by Eric Bernt
It seemed that the five seasoned teams of bounty hunters and skip tracers had abandoned the rules somewhere after two o’clock that morning. Each thought the others had overlooked something and started going back through territories already covered. There turned out to be a considerable lack of respect for each other among the teams. It began to seem like part of each group’s motivation was to embarrass the others. This was now a no-holds-barred cage match.
Team One, the O’Brien brothers, were in the process of hacking into yet another Wi-Fi network within range of their current location. At present, there were seventeen. The brothers used some DIY hardware along with an app they had purchased with Bitcoin on House of Lions, one of the smaller dark-web marketplaces. The software had cost them the equivalent of $8,000 at the time. Expensive, but well worth it, considering the app had already paid for itself many times over.
The O’Briens had found great success locating subjects by illegally but untraceably tracking outgoing communication from coffee shops, restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, motels—pretty much any establishment that offered free Wi-Fi to their customers. People on the run frequently used such places as temporary offices, conducting whatever business they deemed essential. Such transactions were often the last ones they would make.
In the course of their illegal snooping, their specialized technology afforded the O’Briens the opportunity to collect random credit card numbers and PINs, which they would then sell on the House of Lions. It turned out that this was the primary use of the app for most purchasers. Even as a little side business, it was incredibly lucrative.
Team Two, led by Cobra Kelly, capitalized on her firsthand knowledge of living on the run, from having done so as a child with her mother. It seemed that her father had intended to kill them both if he ever got his hands on them, so Kelly spent the better part of her teenage years learning how to hide and whom she could trust. It didn’t help that her dad was a respected Detroit cop.
Along the way, mother and daughter had got into several scrapes with physically stronger adversaries that left them bloodied and battered, and worse. That was when Kelly vowed to overcome her lack of size with training and skill. Her discipline and commitment in the gym had led to a ferocity that became legendary, personified by the large cobras she had tattooed on both her forearms.
The legend of Cobra Kelly grew dramatically the day she returned to Detroit and went to her father’s home, where he was having a backyard barbecue with friends. In front of them, she proceeded to beat the living shit out of her father, breaking his arm, dislocating his shoulder, and blackening both of his eyes. She announced that if she ever saw him again, she would kill him. That was fourteen years ago, and she hadn’t seen him since.
During that time, Kelly used her unique combination of skills and experience to become one of the most respected skip tracers east of the Mississippi. Her specialty was rougher types—bikers, gang members, organized crime figures—which Eddie most certainly was not one of, which explained her current lack of progress. To catch a runner, you had to think like one, and while she found it easy to think like a Hells Angel or a lieutenant in the Sinaloa Cartel, she was clearly having trouble thinking like a savant with a rare scientific gift—or like his doctor. Because in this race of five competitors, she was currently in last place.
Team Three was led by the oldest of the five trackers hired by the AHF. His company was called the Ray Dupre Location Company, but he was better known among his peers as Big Ray, because he had grabbed some of the most famous runners to jump bail in the last twenty years. His name was also a reference to his stature, which was five feet two in lifts. Bounty hunters, it seemed, were known for having a sharp sense of humor.
What Ray lacked in height, he made up for with meanness. And in children. He currently had five of them working for him, and each was determined to succeed in the family business. After all, there would only be room for one of them in their old man’s seat when he finally retired, and sibling rivalry could be a hell of a motivator.
Team Four was the other all-female team. Known as the Sheilas, Sheila McCourt and Sheila Bryce were both Ivy League–educated, and both had been account executives before a fateful cocktail party conversation led them each to admit they were looking to be their own boss and they decided to join forces. Their two strengths were financial tracking and their suburban-housewife appearances. When questioned, they were never suspected to be trackers, and people often gave up information they wouldn’t have otherwise.
Last, but not least, was Team Five: Ray Guthrie and Donald Nance. They were private detectives who had performed services for the American Heritage Foundation on several prior occasions, which meant each man had already been exhaustively vetted. The two men usually worked separately, for purely economic reasons. Teaming up meant losing half a hard-earned fee to a partner, which made no sense to either one of them, except on certain jobs like this one. The AHF was paying both men their full standard rate.
There was also the additional incentive of a $25,000 bonus for whichever team delivered the three individuals in question. Thanks to three ex-wives between them, both Guthrie and Nance really needed the money.
Currently, they were flashing authentic-looking Immigration and Customs Enforcement badges to a Pakistani couple who had purchased the Red Roof Inn in Edgewood, Maryland, by pooling the financial resources of a dozen extended-family members, the majority of whom still lived in Lahore, their homeland’s second-largest city.
Guthrie and Nance as ICE agents were asking for permission to search every room in which guests had been staying for less than twenty-four hours. The Pakistani husband said that was most of their current guests—they simply couldn’t. His wife, who clearly wore the pants in the family, demanded to see a search warrant. Nance didn’t seem to take that too kindly and got right in her face, claiming to have incriminating information on the immigration status of several of the relatives they employed.
It was, of course, an absolute bluff. He had no idea if any of their relatives worked there, but every staff member in view seemed to be of Pakistani descent, so it was a good bet. The ruse was effective; the couple acquiesced after a quick discussion in Urdu. They seemed aware that he was bluffing but couldn’t afford the risk. For all they knew, one of their recently arrived cousins might indeed have a lingering immigration problem.
And thus, they allowed two men with questionable federal identification to begin disturbing most of their motel guests, one room at a time. Complaints would be lodged at the Red Roof corporate office, and their Yelp rating would be decimated.
It would hurt their business for years.
CHAPTER 67
DAVID’S PLACE
WOODSDALE, MARYLAND
June 2, 9:27 a.m.
In his room, Eddie finished playing the echoes of his mother’s recital on July 26, 1987, which she had performed inside St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Saylan Hills, Pennsylvania. That day she had sung not only “Amazing Grace” but also “In the Garden” and “It Is Well with My Soul.” Each one sounded more beautiful than the last. It was easy to understand why Eddie would never grow tired of listening to them over and over again.
Lolo only had to watch Eddie’s face to appreciate the importance to him of what she was listening to. She hoped that one day she would know the same level of happiness that he appeared to be experiencing. “The people who told you she had the voice of an angel were right.”
“Do you want to listen to it again?”
Lolo shook her head. “No, thank you.”
He stared at the three-dimensional representation of the sound waves his mother had produced that day in the church, as if he could see her. He traced one of the waves with his finger. “She was my first angel,” Eddie said, beaming. “Do you know who my second angel is?”
“No, I don’t.”
“You are my second angel.”
She momentarily stopped breathing. “Really? I am? Are you sure?”
&
nbsp; “Yes, I am sure.”
“Because, really?” She practically squealed, grinning from ear to ear. “Do you have any idea how good that makes me feel?”
“No.”
“Well, for someone who doesn’t think that hearts can sing, you sure made mine sing.”
He stared out the window. “Hearts cannot sing.”
She moved toward him. “I bet if you put your ear right here, next to my chest, you could hear mine.” She pointed to her sternum. “Listen.”
He shook his head as he looked away from her. “I am not comfortable with most forms of physical contact.”
She continued toward him. “That’s okay, we don’t have to touch. No contact. Just put your ear real close. Come on, just try it.”
Eddie shook his head, looking increasingly uncomfortable as Skylar and Butler returned. Eddie started to blush.
Skylar recognized that she and Butler had interrupted something intimate. “Excuse the interruption. Sorry for barging in. Would you two like some privacy?”
Eddie was confused by the question. “Some privacy for what?”
Butler shook his head. “Oh, brother.”
Eddie shook his head, imitating him. “Oh, brother.” After a brief pause, he continued, “That is one of many expressions that confuses me because I don’t understand what people mean when they say it. What did you mean, Detective McHenry?”
Butler hesitated, in part because of the scowl he was receiving from Skylar.
Lolo seemed to understand exactly what he meant, so she jumped into the conversation. “It’s not like we were having sex or anything like that. Not at all. We weren’t even kissing. I was only trying to show him that my heart was really singing. It was.”
Eddie started to blush even more, awkwardly repeating, “It’s not like we were having sex or anything like that. Not at all. We weren’t even kissing.”
Butler couldn’t help himself. “Well, you are both adults . . .”
Skylar whipped around. “Why don’t you go play with your new friend, Edgar. I’ll be with you in a moment.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He couldn’t suppress his smile as he exited the room.
Eddie stared out the window, shaking his head. “Hearts cannot sing.”
“Eddie said I was his second angel.”
Skylar turned to him. “You did? You really said that?”
He nodded. “Yes, I did. My mother was the first. She will always be my first angel. But Lolo is my second because I thought I might be dying when I first saw her.”
Skylar was clearly touched. She turned to Lolo and said, “No wonder your heart was singing. Mine would have been, too.”
“I know, right?” Lolo shrugged. “I wanted him to listen to my heart. You know, thump-thump-thump. But Eddie isn’t comfortable with most forms of physical contact.”
Skylar nodded. “I’ve come to understand that about him.”
Eddie glanced at Lolo. “I told you I never lie.”
Skylar moved to him. “You know, most people aren’t lucky enough to have even had one angel in their lives, much less two.”
“I am very lucky, then.” He scratched the stitches in his head wound. Considering what he’d been through during the last twenty-four hours, it was quite a statement.
“It is nice having visitors. Everything is so much more special. It is not so lonely in here now. Definitely not.”
Skylar took a deep breath, then said, “Eddie, Butler and I need to go somewhere with the echo box for a few hours. Would you mind staying here while we do that?”
“You mean, all by myself?” he asked nervously.
“You won’t be by yourself,” Lolo reassured him. “I will be right here with you. Except when you go to the bathroom. Then I will be outside the door.”
“I can go to the bathroom by myself.”
“Me too,” she replied. “But if you leave the facility, I cannot go with you because I am not supposed to leave the grounds. I got in trouble once when I walked across the street. There was a dog and he was not on a leash. I wanted to help him. Dr. Davenport was not happy. Not one bit.”
“What kind of dog was it?” Eddie asked.
“He was big and white and very slobbery. I didn’t mind, though. His owner thanked me. He drove a truck.”
“He was probably a Great Pyrenees,” Eddie offered.
“Who was?”
“The dog. If he was large and white and slobbery, he was most likely a Great Pyrenees.”
“You sure know a lot about a lot of different things.”
Eddie turned to Skylar and asked, “How long do you mean by a few hours?”
Skylar thought about how best to answer. “We’ll be back by the end of the day.”
“That could be eight or ten or twelve hours from now. That is more than a few.”
“You’re right. I was trying not to unnecessarily concern you.”
“If I don’t want to unnecessarily concern you, is it okay for me to lie to you?”
“It was a slight exaggeration, not a lie,” Skylar corrected.
“An exaggeration is not the truth. If something is not true, then it is a lie. That is deductive reasoning.”
“Things aren’t always black or white, Eddie,” she reminded him.
“No, they are not. Things can be many different colors. The visible spectrum ranges from violet to red, with wavelengths of 380 to 750 nanometers and frequencies of 400 to 789 terahertz.”
Lolo added, “And every color in between. Every color can have many different shades.”
“The truth is also on a spectrum,” agreed Skylar. “On one end is absolute truth. On the other end is total fabrication. Most statements fall somewhere in the middle.”
Butler, who’d apparently been listening just outside the door, cracked it open and said, “Here is an absolute truth. We need to go.”
Skylar handed him a notepad and pen. “Write down the number for your phone.” She then turned to Eddie, pointing to the notepad. “If you need to reach me for any reason, call that number.” And she headed for the door.
CHAPTER 68
EDDIE’S ROOM
DAVID’S PLACE
June 2, 9:32 a.m.
Eddie’s eyes followed Skylar as she moved toward the door. “Skylar, wait,” he blurted out.
“You’ll be fine as long as you stay right here with Lolo.”
“I don’t know how,” he replied. He seemed embarrassed.
Skylar was confused. “You don’t know how to what?”
“To make a phone call. I have never called anyone before.”
Skylar immediately felt bad. She should have known this. At least, that’s what she told herself. “No, of course not. Dr. Fenton wouldn’t have permitted it.”
“Don’t worry,” Lolo said. “I can call you if Eddie needs to reach you. I make phone calls all the time.”
“You do?” Skylar asked.
“I make at least one call every week. I call my mother. On Sundays. Usually at noon. That is the time I am supposed to call. Noon. Sometimes I get her answering machine, but then I just leave a message.”
“Does she call you back?” Eddie asked.
“Yes, always. Sometimes it takes her several hours, and sometimes several days, but she always does call back.” She paused, seeming to reconsider her answer. “Most of the time.”
Eddie stared at the floor, looking sad. “I have not spoken to my father in seventeen years, one month, and nineteen days.”
Lolo looked very sad, as if there could only be one reason for this. “Is he dead?”
“I don’t know.” He didn’t look up.
“Why haven’t you talked to him?”
Eddie shrugged. “I don’t think he wants to talk to me.” The statement hung heavily in the room for a moment.
“Well, then he doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Lolo said cheerfully. “You are fun to talk to. Even more than Helena.” She looked up, as if toward Heaven. “Sorry, Helena.”
Lo
lo then stepped toward the notepad in Skylar’s hand, memorizing the number. “You don’t have to worry about me remembering the number, because I have a photographic memory.”
“I have a photographic memory also.” Eddie smiled.
“That is something we have in common,” she said encouragingly.
“Yes, it is.” He stared at the floor.
Lolo then wrote a different number on a different piece of paper, which she handed to Skylar. “That is my cell phone number in case you want to call me.”
“You have a cell phone?”
“Of course I do. How do you think I call my mother?” Lolo took her phone from her pocket and showed Skylar. “I also have my own Instagram and Twitter accounts. I have eight followers. My mom and dad, my brothers and sisters, and Dr. Davenport. That’s eight.”
“You are a true modern woman, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am.” Lolo beamed with pride. “A true modern woman.”
Skylar grabbed Eddie’s laptop and echo box and headed for the door. “Eddie, I promise to take good care of the echo box.”
He listened to her closely and gave her a brief nod. “I believe you.”
“And I promise to take good care of Eddie,” Lolo declared.
Skylar imitated Eddie’s expression, appearing to listen closely, then gave Lolo the same type of brief nod. “I believe you, too.” She winked at Eddie, then exited.
“She winked at you,” Lolo noticed.
“Yes, she did. Skylar does that sometimes.”
“Why?” She sat down next to him.
“I am not sure.”
Lolo now realized how close to him she was sitting. She stared at the small gap between them but did not move. “Is it okay that I am sitting next to you? I didn’t ask, and I should have. I’m sorry. Is it okay?”
“Yes, it is okay. No, you didn’t ask, but you didn’t need to. You don’t need to be sorry, either. Yes, it’s okay.”
As they sat together quietly, a smile slowly spread across Eddie’s face.
“You are smiling.”