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Amped Up
In the end, the night-vision binoculars proved easy to locate. At the office, I called a couple of hunting supply stores and easily found what I needed. I went to the closest store and talked to the assistant for about twenty minutes before deciding on a mid-range pair that had reasonable distance and quadruple magnification. After I purchased them, I went to the grocery store to buy some granola bars and chocolate bars. I had a water bottle at home. I headed home to change my shirt to a plain black t-shirt and pack all my supplies, including my stun gun and defence spray, into a dark backpack. I slung Carlos' windbreaker on and braided my hair into a style that I could easily cover with a black baseball cap.
I decided I was ready, but I drove through McDonalds to get a burger and fries for an early dinner. I couldn't help being envious of Tricia, who I knew was having a nice dinner and seeing a movie tonight with Bobby Brown, but I told myself to suck it up and get on with it. After I finished my dinner, I drove slowly towards the car wash. It was still too early to move about on foot, since it was still light, so I found a parking spot where I could keep a distant eye on the car wash. The activity hadn't changed from earlier, with the scantily clad girls rubbing themselves all over the cars, and I sighed that I may have to spend quite some time observing this place. It wasn't really my idea of entertainment. After nearly an hour, I shifted restlessly in my seat, and decided to have a candy bar to hopefully wake myself up. I tried to eat it slowly, to make it last, and took a few sips of my water bottle.
At seven o'clock, the sun finally started to retreat behind the rooftops, as dusk was imminent, and I decided the time had come to move to my identified spot in the alley. I drove first to a nearby gas station to use the restroom, before heading back to the carwash. To my chagrin, all the parking spots in the alley were full, and I had to come up with another strategy. I drove around the block, until I found a parking spot that was obscured from view of the carwash, but still close enough to get to the car quickly, if I needed to follow someone. I grabbed my backpack and slipped my stun gun into my jeans pocket. I set out on foot to the alley, trying to stroll casually and look like I belonged in the neighbourhood. I moved into the alley purposefully and walked into the darkening shadows at the rear of the alley, before ducking into a boarded-up doorway to pull out my new binoculars.
I moved quietly and stealthily forward, using the cars for cover, until I was close enough to have a decent view of the carwash. It was still a little too light for night vision, so I used the standard vision on the binoculars to watch across the street for a while. I saw a couple of men moving around, talking to the girls, and going into the back-office area, but they looked young and fairly fit; from the description and mug shot, Stiles was overweight and starting to go grey. After about forty minutes, I shifted a little restlessly and moved back into the darker alley to stretch and have a little water. I rolled my shoulders which were starting to get stiff, and then moved back closer to the entrance of the alley. I switched the binoculars to night vision, since darkness had finally fallen and, keeping in the deepest shadow I could find, I lifted them to my eyes.
I had to stop myself from screaming in shock, and dropping the binoculars, as the first thing I saw was Stiles, standing over one of the girls, leering at her and rubbing his hand over her wet shirt in a sleazy caress that was almost a grope. The girl simpered at him and flashed a submissive smile. He leered again and then turned away. As he turned, I saw a flash of disgust and revulsion cross the girl's face, before she moved back to continue her tacky windscreen washing. Stiles turned toward where I was standing and I could not help flinching, as he appeared to gaze directly toward me. However, I let out an explosive gasp of breath as he only paused a moment before moving toward the office.
I continued to watch for another half-hour as the cars and trucks slowed to an occasional trickle through the wash, and the office door remained firmly shut. Eventually it opened, and the two younger men emerged, followed by Stiles carrying a duffle bag. He stood talking for a few more minutes to the men, before moving over toward a silver Cadillac Seville and opening the trunk to put the duffle inside.
I moved as quickly as I could, while still trying to be discreet, toward my own car. I just reached it when I saw Stiles' car drive past the end of the street I was parked in. I jumped in and pulled out as quickly as I could, trying to follow Stiles. I saw him turn about two blocks ahead, and followed, using the traffic to move up closer. Stiles drove toward Quaker Bridge and I lost him as he turned onto US-1 toward Princeton. Obviously, I was going to have to work on my tailing skills.
Still, I felt it was an accomplishment to have tracked him down at the carwash. I wasn't sure of my next move, so decided to contact Tank and Lester tomorrow and ask for their advice. I drove myself home, feeling vaguely dissatisfied, despite seeing Stiles. I realised I had wanted to have a concrete location for Les. Still, I told myself, I had had the file less than one day. I tried to shake off my disappointment.
Back at my apartment, I settled in with another of the chocolate bars I bought and put on some mindless tv to pass the time. I wondered how Tricia's date was going. I hoped she was having fun.
The next morning, I called Lester and he set up a conference call with Tank. We talked through what I had seen, and they gave me some tips to continue my surveillance and to try and tail Stiles more effectively. Tank told me to get there just as it started to get dark, and to park where I could watch for Stiles in my driving mirror or side mirror, rather than watching him face-on. He also told me to take some pictures of Stiles' car and note the license plate, so I knew I was tailing the correct car. I thought that was good, I hadn't thought of that. His next piece of advice was to wait for Stiles to drive away, and to pull out and follow only after he was ahead, but still in sight. Les told me, as long as I kept Stiles' car in view, I didn't need to get too close and could tail from a distance. It would be more difficult at night, but I could try to note something different about the car, such as the shape of the taillights, or a logo or sticker, or marks in the paint.
They also told me that if he stopped, I should drive past until I could stop discreetly and continue to watch in my mirrors. Les said that running a light or stop sign, or speeding to catch up would only draw attention. I should try to keep the car in sight and, if I lost it, should just continue to drive in the direction it was headed to see if I could pick up the tail again. They both told me to stay at a distance; it was more important to them that I was safe than to have another place to pick him up. The carwash was not an ideal spot, but they could do it if necessary. Les said if I was spotted tailing him, I needed a good excuse or story. We bounced ideas around and I decided I would say I thought the car belonged to a friend of mine, who also had a silver Cadillac, and I was supposed to be following him to his cousin's place to help them move. I should call Les immediately on my cell phone and he could confirm my story if needed. I felt much more confident that I would do better tailing Stiles if he came back to the carwash tonight.
Les and Tank decided that they would both come up for the pickup, since Stiles was a high-value target and probably had security or bodyguards around him. They would work with Hector. I said I could also act as a lookout if needed. They didn't seem enthused about my suggestion but would consider it.
Today I was having lunch with Tricia to catch up. I was keen to hear about her date with Bobby Brown and we spent an hour giggling and teasing each other as we ate pizza. She and Bobby had gone to see The Net, both feeling it was fitting after doing the computer course, and she had said it was good, although a bit scary about the future of internet privacy and your data. I decided I would like to see it too and thought I might see if Mary Lou wanted to come with me. Bobby had agreed to come out with us on Friday to celebrate our course results. According to Tricia, he had done well in the course, though not quite as well as Tricia or me.
That night I went back to the carwash to see if Stiles came again, and I could tail him. I waited for about an hour past the time he had come last night, but he did not show up. I sighed to myself, hoping he would come back at least semi-regularly.
Thursday night, I sat waiting in my car. I had parked a couple of hours earlier and walked to a nearby strip mall to waste some time window shopping until dark fell. I walked back before seven o'clock and slid carefully into my car. I was wearing my baseball cap and Ranger's windbreaker, so I hoped I would not be noticed. I settled into my seat and watched in my rear-view mirror to see if I could spot Stiles' car. After about an hour, I saw a silver car slide into a side park at the carwash. I lifted my night vision binoculars and turned carefully to take a closer look. Sure enough, Stiles emerged from the car and looked around before going up to one of the girls to leer and grope at her. I noticed it was a different girl from last time.
I switched my gaze back to the car. I noted down the number plate and started to examine the car for distinguishing features. The rear lights were rectangular and wrapped slightly around the back. The trunk looked to have a slight lip at the top and overall, the car seemed a bit boxy and angular. I couldn't see anything distinguishing the paint, but I did notice that there was an air freshener dangling from the driving mirror in the shape of a 50's pinup girl. I hoped this detail would help me track the car to follow.
I waited about a half-hour again and then Stiles emerged from the back office, carrying a duffle. It seemed to indicate a routine, and I hoped it could help us pick him up. He stopped to leer at the girls again, but they were busy rubbing themselves on a pickup truck, and Stiles didn't stay long. I tensed as he put the duffle in the trunk and wedged himself behind the wheel of the Cadillac. I had parked in the direction he had left last time, so I waited, holding my breath, as he drove slowly out of the carwash and headed in my direction. I slid lower in my seat as he came up beside me and watched him drive past. I quickly started the car and waited until he stopped at a traffic light on the next block before pulling out and following him.
It didn't seem as hard as the previous time to keep him in sight, but I still tried to keep back and leave at least two cars between us. He once again drove toward Quaker Bridge. Expecting it this time, I was ready for the turnoff to Princeton and followed him onto the route 1 highway and managed to keep his car in sight as we accelerated toward the Quaker Bridge Mall. He followed the highway until we reached the Hyatt Regency Princeton and turned left onto Alexander Road. I began to feel a little bit apprehensive when he almost immediately turned off onto a loop road that led into an estate of narrow, tree-lined streets and large, detached houses. I knew I would be easily spotted if I followed closely, but I also guessed that he might park where I could not see the car.
Still, I didn't think I could tail him without being seen in this neighbourhood. I stopped about half a block after he turned off into a residential street and waited about a minute before turning and driving back to the estate. It was difficult in the dark, but I drove slowly through the leafy streets, trying to spot the silver car. I was about to give up when I noticed a house sitting alone in a small cul-de-sac. It looked large and modern and was draped in leafy trees and shrubs. Best of all, there was a boxy, silver car parked in the drive, illuminated by the blazing lights in the house. I drove past and parked up the street about 100 feet and then walked quietly back to the entrance to the cul-de-sac. I pulled out my binoculars and looked first at the car, checking the license plate and the trunk shape, which matched Stiles' car. As I watched, a beefy man with a moustache, not Stiles, came out of the garage door to the car. He opened the trunk and pulled out the duffle bag. As he leaned into the trunk, his jacket fell open, and I could clearly see the gun holster silhouetted in the lights.
He went back into the house, locking the car and closing the doors. I moved quietly up the side of the road to the driveway, keeping in the dark shadows of the trees and shrubs. I used my night vision to try and look through windows but did not see much useful. There were some flickers of movement, shadows, and silhouettes but I could not glean much. I could hear a tv blaring and sounds of conversation drifting out, but not intelligible.
I considered moving closer, but then I heard a dog barking loudly and the sounds of someone opening a door. I looked around in alarm; there didn't appear to be any fences and the dog could come straight at me. I knew it would see and smell me easily, no matter how much I kept to the shadows of night. I considered momentarily climbing a tree, but I knew if someone came to investigate the dog's angry barking, I would be trapped, possibly for hours, even if I was not discovered. I moved as swiftly as I could back toward the road, while still trying to be silent and stay in the shadows. The dog came around the house and stood on the driveway, barking frantically. It looked big and black, menacing, and fierce, and I was really starting to panic now as I made an even hastier retreat, stumbling as I tried to keep one eye on the dog and the other on where I was going.
Once I got to the road, I started running to the car, my fingers scrambling at the door with the keys. I threw myself in, panting and sweating, and hastily locked the doors, as I leaned on the steering wheel to catch my breath. I could feel the slight tremble in my hands. As my breath steadied a bit, I could hear the sounds of shouting and someone calling for the dog. Eventually, the barking ceased, a door slammed, and I finally eased the car out to drive away. I kept the lights off until I rounded a corner, desperate to not attract any more attention.
Back in my apartment, I went immediately to the fridge and drew out a beer. I took a long pull on the bottle and collapsed onto the sofa. I eased my head back against the sofa cushions and gave a deep, heartfelt sigh. I was not sure I was cut out for this level of adventure, but it sure kept my adrenaline pumping!
This story has taken me in a direction I hadn't expected. I am enjoying the research (How to tail someone in a car? Where to buy night-vision binoculars?) but I really am following my muse - she's in charge! Please let me know if you are enjoying it, or if you would prefer something different. Ranger is due back very soon, but there is a reason her spidey-sense is tingling.
A hint you say? OK, a hint... Well, it might involve our favourite man-in-black... that's as much as you get!