Wrong Exit: Nick Stryker Series, Book Four

by Vicki Graybosch

Nick pushed the paper closer to Sal. “I have the D.A. agreement in my pocket. If your information checks out, you walk.” Nick held up the D.A. agreement for Sal to see the signature.

  Sal rolled his neck and then cracked his knuckles. He picked up the pen, signed the disclosure and pushed it back to Nick.

  “How far back do you want to go on Lucas’ shit?”

  Nick ginned at the one-way mirror. “Let’s go all the way back.” Nick hit the record button on the tape recorder. He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table. “Go.”

  Assistant D.A. Jones couldn’t take her eyes off Nick. She turned to Jen and smiled, “He’s so yummy.”

  Jen held the door open and stated, “He gives me gas.”

  C H A P T E R 25

  Derrick Sanford had worked through the night and well into the morning using his dark web account to create a new identity for himself. The channels of the dark web were such that data could both be sent and received anonymously. The developers and gatekeepers of the dark web channels constantly changed code ensuring government and law enforcement agencies were kept out. It also protected users from each other. While the fees for use were expensive, the rules were simple. The U.S. government estimated that billions, perhaps trillions, of dollars were transferred daily in illegal activity.

  Derrick had enough money for what he needed to do right now. He still had five hundred thousand left from the sale of his program. He could always sell another copy on the dark web. Maybe more than one. He didn’t care what destruction might come from its use. He wouldn’t be around to pay the consequences.

  He transferred his money an hour ago. It now waited for him in his new account at Bank of America. Surprisingly, the hardest task had been hacking the Social Security system and securing a valid social security number. After that, it was easy. He created a fake credit history, education record, and finally his bank account.

  It wasn’t like he needed money to fund a long, peaceful retirement. He didn’t expect to live that long. Just long enough to ensure he had devastated J.T. Barrimore’s life. He had spent hours last night browsing through J.T.’s computer systems. He appreciated the highly sophisticated security J.T.’s company employed. It hadn’t been easy to breach, but with a few software purchases from the dark web on encryption, he had managed. His own parasite program that Matt had uploaded to J.T.’s system had been his gateway.

  He worked feverishly to create code for a new path with dark web access and lock the gateway he had used to get in. As soon as he began implementing his plan on J.T. the first thing J.T. would do, would be to have his people scour his codes. They wouldn’t find anything.

  Derrick paused and looked at the list he had compiled of things to do today. A small picture he had taken from Heather’s apartment sat majestically on the center of the table. Heather’s beautiful smile radiated from the photo and gave him energy. Purpose. He began running his bio scan on J.T. for the basis of his attack.

  He would know as much about J.T. in a few hours as J.T. himself. Utilizing the spy tools purchased this morning and a few he had developed himself, he would have enough to know what time J.T. turned on his television and what channels he watched. If he had a “smart house’ or even a ‘smart’ appliance Derrick could command them at will to spy for him.

  Derrick reviewed his GPS interface program and his new satellite band. As soon as his tracker program was ready he could initiate it by contacting J.T. A simple one-line message could be sent to J.T.’s cell phone. Once opened, the Satellite would hone in and lock on. Not to the cell phone but to J.T.’s unique human imprints. Even if J.T. destroyed his phone and switched to another he could be found again. It was like a merging of machine and human D.N.A.

  Fingerprints, facial recognition, voice patterns, behavior histories all reporting continuously to pinpoint J.T.’s every move.

  Derrick said a soft ‘Thank you’ to N.A.S.A. for developing the program. He had heard it was completed but surprised to find a copy for sale on the dark web. It had been developed to track known terrorists through the tunnels of Afghanistan.

  J.T. was about to spend the rest of his life haunted. Derrick didn’t care if it went on for a week, a year or a decade. He had a lot of revenge to seek. Destroying J.T.’s life was his new career.

  ******

  Agent Phillips flipped through his evidence file on Lucas Costellano. It was too thin. If he was going to make the case that Lucas had bought the software program he would need more than just the payment to Derrick Sanford. He needed Sanford, who was missing, and he needed to eliminate the copy of the program that was sold.

  He tapped his pen on the file. Time was not on his side. Jason Little had been caught with a copy he planned on selling but it wasn’t the copy that was gone. Jason had no idea who Sanford had sold it to.

  Phillips moaned. It was painfully clear his window of opportunity was closing. The forensic lab stated they needed time to trace the upload. Whoever purchased the program had transferred it through a dark web cloud. It was going to take considerable time and there was no guarantee they would succeed.

  Phillips raised his chin toward the ceiling and closed his eyes. “Shit!”

  As soon as his outburst happened, Assistant D.A. Trisha Jones materialized in his office doorway. She smiled, “May I come in?”

  Phillips was embarrassed to have been caught acting so juvenile. “Hey, sorry about that.”

  Trisha walked in, sat across from his desk and pushed a file toward him. “Here’s the deal. You let Stryker have Costellano first, and you provide protection for Tony Scalla in exchange for what is in this file.”

  “What’s in the file?”

  “Lucas Costellano’s entire Chicago operation and some of his connections with the International Crime Family.”

  Phillips started to lift the folder. Trisha placed her palm on it. Phillips asked, “How did you get this?”

  “Stryker. He has…had a prisoner turn. This guy has been a crew leader for Lucas for years. He has been in charge of much of his dirty work and even acted as personal bodyguard for some high profile meetings. There’s a lot there.”

  Phillips rubbed his chin. “I don’t know…”

  Trisha said, “Look at it this way. When Stryker’s done you can have the leftovers. Meanwhile you can build a racketeering case.”

  Phillips slid the file from under her hand and opened it. He leaned back, read for a while and then looked up. He shook his head and said, “Where does Stryker find these guys? This is gold.” He knew he didn’t have enough to make his case yet anyway. This deal could buy him some time. He still needed to explore J.T.’s connection to Sanford more. He could take Lucas back when he was ready. It wouldn’t be the first time the FBI stole a case from Nick.

  “Done.”

  ******

  Nick looked at his watch. The whole day was gone. He threw a paper-wad at Jen. “Do you see what time it is?”

  Jen stretched and glanced at the wall clock. “Wow. Putting those files together for Trisha was a killer.”

  Nick’s phone rang, it was the coroner’s office. “Hey Doc.”

  He listened for a while, said “Thank you”, and hung up. “Jen, new evidence on that little side lead we’ve been working on.”

  Wayne looked up. “You keeping secrets?”

  Nick told them both what the coroner had said.

  Wayne pushed his chair from the desk and shook his head. “Now that’s evil.”

  Jen said, “Let’s have Trisha verify the coroner’s findings with Scalla just to be sure. She can call us.”

  This case had Nick feeling like a caged lion. Instead of bars, he was constricted by laws. He’d love to dish out some street justice. It was a familiar temptation, an urge he fought to control. It was also one of his deepest fears. Someday he would snap. Someday, when no one was looking…

  Nick nodded, “Good call. I want every piece of proof nailed down.” Nick stood and checked his pistol. “Right now we have an arrest warrant t
o serve on Lucas Costellano. Who’s coming to the party?”

  ******

  J.T. glanced at his watch and decided to go home. Tomorrow he would begin an intensive search for Derrick Sanford. The FBI hadn’t found him so he was definitely in hiding. J.T. was confident his resources would flush Sanford out before the FBI.

  J.T.’s cell pinged that he had a message. He tapped on it. “Let’s play. Heather.”

  He looked at the message again. There was no identification of the sender. Wasn’t Sanford’s daughter named Heather? J.T. dialed his computer geek, Matt, in Indianapolis. “Check out who just sent me a message on my cell. I’ll hold.”

  A few minutes went by and Matt came on the line again. “There isn’t any message.”

  J.T. raised his voice. “I’m looking right at it! It says, ‘Let’s play. Heather.”

  “I’m telling you nothing is showing. You’ve been ghosted.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A problem.”

  “Well, un-ghost it!” J.T. didn’t even understand what Matt meant but he didn’t like the tone of Matt’s voice.

  “I’ll do my best. I’ll have to buy today’s dark web codes to even start.”

  J.T. rolled his eyes at the ceiling. “How much is that?”

  “About a hundred K.”

  “Do it.”

  It had to be Sanford. He was coming after him with the only tool he had, technology. J.T. thought about the comments Matt had made about Sanford’s program. The words brilliant and genius dotted every sentence. Could he win a tech war against Derrick Sanford with just Matt?

  J.T. grabbed his car keys and headed for the parking garage. It was going to be a long night. He started the BMW and turned the radio on low.

  A woman’s voice broke into the song, “Are we going home?”

  J.T. stared at the dash as the song returned to the radio. His gut told him this was the beginning of a very wicked game.

  C H A P T E R 26

  Lucas stood staring out the front window of his estate. He could afford a statelier home but he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. This home was fine, considering he was single. With over four thousand square feet and situated on five acres in a gated community, he at least enjoyed some privacy. He sat his drink down on the coffee table and scanned the beautiful mahogany walls of the sitting room knowing it was the last time he would see them.

  In half an hour he would leave for the airport and on to Paris. Thank God he had an offshore account the Family hadn’t found. He could reestablish himself and disappear into the European masses. A glint of light flashed across the wall. There was a car out front. His security team had been reinforced anticipating an early visit from the Family hit team. He hadn’t expected them so soon.

  It was those two detectives with some other guy. He looked like a cop, too. One of his guards had stopped them. The driveway was the only way out and they had it blocked. He would have to deal with them.

  Lucas walked to the front entrance and stood in the threshold. He didn’t have time for this shit. He could tell from the expressions on the cops’ faces that they were here for serious business. Lucas wasn’t about to miss his jet. If he had to leave the country a cop killer, so be it.

  Nick walked up to Lucas and said, “I told you I had just begun. Lucas Costellano, you are under arrest. Turn around and put your hands behind you back.”

  A red dot appeared on Lucas’ forehead. Nick yelled, “Sniper” the same instant he pushed Lucas to the floor of the foyer. A rifle shot cracked. Nick turned and took cover near a large concrete planter on the porch. Jen and Wayne took cover by their car. Nick saw two men charge from the corner of the house. Both men were shot. The flashes came from the tree line.

  Nick yelled at Jen. “Stay down.”

  One of Lucas’ security men began running across the lawn toward the tree line. Nick watched as a rifle shot took him down. The flash had been slight but Nick pinpointed it. The first sniper had a buddy thirty yards to the right.

  A car barreled down the drive toward the house and stopped. Two men with automatic weapons jumped from the vehicle and took cover behind the car doors. They pelted the planter in front of Nick and the car shielding Jen and Wayne.

  Nick rolled thirty feet to his right behind a row of short hedges, stood and landed a kill shot in each of their foreheads. He ran toward their vehicle as the sniper shots from the tree line followed him in rapid succession.

  Nick yelled to Jen and Wayne, “Stay there.”

  In her peripheral vision Jen saw movement to her left. A man emerged from the opposite corner of the house. He was aiming his weapon straight at them. She shot. Wayne glanced over and fired two more shots. The man dropped to the ground.

  Nick leaped over the dead shooter and jumped in their car. He twisted the steering wheel, floored the accelerator and headed straight for the tree line. Sniper shots shattered the windshield and blew the front right tire. Nick slid down in the seat, gave the accelerator one last push, opened the door and rolled from the car just before it slammed into a tree.

  He scanned the canopy of trees and spotted movement. His eyes narrowed as he waited and watched. Someone was there. Move, damn it. Suddenly a dark mass appeared and began scaling down the tree trunk. Nick fired. The mass dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

  Nick turned around and worked his way to the right. There was another shooter somewhere near. A twig snapped behind him. Nick slowly turned his head. A man holding a rifle was carefully scanning the brush not fifty feet away. Nick shot.

  He called Jen’s cell. “You okay?”

  Jen answered, “Yes. You?”

  “See if you can make it to the house. I’ll cover you from here.”

  Jen and Wayne ran from behind the car through the open front door. No one tried to stop them. Nick watched for any signs of hidden attackers. He stood and listened to the sounds of the wildlife in the small strip of woods. It was over.

  Lucas sat in a recliner sipping a drink.

  He smiled at Jen and Wayne and said, “I see the good guys won.”

  ******

  Several patrol units and the coroner’s team arrived at Lucas’ home. Jen and Wayne filled in the responders on what happened while Nick sat with Lucas in the drawing room.

  Nick glanced at the suitcase in the foyer. “I see you had a trip planned.” Nick watched Lucas’ expression harden. “Seems your friends planned a ‘goodbye’ party for you.”

  Lucas finished his drink and stood. “I’ve got nothing to say to you.” Lucas turned around and put his hands behind his back.

  Nick clamped the cuffs on Lucas’ wrists and pointed him toward the door. “We finally agree about something.”

  Nick turned Lucas over to the patrol officers for transport. Jen shook her head as sirens filled the air and the expansive manicured lawn disappeared under an army of police vehicles. Red and blue flashing lights pulsated colored reflections on the stately windows of the mansion.

  Wayne walked over to Jen and Nick. “Hey, I commandeered a unit you can take on your next stop. I’ll be here at least three hours.”

  ******

  Nick and Jen waited in silence as the elevator rose to Nadine Schultz’s penthouse condo in the Waldorf Astoria. They already knew each other’s thoughts and feelings. Jen was exhausted but determined to see this case to the end. Nick was focused, his jaw set, the vision of Allison Schultz entombed in a blue body bag forever a part of his memory. An innocent victim of untethered greed.

  The elevator door opened. The faint fragrance of jasmine wisped through the air exactly as Nick remembered from his first visit. Elizabeth walked toward them from the sitting room. She gave Jen a cursory nod and said, “Mother really doesn’t have much time, Detective Stryker. It has been a very long and exhausting day. She really should retire for the evening.”

  Nick noticed Elizabeth was dressed in all black. “Have the funeral arrangements been completed?”

  Elizabeth’s clacking high heel
s on the marble floor stopped abruptly and she turned, “We spent hours at that dreadful funeral home today.” She forced a small smile. “I’m afraid my mood has been damaged. Forgive me if I seem short.”

  Nick nodded and he and Jen followed Elizabeth into the expansive sitting room. Jen walked over to stand next to the marble fireplace. From that position she could see all of their faces. Nadine sat in the wing back chair near the window. Nick remembered his first meeting with her at Sunrise Hospital. Her suite at the hospital had been a close duplicate of this room. That day she had sat near the window, too. She stood to greet them. “Detective Stryker, Detective Taylor, I have been looking forward to your visit.” Nadine glanced at Jen and then back to Nick. “Please have a seat. Would either of you care for a beverage?”

  Jen shook her head.

  Nick said, “No, thank you.”

  Nick sat opposite of Nadine at the marble table by the window. Elizabeth sat at the end of the white couch and studied her manicure. Nick waited for Elizabeth to glance his way. Eventually, Elizabeth noticed the extended silence and looked up.

  Nick asked her, “Did you see Marvin and his family when they arrived in Chicago?”

  Elizabeth huffed, “No. I told you that he called me to tell me their jet had arrived safely.”

  Nick noticed Elizabeth’s tone and demeanor change to defensiveness. “Right. That’s when you gave him directions to the museums?”

  “Right.” Elizabeth shot an expression of annoyance toward Jen.

  Jen realized Elizabeth expected her to stop Nick’s questions. This was going to get ugly, fast.

  Nick raised an eyebrow, “We have a copy of the directions Marvin wrote down from your call. I’m puzzled. Why did you tell him to take Exit 141?”

  Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. Her diction became more staccato. “I don’t know that I did. I’d have to go to google maps again to see what I told him.” Elizabeth glanced back at her nails. “Maybe he wrote it down wrong?”