Chapter Thirty-One
Once Charlie had his laptop booted up he immediately began an internet search for the tools he required to accomplish his goal. It only took a few minutes to find the software he needed to download to change his IP address at will and re-route his internet activities through an overseas proxy server. The next bit of software was going to be trickier. He needed to download a program called 'Evidence Eliminator' but that required a payment and he didn't want the activity to show up on his credit card.
The software is proven to defeat the exact same forensic software used by the US Secret Service, FBI, Customs Department and Los Angeles Police Department. Charlie knew that this software worked because it had confounded him once when he was working with Don on a case where they wanted him to extract evidence from a suspect's hard drive after he had reformatted it.
The software created in the UK is far more through than a traditional data scrubber which leaves behind magnetic shadows that could be pieced together with either a predictive algorithm or using routine forensic analysis equipment such as EnCase or F.R.E.D. Unfortunately this particular suspect had invested in the 'Evidence Eliminator' software and Charlie was unable to recover anything from the computer's hard drive.
Charlie sat back in his chair and thought about this dilemma. He was going to be doing some serious and decidedly illegal hacking. He had no intention of leaving an evidence trail that would lead back to him but he needed the software in order to accomplish this. The only way to get the software was to pay for it on-line which required either a credit card or wire transfer both of which were traceable.
The smell of French toast made Charlie's stomach grumble bringing him out of his reverie. He tried to remember the last time he'd eaten a full meal and realized that it had been too long. For that matter it had been too long since he had slept for more than a couple of hours. Alan was placing plates of food on the small dinette table for himself Charlie and the agent who was sitting quietly near the window.
Alan looked up and was pleased to see Charlie looking hungrily at the food before turning to address the agent in the apartment.
"Agent Hodges? I have made French toast for you as well, so you might as well come and sit down at the table."
The man looked up at Alan and a slow smile spread across his face. Agent Reeves had told him that Alan had a tendency to cook when he was feeling stressed and that he should take advantage of some excellent meals while he was on duty.
"Thank you, Mr. Eppes that smells wonderful."
The three men ate in silence for a few minutes each lost in their own thoughts when the silence was broken by Agent Hodges' cell phone.
"Hodges!"
After a moment's pause he closed the phone and stood up from the table and headed over to the TV that was sitting against the wall of the living room area facing the dinette. He moved one of the white boards out of the way so that the Eppes men had a clear view of the television and he switched it on. The mid morning KNBC news report was airing on channel 4 and Ana Garcia the young idealistic investigative journalist turned anchor woman was reading the top headlines.
"Once again the FBI killer has claimed yet another victim. Special Agent Don Eppes who was abducted late Thursday afternoon by the FBI killer and rescued before he could be murdered, died early this morning from his injuries. When Agent Eppes was found his assailant was arrested and taken into custody. Assistant Director Walter Merrick stated that the city of Los Angeles has lost four extremely courageous men, but assures the people of LA that it is now over."
Both Alan and Charlie paled at the news broadcast even though they knew that it was false. Hearing of Don's death this way gave it a surreal feeling that sent a chill down both of their spines.
"Turn it off." Alan said quietly.
He had lost his appetite and stood up from the table with his half eaten plate of food. Charlie also felt smacked by the news broadcast. He had an overpowering need to call Megan and verify that the broadcast was actually a rouse and that his brother had not taken a turn for the worst after they left the hospital.
Agent Hodges seemed to sense this and said, "Agent Reeves thought that you would want to know that they will be moving your brother to Huntington Memorial later tonight. She wants to wait until after dark when there is less traffic in and out of the main section of the hospital. He will be admitted at Huntington under an assumed name."
What Agent Hodges didn't mention was the fact that the wait was more because Don's doctor did not feel that it was safe to move him yet. His fever had spiked up again after Alan and Charlie had left but only reached 101 rather than the dangerously high temperatures of the previous night.
Charlie felt completely drained. He had eaten most of his breakfast before the news cast but like his father had lost all interest in food afterward. He sat down on the couch for a few minutes ostensibly to try and figure out his computer program dilemma but before he realized what was happening he drifted off into a rather deep sleep. Alan seeing his son sitting slumped over in what looked like a terribly uncomfortable position went into one of the bedrooms and brought out a pillow and blanket. With the help of Agent Hodges they got his feet up and a pillow under his head. Alan draped the blanket carefully over Charlie then joined Agent Hodges at the table in the dinette.
"He hasn't had much sleep over the last several days and he stayed up all night long with his brother last night. It was bound to catch up with him sooner or later."
"I completely understand Mr. Eppes. I can't even imagine how difficult this whole thing has been for your family."
"Difficult would be an understatement, that's for sure. How well do you know Don?"
"Fairly well, sir; I have worked with him ever since he transferred here from Albuquerque, although we don't socialize outside of the office. He has a tendency to work late hours and I have to get home to my wife and kids so I'm usually out of the office much earlier than he is."
Alan raised his eyebrows at that.
"So having a family gets a man out of the office at a reasonable hour does it? Hmmm. There is one more reason to want grandchildren." Alan added wistfully.
Agent Hodges smiled at that. Don was his supervisor and they weren't close the way some of the other agents were to him, but he knew from office banter that both he and his brother were single much to their father's dismay. Somehow Agent Hodges couldn't picture his tough as nails boss standing at the changing table with a baby and that thought made him chuckle.
At Alan's quizzical look he just shook his head and said, "Oh I was just trying to picture my boss dealing with a poopy diaper."
Alan laughed at that because it is a sight he would dearly love to see himself.
"So how many kids do you have?"
"Two girls and a boy. Adam is four months old now and just a big as they come. He weighs nearly nineteen pounds already!"
"My goodness he is a big boy isn't he?"
Alan and Agent Hodges exchanged baby stories for a while as Charlie slept on oblivious to the world.
Megan met David and Colby outside of the Roman exactly thirty minutes from the time Colby had phoned her. Colby shook his head and mumbled under his breath.
"How does she do that?"
"Do what?"
"She said that she would meet us here in thirty minutes and it has been exactly thirty minutes, not twenty-seven, not thirty-five. Has she ever been late or even early for that matter?"
David just laughed at Colby. The oddest things would get him fired up. Now that David thought about it, he could never remember Megan ever being late for work. If she said that she would be somewhere at a given time, she was. He didn't know if he could time it down to the exact minute like Colby seems to but then again, it could be that she was that precise with her time.
They all got out and headed toward the front entrance to the apartment building. David and Colby noted the security monitors and could see that this was a gated community. That was good for them because they would have access to video surveillance as to when Shelly Arbury came and went.
Megan approached the office and the security guard sitting by the window. She showed him her badge and asked him about Rebecca Cantor's apartment.
"Miss Cantor had a visitor today. She had a key so after she signed in, I didn't stop her from going up to the apartment."
The guard showed them the register book and pointed to the name Shirley Poulton. Megan asked him to show them the apartment and he went into the back of the office to retrieve a key. Once they got up to the door and the guard unlocked it the agents had the guard step to the side and they drew their weapons.
They entered cautiously checking the corners. The room was empty with only a bathroom off to the side which David checked.
"All Clear, but someone had a shower very recently. There is still steam on the mirror in here."
Megan pulled out her phone and called in a forensics team to recover prints and DNA while Colby inspected the dresser and David went through the bed side table and kitchenette cupboards.
"Do the residents themselves have to sign in and out?" Megan asked the guard.
"No; only their guests."
Colby stepped over to the kitchen area and began looking through the drawers. "We are going to need to see the last month's worth of surveillance videos."
The guard took the hint and left the apartment quickly. Megan looked over the bed and found nothing of interest. "OK so let's assume for the moment that Rebecca Cantor has come to LA and is using the alias Shirley Poulton. We are going to need to get that information out to the airlines, train stations and the jail. She may try to visit her cousin."
Colby turned to Megan. "We should also check to see if she decides to pay a visit to Marco Benadero."
"Ok Colby you handle that angle and David get her alias out to the transportation and corrections facility. It shouldn't take long to confirm that the person who took a shower here was Rebecca Cantor using the Poulton alias."
Larry sat in his office with the lights off and the door closed thinking about Charlie and Alan. He had not seen the news broadcast but several of the other faculty had. The dean approached him at ten o'clock and asked how Charlie was doing and to assure him that if Professor Eppes needed to take some time off after the death of his brother that the school would make sure that his classes were covered until he was ready to come back.
The news that Don had died hit Larry like a freight train and he had immediately called Megan for confirmation of this dreadful news. Megan knew that this call was coming and was prepared for it, or at least she thought she was. By the time she hung up the phone with Larry she needed to step into one of the unoccupied conference rooms and collect herself.
She never imagined that she would have to lie to Larry and in the process hurt him so deeply. For the cover story of Don's death to be effective the people closest to him had to believe that he had actually died. Her personal attachment to the physicist made that call even harder but the safety of her people far outweighed any personal repercussions that she would need to face when this was over.
Larry's next question was naturally about Charlie and Alan. Megan explained that they were both under protective custody because it was believed that Shelly Arbury had managed to contract an assassin to kill Charlie. Larry desperately wanted to see his friend but he understood that it would be too dangerous for Charlie to try and arrange it.
Amita had actually seen the broadcast and spent some time just sitting in her apartment in a state of shock. She knew that Don had been kidnapped and that Charlie had saved him from this killer. The fact that Don had died despite everything that Charlie had done would devastate him. She called Megan as well and got the same response that Larry had.
Megan handled that call better than Larry's but only just because Amita began to cry over the phone. Megan was abhorrent to have to put these people through this and thought that these were the times that she found herself really hating her job. She had to forcefully remind herself that these steps were necessary to keep both Don and Charlie alive.
As Amita approached Larry's office she knew that he was inside even with the door closed. She knocked lightly before opening the door and stepping inside. The late morning sun was shining in through the window lighting up Larry's face as he gazed out into the campus grounds. He had faint streaks on his cheeks and seemed completely lost in thought for he didn't acknowledge her presence.
"Larry?"
Amita's voice was quiet and halting as if she were trying very hard to hold back a flood that threatened to engulf her in a sea of emotion. Larry slowly turned away from the window and focused on the woman standing there in front of him. His bottom lip began to quiver and in an instant Amita had dropped her purse and was kneeling in front of him. They embraced each other and their mutual grief broke free as they wept openly in each other's arms.
Charlie woke with a start and nearly fell off the couch. Agent Hodges got up quickly and came over to him.
"Easy now, professor."
"Wh… what time is it?"
"It's just past one o'clock. You have been asleep for a couple of hours and from what your father told me you could use a couple more."
Charlie sat up and scrubbed at his face. His body wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep but he felt like there was something that he was supposed to be doing. His mind seemed so foggy at the moment and he looked around trying to orient himself. He didn't recognize the room he was in at first. The furniture was foreign and the nothing seemed to be in the right place.
"Where's dad?"
"Your father is in the bedroom on the right resting which is something that you should also be doing."
Charlie started to wake up a little and realized that he was at the safe house. He suddenly remembered what he was thinking about when he first sat down on the couch.
"Um… I can't sleep right now. I actually have to get some work done. Megan indicated that I could use the phone."
"The line is on a scrambler but you have to be careful who you call. Keep the conversations short and you can't tell anyone where you are. Um… also…"
Charlie remembered the news broadcast and knew what it was that the agent needed to say but was hesitant to.
"I know as far as anyone is concerned my brother is dead, right? I have to act like it so that no one knows the truth."
Agent Hodges nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, but this is for his protection. If there is a contract out on you two they won't go looking for him if everyone believes he is already dead."
Charlie needed to call Larry but this is an aspect of that call that he hadn't anticipated. He had to act like Don was dead and pull it off.
'I promise you that I will be strong enough for all of us.'
He took a deep breath and got up from the couch. Before he went to the phone he decided that a cup of coffee was definitely in order so he went to the kitchen to make a pot. While it was brewing he decided to take that shower that he had wanted this morning. The warm water eased the last of the weariness from his muscles and he spent some time contemplating what he was going to say to Larry.
After his shower he stood in the bathroom and toweled off his hair still thinking. The call had to be short and he needed to get Larry to take care of the software purchase for him. Larry could download it to a computer in the student union then e-mail the program as an attachment to his laptop. It should be untraceable or nearly untraceable once he set up an offshore proxy server.
He felt badly asking Larry to do this for him but it wasn't like Larry would be doing anything illegal. Charlie snorted out a harsh laugh; no the illegal stuff was all on his shoulders.
'I promise you that I will be strong enough for all of us.'
Charlie got dressed in clean clothes. His father was still sleeping in the second room which was good. He didn't want to deal with explanations as to his sudden flurry of activity on the computer. Once he hacked into the DOJ computers and gotten all of the files that their forensic accountants had on Saborgia he hoped he could move the bulk of the work over to the white boards.
He left the bedroom quietly and went back out to the kitchen to pour himself a fresh cup of coffee before going to the computer to set up the proxy server. He then went out to the net to the site where the software purchase needed to be made and copied a link of that address into an e-mail that he sent to Larry. Once that was done he picked up the phone and after promising Agent Hodges again that he would follow the rules, he took the phone and his coffee and went back into the bedroom for some privacy.
Charlie sat down on the bed and composed his thoughts before dialing Larry's office number. He assumed that he would be at Cal Sci getting his courses ready for the upcoming semester. The phone rang three times before his friend and mentor picked it up and said hello. Larry's voice sounded husky and weary which sent a feeling of guilt right through Charlie's heart.
"Larry?" he said in a quiet voice.
"Charles! Oh my God, how are you? I'm so sorry about Don. Are you all right?"
Larry had started stammering and his voice cracked when he had mentioned Don. It sounded as if he had been crying and Charlie felt even worse.
"Larry, I…
…I can't talk about him right now."
"Of course, I'm sorry, I'm just so worried about you; so is Amita."
At the mention of Amita Charlie's heart began to race. He didn't want her involved in this in any way.
"Is she there?"
"She is here but not in the office at the moment. Do you want me to go and get her?"
"No, no Larry, please listen to me. I don't have much time, I have to keep this call short."
Larry stopped talking for a moment as the implications of what his young friend said sank in.
"Larry, I…
…I need a favor."
"Of course, anything."
"No, you don't understand, this isn't just a little favor. Larry I have sent you an e-mail with a website address in it. I need you to go to that website and purchase the software they are selling then e-mail the program to my laptop. Larry, don't tell anyone about this, not even Amita, and use one of the computers in the student union."
"Charles, what's this about? What are you planning?"
Larry's tone was a mixture of confusion, concern and a hint of suspicion. Charlie hung his head but he had no choice.
"I…
…Larry, I can't tell you anything more and please I'm begging you don't ask me. I don't want to get you involved in this but I don't know what else to do."
Charlie sighed deeply and continued in a strained voice.
"I'm…
…this is something that I have to do, Larry. For Don…
…and for me."
The slight sob that escaped him came from nowhere. Charlie was caught by surprise at the sudden surge of emotion that choked his throat. Larry was the best friend he ever had and he was asking him to help him break the law.
'No he doesn't know anything and that is how it will remain. If I get caught then I alone will face the consequences.'
That choked sob was interpreted by Larry completely differently, which actually served Charlie's purpose well.
"All right Charlie, I'll do it and I won't ask any questions. Please be safe, I… I don't think I could loose you too."
Now it was Larry's turn to hold back the emotion that threatened to escape his control. Charlie felt even more guilty but at the same time completely resolved to go through with his plan.
"Thank you Larry. I…
…thank you."
Charlie had to end the call before it went too long or before he let something slip that he didn't want to.
"I have to go now. Tell Amita…"
Charlie was almost going to say that he loved her and after a moment he realized that if his plan failed and he was either caught and set to prison for hacking government documents or worse killed by Sborgia then he would never get the chance to tell her how he really felt.
"Tell her that I love her, Larry."
"I will, Charlie."
He hung up the phone and lay down on the bed for a minute to let the feelings that had nearly swallowed him pass. He had to remove all emotion and concentrate on his plan. If this had any hope of working he had to focus. He knew that if there was a contract out on their lives they would never be free of it. The government had never been able to pin anything solid on the mob family but they had never had the same kind of motivation and they didn't have Charlie.
