CHAPTER 5
Shortly after hanging up with Harrelson, Mitchell received the call back and go ahead, and he and Matt made a trip first to the headquarters of BugBytes and Mosey Games, the two collaborations that he and computer guru Derwin Dunlap shared. The ground floor lobby was divided: on the left was BugBytes and on the right Mosey Games. The ATF agent found himself drawn to the artwork that was on the Mosey side of the lobby until the PI whistled at him and took him up in the private elevator to the Research and Development Department on the fifth floor. "I can't believe you do all this stuff."
"I don't do all of it...a lot of it is just ideas that I have and Derwin and his crew here are smart enough to make some of them work."
"But how in the world did you get into the gaming?"
"I have really weird dreams sometimes." Matt chuckled as he stepped off the elevator. "There he is."
"Houston – Sherry just gave me your message." Dunlap looked slightly concerned at the stranger that was with the PI.
"Derwin Dunlap – meet ATF Agent Mitchell Gunterson." The two shook. "You should feel honored – I've never brought anybody up here before – but since we're kind of in a bind on time..." He looked back to Dunlap.
"Right. It's in here." They went through a pair of heavy doors into a lab. "Now...you do understand that this is experimental, Agent Gunterson?"
"I do...and please – call me Mitchell."
"Derwin – he's ATF...if we can't trust him...well we're just screwed anyway. Besides, I know how to track him down if he opens his mouth about anything." The last was said with Houston's voice taking a trip down a couple of levels and a serious look aimed at the agent who swallowed nervously and nodded.
"Mr. Dunlap, we really appreciate the help. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't absolutely necessary."
"Houston, what exactly is going on?" The computer whiz leaned against one of the counters while Matt explained their predicament. "Oh...sorry. I wasn't trying to be a jerk. It's just..."
"Things in this business are pretty cut throat, Mitchell."
"I can understand why. Houston will be the only one working with the...whatever it is he's gonna use."
"That's another good question – we still haven't come up with a good name for it."
"Maybe one will present itself shortly." Matt gave a nod as he took a small plastic case from Derwin.
"Here's the rest of the installation that you'll need for it." Dunlap handed over a flash drive. "And while I've got you here – we're scheduled for a trip to Washington in about a month – don't forget."
"Okay...if you get the chance would you call and let CJ know for me?"
"Not a problem. How is she?"
"Great...and big...but not great big." The PI laughed. "I'll get it back quick as I can, bud."
"And have you been working on the uh...the Washington deal?"
"I have." Matt and Derwin had been asked to put together a training simulator for combat situations by the Defense Department.
"Okay...well, good luck."
"Thanks again." Mitchell shook Dunlap's hand and he and Matt left, the cowboy putting the flash drive and case in his shirt pocket and buttoning it up.
The trip to the airport took a little time and when the pair finally settled down into the cockpit of the G-550, they both heaved a sigh of relief. After receiving clearance for takeoff the jet smoothly left the runway and once he had made it to his assigned altitude and heading, getting some distance put between themselves and the other air traffic, the PI hit the auto pilot and stood up to stretch. "Gotta go hit the john – don't run over anything." He laughed at the panicked look on the agent's face. "It's just a joke."
"I don't like it."
"Spoilsport." After a couple of minutes he was back along with a couple of Fizzy Pops and they kicked back for the rest of the almost three hour trip.
"So what is this thing exactly?"
"It's a tracking device – not really any different than the other stuff that we've got out on the market..." He opened the case and removed what almost looked like a BB to the agent.
"You're kidding...that thing...how are we gonna keep from losing it?"
"It's got this nifty little feature...it's a tracking device." Matt laughed.
"But if it doesn't work..."
"Then we may be out some money...me more so than you. Not to mention Derwin might go ballistic."
"So you're really sticking your neck out over this."
"Somebody has to – we've got to get this guy." They were quiet for a minute. "I almost hate to ask: have you talked to Homeland Security?"
"Harrelson has..."
"Hope we get somebody good."
"You and me both...they're supposed to meet us at the airport."
A few minutes went by during which Matt installed the rest of the program on his laptop and then after a few minutes of finagling, put the information on an SD card that he then inserted into the phone. It would then allow him to check on the location of the device on his phone as well as the computer. Looking over it appeared that the agent was asleep so he began working on the combat simulator that Derwin had been talking about. Although he had spent some time on it, it wasn't nearly as much as he'd planned to have done at that point. Thinking to himself that he was going to have to buckle down when the XPRS case was done he looked up to check the radar again and noticed that the agent was in fact awake and watching him. "Thought you were catching some z's."
"Nope – just thinking." He watched as the PI nodded and began working the keyboard again. "So if I ask about the Washington deal that Derwin was talking about..."
"You can't say a word to anybody...and I mean anybody, okay?" Looking at Mitchell he knew without a doubt that he could trust him.
"Nada."
"It's a combat simulator."
"Oh...kind of like a gaming-type simulator."
"Sort of...only a lot more intense."
"So it's one of those Tag-a-Laser type things? Like it's the real deal."
"Uh huh."
"Derwin's lucky he's got you. No offense but he's definitely not combat ready."
"Not unless it involves "Alien Armory"." The PI chuckled. Looking back at the radar again he put the computer away. "'Bout time to get ready to land, bud."
The jet taxied to a stop in front of a hangar that belonged to the government and the two men stepped onto the tarmac, a big smile coming to both of their faces when they saw who was there to greet them. "Well this just keeps getting better and better...how ya doin', Chris?" Matt embraced the Homeland Security Agent.
"Boy you two sure get along better than you used to..." Mitchell shook the man's hand.
"What can I say – I had a conversion. I like the way he thinks." Agent Chris Oakley walked them to a black SUV that was parked nearby.
"Yeah, he's just a wuss when it comes to hot sauce." Matt laughed thinking back to a case they had worked together in Laredo about three months earlier. "How's the nose?"
"A lot better...but I don't think it helped my looks any." He explained to the ATF agent how his nose had been broken by a suspect on the case. "I heard what was going on and volunteered to help you guys – just to spare anybody else from having to deal with you."
"Well ain't you just so considerate?" Sliding into the front seat the PI heard his phone ring. "Yeah Babe?"
"Just wanted to check in on you."
"We just landed and you'll never believe who they've stuck us with here."
"Oh no..."
"Chris Oakley." He and the other two cracked up.
"Phew...you had me worried. Tell him I said hi...and hon, you be careful, hear me?"
"Yes ma'am. Love you."
"You, too. 'Bye." She hung up feeling a little better. Both of the men Matt was working with were good agents. It was a relief.
"So anything else happen while we were in the air?"
"Not that I know of...I'm taking you to the ATF Office on Grand. I gotta warn ya though..." He looked at Gunterson in the back seat. "...Some of your brother officers here don't have a real good attitude."
Once they arrived and were cleared through to the second floor they met with a representative of XPRS, Joshua Marquette, who would be handling the money for the company, as well as the other ATF and Homeland Security Agents who had been assigned plus two agents from the NTSB who were monitoring the situation.
Agent Rachel Olivera was the ATF agent who had been working the manifest leads. As she pushed a button on the laptop an image popped up on the flat screen. "This is the only image we have of the man who dropped off the El Paso package." Blurry and with bad color, the image did very little to help them. The man appeared to be in a suit and tie with a hat and sunglasses.
"Looks to be average size, weight..." Matt scrutinized the picture.
"According to our techs he's five feet eight inches tall and weighs about 160."
"So the average man on the street." Oakley and Gunterson exchanged a look.
"Has he set a deadline?" The PI shifted in his chair and popped his back, making both of his friends wince.
"We haven't had any further contact with him."
"Is the money here?"
"It is."
"Can I see what it's in?"
"Is that really necessary?" She gave him a scathing look that said he was asking too many questions for a civilian.
Mitchell spoke up. "Agent Olivera, Mr. Houston has gone out on a limb to get us the very latest in tracking devices – free of charge – to help us out."
"We are dealing with a large sum of money, Agent Gunterson."
"Not to me it's not." Matt waited as the two ATF agents stared at each other. "I'll be damned – I think I've seen this show before, Chris; wasn't this the one that was on in Laredo?"
"I believe you're right. Damn reruns." Some of the others in the room laughed.
Finally SSA Blake Montgomery spoke up. "Rachel, Mr. Houston has been vouched for by not only Homeland Security and ATF...he also has clearance for the FBI and DEA."
"Yeah – guess that means I like alphabet soup." A few more laughs were heard.
"I'll not be held responsible for it, sir."
"No one is asking you to..."
She nodded to the XPRS representative who put a blue and white boat bag up on the table. Matt reached for it and gave the exterior a good going over and nodded. "Did the bomber specify what kind of bag?"
"Not yet."
"Maybe he won't...this would be ideal." He pushed it back across the table.
Montgomery spoke up again. "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we're in a holding pattern until we have further contact from the suspect. I suggest you stick close by." He got up and left the room as did a few others.
"Not really like we've got a whole hell of a lot of choice where to be is it?" Oakley let out a sigh. Olivera shot the three a dirty look and left the conference room accompanied by Marquette. "So how's CJ?"
Matt, smiling, pulled out his phone. "As of about a month ago we now have two kids – the adoption went through."
"Congrats, man...aww, she looks good. And that Catey is getting big. That's quite the family you got there."
"Yep." The PI put the phone back in his pocket.
"We've ordered up some ribs if you guys want to join us." One of the other ATF agents came over to the group.
"Sounds good." As they went to the kitchen area of the office, something kept nagging at Matt's mind as he sat down to the BBQ with all the trimmings and the fact that he was so uncharacteristically quiet had both Mitchell and Chris worried.
"You okay, man? You haven't even touched the hot sauce." Oakley pushed a bottle in front of the PI and he never even noticed.
"Houston?" Gunterson punched him in the arm.
"Huh?"
"Earth to Space Cadet Houston – you thinking about CJ or what?"
"No..." He took a bite of the ribs then and wiped his mouth, reaching for the hot sauce that he had just noticed.
"What gives?"
Quickly looking around to make sure that no one could overhear their conversation, Matt leaned forward as did the other two. "Does half a mil sound kinda small to y'all?"
"No...well, yeah...I guess it does when you look at how much the corporation is worth." Oakley and Gunterson exchanged a look. "What do you think?"
Taking another bite of ribs the PI chewed thoughtfully. "Don't know...something just feels off." He continued to eat adding hot sauce as he went and making the Homeland Security agent's eyes water just from watching. When they were done, the three went back to the conference room that was now empty, Houston pulling out the laptop. "Chris..." He pulled the tracking device out of his pocket and activated it handing the case over to the agent. "Why don't you take a little walk down the hallway and go for an elevator ride?"
"Okay..."
"Keep that in your shirt pocket and don't let anybody see it." Matt worked the keyboard. "I'll call you in a couple of minutes." Nodding, the agent walked out of the room as the PI leaned back in the chair, sipping on a cup of coffee, and looking out the window. "Mitchell, something is just off about this deal."
"So you said."
"You said the demand was in one of XPRS' mail pouches and was received at the Kansas City office...but who received it?"
"It was addressed to the Director of Kansas City Operations – uh..." He pulled out his notes. "Gary Harkleroad."
Matt began entering the name on the keyboard. "He's been with them for eight years...came over from Walderson Worldwide." Stopping for a minute he clicked over to the tracking program and hit a few keys, then looked at his phone nodding before chuckling as he dialed and hit the speaker button. It was answered after four rings, a distinctive echo in the background. "Feel better?"
"Jesus man – you would wait until I get in here..." The agent on the other end of the line laughed.
"Well when you wrap up the paperwork come on back, ya hear?"
"You're not right." Oakley hung up as the PI burst into laughter.
"Where was he?"
"In the john." Matt giggled again and went back to researching Harkleroad. "Let's see here...age 43, married, divorced, two kids, moved to KC from Miami when he got the job." A flurry of keystrokes later and he had pulled up financial records. "Hmmm..."
"Is that a good hmmm or a bad one?"
"He doesn't seem to have anything other than a checking account but up until three weeks ago he also had a savings account that had six digits. Odd for someone in his position but certainly not illegal."
The door to the room opened and Oakley came back in, handing the case back to the PI with a disgusted look on his face as Gunterson started laughing again. Pointing to the ATF agent he spoke. "Don't worry – he'll get you some time. So have we got anything else?"
"Not exactly." Matt told him about Gary Harkleroad then leaned back in the chair and began swiveling as he thought. "Maybe it's just me – but if the company that I worked for was being extorted and I was head of the office where bombs had been shipped from..." He got up and started pacing. "I believe I would be the one standing with that bag of money in my hand looking for a little payback instead of making a payout. But maybe that's just me." He returned to the table and began another search, both men looking at the screen from either side. "Let's see what we can find out about Joshua Marquette." His fingers flew across the keyboard. "Graduated with a Bachelor's in Business...a minor in Accounting from Florida Intercoastal University..." Pausing for a moment he squinted at the screen then pulled up another browser tab and typed in the name of the school... "Uh huh...ain't no such thing."
"How could he get hired?" Oakley continued reading.
"Good question. Maybe a little visit would rattle him?" The ATF agent scratched his head.
"Wait a damn minute." He went back to some research from the day before. "Friends, I believe Mr. Marquette is having an identity crisis." Tapping on the screen he showed both images. "With a little less brown hair dye and a mustache he's Gerald Walderson, Jr...son of the former CEO of Walderson Worldwide."