As soon as the kids had left for school, Smurf checks on Baz, who is sound asleep. She grabs her purse, tucking her handgun inside, goes out to the garage, gets in her car and leaves. She drives out of Oceanside gets on the freeway and 45 minutes later is pulling into a cheap diner in Carlsbad. She walks inside and gets a booth by the window, thinking to herself 'he's late' when the waitress comes up. She is way too happy and bubbly for a Monday morning.
"I'm waiting on a friend, just bring me a coffee." Smurf says to the waitress. After waiting another 10 minutes the door opens. A middle aged man in a bad suit comes walking in, he smells of stale beer and cigarettes, he sits down across the table from her.
"Sorry I'm late Smurf, I caught an assault case last night, haven't been home yet, so what is so important you dragged me out here, during business hours?"
Smurf glares at him, "Neal, why do I pay you? Can you remind me? I mean I spend good money, I expect good service from you." She pauses, takes a drink of her coffee. She slams the mug down and before he can answer.
"How is it Ray Blackwell is walking around Oceanside and I don't know it? He attacked my Deran last night. Last you told me he would be up in Lodi for at least a year, and surprise it's only been what 4 months. Why the fuck am I paying you good money to keep me informed of police matters. Maybe I need to find a new cop who will work for his money." Smurf takes a deep breath, still glaring across the table.
"Smurf that's not necessary. This one slipped through, some sort of overcrowding up there. There was no way I could have found out, is your kid ok?" Neal answers
"Like you care." Smurf answers
"So you say you caught an assault case, let me guess unidentified male, 40's, dropped off at the ER"
Neal's eyebrows raise "Yes, how'd you know.... oh shit, my Vic is Ray, and your boys did this. Fuck Smurf, I had no clue. So what's the plan?"
"Neal, you're the cop, figure it out, but I would say it was a homeless drunk who was in the wrong place, probably got in a fight with another homeless drunk and Close the fucking case." Smurf emphasizing the 'close the fucking case' part. She slides an envelope across the table, Neal picks it up, looks inside before tucking it into his ill-fitting suit jacket.
"Oh and Neal, see if you can get Ray out of town, put him on a bus to LA or somewhere, just not here."
"As always Smurf, it's a pleasure." Neal smiles, as Smurf slides out of the booth and starts towards the door, turning back.
"Oh and Neal have you seen or heard anything about Emilio or Carmen Ortiz, there kid has been at my house all weekend, she hasn't seen her folks all week. You would know if they were talking right? Look into it and call me." She spins on her heel and is out the door.
Looking at her watch she speeds up the freeway headed back to Oceanside, she might have time to fit in her next stop before meeting Julia. She parks her car on the street and walks into a glass front building. She walks right to the elevator, presses 3 and once the doors open she walks right past the receptionist, who is calling after her.
"Ma'am she's in a meeting you can't just walk in."
Before she could even finish Smurf's is inside the office, followed closely by the receptionist who is apologizing profusely.
The woman behind the desk, stands, puts her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone she's on and whispers "it's ok, let her be, Ms. Cody I'll be right with you. Make yourself comfortable."
The receptionist leaves closing the door behind her, while the woman behind the desk finishes her call.
"I didn't know we had an appointment this morning Smurf." The woman states sitting back in her leather office chair. "What can I do for you today?"
"Cut the crap. Did you get my paperwork done for that building on Whaley, I'm headed over there to meet the contractor today?"
The woman starts flipping through a stack of papers on her desk
"Yes I have it right here, the building is yours, although I'm not sure why you want that rat trap."
"Let me worry about that, just give me the papers." Smurf barks at her, sliding an envelope across the desk to her, "and if this works out there's more where that came from."
And just as quickly as she arrived she is gone.
Smurf returns to her car, and drives back across town to what is now her building. It is a 3 story apartment building, that has seen better days. She pulls into the parking lot, just as Julia walk around the corner. Smurf gets out of her car, lights a cigarette and approaches her daughter.
"Isn't it beautiful, baby?" Smurf announces proudly.
"Uh..uh..uh.. for a crack house maybe, but seriously why here?" Julia questions.
"Oh baby, this is your future, the families future. It's glorious." Smurf is excited. Julia just shrugs, leaning up against Smurf's car.
"Not sure we are looking at the same thing, I see a building that needs to be torn down before it falls down." Julia says matter of factly.
Smurf leans against the car next to her, "that's because you aren't seeing the possibilities, we throw a couple bucks into this building and fill the apartments with tenets. It will be great."
Julia is still stunned, "yeah I must be missing something, but whatever. It's hot out here, and I'm starving, I had to skip out before lunch to get here." She opens the passenger door and drops into the seat.
A pickup truck pulls up next to Smurf the driver gets out and they speak for several minutes. Julia watching and straining to hear through the car window. They move into the building, the man making a list, furiously writing notes on a clipboard.
Smurf slides behind the wheel, "ok we will head home and I'll make you lunch. Maybe Baz is awake." She turns the car towards home and off they go.
Julia turns to Smurf, "are you going to tell me what that was about?"
Smurf smiles, "I did, baby. It's about our future. Not taking risks and not paying others for things we can do ourselves. That crook Roscoe has been charging us 15% to clean our money. Now with this building and several more I'm looking at, we can take care of ourselves and keep that 15% for us. But for right now let's not tell the boys. Julia I am counting on you to keep this between us."
She pulls the car into the driveway, "now go see if Baz is awake, and I'll make lunch." Smurf smiles as Julia heads inside.
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Growing up Cody
AdventureThis takes place before the series Animal Kingdom (TNT) tbegins; when the Cody's were teenagers. The twins are 17, same as Baz they are all seniors in high school. Craig is 15 and in 10th grade, and Deran is a 13 year old freshman. I have taken some...
