The Fugitive's Trail

by J. C. Fields

  “Well that confirms what my source told me,” said Kruger looking back at the building. “Adds more credibility to his story.”

  Alvarez said, “Did you find the guy, Sean?”

  Kruger nodded.

  “Where is he?”

  Pointing to the west, Kruger said, “Out there somewhere. I’ve promised him I would keep his location confidential for the moment.”

  Alvarez smiled. “Okay, I can live with that. You mentioned on the phone about new evidence?”

  Sharon Crawford said, “Plymel’s source of funding for many of his buyouts is questionable. Preliminary data shows he’s been using shell companies to buy up shares of his target companies prior to announcing the takeover. Once the announcements are made and the target company shares skyrocket, the shell companies sell the shares. He uses those profits to help pay for the takeover. The SEC defines that as insider trading. There’s more money involved, but the source of those funds are suspicious.”

  Alvarez looked at Crawford and then at Kruger. “What do you mean suspicious?”

  Kruger shrugged. Crawford shook her head. “We don’t know. The only information we have is circumstantial. But, the insider trading gave us enough to get a search warrant for their computer records.”

  “Is Crigler involved with this?” said Alvarez.

  “We have no evidence or even a suggestion anyone else at P&G Global is involved, but that doesn’t mean anything at the moment,” said Kruger. “I’ve known the guy for a long time. He’s an asshole. But, a criminal?” Kruger shook his head. “He still had enough political pull to get me assigned to this case. My guess is he suspects Plymel’s doing something illegal and using us to take him down. Crigler would want to keep his image clean, staying above the fray. He’d be the shining knight who saved P&G Global from the scoundrel Plymel. Afterward, he’d take control of the company.”

  Alvarez laughed and shook his head. “Sounds like those soap operas my wife likes to watch.”

  Kruger didn’t laugh but frowned. “Crigler can be dangerous, and he’s not above hiring someone to find our fugitive. We have reasons to believe he already has. A sergeant at Bragg was caught looking into the fugitive’s military file. One the fugitive couldn’t get to when he was erasing his past. It was highly classified.” Kruger glanced at his watch. “Well, we’re wasting daylight. Let’s get this done.”

  Chapter 19

  New York City

  Even before the elevator doors were completely open on the thirty-fourth floor, Kruger was out and walking purposely toward the reception desk. He was followed by Sharon Crawford, Detective Alvarez, and four uniformed NYPD officers. The receptionist looked up from her desk, her eyes widening as Kruger shoved his ID in her face.

  “I’m agent Sean Kruger with the FBI. We have a search warrant for these premises. Please back away from your desk and leave everything as is. Everyone within these offices will immediately assemble here and remain here.” Nodding at the uniformed officers, who stood on both sides of him, he continued, “These officers with the New York Police Department will assist in gathering everyone and escorting them to this location.”

  Leaning over her desk, Kruger said in a calm, stern voice, “You will accompany me to Abel Plymel’s office.” She blinked several times and lifted a handset from a phone on her desk. Kruger took the handset from her hand. “Now”—he looked at the nameplate on her desk—“Cynthia.” She continued to stare, wide eyed. Finally after a few moments, she stood and walked to a hall on the left side of the reception area. Kruger turned to the uniformed officers. “Gentlemen, please help everyone find their way to the lobby.”

  Kruger, Sharon, and Alvarez followed closely as Cynthia walked down the hall. She stopped at a large door and raised her fist to knock. Before she could, Kruger stepped in front of her, opened the door, and proceeded inside. Plymel was sitting behind his desk, deep in discussions with two men sitting in wingback chairs facing him.

  Kruger walked quickly to the large desk, his credentials out. “Sean Kruger, FBI.” Reaching inside his suit coat pocket, he pulled out an envelope. “I have a search warrant for this office and all computer files. Please stand and step away from the desk.”

  Plymel stood. “How dare you. This is a private meeting. My lawyer will need to be involved before you can search this premise.”

  Kruger held the search warrant in his hand and shook his head. “Doesn’t work that way. A federal judge signed it this morning. If you resist, Detective Alvarez will place you under arrest. Now stand back from the desk.” He turned to the other men and said, “You two need to go directly to the reception area.” Both men stared at Kruger with the same wide-eyed expression as the receptionist. But without a word, each rose from their chairs and hustled out of the office.

  Alvarez stood next to Kruger and smiled slightly, enjoying the moment.

  Plymel glared at Kruger. “Get out of my office. I’m calling my attorney.” He picked up the handset on his desk phone and started to punch in numbers.

  Kruger stepped up to the front of the desk, turned, and nodded at Alvarez, who proceeded around the desk with his handcuffs ready. Kruger leaned across the desk, grabbed the handset from Plymel just before Alvarez grabbed his other arm and applied the cuffs.

  Kruger said, “You are now under arrest for resisting a dutifully served search warrant.” He turned to Sharon. “Start looking for the laptop and related files.” Watching Plymel’s reaction, he noted a slight widening of the eyes, which darted to the left then returned to stare at Kruger.

  Plymel’s face grew crimson red, and he said through clinched teeth, “You have no idea who you are dealing with, agent. You are making a seriously huge mistake.”

  Leaning forward and placing his palms on the desk, Kruger said, “Is that a threat, Mr. Plymel? Did you just threaten an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation?”

  Glaring at Kruger, Plymel shook his head. “No, but you are making a mistake. I have nothing to hide. This could have been handled in a much more civil manner.”

  “Doubtful. You would have delayed the investigation indefinitely with lawyers.”

  Alvarez led the now handcuffed man to a corner of the office. Kruger watched Plymel as Sharon searched the desk. His eyes did not deviate from her as she retrieved the laptop from a drawer in the huge desk. Kruger could see Plymel stiffen when Sharon gained access to the files on the computer. “I have access. Sean.”

  Alvarez leaned in and whispered in Plymel’s ear, “I found out who your dead security guard was. His background wasn’t what you claimed, was it?” Plymel turned to face him and stared hard. A slight smile came to Alvarez’s lips. “You lied to a police officer. Not a very smart thing to do, Abel.”

  Plymel’s breathing grew rapid as he turned his head and once again stared at Sharon working on the laptop. Alvarez’s smile broadened. Plymel was furious, so he pushed him a little further. “What are they going to find on that computer, Abel? Something you don’t want the world to know? That you’re a fraud and this company is just a house of cards ready to collapse?” Alvarez felt the man stiffen. Plymel didn’t turn around this time but continued to stare at Sharon.

  Ten minutes later, she raised her head from the screen, smiled, and said, “I believe this is what we need. Detective, could you ask a couple of your officers to box up the contents of this desk?” Alvarez, nodded, made Plymel sit on one of the sofas in the office, and left to retrieve a pair of the uniformed police officers. She said loudly to Kruger, who was in the adjacent conference room, “Are there any filing cabinets in there?”

  Kruger walked back into the office and shook his head. He saw Plymel sitting on the sofa and walked over to him. As he approached, he noticed Plymel breathing rapidly. His face was crimson and he was focused on Sharon. Standing directly in front of Plymel, to block his view, Kruger said, “I read the article about you in this morning’s New York Times. It had a few unflattering things to say about you. Care to comment?”

 
Plymel shook his head. “I want my lawyer. This is an outrage. He’ll have your badge, agent—so help me, he will.”

  Kruger laughed. “Do you know how many times I’ve heard that cliché? Guess what? I still have it.” He paused and turned to see Sharon placing the laptop into a storage box one of the uniformed officers had found for her. Turning his attention back to Plymel, he said, “I was going to take the cuffs off and leave you here. But, I changed my mind. I can just image how embarrassing it will be for you as we pass through the crowd of associates gathered in the reception area. Then we’ll have to stand there while we wait for the elevator. Glad I’m not you.” Plymel now focused his attention on Kruger. His eyes grew wide as he realized the situation was real.

  A tall man in his sixties appeared at the office door. “What is the meaning of this invasion?”

  Kruger looked at the newcomer. Alvarez and two patrol officers appeared behind the man. Kruger said, “Don’t get involved sir. This only involves Mr. Plymel.”

  Alton Crigler stared at Plymel and then at Kruger. “Why is Mr. Plymel in handcuffs?”

  Kruger handed the search warrant to the man. “I will repeat myself only one more time. Do not get involved.”

  Crigler scanned the search warrant and handed it back to Kruger. “Your paperwork does not appear to be in order. Leave everything where it is and remove yourselves from this office immediately.”

  Kruger smiled. “Nice try. The search warrant is in order. If you continue to interfere, I’ll have you placed under arrest as well. Are you sure that’s what you want to do Mr. Crigler?”

  Knowing his bluff had been called, Crigler shook his head and left. Alvarez and his two officers reentered the room. The two patrol officers went to the desk and started loading storage boxes with the content of Plymel’s desk. Alvarez stood next to Kruger and said in a low voice, “Sorry about that. He claimed he was with the attorney general’s office at one time, demanded to know what was going on.”

  Kruger chuckled. “He was. At one time he was the deputy attorney general, maybe five or six years ago. That little display was for show only. He knew the warrant was legit. He’s probably in his office laughing his ass off right now.”

  As Plymel was led through the reception area toward the elevators, the associates of P&G Global grew quiet. Plymel’s hands were cuffed behind his back and his head was down staring at the floor. Crigler was nowhere to be seen. Kruger figured he was on the phone with the firm’s lawyers. As one of the patrol officers held the elevator door open, they all got in for the ride to the first floor. No one spoke during the descent as Plymel just stared at the floor.

  As the group exited the elevator, two men crossed the lobby rushing toward them. Kruger said, “Lawyers. Everyone just keep moving.” Two of the officers moved in front of the group trying to run interference. Alvarez and the two remaining officers were carrying evidence boxes while Kruger and Crawford held each of Plymel’s arms.

  The older lawyer stopped in front of them. “What is the meaning of this?”

  Kruger did not break stride and kept leading the group toward the front entrance of the building. The younger lawyer tried to stop them by placing his hand on Kruger’s chest. Kruger looked the younger lawyer in the eyes and with a menacing tone said, “Are you sure you want to do that, son? Remove your hand or you’ll join him in cuffs.” He watched as the younger man swallow hard and his eyes grow wide.

  The older lawyer placed his hand on the younger ones shoulder. “We’re Mr. Plymel’s attorneys. Please explain why he is in handcuffs.”

  Sharon said, “He threatened a federal officer and is now under arrest. If you wish to know more, you can discuss it after he is booked. Now, I suggest you both back off and stop interfering.” Both lawyers backed away and the group walked out of the building into a crowd of reporters.

  Kruger smiled. His plan was working. He had sent JR an email just before they left Starbucks. JR was to inform his contact at the Insider that Plymel was to be arrested that morning. Then the natural order of a media circus would take shape in front of the building.

  Plymel groaned as they walked into the crowd. Questions were being shouted, but Plymel kept his head down and ignored all of them. The din of the reporters was deafening, but it was not Kruger’s first time to navigate through this type of crowd. He stared ahead, remained quiet, and kept moving forward. Cameras flashed and microphones were shoved in their faces, but they kept their silence and led Plymel to one of the waiting patrol cars, its light bar flashing. Once Plymel was secured in the back seat, Kruger closed the door and tapped the ceiling twice. After Alvarez got in the front passenger side, the car sped away. Kruger and Sharon walked to the black Ford Taurus, which had been parked behind the patrol car. The reporters calmed down, backed off, and started dispersing.

  One of the uniformed officers handed her the box containing the laptop and she placed it in the back seat. Kruger settled into the passenger seat while she got behind the steering wheel. After touching a switch, the bureau car’s hidden emergency lights started flashing. She eased the car from the curb and followed the patrol car toward Manhattan Central Booking.

  Staring out the window, she was concentrating on maneuvering through traffic. After a few moments, she said, “Well, everything happened just like you said it would.”

  Nodding, Kruger smiled. “Yeah, we should find out if Plymel’s in this by himself. I doubt it. Were you around when Crigler worked at the Justice Department?”

  “Yes, but I never had any contact with him.”

  “You didn’t miss anything. I always wondered why he and the director were so tight. I just learned this week they were college buddies. I really expected a more convincing protest from him about Plymel’s arrest.” Kruger paused and said, more to himself than Sharon, “He definitively wants Plymel out of the way.”

  “What’s next, Sean? We really don’t have anything to hold Plymel on except resisting arrest, and that charge is pretty flimsy. His lawyers will probably beat us to Central Booking.”

  “I’m counting on it. We have forty-eight hours to hold him without pressing charges.” He glanced at his watch, “Which should give us plenty of time to turn up the heat.”

  Chapter 20

  New York City

  After his feeble attempt to stop Plymel’s arrest, Crigler returned to his office and waited an hour before placing a call to the company’s law firm. He was connected to the managing partner without delay.

  “Good morning, Alton. What can I do for you today?”

  “I will assume you have already heard about the incident we had here this morning.”

  Wesley Elliot paused only a moment before answering, “Yes and I read a very disturbing article this morning in the New York Times. Very unpleasant. Is this call about engaging our services to handle Abel’s indiscretions?”

  Crigler smiled. “No, we need to divorce ourselves from Mr. Plymel on these matters. P&G Global, and any company associated with P&G Global, cannot be seen as endorsing his behavior in any way.”

  “I see.”

  “Good.”

  “How would you suggest Elliot, Elliot, and Brimmer handle any request by Mr. Plymel, should he call us for representation? I need to mention, one of our partners was already involved this morning.”

  “I understand, but I’m sure you have agreements with various other law firms in town to handle, uh, let’s say, conflicts of interest.”

  “We do.”

  “Good, when Abel calls, please use your discretion and suggest one of those firms.”

  “Very well. That’s how we will handle it. I appreciate your call, Alton. Several of the partners were concerned about how we could handle his—”

  The phone went dead. Silence. Crigler frowned, laid the phone down on his desk, stood, and walked out of his office. Outside in the cube farm, voices could be heard cussing. Heads were popping up, looking around, and asking if their neighbor’s phone was working. His assistant rushed to his side. “Our
computer system just went down. Since the phones are tied to our network, they’re down as well. No email or internet connections. I’m going to IT and check. Hopefully they can tell us how long it will be.”

  Crigler nodded. “Thank you, Bob. Make sure they understand that our business depends on communication with the market. The longer we’re down, the more money we lose.” His assistant turned and practically ran toward the IT department.

  Returning to his desk, he stopped and realized too many incidents had occurred too close together. The New York Times article about Plymel, the search warrant, and now the computer system going down—was it the work of the man Plymel was looking for? His office door opened and Bob leaned in. “IT department just told me we’re having a denial-of-service attack on our server, whatever that means.”

  “How long before they can fix it?” said Crigler.

  “He didn’t say, he was too busy.”

  Crigler stood and moved toward his office door. “Maybe he’ll talk to me.” He left his office and walked to the IT department. As soon as he opened the door, he knew the situation was grim. The glassed-in room where the company’s rows of servers were kept appeared to have a thin cloud floating within its confines. He noted several men rushing from server to server, opening panels and disconnecting cables. He saw the head of the IT department at his desk on a cell phone, furiously writing notes on a pad. Walking over to the desk, he stood in front of it and remained silent as the man finished the call.

  Looking up, Irving Greer raised one finger indicating he was almost done with the call. “Okay, I think I have it. I’ll call you back after we do this.” He ended the call and looked up at Crigler. “System’s fried. Whoever did this was good, very good. That was our tech at Microsoft. He’s only heard of this type of attack once or twice.”