Part one "The Dance"
The flea market was filled with vendors that Saturday morning in March. Each one selling what they had in order to make a buck. I was here for another reason. I was on the hunt. I work as an investigator for the Attorney General's office via the local police department. My area of coverage includes this region. We were working on a tip that stolen items were being sold in our area by an interstate organized crime ring. It had come from the Attorney General's office in Tennessee
Today I was dressed as an older gentleman worn down by time and life. I was hunched over and walked as if I could not straighten up. It clearly looked like the years of life had taken its toll on me. The makeup and molded body parts I used accented the image-making me appear that my age had broken my body down. My worn and faded hat contained a video camera that recorded everything. No one would be able to see my real age as the makeup I had applied hid any traces of my real age. I used a weird-looking thing as a walking aid which had an oxygen tank on with a breathing line to my nose. I was looking for three Hungarian carousels made in the late eighteen hundred.
I deliberately walked slowly to enhance my image. The running shoes I had on needed the laces to be tied up. I was one row over from the food vendors when I saw them. They were each priced for more than I had in cash on me. At the moment there were two very well dressed ladies looking at them closely. It was clear to see that from the vender's point of view; they had the appearance of having money. No doubt he was going to milk them for as much as he could. Looking over the area I noticed the six vehicles with out of state plates. The tip had been right. I made sure the hidden video camera caught the plates.
One of the females was a few years older than the other. Both were quite good looking. I moved in to hear the older one of them trying to talk the vendor down. She spoke like she had knowledge about the item. I knew I had to find a way to make it appear that she did not.
I knelt down to inspect them as my camera continued to record. I lifted the first one up on an angle to see if I could find a serial number. My camera captured it. I repeated the process on all three. I smiled. It was a gold mine. I had found what I was looking for. I had a serial number that matched. Now I had to find a way to buy them. I began to tap on them as if to appear that I was listening to the sound it made. Looked at the cord lines with serious interest. I had gotten the vendor's attention.
The lady wasn't happy the vendor wasn't willing to negotiate on the price.
Finally, she said. "I give up let's go, Tina," as she started to walk away.
I mumbled in broken English "Good thing because these are not real but cheap Russian made imitations made in the nineteen-thirties"
"How do you know that?" the one named Tina asked.
"The Russians put serial numbers on theirs and since we can't prove they work I would only by them for parts," I replied mumbling.
The vendor's face went white so did the ladies face who was trying to buy just one.
"So, what would you be willing to buy them for?" the vendor asked.
I mumbled, "at the most a hundred bucks."
After making a quick phone call he said: "If you can take them with you, sold."
I paid the man with five twenty-dollar bills. Making sure I caught his face in the camera as I counted them out to him. Less than two minutes later my weird walker was dismantled and reset. It was now a cart with four wheels. The three, two-foot-high, three feet wide carousels were being slowly pulled by me. I had shut my video camera off by using an app on my cell.
I cut between the vendors into the food section headed back towards my truck. What I came looking for had been found. The vendor and I would be meeting again later that day. The heat of the day was getting to me as underneath the body molds I was beginning to sweat. I was now walking faster than I had before. I was looking forward to getting out of my disguise. That was when the same two ladies caught up to me. I quickly turned the cam back on.
The older lady was a natural redhead whose curls were being twisted and turned by the breeze. Her look reminded me of Maureen O'Hare who starred with John Wayne in the movie McLintock. With those sparkling blue eyes, vibrate smile and the determination to match I knew she was going to be a handful. Just by watching that movie on reruns I knew how I would have to handle her. If she acted the way I figured she would I would have to act as he did.
"You are a crook and I'm calling the cops!" She said as she came to a stop directly in front of me. The idiot was drawing attention to me that I did not want.
I mumbled, "Get lost lady" and continued walking.
She grabbed my arm trying to keep hold of me. I pulled it loose and stepped to the side of her. I could see her temper rising as she swung at me. Those watching us could hear how hard it landed on the side of my face.
"Calm down young lady. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." I mumbled to her.
She started to swing again so I straightened up standing completely upright causing her to lose her balance and fall into me.
"It's been a long time since a youngling through herself at me. Thank you for giving me that thrill again." I mumbled well laughing.
My smart assed remark seemed to inflame her anger more.
Her next swing landed on my left cheek.
"That's three, don't do it again," I mumbled.
I pushed past her and moved on. A few more minutes and I was at my truck which was a small moving van. That Lady was persistent and just would not give up. She was still right beside me like a dog who had found a bone. I had reached the point that I had enough of her ongoing interference.
"I'm calling nine one one." She said. "there never were carousels made in Russia. I know I just Googled it."
I couldn't argue that point because I knew the lady was right. I just needed the vendor to believe that so I could purchase them as cheap as possible.
"No call ___ ____ and ask for Beth and put the speaker on." I mumbled and said, "and explain the situation to her."
I opened the back of the van and began loading the carousels into it. Beth asked her who she was and how she got this number. As I listen to her explain to Beth what had transpired. Once done I turned in front of Miss know it all and spit the two marbles, I had in my mouth out. The two ladies were shocked that I could do something they considered gross.
"Hey, Beth, have you got her name and all the basic's," I asked in a clear voice. Beth said yes. "Then tell this halfwit just who I am."
"Trish, His name is James Scott Tait. let's just say he's an undercover cop." Beth explained.
It was fun watching this twit go into complete shock. Maybe she just realized that she had bit off more than she could chew.
"Beth, I will forward by email a video. I found those carousels we were looking for and bought them." I said with authority. "Let the captain know there are about six different vendors working together. All from out of state. I got visuals of their plates. Let me know via my cell when the team ready to come in. I will join them in the takedown. Run a background check on this lady. I will detain her till you get back to me before I decide what to do."
"What are you thinking of charging her with," Beth asked.
"Three accounts of assault, a charge of interference with an officer in the line of duty, aiding and abating in the process of a crime. I got it all recorded with the video." I said in anger. "The way the two of them are overdressed. They were not shopping for products but looking for the kind of trouble that comes with two legs. She's a BBBB and that means trouble. With the mood this twit has put me in I'm going to give her exactly what she wants."
