For the People Chapter 81
Sweeping his fingertip briskly over his encrypted tablet, Hunt has little trouble tracking Roord's entry into the U.S. His touchdown at Teterboro and choice of midlevel Manhattan hotel were to be expected. Continuing surveillance from that point is a bit more complicated. He appears to be using cash for every transaction, including paying for the cab the hotel's security camera caught him entering. That eliminates using card charges to keep tabs on him.
Hunt does, however, use the cab's ID to retrieve Roord's destination – a used car dealer known for not asking too many questions. Fortunately, eyes in the sky caught the departure of an aging Ford Taurus from the lot at the approximate time Roord would have completed his purchase. Hunt continues to use imaging to follow the car's route. The Hamptons? Why would Roord be going to the Hamptons – unless part or all of Richard's family is going there too? It would seem unlikely in the middle of a workweek, with Kate and possibly her father in court, but Hunt checks the cashless tolling records anyway. Sonofabitch! Richard's SUV headed for his oceanside Hamptons home. A further check yields passage by James Beckett's car as well. Traffic cams show Kate sitting beside Richard, but Hunt can't tell who else is in the Castle vehicle. That the baby is in the back seat is a good guess. And since the occasion seems to be a family exodus from the city, Alexis, may also be on board. He doubts Martha will be, as she's appearing in a play. In any case, Hunt needs to make it out to the Hamptons ASAP. One of the Company's vehicles whose nondescript appearance belies modifications to the engine and accessories will get him there without drawing any notice. And one of the cabins in the woods used by the less-than-millionaire crowd will give him a base of operations.
While some of his colleagues are content to sit behind a computer or thumb their phones to set off their handiwork, Roord has always been a fan of more creative solutions. His skill in constructing low-tech devices will come in handy for his latest assignment. Since his instructions specify that the deaths must appear completely accidental, he can't afford for a single chip or wire to be found that might suggest a deliberate detonation. That poses the problem of how to get the amount of ammonium nitrate he needs to destroy the watercraft and all aboard, in contact with the fuel in a metal tank.
Roord has used many low-tech triggers such as candles or cigarettes before. But if investigators find even a trace of something like that, it will destroy the illusion of accidental demises. He needs to work with flammable materials that will serve to both provide a delay and be reduced to unidentifiable ash in the conflagration the explosion produces. The ammonium nitrate should be like sands through an hourglass, triggering death when they run out. Yes, an hourglass, but without the glass. He's known how to fold stable cones of paper since he was a child and used them to steal drinks from his classmates. He can build a device out of paper to contain the chemical and use that same paper as a timer to flip the whole load into the tank when enough of his improvised sand runs out. His whole construction will be consumed. If traces of the ammonium nitrate are found, it will be of no consequence. The substance is ubiquitous in the area. Anyone could track it onto a boat at any time. Investigators will have no evidence to prove that the deaths were anything other than a terrible tragedy. They will, however, be no tragedy for Roord's employer or for his Swiss bank account.
"The coals are a perfect temperature," Rick announces, "and I'm taking requests. Burgers or hotdogs?"
"Og," Lily echoes.
Rick shakes his head. "Sorry, little one. Your pediatrician would have my head. Besides, you would need at least a couple of teeth first. Anyone else?"
"A burger will be fine until I have some fish to grill," Jim Beckett volunteers. "For when did you schedule our charter?"
"We have the boat from dawn until dusk tomorrow. But the captain wanted to pick up a booking for later today. Some guy wants to do some afternoon fishing. I didn't know when we'd all be here, so I told the captain to go ahead. So sorry, no fresh fish until tomorrow – unless you want to go to the Sand Dollar. They buy it off the dock every morning and cook it to order. On a good day, the Atlantic cod can be exceptional."
"I'd rather judge a good day for myself," Jim decides. "With luck, I can haul in a decent catch tomorrow before lunchtime. At worst, I'll aim for dinner."
"Sounds good," Rick acknowledges. "But back to the question at hand. Is everyone except our precocious frankfurter fan all right with burgers?" Murmurs of ascent rumble through the room. "Then let the culinary ceremonies commence!"
Roord regards his handiwork with satisfaction. He's constructed his trigger mechanism and obtained sufficient ammonium nitrate. The latter part of his task couldn't have been simpler. The groundskeeper at the Barratt estate didn't even lock up his supplies while he was on a tractor mowing wide but useless expanses of grass. Roord appropriated less than 25% of the estate's fertilizer supply. He doubts that it will be missed anytime soon. He grabbed what looked like spare tools as well, but doesn't expect to need them. So far, his favorite knife has been all he required to build his device. But it's best to be prepared.
In a little while, he'll be going out on the boat. Posing as an enthusiastic but ignorant visitor to the Long Island coast, he'll be asking a lot of questions and getting a close-up look at the configuration of the engine and fuel tank. That will give him a chance to make any necessary tweaks to his little bomb prior to sneaking it on board before the crew returns in the early morning. He can steal a look at the roster for the next morning's outing as well. That way he'll be sure he'll complete his assignment, without having to plan a second accident. The last thing he needs is a coincidence that could raise suspicions about the nature of the unfortunate deaths.
Hunt's temporary quarters don't hold much to explore, but he carefully surveys the small cabin, nonetheless. He always notes all possible methods of entrance and egress. In this case, that includes two windows. He memorizes the number of steps between them and other parts of the small space. Out of decades of habit, he also sets boobytraps for anyone who tries to enter uninvited. Aerial video captioned Roord saying something about seeing him in a few hours to the captain of the boat Richard reserved for the next day. If Roord is planning to stage some form of accident, the boat would be a likely place. So Hunt will keep an eye on it. But he'll catch a full sleep cycle first. He knows from unfortunate experience, that the last thing he needs is for fatigue to compromise his perception. On a mission when it last did, he almost didn't survive. But now it's even more crucial that he remains sharp. Long ago, he volunteered to put his ass on the line. But Richard and Kate are another story. They have his grandbaby to raise.
