“Yes, Doyles, come in, what is it?”
“We found out who called the FBI about the incident at the Packer Marine Terminal. Let’s just say he will not be making any more phone calls to anyone.”
“Good Doyles, now, where are Gilmore and Albright?”
“They were at the vineyard in NY State up until yesterday morning. Our man was watching the place when one of the choppers left yesterday. He was quite a distance away and could not tell which one or who was in it.”
“That’s not good. I wonder if they might be heading back south. Doyles, how close were you able to track them after they left the Charlie Brown airport in Atlanta?”
“The locator device was found in the mountains near Cashiers, NC and as you know, they purchased fuel at that airport outside of Atlanta. They went off their radar somewhere near Clayton, GA. They filed a flight plan showing them going to Richmond Hills Airport in Virginia, but they never arrived. We checked every airport within a 300 mile radius of Charlie Brown and could not locate them.”
“Doyles, have the satellite images from June 20th and 21st pulled up for a hundred mile radius of Clayton, GA. We are looking for a parked helicopter somewhere around there.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Commander Camp?”
“Yes, Miss Benford, what is it?”
“There is a Doctor Murphy on the line for you. He says it is urgent.”
“Very well, Miss Benford I’ll take it.”
“He’s on line 2.”
“Dr. Murphy, how is our patient Corporal Slingman?”
“I could not get to him. When I arrived, the place was crawling with the State and local police. I don’t think our man was there but I could not be sure. If his bowel were perforated, the victim would have been in extreme pain and might have already died. I will let you know if I find any additional information. I am staying here for the night. Oh, one other thing, if they withheld painkillers, he might have told them why he was there in order to receive the medication. Peritonitis is, as I said, an extremely painful way to die; and if he does have it, he probably will not survive.”
“Thank you, Dr. Murphy that is not very good news for us.”
“What is it, Sir?”
“Apparently the police have Corporal Slingman and he may not make it.”
Chapter 56
FBI Headquarters: Thursday, June 27.
Michael O’Donnell sat in Bruce Edward’s office filling him in on the disappearance of David and Colleen. They were trying to determine where they might have gone into hiding.
“They don’t have a lot of options at this point. They have no car; they require a place to park the Senator’s helicopter. They also need access to food and a place to sleep. Where was it that your friend Tony and his boys first met up with them?”
“They picked up their trail in Washington. At that point, they put a locator device on the chopper and followed them to Lake Burton in the north Georgia Mountains. It was there they first made contact with them and convinced them to head up to Seneca Vineyards.”
“Michael, do you think they could have gone back to Georgia? After all, isn’t David from there originally?”
“That’s a good bet and as good a place as any to start. I’ll call Tony and find out what route they took up to Seneca Vineyards and where they refueled. Odds are they would return the same route as the tracks would still be in the chopper’s GPS system.”
“We can check the fuel stops along the way to verify if that is the route they took.”
“I’ll do that right away.”
“On another front, Agent Hurley informed me the Philadelphia Police found the body of Seaman Pendowski in a seedy part of town this morning with his throat cut. Hurley will be following up with the other possible witness, Seaman Apprentice Michael P. Rivera today.”
“Michael, Tony Carbonara is on line 1 for you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Balkunow.”
“Tony, what have you found out?
“I called my mother and she was having one of her good days when she remembers a lot of things from the past. She told me she has a picture of my father’s shipmates. On the back is a list of all the names, including the captain, one William Casey Jr. I told her you would send someone to pick it up today. Then she asked me if Michael is that skinny, Irish kid from the neighborhood and of course, I told her you were.”
“That is a good one Tony. I will have someone there within the hour. Do you have anything yet on their flight path?”
“I had Vinnie write up a list of the stops we made on the way here. He has all the waypoints and compass points. We met up with them at a house on Lake Burton, GA, nice old place, all restored. I don’t have a street address but it is on the north end of the lake and has a boathouse. I think it might have been Mountain View Road or something like that. Wait, Vinnie says near Route 24. I hope that helps. Give me your fax number and I’ll send the stops and GPS coordinates to you.”
“I will put you on the line with my assistant, Mrs. Balkunow and she will help you with the fax. Thanks Tony, take care.”
“Bruce, we now have a list and photos of all the shipmates on the USS Morgan and lo and behold, the captain is listed as none other than William Casey Jr. I’ll have someone from the New York office pick it up from Tony’s mother today and courier it here so Agent Miles can attempt to locate descendants for DNA samples. We may be able to get a match with the one Dr. Stickler is extracting from the metal sample.”
“I’m very concerned this Commander Camp character will have the resources to find David and Colleen. Therefore, here is what I am going to do: Michael, I want you and two field agents along with Agent Linda Gentilcore to take our Gulfstream jet to Charlie Brown Airport. We will have people from the Atlanta FBI office meet you there with an unmarked car and a van. By that time, I will have given them the coordinates for the house on Lake Burton. It is about a two-hour drive from Charlie Brown so you should be able to arrive before dark. Secure David and Colleen and get them back to Charlie Brown in the van along with Agent Gentilcore. She will fly back with them in the Gulfstream and take them to the safe house.”
“Can I take Agents Hurley and Calafato as the other two?”
“Yes, they are available and ready to go.”
“Thank you.”
“You and the others will wait at the Lake Burton house to see if Commander Camp’s people show up. The Jet Ranger should be parked on the lawn, making it appear they are still there. If he shows up, I want him detained and taken to the Atlanta office for questioning. They will provide transportation and back-up if needed. This is your case Michael; be careful, this Commander Camp sounds like a loose cannon.”
“You can count on us Bruce, I’m on my way.”
“One other thing; there is a storm headed for the Atlanta area, but you should be able to get in and out before it hits.”
Chapter 57
Defense Intelligence Agency: Thursday, June 27.
Chief Petty Officer Doyles walked toward Commander Camp’s office with a swagger in his step.
“Sir, I think I’ve found our prey.”
“Well Doyles, are you going to keep me in the dark regarding their whereabouts?”
“I have the satellite images from June 20th and 21st and also the ones from today. There is a Bell Jet Ranger parked at a house on Lake Burton in the North Georgia Mountains. It was there for two days on June 20, 21st then disappeared after that and today it shows up again. There is a good chance it is our mark, Sir.”
“Excellent work, Doyles. We have to get this taken care of fast and I am thinking I’ll do it myself.”
“Are you sure that is a good idea, Sir?”
“Yes, the more I think of it, the more I believe it’s the way to go. Doyles, get me a chopper fueled and ready to go by 7:00 AM
tomorrow morning. I’ll draw the equipment I need tonight and meet you in the morning.”
“Where should I say you are going, Sir? Am I going with you?”
“Put it down as a training mission and no, Doyles, I’ll need you here to coordinate things. I’m going alone.”
“Do you think that is a good idea, sir, I mean going in alone. Isn’t it against regulations?”
“For Christ sake, Doyles, screw the regulations, I’m a trained commando and they are just two kids. It will be over quickly. Sometimes you just have to do these things yourself. Once this is taken care of and Governor Casey gets elected to the Presidency, I’ll be on easy street for the rest of my life.”
“Very well, Sir, I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chapter 58
Lake Burton, GA: Wednesday, June 27, 6:45 PM.
Agent Michael O’Donnell along with Agents Linda Gentilcore, Calafato and Hurley arrived at the Lake Burton house in the van registered to the Atlanta FBI office. Following were two additional agents in an unmarked car.
The sight of the Senator’s Bell Jet Ranger parked on the side lawn gave Michael a mingled sense of relief, “Looks like they are here. They know me and I don’t want to surprise or frighten anyone. I’ll knock on the door while you all remain in the van.”
Michael cursed under his breath, “Damn it, I knew this was too easy.” He waved to the others in the van to come over.
“They aren’t here. I want you to look around. Look for evidence of a struggle or anything that appears off. Agent Calafato, bring those lock picks here and open this door.”
A thorough search of the house proved that David and Colleen had been there. Their clothes were still in the suitcases on the bed and there were two bags of food on the kitchen counter. A receipt bearing today’s date indicated the purchase was made at 4:20 PM this afternoon, a little over two hours ago. The shower in the bathroom was still wet and two damp towels hung on the racks.
Agent Hurley joined Michael and David in the house.
“I found a Jeep CJ-5 in the barn and the engine is still warm,” affirmed Buck Hurley.
Agent Gentilcore returned a few minutes later. “There is a boathouse by the lake that looks like it belongs to this property. Inside, I found water splashed on the floor near the door and the smell of exhaust fumes indicating a boat recently left. There was no sign of one, but they could not have been gone long since the motor on the lift was still warm to the touch.”
“All right, it looks as though they may have gone out for a boat ride. They bought food but didn’t cook here so it is possible they have gone to a restaurant on the lake by boat. There is no evidence Commander Camp or any of his cronies have been here either. We will just sit tight and wait for them to come back. Buck, is there room in the barn for the van and the unmarked car?”
“If we move the Jeep away from the door, there is plenty of room.”
“Good, let’s do that. Linda, what does the boathouse look like? Can one of us wait for them without being seen?”
“There is a nice screened room in the upper level with furniture and an outside deck,” indicated Agent Gentilcore. “I’ll volunteer to take up a position in the boathouse and call you on the radio as they approach,” offered Agent Gentilcore.
“That will be fine; the rest of us will wait in the house in case anyone else shows up. I’m guessing they should be back in a couple of hours. Meanwhile, I’ll call in and make Bruce Edwards aware of our situation.”
Chapter 59
Lake Burton, GA, Cherokee Landing Restaurant: June 27, 8:45 PM.
Colleen and David were enjoying pepper popper appetizers and cold beer on the deck while the Georgia Mountain Boys were playing a mixture of country and rock music. David’s hour and a half ‘view of the lake’ as he called it was an architecturally sensual delight. The houses ranged from homey weekend cottages to staggering monuments of wealth and power, complete with all the toys money could buy.
They placed orders for burgers and the waiter quickly replaced their empty beer mugs with two more. A shooting star passed overhead and Colleen grabbed David’s arm cooing, “make a wish.” She was beginning to feel the effects of the beer on her almost empty stomach.
Darkness slowly drifted in as a distant flash of lightning followed by low rumbling thunder indicated an imminent change in the weather.
“Looks like we might get rain later,” suggested David.
“I hope not before we eat,” laughed Colleen.
The Georgia Mountain Boys picked up the tempo a bit as another flash of lightning stretched across the sky. A ragged wind suddenly blew across the front of the deck sending their napkins into the lake as their burgers arrived.
“I think we had better eat quickly,” urged David.
After a loud crack of thunder, the Georgia Mountain Boys stopped playing and began to pick up their equipment. The laughter and merriment on the deck turned more serious as the umbrellas began to shudder in the wind. Colleen gulped the last of her burger and fries as David paid the bill. It was not raining yet but it sounded very close.
Boats were rapidly leaving the dock and Colleen and David quickly followed. Once past the slow speed marker, David pushed the throttle down and the Capri came up onto plane. At the end of Cherokee Cove, he made a sweeping left turn onto the main lake, heading northward. The wind had picked up significantly. Lightning illuminated whitecaps everywhere. As they approached Goat Island, the rain slowly started and then it began to pelt them relentlessly. David made a hard left as a bolt of lightning went from the sky into the water directly in front of them. The instant roar of thunder was deafening. He quickly turned right turn into a small cove and drove into the stall of an empty boathouse. They were soaked, but for now at least, they were out of the weather. It was a hard driving rain punctuated by violent claps of thunder and lightning that danced in the night sky. With every crash of thunder, the old boathouse seemed to shudder.
“That was wild, where are we? I’ve never been in anything like that before,” explained Colleen.
“We are in Sutter’s boathouse. The house is up for sale and unoccupied, according to J P. He seems to be aware of all the houses on the market here and keeps telling me whenever one comes up for sale. I think he is secretly hoping I’ll buy one at some point.”
Colleen snuggled up to David and mused, “What are we going to do here while it rains?”
She flicked a glance; the quiet thrill of him excited her. She colored a bit and said, “Maybe we could just have some wild sex?”
David glanced at his watch; it was after 10:00 PM and the storm showed no sign of ending. He secured the boat, grabbed the comforter and Colleen’s hand and led her upstairs.
The screened-in upper part of the boathouse was dry and furnished with a small refrigerator, a bar sink, several pieces of wicker furniture and a day bed.
The symphony of wind, rain and thunder augmented the relentless show of lightning. They were both scared and exhilarated. Colleen felt a primal urge come over her as she pulled David onto the day bed. The scent of her coursed through him like a shot of hot whiskey. A rushed need followed as they abandoned their wet clothes and buried themselves in the comforter. The thrill of him tore through her while legs of lightning ran across the night sky driving them toward a trembling crescendo of pleasure.
Afterward, a wave of satisfied relief enveloped them and they slept.
Chapter 60
Lake Burton, GA: 11:30 PM.
Linda Gentilcore sat quietly in the boathouse watching the lightning show. While she scanned the water for any sign of an approaching boat, the receive light on her radio flickered and she took the call from Michael.
“Linda, how are you holding up down there?”
“I’m warm and dry and enjoying the show. There has been no sign of any boat out on the lake sin
ce the rain started.”
“I’m sending Agent Hurley down with coffee and donuts.”
“Thanks, Michael, I could use some.”
It was getting late and Michael began to second-guess himself; should he have tried to go to the restaurants on the lake to find them? Perhaps the Georgia FBI boys knew where they were located on the lake. What will happen if Robin Camp’s cronies show up before we can get Colleen and David to safety? What if they had already come and taken David and Colleen? A bead of sweat ran down his face. His mind raced so quickly it made little sense. “Michael, get hold of yourself,” he mumbled to himself; “You have a good plan, stick to it, they will show up.”
The hours passed and eventually the thunder and lightning abated somewhat. The rain continued and it was nearly 2:00 AM when the receive light on his radio flashed.
“Michael, I think I hear a boat coming in the distance.”
“If it is them, I think it would be best if you identified yourself when they arrive in the boat house. The sound of a woman’s voice will be less threatening and I’m sure they are very much on edge.”
Chapter 61
Lake Burton, GA: 2:20 AM.
Linda Gentilcore waited quietly in the shadows of the boathouse while the boat entered.
Colleen stepped off the boat and tied the lines to the cleats along the slip while David shut down the engine and turned off the lights.
It was after 2:00 AM and the place was pitch dark when Colleen thought she noticed a shadow move. A heaviness settled over her and her throat went dry.
A flashlight gleamed in the dark and Linda reassured them, “Colleen, it is FBI Agent, Gentilcore. Everything is all right.”
There was a brief silence then Colleen spoke,” What office are you with?”
“I work for Michael O’ Donnell in the Public Corruption Office. He is at the house right now with several other agents. We have to get you out of here as soon as possible. David, please secure the boat and come with me.” Linda called Michael to tell him she was bringing David and Colleen to the house.
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