Chapter 9: And the winner is… Levine!
Lisbon pulled herself together and said: »Ok, we need to find out who this strange Mr. "D" is that called the mercenaries. It is maybe the only real track we have… We must get Jane out of that as soon as possible.«
»I hope we are fast enough.« Cho murmured. »Jane is no longer safe. I am sure that Levine already expects, that he´ll be in his reach soon. We can only hope that Wainwright gets him some more time, before the FBI Agents end their questioning, and transfer him to the Sac County Jail.«
»And no one of us wants to imagine what Levine planned for Jane.« Lisbon cut down the discussion with hard words. »But drop it now. We need to concentrate on our work.«
It was not much later when Grace announced: »The cellular that this "D" used to call is a prepaid and reloadable phone. It sends it´s number automatically, but there is no contract with any telephone company, so we get no name. I could only find out which company´s prepaid phone it is: Pacific Bell Tele-Communications; it was first activated about a month ago, and it was once reloaded since then with an amount of twenty dollars. I now try to find out where this cell-phone was sold; and then we have to ask in the shop. Maybe they remember who bought it.« She was not full of hope, and sighed deeply ere she carried on: »It seems as if it was sold somewhere in the surroundings of San Francisco, maybe in one of the malls of the suburbs. At least the charge with the specific phone numbers that start with "45" directly after the company code had been all delivered in this area. But this still are a good five-hundred. It was one full charge. Maybe not all of them are sold, but… if it was a big shop…«
Rigsby also was not very confident: »I know what you mean. It is very unlikely that we find someone who remembers a person that bought a cheap prepaid phone one month ago in a big shopping mall… I doubt it.«
Cho shook his head: »But maybe we´re lucky. At least we have a track. It is the first real track we have. I don´t doubt that we get something out about the two mercenaries; they must be registered somehow or somewhere. But even if we know soon, who they really are; they certainly left no track to their boss. The only thing we have is the telephone, and we have to be fast. As soon as the client knows that the mercenaries are dead, he´ll be cautious. Price and Hollyman run the photos of them with the traffic license registration.«
Van Pelt whispered again: »And I am still sure that I know the voice of that Mister "D" from somewhere. The memory is there, but I can´t get it.«
Agent Hollyman, the black man working for Price, came closer: »I heard you talking about us... yes, we are running the photos and fingerprints of the two men in all possible registration sites, but there is still nothing; only some really old driver´s license photos. Dozens of them, and a few people who´s old pictures would fit, are reported dead. We need a little bit more time, and as long as the computer does the search, I could help you, if you need another hand.«
»Yes. We could need everyone.« Lisbon said. »We´re trying to find out where and when exactly this phone was sold.« She gave him the number, and a print-out of the delivery list for the shops. »And may I ask you a favor, please remain with the official explanation, that the two men were killed in a hit and run car accident?«
»Of course. We stay with that hit and run for the press as long as possible. It is strange enough for us to understand that someone saved Agent Van Pelt´s life by knocking the aggressors down with his car.« He took the list of the phone numbers.
Finally it was Rigsby who found it: »I got it. They booked a bill on that telephone in the shopping mall of San Francisco International Airport. I´ll go there immediately.« He stood up and left for his car, without losing any more time.
:-:
It was a long waiting until Rigsby called them back. They all knew that he could not be in the San Francisco airport mall much earlier than after a one-hour drive, but it seemed even longer because they knew that the time was melting away.
To distract herself, Lisbon retreated in her bureau and looked through the photos she had from the crime scenes; also those three that Cho had made in his bedroom. She chose five from the Ramirez and Mallory crime scene and one of Cho´s pictures, and started to write an e-mail to the address she had got from Red John. It was not a long text, because there was not much to say. She still hesitated to send it, but finally she made her decision... She really put trust in Red John.
Still thinking about the strange direction that whole case had gone to, she was surprised by a phone call. It was Wayne; Van Pelt had him on her land line. Teresa went back to the bigger bureau and joined the talk; Grace had of course turned on the speaker.
Rigsby started: »I have… as you might expect, some bad news. They sold the phone, so much is clear, because they have the bill in their register. This fits the evidence that we found in the computer already; the phone was really first activated the same day it was sold. But they have no credit card or bank card receipt, the phone was paid cash, so we have no connection there. They only remember, that the buyer was an unfriendly, fat and balding man who almost ripped the back of his expensive suit he wore, when he tried to get a quarter dollar back, that fell down next to the cashier, because he was so massive. And the employee that is responsible for the phones told me that this man treated him as unfriendly as possible, therefore he kept an eye on him until he finally paid and left the shop. They had a little funny talk about him afterwards, I mean, some joke-chit-chat between colleagues about that nasty customer, but there is nothing more. I am sorry. I come back now.«
This second, Van Pelt startled: »I know it!« she cried out. »The voice! It was the voice of that attorney of Mister Levine, this Mister Vincent Delanor! Therefore the "D".« She looked at Lisbon. »You remember him too, do you? Fat, balding, and expensive suits, and manners like… a scumbag?«
Lisbon immediately ordered: »Check on every visiting term or call the attorney had with Mister Levine. Compare it with the murders or attacks.« she hurried outside.
They had it all in the computer, so it was fast, and it was almost overwhelming. Seeing it now, it was a big surprise, if not really embarrassing that they hadn´t realized it before. Vincent Delanor had visited or called Levine always three days before the attacks, and, what was even more obvious, immediately at the day after the attack. So for example on Friday morning he had been there personally; and he had a long call with Levine on Sunday morning. The visitor´s section of the prison also confirmed, that the attorney has announced his coming also today. But the guards and the director of the prison did not think that those visits or calls were strange. The prisoner had the right to be visited by his attorney whenever needed; otherwise it was against the law; and of course he had granted one call per day, even Sunday.
It was that very moment when Special Agent Wainwright came back. He stepped out of the elevator and sighed out loud, so that they all could hear him. »Sorry.« he said, when he was close enough. »I am back a lot earlier than I expected. I tried to hold them a little bit longer, but they only listened to the story once and then they had just some questions… They sent me back with the words that they might call if they need further informations. No one of the FBI seemed to believe that Levine is really behind this. They checked their files about him, but according to the FBI information Levine has been quiet and a "trustworthy" prisoner since he was sentenced. They only spent time with me until the attorney of Mr. and Mrs. Carter arrived. Now they are questioning Jane.«
It was a shock for all of them. They never expected the boss to be back before noon; all of them had hoped that they would have at least the half of the afternoon to complete the work. Lisbon informed Wainwright what they had found out, but the connection between the attorney Vincent Delanor and the phone call, as well as the connection between the visits and the time of the murder were very thin.
»I fear this is very doubtful and we have no chance to stand behind this before court. The description of the salesmen in the mall are very vague, and Agent Van Pelt remembers the voice of the man… yes, of course, I believe her, but if the opponent has good arguments, they might say that we´re only trying to talk Mr. Delanor into this. You must work on the two mercenaries who attacked Agent Van Pelt. They must be found somehow. We need a concrete-hard evidence if we want to get them all down.« Wainwright turned round to go upstairs to his bureau. »Maybe I can interrupt them with a call.« he said. »I´ll call them and try to speak to Jane for a while. Maybe this is a good idea…« He went out of sight.
Cho suggested: »I could try and talk to Mr. Delanor again.«
Lisbon shook her head: »No, Cho, do not bother him now. We must know if he visits Levine again today. But follow him, observe him, I mean. Two of his mercenaries are dead. If Levine wants, that we are all finished off, Delanor as the contact man must look out for new odd-job-men. Maybe the two were not the only ones from the beginning on; maybe there are others, which are still under cover.«
Cho nodded: »I will do so.«
Lisbon turned to Van Pelt: »Would you please call Rigsby again and tell him not to return to the CBI-HQ, but to a place where he can observe the main entrance of the Sac County Jail? I am sure the FBI won´t tell me or Wainwright when they transfer Jane into the prison, but I want to know. Rigsby must look out for him.«
Van Pelt nodded, but asked: »And you, boss?«
Teresa explained: »At first I will copy Wainwright´s proposal and try to get a phone call with Jane, so that they have to interrupt the questioning. If we can delay it so much that thes have no chance to bring him to the jail today, we might win a night. They surely have a holding cell in the local FBI building.«
The first attempt to call failed, the secretary informed her that they won´t interrupt the questioning, but told her that they would allow Jane to call her when the session was over and before he was brought to the detention cell in the Sac County Jail. They were some kind of obsessed with the possibility that Red John was still alive, and they did not let Jane off the hook so easy; at least it was him who claimed – maybe wrongly – that he shot that mass murderer.
For the first time that day Teresa really felt the fear rise inside her. It was deadly quiet in the bureau, because also Van Pelt had stopped phoning; Cho had left, and the others were still working hard on the identity of the two mercenaries. What would happen if Levine got him in his hands? What had this mad, crazy person planned for him? Would he be alone? Or had he companions? How many of the other prisoners would help Levine? She was so deep in thoughts, that she almost did not recognize the little noise her computer made, but in addition to that noise a little picture of an envelope started blinking, that attracted her attention.
A mail had arrived. It was the answer from Red John: »Thank you for the photos, they are really interesting. How is Agent Van Pelt, by the way?«
»Why do you ask?« she wrote back.
He replied almost immediately, that proved her that he was in also in close touch to the internet, maybe on his cell-phone, or on a computer. Never mind how, the answer came fast: »I promised that you´ll have a friend in me – and that I will help you. Agent Van Pelt is your colleague. Why should I let her die? Nevertheless it was also a pleasure to meet two of the men who abused my work in that easy way. They were not the only ones, but they were set on your team; to track each of you down, Van Pelt, and Cho, and Rigsby.«
She asked back, trying to stay calm: »You killed them by hit and run?« It was really hard to believe that a man that they were hunting for years really had changed sides for this time. It must mean a lot to him to punish the people who dared to abuse his signature.
Red John answered: »Only one of them. I needed the other man to answer me some questions, before he died. He confirmed me that he and his colleague were hired to look out for the members of your team, Teresa. There are other mercenaries for Agent Prices team and other ones that killed and tortured the two men who spoke before court. I am not interested in the group who did the torturing, because they have not messed up with me, but I will get the ones that killed Agents Mallory and Ramirez. They also insulted me. And I want their bosses, up to the top. They must have ordered them to make the crime scenes look like that. I do not accept that.«
Teresa read through those lines twice, and whilst she was typing her own reply, Red John sent another part of answer.
»If it interests you – and I think it will…« He wrote. »The two mercenaries I knocked out, also did the attack on you. I asked the one that was still alive; and his answer was very serious – he knew he had to die by that time. I could see in his eyes that he was talking the truth. They did not touch you. I am sure you understand what I mean.«
Lisbon was shocked; she felt easy and sick the same time, like being sucked down by an ice cold waterfall and swirling round in the water, not knowing where up and down was. She deleted her prepared answer and asked instead: »How do you know?«
»Don´t ask why, Teresa, just be happy.« he replied and added a small smiley face. This was some kind of the end of the discussion for now.
Lisbon knew that, but… for this time she really put her trust in Red John. It was like… a second attack of fear: »The FBI took Jane for questioning, he might be in prison soon.«
The answer was short: »Oh.« then there was nothing any more.
She was one hundred percent sure that he had stopped the connection now and it was this very moment when she realized that she had not told him the most important part of the new investigation results. She had totally forgotten to write him that they suspected Vincent Delanor to be the contact man for Levine. It was most unlikely that she would get an answer, but she wrote a last e-mail back to Red John´s address, telling him that missing link. As expected there was no answer anymore, she even was not sure that he got that mail.
:-:
A few hours later Cho had informed them that Vincent Delanor of course had visited his client Levine in prison; also Rigsby could confirm this. They were all sure, that Levine knew at least by now that Jane was accused in perjury and that he would be in detention soon. Van Pelt, Hollyman, Price and Lisbon had found out that the driver´s licenses and all the documents of the mercenaries had been false and that they had at least three different identities, all of them stolen from men who died years ago or were missing since a long time. That proved without doubt that those men were professionals, and had at least one friend who was able to get them new identities.
There was of course no connection to anyone else, and the cell phone was cleared of all other numbers and addresses except of the one: "D". They had to accept that they were not much further than in the morning.
It was Lisbon who finally decided: »Van Pelt, maybe it is really our only chance to visit Mr. Delanor again. Maybe he´s giving away some kind of reaction that we can take as a proof for our suspect…« She was interrupted by the ring-tone of a phone.
It was Jane. »Hi there.« he said; his voice sounding light and free, but if one knew him, one could be sure that he was only pretending to be in a good mood.
Lisbon turned on the speaker, so that also Grace could listen, then she asked: »How are you? Who was there to talk to you?«
»I am not allowed to tell you that.« he answered. »I am not alone in the room. This is only the call that they promised you. I could call you to tell you, that they are transferring me to the Sacramento County Jail now.«
Teresa gasped: »Today?«
»Yes, I´ll be there before closing hours. They have more questions for me, as soon as the attorney of the Carters had talked to the jury and the judge. So they keep me there.«
Van Pelt tried: »But can´t you ask for bail or an ankle surveillance device?«
»Not today.« Jane replied, apparently smiling. »Also that will need time. At the moment they do not really know if I am guilty or not, but that is enough to keep me in a safe place. Detention, so to say. But they urge me to stop now.«
Lisbon growled: »Let me talk to one of the Agents.«
»If you wish?« Jane handed over the telephone.
»Yes, hello?« One of the FBI-men answered.
Lisbon asked: »Would it be a problem for you if I come to the prison to have a short, person-to-person talk to Mr. Jane and the prison director?«
The FBI men replied: »No, this is no problem. But you must understand that the detention is out of the question.« He ended the call.
Lisbon exchanged a short look with Van Pelt, then she started off with her car.
:-:
She met Rigsby who was still in front of the Sac State Prison gate, and told him the whole story, then she sent him back to the CBI Headquarter. She also called Cho back to the HQ and told both men to stay there until she would come back from the talk with Jane. After that they could decide what to do.
When the two cars of the FBI arrived at the prison gate, they also only stopped outside and let Jane step out of the car in front of the gate. He was tied up with hand-cuffs and was guarded by the two FBI men who also had been at the CBI in the morning.
Lisbon did not wait anymore and joined them at the gate; much to the displeasure of the FBI-Agents, but Jane smiled at her widely. He was really happy to see her. She did not talk to him right now, but recognized at once that he looked exhausted, they surely had him in questioning all the day.
When they were through the gate and in the building, Jane had to leave all his personal belongings at the storage counter; also his own clothes. He was sent to a separate changing room where a blue prison uniform was waiting for him.
Lisbon collected all his belongings in a brown paper bag and planned to take them with her; that was ok for the FBI and the storage keeper, and also for Jane who returned at the corridor in his jail-outfit.
»While we are talking to the prison director, Jane and you can have your short talk.« the FBI man Percly said to her. »Then we change, you can talk to the director.«
»Yes.« she answered.
A few minutes later she and Jane were alone in the small waiting- or entrance room that you have to pass through to get to the main bureau of the prison director.
»Patrick, I will try that they give you a separate cell, maybe in the isolation block. That is not the nicest place to be, because you will be kept there as a high security prisoner, but it reduces the chances of Levine a lot. He cannot pass into the isolation block so easy. It may be hard for you not to have the possibility to leave your isolation cell for a while, but to keep you safe… you must accept it.«
Jane shook his head: »No, let me in the common detention block. I don't need to be in the cell next to Levine, but it is better if I am somewhere where he could try to attack me. If he does, we have a real evidence to investigate at him. The medical service is really good here, and it seems that we only get Levine hooked, if the bait is in the pond – if you understand what I mean.«
»But this is dangerous… you don´t know what he´ll do with you and when he will attack. Everyone of the prisoners could be his accomplice. Maybe Levine won´t do the dirty work himself, remain only watching, so that he´s safe if your torturer is caught.«
Patrick replied, shrugging his shoulders: »We´ll never know if we don´t try. But… if it makes you happy, try to put me in a separate cell. If I come to think about that now, that could be also good. Levine might go crazy if he can´t get hands on me as soon as I am in here. He will get impatient, and a man who is hotheaded makes faults.« He cleared his throat. »But something else… I promise you, that I keep an eye on myself. No so called "stupidities" this time. I don´t want you to be anxious. Try to relax a little bit. All that stress is not good for you… I am so sorry that I cause so much trouble right now.«
»Jane, please stop that talking, I am fine. But… ehm… because you mentioned that right now… there is something I need to tell you. I think that this might be some kind of disturbing, but you told me that I should be honest to the man who is the father…«
The door of the director´s bureau opened and the two FBI Agents came out. The smaller of them informed: »Agent Lisbon, we suggested a separate cell for Mister Jane, just for a while; so that he might not be able to talk to other prisoners about his case. We do not want anyone out there to know anything about it.« He of course thought that this was an extended punishment for Jane, but Lisbon was relieved; the fact that the FBI already pleaded for a separate or isolation cell, would help her a lot.
When she was ready with her talk to the director, it was clear that Jane would get a separate cell in the isolation block at least for this night.
The director informed her: »The FBI will be back tomorrow for another questioning, they already announced that. If they decide to put them into the common block after that, we will do so. Maybe he will get the chance to be free on bail, but a judge has to look at the case first. That might need three or four days; at least until the primary questionings are ended. If you want, we inform you if we transfer him to the common block.«
»Yes. Please inform also the CBI. We have also a lot of files on that case, and so we are connected to this, if we want or not. More to that, Mr. Jane is a good Consultant and still working for the CBI, until his guilt is finally proved.«
»Understood.« the prison director answered. »But please leave now, I have to read through the reports for this day; within the next hour we are closing up for the night.«
Lisbon replied: »Thank you for your time.«
She went back outside, where the FBI-Agents were still waiting with Jane. Together they joined one prison guard at the corridor when they left the office block. »I will bring Mr. Jane to his cell.« the guard said.
»Ok.« the FBI Agents answered. »Please remember that we will be back tomorrow at ten a.m. We want to see Mr. Jane in an isolated visitors room by then.«
»Yes.« The guard replied, and turned to Jane: »Follow me please. You know the procedure. Be nice, and you will be treated well.«
Teresa took a deep breath, but no one else noticed; that she felt her heart beating very hard. Be honest, be honest. Three words; how could three words be so difficult?
»Jane, it´s yours.« she said.
He turned his head a little bit to her, but his face showed no expression. The only sound he made was a short: »Oh.« then he followed the prison guard.
Oh? Lisbon was still in some kind of shock state and he only answered with an "Oh?"
But what else could he do, except of that? Here was not the place to discuss such a thing. Maybe it was a fault to tell him now, but she could not keep this secret any longer. Red John had helped her a lot, finding the truth. Only a DNA test could give one-hundred-percent certainty, but that would need some more time. She would do it of course, but if, he also had to know. Together with the FBI-Agents she left the prison, the visiting time for today was over. They did not talk much but said good bye; the FBI Agents only did their job.
Lisbon was back in the CBI building, and wanted to tell her colleagues about what was going on in the prison, but they were waiting for her with bad news. She could see it on their faces when she stepped in the bureau.
Maybe they had chosen Rigsby by some lucky game, but he had to tell her the news: »We did not want to call you while you were driving; and when you were in prison the cell-phone was shielded off.« he cleared his throat. »We got a call from Levine himself, not long ago. Of course we recorded it, and he must know that we will do so… but nevertheless he called. He must be very sure in his doing, because this call is the proof that he is really up to something. Listen.«
He pressed the play button and Levine´s voice rang out: »I have him right where I want him. You will see, I get him soon, no matter where you keep him. Be sure that I´ll let him so much alive that he can feel everything that I´ll do to him.« An evil laugh ended the call. It was deadly quiet in the room now.
But then Rigsby said: »What if one of the prison guards had changed sides?«
This was a possibility no one had thought of until now, but it was a threatening idea. If a prison guard was involved, Levine could get Jane everywhere.
:-:
Late at night Lisbon was still awake and in the bureau. She had sent the others home, but she knew that no one of them could find sleep in this hours. It was dead quiet, and no one knew if Jane was already in the hands of Levine, or not. Surely Levine would want to be sure that he would not be discovered for a long time, so that he had enough time to torture Jane. And… maybe the isolation cell was in fact the right place for that. Maybe it was her guilt that Jane was in real danger right now. The isolation cells were isolated against noise, and had only a small window in the door. What if Levine had expected Patrick to be in an isolation cell; and maybe that was part of Levines plan.
Finally, Teresa longed for the small paper card that Red John had given her. In addition to the mail address where she sent the photos, there was a cell-phone number.
She dialed it from her own cell phone, and after only two ring tones later a soft voice answered. Red John only whispered this "Hello?" in a high pitched, clearly disguised voice; the kind of voice Jane always described.
»It is me.« Teresa announced.
Immediately he changed his voice level to normal: »Teresa. You call in late. Did something happen?«
»Yes…« her throat seemed to be closed by a big knot. »Please help me once more...«