by Alan Mulak
“We do good work,” Houdini replied matter-of-factly. “Then, you started down the same dark road the real Alex took but, unlike Alex, you were rescued by your father.”
“I thought you said my father was dead?”
"In real life, yes, but in your story, not yet. Your father, during his final days, saw the error of his ways and in extreme remorse, set you up with an off-shore trust fund. But even with this subsidy, the post-traumatic stress syndrome drove you deep into depression. Finally, a psychiatrist recommended a change of scenery for you. You will find the medical report in your envelope. Thus, your relocation is to the out-of-the-way town of Dolores, Colorado, where life is simple, a fair number of transients come and go, and it is far away from the crowded, high-stress conditions of the East Coast."
“Where? Never heard of it.”
“That is precisely why we have chosen Dolores as your new home. In fact, you now own a small, partially furnished, house located at fifteen Riverside Drive. And if all goes according to plan, you can leave on your cross-country drive as early as next Wednesday.”
“Next Wednesday? Wow…that’s really soon.”
“As discussed,” Houdini replied. “The sooner, the better.”
Rob emptied the contents from the manila envelope onto his lap. Included were a New Jersey driver's license, birth certificate, Social Security identification card, a thick wad of cash, gift and debit cards from Wal-Mart, Holiday Inn, Best Western Hotels, Citgo, Mobile, Cabela's, VISA debit, and a VISA Credit Card. There was also a bank statement from Dolores Savings Bank, showing a balance of ten thousand dollars in savings and five thousand in checking, and a title to a 2012 Ford F-150 pickup truck, and the deed to his new home.
“Jesus Christ!” Rob murmured. “You’ve been busy. I've got a million questions, but my first one is why Dolores, Colorado?"
“To start with, it is not a tourist destination. The nearest city is Cortez, an economically poor but decent place with a significant Hispanic and Indian population. It is unlikely your business associates from Craig and Mathews, family, friends or other acquaintances will be vacationing out there. In short, it is an ideal place to lay low for a long time. Another good reason to choose Colorado is the large number of transplants from other places. No one moves to Wyoming or Nevada, but a significant portion of the population of those who live in Colorado were born elsewhere. In other words, new neighbors are in fact, nothing new. Plus, the trout fishing nearby is reputed to be very good. As I understand it, you are an avid fly fisherman? Yes?”
Rob was still absorbed examining all the documents. “Yeah. Correct. Sounds good. What’s this about fishing?”
“The more time you spend fishing, the better. Think about it, when you are fishing, what are the chances of being recognized by an acquaintance from the east coast? To the untrained eye, all fishermen look alike. Plus, people in Colorado love the outdoors. The more you get out there with them, the sooner you will be accepted. In short, you need to blend and become a local.”
“Not bad duty,” Rob said. “Why the gift card to Cabela’s?”
“When you leave here next week, you will take nothing with you. Nothing. No phone, computer, jump drive with files, wallet, car keys, nothing. This is important. Dead people generally do not plan to die. So in doing so, my suggestion is for to you leave the northeast, then drive to the nearest Cabela's – maybe somewhere in Ohio - and buy all new fishing equipment and outdoor clothing. Think of it as a celebratory shopping spree. The card has a balance of $5000. That should cover it."
“Now there’s something to look forward to! But what about this Wal-Mart card. I hate Wal-Marts.”
“And so does most everyone you know, and more importantly, those who know you. Think of it as an opportunity to mingle with the locals. Shop at Wal-Mart's for everything for at least the first year. Out where you are going, the Wal-Mart’s have everything you’ll need. And that reminds me; avoid having your picture taken. Stay off toll roads; avoid ATM’s, banks, shopping malls, and especially cities. Facial recognition software has come a long way, and if someone is looking for you, they will scan the records of all cameras. I will remind you of this again but for now, start paying attention to where cameras are located.”
“Okay. Avoid cameras. Okay. And what’s this about next week?”
“Next Wednesday. Weather permitting.”
“I see. Weather permitting? So we are looking to depart in good weather.”
“No. Just the opposite. The long-range forecast is for a major winter, coastal storm next Wednesday. That is precisely what we want."
“Why?”
“I will explain at a later date but for now, just hope for a nasty winter weather event that hugs the coast, permitting you to drive west, out of the weather. Those would be perfect conditions.”
“If you say so.”
“Now,” Houdini said. “Place all those items back into the envelope. I will keep possession of it until you begin your journey. And one last item: please remove your wedding ring. Go ahead and put it in the envelope.”
“My ring? Why?”
Houdini said, “It would be better if you did not know. You will have no further use for it, and I doubt if anyone will notice. Please, do as I ask.”
Rob, still somewhat befuddled, began refilling the envelope with all the travel paraphernalia, and his ring. “Have you decided how I’m going to die yet?”
"Yes, I have."
Rob stopped what he was doing and looked at Houdini. “And?”
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“What’s that expression – it’s my funeral – so yeah. How’s it going to happen?”
Houdini stared at Rob and said, “We will be blowing up your house.”
15
House Call
On Friday morning at ten A.M., while Rob was at the office in Boston and his wife and daughters were in South Beach, Florida, a van drove down the winding street leading to Rob’s house at the end of an isolated cul-de-sac. If any of his neighbors had been looking out their windows, they would have ignored the van with Concord Mechanical Systems - the house doctor for your heating system stenciled on the side. In January, the peak of the heating season, repair vehicles were a common sight, but, in fact, no one noticed the white van pulling into Rob’s driveway.
Three men in work coveralls, carrying tool bags, got out and walked to the front door. While one man knocked and rang the bell, a second man picked the lock, and they were in.
Two men went directly to Rob's office, where they cut and removed the wallboard on the exterior wall alongside Rob's desk. Then, one man made space between the fiberglass insulation and hung a bag containing some of Rob's blood. The other man found the laundry room and fished out a soiled t-shirt. He returned, liberally doused the tee shirt with blood from a second bag - also containing Rob's blood – and stapled it to the inside of the exterior wall. Then, from his tool bag, he removed a frozen human arm – Rob's wedding ring attached to the ring finger – and a badly mangled left foot. Both body parts were provided by a speeding, drunk driver who had collided with a bridge abutment two nights prior. With a closed-casket service, no one would miss a few parts. Using flammable masking tape, the worker attached the two body parts to the wall. Finally, working together, the men re-hung the wallboard, taking care to cover the saw cuts with putty, the exact shade of pale yellow as the rest of the wall.
The third man was downstairs, in the basement. First, he attached a cigarette-pack-sized device to the main feed located in the electrical box and turned it on. Standing away from the box, he removed a hand-held remote controller – similar to those that control TVs – and checked the attachment for operation. It worked perfectly.
Next, he went directly to the gas-fired furnace, turned it off via the on/off switch, and then removed the access cover. Locating the three-way valve which directs the flow of natural gas to the furnace and the nearby water heater, he removed it and replaced it with one from his toolbox
. This one had a molded plastic sleeve, which was wrapped with wire, and attached to a plastic control device. The man took out a second remote controller, successfully tested the new valve, turned the furnace back on, and then replaced the access cover.
Finally, he located the phone box which was on the cellar wall, just down from the furnace. Into a spare phone jack, he plugged a cable which was attached to a cigarette-pack sized black box known as a GCI (Ghost Call Imager). He removed the plastic sheet from the two way tape on the back and stuck it fast to the wall. Use earbuds and an alligator clip attached to the cord, he tested the signal. Satisfied, he put away his tools and went back upstairs.
On their way out, the van stopped alongside the cover to the gas valve located in the street at the end of Rob's driveway. One man got out, holding a tool used to split wood. It was essentially a heavy cylinder that slides up and down a shaft. Used on firewood, the heavy cylinder slams down on the top of a splitting wedge, which in turn splits the oak or maple log into bite-sized pieces. Used on top of the natural gas valve cover, it jams the cover down such that it simply cannot be pried off via a crowbar, the customary way. This simple maneuver did the trick: if an emergency took place and someone needed to get to the valve to shut off the flow of gas to the house, it would take time to pry open the cover. This dangerous situation is surprisingly common and often results from heavy equipment such as snow plows, dropping their blades in preparation for plowing.
This final task completed, the van drove out of the neighborhood. From start to finish, the jobs took less than one hour. No one took any notice.
16
Heavy Snow
On Tuesday morning, Rob had just left Boston’s Finest Coffee shop on Newbury Street, when his phone rang.
“Hello, this is Rob.”
“Alex, schedule a teleconference for tomorrow morning at nine. Make sure the participants know you will be calling from your home office. There is a coastal snowstorm coming; therefore, tomorrow is the day. Leave your house with the UPS man who will pick you up tonight at six P.M. Take nothing. I repeat, take nothing. Leave your wallet on the window sill next to your desk.” The phone went dead.
Rob stood still among the heavily bundled people moving in both directions, hustling to get to work. He silently repeated the words - Tomorrow is the day – and suddenly felt nauseous. He glanced at the coffee in his gloved hand. No way. Spying a homeless man sitting nearby, wrapped in dirty blankets, Rob handed him the coffee.
The man’s gray beard parted, revealing a wide, toothy smile. “God bless you, my son.”
“Thanks,” Rob mumbled. “I can use all the blessings I can get. I think I’m going to need them.” Then he turned and walked to the office.
It was snowing lightly when a UPS truck pulled into the driveway, and a man dressed in a brown coat and pants leaped out, ran up the steps, and rang the bell.
Rob was ready.
Panting and blowing into his hands, the UPS man shot a look over his shoulder to ensure no one was watching. He whispered, "Ready?"
Rob blinked a few times, took a final look around, massaged the back of his neck, then sucked in a deep breath, and said, “Let’s do it.”
In the truck, the UPS man instructed Rob to sit in the cargo area and wrap himself with a padded moving blanket. The truck was started, and they drove off. About fifteen minutes later, the truck stopped, and the man came into the back. He grabbed a box and said, “I’m going to deliver a package. When I leave, you duck out the side door. Houdini is parked about fifty feet behind us, lights off, facing the other way. Good luck to you, pal.”
With that, he ran off to deliver his package. As directed, Rob ducked out the side door and, staying in the deepest shadows, jogged the short distance to where the white Mercedes was parked. When he got in, Houdini turned on the lights and drove off.
They rode together in silence until Houdini turned his car onto U.S. Route 2 west. He glanced at Rob. “Well, Alex, how are you feeling?”
“Scared. Sick to my stomach. My head feels like it’s going to explode.”
Houdini nodded. "Understandable. Try to relax. We have a three-hour drive."
“Where are we going?”
“North Adams. We will spend the night at an Inn owned by a friend of mine.”
After a few minutes, Rob asked, “Why aren’t you taking the Turnpike?”
Houdini replied, “Why do you think?”
Rob thought about the question for a moment. “That’s right. No tolls or cameras. Turnpike has ‘em. Route Two doesn’t.”
Houdini said, "It is imperative that you leave no trail. Stay off the interstates. Eat at roadside dinners. If you stop at McDonald's or one of the fast-food restaurants, do not go to the drive up window. Park the truck I'll be providing, and go in. You cannot be too careful. The longer you lie low, avoid cameras, and get as far away from here as possible, the more secure your new life will be."
Rob closed his eyes, and put his head back, trying to calm down. “I’ll be careful.”
Houdini said, “To stress just how careful you need to be, let me share a story with you. Last year, I was hired by a prominent politician to find his wife. Allegedly, she had run off with his campaign manager.”
“Wait a minute,” Rob said. “You mean to tell me you find people too? I thought all you did was make people disappear.”
Houdini shrugged. "I am a full-service provider. Consider my profession an elaborate game of hide and seek."
“Some game.”
“It pays the bills,” Houdini said. “So back to the case. His wife was not careful. She drove from Boston to Seattle with her new partner but made no effort to keep her face from being photographed. They went through countless toll booths, visited shopping malls, drove through city intersections – and in one place, received a ticket for failing to stop at a traffic light – used banks, and withdrew money from ATMs. At each of those stops, cameras took her picture. It takes very little time - just a few minutes in fact - for computers to conduct a facial recognition scan of all security cameras in the country."
“In the country? You’re shitting me. How much did you pay for that?”
“Pay?” Houdini asked. “I rarely pay for access to the world wide web.”
“Sorry,” Rob said, closing his eyes and resting his pounding head against the headrest. “I forgot who I was riding with.”
“Just so you know, facial scans are rarely one-hundred percent, or to put it in common terms, scans rarely come back with a perfect match. Usually, the scanning software will make a partial recognition, then look again, and then estimate the probability of a match. Most of the time, a recognizable scan will yield a fifty to seventy percent, which is still quite valuable. A problem, of course, is the fact that a large number of people on this planet look alike – at least to some extent - so running a nationwide scan yields mixed results. But in this case, we were getting numerous high percentage hits all along Interstate Route Ninety, ending at several high hits at an ATM in Seattle. Connecting the dots, we located the condominium where the runaway wife was staying in just eight days. Not bad considering it takes about four days to drive across the country.”
“Jesus.”
“So you see,” said Houdini. “If someone with the proper resources and adequate funding wants to find someone else, it is not impossible. If your wife, for some unknown reason, wants to find you, and you have been careless, it will be possible. If my client’s wife had taken care to avoid cameras, we may or may not have found her, but for certain, it would have taken much longer. And if she had not used her credit or debit card, who knows.”
“Gotcha.”
Then Rob asked, “What about those witness protection programs I hear about on television. How do they keep their identities hidden?”
Houdini smiled smugly. “Child’s play.”
“Pardon?”
“At the risk of repeating myself, let me say this; there is no one who could stay hidden from someone with the prop
er resources and technology. With each passing day, facial recognition software improves and becomes more affordable. It all comes down to this; you don’t want anyone looking for you. They must believe you are dead.”
They drove in silence for another twenty miles or so, and then Houdini asked, “Are you awake?”
“Yeah.”
“Feeling better?”
“Some.”
“Okay then,” Houdini said. “Reach under your seat, and pull out the manila envelope.”
Rob did so and extracted a worn, brown leather wallet. He opened it. There, a New Jersey driver’s license with his face was staring back. In the slots were several cards: credit, debit, and gift. He opened the wallet and flipped through a thick wad of cash.
"Put that in your pants pocket," Houdini said. "Once you leave tomorrow, you are on your own. I suggest you head for your house in Dolores, Colorado but take it slow. I have provided you with a Garmin 66LMT portable GPS for your truck. In the device, I have programmed the entire trip, avoiding toll roads and cities. It will take longer, but that is not a problem. You have plenty of time. Stop and fish along the way. I believe the White River in Arkansas is fishing quite well, in spite of the cold weather. Large nymphs and streamers will work well. Hire a guide. Mark Seaver is very professional. He is located in West Norwich. I have programmed the location in your Garmin. I suggest you pay him in cash. All along the trip, use your hotel cards. Stay away from crowded areas. Most of all, cities. If you choose to take my advice, I believe you have an excellent chance of a total reboot. But of course, you can do whatever you choose. After tomorrow, you will never hear from me again.”
Rob let the words sink in then asked, “What do you think is in my future? Will I succeed?”
Houdini drove in silence for a moment and then said, "If you play your role convincingly - that of an emotionally damaged veteran returning from the Middle East - I believe you will succeed in vanishing. Be assured that my part, regarding your alleged death, will be performed flawlessly. Eventually, some unanswered questions may arise, but by then they will remain academic. You must settle into your community; dress like the locals, act like the locals, grow a beard, maybe pick up a part-time job pumping gas or driving a snowplow, avoid tourist gatherings, and stay out of trouble of any sort. With each passing day, your chances improve."