by Billy Kring
Gary stepped in front of Hunter to keep her from smart-mouthing. He said, “Sure. We started on the River before daylight…”
It was four AM when Hunter spotted the trail coming out of the Rio Grande a quarter-mile upriver from Las Vibras. At first the tracks were indistinct, hardly more than smudges, but Gary and Hunter figured it was a single person, and probably male because of the stride.
As they followed the slight indications of passage, with one of them driving the Jeep and the other on foot, the Agents realized this one was someone who knew the desert. He’d crossed at night to avoid the heat, and he walked fast, not wavering his direction except to avoid cactus, Spanish daggers, and ocotillo.
Hunter had seen the first smudged track in her headlights, and they followed the sign by headlight and flashlight for three hours until the sun winked a sliver of yellow above the eastern horizon.
That’s when the man’s trail went crazy.
He went left, then right, and doubled back, then raced forward to another gulley, where the tracks showed he stayed for a while. Then it was off again, weaving and twisting from one draw to the next, from one patch of cenizo to a cluster of boulders. It seemed he was trying to throw someone off his trail, except he wasn’t brushing out any tracks.
His trail became harder to follow when the terrain grew rougher as they approached the eastern side of the Chinati mountain range. She found fewer and fewer tracks in the rock. They were losing ground on the man, and knew they had to make a decision. Gary said, “I think he’s planning to go through Tinaja Prieta Canyon.”
Hunter said, “Yeah, I think so, too.”
They split up, with Hunter following on foot while Gary drove the Jeep in a wide circle to avoid a series of gulleys and washouts. That’s when he got Hunter’s call about the body. He radioed Headquarters and had them contact the Sheriff’s Office, then drove to Hunter and the dead man.
Gary finished the story with, “And then you two arrived.”
Mr. Jones nodded. “Neither of you took anything off the body?”
“What are you saying?” Hunter asked.
“I said did you take anything off the body?”
Hunter put her hands on her hips, “I just wanted to make sure I heard right, that we’re being asked if we’re thieves.”
Mr. Jones said, “I’ve seen enough, Sheriff. You can take me to Marfa.”
Hunter stepped in front of him when he moved toward the Sheriff’s vehicle. “You never told me your first name. I like to know who I’m dealing with.”
“Someone who’s way above your pay grade.”
“Oh, shit,” Gary said softly, shaking his head. He was sure that if he looked close, steam would be coming out of Hunter’s ears.
Sheriff Montoya stepped between Hunter and Mr. Jones, “We’re leaving. Hunter, you and Gary come by the office later and we’ll drink a cup.”
He ushered Mr. Jones to the vehicle, and they left as a Sheriff’s Department Ram Charger arrived and three deputies emerged with rolls of banana yellow crime scene tape and other gear.
Hunter said to Gary, “That guy ticked me off.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell.” He grinned at her.
Hunter said, “You’re a funny, funny man.” She stepped to the older Deputy and asked, “Alonso, who’s that guy with Danny?”
Alonso, said, “He didn’t talk to us, and the Sheriff didn’t say. But he was dropped off in a helicopter, a fancy one. It was black.”
Hunter looked at Gary, “A helicopter.”
Gary said, “No tracks.”
Hunter walked toward the Jeep. “I can’t wait to hear what Danny has to say.”
Gary said, “That better be some good coffee he’s brewing or we’ll walk out when the politically correct talk starts. I’ll stay a little longer if the coffee’s good.”
“I hear that.”
The Sheriff was good at his word and had a fresh pot of coffee finishing when the two Border Patrol Agents walked into his office.
Danny said, “There’s your cups, and Hunter, you know where the cream and sugar is. Help yourselves.”
Hunter said, “You’re letting us use your real coffee cups? Wow, this is gonna be some story.”
Danny shook his head. “You’re giving me a migraine, Kincaid.”
When they were seated, Danny said, “You didn’t recognize him, did you?”
Hunter and Gary shook their heads. Hunter said, “Who is he?”
“His name is Lincoln Jones. He’s made a lot of money, mostly from the large amount of stock he bought early on in both Microsoft and Apple. He keeps his face out of the news, and has for the last two decades. Before that, he was overseas for the CIA, evidently did some heavy espionage work for years.”
Gary said, “I think I remember that name from way back, in Grenada maybe.”
Danny said, “You’ve got a good memory.”
Gary said, “I was there.”
Danny said, “He was a Marine at that time, and did some heroics that were played up in the press. He has the Navy Cross and two Purple Hearts.”
“That deserves some respect.” Gary said.
Hunter said, “Why are you suddenly his chauffeur?”
Danny put his cup down, walked around his desk and closed the door. “Because I got a call from the White House.”
Hunter said, “What did they say?”
“They asked me to extend every courtesy to Mr. Jones.”
“That was good enough for you?”
Danny sighed, “Hunter, everything’s not black or white like you think.”
Gary asked, “What’s he doing in Presidio County at a murder scene?”
Danny said, “The murdered man is his stepson.”
Hunter said, “I feel like such an ass.”
“You don’t have to. He said he liked your attitude, said you were protective of your organization and your friends, and he admired that in you.”
“I’ll be. I will apologize to him if we meet again.”
Danny said, “You’ll get your chance. He wants you to meet him in El Paso tomorrow.”
“For what?”
“He wouldn’t say.” Danny slid an envelope across the table to her. “The info is in there. Your Chief is already on board.”
Gary sipped more coffee, “I’m glad it’s you and not me.”
~**~
