how the product was being transported. From what she'd read online, there had been numerous deaths from the drug. One of the fatalities was a police officer. The patrolman had worn gloves but inhaled the fine powder which had escaped when the wrapping was opened. The shit was worse than pure heroin. It was so deadly, she wondered why the suppliers were pushing it. The product could kill a large portion of their clientele.
Her phone vibrated. She palmed it. "Agent Swanson."
"Hey Amber, got a message you called?" Terry Goldsmith's voice made her smile.
"Hey Terry, how are you doing?"
"Busy. You?"
"Same, but I've been permanently assigned to a Joint Task Force up here in Hope City."
"Demotion?" The man's concern was immediate.
"No actually, I asked for it. I needed to be home more."
"Ah, yeah I get it. I missed so damn much of my kids growing up, but you gotta pay bills, you know what I mean?"
"I do. Speaking of which, what do you know about Grey Death production in the Jacksonville area?"
He sighed in her ear. "That shit is insane. Whatever you do, get your first responders gloves and access to masks. They're using elephant tranquilizers in the shit."
"I heard that, too. Where the hell are they getting the tranqs?" She glanced up as Brody strode to the break room while talking with two of the other detectives.
"Rumor has it a big shipment for an elephant refuge in Tennessee was nipped."
"Excuse me, where?"
"You heard me. A huge preserve for the African and Asian elephants that are rescued in North America."
"Dang. Didn't know anything like that existed."
"Well, neither did I until we started tracking this shit. Anyway, this is all rumor, of course..."
Amber chuckled. "I got you. Not a soul will know where I'm pulling my info."
"Smart girl. Anyway, we've been watching. We know it's being cooked here, but no idea where it's made or how it’s transported."
"How do you know it's being made down there?"
"Ah, three dead bodies, two executed and one OD'd after Jax PD arrived. There was a small amount of the shit found underneath a ransacked workbench. It was unwrapped and uncut. The equipment was missing, but you could tell where it had been located. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get any information from our CIs on who's running the kitchen or where it went. We've got no idea where it’s going or how it’s getting there, so yeah, a whole lot of nada."
"I might have that end of the problem figured out. Would you be averse to sharing a bust? We can give you partial credit."
"At what point do you think I'd say no to that?" Terry chuckled.
"Well then, may I interest you in taking down the Florida based portion of a potential interstate trafficking ring?"
"I think I could handle it. Is the Agency involved?"
"No more than you and I."
"I'd have to bring them in."
Amber cautioned, "When we get ready to move and not before. You know the glory mongers will swoop in if you give them a whisper of this information."
"Deal. How much off the books work am I going to be doing?"
"Right now, not much. I need you to examine smaller airports in the area. Probably with easy access to the city."
"They're flying the shit out."
"We believe so, but we are a long way from knowing for sure. You'll get a couple hours notification, and then it will be up to you to try to find where the planes are landing."
"Why don't you get a warrant and have the FAA get you the flight plans?"
"You need this thing called probable cause. When we get to that point, I'm sure the team will execute one, but this is in the roughest of planning stages."
"Okay, I get it, and I'm glad I'll have some time. I have a rookie who I need to kick out on his ass. It's sink or swim time for him."
"Not doing well?"
"Oh, according to him he is. He's one of these know-it-alls who doesn't need any help from a trainer." Terry snorted.
"You are the best training agent in the DEA. He's a schmuck if he doesn't realize it." Amber loved Terry and his wife. Since she’d joined the agency, they had taken her under their wing and treated her like family.
"Compliments will get you everywhere. How's my boy?"
"Gage is fine. What about your grandkids?"
"I have six now! I'm overrun in ankle biters." Terry laughed indulgently. "But damn it's nice to get them all hyped up on sugar and send them home with