John: The Senior Killer

by Robert Waggoner

  She said, “What will you do with me?”

  “I’ll put you to work,” he said as a matter of fact. “You have talent and I want you to do what you do best.”

  “It appears I have no choice in the matter,” she said in a low voice almost cracking under the strain.

  “Sure you do Nancy, you can quit, but I doubt you are a quitter,” he said with a voice that had compassion in it. “You wanted to see where I lived and now you will get your wish. However, not quite under the same circumstances as you once thought. I’ll give you a week and if you don’t like what we are doing, you are free to return to wherever you came from and no hard feelings.” She nodded her head in agreement and drank her juice wishing it was laced with vodka.

  Chapter 10

  Nancy went to her hotel and Brad and Sujin stayed until the next morning. Then they flew back home with a downtrodden Nancy. Nancy never said a word all the way to North Bend. Mike met them at the airport and drove them home. No conversation occurred until they turned off the Loop Road onto the rutted side road to the Round House. Nancy sucked in a deep breath and said, “You are going to kill me aren’t you?

  Sujin spoke up and said, “Not yet, the week is not up.”

  Brad said nothing and thought, let the team greet her and lets see how it goes.

  Mike said as they pulled into the gravel parking lot where only a slight breeze was blowing this December seventh, “We have a few new developments when you are ready.”

  Sujin said, “Let’s have lunch first, I for one need some spicy food and the baby is crying for some Kimchee.” That broke the tension for the time being as they got out and made for the house. Sandy wagged her tail at Rocky and gave him her best side going around in circles. Of course the macho Rocky stuck his head in the air and walked with tail erect in the door where Earie waited.

  Wendy was rubber necking the site and surrounding landscape and now that she was here, after all the wondering what the place looked like, she got her wish, but certainly not under these circumstances. She had no power left and not a lot of dignity for that matter. She wasn’t even sure by the end of the day whether she had a job or not. Maybe after sixteen years she would have to hit the pavement looking for work. The last thing she thought about was her lover at home. They talked every night by phone or by e- mail and now she wasn’t sure if she would be allowed to use a phone or a computer. Her cell and side arm had been asked for and now she felt as naked as a new born.

  Inside the house all of the team was present and all eyes were on the culprit who went across the line to the enemy. She noticed a tall black man and wondered how he fit into the team. If looks could ………. She didn’t finish the thought as Sujin introduced the entire team to her. Nancy was shocked to find out Wendy and agent Jones was FBI. How strange, she thought.

  By now with all the added team members a like table was needed and with Earie was an old Korean woman helping in the kitchen. Sujin showed Nancy where to sit and after a struggle with her long legs, finally found a position fairly comfortable. As usual lunch was a simple affair of fish soup and vegetables. Nancy waited and watched how everyone ate and then went to work on the soup and side dishes.

  Lunch over Brad asked where Billy was and found out Billy had taken a walk on the beach. It was a little unusual for him to walk on the beach, but Brad guessed he had a problem he was working out in his head. At that moment, the high pitch sound along with the lights went on. Nancy, chopsticks in hand looked around like the Japanese had attacked again like on December 7, 1941.

  Billy walked through the turned off door and with a smile that made him look like a little kid, took one look at Nancy and gave her a Korean bow saying hello in Korean. Nancy wondered who the hell this guy was. Dressed like a college student with ragged jeans and a sweatshirt with a hood on it could only be a relative or something like that. It was later when she found out what a diamond in the rough this young man was.

  The downstairs was starting to get a little crowded so some of the team had to drag out a chair or two from the computer room. Nancy followed Sujin down the stairs like she was headed for the dungeon back in the Middle Ages. Sandy had replaced Rocky and she sat looking at Nancy. Brad was pacing what little floor space that was left after all had landed around the room. Finally he stopped pacing and facing Billy said, “Well what have you got that can’t wait?”

  Billy knew he had the floor now and swaggered a little while said, “Boss that forty percent went to eight plus after a run again through the mainframe. We came up empty in Oregon or California so if he remains on target and hasn’t changed his plans, well……. I’m just damn glad it is your decision and not mine.”

  “On the contrary, my young friend, if you and your weirdoes are wrong you might find out if crabs like hackers.” That loosened the team up and Brad went on to say, “This is how we will play the game.” He told them a team would go to Aberdeen and set up shop as a new laundry dry cleaners store with a van to match the shops name equipped with all the communications gear needed; next in Anacortes a similar shop and over in Arden a Korean owned mini stop was an idea. He asked for feedback and Mike was the first to offer his words.

  “I like it and who what when and how is all we need to know.”

  “Well, believe it or not, our new addition to the team, Nancy is going to make a detailed plan and we will look at it in forty eight hours.”

  Those words hit Nancy like a ton of bricks. This was the test and would she make the grade. Right this minute she didn’t think so, but after a good nights sleep and after a long walk on a clear cold morning on the beach, might renew her confidence. She woke early and after the walk on the beach with a cold wind blowing she never felt so lonely. After returning, with a legal pad began her plan with a map on the wall to help her out she went to work.

  Her plan involved the FBI and as far as she was concerned the team could fit in the plan with the FBI. She worked diligently until noon and had skipped breakfast. She’d asked to you the computer to type the plan out and Billy provided her with a computer and a chair next to him. He left frequently to satisfy his nicotine habit and that gave her an opportunity to e- mails her lover. In a brief mail she told her she had no idea when she would be back home, but to not worry as she was safe and sound, but unable to call at this time.

  Of course she knew a computer guy like Billy would be able to find her e-mail, but at this point she didn’t care. Just before noon she took a shower and went upstairs to find not a person around except Sujin’s sister and the old Korean lady. In perfect, accented English Earie told her the team was out on the beach and if she liked she could join them at noon at Devils Kitchen for lunch. Nancy decided some fresh air wouldn’t hurt any and asked her if she had some clothes for beach walking she could borrow. What Nancy didn’t know was that Mike had gone to town and bought her some sweats and beach shoes with a shirt that said, “Bandon by the Sea.” After changing clothes she helped carry the food and drink down to the beach.

  Devils Kitchen is an old sea stack with a U shape perpendicular to the sea; a cove if you will; and with the wall to the west protecting the visitors from the relentless wind off the sea, it is a quite a nice place to have a picnic. The day was cool and clear. Only a small northwest wind was blowing. The team had a fire built out of driftwood and were sitting around in a casual looking mood as the bearers of food made their way to the fire.

  Brad gave Nancy a smile and welcomed her to the area and told her he hoped her stay here would bring good memories in later times. Nancy was a little shocked and tried to smile for the first time in quite a while. All were sitting on the sand and she found a place made for her by Wendy. Some idle conversation was taking place about Mike’s farm down in Port Orford and Nancy wondered where that was. Sensing her lack of geography, Mike looked at her and said, “Port Orford is down the coast about twenty five miles from here and we have small farm east of the town. The town is mostly on the ocean bluff and if we have time, I would like to show you
where we live and the town. It has a famous rock called, ‘Battle Rock’ with some strange stories whether true or false, nobody really knows.” The Korean women were taking out the famous picnic food for Koreans known as Kimbop. The contents are rice rolled up around vegetables and some meat. Then it is cut into half inch slices and dipped in a soy sauce it make a good snack. With it this time a hot spicy Kimchee Chaga soup is guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter’s day. The soup is made up of Kimchee with lots of onions, garlic and some beef bones in addition to tofu into chunks makes a dandy dish.

  By her second spoonful, Nancy was looking for some water to put out the fire. Sujin told her to take a bite of Kimbop and that would cool her mouth off. You need to alternate between the soup and the bop to keep the hot spicy soup from being too hot. Nancy waited and watched Brad eat and quickly got the hang of it.

  Brad said after lunch, “Anyone for a walk on the beach?” To a person all agreed on a stroll up the beach.

  Brad and Sujin were holding hands and Nancy was walking next to them when she said, “I hear congratulations are in order. I’m happy for you and wish you the best. I was married once and found out I couldn’t have children. No don’t feel sorry for me, I have a significant one with whom I love dearly and we are quite comfortable with our arrangement. I want to take this opportunity,” as she kicked some sand, “to say how sorry I am for what I said at the press conference. I’m just as guilty as my Director, but I intend to make it up to you given a chance.”

  “Sujin said, “I don’t think any harm will come from it. We are well protected here and one man would have a difficult time sneaking up on us”

  Brad chimed in saying, “I agree with Sujin and you are forgiven. However, we still need your help to catch this guy. You have an excellent record of organizing and implementing a well laid plan. We are counting on you to lend us a hand.” Nancy felt much better and felt some of her shield coming down. Watching Wendy and agent Jones chasing each other and running through the surf, made her feel old and out of touch with reality. Tunnel vision, she thought. She vowed to live again even if was for only a few days on the Oregon coast. In later years she had fond memories of that short time with some really fine people.

  On the way back, Wendy and agent Jones were standing by the same rock they had climbed blindfolded. Brad, Sujin and Nancy walked up and saw the grins on their faces. Wendy said, “Watch this,” and agent Jones put a handkerchief around her head covering her eyes. Only this time he spun her around a time or two to disorient her and told her to get climbing. She stopped and listened and slowly turned to the sea stack. Touching the rock, she felt it all over and then satisfied with her sense of touch, climbed the rock and back down like she could see with her eyes. Agent Jones was next and he duplicated the feat and both clapped at their success, along with Brad, Sujin and Nancy who had no idea what was going on. Agent Jones asked her if she would like to try and Nancy laughed and declined telling them she had trouble climbing stairs with two eyes let alone climbing a rock blindfolded.

  * * *

  After the newscast Clyde sat there deep in thought. He switched the TV off and opened the laptop again. Goggle Earth came up with the map of Washington State. He stared at the screen looking at the ‘A’ towns and thought about the newscast. Have they located the clue already, he thought. Do I or don’t I follow through or should I change my plan. So much work, he thought went into making a ‘C’ for his next word of ‘Catch. ’ Maybe I will flaunt it in front of them and then I will give them a clue to the next part of my scheme. Well, he said to himself, there is no way they can catch me and come spring, Aberdeen better look out.

  Chapter 11

  For Nancy the week passed quickly and Brad and team thought she had a good plan for the FBI to support the team’s plan. Brad decided to take a risk and send everyone home for the holidays. It was a gamble, but just to make sure he and Nancy put in place some retired FBI agents in each of the towns and in Arden the retired agent would stay in Colville which is just up the road from the sawmill town of Arden.

  Nancy took a flight from North Bend to Portland connecting to Washington D.C. Billy stayed at the house as Brad and Sujin flew to Seoul, South Korea. Brad had his fingers crossed that nothing would happen until after the holidays and maybe not until spring. He felt in his bones John was holed up for the winter somewhere in the Cascade Mountains either in Oregon or Washington.

  Brad and Sujin spent a week at her mother’s house and her mother and father were very happy to hear a baby was coming. Sujin also had a chance to meet her client about her photographer and made an appointment for next year sometime. She was vague, but the guy knew what prima donnas artist were like.

  After Seoul they flew to Palm Springs to have Christmas with Brad’s parents. It was a time to relax and Brad and his father played a lot of golf with his father’s friends who were thrilled to play golf with the famous Brad Pratt. After the press conference he was a household name spread across the globe and now he was doubly cautious of a hit man looking to fatten his wallet from the bounty on his head. Rocky was flown to Palm Springs ahead of them and was excited to see them. Gwen said he spent most of his time staring at the front door waiting for them. Phillip took him for walks every day and they became attached to one another. His parents were sorry to see them leave after Christmas and Brad promised them a pup from Sandy when she had her litter. Before leaving Brad filled his father in on the details and his father looked pleased as punch when they left.

  Back at the house the first thing Brad and Sujin did was take the dogs for a run. It was a rare occasion when both dogs went with them for a run. Billy was put on alert and he watched the hidden cameras faithfully while they were gone. It gave him a chance to smoke while no one was home. He lighted an incense stick to cover the smell of his Marlboro and sat back and enjoyed himself reading a book from the inventory of John.

  An hour later they came back and Billy wanted to show something he found in a book he was reading to Brad while Sujin was in the shower. Billy had a book on flowers, but strangely the book was about the Flowers of Washington State. There was one place in the book he showed Brad that was about wild flowers near Mt. Rainier. They got a map out showing towns around the base of the giant volcano. Sujin came out and Brad left to wash the sweat off. Billy looked at the map and saw towns such as Morton, Randle and Mossyrock. Billy thought about how these towns might fit into Senior John’s plan. Two ‘M’s and one ‘R’ made his head ache.

  Later having dinner they talked about the flowers and the small towns mentioned in the book as grown in that particular area. Sujin pointed out that whatever grew in that area probably grew in other areas as well. Besides, she told them, ‘M’ and ‘R’ had no place in the message. Billy wasn’t satisfied with that and spent the night on the computer with his friends down south and back east. These computer jockeys no matter the day or time, spent most waking hours trying to outdo the other guy. Billy stayed with it and finally when the sun came up as he smoked outside looking at the cloudy sky with the air much warmer than before, felt a storm coming. And the storm that came was both in the form of a fierce gale force cyclone and the Senior Killer.

  Confident in their realm of thinking that he would strike next in an ‘A’ town; he fooled them all by leaving an old lady to not see in the New Year. The call Brad got was from Steve saying a body had been found in Naches, Washington.

  After talking to Steve and telling him what he would do, and that sends Nancy on location meeting up with the local authorities and the FBI office in both Seattle and Yakima. His first impression, he told Steve was that this was a diversion and his real sites were still the ‘A’ group of towns. He hung up and called Nancy most likely spoiling her holiday. Never mind, he thought, there was one person in Naches that would never see the light of day again.

  * * *

  Senior killer John, he loved the acronym, set his cruise control at fifty five. A cloud of blowing snow was left in his wake as he made his way to
the Tri-Cities. It was New Year’s Eve and little traffic were on the freeway headed east. He flashed back on his successful kill. He’d selected his old man disguise with crutches. The trip down from Wenatchee over the pass with lots of snow, but he didn’t mind as he drove carefully in his four wheel drive SUV. Approaching Naches, which is a very small down west of Yakima he’d remembered a restaurant with a convenience store attached on the south side of the highway. He’d also remembered a lot of locals hung out there drinking coffee and shooting the breeze. He felt lucky that he would find somebody unlucky to meet up with him.

  Playing the role of an old man on crutches he entered the café about noon. Heads turned but rapidly turned back seeing just another old man of no interest to them. Sitting in a booth was an old lady having lunch all by herself. He noticed she was looking at him as he made his way slowly towards her. He had his best grin on his face and twinkle in his eye as he stopped and said, “Madam, I hate to eat alone and would you be as kind as to let me join you on this nice holiday?”

  She made continuous eye contact and said, “Surely, please sit down. Us old folks do get lonely and we hate to eat alone, don’t you agree,” she said politely, but in a croaky voice made from too many years of gossip he thought. Well I’ll fix that he said to himself.

  “I’d like a nice bowl of hot soup like you’re having,” he said putting his crutches out of the way against the window that looked out onto the gas station. Her purse, like so many old ladies were sitting on top of the table next to the salt and pepper shakers. He quickly made a plan to take something from her purse as he would give her money to pay the bill and hopefully leave her purse for him to take something and then follow her home to return the dropped item. He hoped she lived alone and with her eating alone on a day before a holiday, the chances were good she did live alone.