“Hi. I’m Lexie.”
“Let’s sit down,” Jonathan said. “I hear you’ve had a rough few days.”
“That’s an understatement.”
Lexie experienced a sharp pain in her ribs when she sat, causing her to suck in a breath. She looked up and all three men were staring at her.
“I have a couple of sore ribs.”
Don and Zach sat down on each side of Lexie on the couch, leaving the SAC to have the chair.
“What did the doctor say about your condition? That is, if you don’t mind telling us,” the SAC said.
Lexie wondered if she should minimize her injuries so she could attend the search warrant.
“I have fifteen stitches in my head, which can be removed in seven days. I suffered a concussion, one cracked rib, several bruised ribs, a sprained ankle, and a laceration on my arm where a bullet grazed me as I escaped. The doctor said I should make a full recovery.”
“I understand your undercover apartment was compromised. Do you feel safe staying here or would you rather return to New Orleans?”
“I would like to stay here, sir. Despite my injuries, I can still help with the investigation. May I ask where we are with the search warrant?”
“Our first priority is to arrest the three men who held you captive and who tried to kill you. HQ has informed me that the Columbia Division has the full resources of the FBI at our disposal, so whatever we need we can get. That being said, the Assistant United States Attorney handling the matter has given us the green light for the search tomorrow. We’ve brought in both SWAT and ERT. I want every piece of evidence collected from that island, so SWAT will clear the cabin and maintain a perimeter while the Evidence Response Team conducts the search.”
“Can I go on the search?”
“No way,” Don said. “Have you looked in the mirror? You’re in no shape to participate in a search warrant.”
“I can assist the ERT Team Leader with the search. I won’t actually participate in the search. I’ll assist with locations.”
“It would be helpful to have her with us,” Zach said. “She could save us time.”
“I promise I’ll take it easy. I won’t do anything stupid.”
Don looked at the SAC.
“It’s up to you, boss.”
“Are you sure you want to go? It’s going to be a long day.”
“I do, sir. I want to help in any way that I can.”
“If I allow you to go, you are not to participate in the search. You are only there to consult.”
“Agreed.”
“I’ll pick you up and get you to the boat landing,” Zach said.
Lexie nodded.
“How are we getting to Cat Island?”
“We’ve coordinated with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and both Georgetown and Horry County Sheriff’s Departments,” Don said. “All of the agencies have offered their marine resources. The Evidence Response Team Leader leased a tour boat to transport the entire ERT over and back, as well as the collected evidence. Fish and Wildlife will transport the SWAT team, who will make entry and secure the cabin. The SWAT commander surveyed the site from the Bureau plane earlier today. According to his reconnaissance, the closest we can get the boats to the cabin is about a half mile. Then it’s a hike through the woods. This isn’t going to be an easy search.”
“Are you sure you’re up for this, Lexie?” SAC Gallaway asked.
“Yes.”
“You ride with ERT. The tour boat should be a smoother ride and have more room,” Don said.
“I’ll make sure the ERT leader knows that she isn’t allowed to haul equipment,” Zach said, winking at Lexie.
“I’m not happy with how this investigation unfolded,” Gallaway said. “We’re going to get this search done tomorrow, then we’re all going to sit down together and sort through this mess. I want to know how the hell an undercover agent’s identity and apartment were compromised.”
The three agents sat on the couch not making eye contact with the SAC.
“Where’s your contact agent in all this? I haven’t seen anyone but you three.”
Lexie glanced over at Don, who didn’t look up.
“I’m waiting for a response.”
Don’s voice cracked as he finally responded.
“On paper her contact agent is Tony Russo, but he hasn’t been involved in the investigation.”
Don looked up to find the SAC’s eyes locked on him.
“You see—”
“Tony and I didn’t get along well,” Lexie interrupted.
The SAC refocused his scowl on Lexie.
“We had a serious personality clash from the beginning. I couldn’t work with him.”
“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?”
“Both.”
“So, you’re telling me you three proceeded with this undercover investigation without a viable contact agent?”
“It’s my fault,” Don said. “Lexie is covering for me. We were short on manpower and I took a shortcut.”
The SAC stood up and paced the room while the three agents remained on the couch, sitting like school children in the principal’s office.
“Sir, that wasn’t my only shortcut.”
The SAC stopped and stared.
“I didn’t go through proper channels when I obtained the undercover apartment. In a hurry to get the investigation underway, I used an FBI source to lease the condo for Lexie. We’ve used him in the past and never had any issues. I’m sure all these details will be exposed in the investigation. I want to be upfront with you so you aren’t blindsided.”
“Are you serious? You used a source to lease an apartment for a major undercover investigation?”
“Yes, sir.”
The SAC turned his attention to Lexie.
“And you went along with this … this … fucking fiasco?”
“I had misgivings about it, but I wanted to get started on the case. I was told that the source was vetted.”
The SAC angrily swept his arm over a pile of magazines stacked on the counter, hurling them across the room. The three agents jumped but remained seated.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing. West, you’re the senior agent here. You should’ve known better. You put the life of an FBI agent in jeopardy because you didn’t want to take a few extra days to follow the correct protocol.”
“It would’ve taken weeks, sir.”
“Shut up, West.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m also holding you responsible, too, Montgomery. This isn’t your first undercover mission. You knew Special Agent West violated FBI policy and you didn’t say anything. You also operated without a contact agent, which is not only against policy, it’s also stupid. I thought you were supposed to be a good undercover agent.”
“I am a good undercover agent. I requested a contact agent, but the Bureau wouldn’t provide the office with enough resources.”
Lexie knew as soon as the words left her mouth that she had made a huge mistake.
“Oh, now it’s the Bureau’s fault.”
“I ahh … I didn’t mean—”
“Special Agent Montgomery, did you know that the apartment was rented by an FBI source before you moved in?”
“Yes, but—”
“Did you proceed with the investigation without a proper contact agent?”
“Yes.”
“But somehow it’s the Bureau’s fault.”
Lexie decided to remain quiet.
The SAC loosened his tie and unbuttoned his top shirt button.
“I understand that you also disclosed your identity to some boat captain as well.”
“I disclosed my identity to the person who saved my life, sir. When he rescued me, I was badly injured and needed to get to a hospital. I had no identification, no insurance card, and no means of communication. I had no choice but to trust Captain Meade.”
“Do you understand that by trusting him you als
o put him in potential danger?”
“Yes. But I didn’t see any other course of action at the time.”
The SAC shook his head and sighed.
“The undercover aspect of this investigation is over. Agent Montgomery will no longer be operating in an undercover capacity. Everything from this point forward is an overt FBI investigation. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the three agents uttered in unison.
“The search warrant tomorrow better yield some results, because you three are in a world of trouble. If this gets referred to OPR, then I’m sure all three of you are looking at time on the bricks.”
Lexie grimaced. Neither she, Don, nor Zach were in a position to go without a pay check for any length of time.
“I don’t want you three discussing this case with anyone. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” all three muttered in unison.
Don and the SAC left.
“You all right?” Zach asked
“I don’t know. You?”
“I’m scared, Lexie. He’s talking about an OPR investigation. You and I have a long time left in our careers and we don’t need the stigma of OPR.”
Lexie nodded.
“We told the truth,” Lexie said. “That’s the most important thing. We didn’t lie and we didn’t try to cover anything up. When agents get in trouble in the Bureau, it’s usually because they lie. The infamous lack of candor, as the Bureau refers to it. None of us lied.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Zach checked his phone.
“We’re leaving from the marina at first light. Briefing is scheduled for 6:00 a.m. I’ll pick you up at 5:30.”
“I’ll be ready.”
Lexie watched from the window as Zach lumbered across the parking lot. He no longer had the gait of a young man. His head down, he appeared old and defeated.
***
After her disconcerting encounter with the SAC, Lexie needed to hear a friendly voice. She needed to let Logan know that she was safe, so she Googled the telephone number for the marina. A female voice answered. Lexie recognized the voice from some of her time spent at the marina.
“Hi, Sheila. This is Lexie.”
“Oh, hi, Lexie. How are you?”
“I’m fine. Is Logan around?”
An uncomfortable pause followed.
“Sheila?”
“Yes. I’m here. I was hoping he was with you. Logan hasn’t shown up for work in two days. We’re all worried about him.”
Lexie’s chest tightened, and she plopped down in the chair.
“He’s not with me and I desperately need to find him. I lost my cell phone, so I don’t have his cell number. Can you give it to me?”
“I can. Hold on, let me grab my cell and pull it up.”
Lexie waited for Shelia to find the number. She found a piece of paper and wrote the number down as Shelia provided it.
“Has anyone gone by his house?” Lexie asked.
“Our boss rode by last night and knocked on the door. There was no answer and he didn’t have a key to get in.”
“Can I have his address?”
“You don’t know his address? I thought you two were dating.”
“We are, but our relationship is new and hasn’t reached that level yet.”
“I’m sorry, Lexie. I can’t give out that kind of information.”
“Please, Sheila, I’m really worried about him.”
Shelia hesitated, but eventually provided Lexie with the address. Lexie tried calling Logan’s cellphone. No answer and his message center was full, not allowing her to leave a message.
Lexie picked up the magazines that the SAC had launched across her condo and stacked them neatly on the counter. Antsy, she turned on the TV and went to the kitchen to pop a bag of microwaveable popcorn for dinner. Lexie dropped the bowl when she heard the broadcaster for the evening news.
Coming up on the six o’clock news: The body of an unknown man was recovered earlier today from Winyah Bay. Stay tuned for the full coverage.
She rushed over to the couch and turned up the volume. The commercial break seemed to last forever.
No. No. No. It can’t be Logan.
Lexie jumped up and manically paced the room until the news coverage began. She sat back down and stared at the TV.
The blond female news reporter was reporting from the shores of Winyah Bay.
“Police say they responded to a call of a body in the water around 2:30 p.m. A fisherman who was checking his traps in Winyah Bay made the discovery.”
The news cut to an interview with the Georgetown County Sheriff.
“At approximately 2:30 p.m., the body of an unidentified white male was pulled from the waters of Winyah Bay. We’re treating the death as suspicious until we determine otherwise.”
The news switched to a clip of a stunned looking fisherman.
“It was crazy,” said Jeremy Blake, commercial fisherman. “I saw something floating near one of my crab traps, so I went to investigate. I never expected to find a dead body.”
Lexie rocked back and forth on the couch. She called Captain Meade on the cell number programed into her phone.
“Hello.”
“Captain, it’s Lexie. Did you see the news?”
“I did.”
“Do you think it’s Logan? He hasn’t shown up for work in two days and he won’t answer his cellphone. That’s not like him. Do you think he’s dead?”
“I don’t know, Lex. I don’t know.”
“Can you please stay someplace else tonight? I don’t want Otis Ray and the others coming after you.”
“I’ll be fine. You worry about keeping yourself safe.”
“Please, Captain. I can’t lose you, too.”
“We don’t know that Logan is dead. People drown all the time in these parts. That poor fellow they found probably has nothing to do with your investigation.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll go stay with my sweetheart tonight. She’s been trying to get in my pants, so maybe I’ll let her.”
Lexie laughed.
“Thanks, Captain.”
Knowing that Don would still be with the SAC, Lexie called Zach. He hadn’t had a chance to watch the news, so Lexie recounted what she heard.
“I’ll make some phone calls to Georgetown County and see what I can find out,” he said.
“I need to see the body, Zach. Do you have any connections in the Medical Examiner’s Office?”
“I don’t have a contact in the ME’s office, but I do have a friend with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office. I’ll make a few phone calls. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Even a photo of the body will do. I need to know if it’s Logan.”
“I’m sure Logan is fine. Try to get some rest.”
Lexie hung up the phone. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook. Deep down, she knew that Logan was dead.
28
Lexie’s alarm blared at 5:00 a.m., but she was already awake. Dressed and ready to go, Lexie waited for Zach. He pulled up at 5:30 on the nose.
“Morning,” he said.
“Is it?”
“I grabbed us each a cup of coffee,” he said, motioning toward the two cups in the cup holder.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Any word from your contact about the body?”
“No. He said he would call me when he had some news.”
Zach glanced over at Lexie.
“I’m sure it’s not Logan.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Did you get any sleep last night?” Zach asked.
“No. You?”
“A couple of hours.”
Few words were exchanged between the two tired agents on the short ride to the marina. The rendezvous spot was Wacca Wache Marina. It was the closest marina to the search site. Zach parked the car in an already full lot. Police
officers from every law enforcement agency in the surrounding area were readying their gear.
“You sure you’re up for this?” Zach asked.
Lexie nodded.
Lexie and Zach avoided contact with the SAC. Don called for the group to come together for the briefing.
“Good morning,” Don said. “I’d like to start by thanking each and every one of you for coming out this morning. This is an unusual situation and search, so thank you for your help and for the use of your marine resources for this mission. Two days ago, one of our agents, who was working in an undercover capacity, was held captive in a cabin on Cat Island. The agent was brutalized, beaten, and shot before finally escaping.”
Don passed around some aerial photographs of the island and cabin.
“Three individuals: Otis Ray Prichard, Clay Connors, and Jack LNU have been using Cat Island as a stop off point in the furtherance of their drug trafficking operation.”
Don passed around photos of Prichard and Connors.
“Connors is a pilot and uses a seaplane to move drug shipments from place to place. He lands the plane on a body of water in the middle of Cat Island.”
The police and detectives passed around the photos and mumbled comments acknowledging that they had seen the suspicious seaplane.
“Our Evidence Response Team will be photographing all evidence collected today. If you find something of interest, please call for the photographer, so he can photograph it in place before the item is collected. We’re also looking for a small boat that was used by our undercover agent. She had to abandon the skiff when she escaped from her captors. The Bureau plane did a flyover yesterday afternoon and there was no sign of the seaplane or any inhabitants. FBI SWAT will lead the way and make entry into the cabin. Any person encountered on the island should be considered armed and dangerous. Any questions?”
A young Georgetown County Deputy raised his hand. “What channel are we using for communication?”
“Good question. We’re operating on channel bravo two. The SWAT operators will be on a separate channel, but once they are secure, the notification will come out over bravo two. Each of you have an Operational Plan. My cell phone number is listed on page three of the plan. If you can’t reach me on the radio, call me on my cell. Likewise, the team leader for ERT is listed. If you can’t raise him on the radio, call him on his cell. He’ll send the resources you need to your location. Any other questions?”
Beyond the Cabin Page 17