by Sims, R.
CHAPTER 32
“That doesn’t sound like justifiable homicide to me,” Elizabeth said. “You — Did Jerry ever admit to you that he killed Author’s wife?”
“No, but the circumstances tell me he’s guilty. People are convicted all the time without admissions or confessions.” Dexter stifled a yawn. He didn’t like where the conversation was obviously going.
“Judge, jury, and executioner. You’re certainly not the Dexter I once knew. You’re going to wind up in prison for life, you know. I don’t know if it’ll be for Jerry Bean’s death or for the investment scam, but you will fall hard, Dexter.”
He wiped his mouth and said, “Probably, but it’s all preventable. I’ve planted more than thirty red herrings in the past three years, and currently I have more than sixty people doing work-for-hire jobs for me. I’ve employed look-alikes, paid off bank presidents, small business managers, and even a good henchman in case things get ugly.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“So far I have spent nearly $300 million on what might inwardly be called my defense.” He reached for more nuts.
Elizabeth hadn’t touched her tea and had hardly even glanced at the nuts. “I doubt you’ll be able to buy your way out of trouble, and there is nothing I can do to help you.”
He said, “I need your publicist,” still chewing on nuts. “I want her to get me an interview with William Oxcart of SunHot Lead.” He wiped his mouth again.
“What good will that do?”
“There are three sides to every story: the truth, the lie, and the truth camouflaged. It is the latter that I am interested in getting out to the public once I am charged.”
Her mind began wandering.
“You’re the only person I know who could afford to bail me out of jail without raising legal eyebrows. I’ll also need for you to help me with something at my trial.”
“Dexter, do you still believe in God, or did prison change that aspect of you, too?”
“Of course I believe in God, but I also believe in sacrifice. I’ve committed several crimes so that I can fund your research center; God will forgive me because of my motives.”
She rose from her chair. “You’ve obviously convinced yourself of that. I’m not convinced, though.” She rested her hands on her waist. “I’m not feeling well, and I’d like to see you to the door now.”
Dexter rose without hesitation. “So, this is what it’s come down to? You’re kicking me out of your home when I need you most?”
Elizabeth looked at him with pity. “You don’t need me, Dexter; you need rehabilitation.”
CHAPTER 33
Shortly before ten in the morning, Phillip rang the doorbell at Laura’s apartment. She had given him directions to her place as he drove his rental, and now he had two breakfast bags and orange juice from Hardee’s.
Laura answered the door wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and bedroom slippers. “Hi. Come in.”
“Good morning.” He entered the apartment, closed the door, and followed her to the small kitchen.
“While I was in Philly last night, I visited my mother after interviewing the McDonald’s manager.” Laura sat at her kitchen table. “Have a seat.”
Phillip set the bags and drinks on the table then removed his sport coat and draped it across the back of a chair. “I thought I’d hear from you last night.”
“I got back late and didn’t want to wake you with a call.”
He sat across from her and began removing their breakfast from the bags. “Learn anything useful?”
She smiled. “I think Dexter Parker admires you. Your name is on his impersonator’s job application. Person to contact in case of an emergency: Special Agent Phillip Walters.”
He stared at her and quickly realized that she was not joking. He thought about it a few seconds more then said, “That’s his way of telling me that he has taken nothing for granted.”
Laura said, “The manager keeps records as PDF documents only. I have a printout, but I also had him send me a copy via email.” She began eating hash browns.
“Did the impersonator look like Dexter?”
“Yes, according to the manager.”
“So do the impersonators who were making simultaneous transactions and purchases in three different states.” He unwrapped a sandwich then looked up at her.
“What?” she said.
“How would you recruit three or four women who looked a lot like yourself?”
She shrugged. “I guess I could always use one of my photos and place an ad in, say, the online classifieds. Don’t really know.”
Phillip nodded. “That’s good, except Dexter is too smart to use his own photo.”
“Hmm. Well, he sort of favors Denzel when he played in that submarine movie with Gene Hackman. The ad could ask for Denzel look-alikes for a small role as a double.”
He wagged an index finger at her. “That’s even better.”
“But when, where, and how might this ad have been placed? More importantly, who actually answered the ad and later agreed to work at McDonald’s or conduct IRS-attracting transactions?” She ate more hash browns.
Phillip finally took a bite of his sandwich. It occurred to him that was going to be his most slippery opponent yet.
***
Dana answered her home phone during the second ring. “Searing residence, Dana speaking.”
Dexter said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh, same to you. I hope you’re about to tell me that you’re in California, particularly close by and ready to take me out to dinner again.”
“Unfortunately not, but I would love nothing more. I’m in New York right now.”
“What’s going on?” Dana said. “I haven’t heard from you all week. I emailed you twice and called once; you could have at least responded.”
“I apologize. I’ve been very busy due to some unforeseen problems.”
Dana could hear him chewing something. “What are you eating?”
“Pecan pie.”
“Isn’t that considered junk food?”
He said, “It is but I’m stressing right now.”
CHAPTER 34
Dana headed toward the front door. She said to Dexter, “Stressing? You want me to fly to New York and make you feel better?” She kept the phone to her ear.
“That’s a rhetorical question. You damn right, I do.”
She opened her front door and saw a plain white van. “You know I’m not coming to New York. I’m still married, you know.”
“I haven’t suggested adultery yet. You said you could help me feel better; I never told you how you could do that.”
Dana watched the driver of the van approach her doorsteps with a small package.
Dexter said, “Is Danielle home from college?”
“She’s home for the weekend but she’s not in.”
She opened her storm door and said, “Hold on for a minute, Dexter.” She removed the phone from her face and said to the deliveryman, “May I help you?”
“Good afternoon, ma’am. I have a package for Miss Danielle Searing.”
“Danielle’s not in at the moment. I’m her mother.”
The deliveryman studied the document on his clipboard. “I’m instructed to let only Danielle or Dana Searing sign for it, and I would need to see some ID.”
Dana asked the man to wait there while she retrieved her ID from her handbag. She said to Dexter, “Danielle tells me she’s not seeing anyone, so I have no idea who could be sending her a Valentine’s Day gift.”
“Could be her ex,” Dexter said.
“I doubt it. He’s in prison. Don’t tell me you can’t see how much she’s attracted to bad boys.”
“I would have never imagined.”
“Sure.” She arrived at her front door again, stepped outside, and signed for the package. Dexter was still in her ear as she received a sealed envelope and a gift-wrapped box the size of a six pack of sodas. The envelope read: For Danielle�
�s eyes only! Open first. Happy Valentine’s Day.
“Dana, are you still listening to me? Should I call you later?”
“I’m sorry, Dexter. No, what’s up?” She stepped inside to put the items in her daughter’s room.
“I want you to come visit me for a few days.”
“Visit you? Didn’t we just discuss adultery?”
“Obviously not enough. I need you for a few days.”
“I would love to come cheer you up, but I haven’t had sex in about four months. I’m probably too sexually vulnerable for you.”
He laughed. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Dexter, I’m sure you have plans to blow my mind with all kinds of nasty acts, but I’m not sleeping with my favorite client. You get found not guilty and I’m all yours. I should be legally separated by then.”
Dexter sighed. “The cops are moving too slow for me. They’re going to need more help.”
CHAPTER 35
Gerald Parker parked his wife’s convertible BMW in their driveway then retrieved some items from their mailbox. Among the mail was a DVD in a clear jewel case. He studied the disc then looked around as if one of his neighbors had delivered it. No postage, no envelope. Surely someone other than the mailman had put the disc in his mailbox.
He headed inside his home, thinking about inviting one of his girlfriends over. Although Caroline had rented a Jaguar to attend a Web developers conference in New York, there was no telling when Dex would return from wherever he was. He did not want to hear his brother’s mouth. Fuck it. He would see what the DVD was all about then set up something at a nearby hotel with…Vicky.
***
The police had been looking for Eric Adkins for seven days now. His arson bail had been revoked and he was now facing murder charges for the deaths of Jerry Bean and Ricky Boatwright.
His parents’ home and his York townhouse had been raided on the same day. He’d seen the cops coming out of the townhouse last Wednesday evening, but he had no idea how they had even connected him to the apartment since it wasn’t in his or his parents’ name.
Eric was now sporting a baldhead, a clean-shaven face, and prescription glasses that had not been prescribed for his eyes. At 6:13 pm, he arrived at the home of Joyce Winters, in the car she had rented for him. He looked around before getting out of the car, which really made no sense.
Although Joyce had only visited Eric once in prison, common sense should have told Eric not to make contact with his dad’s sister. But Eric was damn near a computer genius; common sense was mostly an elusive concept to him. He got out of the car and walked to Joyce’s front door in a hurry. He rang the doorbell and waited.
The front door was suddenly opened, and two undercover officers poured out and tackled Eric to the ground. He didn’t even put up a fight. He knew it was all over for him now.
***
Phillip and Laura arrived at the Harrisburg Police Department. Laura parked in the rear of the building. Before Phillip could unfasten his seatbelt, his cell phone rang. He answered it and began conversing with Tim Randall, a colleague from his California field office.
Tim said, “Patricia Teague was once a legitimate bounty woman until she got herself into some trouble with the law. My sources tell me that she still sort of does that kind of work exclusively for the elite.”
“So who’s she working for now?” Phillip asked.
“I’m not sure about that, but I’m told that she’s a favorite of Peter Boon, the real estate developer. The connection between them is circumstantial and largely third-party, if you know what I mean.”
Phillip said, “Sure, but I don’t recall Peter Boone’s name being on the list of investors who lost in the scam.”
“Then you should check the list again because you apparently missed the name Doug Ramsey. He and Peter are best friends.”
Phillip looked at Laura but said to Tim, “Why would the billionaire want his own investigator obstructing our investigation? Does he really think that’ll get his investment back?”
Tim said, “It’s possible, I suppose, especially if he can somehow get to the person or persons who actually stole his investment.”
Phillip smiled. “If that was possible, he might be able to get his investment back as well as the other billions that were stolen.” He looked at Laura again, his facial expression having grown serious, and considered his own revelation.
CHAPTER 36
Dexter stepped out of a restaurant on Fifth Avenue in New York. He contemplated hailing a taxi but decided to walk since he hadn’t had a morning run in more than ten days now. His phone rang. “Hello.”
“Yes, I’m trying to reach Jonathan Raven. I’m Danielle Searing and he left a message for me to contact him at this number.”
Dexter smiled. “Danielle, thanks for calling. This is Dexter Parker but don’t let anyone know who you’re on the phone with.”
“How are you doing?” She said, the excitement clearly in her voice now.
“I’m fine. Listen, you and 1 have a lot to talk about. Did you open the box yet?”
“No. I read the card inside the envelope first. The card says not to open the box until I talk to Jonathan Raven.”
“There is no Jonathan. In the box you will find a six-pack of grape juice and a set of keys wrapped in a face cloth.”
“What…grape juice? A set of keys? What is all that for?
Dexter said, “Drink the juice; it’s good for you. Take the keys to Scott Harlan BMW — You know where that is, don’t you?”
“Yeah. About five miles from here.”
“Good. Take enough ID with you and ask for Robert Coleman. He’s going to put you in a brand new BMW. I hope white is not a bad color for you.”
Danielle screamed.
Dexter laughed then cut her off. “Danielle, Danielle! I need to talk to you before your mom finds out what’s going on.”
“Oh, nobody’s here but me. Are you serious about the BMW?”
“Very serious. Listen. The car will belong to a company that I want you to work for, but you can drive it every hour and every day of the year. It’s yours, but it will appear to be a company car to the outsiders.”
She asked, “What kind of work will I be doing, and do I have to quit my part-time job at Wendy’s? The Wendy’s is near the college campus.”
“You’ll be doing online administration work for Qualovefy.com, the company that owns the BMW on paper. It’s all legal, and they’ll pay you $4,000 per month. You can quit Wendy’s if you want.”
“Ooh, I’m familiar with Qualovefy. That’s a dating site that lets you build a date from scratch. I built and found my last boyfriend there.”
“The one your mom told me is in prison now? That site lets you build any type of person that comes to mind, and you could only build a thug?” He laughed a little then said, “I’m glad you already know about the site.”
She said, “Thank you so much, Mr. Parker.”
“You’re welcome, Danielle. Now, I’m going to need you to do a few small favors for me.”
CHAPTER 37
The next morning Dexter sat across from Stan Ferguson in a large office in Newark, New Jersey. This was the investigator known as 60/40.
Stan pushed some papers across his desk toward Dexter and said, “You gave me the names of thirty-eight individuals to investigate. Big job, but here is a report on fifteen of them.”
Dexter took possession of the 33-page document.
Stan said, “You’ll note that the police had already spoken with Stephanie Wheeler, Geneva Lansing, Troy Epps, Elizabeth Mackie, and…a few others by the time me or my assistants had gotten to them.”
“Okay. You’re doing an excellent job.”
“You remember the name Patricia Teague? She’s into my line of work and takes on private bounty jobs, so to say. Anyway, the Feds are looking to arrest her for sticking her nose in the Herbyte Investigation. I hear she even impersonated one of them in the process.”
Dext
er said, “What’s her interest in the case?”
“Hard to say for sure, but my sources believe she’s indirectly working for billionaire Doug Ramsey.” He paused. “Just a heads-up.”
“Right,” Dexter said without much concern.
“I’m confused about something. My retainer fee is being paid by dating site called Qualovefy…”
“You mean twenty-five times your retainer fee.”
Stan smiled and nodded. “The media reports that Qualovefy lost ten million in the scam. What am I missing here?”
“I know one of the owners and asked her to invest. She was reimbursed fivefold. Nobody’s likely to link her or her company to me.”
“Smart,” Stan said. “We’re working on the other twenty-three names on your list. Anything else I can help you with?”
“Yeah.” Dexter hesitated. “Get me everything you can on Doug Ramsey — where he lives, where he eats, his level of security, with whom he sleeps. Everything. If he’s looking for me, I may have to introduce myself.”
***
Laura made a call on the home phone in her apartment. She was watching television when her call was answered on the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Yes, may I speak with Mr. Reginald Macon?”
“Speaking.”
“Mr. Macon, this is Agent Frey. I spoke with you at your restaur…”
“Of course. How could I forget? As a matter of fact, I was thinking about you last night.”
“Really? And why is that?”
“I’d feel more like a man if I told you face to face.”
“This is the home number you gave me. I tried to reach you at work.”
“I’m off today. What about you? Is this call for business or pleasure?”