Captain Rodger Pike was homegrown, having risen in the ranks from his beginnings as a street cop nearly two decades ago.
His was a measured ascendency, one rank at a time, his experience gathered in a multitude of precincts located in a plethora of districts. When he reached Parker Center, then the LAPD headquarters, he was a seasoned veteran and an accomplished leader.
Now on the command staff, ensconced in the new Police Administration Building on First Street in downtown L.A., he was frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for Commissioner.
He stood when I entered his office and uncharacteristically, wrapped me in a bear hug and slapped me heartily on the back.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Buddy.”
“Rubbing the blarney stone this morning, are we, sir?”
“We miss you around here.”
“That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you.”
He pointed me to the conference table located in a corner of his spacious office, overlooking the downtown corridor and the westside beyond it.
“So,” he said once we were seated. “Are you liking it up there?”
“It’s a challenge.”
“But are you liking it?”
“Some days, perhaps. It’s a small town freighted with small-town politics.”
“The welcome mat is always out for you here, Buddy.”
“Be careful what you wish for.”
He smiled. “We’ve set up the meeting with this Smernik character. What is it you want from him?”
“You’ve heard of Boris Petrov?”
“Only what I read in the papers.”
“He’s violated the Coastal Commission rules regarding beach access, and the San Remo Sheriff’s Department has been assigned the task of straightening him out.”
“And?”
“He’s defiant. He’s thrown up every conceivable roadblock. Far greater than you can imagine. Actions above and beyond the norm.”
“Which raised your hackles, no doubt.”
“No doubt. The point is not so much his desire to maintain privacy. That’s no different from any of these other self-entitled beachfront billionaires who do the same. But this guy is over the top. Way beyond the pale. Which makes me wonder what’s really going on. What’s he hiding?”
“Hence, Smernik.”
“He was sent to deliver me a message. Rough me up a little. Warn me off. He and another goon. A pair of inept bozos in over their heads.”
“So?”
“When I subdued him and we were waiting for the backup to arrive, he volunteered to share information with me regarding Petrov’s activities.”
“In exchange for his freedom, I’ll bet.”
“Yes.”
“So you’re here on a fishing expedition.”
“I am.”
“Well, it’s set up as you requested. No one will be any the wiser. Hopefully, you can wrestle something worthwhile out of him.”
“Not likely, but it’s worth the effort. Many thanks for your help, sir.”
“You’ll let me know how you fare?”
“Be my pleasure.”