by Robin Mahle
Stallard retrieved the photo. “Is this the man you saw?”
Hayes took the image and studied it. “Oh, that’s him all right. It was maybe 3 or 4 days ago. A week, tops. And of course, the attacks have been all over the news.”
“You said he was different,” Stallard began. “How so?”
“Well, he just didn’t seem to be all that familiar with reloading. I mean, people who come in here to buy the cannisters of powder generally know what they’re doing. If you don’t know, chances are good you’ll lose a hand, or worse. Fact of the matter is, this kid seemed like a greenhorn.”
“And that was why he stuck out in your mind?” Stallard pressed on.
“I suppose so. Course, with all that’s been going on, it tends to put you on your guard if you know what I mean. People like me, gun shop owners, we’re pretty big targets of all that goes wrong somehow.”
“I understand. Do you have a bill of sale? Did he sign a receipt?”
Hayes keyed in commands on his computer and turned the screen. “This is the receipt. He paid cash.”
Stallard eyed the screen. “Did you look at this signature?”
“No, sir. Not really,” Hayes replied.
“What about his ID?”
“Well, sure. I have to check ID, but this wasn’t an ammo or gun purchase. No background check required. Signature was only needed because it’s classified as a hazardous material.”
Stallard pulled his gaze from the monitor and peered at Hayes again. “The name on this receipt is illegible. I have no idea who signed this.”
“I’m very sorry, sir. Some people have chicken scratch for handwriting.” He peered at Stallard. “That doesn’t help you much, does it?”
Stallard sighed. “It helps that you recognized his photo. Listen, you give me a call if you see him again.” He handed over a card. “I don’t want you to confront him. Just give me a heads up. Although, given what we do know about this man, I doubt he’ll make another appearance here.”
“Will do, Agent Stallard.”
“Appreciate your time.” He turned on his heel and walked out the door. With his phone in hand, he made the call. “Tillis, it’s Stallard. I confirmed a positive ID on Danny. The owner recognized him and said he purchased a cannister of smokeless powder. A large one.” He nodded. “Paid cash. Goddam signature was illegible. Visual of the ID only, so we still don’t have confirmation of a name. But I feel like this kid is our bomber.”
Tillis returned his phone to his pocket and perched on the edge of the table inside the ops room. The BAU team looked to him for an update. “Stallard got a positive ID from the gun shop owner. Couldn’t read the name on the receipt, though. Says our guy stocked up on powder. Lots of it.”
“Which makes it all the more critical to get that information back from PivoTech,” Surrey replied. “They should’ve responded to the subpoena by now.”
“Not if they’re in cover-your-ass mode right now,” he added. “Imagine, a tech support employee using a customer’s personal information to hack into their accounts, clone their phones. These guys are exposed, and they know it.”
“While they’re scrambling, the bomber could be planning something else,” Duncan cut in. “What about the motor vehicle search? Your team narrowed down the model year.”
“They’re on it.” Tillis stood and paced the room. “I’m not an expert in serial killers, so I’m looking to you all. If we get a location on our guy and we go there, what are the odds we’ll be running into a booby trap?”
Kate shrugged. “That depends on how desperate he feels. And it depends on how quickly we can put together an operation. Because if he catches wind that we’re close, all bets are off. He’s already someone with a grudge. Someone who believes he’s been slighted and overlooked his whole life. If we get a name, I want to locate any family members because they may be our only hope at bringing him in.”
“Let’s just hope we get that far. I’ll go see how we’re looking on the car registrations.” Tillis started toward the door. “You guys need to get on top of PivoTech. Maybe you can put some of your D.C. muscle on them to speed them along.”
“I can get down there now and back up your agent who’s waiting,” Kate replied.
“Good. Then we’ll keep in close contact until one of us gets a break.” Tillis headed out.
After he left, Surrey appeared to consider an idea. “Here’s what I’d like to do if you two are good with it. Reid can head down to visit with the lawyers at PivoTech, like you said. When you get the details, assuming we’re all right about this guy working there, then send me Danny’s address. I’ll make a run to the house and take a look at what we’re going to come up against.”
“You don’t know what you’ll be walking into,” Kate replied.
“My goal isn’t to make contact. If I see the kid, I’ll call Tillis and get a squad car there. And if luck is on our side, I might catch a glimpse of the car. We’re still operating on assumptions. It’s time to end that and work to bring in this killer.”
The PivoTech corporate office was located less than two miles from where the first explosion happened. While Kate hadn’t believed there was a connection, it tickled the back of her mind and she kept note of it.
She walked into the lobby with her credentials and the subpoena in hand. It was late afternoon and the company had failed to respond. They were buying time the FBI didn’t have to sell.
“FBI Agent Reid. I need to speak with Anya Gilstrom. This is urgent.”
The woman behind the desk scrutinized her. “Do you have an appointment? I believe she’s in a meeting at the moment.”
Kate unfolded the document. “I have a subpoena. As I said, this is an urgent matter.”
“Then you must be with her.” The woman pointed to the waiting area.
Kate spotted the agent. “I’m with her.”
“Fine. I’ll have Ms. Gilstrom’s secretary interrupt her. Just a moment please.” Wearing a concerned look, she made the call.
Kate walked over to the agent at the seating area. “You must be on Tillis’s team? I’m Kate Reid.”
“Andrea Taylor. Pleasure. I’ve been sitting here for a while. Good to have some backup.”
“Agent Reid?” the woman behind the desk returned her attention. “Ms. Gilstrom is on her way down. It’ll be just a moment.”
“You must have some pull, Agent Reid.” Taylor smiled.
“Not as much as you might think.” Kate spotted a lean figure step out from the hall. Wearing a pencil skirt and stiletto heels, she assumed it was Anya Gilstrom. Her harsh expression lent to an overall attempt at intimidation. Maybe that was needed for a woman in her position, however, if she’d hoped to employ such a strategy toward Kate, it wouldn’t get her far.
“Agent Reid?” Gilstrom approached. “I am so sorry for the delay. I’ve been informed as to the information you’re looking for.”
“You mean the subpoena your office has had in its possession for the past few hours? Here’s a copy for your records if you need it,” Kate replied.
“Of course.” She eyed Taylor. “And you are?”
“The agent who’s been sitting here for three hours,” Taylor replied.
Gilstrom scrutinized her. “Follow me and we’ll have our lawyers take a look.” She started on.
“This information was sent to you from the FBI’s Pittsburgh office more than three hours ago, and you’ve wasted Agent Taylor’s time as well,” Kate began. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but we are on the hunt for a bomber, Ms. Gilstrom. Every second counts.”
“You’re assuming the person you seek works for PivoTech. I’m not entirely sure that’s true, however, we will get to the bottom of it.”
Kate shook her head in disbelief. “Four people are dead. I’m sure you can understand our need for expediency and cooperation.”
“Right through here.” Gilstrom opened the door to a large conference room where four people in suits let their eyes rake over the
new arrivals. “This is our inhouse team of attorneys. Please, Agent Reid, Agent Taylor, take a seat and we’ll see what we can do.”
Heat rose under Kate’s collar. “As I said, I have a subpoena. This is non-negotiable so my sitting down with your lawyers is a waste of time I don’t have.” She tossed the paperwork onto the table. “I know you’ve seen this already.”
“As a matter of fact, we have, Agent Reid.” One of the lawyers picked up the document. “And we do have a list of current employees at PivoTech in the Pittsburgh area.”
“May I see the list?” Kate asked.
“Of course.” He pushed the file toward her.
Kate opened it to find three pages of names. “This is everyone or just tech support?”
“Everyone, Agent Reid, per the subpoena,” another lawyer replied.
She scanned through the list of names, which were in alphabetical order by last name. “And you’re sure this is conclusive?”
“Yes, ma’am. Everyone currently on our payroll in the area,” the man replied.
Kate was wrong. Could it really have been just a coincidence that the victims called the same tech support line? She was sure that was how he found them, though she had to admit, Jeff Hardy had no such connection that they knew of yet. Her shoulders sank. Kate had just squandered precious time on a hunch. “Is this my copy?”
“Yes, it is,” the man added.
“Thank you.”
“Does it help you, Agent Reid?” he pressed on.
“Not as much as I had hoped. We would’ve appreciated it more had you offered this earlier to Agent Taylor. We’ll show ourselves out.”
As they walked through the hall, Agent Taylor began. “What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know. Hope for a miracle, I guess.” Kate turned to her. “Thanks for your help.”
She hurried ahead, making her way back to the lobby and then outside into the late afternoon heat and humidity. “Damn it. God damn it.”
Stepping into the car, Kate turned the ignition and made the call she hadn’t wanted to make. “It’s me.” She peered through the windshield. “No luck.”
“What do you mean, no luck?” Surrey asked.
“I mean, they gave me a list of staff. Everyone in the Pittsburgh area. Danny, Daniel, Dan. No one with that name is on the list. So either he gave a fake name to Jeff Hardy, in which case, we’re screwed, or I was wrong about the whole thing.”
With Jeff Hardy dead, Danny grew more at ease. Unfortunately, in panic-mode, he’d cost himself his job. The emailed Notice of Termination had been sent shortly after he hung up on a customer. Add that to the growing list of missteps and getting fired sounded about right.
It was time for a breather. Danny had risked more than he bargained for in the Hardy debacle. But now that he was gone, it was time to resolve Mel’s situation. And maybe it was a good thing to take a step back for a minute. He’d lost control and it could have cost him everything.
Danny pulled back the curtain on his front window and spied the quiet street. Rays from the setting sun blinded him for a moment. He could almost hear the sirens as he expected a SWAT team to roll up right about now. But for the moment, Danny believed he just might be in the clear. The victim was dead, and he was still free. No one was coming for him. Not yet.
When he checked the time, he knew he had to see Mel. His promise to visit her daily already broken, it was time to make amends. He walked outside and took in a deep breath of stagnant air. With his hand in his pocket, Danny rummaged around until he retrieved his keys.
“Hey, Danny.”
He shot around and noticed Janie walk outside her house. “Janie. Hi.”
She started toward him. “Are you leaving? Where’s Mel?”
He peered at his front door for a moment. “Oh, she’s at a physical therapy appointment. I was actually headed there now to pick her up.”
“Great. I hadn’t seen her in a while. Wanted to make sure she was all right. And you?” Janie eyed him. “Are you all right?”
“Me? Yeah, of course. Busy as usual,” he replied.
“Good. Glad to hear it. Well, listen, I was just leaving myself, but I saw you and…”
“Yeah, no. Thanks. We’re good here.” He thumbed to his car. “Well, I gotta go…”
“Sure. See you later. Tell Mel I said hey.”
“Will do.” Danny stepped into his car and watched Janie get inside her Toyota Rav4. He wondered why there were so few people like Janie in this world. She was kind, caring—pretty. He lowered his gaze and gripped the steering wheel before turning the ignition and heading out into this world in which he never really belonged.
For a moment, there was regret. A fleeting sense that he could’ve been somebody else. That he could’ve meant something to someone like Janie. But the fire had grown too big and burned too hot. Danny would never know normalcy again. Perhaps that was just the price he needed to pay to make things right. Danny was a martyr now, and they would all thank him at the end of this.
He arrived at the facility and took in the sight of the plain beige building with windows dotted around. A few trees out front and a circular driveway for the ambulances to come and take away the sick and the dead. Danny stepped out of his car and walked inside.
The older woman dressed in scrubs smiled as he approached the desk. “Hi, Danny. We missed you yesterday.”
“How’s she doing today, Sue?” he asked.
“Been pretty unhappy, as you know, but I think she’ll come around in time. She’s in the common room. They just finished dinner. Go on in.”
“Thanks.” Danny walked into the long corridor toward the dining area and the adjacent common room. Inside, he spotted two televisions on either end, a few tables and chairs, and then he saw her.
Mel sat expressionless, her eyes staring off into the distance.
“Hey, Mel.”
“Danny.” She cocked her head. “Where were you yesterday? You left me here. You said you would visit every day.”
He pulled out a chair to sit down. “I know, Mel, and I’m so sorry. It was work and I couldn’t get out of it, but I’m here now.” He reached for her hand. She pulled it away. “Don’t be mad. It won’t happen again.”
“When do I get to leave this place, Danny? You promised I could leave soon,” she pleaded.
“I know, and I will keep that promise. It’s just going to take some time. You know what it’s like. A bunch of red tape crap. But you’ll be coming home soon,” he replied.
She turned her gaze to the television and sighed.
Danny couldn’t stand it when Mel was mad at him. Even when they were children, he looked to her for approval. She was his big sister. “What did you have for dinner tonight?”
“Hamburger and French fries.” She refused to look at him.
“You love burgers.”
“Not these. They were awful,” Mel replied.
“That sucks. I’m sorry about that.” Danny turned his sights to the television as the news broadcast started.
The so-called Robinhood bomber claimed his fourth victim today as yet another in a terrifying string of car bombings took place in the city. In a statement issued by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the victim, 33-year-old Jeff Hardy, is still in the hospital in critical condition. Police are asking citizens to stay vigilant and if anyone has any information, they ask that you call the hotline on our screen. I’m Stuart Damon Action News Four.
“Are you afraid?” Mel asked, finally setting her sights on him.
Danny realized the report mentioned Jeff was still alive. Why were they lying? He returned his attention to her. “Afraid of what?”
“The bomber. He scares me.”
“You don’t need to worry about anything, Mel. I won’t let anyone hurt you,” Danny replied. “You’re here and you’re safe.”
“Are you just saying that or are you lying like when you said you’d come visit me every day?”
He closed his eyes while guilt
bore down on him. “No one will hurt you, Mel. Not as long as I’m alive.” He stood up again. “I have to go now. I’m sorry.”
As Danny started to leave, Mel called out. “You have to take me with you, Danny.”
He stopped for a moment and choked back his emotions. There was nothing more he could say, and so he continued on without looking back.
“Leaving already, Danny?” Sue asked. “That was a quick visit.”
He whipped around to her; his eyes darkened while anger heated his face. “What the hell do you care?” Danny hurried out of the building and returned to his car. “Fuck this shit.” He stepped inside and pressed hard on the gas. His tires squealed on the asphalt. “They think they can screw over me and my family? Not if I get to them first.”
17
Few things burrowed under Kate’s skin as deeply as being wrong had. She rarely faulted others for it, but she was always harder on herself than anyone else ever could be. And this one stung. This was supposed to lead to the capture of the serial bomber. While there was still a shot at the motor vehicle records, the one theory she had pushed hard for had fallen flat.
“It’s not over yet,” Tillis replied. “All we need to do now is tie this kid, whatever the hell his name is, to the white car and we have enough to bring him in. Once we track down registration details for owners in the Pittsburgh area, I promise you, one of them will match the blonde kid.” He tossed photos onto the table where the team sat. “My team finished scouring CCTV from a 1000 foot radius of the bombing sites. Take a look there and you tell me we’re screwed.”
Surrey pulled the photos closer and peered at the images. A hint of a smile flashed on his lips. “It’s the white car.”
“Damn straight it is. And now we know it’s a 2010 model year. We aren’t pulling this plug yet.”
“With the car information, the positive ID from two gun shops, and the video of the unsub running into a victim, we have enough to bring him in if we can find him.” Duncan peered at Kate. “So that’s the question. What’s our next move?”
