by Ren Hamilton
He did not offer further explanation. Litner’s brief answers were getting tiresome. It seemed they had to coax every last word out of the man. “Agent Litner, you obviously have a theory here. It might help if you actually speak it,” Patrick said with annoyance.
It was Agent Rourke who responded. “Arcania Foods. Their chief product is wheat and grain. They make crackers, cookies, breakfast cereals and whatnot. They own a lot of smaller brand names you’ve probably heard of. They’re not the best quality brands, but they are the most widely distributed grain food products in the world, perhaps because they’re moderately inexpensive. Arcania’s products are exported to almost every country.” Rourke stroked his short beard. He looked like a Viking that someone forced into a suit as a cruel form of torture.
Patrick nodded. “Okay, so what does Arcania have to do with this chart?”
Agent Rourke leaned across the table and pointed a big finger on the paper. “As you can see here, the predicted world population begins a steady drop starting at the end of next year. The page is marked ‘After Arcania’.” Agent Rourke looked at Patrick as though this explained it all.
“What does any of this have to do with my friends?”
Agent Rourke looked to Litner.
“He doesn’t know,” Litner said to Rourke. “Explain it to him.”
Rourke turned back to Patrick. “Charles Duvaine, your friend Joey’s late father, owned quite a bit of stock in Arcania Foods. He had stock in other companies as well, being a successful businessman. When he died, it all went to his only living son, Joseph. Joey has recently sold every bit of stock his father left him. Every bit, except for the Arcania Food stock. Not only did he not sell his shares of Arcania Foods, he used the money he got from selling other stocks and bought more shares of Arcania. A lot more shares.”
“And?”
“Joey Duvaine now owns Arcania Foods,” Litner said.
Robin took a deep breath. “Shit.”
“This in itself is not a crime,” Litner said. “He can buy whatever the hell he wants. What we would like to know is why his sudden purchase of Arcania Foods would cause a potential drop in human population, starting at the end of next year. That is if we are to take this spreadsheet of Shepherd’s seriously.”
Patrick cocked his head. “Are you sure? Joey never mentioned buying a cereal company.”
“Maybe the Virgin Mary told him to do it,” Agent Rourke said, smirking.
Patrick pointed. “You have no idea how not funny that is.”
“We hope against hope that this chart is a joke, or a fiction,” Litner said. “But you can understand our concern. First, Joey buys up Arcania Foods. Then, we find a chart in Shepherd’s computer that predicts a drastic drop in the world population, and I’m quoting, ‘After Arcania’. Joey and Shepherd have cleared land in the back of his late father’s house and are now growing some sort of crop. Do you get me now, Mr. Obrien?”
Now that the picture was clear, Patrick couldn’t find his voice, so he simply nodded.
“It’s a matter that can be resolved simply,” Litner said. “We need to know what Joey is growing out in those fields, and what he intends to do with the crop.”
“But Arcania Foods is huge,” Robin said. “I’m sure they have their own agricultural farms. Why would Joey grow his own grain for distribution? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Indeed it doesn’t,” Litner agreed. “But along the same lines, why would your friend Shepherd create a spreadsheet that shows the world population decreasing over the next thirty years? All statistics indicate that the world population will continue to steadily increase. Only some sort of drastic intervention would cause it to go the other way.”
“No,” Robin said. “You’re suggesting that my cousin Joey is going to poison people, and I don’t believe that. I know him.”
Agent Litner looked slightly pained for a moment, then he made his face blank again. “You cannot share any of this with your cousin. I’m afraid we’ll have to hold you to that. Legally.”
Robin waved a hand. “I know, I get it. I still say you’re wrong, though.”
“We have to investigate all possibilities. We’ve already inspected the product at Arcania’s distribution plants, and that product is clean. Now all we need to do is make sure this crop they’re growing out at Forest Bluffs is biologically sound.”
Robin looked close to tears. “You people are wrong about this. I’ve known Joey all my life. You’re trying to tell me now that he’s cultivating some sort of contaminated food substance? You’re wrong. You’re wrong.”
Agent Litner put a hand on Robin’s arm, the first human gesture Patrick had ever seen him make. “I hope we are, Robin. I’m asking Patrick to help us to disprove this theory. In order to do that, we need to get samples of those crops.”
“What about the brothers?” Patrick asked, anxious to change the subject, if only to wipe the shattered look from Robin’s eyes. “Where do they fit in?”
Agent Litner perked up. “What brothers?”
“Shep was branded with a horseshoe when he was a boy,” Patrick explained. “Robin recently went out to Forest Bluffs to visit Shep. She claims that three of Shep’s house guests have the exact same scar on their backs, and that he calls them the brothers. They’re the same crew that’s been following me around. And they were with Shep when he allegedly tried to kill Copie.”
Copie glared at Patrick. “Allegedly? Allegedly. You think I made this all up? I just burned myself?”
“I’m sorry!” Patrick snapped. “It’s just difficult for me to accept that Shep is capable of murdering a college student. So sue me.”
Copie stood. “Well I hate to burst your bubble Patrick, but your friend is a homicidal maniac!”
“Sit down please.” Litner’s voice was calm but it held enough weight to force Copie to comply. Litner looked at Robin. “What else do you know about these brothers?”
“Well,” Robin said, “they look similar, like they could actually be Shep’s brothers. They walk funny, like they have bad knees or something.”
“And they’re not very discreet,” Patrick said. “Their surveillance tactics are far from subtle, I’ve spotted them everywhere.”
Copie raised his hand. “I know something about the brothers.”
“Oh yes,” Agent Litner said, “Copie?”
Copie looked around the room like he wanted to make sure no one was hiding in the shadows. He leaned closer to Litner and whispered, “Another one is coming!”
Litner gave his head a tilt. “Another what?”
“Another brother. They said so when they were getting ready to roast me.”
“What did they say exactly?”
Copie looked nervous, but he proceeded. “They were dousing the place with gas, and Shepherd said something like, ‘Hey, don’t waste that, we need it for the trip to Pearl Chasm next week.’”
Litner stopped tapping his pen. “Pearl Chasm? That place isn’t even open to the public anymore. Did they say anything else?”
Copie swallowed hard. “He said something like, ‘don’t forget that your brother is still in prison.’”
Litner stared at Copie so hard that Patrick was afraid Copie’s head would explode. Copie ran his hands nervously over his head, sending his tiny braids sticking out in all directions. Finally, Litner spoke. “Are you sure he said prison?”
“Yes. He said their brother was in prison.”
Litner tapped his pen on the table as he thought. “There are no prisons at Pearl Chasm. It’s just a bunch of hiking trails and old caves. It used to be a tourist attraction years ago but the state shut it down after a wall collapsed on a couple exploring the caves. They were both killed. That place has been off limits to hikers for years. Prison, huh?”
Copie nodded again. “That’s what he said.”
“Thank you, Copie. You’ve been helpful.”
“That was helpful?” the priest asked. “How so?”
“We have a source out near Forest Blu
ffs, an agent on my team,” Litner said. “He feeds us information about the goings on out there. The information he gathers is limited because of location restrictions, but he did report that some activity is going on indicating Shep is planning some sort of trip, packing up vans. One of the supplies he saw being loaded was gasoline cannisters.”
Copie brightened. “Gasoline! You see? I told you I wasn’t bullshitting!”
“Moving on,” Litner interjected, “we now know where they’re going, more or less. What we need to know now is when.”
“Wednesday,” Patrick said. “Shep told me he was going out of town Wednesday.”
Agent Litner turned to Patrick. “Well then. Wednesday it is. Perhaps we shall see what mysteries lurk in the life of Melvin Shepherd after all.” Patrick drummed his fingers on the table. Litner’s blue eyes shifted toward him. “What is it, Patrick?”
“I was just wondering who’s gonna tail Shep out to Pearl Chasm.”
“You needn’t be concerned with that. It will be assigned to agents on my team. They have the appropriate experience.” Patrick drummed his fingers again, shaking his head. Litner scowled. “What is it now?”
“Will these agents of yours be carrying guns?”
“They will be armed. If we’re to believe Copie’s story, Shepherd is dangerous.”
“But…” Patrick sighed. “Shit.”
“If you have an objection,” Litner said, “either state it or shut your mouth. I’m not a mind reader and you’re wasting time.”
Patrick struggled to come up with a diplomatic way to say he didn’t trust law enforcement. “I know you guys can be a little trigger-happy. I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt. I mean, as far as we know, Joey hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Mr. Obrien, that is enough,” Litner said. “We are not trigger-happy.”
“No, I think Patrick has a point,” Robin interjected. “Joey and Shep tend to be eccentric. What if your guys misinterpret something they see and just open fire? You cops are careless like that.”
Litner glared. “My team is not careless. They are professionals in every way.”
Robin shook her head. “I think someone who knows Joey and Shep should go instead.”
Agent Litner scoffed. “Like who? Patrick? Absolutely not. He has no surveillance experience and he’s a civilian. It’s too dangerous.”
“Why is it dangerous?” Patrick asked. “I’m just going to spy on them! If I get caught, I’ll just say I wanted to talk to Shep, but I was afraid to go to the house, so I followed him.”
Litner chuckled softly. “You make it sound so simple. What if you see something Shepherd doesn’t want you to see? Take a good look at Copie’s face. He saw something Shepherd didn’t want him to see, and he almost lost his life.”
“I don’t think Shep would hurt me,” Patrick said.
“Plus, we won’t get caught,” Robin said.
Agent Litner raised an eyebrow at her. “We?”
“Yes. Patrick and I will go.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not about to start sending civilians to do the work of experienced professionals.”
“If not for we civilians, you’d have nothing,” Patrick said. “You couldn’t even slip an agent past Shep to join his little cult. You asked for our help, so accept our help.”
“I’m sending my team, and that’s the end of it.”
“Fine. If you don’t let us go, I won’t cooperate with this investigation. I won’t go undercover and I won’t get you your crop sample.”
“You little shit!” Agent Litner slammed a fist on the table, his deadpan momentarily twisted in frustration. “You gave me your word!”
“I take it back.”
Litner tossed his pen onto the table. “Can you tell me why you have to be such a pain in the ass about this, Obrien?”
Patrick grew quiet. Then softly, in almost a whisper, he said, “My best friends are trying to destroy my life. I want to know why.”
Litner’s face went placid again. “Yes,” he said. “I want to know why too.”
“Good. Then we agree on something.”
Litner scowled. “I fear this has less to do with curiosity and more to do with you having a soft spot for your estranged friends.”
“That might be part of it,” he said. “My affection for them hasn’t just disappeared, in spite of everything. But they also scare me now. We will not get caught, Agent Litner. You have my word.”
“And now I’m supposed to believe your word, after you just rescinded it minutes ago?”
Patrick shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”
* * * *
Dusk had fallen when they stepped into the refreshing night air. Two black cars with tinted windows waited for them. Litner instructed Patrick and Robin to get into the first car, where the driver would take them on a scouting mission up to Pearl Chasm. Patrick assumed this meant they’d be allowed to do the surveillance mission next week, but he didn’t push the issue. He had a feeling he’d pushed Litner as far as he could.
As the car carrying Patrick and Robin drove away, Father Carbone leaned into Agent Litner. “You agreed a bit too easily to let those two go on a surveillance mission, Steven. That doesn’t sound very official to me.”
“It’s complicated,” Litner said without making eye contact.
“You’re not playing this one straight. Why?”
Litner looked at him. “I had to twist arms on this. My boss doesn’t quite believe my fears are founded. But I’m certain they are. And I’m running out of time. I need to get the job done, whatever it takes.”
“But what if those young people, Patrick and Robin, get hurt? What if something happens to them?”
Agent Litner glanced over at the vehicle as it turned out of the parking lot. He walked toward the curb, leaving the priest’s question hanging there. Father Carbone knew better than to ask again. If Steven Litner wanted to answer, he would have.
Agent Rourke started to open the door to the second car when he froze suddenly, staring off into the club parking lot. Father Carbone and Copie followed his gaze. In the corner of the lot was a large blue trash dumpster. In the semi-darkness, the culprit’s platinum curls were his downfall. They shone like a halo as he peeked out from behind the dumpster.
“Patrick was right,” Father Carbone whispered. “These brothers aren’t very good at being discreet.”
“Nobody move,” Agent Rourke said. “Do you see him, Litner?”
“Yes,” Litner said. “Copie, you recognize him?”
“It’s not Shepherd, but it’s definitely one of the brothers,” Copie whispered.
“If he gets away, he’ll warn Shepherd, then it’s over,” Agent Rourke whispered.
Litner turned only his eyes toward Copie and the priest. “You two stay put.”
The curly-topped stranger must have realized he’d been discovered, because he bolted.
“Let’s go!” Rourke yelled, and he and Litner took off after him. Copie and Father Carbone watched in a panic as the two agents caught up with the man at the perimeter of the parking lot. They probably wouldn’t have caught him at all, but the blond stranger seemed unsteady on his feet and nearly tripped twice. This slowed him enough for the agents to tackle him around the ankles.
He didn’t stay down long, however. Soon he was on his feet again, fighting like a wild animal, and screeching like one as well. The platinum blond was not a large man by any means, but it soon became apparent that he was outlandishly strong. He tossed the brawny Agent Rourke off his back with a quick thrust of his shoulders. Agent Rourke’s eyes sprang open in shock as his enormous body went tumbling end over end onto the pavement.
This left Agent Litner clinging to one of the man’s arms. He tossed Litner about erratically, back and forth like a rodeo rider as he struggled desperately to free himself. Agent Rourke got back to his feet and ran to help Litner by grabbing the man’s other arm. With an agent on each arm now, the blond brother went into a spin. The
scene was almost comical as the agents became part of a human windmill, spinning uncontrollably as they struggled to take him down.
Father Carbone looked fearfully at Copie. “If he gets away, he’ll tell Shepherd Patrick talked to law enforcement. He’ll also tell Shepherd you’re alive, Copie. No one will be safe.”
“Then hike up your skirt, Father. That freak’s going down.”
Copie and the priest ran across the parking lot. Father Carbone dove and grabbed the man around the knees. The brother stumbled a bit but still did not go down. Copie jumped on his neck and got him into a weak headlock. With the four of them hanging off him, the blond brother finally fell to the ground, writhing and screeching as he continued to attempt escape.
With four pairs of hands holding him down, Litner was able to cuff the man’s wrists behind his back. To everyone’s amazement he snapped the cuffs and was suddenly free again. Agent Rourke was quick though, and soon had the culprit’s hands behind his back again. Litner reapplied another pair, and then wound them with a strand of heavy wire, which seemed to hold him this time. Litner let go of him and stepped back.
No sooner had he done so than the captive flipped onto his back and kicked Agent Rourke in the chest, sending him flying across the pavement for a second time. “Sit on his legs!” Litner screamed. They threw their combined weight on his legs and Litner was able to tie his ankles with the help of Agent Rourke and some reinforcements from the trunk of the nearby car. Once he was restrained, they all stepped back, breathing heavily and staring with amazement at the sneering stranger with his shining white curls. Emerald eyes glared up at them with pure hellish rage.
Someone’s cell phone rang, a tiny, muffled sound. Litner searched the brother and found the ringing phone inside his jacket. With a knee planted firmly on his captive’s chest, Litner accepted the call and brought the phone to his ear. As soon as he did, the blond man screamed out, “Shepherd!”
Agent Litner’s hand came down, landing a vise grip over the man’s mouth. Then, phone to his ear, Agent Litner heard Melvin Eugene Shepherd’s voice for the first time.
“Juris? Hello? Juris what the hell is going on? You were supposed to check in twenty minutes ago.” He paused. Litner said nothing. Juris struggled to bite his hand, so Litner pressed down harder.