Part 9
"Amanda, are you sure it was Janovik that you saw with Billy? Lee's voice held a touch of desperation as if he was hoping against hope that there was some logical explanation of what was going on with the man he called both his boss and his friend.
"I'm pretty sure, but they were far away and I've only seen Janovik in those photos." She tried to be non-committal, wanting to offer Lee something to hold onto. "There are lots of grey haired men in DC—even the fellow that our Mr. Young is getting his envelopes from. "
"That's right... The guy in the store looked vaguely familiar from the back—he could have been Janovik, but I'm not sure."
"I didn't get a good look at the fellow in the store either—I only saw him through the window but I suppose they could be the same person."
"All right," Lee nodded and the total despair that had filled his eyes, seemed to lighten. "Let's look at this logically. All along I've had a funny feeling about this whole business—something just doesn't seem right.... Amanda, head back to my apartment. I need to take another pain pill and we can grab something to eat while we try to figure this whole thing out."
"Okay but first we need to call the auto club. Someone shot my tire, remember?" Amanda grabbed her purse and headed for a payphone, leaving Lee to study this newest evidence against Billy. As she put a coin in the slot she tried to look on the bright side. She needed new tires anyway. At least now she only had to buy three. Lee could find a way to put this one through on his expense account.
*****
Back at Lee's apartment, they sat on the sofa, eating pizza and studying the photos and pages of debts. Lee had a magnifying glass and was examining the pictures carefully. "If these are fakes, I can't tell. All the shadows match, the bricks in the background...everything looks perfect. If I had to make a guess, I'd say these photos really show Billy handing something off to Janovik."
"Could it be a double? Someone who looks like Billy?"
"Maybe but that's really grasping at straws. Some people do have doubles but it doesn't happen that often. Plastic surgery is a possibility but it's a long drawn out process and expensive. The Russians would have to be after something really big to go to all that effort and expense."
"Is there anything that big out there that they'd want?"
"Oh, there are always big secrets but it would have to be one that Billy has access to, and off the top of my head, I can't think of any current projects that would fit the bill."
"Okay. So let's assume that really is Mr. Melrose in the pictures. How do we know he's giving the package away? Maybe he's receiving it."
Lee thought for a moment and smiled. "That's good Amanda, real good. These photos could be interpreted either way. So let's run with that idea. Janovik is a collector of information not a distributor..."
"But maybe he wants to defect and he's proving his loyalty by supplying Billy with information!"
"Yes, that would work. But then..." Lee picked up the list of gambling debts. "How do these fit into that picture?"
Amanda contemplated the pages glumly. The little bubble of hope that had been building inside of her was starting to deflate. "Are they real?"
"I don't know. I'd have to get into the Agency computer, then tap into the credit companies records. That would tell us about the credit card debts but the gambling debts...Well, these people don't keep records that are easily accessible to Federal agents—we tend to be on opposite teams."
"So how do we find out if Billy really does have a gambling problem? Does anyone in your 'family' have access to these people or maybe you could ask one of your snitches?"
"Possibly but I'd rather not get more rumours out on the street about Billy, if I don't have to. If I start asking questions, then everyone's going to prick their ears. If Billy is innocent, I don't want his name smeared on the streets. If he's guilty...well, that will happen soon enough. I think what we need to do is tail him."
"Tail Mr. Melrose!"
"Yeah and it won't be easy. Billy was—IS—a good agent. And if he's up to something he'll be even more aware of his surroundings than usual. First step will be to get a different vehicle. He knows yours. We'll get a rental, and then see where he goes. It's four o'clock. Assuming he went back to work after today's little incident, we can follow and see where he goes after work. If Billy does have a gambling problem, he'll likely stop off somewhere on his way home or go out again after supper."
*****
They sat outside Billy Melrose's house, in the fancy car Lee had rented. He'd justified his choice by saying that the 'vette was going to be in for repairs for an extended period of time and he needed something to drive anyway. Amanda took in the plush bucket leather seats, the car phone and the stereo then rolled her eyes. 'Boys and their toys' she thought to herself. She would have chosen a sedan or a wagon with vinyl seats that could withstand sticky little boys. Chuckling at the variance in their lifestyles, she settled back waiting for something to happen.
Mr. Melrose had left work, gone to the grocery store, stopped at the dry cleaners and then driven home. That was three hours ago. Except for lights being switched on and off in the house as he moved about, there was nothing happening. Occasionally a car would drive by, illuminating the interior of the car. At those times, Lee and Amanda would lean closer together, assuming the roles of lovers having a tryst on the side of the road. In between time, they discussed the case, trying to put the events into some logical order that would lead to Billy's innocence.
"So, Harry tells you that there are rumours Mr. Melrose is a traitor. He sends you to investigate because, like you, he doesn't believe the charges and wants to clear Billy's name." Amanda summarized what had happened in the past twenty four hours.
"Right—well, almost. Harry had already put out some feelers and found this mystery informant who knew the rumours were wrong and could supposedly prove it."
"So Harry sent you to find this guy and bring back evidence that would save Billy from being charged with treason. Except instead of disproving the charges, the evidence seems to be proving it."
"Which is what doesn't make sense. Harry's sources are usually solid." Lee thumped his fist against the dash, then winced and rubbed his hand as the finger he'd dislocated during the first fight, protested his actions.
"Unless the informant is doing a double cross."
"That could be it. Someone who wants his job or maybe an agent with a grudge—possibly Billy fired someone or landed somebody in jail and they're carrying a grudge."
"All right—so we have a mystery informant who has mislead Harry. The informant—someone with a grudge—is actually trying to make Mr. Melrose look bad by taking photos that can be misinterpreted—we thought he was giving away information but Mr. Melrose could be receiving it. Then the informant creates false incriminating evidence like gambling debts, trying to create a motive. That's pretty solid reasoning, I think." Amanda was pleased that they'd made some sense out of what was happening.
Lee shifted in his seat, leaning against the door and stretching out his knee. "But, we still have the guys who were after me at the first meet and the fact that I've been shot at twice today."
Amanda sighed. Lee was right. They still had to figure out who was trying to keep them from getting the information. "So, who would be trying to stop us from getting evidence against Mr. Melrose?"
"Well, Billy of course—he wouldn't want that kind of information being spread around. But he would have approached us directly if it was false."
"Maybe he didn't think we'd believe him."
"After all the times he's gone to bat for me, Billy should know I'd stand by him."
"I agree but who else is there?"
Lee was silent. Amanda wracked her brain trying to think of another person who would benefit from them not getting those pictures and the list of gambling debts. A very unpleasant thought kept coming to mind. She hesitated to even voice the idea. "Lee...what if Mr. Melrose really is guilty? I know—"She held up her hand to keep him from interrupting. "I don't like the idea either but just suppose for the sake of argument he is; the Russians wouldn't want us getting wind of this. It would cut off their source of information."
"Yeah—I was having the same nasty thoughts myself." They lapsed into silence again, pondering the unpalatable possibility.
Finally, around nine o'clock, the lights went out in the house. At first Amanda thought their boss had gone to bed early but then she observed someone in the driveway, heading towards the car. "Lee!" She nudged her dosing partner. He really should be home resting she thought in passing. "Lee—wake up. Mr. Melrose is going somewhere."
Lee grunted and groaned, levering himself up in the seat. They watched the car pull out of the driveway, then followed it at a discreet distance. They drove through town at a moderate pace, stopping for lights, turning here and there before finally coming to a stop outside what appeared to be a nightclub.
"Oh, this is just great." Lee muttered.
"Why? What is this place?"
"On the surface it's a night club but the back room—which is only open to a very select clientele—is an illegal gambling joint. Even if we were dressed the part, there's no way I could get us in there." Lee scowled at the building. "All we can do is wait until he leaves and then see what happens."
Amanda shifted uncomfortably not enjoying the prospect of sitting in the car for several more hours. She was sure her rear end was already asleep. Leaning her head against the window, she tried to amuse herself by thinking of a logical explanation that she could use with her mother this time. A club meeting? A sick friend? An old college friend unexpectedly in town...They'd all been used so many times.
Suddenly Lee grabbed her arm. "Amanda he's leaving—or being escorted out, to be precise." Sure enough, two rather large men all but pushed Mr. Melrose down the steps and onto the sidewalk. He shouted something at them; they laughed and went back inside.
"If I interpret this correctly, Billy is no longer a welcome member of the gambling club. He's probably over extended his line of credit and needs to come up with some cash." Lee leaned forward, eyes narrowed, giving a play by play of the unfolding action. "Now he's straightening his suit and looking around to see if anyone is watching. He's heading to the payphone and placing a call...talking...checking his watch...nodding...He's hanging up and heading for his car. Okay let's follow him and see what happens next."
They followed him to the Agency and watched as he entered the building, then exited ten minutes later carrying a large envelope. He got back in his car and drove off. Keeping a discreet distance they followed him, each silent as they mentally speculated what was going on. The silence in the vehicle was broken by the ringing of the car phone.
Impatiently Lee grabbed the phone, "Stetson! Oh, hi Zoe...you did? Good. Who owns the prints? ... What? Are you sure?... Yeah...Okay...Thanks." He hung up the phone. "Amanda you aren't going to believe this. Those unknown prints? They are in the computer files but in a classified section that doesn't come up with a regular search. Zoe was sure she knew them so she went digging and came up with a name: Harry Thorton!"
