A Breck Death (Jill Quint, MD, Forensic Pathologist Series Book 3)

by Peche, Alec

  “That is a lot of speculation Jill,” cautioned Jake.

  “Yeah, but I sometimes have a sixth sense about these cases that saves us time if we focus on that avenue of investigation. So I’ll direct my team to do so.” What was left unsaid was that he could direct his agents to work on a different angle, but she was sure she was on the right path.

  He shrugged and they both went back to their computers to follow separate paths.

  Jill looked up as Nick entered the living room of the suite carrying his laptop and said “Good morning. Did you have a nice night’s sleep?”

  “Yeah I did. My body is still confused as to what time zone I am in, but once the adrenaline rush of escaping a snow plow was gone, I was more than ready to drop off to sleep. What’s new this morning?”

  “Did you get a response from the engineer as to the ski lift malfunction source?”

  “I was just checking,” Nick said as he was scrolling down his screen. “Yes here it is. I’ll open and read it.” He looked up at Jake and added, “The email is in German, so I’ll have to translate for you."

  A few seconds later they had their answer; Mr. Bogachev was likely the source of the shutdown. The engineer had chased the source of the code through half a dozen countries. However within Henrik’s security firm they had extensively studied Gameover and Zeus and they had been successful at blocking its entry into their clients’ computers. So the engineer recognized the style of Mr. Bogachev’s coding. The engineer had an additional program that he ran the code of the ski lift failure through, and the software predicted a 98.7 percent chance that Mr. Bogachev was the coder.

  “Can the engineer check to see if the code is still in the ski lift system and does it cover more lifts than just the one it stopped?” asked Jill.

  “Why?” asked Jake who had been listening to the conversation.

  “Because Marie is taking the lift today and I want her to stay safe and perhaps it suggests to us whether they have any other future murders lined up,” Jill explained.

  “You think they are that sophisticated?”

  “Yes I do. The attack on the ski lift computer system was pure genius and I could see them doing it again. Besides the resort needs to fix their software, and get rid of this malware and maybe Henrik can help them out. I am not savvy enough about computers to know what else this bug could do.”

  “Jill, here is the answer back from the engineer. ‘ He said the malware is still on the resort’s computers and it does affect all lifts.’”

  “Jake, I think you had better have someone special guarding Marie this morning, especially since we know these guys can play with the lift.”

  “I do have someone special guarding her. One of my agents works the ski patrol at this resort on a part-time basis, so she will be in good hands. He will be armed, and he has brought a lightweight bullet proof vest and a special helmet for her to wear.”

  “This should be fun. I have never skied in Colorado and I’ll have the perfect expert with me!” Marie exclaimed.

  “You could stay home and be in a more protected environment. My agent won’t be able to control all of the people on the ski slope, or in the lift lines, or even in the restrooms of the resort.”

  “The guy probably won’t recognize me underneath all my equipment. What is your agent’s name and when does he arrive?”

  “I asked him to be here half an hour before the lifts open to give you time to put the vest on and get up the mountain. His name is agent Michael York.”

  “Sounds perfect,” Marie agreed. “Jill, I have another hour of work and I’ll do some work up on the mountain as I am sure I’ll need to take breaks. I was planning on focusing on Sundin and Bogachev. I haven’t finished reviewing all my sources for Mr. Brown.”

  “You can work on Mr. Brown tonight. I think we’ll be staying in for dinner and drinks.”

  “Yeah I am with you there. I did not enjoy being chased by a snowplow. It reminded me of that old movie ‘Duel’ where this semi-tanker- truck is sitting almost on the rear bumper of a driver of a 1960’s car chasing it through a deserted and curvy road. Just like that movie, we couldn’t see the face of the driver of the snowplow; we just knew he was coming for us.”

  “Yikes, now you’re creeping me out. I remember that movie. It gave me a fear of big trucks for a while,” agreed Jill.

  “Nick, when you have time can you determine how someone is following us?” Jill asked. “Are they staying close to the hotel and simply following us from the hotel, or have they managed to plant a GPS tracker on us. Perhaps we would be able to tell by looking at the lobby camera film.”

  “Good morning everyone,” said Angela entering the room. “Did you solve the case while I was asleep?”

  “Yeah right, the evidence came to me in my dream and now the case is solved. Sorry, it wasn’t that easy,” said Jill.

  “Oh well, I can always hope that the bad snowplow driver’s conscious got to him and he called up the police to have himself arrested before I awoke.”

  “It’s a little early in the morning for you to have consumed so much alcohol as to have thought up that fairy tale,” Marie pointed out.

  “Oh well. Are you going skiing today?” asked Angela.

  “Yeah, Jake has lined up an agent who works part time as ski patrol and he is bringing both a bullet proof vest and helmet. Sounds like the perfect escort since I am unfamiliar with this mountain.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t go skiing. Are you sure you’ll be safe?”

  “I think so. While you were sleeping, we heard from Henrik’s engineer that indeed Bogachev is responsible for the malware on the resort’s lift computers.”

  “Computers as in plural?" asked Angela.

  “Yes, this malware is still on the lift computers and it can affect all chairlifts.”

  “Well, I hope you have a boring day up on the slopes.”

  “Boring would be good. I have never skied such a high mountain and it’s a little intimidating. Nice to know I will have the ski patrol so close by to rescue me.”

  “Jill, what would you like me to work on today?”

  “I would like you to be on the call with David this morning. I’d like to see if anything strange was said at the funeral yesterday. From there, I would like to arrange interviews with the CEO of RMCT, and the acting CEO of Broomfield Pharmaceuticals. I’m sure that David can help us with that.”

  “If you arrange the interviews, I will send an agent with you for protection,” ordered Jake.

  "Okay."

  "Good morning,” said Jo blinking her eyes open. "How is everyone this morning?"

  "Doing well," replied Jill. “Did you get a good night’s sleep?"

  "Given the terror of the evil snowplow last night, I slept surprisingly well."

  "Awesome! What time is your sister picking you up?"

  "Sometime just before noon. I'll get a little more work done for you before I leave and then Morgan will be your financial expert."

  "How would you feel about Morgan going with you and your sister?” asked Jake. "Do you know if she has somewhere Morgan can sleep? A sofa is fine."

  "You really think we could be in danger?" asked Jo. "It might be better for my sister to stay here in the suite. Let me give her a call and talk it over with her. What is everyone working on this morning?"

  "Angela and I are about to get on the phone with David and Jake is planning on eavesdropping on our conversation. Then we are going to Denver to interview some people. Marie is doing more research on our two cyber creeps and then she's going to have an exciting day up on the mountain skiing with an FBI agent who also occasionally works for the ski patrol at this mountain. Nick is working on figuring out how we are being followed, and Nathan is still asleep but he will likely be working on his own business.”

  "Okay, once I wake up some more, and drink some coffee, I'll give my sister a call."

  Jill moved to the other side of the suite to place a call to David leaving Jo to exchange pleasant
ries with Morgan.

  "David, it’s Jill. How are you doing today?"

  "I'm exhausted. The funeral was so difficult yesterday and so many people said all kinds of wonderful things about Joseph that only made me miss him more. Watching his coffin being lowered into the ground was a very stark way to say ‘it's over.’”

  "It sounds like it was a rough day. What are your plans for the next couple of weeks?"

  "It depends on what is going on with the investigation. I need closure on Joseph’s murder before I plan the next steps of my life. What is the latest on the investigation? Any more Hummer chases?”

  “Actually, in some ways the case has gotten a lot worse than car chases. You probably haven't noticed because your mind has been elsewhere but the FBI is providing you with extra protection at the moment.”

  "You're right, Jill, I hadn't noticed anyone providing me protection. Why is the FBI involved?”

  "David, I'd like to put you on speaker phone if you don't mind. Listening on my end will be Jake Porter who is the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Denver office. Also listening will be Angela Weber who is a member of my team. We have two cyber criminals involved in this case and so I have avoided sending you anything via the Internet so that my communication with you cannot be hacked.”

  With Jake and Angela listening, Jill provided David with a summary of the last thirty-six hours including the identification of the two cyber criminals. When she moved on to discussing potential issues at Broomfield Pharmaceuticals and Rocky Mountain Clinical Trials, David began thinking about what he could do on his end to contribute to the case.

  "Jill, there is so much going on with this case, I'd really like to meet everyone working on it and perhaps find a way to contribute."

  "Actually we were hoping that you could assist us in getting interviews with the CEO of RMCT and whoever is running Joseph's company at the moment,” suggested Jill.

  "David, this is Special Agent Jake Porter. I would like to take a look at Joseph's computers. Do you have his cell phone, laptop, tablet or whatever he used to do work on in your possession? We don't have a search warrant but we don't need one if you voluntarily let us look at Joseph's communications."

  "I have several pieces of technology that Joseph used to stay in touch with the office. I know he traveled back and forth each day with a laptop which I have. If you were to go to his office you would only find an empty docking station. I would be happy to share the technology with you if it helps to solve Joseph’s murder.”

  “David, I think we need to meet in person. We could do that in Denver or in Breck. What is your preference?” asked Jill.

  “I’ll come to Breck. You folks are starting to scare me and I am glad that the FBI has been on my doorstep. Agent Porter, would you have your agents make contact with me? If you don’t mind, I would like their escort to Breck and I have spare bedrooms in my cabin that I can house them in. I should be there in about two hours.”

  “David, I’ll have my agents escort you to Breck and thank you for offering to house them.”

  After a few more arrangements, they ended the call as Jo re-entered the living room.

  “I just finished speaking with my sister and she is going to stay with us for two days. She needs to get some supplies as she is an artist. She will also need to visit some Breck stores where she has some pieces on consignment. We’ll get to spend some time together and apart. We will go out to dinner so that we can have some one on one time. Jake, I assume you can have someone guard us when we go out.”

  "Yes I can do that,” replied Jake. "You're much easier to protect if you stay in the suite rather than miles away in Leadville."

  It suddenly crossed Jill's mind that she hadn't heard anything about the three suspects since the snow plow incident.

  "Jake, what's the update from your men who were tailing our three suspects?"

  "Bad news there. All three suspects returned to the cabin that Mr. Brown owns and my men tailed them there. Once there, they took off in the woods on snowmobiles. My men were in cars and could not follow them into the woods. Using flashlights, they followed the trail for perhaps a hundred yards but then there were so many snowmobile tracks going different directions that they were unable to determine where the three men headed.”

  "That is indeed bad news,” Jill agreed. “Why didn't you tell us as soon as you arrived here this morning? Do either of the two other men have a cabin in this area?"

  "I've had agents looking at that, but there are so many opportunities to lease a cabin for the season. Unless they are the registered property owner, I don't hold much chance of locating them through this means."

  "Is Marie going to be safe on the chairlift if we don't know where these creeps are?”

  "In addition to the agent who will be riding all of the chairlifts with her, she will have additional armed agents on snowmobiles, and in front and behind her on the chairlift.”

  Jill thought about Jake's response and said "you think they're going to go after Marie up on the ski slope and you’re placing enough agents to protect her and chase down these creeps. So she is the bait to bring these guys out of hiding. That's why you didn't tell me that your agents had lost them last night."

  "Don't they have a sign posted up on the ski slope that says ‘ski at your own risk’? I didn't realize that was also the motto of the FBI," quipped Marie.

  Jake, looking a little chagrined at being caught in somewhat of a lie said, “If you would like to stay in the suite, we will dress up an agent to look like you as a decoy up on the mountain. With the body armor that Michael is bringing all of your vital organs will be protected. The way our gear works is you will be completely covered in Kevlar except your gloves and ski boots. Even the helmet Michael has contains Kevlar and the face shield.”

  Given the protections they were providing her, she decided she would still go skiing. If they ran into trouble, she would have lots of help.

  "I'm in. I hope I am able to draw these creeps out of the woods and your agents are able to arrest them. This is such a cute town, I'd rather be out and exploring it at night then confined under guard in this beautiful suite. We could gain our freedom if your plan works."

  "Thank you,” said Jake as he walked over to the suite door to allow Michael and another agent to enter. After making introductions, Marie wrapped up her computer work and began dressing in the very unfashionable Kevlar clothing. Fortunately it wasn't heavy and this opportunity to ski Breck felt like a wild adventure.

  Fifteen minutes later Marie was leaving the suite with agents in tow. Michael, leaving five minutes later through the hotel's back door would be wearing his ski patrol jacket to help disguise the FBI agent and would meet them at the lift line. Her friends wanted an update and made her promise to text them throughout the day.

  Nathan entered the kitchen seeking coffee. Everyone knew not to speak to him until after his morning coffee. If you spoke to him too soon you received single word replies and no memory on his part of having engaged in conversation with you. Jake and Morgan didn't know better and were surprised when they were the only two that chorused at Nathan a ‘good morning’.

  Jo took pity on Morgan and said "he is sort of sleepwalking at the moment. You need to give him thirty minutes beyond his first coffee before you engage in conversation with him.”

  “Oh, okay then,” replied an amused Morgan.

  “Jill, I think I’m going blind staring at the footage from the hotel cameras. I am guessing that our cyber crooks have hacked into the hotel security system and replaced the footage of the lobby with their own footage."

  "How do you know that?"

  "I've watched these tapes several times and I haven't once seen you, or Angela, or Marie, or Jo in a single frame yet we know that you came and went several times and greeted them in the lobby. Even Nathan’s trip to the grocery store is missing. I'm becoming quite good friends with this hotel’s security staff. I'm going to try and convince them to allow Henrik’s engineer to ta
ke a look at the system. That may cause some flak, but that's all I can think of for a cause of why you guys are not on any of the cameras in this hotel. Even hotel security has been unable to think of any plausible explanation.”

  "So at least we think we have the source of how they are tracking us out of this hotel," reasoned Jill. “We should get word to Marie and the agents with her so that they know that they may be followed up to the chairlifts. Do you think the cyber crooks can track our cell phone and text usage? Is it safe to communicate with her that way?"

  "I think they can eventually hack into your phone records to see who you called but not what was said," remarked Nick. "So you're safe contacting her that way. On the other hand, we need to stay away from e-mail."

  Jill texted Marie about Nick’s findings, and the advice to avoid e-mail when communicating anything about the case. Then she thought of a different problem.

  "Not to be paranoid but did we sweep this suite for listening devices? Are we sure that our conversations inside this suite are confidential?”

  “We haven’t done so, but I don’t think there are bugs as our cyber creeps would probably have tried to leave the country if they knew how close on their tail we are. Regardless, I will have the room swept several times a day from now on,” replied Jake.

  "Okay, Jake thanks for doing that. I'm expecting David at any moment. Nick or Jake, what are your plans for examining the technology that Joseph used in his everyday work to communicate with people? Do you want to split it up? Jake, does the FBI have any software program we could put the phone and the laptop through and come up with a magical answer to this case?”

  “I have a command center set up in the cabin that I have outside of town. I have many agents staying there, some with the skills to look at these technologies and tell us what's on them."

  “How would your men necessarily recognize a problematic communication between Joseph and RMCT?” asked Jo. "His work in-box contained perhaps ten-thousand emails. How would anyone sort through those emails to find anything distressing?"