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I returned to the apartment in Quality Hill to find Miss West and Smitty playing cards. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. I took off my hat and lit a cigarette. Smoking seemed to help me think. I poured myself a dink and got comfortable.

–How was lunch,” I asked.

–Exciting,” replied Miss West. –The Klingon goons showed up, but we dispatched them.”

–What did you find out down in Lenexa,” asked Smitty.

–Not much, but something is going down tonight. Looks like Sheldon was right. I can’t help but think the Klingons are somehow connected with Boss Santorini, but I am not sure how. I’m going to have to go back to the warehouse tonight and snoop around some more. I am gonna need back up, Smitty.”

–You got it, boss,” replied Smitty. –Well, now that you are back I am gonna get down to the lobby and keep eyes down there.”

Smitty left and Miss West joined me on the couch. Without asking she took my glass and refilled it.

–I want to go with you guys tonight,” said Miss West.

–I am afraid not, Miss West. You are in enough danger as it is.”

–I can handle the danger. I am coming with you and that is final.”

–Very well. Although I would caution you to think about this. It could get ugly.”

–It’s already gotten ugly. My apartment and your office is trashed, someone tried to blow you up, not to mention the Klingons worked you over pretty good and tried to grab me at lunch. We’re in deep.”

Miss West poured herself a drink. In an unexpected move, Miss West lifted her leg and placed it over mine. She began to dangle she black shoe off of her foot.

–Like my shoes,” asked Miss West.

–They are cute,” I replied, not entirely sure where Miss West was going with this.

–Anne Klein Wystere,” said Miss West. –Classic black pump, three and quarter inch heel with a half inch platform. Seven medium, $49.95 on sale at DSW. I love em’"

–That is all fascinating, Miss West but what does this have to do with-–

–Just stay with me a minute. Go on, check them out.”
I took Miss West’s shoe from her foot and looked it over. A typical woman’s high heel shoe, I still didn’t quite get it until very thin slot in the platform opened and a tiny SD card popped out. I took a look at the card.

–The Genesis Formula,” I said. –So this is what every one wants. Very clever, no one would ever find it here.”

–I thought so. For security reasons, there are only two copies of the formula in existence. There is a back up, but even I don’t know where that is. Only my father does.”

I put the card back into the slot and it slid into the platform. There was no trace of a door, slot or opening of any kind. Who ever rigged this for Miss West knew what they were doing. I handed Miss West her shoe and pulled a piece of paper out of my jacket pocket. As Miss west slipped her shoe back on, I unfolded the paper.

–What’s that,” she asked.

–A sketch of the storage complex, if we are gonna be looking around there we need a plan,” I replied. –I rented a smaller unit and van, so I have access. We just drive in, unload some empty boxes and try to find out what’s going on. Get ready for a very long night, Miss West.”

Much later that evening, we pulled into the storage complex in an unmarked grey van. I pulled into the unit I rented. It wasn’t that hard to find, it was between Vance Refrigeration and a Dunder Mifflin Paper unit. Smitty opened the door as I backed the van into the dock.

–If you two would start unloading, I need to get eyes on that building over there,” I said.

Smitty and Miss West began moving large empty boxes from the van into the building. I walked to where I had a good view of the target building. I lit a cigarette and observed some vans and trucks pulling into that other unit. It seemed like the cargo was people. Something was going down all right. Over a two hour period several vehicles came in and out. After a half hour of no activity it seemed like a good time to move.

–Let’s go take a look,” I said.

As Miss West Smitty and I walked over to the building, there was no security posted outside. Probably to make it look like nothing at all was going on. It was almost too easy but that usually meant trouble. The doors were locked, but here were skylights in all the buildings. We all headed for the roof. How Miss West climbed a ladder in those heels still baffles me to this day. We made our way an illuminated skylight which indicated that there was activity.

I managed to carefully crack the glass and metal frame open. Smitty wedge a piece of wood into the crack so we could keep it open and observe. Smitty shook his head and whistled softly.

–Whatcha got, Smitty,” I asked.

–Wow. Its like the Vatican of organized crime down there,” replied Smitty as he checked out who was all down there. –I got Boss Santorini, there’s Johnny Kongo and his pals. Joey –the nose” Maroney, Lefty Migillicuty, Nicky –the Shark” Marks, some Orion Syndicate guys. Holy crap! Lord John Whorfin is down there along with John Ya ya and John Smallberries. What ever is going down tonight it’s a big deal.You better call O’Shannigan.”

I nodded and flipped my communicator as Smitty and Miss West observed the gathering.

–What’s the big idea, Dylan,” said a groggy and barely awake Inspector O’ Shannigan. –Do you know what time it is?”

–Sorry Inspector, but you are going to want to come down to Lenexa in a hurry,” I said. –And bring back up.”

–Back up? What the hell? All right I will be there and bring a couple of guys.”

–I think you will need a little more than that.”
–How much more, Dylan?”

–All of it. Just get down here. All the major crime bosses are having a sit down right in front of me, and I think it may have a connection to my client.”

–Oh…why didn’t you say so? I am on my way.”

Down in the big empty storage room, tables and chairs were set up for an obvious group meeting. People were shaking Boss Santorini’s hand and smoking cigars and drinking. The conversation was typical mob talk.

–Hey Vinny, you take care of that thing we talked about?”

–Yo, Pauly, I need you to go to the docks and rough up some schmucks who are late on their protection payments”

That kinda stuff. A small lectern was set up. People took their seats as Santorini took his place behind the lectern. He ran his fingers through his slick black hair and adjusted his tie. He took a sip of water before he spoke.

–We all know why we are here tonight,” said Santorini with not too much of a mob-Italian-New York accent. –As you know, we are attempting to pull off one of the biggest scores this quadrant has ever seen. Hijack Project Genesis and use it against the Federation. With this ultimate power we can bring the Federation to their knees.”

Santorini sipped his water then continued. –We will do this by extorting the Federation and demanding certain payments in order for us not to start re arranging their populated planets with the Genesis missile. However, to do that we lack the one component we need for Genesis to work…the formula. In order to get the formula we need to get Professor West’s daughter. She was it, but we have not been able to grab her. So tonight I am offering a prize of a million to any crew that can get Veronica West to me unharmed, and get her to tell us where the information his hidden.”

Santorini was bringing out the big guns just to nab my client. I am not sure I could keep her safe from that kind of threat. I was going to call O’Shannigan to inform him of how many people there were and give them an approach into the storage complex, but I dropped it. It fell through the crack and landed in the middle of a big bowl of onion dip. All eyes were now on the roof.

–We’re made,” said Smitty. –Let’s get outa here!”

Before we could make a run for it, henchmen were already on the roof flanking us. As quickly as we could, we drew our weapons and laid down some stun beams to clear a path. Just then the parking lot filled up with all kinds of police cars, vans and even a couple Kansas City Police shuttle craft flew over head. The henchmen that were left scattered, but Smitty aimed and stunned a couple of them just for kicks.

A small firefight broke out in the warehouse but the police had it contained and under control very quickly. After about twenty minutes, the police and O’Shannigan had the bad guys rounded up and arrested. He shook my hand.

–Well Ricky,” said O’Shannigan. –This was a big one. I suppose I owe you.”

–Don’t mention it, Inspector,” I replied.

–I’ll be seeing ya. I gotta go take all this trash downtown and start bookin’ em all in.”

The few remaining cars left. The shuttles lifted off and we started back for our car. I noticed some movement. Three figures running to a car. It was hard to see the black Cadillac in the night, but its sillouette was obvious. The car spun around, and sped down the parking lot. I quickly adjusted my phaser and stepped right into the path of the speeding black car.

I leveled my phaser and let loose a burst. A small explosion came from the nose of the car, it swerved off course. The car hit a loading ramp flipping onto its roof. It crashed in into fence. As Johnny Kongo and his boys crawled out of the car, Smitty intercepted them.

–Going somewhere,” asked Smitty.

Miss West found me holstering my weapon. She was smiling.

–Quite a night,” she said.

–Sure was,” I replied.

–I am not sure how to thank you for all you’ve done for me, but this might be a good start.”

Miss West slipped her arms around me and planted a deep kiss on my lips…the kind of kiss that dames plant on the hero at the end of these kinds of stories. I couldn’t complain, I was engaged in a kiss so tight with Miss West you’d need the jaws of life to pry us apart. Smitty approached. He saw Miss West and I kissing. He smiled nodded in approval and went back to Johnny Kongo to keep an eye on them. Once the kissing stopped I looked at Miss West for a moment.

–Can I by you a cup of coffee,” I asked.

–No,” Miss West replied. –You can buy me a drink. I hear Westport is a great place to hang out late at night.”

We walked by Smitty, who was tightening the restraints on the Klingons.

–We’re gonna go get lit,” I said. –You’re welcome to join us.”

–You two go ahead,” replied Smitty. –I’ll run these rats downtown for O’Shannigan.”

I’d type up my report in the morning, but I could close this file. The Case of the Black Shoe was officially closed.


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