by Liliana Hart
“No—”
“Yes—” Jack said.
“I smelled bacon. If you’d like, the two of you can just keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll eat all the bacon. Seems like a fair trade.”
“If you eat all that bacon, your wife is going to have your head,” Jack said, releasing me with a final kiss on the forehead. He went directly to the coffee pot and poured me a cup, handing it over as I took a seat on one of the barstools.
“She’ll be able to smell it on me for days,” Carver agreed, shaking his head sadly. “This is what marriage does to you. No sex and no bacon. It’s just not right.”
My lips twitched as a plate of eggs, bacon, and fluffy biscuits and gravy were put in front of me. “Maybe you should try to combine the two. It sounds like what you need are better time management skills.”
“I’m not going to lie,” Carver said, chewing thoughtfully. “The thought of combining those two things is very appealing. If I could have sports playing on the TV in the background it would be even better.”
“Carver, I have a favor to ask.” I pushed my plate away and fisted my hands in my lap.
“This sounds serious.” He looked between me and Jack, but Jack stayed silent and let me do the talking.
“Very serious.”
I took in a deep breath but it didn’t really help. I knew my father was guilty of a lot of things, but it still felt like what I was about to do was some kind of betrayal. But I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. Especially me.
“I know that you have a job to do and I don’t want to take advantage of your friendship, but I have some items that I’d like you to look into. Discretely, if possible. I know you won’t be able to keep it a secret from the FBI, but I’d like you to be the one to look at them. Maybe it’s not as bad as I think it will be and I’m overreacting. But I have to make sure.”
“This is about your father?” he asked, going very still. “Why would I have interest in a dead man? Sometimes it’s best to leave things buried, Jaye. But you didn’t hear that bit of advice from me.”
“Believe me, I wish I could.”
I realized maybe it was best not to say anything about my father’s return from the grave. Especially since that guilt was gnawing a hole in my stomach. He was still my dad, blood not withstanding. I could give him the flash drives and wait and see if what was on them made my father a current threat. I looked at Jack and realized by the look he was giving me that he’d already deduced what I was going to do. He shrugged and left the decision up to me.
I realized I wasn’t only doing this for me, but I was doing it for Jack as well. Jack believed in the law. And if I kept this hidden and something bad happened because I didn’t speak up when I should have it would drive a wedge between us that could never be repaired.
“I found some things that belonged to my father. A few flash drives. Jack says they’re encrypted, so I thought you might be the best person to look at them.”
Carver sighed. “There’s a separate team of agents who have been working the case on your parents for the last couple of years. Technically, anything related to the case should go to them.”
“I know. I’ve met those agents up close and personal, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I ever step into their path again after the way they treated me. I’m giving them to you because it’s the right thing to do. But if I don’t have another option I’d just as soon throw them in the fire than hand them over to anyone else. I need to know what’s on there. What if the information could save a life?”
“And what am I supposed to do if I find something bad on those flash drives? I can’t keep it from the agent in charge of the case. And don’t expect there to not be anything on those flash drives. They wouldn’t be encrypted if there wasn’t a good reason.” Carver pushed back his plate and got to his feet. Carver wasn’t one to get agitated or have a bad mood for long. He used good humor and jokes to deal with the terrible things he saw in his line of work.
“I know that,” I said softly. “I wouldn’t expect you to. I want to give them to you because I trust you. I know Malachi and Angela Graves are just another set of criminals to you. They’re nothing more than names with a thick file. But they were my parents. I just want to know what was on those flash drives, and if I have more to worry about once you find out.”
“You totally ruined my bacon experience,” Carver said, pouting a little. He sighed and slapped me on the back good-naturedly. “I’ll look at them. And I’ll give you a heads up once I turn the information over to the team in charge. But if you want some free advice from me, it might be best if you and Jack take a nice long honeymoon. Somewhere tropical maybe.”
“Thanks, Ben. I mean it.”
“I’d say anytime, but next time you find something like those flash drives you should probably go with your gut and throw them in the fire.”
A knock sounded at the door and Jack pushed his plate back. “That’ll be Greer and the other agents. Looks like it’s time to get started.”
“I’ll get it,” I said. “You get the flash drives for Carver.”
I went to the front door and opened it for Agent Greer. Lauren Rhodes stood beside him along with Donaldson, and two agents I hadn’t seen before, but I was surprised to see Sam Wolfe in their midst. I checked his color and his pupils automatically. He was a little pale, but he seemed to be standing on his own okay.
I stood aside and they all filed in and headed to the office. Jack and Carver came in behind us.
“How’s Agent Braddock?” I asked Greer.
“Thanks to you, he’s alive. He’s still in critical condition, but they think his chances look good. Carver tells me you had a bit of a breakthrough last night with the autopsy reports. Why don’t you go through it for us, and then I’ll give an update on my end.”
Carver had found an empty board from somewhere for my use, and I started tacking up the pictures in the groupings I’d put them in the night before. I explained what I’d found about the three methods of killing and the three different killers. And then I explained the difference in Andrew Caine’s murder.
“So what we have here is tiers of killing,” I said. “We’ve got three members of the Vagos. Hired killers with three different methods—execution style shots to the head, a deep cut across the throat with a smooth edged blade, and a long range sniper. I read the reports on the Vagos and it’s a competition to them for status and ranking within the organization. That’s why you have the varying methods and multiple killers. Jesse Tydell is your sniper.”
“And he’s going to be the most dangerous because you can’t see him,” Lauren said. She leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest while she was thinking. “The other two like it up close and personal. They like the hunt and overpowering their victim before they use their method of killing to end their life.”
“Exactly,” I said, nodding.
“And then we have killer number four with Caine,” Jack said. “Different MO. Evidence points to a woman. This was a crime of passion, also up close and personal, but for a different reason. There was anger in this kill. We need to find out everything we can about Caine’s personal life. All the women he’s dated or been seen with.”
“That could take years,” Carver said. “The man liked his women.”
“Then start with whoever was most current and work backwards. Women usually know if the man they’re sleeping with is also hopping beds with others.”
“Do we have names of Jesse Tydell’s Vagos associates?” I asked. “Those that fit the kill descriptions?”
“We sure do,” Greer said. He tacked two more photographs up on the criminal board. “Lester Grimm served in the Gulf War with Tydell and was recruited into the Vagos by him. Grimm lost his entire troop in a convoy that was bombed and he was left for dead. He had severe brain trauma and lost partial hearing. He spooks at the sound of gunfire, so his weapon of choice is a stainless steel Buck Knife with a nine-inch blade. We haven’t had
a sighting of Grimm in more than a year, but I have a feeling he’s close by. Jack and Wolfe are the last kills on their list. Like Doctor Graves said, it’s a competition and they’re in it to win. Our profiler report says that the addition of federal agents and heightened police awareness will only add points to their game.”
Greer pinned a second picture on the board next to Grimm. This one was a formal shot of an officer in dress blues. A handsome man with a serious look on his face as he posed for the shot. “This is Greg Lassiter. He was an illegals detective in LA. Worked undercover for a while, but it went south. His wife and daughter were murdered because of it, and the Internal Affairs investigation discovered there was a leak on the inside in Lassiter’s department and the mole handed over Lassiter and his family to the dealers.
“Lassiter killed the cop responsible and then went off the grid. He was prime pickings for the Vagos, considering his disillusionment for law enforcement. He moved up the ranks quickly and was sent to head up his own territory in Chicago. The .357 Magnum he uses to kill his victims is symbolic. When he was on the force back in the 90s, that was his service revolver.
“Grimm, Lassiter, and Tydell are all gang territory leaders in their cities. This competition likely means there is a position open for a new general, and they’re fighting for it. They won’t take each other out, because there’s honor involved here. It’s the law enforcement and military background that makes them want to win above board.”
“That is completely fucked up,” Carver said.
I was a visual learner so I drew a pyramid on my white board and divided it into three sections. At the bottom of the pyramid I put Tydell, Grimm, and Lassiter along with the men they’d killed thus far. In the middle slot of the pyramid I put Caine’s name and mystery woman. At the top of the pyramid I put “Money Man.” Whoever controlled the money was the one we weren’t having any luck finding.
Greer’s phone rang and he frowned as he looked at the caller ID. “Greer,” he said, and then immediately came to his feet. “We’re on our way.” He motioned for his agents to follow him.
“We’ve lost sight of Jesse Tydell,” he said, explaining. “We watched him go into his motel room last night and lock in, but that was the last sighting. The two agents who were watching him are dead and Tydell’s disappeared. Jack, I want you and Wolfe to stay locked up tight here.” Greer followed his agents out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Fear curdled in my belly and I moved beside Jack, just to be close to him. Too many people had died at the hands of these men, and I was terrified there would be more before it was over. I was starting to think leaving the country for a little while might not be a bad idea. My second thought was even worse. That maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to ask for my dad’s help.
Jack took my hand and squeezed it. “They’re going to be busy for a while. The least we can do is wade through all the paperwork. Let’s talk financials, Carver.”
Carver nodded and moved to his computer, taking a little time to set it up so it projected on the wall for everyone to see. “After speaking with Mrs. Lieber yesterday I started doing some research into that support group she told us about. Wives and Mothers of the Fallen—WMF. It’s a protected organization, similar to abuse shelters, so that names or donors are all considered anonymous. There’s a database, but we’d need a warrant to go through the listing.”
“You’ve got to get me something concrete before I can request a warrant for those names,” Lauren said. “WMF isn’t under suspicion for anything.”
“No, but we know that the Liebers have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to this organization, and they’re under suspicion.”
“It still won’t be enough for me to violate the privacy of all those other women. Keep looking and come up with more and I’ll be happy to take it to a judge.”
Carver sighed and muttered under his breath, “Lawyers.” He moved to a different screen. “See if this does anything for you. Paris Spencer is a member of the same organization. She also makes significant donations, though she’s never attended a meeting or a charity function since they all take place stateside. I need a list of all the members. That’s going to be where we find the connection between friends and family of the victims. WMF’s donations are open records, though they don’t have names listed next to the amounts. This is a billion dollar charity.”
“From what I understand, the money is allocated to those women who were not left with life insurance policies or were denied benefits for some reason or another. Or if they lose their jobs, they can make a claim through the charity like they would for unemployment. Right now I’m having to go through individual financial records of every relative and friend of all of these victims to see if there are similar donations. I need that warrant.”
“With both Spencer and Mrs. Lieber making considerable contributions I could probably spin it in our favor. Let me see what I can do.” Lauren took out her cell phone and left the room, leaving me, Carver, Jack, and Wolfe to look at the murder boards.
“Let’s check phone records and email from both Mrs. Lieber and Spencer,” Carver said. “We’ll see if they’ve had any contact for the last six years.”
“How the hell did all this happen, Jack?” Wolfe asked. “It was a mission just like any other. No more dangerous than any other job we did. Now I find out Elliott was dirty and he’s the one who shot you? It just doesn’t make sense.”
Wolfe slouched back on the sofa, the white bandage covering his wound peeking out from his T-shirt. Confusion and anger and sadness marred his features.
“He had his reasons,” Jack said. “His actions were understandable, even though there had to be a better way. His child was going to die, Sam. I’m not sure there’s anything he wouldn’t have done to keep her alive.”
Jack paced back and forth in front of the boards and got a look in his eyes I was all too familiar with. He loved the thrill of the chase and the adrenaline that pumped through his veins as the puzzle pieces began to fit together.
“Dig deeper into that charity that Jane Elliott mentioned to us. The one that funded her daughter’s surgery. That money had to come from somewhere. Who’s on the board of directors? Is it private or a public funded organization?”
“On it,” Carver said, heading to his laptop, his fingers flying over the keys. “There are layers here that are going to take some time.”
“Well, we’ve got good news and bad news,” Lauren said, her heels clicking on the hardwood as she came back in. “Wives and Mothers of the Fallen has top notch lawyers. I got a judge to grant a warrant, but they’re blocking it based on privacy laws. We need more information. What we know for certain is that a gang is responsible for the deaths of nine men. We don’t have a suspect for anyone controlling the purse strings, even though we know that’s what’s happening. And the WMF attorneys are using that to block the warrant. We can’t invade the lives of hundreds of women who are basically victims without probable cause. So get me probable cause and I can bury them and all the paper they’re generating while trying to stall.”
“I hope that’s the bad news,” Jack said.
“It was,” Lauren nodded. “The good news is we had an agent on personal leave in France, and he’s going to go back on active duty and escort Paris Spencer back to the United States for questioning.”
“I’m glad it’s not only my vacations that get interrupted,” Jack said.
Lauren smiled but it reminded me of a shark just before biting into its prey. “She’ll be here in a few hours. Greer will want to question her. I’d like to hear what she has to say myself, but I need to stay here.”
“Because the Vagos are your priority?” Jack asked.
“Don’t get on your high and mighty pedestal, Jack. These men will be an asset to have in our pockets.”
“Because it’s always good to let murderers, especially murderers of cops, go free so the Justice Department can think they’re in control. Let me guess, you guys are in bed
with Homeland Security on this one?”
“There are facets to this job. You know that.” The frustration in her voice was evident, and I had a feeling this was an argument they’d had before. “You see everything in black and white. But that’s not the way the world works.”
“Mostly because politicians, lawyers, and bureaucrats tie up the system with red tape and bullshit so they can one up each other. What if Tydell or the others fire on more officers and we have a shot? Are we just supposed to walk away and let it happen?”
“Shoot to incapacitate. Not to kill. Those are your orders.”
“It’s a lot easier giving orders having never stood in the line of fire, sweetheart,” Wolfe said. “I say we give you a vest and put you out there to defend your life and the lives of others and see if you shoot to incapacitate.”
“You’re trying to make me out as the monster here, when you know having men like this under our thumb will save countless lives in the long run. I am on your side. But I have a job to do and I’m going to make sure it gets done.”
“I hope you never have to experience standing over the graves of the people whose lives you and the Justice Department are playing with.” Jack turned his back to Lauren so he stared at the faces of each of his men on the white board. “It’s not good for the soul. Believe me on that.”
Everyone settled down at their tables with a stack of files to wade through, and I slipped out of the room to get more coffee now that things had settled down a bit. I looked out the kitchen window in the trees and wondered if there was anyone out there. If Tydell was waiting and watching for his moment. I didn’t have a lot of faith in the FBI to protect us, my past experience with my parents withstanding.
I turned when I heard the familiar click of heels come into the room. “I just came in for more coffee,” she said, going to the pot. “Jack always did make really good coffee.”
I didn’t know what to say so I stayed silent and turned to face her completely, leaning back against the counter.
“I don’t want to make things awkward, but I’m assuming you know that Jack and I have a bit of a past.”