Report #3270, Transcript Section #3
(Operation SANDMAN)
©1998 Shane Ivey

KEEPER:  Last session, Barry left his cell number with Rogers. Rogers had a question or request I think. Call away. ;-)

ROGERS:  I just wanted to get Barry Knight to start investigating this "Peppy" Character.

KEEPER:  OK... Barry, you've contacted Lundquist and Rogers at the hospital, but you haven't met with them yet.

KNIGHT:  OK. Do I have a way to do that?

KEEPER:  You know they are at the hospital still (Faith Hospital), and you have a contact phone number for them.

KNIGHT:  I'll dail it. Am I outside the hospital?

KEEPER:  Yeah... you took a cab across town and just arrived at the hospital, where your contractor (Andre Jones) said you could find them.

KNIGHT:  I'm dail;ing that number.

KEEPER:  Rpgers, you and Lundquist are together, where the last session left off. Dr. Allen has gone to check on Anton Royce.

KEEPER:  Rogers' phone buzzes.

ROGERS:  Hello?

KNIGHT:  Hey. Barry Knight here.

KNIGHT:  "I'm outside the hospital. You around?"

ROGERS:  "Hi Barry, Yeah were on the 6th floor at present waiting to meet Dr Allen."

ROGERS:  "Probably best to meet after we've seen Allen."

KNIGHT:  "I'll wait in the lobby, then. Come get me when your'e ready."

KNIGHT:  I'll grab a magazine and pretend to read it.

ROGERS:  "Ok hopefully this won't take to long."

KEEPER:  Note: Rogers, you spoke to Dr. Allen about ten minutes ago, and he said to meet in his office in an hour.

LUNDQUIST:  Well, do we want to do anything else, or can we just jump ahead to that?

ROGERS:  "Right my mind must be slipping shall we meet in the Lobby then?"

LUNDQUIST:  Where is Royce now? Still in the same room?

KEEPER:  Royce is in his room still, yes. The nurse gave him a sedative, and the doctor went to check on him.

KEEPER:  The orderly, John Swank, followed the doctor, still glaring holes in Rogers.

ROGERS:  "Let's head down to the Lobby to see Barry."

KEEPER:  The elevator trip takes scarcely a minute.

ROGERS:  "Phone Barry's number to see who he is"

KNIGHT:  I answer. "Knight."

KEEPER:  Note: "OSBORNE" did provide Rogers & Lundquist with a photo of Barry Knight and some basic background info.

ROGERS:  walk over to whoever just answered the phone "Hi John Rogers this is Brian Lundquiest"

KEEPER:  Knight, you see exactly that. Rogers is a big guy in a dark suit, dark hair, athletic looking.

KNIGHT:  I look at my phone, then look at the two of them.

KEEPER:  Lundquist is tall but thin and tired-looking, dirty blond hair.

KNIGHT:  Then I look at the phone again. Then I look at them.

KEEPER:  (No idea what Barry looks like.)

KNIGHT:  Then I hang up, put it in my pocket.

ROGERS:  Hang up the phone

KNIGHT:  "Guess I don't need that overcomplicated bullshit." (referring to the phone)

KNIGHT:  I extend my hand. "Barry Knight."

ROGERS:  "Best to keep things simple"

KNIGHT:  You see a man, about 40, with very short-cropped hair (running to grey)

KNIGHT:  He's stocky, has a tiny bit of pudge, and has wide shoulders.

KNIGHT:  He's wearing a blue dress shirt with white collar, khakhi pants, and cowboy bots.

KNIGHT:  NICE cowboy boots.

KNIGHT:  "So, what can I do for you?

ROGERS:  "Just a little background research at present."

KNIGHT:  "All right." He looks at them expectantly.

ROGERS:  "We've just interview Anton Royce upstairs and he gave up the name 'Peppy', as his supplier of the Dreaming Man. We just want you to try and find this guy quietly and without police / DEA involvement as yet"

KNIGHT:  "Do you have the slightest idea who this guy or girl is?"

ROGERS:  "No he was pretty spaced out when he gave up the name, as for the gender I got the impression it was male, Royce refered to him and hel sort me out"

ROGERS:  "I get the feeling he's a fairly well known character in Harfleur."

ROGERS:  "In the right or wrong circles."

KNIGHT:  "I can try it. But don't expect anything too soon. I'll need at least one night. And some cash."

KNIGHT:  "Maybe a lot of cash," he says, laughing at the end.

ROGERS:  "Hey its a government operation cash is the least of our worries."

KNIGHT:  "Can't say I know how much DM costs."

ROGERS:  "Just try to be imaginative in the expenses claim!"

KNIGHT:  Barry sort of hisses as Rodgers is speaking, as if he wants words at the tip of his tongue when Rodgers finishes.

KEEPER:  Notes: Barry, you don't know much about Harfleur specifically or its locals, though you may have had some experience in similar investigations.

KNIGHT:  I nod toward the door. "Let's take a walk." I look around in case anyone is listening.

ROGERS:  follow him out (Behind not in front)

KEEPER:  There's a bored-looking NYPD officer on duty at a guard desk not far away. He looks up occasionally from his TV screen.

KNIGHT:  When we're alone (the 3 of us), I'll say, "OK. I'll try this evening. But it will cost money."

KEEPER:  There are perhaps a dozen other patients or relatives of patients waiting in vinyl-padded seats about this entry hall.

KNIGHT:  Have I recieved any funds yet? I mean, from before?

ROGERS:  "How much do you need roughly?"

KEEPER:  Retainer fee? Sure.

KNIGHT:  How much was it? And that was my fee, not expense cash?

KEEPER:  He gave you both. Not standard practice for your employers, but this isn't a standard employer.

KNIGHT:  A number.

KEEPER:  Jones gave you $5000 in cash.

KNIGHT:  OK.

ROGERS:  "Try not to get mugged."

KNIGHT:  "I've got enough from Jones already. You guys want to come with me? I'll try right away."

ROGERS:  "We have a meeting here in an hour or so, you go ahead, we'll contact you via the cell phone when our meeting is concluded."

KNIGHT:  I wave as I stomp towards the taxi stand.

ROGERS:  "Hey Brian, want to sort out our story for Dr. Allen?"

KNIGHT:  I get a taxi, have it take me to the nearest rental car place.

KEEPER:  That would be in JFK Airport, a mile or two away.

KEEPER:  It's a quick enough drive, and a quick enough process unless you want to do anything unusual.

KNIGHT:  Nope. I go get a vehicle, a big one.

KNIGHT:  Then I cruise back to Harfleur. I watch out for cops. I circle a bit, checking things out.

KEEPER:  You pass one patrol car on the drive, and you see another about fifteen minutes later as you cruise through the streets. Yeah, we need to figure out what to tell Dr Allen...

KEEPER:  The area is run-down fairly consistently , with a constant graffitti problem and many buildings in disrepair.

KNIGHT:  Do I see some dealers?

KEEPER:  Yes. There are quite a few groups of people just hanging out on stoops or corners here and there, but some stand out as particularly shifty and wary.

KEEPER:  BTW, neighborhood maps are up on the website.

KNIGHT:  I pull up in front of one in my big-assed car. Ease up so I can hit the gas easy and go.

KNIGHT:  "Hey, man, whazzup?" (white people are the biggest buyers of illegal drugs, anyways, so what the hell)

KEEPER:  It is a group of four young men, mostly late teens. They look your way neutrally. "Yo," one of them says.

KNIGHT:  "Man, I've got a small problem. You see, usually, I don't have to go past Times Square to get what I need . . .

KNIGHT:  "But a buddy of mine on the Street wants me to get something special for him"

KEEPER:  One of them looks up, looks around briefly. Another gets up and strolls closer to the car. He looks inside, left and right.

KNIGHT:  I hold out a $100, let one guy take it.

KEEPER:  "You long way from Time Square," says the one who approached as he takes the bill. His voice has a slight Caribbean lilt.

KNIGHT:  "He says it's called Sleeping man or something like that. You head of it?"

KNIGHT:  Foot light on the gas, other light on the brakes.

KEEPER:  He sniffs. "Sure. You wan' some? I'll get it, you come on back here in a hour."

KNIGHT:  "What's it like?"

KEEPER:  He shrugs loosely. "Dunno, man, never took it. Got a lot a folks aroun who love it, though. It jus don't pay the bills, know what I mean?"

KNIGHT:  "Now, look. I don't know shit about this stuff. Ha - er, the guy who wants it got it last time from somebody named Peppy. Any way He can get a Peppy batch? I'll pay more to get this guy off my back about it."

KNIGHT:  "He gave me a price range, but I can go a little higher to grease the wheels, you know?"

KEEPER:  "Yeah? Yeah, it's cool then. Peppy it is. You come on back in a hour. How much you want?"

KNIGHT:  "Ahm, $500 worth. Make it worth your while. And hey, give Peppy my phone number (I write it on one of the bills). This guy might want a regular run, you know. Save me the fucking trip. Thanks."

KEEPER:  He nods easily. "Yeah, you got it, high-roller. Get you Peppy's best. One hour."

KNIGHT:  I drive off.

KNIGHT:  Go buy a paper, read it. Check and make sure the phone's working right.

ROGERS:  Got to go now see you next week guys.

KEEPER:  OK, see you Rogers.

KEEPER:  Done, Barry. The phone works fine. The usual headlines. Let's check in on Lundquist...

KEEPER:  Lundquist, you and Rogers are still at the hospital.

KEEPER:  Knight drove off in a cab. You're supposed to meet Dr. Allen in about a half-hour.

KEEPER:  Dr. Allen's office is on the ninth floor, in a wing with a number of staff offices.

LUNDQUIST:  I don't suppose I can get a quick backround check done on the good Dr?

KEEPER:  You can get a federal criminal background check done quickly, as well as a NY criminal check.

KEEPER:  For more in-depth background you'd need time to develop his past states of residence and so forth.

LUNDQUIST:  That will do for now. Not that I'm expecting anything, of course.

KEEPER:  Right. His federal and NYS records are clean. Two parking violations and a speeding ticket are on the record.

LUNDQUIST:  OK. I guess we'll go on to the meeting then.

KEEPER:  Allen is in his office when you find it. He's thin, with acne-pocked pale features, a large nose, and curly black hair. He is wearing blue scrubs under a white coat.

KEEPER:  He looks up and pushes his glasses up as you enter.

LUNDQUIST:  "Dr Allen? Hello there."

KEEPER:  He looks from you to Rogers. "You must be the colleague Doctor Rogers mentioned. Come in."

LUNDQUIST:  "Yes. I work for the Department of Justice."

KEEPER:  "Well, I already spoke with Agent Morgan at length."

KEEPER:  He looks impatient and irritable.

LUNDQUIST:  I'm going to be polite and apologetic. I'm going to try to calm him down.

LUNDQUIST:  "We're working on an investigation which is separate from Agent Morgan's. We're investigating the possbility of a connection between Mr Royce and the people we're investigating."

LUNDQUIST:  (Yeah, 3 years of law school and I talk like that.)

KEEPER:  He sighs a bit melodramatically. "Fine. What can I do for you? I have rounds to make."

LUNDQUIST:  "Well, I think we're finished here, for now. I just wanted to apologize for that little incident. But I'm sure you can understand Doctor Rogers' concern for Mr Royce, when he went into that seizure."

KEEPER:  He nods dismissively. "Certainly. I appreciate his concern. Anything else?"

LUNDQUIST:  "No. If we need to speak with Mr Royce further, we'll be sure to speak with you ahead of time."

LUNDQUIST:  I'm also going to give him my cell phone number, in case he wants to reach me.

KEEPER:  "Yes, I hope you will. Frankly, I'm not happy that you chose to approach Mr. Royce as you did *without* consulting me. His condition is not good, as you well saw."

LUNDQUIST:  "Certainly. Our normal procedure would, of course, be to consult with you first. However, there is some time urgency here, so we unfortunately had to proceed without doing so."

LUNDQUIST:  "I'd also appreciate a call from you if there is any significant change in Mr Royce's physical condition. Any time, day or night. It could be very important."

KEEPER:  He seems dubious. "And does this have any connection with the criminal charges pending against Mr. Royce?"

LUNDQUIST:  "No, not at this time. That's being handled by the local authorities. This is simply part of an ongoing federal investigation. And for that reason, I'd appreciate you not discussing our visit here."

LUNDQUIST:  "...with anyone."

KEEPER:  He raises an eyebrow at that. "Now, was that SUPPOSED to sound sinister, or am I just paranoid?"

LUNDQUIST:  (trying extra hard to keep sinister out of my voice). "No, not at all!" (disarming chuckle). "We simply need to insure that this is kept as discreet as possible. I'm sure you can understand that?"

LUNDQUIST:  (yeah, log no prob)

KEEPER:  He sighs again. "Fine. Agent Morgan said the same thing. So, keep this hush-hush, no problem. Anything else?"

LUNDQUIST:  "No, we'll get out of your way. Remember, call me if there's anything I can do for you. Have a nice day."

KEEPER:  "Sure thing. You too." He looks down at his charts again.

LUNDQUIST:  So, I suppose we'll leave.