The Sweeper File (Remote Traveler Series Book 2)

by Finian Blake

  Maalik walked down to his car and put on his shirt and badge for the security company. One of the neighbor’s lights were still on so he decided to gamble and knocked on the door. A young man about twenty-five years old answered the door.

  Maalik put on his best official voice. “I’m looking for Eve Mendenhall have you seen her recently.” The young man looked at the badge and saw no harm in answering. “I was supposed to go out with her tonight but the lights are out. I figure that she was working an extra shift.”

  “When did you last talk to her?”

  “I saw her leaving for work last night. She agreed to go over to that cop bar last night.” This rang an alarm for Maalik.

  “Well she probably drew an extra shift. I will see her later.” Maalik was worried.

  Maalik decided to check out the bar where the cops hung out. As he entered the door four women dressed in revealing American garb pushed out of the bar thanking him for holding the door. Maalik had to remind himself that he was in America and not back home where women knew their place. As he entered he noticed an older man launching himself in an assault on a small woman with huge breasts. In the blink of an eye the bartender appeared out of nowhere subduing the other man before he could reach the lady whom left without turning around. The bartender held the other man at the bar to avoid a problem in the parking lot. Maalik decided to take advantage of the confusion.

  “I am looking for Eve Mendenhall has she been in tonight?” The bartender was still breathing heavy. “No Eve stops in often but she is usually in by now.”

  The man that the bartender was holding to the bar smirked. “She shot some rag head prince and was forced to resign. The State Department was all over it like stink on shit. The bitch got her ass in deep shit this time.”

  The bartender lost his temper, “That’s it you’re ‘86ed’ get out and don’t come back here ever.” With the news that the State Department was interested because Haroun was a member of the Royal family Maalik was less concerned about the quick move.

  Felix Owens was finally released from holding at three in the afternoon. The excuse that the police gave for holding him that long was that they needed to be sure of Cherry’s whereabouts before releasing him. It didn’t make any sense but it was an excuse. Before leaving the police station Felix tried to get information on the shooting since the initial report mentioned Four Diamonds only to find that the State Department had sealed it without comment which was highly unusual. He asked to interview the involved officers only to find that they had both resigned at the suggestion of the department. The whole thing stunk, big time. Felix decided to check in with his office. He was dialing the cell phone while he was driving and bumped the car in front of his going about five miles per hour. Since he was on the phone the other driver insisted on calling the police and they took an hour to arrive. Felix arrived home at seven out of his mind with rage. He whipped his car into the drive running over Todd’s skate board. Betty’s hand reached the door knob at the same time that Felix threw his weight at the door thinking that the door was stuck with the edge of the door catching Betty on the head knocking her out cold with blood gushing from her temple. Frances his five-year-old daughter called 9 1 1.

  “Daddy hit mommy and she is bleeding.”

  “Is she ok?”

  “No, mommy isn’t moving.”

  The police arrived in ten minutes. Through the door they could see Felix bending over his unconscious wife with a towel pressed to her head. One officer pinned and hand cuffed Felix on his living room floor smearing Betty’s blood all over him. Todd and Frances were both screaming ‘mommy’, in the hall. After the paramedics took over, Officer Smith tried to calm the children.

  Officer Franks was in the living room trying not to lose it and just beat the shit out of Felix, who was trying to explain what happened.

  “I have never hit my wife she takes them to a movie when I get upset.”

  Officer Franks shook his head, “You have the right to remain silent and I suggest that you do exactly that.” His partner stepped in the living room quickly.

  “This guy is an assistant at Justice if you do anything wrong he will walk. I had a call on the cell phone and he spent the morning in jail for stalking a woman that he beat the shit out of last week. Keep him quiet and the detectives will claim him in a few minutes. Child Protective Services is on the way for the kids. Just don’t beat the shit out of him.”

  Felix looked out the living room window and suddenly the night became very bright. A truck from the local news station had pulled up in time to catch Betty Owens being carried out on a gurney with her head thickly wrapped in blood soaked gauze bandages. A second truck was raising its boom followed by a third truck. Officer Franks looked at Felix.

  “Would you like me to get your coat out of the closet so you can cover up for the perp walk? The detectives will be here to take you in soon.”

  “I want to see my kids before I go.” Felix demanded.

  “That is up to CPS, they will take care of the kids. They tell me. I don’t tell them.” Officer Franks put on his best sarcastic voice. “I would like to see my kids tonight too, but since I will be at the station filling in paperwork all night, that will not happen.” Just then the detectives walked in. “Mister Owens, I hope that you will enjoy your accommodations this evening. I am sure they are better than you deserve.” Officers Smith and Franks walked out the front door through a line of reporters knowing that blood and violence would earn the story a prime spot on the news. Felix was escorted out of the house through four television crews with a coat draped over his head in the classic perp walk style and when he wouldn’t talk they started interviewing the neighbors.

  As Rhonda and Cherry walked in the front door at Rhonda’s place the satellite phone rang and Cherry was greeted by a Russian accent, “Cherry darling turn on your TV and check out the evening news.” Cherry turned on the news and caught the banner running across the bottom of the screen: ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC ASSULT. The banner was followed by pictures of Felix Owens being led out of his house in handcuffs with a coat over his head. Betty was being wheeled out of the house with her head wrapped in blood covered bandages. The next footage was of Cherry with her face blurred out being sucker punched by Felix followed by Felix lifting her blurred out naked body carrying it to the door.

  Cherry called Boris back, “How did they get that footage?”

  Boris answered with a playful whine in his voice. “I don’t know the FBI has the security video. Someone over there must have leaked it to the press.”

  Cherry slipped into a heavy Russian accent, “I will be there early to see you. Will you have a place for me to sit?”

  “Of course I will I am going to wash my face right now in case you are early.” Boris hung up before she could answer.

  “Well Rhonda, Felix will be occupied for a while but he has crossed with our other operation and that has me worried.”

  “Why...?”

  “As you know he doesn’t have a lick of sense and with the way things are going he will blunder in at the worst possible time.”

  Rhonda smirked, “Maybe he will get himself killed.”

  “It wouldn’t bother me that much but the problem is that he may get someone else killed.”

  “Your right, he is that stupid.” Rhonda grabbed Cherry’s hand dragging her up the stairs. “Well he will be in jail for the night, let’s get some sleep.”

  5.

  BREAKTHROUGHS

  Cherry had one last thing to do which was contact Alex and Anna with an update on Felix using the Skype feature on her laptop. Alex and Anna did not look old and frail for people in their early sixty’s as Rhonda had envisioned. Alex answered the Skype.

  “Cherry I was wondering when you would call. How are things going? Sera called me about a half an hour ago. She tells me that she and Rhonda have made their peace since you are more than a little interested in her. Have her step in to view.” Rhonda’s face appea
red on the screen looking obviously nervous. “Rhonda before there is any discussion I would like to say that it never happened and if Cherry loves you we back her decisions. Welcome to the clan.” Alex saw a wave of relief come over both of their faces. “What is the news on Felix?”

  “Well dad he just got busted for domestic violence and is spending the night in jail.”

  Alex was silent for about a minute. “I hope that he isn’t in too much trouble. How is his wife?”

  “I don’t know they took her to the hospital in an ambulance.”

  “Do you think he did it?” Alex asked with a serious tone in his voice.

  “I don’t think so the guy hits like a pansy,” Cherry laughed I have seen twelve-year-old girls with a better punch than he has. He has a temper. I don’t think that he could do that much damage on purpose. He might get there out of stupidity.”

  “Well I hope that he gets out soon. I want him to finish checking me out.”

  Rhonda was baffled she thought that Cherry was sent there to stop Felix, “Why…?”

  “I want to find out what information is floating loose on me. Felix is dumb enough to push through any security blocks to soothe his sense of justice. Let him go at it but keep an eye on him.”

  Cherry started out nervously. “Dad I am thinking of moving my end of Knoll productions and the fashion labels here.”

  Anna Shrugged, “The business belongs to you and your sisters. We have no say in the matter.”

  Cherry’s voice got little girl small. “I want to do a first class setup and wanted to see if I could get some backing?”

  Anna looked into the screen and could see that Rhonda was surprised by the request. The whole idea was obviously Cherry’s. “Alright your father and I will back you. Keep it under seventy-five. Set it up with ‘Momma Lynn’ first and then go through Susan, good luck.”

  Cherry was holding Rhonda jumping up and down screaming ‘yes’ as Anna broke the connection.

  Rhonda was still confused and Cherry answered her question before it could be asked.

  “If we are going to be together being on opposite sides of the ocean won’t work so I will move my operation over here. Alex and Anna just gave me the go ahead.”

  Rhonda was curious, “What did Anna mean don’t go past seventy-five?”

  “She is going to put up $75,000,000 for a first class operation,” Cherry bubbled.

  Rhonda was dumb struck. “That’s it and you just pick up the phone, talk like a little girl, and pull down that kind of a loan. Your father doesn’t even own the house that he lives in.”

  “Alex and Anna have access to what they need. ‘Momma Lynn’ will set up the guarantees and I will have access to the money by Friday.”

  “What about my job?”

  “Either keep it or throw in with me as a partner. The choice is yours. I will set up the studio close by so we can have the option. I am going to go heavy with computer graphics. I will tap Boris for some advice.”

  “You really like him don’t you.” Cherry could detect a pout from Rhonda.

  “Alex and Anna had two lesbian business partners and they were lifelong friends. ‘Momma Lynn’ was one of the partners.” Cherry stroked Rhonda’s cheek. “I am committed to you but Boris is my friend. Let’s get some sleep.”

  Cherry couldn’t sleep thinking about her project. She had Rhonda out of bed and at the NSA Computer Lab before six. Boris had given her the code to the door so they entered without knocking.

  Boris’s voice rang out clearly, “Queen to bishop four…”

  Cherry called out, “Boris are you there?

  “I am having a chess game with my friend Nicholas. Make yourself at home and I will be there as soon as I wax my friend.”

  “In your dreams,” Nikki’s voice came over the Skype.

  Cherry looked around the room seeing that the broken single bed had been replaced by a metal framed queen sized bed made of tubular stainless steel with vertical steel bars making up both the head and foot board. Rhonda and Cherry walked over to the bed and stripped down to their bra and panties. Rhonda called out seductively as she started to kiss Cherry. “That’s ok Boris we will start without you”.

  “Boris I don’t mean to distract you but look behind you.” Nikki called his attention to Cherry and Rhonda who were curled up caressing each other.

  Rhonda called out, “Don’t hurry on our account. You finish your chess game and I will finish Cherry.”

  Boris replied in a panic, “You win Nikki,” forgetting to shut down the link in his computer, hurriedly hopping into bed.

  “We just came over to help you break in your new bed.” They played for a half hour and settled in to a quiet conversation tangled up in each other’s arms.

  Boris laughed, “Are you telling me that you are Lesbians? You will have a hard time convincing me after what we just did!”

  “No, it isn’t that we don’t like men. We just prefer women. Cherry and I are getting together and we would like your help setting up the computer end of the business.” Boris was a smart man and decided to keep his mouth shut and not ruin the best deal that he ever had in his life. He had more sex in four days than he had in the last year or ten.

  “As we just told you, Rhonda and I are getting together. I am moving my studio and advertising agency from England to here along with my fashion labels. When I move I want a first class setup which means that I want to go with fully digitized graphics and effects. I want top of the line computers and people at the top of their profession. Boris, just off the top of your head what would the computer end price out at if we want top of the line.”

  “Oh, eight or ten million should get you a decent set up. The people are the key and may be hard to get since most of the really good ones are employed.”

  A voice floated from the wall. “I would come if I could get a visa.” Boris looked up at the screen remembering that he had not turned the Skype off and they had been entertaining Nikki for at least a half hour.

  Boris tried to think about how the tangle of limbs would look like on camera.

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “I couldn’t because my heart was in my throat. I guess that dry spell that you were complaining about is over.” Nicholas pushed, “I want to come to America!” Cherry looked at Boris not having to ask the question.

  “Cherry darling he is the best that I have seen at graphic design. He makes his real money from video games, and he works for the state so that he can use their computers but they haven’t paid him in two months.”

  Cherry sighed rising up on both elbows to view the screen, “Nikki, do you have anybody that you want to bring with you?”

  “There is my girlfriend if you are looking for talent. She thinks she is a fashion designer, but she is a genius with writing finance programs. There are three other people that may want to come too.”

  Cherry shrugged, “Boris get a good count from Nikki and make the arrangements through Cassandra. Nikki we can’t have any surprises I need an exact count all of the people and arrangements similar to my arrangement with Boris will be made. He will explain everything.” Cherry took Rhonda by the hand and headed to the bath.

  Nikki was astounded, “Boris can she really do that?”

  “Nikki she did it for fifteen of my people. All promises will be kept, but let’s keep the count at five unless there is somebody that is so outstanding that we absolutely have to have them. I have to go now call me back with the count and the names.”

  “How does she do it?”

  “Most governments have started keeping all of the records on computer.” Boris said with a laugh

  “Oh…!”

  Rhonda and Cherry immerged from the bath Cherry’s hair was still wet. “Your hair dryer died I will replace it.

  “Boris what are the Russians using Nikki for?”

  “He monitors the financial world of the West in case we have a cyber-war. Nikki examines all of the foreign markets for cyber weaknesses in
case some ‘mother’ attacks Russia.”

  “Call Cassandra and tell her that Nikki will have to have an accident before we change his ID. The Russians will never stop looking for him, if he is alive. Next see who you can entice from Europe and Asia we will need ten or fifteen more people that are strong in graphics and computer science. Oh yes, we could use some premier hackers for our security services. Have a serious look at their backgrounds and if necessary we will arrange accidents before we change their identification. Boris, we need a quick boost for this, but we have an opening for a director of cyber operations with the new company if you feel comfortable leaving the NSA.”

  “YOU HAVE TO ASK?” Boris shouted as Cherry continued.

  “We have six three bedroom apartments available in a safe house that are fully furnished, but the kitchens need to be stocked. Three of the apartments are reserved for your mother, brother, and sister, but we can use the other three for temporary housing for anybody that you bring over in the near future. We can pick up another building if need be. Someone called Nadia will call and will make sure that the correct food items are stocked for your family. Call Nikki and make sure that his people are absolutely dependable. I put my name on you and you put your name on them. If you fail do you know what that means?”

  “You will kill me?” Cherry pushed Rhonda up to his back and both women caressed Boris until he was fully aroused.

  They both kissed him sensuously leaving blood red lip prints on both of his cheeks. “No silly, that means no more sex and you can go back to dating your hand.” Rhonda and Cherry swayed seductively toward the door.