The Final Flashpoint

by Iona Morrison

  “How will I know?” Jessie rested her chin in the palm of her hands.

  “All I can say is, you’ll know, and you won’t ask the question of him until you know.”

  “I never know how to react to what you tell me.” Jessie pursed her lips.

  “It may start with this case, but it will end in another one. I’m not even sure if Matt will recognize it for what it is or try to bury it again. For now, don’t worry about it. Be who you are, Jessie girl. Your love will bring him home to you, and in time, his whole heart will be yours.”

  They talked on a lighter note for a few minutes, and then Reba had to leave. What could she mean by start here and end in another one? One case at a time was enough to think about. Jessie decided to tuck it in her mind for a later day to dwell on. She forgot it altogether when she saw Darsha get out of a car across the street. Swirling around her were the ghosts of her three dead friends.

  Chapter 39

  “I’m surprised to see you,” Jessie held the door open for Darsha. “Where’s the agent who’s watching you?”

  “She’s waiting for me in the car. I told her I needed talk with you alone for a few minutes. She is giving me ten minutes before she comes in.”

  “We’d better not waste any time then.” Jessie motioned for her to sit. “What’s up?” Jessie could see Darsha’s dead friends all watching her intently.

  Tears filled her eyes. “I haven’t been completely honest with you. You’ve been so nice to me, and I am embarrassed that I lied to you. At the least, I’ve withheld important facts from you. I want to tell you everything first, and then you can call the police. I let you believe that our families were the problem. It’s not true.”

  “What is the truth?” Jessie sat forward in her chair, making eye contact with her.

  “I’m alive because I chose to be late that day. Amir and I had a fight and I was trying to make him pay. I saw him talking to another girl.” Darsha closed her eyes. “I’m so ashamed.”

  “When I met Amir’s family, it was easy to see that you had won their approval. They were against your relationship with their son in the beginning. But you won them over, didn’t you?” Jessie smiled at her.

  “Yes, I did. It makes me ashamed I led you to believe otherwise.” Darsha looked away from Jessie. “Where I lived in India, there was an area of town where my parents told us never to go. I had a friend who lived there, and I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t let me visit her. One day after school, I went to visit my friend without their knowledge. We were sitting outside when my friend jumped up and yelled for me to get inside. I’ll never forget the fear on her face. She locked up the house and closed the curtains. My friend kept peeking out the window. I asked her why she was acting so strange. She told me this story. Every few months a black limousine would drive through their neighborhood. Someone would jump out and talk to anybody they saw outside. When the car left the area several days later, there were stories of missing persons and dead bodies. The man I saw on campus recently was the same man I had seen that day when I peeked out the window at her house. I couldn’t believe he was here.”

  “Do you know who the person in the car was?” Jessie asked.

  “No, but I do know whoever it was had to be wealthy. Each time the car showed up, people received lots of cash. According to my friend, they were buying people, but I don’t know why. The poor families sold relatives. Neighbors sold neighbors. It’s awful to think about. I went home and never returned to the area again. A few weeks before Amir went missing there was a black limousine on campus.” Darsha shuddered. “It could be nothing, but I saw a man get out of the car to talk with some young men from the group of protestors. One of those men got in his car.”

  “Could you describe what he looks like?”

  “Yes, he’s memorable, rumpled, and scary. I saw him a couple of times after that.”

  Jessie showed her the copies of the sketches of the suspects. “Do any of these men look familiar to you?”

  “Yes.” She picked out two of men in the photos.

  “You need to talk to Matt. He will have more questions for you.” Jessie pulled out her phone and texted Matt.

  “I should have done more. My friends might still be alive.”

  Jessie watched Amir moving close to Darsha. She shivered. “Are you cold?”

  “No, I can’t explain it. I feel close to Amir at this moment and better than I have since he died. I hope this helps you solve the case.”

  ****

  Matt grabbed his coat and motioned for Tom. “Come on, babysitter. Jessie asked me to get to the store quickly. Darsha is there.”

  “Right behind you.” Tom scrambled to his feet. “Why is she there?”

  “It seems she’s been holding out on us.” Matt clicked his seatbelt. “Jessie befriended her, and she’s willing to talk to Jessie.”

  “Where’s the agent watching her?”

  “Jessie said she’s waiting in the car. She gave her ten minutes to talk to Jessie before she joins them.” Tom looked at the passenger window. “I wonder what the new info is.”

  “We’re about to find out.” Matt pulled into the space in front of Jessie’s store.

  Darsha was waiting with the agent assigned to her. She retold the story to Matt and Tom. “I saw a black limousine in India and now again on campus.” Darsha rubbed her clammy palms with a tissue.

  “Let me see if I understand you. You recognize both of these men and you saw them on campus.” Matt pointed at the two pictures.

  “Yes.” She bit her lip.

  “Do you know who the man in the limousine was?” Matt asked.

  “No one did. He had to be rich, though,” Darsha replied.

  “My guess is that it was organ harvesting that brought this suspect to India,” Tom said. “The guy in the limo was probably the one who bankrolled the operation. It’s odd that a black limo would be on campus right before Amir went missing.”

  “It’s noteworthy, but I’m still not sure how Amir’s family fits into it though.” Matt looked down at his notepad.

  “Nothing surprises me anymore.” Tom stood. “It looks like we need to question a few family members.”

  “My parents had no idea that I went to my friend’s neighborhood, but I often wondered if they had heard the stories and that’s why they wouldn’t let me go there.”

  “We can ask to speak to Amir’s father. He has diplomatic immunity. We can only go where he’s willing to let us.”

  “Darsha, we need you to come with us. I have a few people who will want to ask you more questions,” Matt told her.

  “I figured you might. I want to help in any way that I can.” Darsha stood.

  “You two go ahead. I’ll be right there,” Matt said to Tom. “This may be the break we’ve been waiting for. With what I read the other night, I’m starting to connect the dots.” He walked with Jessie to the door. “We’ll talk later. I’ll be back to get you in a while, sweetheart.” He hugged her, rubbing his chin on the top of her head. He loved the feel of her silky hair against his skin.

  “Be careful, Matt. I know these guys are closing in. They are watching for any chance to get to you.”

  “I’ll do my best. If I can’t beat them, I might have to outsmart them.”

  Chapter 40

  Matt called the embassy and Amir’s father was willing to talk. He didn’t know Roth personally, but he knew someone in his country that Roth had approached about a weapons deal. The story he heard from Mr. Baz assured Matt that he was heading in the right direction. The light turned on for Matt. He knew why Roth was out to get him and now all he had to do was figure out how to trap him. Amir’s father had heard through monitored chatter that Roth was searching for a group willing to do something big. He knew it was in the U.S., but he had no specifics on the job. Matt learned enough to know he was a small fish in the pond, and so were the kids. He learned more than he wanted to know. There was something to be said about being naïve about the real nature of
the world around you.

  Tom walked into the office and sat in the chair in front of Matt’s desk. “Have we decided on the track for tomorrow for sure?”

  “Yes, unless Sanders or the CIA agent has something else in mind. I’ve been thinking…” Matt sat forward resting his arms on his desk.

  “About what?”

  “It’s risky, but I can’t hang around waiting for them to make their next move. I think I should not only be the bait to draw our suspects out, but I should let them catch me.” Matt studied the incredulous expression on Tom’s face. He waited for the eruption.

  “Not going to happen,” Tom thundered. “Have you lost your freaking mind? I’m not stupid enough to let you go there, and neither is Sanders.”

  “Listen to me, if we play this right, we can trap them. They’re coming for me no matter what. I may not like it, but after talking to Mr. Baz, I get it. I would prefer to have the element of surprise on our side and not theirs. Our suspects are the bottom feeders. This goes way up the food chain and far out of my jurisdiction. It’s the agency’s chance to stop something major from going down. Roth and his gang have apparently stopped here before going on to accomplish what they were hired to carry out.”

  “I get it, but it’s brought all the agents who have been searching for him to Blue Cove. It seems like a risky proposition to me.”

  “Risky, unless you feel you control the situation, and Harry does. Look, I know I’m personal to Roth, but I don’t think the kids were—except for maybe Amir. The file I was reading the other night led me to connect the dots. He was after me because of our earlier cases. The Palm Springs case led me to Amir’s father and my time at the FBI. Darsha handed me another piece to the puzzle today. Mr. Baz confirmed my thoughts with some intel resource from chatter surveillance. This is big. If we can find the man in the limousine, we’ve found the man who can lead us to the top and reveal what Roth is in our country to do.”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this but tell me what you’re thinking.” Tom’s hand drummed on the arm of the chair.

  Matt told Tom what he had learned in his conversation with the diplomat. “I think the murders of those kids and the attempt to kill me is a revenge side-story, which is chancy at best for them. I think they’re making it up as they go. We’re small fish, as I said before, and yes, it has alerted authorities to the fact this group is in the country. Maybe Roth wants us all here, but who knows why. He had to know killing a diplomat’s son would have this effect. It’s possible that killing the kids was a mistake and he’s in too deep now. We need to talk to Sanders. The intel is big, and the investigation will take his department to people in high places.

  “How high?” Tom asked.

  “High enough.” Matt wrote a few names on a paper and shoved it toward him.

  Tom whistled. “Damn. Let’s see how much of this Sanders already knows.”

  Matt spent the afternoon talking to Dickerson and Sanders. Mr. Baz had given Matt several pieces of information, which filled in a few holes in their investigation.

  “The agency hasn’t been able to identify the man in the limousine.” Sanders wrote a note on the side of the page. “Our agents and the CIA working the case know that whenever he shows up in an area, bad things happen, and Intelligence puts him in the area. You’re right, Parker, we have to do all we can to stop Roth. Let’s get down to business. My big question is why does Roth want us all here?”

  Matt spent the rest of the day planning and requesting more help from the county and state. Their plan was to send personnel out tonight and get them in place. They would cover the entrances and exits of the area and look for a place where the group might be staying. Matt would arrive in the morning with Tom to check the murder site. Frank and Jessie would show in time to track him. The trap was ready to set. All he could do for now was wait.

  Matt and Tom left the station. The press ranks had thinned out, but even at this hour, there were still some hoping to get a jump on a headline. Tomorrow could be a big news day for them. Matt started the car as soon as Tom closed his door.

  “You know, I didn’t see this coming. I’ve been an agent with the Bureau for ten years, and I never thought I’d hear the things I heard at the meeting today. What’s happening in our country? Has it always been like this, and I never saw it before? Maybe I’ve been sleepwalking through life.” Tom rubbed his temple.

  “Once I left the agency, I put it all the threats out of my mind. I no longer paid attention, I guess. I have my own world and don’t think about what happens outside of it. It’s too much to think of all the awful possibilities, never mind the people out to destroy what you love.” Matt turned onto Main Street. “All I know is that was a sobering conversation.”

  “You’ve got that right,” Tom said.

  “I’m a small-town cop who fell into some big cases. I knew about some of the groups on Sanders’ list from my days at the Bureau, but I had no idea there were so many. With what Mr. Baz and Sanders told me, it’s downright scary.”

  “You heard Sanders. This could break it wide open. How many other groups are poised to take this one’s place? We live in a dangerous world. Terrorists coming from the outside are hard enough to fight, but the homegrown variety coming from within are just as hard. The attacks against our institutions that have stood through the years—the Constitution, and democracy itself—pose an even greater threat to the freedoms we cherish.”

  “It becomes worse when those who are supposed to keep you safe are a part of the corruption.” Matt pulled into the space in front of Jessie’s store. “My job is hard enough.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to work as an agent. Not after what I just heard.”

  “Hell, I don’t want to either.” Tom unhooked his seat belt. “How much of this are you going to tell her?” Tom asked as he opened the car door.

  “Only what’s on tap for tomorrow. That will be more than enough for Jessie to think about without getting overwhelmed.” Matt followed Tom into Jessie’s store.

  ****

  Jessie was checking out her final customer when they walked in. Matt looked tired. The case and the personal danger were starting to take a toll on him. “Hard day?” Jessie placed her hand on his shoulder when he sat.

  “You could say that.” Matt reached for her hand.

  “I could use something to eat. We forgot to eat lunch earlier.” Tom paced like a caged animal ready to pounce.

  “What is up with you two?” Jessie leaned her hip against the arm of Matt’s chair.

  “I’ve got a lot on my mind.” Tom walked into the coffee shop.

  “Is he okay?” Jessie couldn’t take her eyes off Tom’s jerky gait.

  “I’ll explain later.” Matt got to his feet. “Are you about ready to leave?”

  “I will be in a few minutes.” Jessie got busy with her closing routine. She couldn’t help but notice Tom pacing back and forth between the two businesses. What was wrong with him? She locked the money in the safe, closed the storeroom door, and shut off the lights. “I’m ready.” She pulled the doors shut as soon as Tom popped back in.

  “Let’s eat.” Tom held the door open for her.

  “Frank made us dinner.” Matt locked the store for her.

  “I don’t care where we eat, just so there’s food.”

  “Tom, I have to admit that you’ve got me worried. I’ve never seen you like this.” Jessie got in the back seat and clicked her seat belt.

  “You’re not going to like what Matt has to tell you. Hell, I don’t like it, and I can’t believe we all agreed it was the thing to do. I think we’ve all lost our damn minds. I’ll leave it to you to talk some sense into us.”

  “Well, if I wasn’t worried before, I am now.” Jessie caught Matt’s eye in the mirror. “Matt, what’s this all about?”

  “I’m not going to rush into it, now. We’ll talk after dinner and go over the case like we normally do.”

  “Good call. Put it off as long as you can because there’s n
o way she will see your point on this one.” Tom’s fist curled in his lap.

  “Jess is more courageous than you give her credit for, Tom. If you remember, she was the bait in our last case. You even encouraged her to do it. I’m willing to listen to her, and I know she will know what the right thing to do is.”

  “I’m still here. I can hear your conversation.” Jessie rolled her eyes at them. “What you’re not telling me is that Matt is going set a trap for the suspects using himself as the bait.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.” Tom turned in his seat to look at her.

  “Do I like the idea? Of course not.” She saw Tom direct a sly I told you so look at Matt. “He didn’t like the many times I suggested I do it, either. Matt’s thinking like the great cop that he is. He sees it as his chance to take these dangerous criminals out, and I’ll do all I can to support him, even if I’m worried.”

  “Jess, I appreciate your faith in me. I’ll give you all the details and answer any questions you might have.”

  “Do I get to lecture you about the risk and all the things that could go wrong while we’re talking?” She caught the upturn of his lips in the mirror. “It’s only fair.”

  “Sure, sweetheart, you can lecture all you want. It’s your turn.” He winked at her.

  Chapter 41

  Jessie’s heart wasn’t into lecturing him. A queasy feeling came over her just thinking about what Matt had told her. It was a risky plan, and plenty could go wrong, but she understood why Matt wanted to do it. The atmosphere was charged. Tom was detailing every worst-case scenario his mind could conjure up while Frank observed. His eyes traveled back and forth between the two men as if he was watching a tennis match. Jessie knew the feeling. She didn’t know who to watch as the argument escalated. From past cases, she understood this was Matt’s way of working off the tension.