"Okay, what do we see when we look around here?" Morgan asked as he and JJ stood in the parking lot where the Baltimore Police had located the stolen van.
"Lots of cars parked in long term parking," JJ said thoughtfully as she surveyed the area. "That means most of these people are off on their boats for more than a just day or two."
"Whoever left the van here probably thought it would sit for quite some time before anyone noticed it," Morgan observed. "Fortunately for us the police checked the license plates."
"The Harbor Master's office is over there," JJ pointed towards the marina. "Let's see what they can tell us."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Most of our slips are under contract to long-term customers," the woman behind the counter in the Harbor Master's office told the agents as she carefully examined their credentials. "And many of them have been docking their vessels with us for years. However, we do have several slips available for transient guests."
"It is one of those that we would be interested in," JJ immediately told her. "If I give you a date can you give me the names of whoever was in dock that evening?"
"What is the date?" the woman moved to stand in front of her computer terminal.
"Two nights ago," JJ replied.
"Let me check," the woman pushed several keys on the keyboard. "Okay, two nights ago we had rentals in all our transient rental slips."
"May I see?" JJ asked politely, gesturing at the screen.
"Don't see why not," the woman replied as she swiveled the screen so JJ could read it. "You do have all the fancy credentials."
"Thank you," JJ replied as she first glanced at the screen and then held up her cell phone to take a picture. "This will be a big help." She began pushing the necessary buttons to send the picture to Garcia.
"I have to ask," the woman began. "We didn't have a terrorist or anything like that in here – Did we? No one who has come through here looked suspicious or anything or I would have called the police."
"Oh, No – Nothing like that," JJ smiled as she assured her.
"We track all kinds of people, Ma'am," Morgan added from where he was standing on the other side of the room, looking out the window at the docked boats. "And, this group just happens to have crossed our radar."
"Thank you for your help," JJ concluded the interview. "And, can you call us if any of those people come back?" She put her business card on the counter.
"Of course," the woman secured the card in her desk drawer.
"Is it okay if we walk down between the boats and talk with some of their owners?" Morgan asked. "Maybe one of them saw something."
"Not a problem," was the quick assurance. "Let me open the door in the back of our building here. You can go straight down from there without having to go through the security gates."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"What did you see out the window?" JJ asked as she and Morgan walked down to the docks.
"Security cameras, lots of them," Morgan replied as he took out his cell phone pushed a speed dial number. "Also, lots people working on their boats as well as lounging on their decks."
"Well, that makes sense," JJ replied. "Some of these vessels are extremely pricy. And, from what I have heard, they need constant maintenance."
"Hey, Baby Girl," Morgan called out into his phone. "I have some checking I need you to do."
"First, did you get the list I sent you?" JJ spoke up. "I need you to check the names of the people in the transient slips."
"Already doing a watery search," Garcia replied. "And, let me tell you, it's not easy. Some of these boats are registered miles away from where they are docked."
"We know if anyone can do it, it's you," Morgan told her. "We have faith in you. Now, I also need you to see if you can access the security cameras in the marina and the adjacent parking lot. Maybe we can find something there."
"Let me see what I can do and get back to you," Garcia replied. "If Hotch was there, I will find him." She clicked off.
"Now, we do some good old fashioned walking and talking," JJ said as she led the way towards the first occupied boat they could see.
"Good Morning," she thrilled to the old man wearing a beat-up pair of jeans and deck shoes who was standing on the boat's deck coiling up a rope. "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"
"We are wondering whether you were aboard two nights ago," Morgan added, holding up his credentials. "And whether you may have seen anything."
"Permission granted," was the ready reply. "Although I don't know if I can help you. I go to bed pretty early these days."
"Careful, there," he told JJ as he reached over to grab her arm to steady her as she climbed onto the deck. "It can be a bit tricky if you aren't used to it."
"Thanks, Captain," JJ responded with a smile.
"I'm Agent Jereau and this is Agent Morgan," she added, as she showed the man her credentials.
"Captain John Smith," the man introduced himself with a grin. "And, yes, that is my real name. And, yes, it does make life interesting."
"Now, two nights ago?" he looked over at Morgan who had scrambled onboard unaided.
"Yes, Sir," Morgan replied. "We believe that a small group of men may have walked past your boat on their way to one of the transient rental slips. We are interested in whether you saw them."
"It would have been around 10:00 to 10:30," JJ guessed. "And they probably would have been fairly quiet – Almost unusually so."
"That group with the drunk guy!" the man exclaimed. "I knew there was something strange about them!"
"Why do you say that?" Morgan asked.
"Usually, when a group like that comes back they have been out drinking," was the ready explanation. "And they are laughing and singing and carrying on. That group, there was just one guy who appeared to be drunk and the others were propping him up and dragging him along with them. Everyone else was being very quiet. I was sitting inside in the salon having my good night drink when I saw them hurrying by on their way to the end of the dock."
"The guy who appeared to be drunk," JJ was almost afraid to ask. "What did he look like?"
"I really couldn't see," the Captain apologized. "It was dark out and, as you can see, the window I was looking out of is lower than the dock. I can tell you that he was fairly tall and, now that I think of it, he was wearing a white shirt. That's strange!"
"Wearing a white shirt?" JJ asked curiously.
"On a boat – Yes," was the answer. "It wouldn't stay white for long."
"Well, thank you, Captain," Morgan told the man. "You have been a big help." He reached over to shake hands with the boat owner.
"And, if you ever see that group again, please let us know," JJ handed the man one of her business cards.
"Not a problem," was the assurance. "I do travel up and down the Atlantic Seaboard a lot, so I'll keep my eyes open. Now, if the two of you ever want to go out for a boat ride, just stop on by and I'll be glad to give you one."
"We'll keep that in mind," JJ replied with a big smile as she jumped back down onto the dock.
"Well, they were definitely here," JJ observed as she and Morgan walked back to their SUV. "Now we need to see if Garcia can identify them and their boat."