Colton Banyon Mysteries 1-3: Colton Banyon Mysteries (Colton Banyon Mystery Book 20)

by Gerald J Kubicki

  Agent Kriss called Banyon over to the side. The three women were now seated at another table with their cuffed hands in view. A female agent was taking their statements and reviewing their identification.

  Banyon looked at Agent Kriss and saw a smile on his face. “Do you think that this is funny, Agent Kriss? You knew that these people were coming with me.” Dr. Thorne continued her tirade while handcuffed at the table.

  “Agent Gamble said that she was a ‘firecracker,’” Kriss quipped. “I didn’t know that he meant the color of her hair.”

  “So, you listened in on our conversation.” Banyon was shocked.

  “I have, additionally, been instructed to make sure that she behaves.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “She has been known to overstep her authority.”

  Before Banyon could comment, Myra gracefully slid into the little group and winked at the agent. He immediately seemed nervous and excused himself.

  “Colt,” she said. “Carol is a real hard case. Why didn’t you warn me?”

  “Honestly, Loni and I didn’t know anything about her until she showed up in the office.”

  “She wants to come to Stony Brook and study my etchings,” Myra said with a throaty giggle.

  Loni was the next to join the group. Her face was flushed. “Colt, Carol told me why she has a stud in her tongue. Is it true that they do that?”

  Myra rolled her eyes at the naivety that Loni displayed. Banyon once again took another approach.

  “When we have time, I’m going show you a couple of Web sites. That should explain everything.”

  “Oh, good, I like playing with my computer,” Loni said in a little girl voice. “Will you be helping me?”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  As Doctor Thorne stalked over to the group, a buzzer sounded and everyone went quiet. Banyon moved over to the monitors and saw a slightly built Japanese man following the concierge down the hallway. The next monitor showed him entering the room next door and being handcuffed. He was then led into the larger room and Agent Kriss sat at the table with him. Soon, his cuffs were off but he remained seated at the table. Agent Kriss strolled over to the group.

  “That is the detective from Japan. His name is Kim. He has flown here to arrest the fence that is selling the book. He will escort him back to Japan. The couple over at the far table also bid on the book. We are checking them out, but I think that they are just collectors.” He looked at Myra as he spoke. She responded with another seductive wink of her large right eye. He abruptly left.

  “Myra, what are you doing?” the controlling Dr. Thorne asked.

  “Just practicing.” Myra smirked as she winked at Colt.

  The next to arrive were two middle-aged European-looking men in suits. They were very offended by the rough treatment by the FBI. They were soon hustled over to an open table. The agent at the table got up and spoke to Agent Kriss, who immediately trotted over to the Banyon group.

  He skidded to a halt. “Uh, can I borrow Myra for a few minutes?” he asked sheepishly of no one in particular.

  “Are you going to arrest me again?” she asked, extending her arms in a submissive manner. “I will submit to your interrogation.”

  Agent Kriss face turned crimson. “No, it is not what you think. These gentlemen are German and only speak a little English. I thought that you could help me since you are the only one here that speaks German.”

  “I speak German,” a proud Dr. Thorne announced.

  “Then you should help Agent Kriss interrogate those men,” Colt replied, as he pushed her towards the agent.

  They headed to the table where the men were seated. Soon, there was loud talking, stomping of feet, and a high level of testosterone wafted from the area. After about five minutes, Banyon noticed that the men stood up with their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were escorted through another door in the back of room. Dr. Thorne returned to the little group with a satisfied look.

  “Those bastards were skinheads from Germany. They demanded that the book be returned to the Rhineland. It is too bad that they were already wanted by Interpol. I was just getting warmed up.”

  “Did you learn your interrogation tactics at the academy?” Colt was referring to the FBI academy.

  “I work for the museum, Banyon. I have many degrees,” she responded as the buzzer sounded again.

  “That’s Mr. Banyon, to you.” Colt supplied the sarcastic the retort as he moved out of harm’s way.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Everyone now watched the monitor as two more men arrived at the Surprise Contestant Reward Room. The two men looked like replacements for a comedy team. One was short and fat with a waddle and a large briefcase. The other was old, tall, rail-thin, and walked with a slight limp.

  “The heavyset one is Billy Bond,” the agent by the monitor said, speaking into a mic. “He’s a known white supremacist out of Atlanta. We don’t have any information on the second person. Not even on the facial-recognition program.”

  “Okay, let’s split them up. I’ll take Bond.” Agent Kriss gave additional instructions to his men and then sat at a table. Billy Bond came through the door kicking and screaming about police brutality and warning everyone that he was a lawyer. Hal Jones was dignified and spoke to no one, taking the offered seat without any fuss. Banyon watched him enter and felt a chill down his spine.

  “Wolf, are these the men?” Banyon suddenly spoke aloud.

  The words: “Two will come with a book to find the one that is left” filled his ears.

  “Could this old man be ‘the one?’ Banyon appeared to be talking to himself, which caused heads to turn.

  “Yes, but, he is not the rightful owner,” Wolf replied in words that only Banyon could hear.

  Everyone turned to Banyon when he nearly shouted out, “What should I do? Will he help me?” Banyon seemed to be ranting.

  “Do not let him have the book,” Wolf ordered.

  Loni looked at Colt. “There is nothing to do until the book gets here. Are you so bored that you are talking to yourself?”

  Banyon ignored her. He walked over to the table where Hal Jones was sitting. Jones just stared back at Banyon and didn’t more a muscle. Did Jones have reason to fear the FBI? Or does he just want to get his hands on the book for a few minutes? The agent was busy recording data from the old man’s wallet and didn’t notice Banyon approach the table.

  “So, you’re here to collect the book,” Banyon stated.

  Jones didn’t know that Banyon was not FBI, so he replied. “As I told this gentleman, I’m just here with my lawyer. He said that he had a pickup to make and I came along.”

  “So, you live in Chicago, then.” Banyon was now more interested. He noticed that Mr. Jones had flinched as he told his story.

  “Hardly. I live in Jacksonville, Florida. We were here on some personal business. We flew in this afternoon. We’re done now and will be heading back after Billy finishes his transaction here.”

  “And what was the nature of the business?” Banyon tried to sound official.

  “Why don’t you ask my lawyer? I’m done talking with you.”

  Across the room, Agent Kriss wasn’t getting any further with Billy Bond. Bond would not let them open the briefcase and sat with his arms crossed. He said that his connection with Hal Jones was client privileged, as well.

  “Mr. Bond, you are here to purchase a copy of the book, Mein Kampf,” Agent Kriss said. “We know this because you were the high-bidder on the item. We sent you the e-mail to come here.”

  “I cannot tell you who the actual bidder was. I bid on behalf of a client,” the lawyer confidently answered.

  “Convenient that he is not here,” noted Agent Kriss.

  “We have done nothing illegal. It is our right to own the book. You can’t prevent me from buying it. I protest these tactics. Where is it? I want it now.”

  “That sounds an awful lot like a speech. Do you make speeches often, Mr. Bond?”
Agent Kriss was taunting Billy Bond, as he knew that Bond often made supremacist speeches throughout the South. He wanted Bond to know that the FBI had an extensive file on him and his organization

  “Your police-state tactics won’t work here. I’m just a representative of a private citizen who wants to buy a book. This is a violation of free speech.” Billy Bond then droned on about how people needed to protect themselves against an unstable government and other supremacist themes. He was on a soapbox now. He knew that the FBI could not hold him. Bond was also trying to figure out why the FBI had set up the sting. He didn’t have to wait long. The now familiar buzzer went off again.

  “What is that noise?” Bond asked, as if it was interrupting his planned speech.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Everybody who wasn’t handcuffed rushed over to the monitors. They saw two young Japanese men heading down the hallway. The Japanese detective joined the group and spoke for the first time.

  “I recognize them. They are Yakuza. Jin Kurima is a low-level thug. The other one, the one carrying the case, is just called Windy. He is the fence. Be careful. Agent Kriss. These men are very dangerous.”

  Agent Kriss spoke into his mic. “Strong force is authorized.” Two agents drew their guns while others took up defensive positions. The Japanese waltzed into the room and were immediately pushed face down on the floor, then cuffed. It was a smooth takedown. The men were dragged into the main room and separated, with two agents standing behind each of them. The Japanese detective then left the monitors and walked over to the detainees. He studied both, deciding to interrogate Windy first. Jin was left to cool his heels. Their conversation was in rapid Japanese.

  “So, how do you like America?” the detective inquired.

  “What are you doing here?” Windy asked. He knew the detective from Tokyo and calmly accepted the situation.

  “I’ve come to arrest you and put you in prison. You know about prison, don’t you, Windy?”

  “I’m just trying to make a little money on eBay, that’s all.”

  “Is the book in the case?” the detective asked.

  “Of course, I am an honest man,” Windy replied with a smile on his face.

  “Did you take anything out of the book? Any notes, pictures, anything like that?” The detective had a small black book out and was making notes.

  “There are two notes and a picture in the book. They are still there. How did you know that?”

  “One of the men who had possession of the book left writings that described hidden materials in the book. But you did look at them?”

  “None of them are in Japanese.”

  “As I recall, you have several enemies in prison. They will be happy to see you, Windy. How long will you last? A week? Two weeks?” The detective knew that Windy routinely scammed many of his clients and some were not very forgiving.

  “I’ll get off. All I did was what the book owner asked me to do, nothing illegal. You have nothing on me.”

  “Well, there you are assuming too much,” the detective said. “You see, Windy, the person who gave you the book killed two World War II veterans that were treasures of the state. We treat murder very seriously in Japan. You will be charged with murder. We don’t seem to have another suspect.”

  “Jin did it.” Windy quickly replied. “Let me finish the sale of the book and collect the money. Then I will testify against him. But you will have to put me in the witness-protection program.”

  “And who would you need protection from?” The detective acted as if he had no idea who would be after the fence.

  “I’ll need protection from Jin’s family. They are Yakuza from the northern islands. One of the old men was a relative of Jin Kurima. Jin Kurima said that Juro Nara was his grandfather, but I doubt it. He was probably an uncle.”

  “And how did Jin know this?”

  “He said that the Ministry of Defense had researched Juro Nara’s relatives and found the Handa clan. Jin Kurima was sent to find out if the old man was actually one of the clan.”

  The detective was stunned by this information. The Ministry of Defense had not shared that information with the police. Was it an oversight or was it purposeful? Many Yakuza served in the government of Japan. It was time to talk to Jin Kurima.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Meanwhile, Banyon and the women were anxious to get their hands on the book. Dr. Thorne decided that she could wait no longer and approached Agent Kriss.

  “Kriss, give me the book. The museum will pay 10 percent more than the highest bid. I want to take it today.” Dr. Thorne wanted to be clear on the future of the book.

  “My name is Agent Kriss,” he corrected. “I’m afraid that there is little that I can do. The book is evidence in a murder case. It will be returned to Japan for the trial. Then, of course, we will need to establish who the rightful owner is before you can buy the book.”

  Dr. Thorne began to sputter. Her mouth flapped open, then closed. Her face turned beet red. She turned on her heel and pulled out her cell phone as she went to the back of the room.

  Banyon looked at the other two women and said, “Let me handle this.” He stopped the Tokyo detective as he was changing tables.

  “Sir, I know that the book must return to Japan, but my group came to authenticate the book. Could you at least let us look at it? We can tell you if it is real. We have come all the way here, just to look at the book.”

  “We have forensic facilities in Japan, too.” He then stopped to consider and bowed his head. “But, the FBI has been very helpful in finding the book and I think the murderer, also. You can study the book while I interrogate the other man. After that, it goes back to Japan with me. You will have about an hour.”

  “Thank you very much,” replied Banyon. He bent slightly forward in a bow. He then put out his hand and was rewarded with a handshake. The detective then went to the carrying case that Windy had brought and opened it. Inside were some newspapers and the book. He handed it to Banyon and nodded again.

  Banyon held the book like it was a hot plate as he carried it over to a table near the far wall and gentle placed it down. Loni and Myra crowded around to get a peek. Both women were so close that Banyon could feel their body heat and could smell the fragrances that each wore. He could not prevent the stab of lust that suddenly filled his body. He was very excited. These women had no idea how much they tortured him. Erotic thoughts crept into his mind. Loni brought him back to reality.

  “Colt, open the book before Carol gets back,” Loni whispered. He quickly forgot about his lust and began to look for the hiding place in the book. He was surprised to find it so fast. He pulled out two pieces of old paper and a picture. The women reached forward and their bodies made contact with Banyon as they each snatched one of the notes. Banyon was left with the picture.

  “This one is in German,” a breathless Myra exclaimed.

  “My, God, this one is in Chinese,” Loni said. “I haven’t read Chinese in a long time, but maybe I can translate it.”

  “I’ve got a picture of two young women,” Colt held the picture up for better light. “The date on the back says 1942. I can read the names Eva and Sofia. They are sisters. They are standing in a street in a Chinese city. I see a synagogue in the background. This must be Shanghai.”

  Loni quickly grabbed the photo and confirmed his guess. “Yep, says Shanghai Noodle Company on that sign. How did you know?”

  “Shanghai had a very large Jewish population during the Second World War, most people don’t know that,” Banyon replied smugly. He continued to study the picture. Loni and Myra were also studying the notes in their hands. Banyon was just reaching for the book when he heard a roar.

  “Don’t touch that book,” shouted Dr. Thorne as she hustled over to the table. She scooped up the book and cradled it in her less then delicate arms like a baby and turned away from the little group. All three deftly put their hands behind their backs, hiding the three secrets from her view.

  “D
r. Thorne, the book is in my custody, not yours,” Banyon said, injecting his voice with patience.

  “Well, you will have to take it from me.” It was a definite challenge. She raised her chin and snorted like a bull. She was definitely trying to incite Banyon. But, he had no desire to take the bait.

  “No need for me to take it from you,” he replied with a pleasant smile. “The FBI will do that for me and arrest you if that is required. The book is going back to Japan. We have been given some time to look at it. Time is running out. You hired us to help you, so what is really going on here?”

  A sudden change came over the doctor as she replied. “Of course, you are right. I’m just so excited to get a look at the book.” She gently placed the book on the table. Loni and Myra circled around the table to flank the doctor. She opened the front cover and they all peered at the inside.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The Japanese detective named Kim was interrogating Jin Kurima at a nearby table. He had collected valuable information from Windy and felt that he could crack the entire case and solve the murders quickly.

  “So, you went to visit your grandfather. While you were there, he said something that you didn’t like and you killed him.”

  “He wasn’t my real grandfather,” Jin Kurima replied without enthusiasm.

  “So, you admit that you met him, right?” Detective Kim had seen the video footage from the hotel hallway and knew that Jin Kurima had seen the old soldiers.

  “Yes, I met him and he gave me the book. It is mine.”

  “Why would he give you such a valuable book? You are nothing but a small-time thug,” the detective said.