Jack got out of the car wearing his FBI windbreaker over his running gear. The jacket, blue nylon with the three letters on the back in gold, was the only clean thing Jack was wearing. Two police officers followed him up to the door, pulling their guns from their holsters and holding them down at their sides, taking Jack’s lead. They looked at him as he stood there and exchanged a look. Jack was still muddy from the top of his head to his shoes. He smelled of sweat, river mud, and adrenaline and he had a look in his eye. He hadn’t said a word to them yet. He tried the door and found it locked.
One of the officers cleared his throat to get Jack’s attention. “What do you want us to do?”
Jack looked through the window of the front door and then turned. “We’re going to go in and clear the house.”
“Do we have a warrant?”
“Something better.” Jack tipped up a flowerpot on the corner of the front step and grabbed something from under it. “We have a key.” He glanced through the front window again. “Here’s the deal. My in-laws live here, a couple in their late sixties. My wife and children are visiting. I believe they may be in danger.” Jack looked from one officer to the other. “I think the house is empty, but we’re going make sure. You ready?”
Both officers swallowed and nodded.
“OK, let’s go. And try not to shoot each other.” Jack slid the key into the lock and slowly opened the door.
The house was quiet and the air was cool from the air-conditioning. Jack went first, searching through the living room and kitchen. He sensed nothing. It didn’t feel like there was anybody there. Everything was in its place. He noticed a couple of the kids’ things in the house, reminding him that they were living here now. Lynn’s book, a fantasy, lay open on the kitchen table and Willy’s toy cars were parked under the coffee table. The officers went down the hall to the left and checked out the bedrooms and bathroom. Jack opened the door leading to the attached garage and looked around. It was a two-car garage with the items of suburban life stored neatly inside. The lawnmower and snow blower were against the far wall. An extension ladder and a six-foot ladder hung on the wall next to snow and garden shovels. A Chevy Malibu was parked in the spot closest to the door where Jack stood. The spot next to it was empty. Julie’s dad’s pickup truck that parked in that spot was gone.
“Anything?” one of the officers asked from behind Jack.
“One of their cars is gone.” Jack turned and pointed at the officer that was doing the talking. “You stay here. We’re going to check out the basement.”
The basement was dark and just as quiet. Sunlight came in through the small windows. Clean clothes were neatly folded in clothesbaskets in the laundry room. The officer rejoined Jack after checking out the shop area under the stairs. He sniffed audibly once, cleared his throat, and backed a step away from Jack.
“Do I smell?” Jack asked.
“Maybe a little.”
Jack pulled out the windbreaker from his chest, stuck his nose down inside it, and sniffed. “Maybe more than a little. Sorry, it’s been a long morning.” He shook his head. “There’s nobody here. Let’s go.”
Out on the lawn, Jack thanked the officers and asked them to keep an eye on the house in the future. He put the key back where he found it and sat down on the front step. Where the heck was everybody? His in-laws may be at their cabin. They never planned their time away. They just went. But, they weren’t answering their phone. Julie and the kids should be around. He pulled the left sleeve of the windbreaker up so he could see his watch. He wiped off the mud-covered face with his thumb so he could read it. Just two hours since he woke up this morning. Where were they? He was just about to call Ross and update him when the phone in his pocket rang. He fumbled around in his pocket for it, flipped it open so he could see who was calling, and hit talk. “Jules, where are you?”
“Jack, I got your message. What’s going on?”
“Where are you? Are the kids with you?” Jack was pacing back and forth in front of the house.
“We’re in St. Paul. We went out for breakfast on our way to the Como Zoo.” There was silence between them as Jack didn’t answer, relieved that they were OK. “Hello? Jack, you still there?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s going on, Jack?”
“Nothing.”
“Jack?”
“Well, something.” Jack sat down on the step again. “You may see it on the news tonight. Somebody took a shot at me while I was out for my run this morning.” Jack heard Julie suck in a breath. “Don’t worry. I’m OK. I think it was the Governor. I don’t think he knows where you guys are staying, but I came over to your mom and dad’s to check it out. To make sure he didn’t come over here. Where are your mom and dad?”
“They decided to go up to the cabin.”
“That’s what I figured. Are you going up there?”
“We were planning to stay here for the Fourth, remember? We’re going to Nicollet Island together,” Julie said.
Together, she said together, Jack thought. They should be safe in a crowd and if he was with them he could keep an eye on them. “Sorry, with all this stuff going on I forgot what day it was. I can’t wait for the four of us to hang out together, but I don’t want you staying at your mom and dad’s and,” Jack hated saying it, “I don’t think you should come home. Where else could you stay tonight?”
“Jack, I can’t put somebody else out tonight. It’s the Fourth of July weekend. People have plans. You don’t think we’d be OK at Mom and Dad’s?”
“I’d sleep better tonight knowing you weren’t here. How about you guys go down to the Marriot at the old depot downtown, the one with the waterpark. I’ll get you a room and bring you your clothes and swimsuits. The kids can swim and you can sleep in.”
“You know what we need?”
“I’m sitting at your parents’. I’ll throw some stuff together and drop it off for you at the hotel. You’ll have fun, I’ll sleep better, and I’ll pick you guys up in the morning and we’ll walk over to Nicollet Island to spend the day.”
Now it was Julie’s turn to be quiet. Jack listened to the silence on the other end; the only sound was the voices of his kids in the background arguing over something.
“Jules?”
“OK. We have some other stuff to do today. We’ll get that done and go to the hotel.”
“Pinky promise me you’re not coming over here.”
“I promise,” Julie said.
“I’m really serious, Jules. You have to stay away, lay low, take it easy.”
“I promise, Jack.”
“OK. I’ll get the stuff, leave it at the hotel, and I’ll pick you guys up tomorrow morning at nine? We’ll get some breakfast together.”
“The kids are looking forward to tomorrow.”
“Me too. Turn off your phone and check for messages at the hotel. This guy knows his stuff and he’ll track you if he knows your phone number.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’m serious. Turn your phone off. I’ll get you a different one.”
“OK, Jack. Talk to you later. Be careful.”
“Always am.”
Jack held the phone to his ear to make sure Jules wasn’t still there, not wanting to let go. Finally he flipped the phone shut, got up, and got the key out again from its hiding spot and went in to gather his family’s things for the next few days.
Chapter 37
“Junior, any news?”
“There’s a team working the river sites. Nothing’s turned up yet. You OK?”
“Yeah. I’m cleaned up and ready to get to work. You ready for some field work?” Jack asked.
“What’s the plan?”
Jack pulled his car into the convenience store lot and stopped at the gas pump. “I have to get some gas and cash and then I’ll pick you up. Be ready to go in fifteen minutes. Bring the files with you so we can take a look at them.”
Jack stopped the Mercury Cougar outside the door of the FBI offices
to pick up Ross. “Come on, Junior,” Jack said to the windshield. There was a lot to do and he wanted to get going. He took another drink of the convenience store coffee and grimaced at the bitter taste of the lukewarm beverage. He opened the car door and poured the coffee onto the parking lot. The passenger door opened and Ross got in.
“Had enough coffee?”
“Enough of that coffee. Buckle up; we have a lot to do.” Jack put the car in drive and drove out of the lot while Junior struggled with the seat belt with his one good arm.
“You sure you’re OK, Jack?” Junior asked.
“Patty’s been shot. I’m OK, but I’m pissed.” Jack turned left through a yellow light, and then made a quick right into the drive of the Marriott Hotel at the downtown Depot, a refurbished train station that now housed a hotel, water park, and indoor ice-skating rink.
“What’re we doing here?” Ross asked the empty driver’s seat. Jack was already out of the car and walking back to the trunk. Ross fumbled with the seat belt and opened the door. “You want me to come with you, Jack?”
“Yep, let’s go. This is the first stop.” Jack didn’t stop to check on Ross. Instead, he walked straight up to the front desk.
“Can I help you, sir?” The college-aged woman with blonde, shoulder length hair smiled at Jack.
Jack returned her smile. “Hi…,” Jack searched for her name tag, and Ross joined him at the counter. “Hailey. I need two rooms, preferably across from each other. One with two beds for a woman with two children, the other room can have one or two beds.”
Hailey directed her attention to her computer. “Let me see what we have available.” She guided the mouse as she searched. Her manicured nails clicked on the computer keys.
“Above the ground floor,” Ross added.
Jack looked at Ross, nodded, and turned to Hailey. “Right, above the ground floor.” Jack was glad Ross was along. He may be beat up, but he was thinking straight and had figured out what was going on.
“I have two rooms on the second floor, across the hall from each other. Both have two queen-size beds.” Hailey looked at Jack, then quickly glanced at Ross, his face, and then the arm in its sling and she smiled again at Jack.
“Sounds great, I’ll take them.”
“Did you want the water park package too?”
“For the room with the mom and her two kids.”
“What credit card did you want to put this on?”
Jack took out his wallet. “I’ll be paying in cash.”
“That’s fine, sir, but I still need a card in case there are other charges.”
Jack laid his FBI credentials on the counter in front of the young woman. She looked down and then back and forth from Ross to Jack. Jack leaned forward and spoke in a husky whisper. “I need to pay in cash and I can’t have anybody be able to track these rooms right now.” Hailey nodded, the smile gone from her face, and Jack continued. “I’ll put one room under Julie Jacobson.” He spelled the last name and looked at Ross. “That’s her maiden name.”
“The second room?” Hailey asked.
“Just a minute. Are you working the check-in desk for a while?”
“I’ll be here all day.”
“I’ll have her ask for you. She may be looking for a room under Miller, but please don’t put that in the computer.” Jack smiled, still leaning forward on the counter.
“Not a problem, sir. And the second room?”
“Hailey Fruen.” Jack pocketed his credentials. “And Ms. Jacobson isn’t to know about the second room. Check them in, give them their water park passes and let them enjoy the evening. If they want anything else, keep the bill and I’ll cover it when they check out.”
“You can just pay later, sir.” Hailey slid card keys to both rooms across the counter to Jack. “The elevator to the second floor is down the hall on your left.”
“Thank you, Hailey. I’ll put their bags in their room and return the key to you in a few minutes. Remember, this is to be kept quiet and no word of the second room to Ms. Jacobson.”
Chapter 38
Jack drove the Mercury Cougar through the curves of River Road. The windows were down and the hot air blew through the compartment as the car approached a speed bump. Jack accelerated and the car smoothly but loudly passed over the bump as the suspension absorbed the shock.
“Geez, Jack. Where’s the fire?” Ross asked as he braced himself and hung on with his one good arm.
“We have a lot to do and not a lot of time.” Jack accelerated again. “Hold on.” The car slammed over another speed bump. “That’s it for the bumps. Get out your phone. Call Sure Thing.” Jack kept up the speed down the hill into the lowest part of River Road that ran parallel to the Mississippi, honked his horn, and passed an older Volvo Wagon, its driver honking back at Jack for passing on the two-lane road. An Asian couple standing at the retaining wall fishing looked back from the river to see what was happening behind them on the road while their lines hung in the water eight feet below. The car’s transmission shifted as Jack pushed the car up the hill from the river flats.
“I’m getting his voice mail,” Ross said loudly to get Jack to hear him over the sound of the car and the wind. Ross held the phone to his ear with his good hand. “Can you roll up this window, Jack, so he can hear me?”
Jack rolled up Ross’ window and answered, “Give him the room numbers and tell him I need some tools for surveillance to keep them safe through the night. We’ll meet him there in a few hours to see what he has for us.” The turn-off of River Road was just ahead. Jack didn’t brake, but took his foot from the accelerator as he steered the car through the curve up and around to Franklin Avenue.
Ross leaned to the right to counter-act the force as he spoke into the phone to leave the message for Sure Thing.
There was a stop sign at Franklin Avenue. Jack looked back, accelerated onto the road, and drove across the bridge to the other side of the river. He honked his horn in a staccato pattern, swerved around the cars waiting at the stop light on the east end of the bridge, and headed south.
“Watch out for the St. Paul cops, Mario.”
“We’re still in Minneapolis, Junior.” Jack sped down East River Road. “The St. Paul border is a little farther south. After we go under the train tracks. We need to get you out so you know the city.” Jack pushed the button on his door and lowered Ross’ window again. “Hey, you know what Sure Thing drives?”
Ross raised his voice again to battle the hot wind blowing through the car. “Something with air-conditioning?”
“I think it has air-conditioning, but it doesn’t need much. It’s smaller than this car. It’s one of those Mini-Coopers.” Jack said.
Jack continued to push the Cougar south down East River Road while he and Ross yelled at each other over the sound of the winds that buffeted their hair, debating the benefits of air-conditioning and power controls versus open windows with manual cranks to raise and lower them.
Jack braked and drastically slowed the car down to a stop. Cars were lined up ahead of them on the road and not moving. “Junior, get out and see how long the line is.”
“You get out. I’m injured.” Ross flapped his elbow, his arm in the sling.
“My car, I’m driving. I have to move up with the traffic.”
Ross looked at Jack. Jack looked to the left at the large houses that faced the river. Along this part of the river the houses and yards on the St. Paul side were larger than their Minneapolis counterparts on the other side.
“What do you think these people do?” Ross asked.
“Doctors, lawyers, bank robbers, drug dealers.”
“And they say crime doesn’t pay.”
Jack looked ahead through the windshield. “We’re not moving. Hang on.” He cranked the steering wheel to the right and slowly drove the car to the curb. The front wheel hit the curb and the car stopped and rocked back. He accelerated the car again and the front wheels climbed up the curb with a lurch, first the right, then the le
ft.
“Ow! What are you doing?” Ross’ head bounced off of the door frame. He braced himself in his seat, his good arm on the dashboard of the car.
“Anybody on the bike path?” Jack asked.
“What? No.”
Jack pushed the car ahead, the rear wheels bouncing up the curb, before he raced down the paved bike path. He tapped the horn, warning walkers to get out of his way.
“Watch out, Jack!”
Two coeds stepped aside and gave him the finger. Jack waved out the window in return. “This is much better. Don’t you think, Junior? We’re moving now.”
A St. Paul traffic cop stepped onto the path ahead of them and held out her hand, palm out. Street traffic was turning left at this point. Barricades placed across River Road and the biking path kept automobiles and pedestrians from continuing south from this point. Jack stopped the car on the path ten feet from the officer.
“Sir, what do you think you’re doing?” The St. Paul officer approached and stared at Jack through the window of his car, her eyes hidden behind her Oakley sunglasses. “The road and bike path are off limits right now. Do you live up here?”
“Special Agents Miller and Fruen with the FBI. We’re going to the site by the river to check it out.”
“Couldn’t wait in line, gentlemen?”
“We’re kind of in a hurry. Lots to do today. First thing is to try and catch the guy that shot at me from up here.”
The officer leaned over and looked through the window at Ross. “And you’re the guy that got hurt in the car accident.”
Ross nodded and Jack answered, “You should be a detective instead of pulling traffic duty.”
“You guys be careful. I’ll move the barricade for you. The road’s clear from here to the site. You’ll see where it is. Lots of cars parked in the road.” She stood up and yelled at a bike rider starting to ride around the barricade. She moved it out of the way and Jack bounced the car down the curb and accelerated down River Road.
Jack and Ross stood in the shade under the mature trees at the edge of a scenic overlook above the gorge and looked across the river. “You were running over there?” Ross pointed to the riverbank on the other side of the river.
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