***
The racetrack parking lot was barren, other than a few cars interspersed throughout the ten or twelve police and fire vehicles. Lawson and Arnold showed their credentials to the officer at the door.
“Who’s the officer in charge?” Lawson asked.
“Mackey---Sergeant Mackey. Over there.” The officer pointed to a short, stocky, bald officer.
Lawson went over to talk to the Sergeant while Arnold looked around the crime scene. “Sergeant Mackey, Agent Lawson, FBI, where’s the body?”
“Gone.”
“Gone? Already?”
“Yeah, Coroner got him---fastest I ever seen them get to a crime scene.”
“Gunshot wounds?”
“Yep. Two shot’s---one in the forehead and one in the neck. Severed the Jugular---that’s why there’s so much goddamn blood everywhere.”
“You get the Perp?”
“Nope, 20 thousand people and nobody saw nothing.”
“Weapon?”
“Nope, vanished into thin air.”
Irritated by the Sergeant’s cavalier attitude, Agent Lawson suggested he have his men search the premises again. “That weapon is here, find it. And I want the security camera footage from when he pulled into the parking lot until the coroner took him away.”
The sergeant radioed the order for another sweep of the building and surrounding area.
“What about personal effects?” Lawson asked. “Did you have enough sense to get them before the coroner’s body snatchers arrived?”
Before the Sergeant could reply, Agent Arnold came up from behind where the men were standing. “I’m one step ahead of you partner---got it right here.” He held up a large Zip-lock bag.
The bag held Rudy’s iPhone, an airplane ticket, and a large amount of cash. “It’s not like Marco to have so much cash. He usually has someone else’s credit card.” Lawson carefully removed the plane ticket from the bag.
“That’s true--- where’s his billfold?” Arnold called out to the officer who gave him the property. “Hey, Smitty, he didn’t have a wallet on him?”
The officer shook his head, no.
Lawson retrieved the plane ticket from its envelope. “Nassau? The Bahamas?”
“Why would Marco go to the Bahamas?” Agent Arnold asked. “He hates the beach.”
“Somehow, I don’t think it was a vacation.” Lawson returned the plane ticket to its envelope and placed it back in the bag. In doing so, he palmed the iPhone and stashed it in his coat pocket. Then he zipped up the bag and tossed it to his partner. “Give that back to Smitty and let’s get out of here.” He handed the sergeant a business card. “Gimme a call when you have that footage ready or if you find the gun.”
***
Back at Bloomingdales, Lawson sat on the sofa and powered on the iPhone. Agent Arnold sat at his desk using his laptop to check that evening’s flights to Nassau from LaGuardia. His computer had access to flight plans, passenger lists and crew assignments.
Lawson hooked the iPhone to his laptop and ran a sequence to access the call history. “In the past twenty-four hours, Marco made three calls to a Doctor Mike Armaly in Nassau and one call to a Carrie Lockwood in Brooklyn.”
Before Lawson could say anything further, Arnold began typing away at his laptop. “Michael Armaly, Ph.D. Retired Astrophysicist. The agency has a file on him, level nine.”
“Well call Langley and get an access code.”
Arnold folded his laptop shut. “I’m not calling Langley---you call Langley.”
Lawson sat upright. “You know I can’t call Langley and ask for level-nine clearance---not after that Lewinsky thing.”
“Oh, yeah. I’ll never understand why you wanted to see that damn blue dress anyway.”
“I keep telling you---it was a bet. That’s all.”
“Well, it’s still kind of creepy if you ask me.”
“Nobody asked you.” Lawson leaned back against the sofa. “We don’t need any damn clearance anyway, let’s just do what Marco was gonna do. Let’s go to the Bahamas.”
Arnold nodded in agreement. “But what about Carrie Lockwood in Brooklyn? Maybe we should check her out first.”
“There’s no time, book us on the next flight to Nassau, I’m gonna hit the men’s department and get us something to wear. And the luggage department, too.”
Arnold was hesitant. “Maybe we should clear it with Langley first.”
“There’s no time, you know they’ll want us to go through the travel department so they can save a few dollars on airfare. We don’t have that much time; we’ll just have to expense it. It’ll be fine.”
“But what if Carrie Lockwood knows something that can help us?”
“I promise we’ll find your precious little Carrie Lockwood as soon as we get back. Book the flight, I’ll be right back.” Lawson headed for the exit, stopped, and then turned back toward Agent Arnold. “What are you about a 34 waist and large shirt?”
“38 waist, extra-large shirt.”
“It’s them damn Red Bulls, they’re full of sugar. You’re going on a diet when we get back.”
CHAPTER 20
Lawson and Arnold took the redeye to Miami. They had a 4-hour layover until the morning flight to Nassau. Arnold tried to catch a nap on the bench outside the airport lounge where Lawson sat making a fool out of himself. The middle-aged cougar on the barstool next to him didn’t appear to be interested in his days as an all-state high school running back. As far as Arnold could tell from his vantage point, she was more interested in the athlete polishing the floors out in the terminal. Although she listened politely, her gaze was fixated on the young man and his machine.
Once aboard the plane, Lawson passed out. Arnold couldn’t have planned it better. He placed a pillow under Lawson’s head and retrieved the dossier he had printed on Doctor Armaly from his bag.
Doctor Mike Armaly was highly regarded as one of the most brilliant minds in the world. Especially in the field of Astrophysics. Over the years, he had proven and disproven many difficult theories for N.A.S.A. and other governmental and world agencies. According to the dossier, Doctor Armaly was the “go to” person for answers to all the tough questions. Until February 18, 1987 when he abruptly resigned from N.A.S.A. and moved to the Bahamas.
The short flight from Miami made it necessary for Agent Arnold to do something he really didn’t want to do. Wake up Agent Lawson. “Lawson, wake up, we’re about to land.”
“Land---land where?” Lawson leaned forward from his seat, but then lunged backward in a hurry. “Where are we---what happened?”
“You got into a fight with a guy named Jack, and he won.”
“Jack?”
“Yes, Jack Daniels.”
“Ughhhhh.” Lawson covered his face with his hands.
***
Lawson stood under the stream of cold water fully clothed. His partner had been kind enough to remove his wallet and cell phone from his trousers before he tossed him into the shower.
“You need to sober up quick, I want to see this Armaly cat and make the evening flight back to Miami.”
“I’ll be fine in a minute.”
Arnold placed Lawson’s bag on the bed nearest the bathroom and placed his bag in the corner. If all went according to plan, he wouldn’t need to open it. Then he called the front desk to arrange a taxi.
The Parrot Taxi-Cab Company’s vehicles weren’t yellow, more a baby-shit green to hear agent Lawson describe it. Regardless, they got into the cab.
“Where to, Meesters?”
“Adelaide.”
“Adelaide? That’s way over on other side of island---what you want go there for?”
Arnold glanced at the driver’s name badge on the dash. Tevin Saunders. “Listen here, Tevin---did I pronounce that right---like Kevin only with a T, right?”
“Right.”
“Great, anyway Tevin, my friend here has a monster hangover and he’d rather you didn’t make small talk or ask any questions. W
ith that said, if you can take us to Adelaide without a lot of noise that would be great, if not, we’ll find another taxi-driver that will.”
“No, Tevin no say another word.”
“Great.” Arnold leaned back to enjoy the silence. Lawson was already snoozing.
“Meester---
“Now Tevin, we have a deal---Shhhhh,”
“But Meester---
“Shhhhh.”
Tevin faced forward and sat quietly.
It took Arnold a moment to realize they hadn’t moved. “Tevin buddy, why are we still here?”
“Meester no tell me the address where to go.”
“Tevin, just drive toward Adelaide, I have the address in my bag, I’ll get it in a minute.”
“Meester, I hope you got fifty-dollars in that bag---American Dollars”
“Don’t worry, Tevin, you’ll get American Dollars, now would you stop talking and drive.”
Tevin burned rubber when he pulled out of the hotel driveway, which, by itself, probably wouldn’t have been enough to startle Agent Arnold. However, when Tevin sped down the wrong side of the road with other vehicles approaching, Arnold broke the silence with a loud shriek. “TEVENNNNNNN.”
The approaching vehicles zoomed by, each in their lawful lane. Tevin drove along in his lawful lane, and Agent Arnold regained his composure, leaned back in his seat and breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing bad had happened. Well, if you don’t count his scream waking up Agent Lawson.
***
Doctor Armaly’s house was marked only by a small placard at the entrance and was not noticeable from the main road. A small dirt road led upward along a rocky overhang. Tevin would not drive it. “I stop here, Mister---American Dollars---you say American Dollars.”
“Yes, Tevin. American Dollars---how much did you say it was?”
“Fifty Dollars, Mister---American.”
Agent Arnold pulled a hundred-dollar-bill from his wallet. “Here’s a hundred, Tevin.”
“Tevin no have change.”
“I don’t want any change. You can keep the hundred dollars and if you stay right here until we come back, I’ll give you another hundred to take us to the airport, okay?”
“Okay Mister, Tevin wait right here.”
“No matter how long it takes you wait here, right?”
“Yes Sir.”
Arnold and Lawson started up the dirt road.
“I’ll bet you a fucking hundred that idiot won’t be there when we get back.” Lawson had little faith in his partner’s tactics. “I would have snagged his keys and handcuffed him to the fucking steering wheel.”
“Yeah, that would be great; and he could just tell the Bahamian Police to follow the dirt road right up to Doctor Armaly’s house.”
“Fuck the Bahamian Police; those assholes don’t even carry guns.”
“Relax partner, we need to do this inconspicuously if possible.” Arnold noticed a large metal building ahead. “C’mon, we’re almost there.”
At the top of the hill, a young man stood waiting with a shotgun. “Turn around and go back now.” The man said in an unfriendly voice.
“Sorry, but we’re looking for Mike Armaly.” Arnold said.
“Turn around and go back now.” The young man raised his rifle.
“Sir, we don’t want any trouble, but it’s very important that we talk to Mike Armaly,” Arnold said.
“Turn around and go back now.”
“Is that all you can fucking say?” The young man pointed the shotgun at Lawson. “Go ahead and shoot, I don’t care. I just flew all the way from the states with a fucking hangover, so either shoot me or get Mike Armaly.”
“You’re from the states?” The young man lowered his gun. “Why didn’t you say so?”
“Cause you had a fucking shotgun pointed at my head you little---
Lawson lunged toward the young man.
“Wait.” Arnold grabbed Lawson’s shirt and reined him in. “Don’t mind my partner, please, it’s important that we find Mike Aramly.”
“Well, you found him---the only one left, anyway.”
“You’re Mike Armaly?”
“Yep.”
“Doctor Mike Armaly? The world renowned astrophysicist?”
“Nope. He was my dad.”
“What do you mean, was---don’t you mean he is your dad?”
“Nope, buried him yesterday.”
CHAPTER 21
Alex Gaye spent much of the next day at the Tesla Museum, including several minutes staring at the golden sphere that held the inventor’s ashes. Suddenly hundreds of thoughts flooded his mind. What would the world be like if Tesla was never born? What if alternating current didn’t exist, or the radio, or Teleforce? Would his father still be alive? Alex realized he was being selfish. The world had benefited tremendously from Tesla’s inventions.
“Excuse me, Sir. You okay?” The young woman spoke Serbian.
Alex jumped
“Sorry, I no mean to startle you.”
“What---oh---sorry, I don’t understand.”
The woman spoke English. “Oh, you Americano?”
“Well, not exact---
Alex thought about telling the truth, that he defected from Russia, but thought better of it. “Yes, I am American, from New York.”
“I speak very good English---it is required to work here.”
“You work here?”
“Yes, I am attendant. I noticed you stand here for long time so I ask if you okay.”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine.”
“Why do you look so long at ashes when there is much to see?”
“Just thinking.”
“About what, you can tell me, I am attendant.”
“Well, for a second I wondered what the world would be like if Tesla had never been born.”
“Why would you think such a thing, the world would be terrible without Nikola Tesla. He is responsible for so much.”
“Yes, I know; alternating current and all that jazz.”
“You do not like Tesla?”
“Listen---I’m sorry, I didn’t ask your name.”
“Bojana, my name is Bojana”
“That’s very pretty, well listen, Bojana. It’s not that I don’t like Tesla, I just don’t like what the world has become because of his inventions.”
“Oh my God, you are Menshevik.”
“What? No, I’m not a Menshevik; it’s just that---
“What about inventions that help mankind---electricity, radio, x-rays?”
“Wait, maybe I should start over---Hi, my name is Alex.”
Bojana smiled. “You swear you are not Menshevik?”
“I swear.”
“And you are not SDB or KGB?”
“No, I swear.”
“Then I will trust you, Alex. Come with me.” Bojana took Alex’s hand and led him through a narrow opening behind the curtained rear wall of the exhibit.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Keep quiet, we no supposed to be here.”
“Where are we?” Alex whispered.
The dimly lit corridor led to a small room with filing cabinets stretched across the back wall. “Here is where they keep the papers.”
“Papers? What papers?”
“Tesla’s papers, anything no on display is in cabinets.”
Alex’s eyes grew big. Could it be that easy? Could one of those cabinets hold the documents he desperately needed? The same documents he had already paid ten-thousand-dollars to obtain. “Can we look inside them?”
Bojana hesitated. “We really shouldn’t.”
“Have you ever looked in one of those cabinets?”
Again, she hesitated.
“Did you ever come across anything named “Teleforce” or anything about a Death Ray, or Mars?”
“I’m not certain, most of the papers are diagrams and equations, although I do recall a drawing of a planet, I’m not sure it was Mars.”
“Bojana, please, it is very important, did
you see anything with the word “Teleforce.”
“I don’t recall seeing anything, but there are so many papers. We must go now, lunchtime.”
Alex stood frozen, he thought about resisting then abruptly changed strategy. “Bojana may I take you to lunch?”
“Oh, that would be nice, follow me.”
Alex glanced at the cabinets for another second, reluctant to move, then he followed Bojana back to the exhibits area.
***
At lunch, Alex asked Bojana several questions about the Tesla Museum. Does the building have an alarm or a night watchman?”
“I believe there is an alarm.” Bojana said.
“Guard dogs?”
“I don’t think so.”
“What about electronic trip beams, you know, lasers?”
“No silly, nothing like that.”
“Good---do you have a key to the building?”
“No. Hey, you’re not thinking about breaking in---
“Not breaking in, I’m more concerned with getting out.”
Bojana looked perplexed.
Alex explained that he wanted to hide in the room with the cabinets until the museum closed. Then he could examine Tesla’s papers.
“But how will you get out when you’re done.”
He took a gulp of tea and swallowed hard. “I haven’t figured out that part.”
Bojana expressed her reservations about the idea. “What if you are caught?”
“I’ll say I was lost and stumbled into the room by accident. I’ll play dumb.”
“I’m not sure you’d be playing.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The whole idea sounds dumb to me.” Bojana finished the last of her tea.
“I’ll stay there all night and you can let me out in the morning.”
“Do you really think you will get away with it?”
“I have to try, Bojana, I have been searching for years.”
“I know, Teleforce.”
“Yes, Teleforce. Will you help me?”
Bojana hesitated. “You swear you are not Menshevik?”
Alex smiled. “I swear.”
Back at the Museum, Alex took another tour. Bojana was his personal guide. He played the typical tourist and was amazed by things he’d been astonished by before. Once they came to the room with Tesla’s ashes, Alex leaned over and kissed Bojana on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he whispered, and then he disappeared behind the curtain.
Alternating Current: A Tesla Novel Page 10