources to go after them now. Unless we can let the routine cases slide, we just don’t have enough personnel. I’d go after Larsson and his goons right now with a horse and a six-shooter, but I just have too much paperwork.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Suhonen said.
“These aggravated assaults, rapes and so-called ‘routine cases’ are burying us. The cases are backed up so badly that some may never be solved, since we can’t even tend to the basics.”
“When is Kirsi due back?”
“Next week,” Joutsamo replied. Police work paid little, but the vacations were long. This, in turn, hobbled the team’s ability to strike quickly. Kirsi Kohonen, a veteran officer in Takamäki’s group, had worked through the summer, delaying her month-long vacation until October. Now she was in Australia riding horses.
Suhonen was quiet. He had been the one to recommend the Australian adventure, having taken a several-month sabbatical there a few years ago. He had no qualms with Kohonen. People could do whatever they wanted on their vacations.
“Well, Kirsi will be back soon—that should help.”
“But we don’t have the resources to take on the Skulls unless Karila can shift our whole unit onto the case,” Joutsamo continued.
Captain Karila was Takamäki’s boss, the head of the VCU.
“If we’re on the right track, he’ll give us some slack,” Takamäki remarked.
Suhonen cut in from the window sill. “Anna is right. This is a Narcotics case, at least in principle. But we have an opportunity to make it something bigger. Felony extortion is clearly within the VCU’s mandate.”
Joutsamo turned to look at him. “Do you have someone in the scope who’s willing to testify against the Skulls for felony extortion?”
“Well,” Suhonen backpedaled. “Not yet, but it’s a possibility.”
“The same applies, of course, to all of our other brothers across the country. Niko has a list of who is locked up where. If you have nothing else to do, then you should hit the road and go see your brothers. You all know visitations have to be worked out with the Gestapo in advance. It’s not a good idea to just show up and pound on the door of the brig.”
Some tense chuckles rose from the crowd.
“I’ll be meeting one-on-one with each of you in the coming week so we can discuss how I can help you in more detail, and how you can help the brotherhood. Be direct and honest with me about any possible problems.”
Larsson’s voice rose once again. “You are all my brothers and I’ve got your backs, just as you’ve got mine and every other brother’s.”
The speech ended and the men applauded.
* * *
Suhonen was sitting at his usual seat on the window sill in Takamäki’s office at the VCU. The detective lieutenant was at his desk; Sergeant Joutsamo sat on the other side.
“Wasn’t this case already transferred to Narcotics?” asked Joutsamo.
Suhonen had briefed them on the events of the last couple of days, except for his meeting with Salmela.
“Come on now,” said Suhonen. “Our unit knows the Skulls best. We’ve been going at it with them for the past three years. You should know, of all people,” he added.
Takamäki scowled at the undercover cop. Three years back, Joutsamo had shot and killed a Skull named Mika Kahma when the burly gangster had charged her. Takamäki had been there, too. In the same clash, a S.W.A.T. team sniper had dropped Raimo Jyrkkä, one of the gang’s leaders.
“Yes, I know them,” Joutsamo said. “As we all do. Complete shitheads.”
Neither Takamäki nor Suhonen had anything to add to that assessment.
“But,” she continued, “As far as I’m concerned, we don’t have the resources to go after them now. Unless we can let the routine cases slide, we just don’t have enough personnel. I’d go after Larsson and his goons right now with a horse and a six-shooter, but I just have too much paperwork.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Suhonen said.
“These aggravated assaults, rapes and so-called ‘routine cases’ are burying us. The cases are backed up so badly that some may never be solved, since we can’t even tend to the basics.”
“When is Kirsi due back?”
“Next week,” Joutsamo replied. Police work paid little, but the vacations were long. This, in turn, hobbled the team’s ability to strike quickly. Kirsi Kohonen, a veteran officer in Takamäki’s group, had worked through the summer, delaying her month-long vacation until October. Now she was in Australia riding horses.
Suhonen was quiet. He had been the one to recommend the Australian adventure, having taken a several-month sabbatical there a few years ago. He had no qualms with Kohonen. People could do whatever they wanted on their vacations.
“Well, Kirsi will be back soon—that should help.”
“But we don’t have the resources to take on the Skulls unless Karila can shift our whole unit onto the case,” Joutsamo continued.
Captain Karila was Takamäki’s boss, the head of the VCU.
“If we’re on the right track, he’ll give us some slack,” Takamäki remarked.
Suhonen cut in from the window sill. “Anna is right. This is a Narcotics case, at least in principle. But we have an opportunity to make it something bigger. Felony extortion is clearly within the VCU’s mandate.”
Joutsamo turned to look at him. “Do you have someone in the scope who’s willing to testify against the Skulls for felony extortion?”
“Well,” Suhonen backpedaled. “Not yet, but it’s a possibility.”
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