Sun Storm

by Marlow Kelly

  “Okay, so your buddy, David Quinn, rescues Marie Wilson from a home invasion and brings her here. I just heard from the fire marshal. The cabin on Deerborn Road, the one with the red roof, was burnt to the ground.”

  “What?” Finn spun around.

  “Yeah, and it was definitely arson. It was sloppy, too. They found traces of gas splashed all over the area.”

  “Damn. David couldn’t have done that.”

  “No, but he knows who did. I need to talk to him. Where does he live?”

  “He has acreage out near Missoula.”

  “What does he do for a living?”

  Finn thought about the dinner he’d had with his old friend at Christmas. “He’s healing.”

  “Healing?”

  “He was shot in the line of duty. Actually, a bullet grazed his face. He’s adjusting to civilian life. He has ten acres of bush. He lives in an old camper and keeps bees.”

  “He’s a beekeeper?” Ramirez’s lips pressed into a thin line as he raised one eyebrow, which suggested he was skeptical of David’s chosen profession.

  “He seems to think there’s a living to be made from renting out bee hives, and according to him, they’re peaceful.”

  “Did he receive an honorable discharge?”

  “As far as I know. The army was the only home he had. I can’t imagine him doing anything to mess that up.” This was beginning to feel like an interrogation. He glanced at Kennedy. She was leaning with her butt against his desk. Her coat was in a pile on his chair. Seemingly relaxed, she took a sip of her coffee, but her eyes were focused on Ramirez as he continued to ask questions.

  “When you say the army was his only home…”

  “He was a street kid. Actually, he lived on the streets of Granite City. He was taken in by a local charity. He got his GED and then joined up.”

  “The charity that took him in…could it be Marshall House?”

  “Sounds familiar, but I can check.”

  “Check with whom?”

  Yes, this was definitely an interrogation. “There was a small posse of them living rough, which included Sinclair, David’s twin sister, Tim Morgan, and Michael Papin. They all went into the army together. They still keep in touch.”

  “When was the last time you saw Quinn?”

  “Christmas dinner. It’s not unusual for us to spend the holidays together.” Mainly because none of them had anyone else so they’d become a family.

  “Us?”

  “Yes, they’ve included me in their group since basic training. We’ve known each other for fifteen years.”

  Ramirez narrowed his eyes. “But you didn’t live on the street with them?”

  “No. I grew up in Chicago.” There was no way Finn would reveal his background unless it was absolutely necessary.

  “You met in basic. How long ago was that?”

  “As I said, fifteen years.” Finn forced himself to relax. He hadn’t done anything wrong, and as far as he could tell, neither had David. Mateo Ramirez was just doing what any good detective would do—ask questions.

  “I think that’s all I need to know.” Ramirez tucked his notebook into his back pocket.

  Finn took a deep breath. “Look, David’s a friend, but I won’t help him if he’s committed a crime.”

  “That’s good to know.” The detective backed out of the room. “You’ll let me know if he contacts you?”

  “Of course.” Another lie.

  As soon as Ramirez was gone, Finn closed the door. He turned to Kennedy and then pointed to the chair across from his desk. “Take a seat.”

  She leveled her steady gaze on him. “What’s going on?”

  “I want you to listen to this.” He tapped his smartphone.

  David’s strained voice rang out. “Finn, there’s a lot going on. I heard Portman give the order to kill us. He owns the police so watch your back. I just put her on a flight to Seattle. I’ll call again when I get settled.”

  An electronic beep indicated the end of the call.

  Kennedy’s eyes widened. “I assume he’s talking about Dr. Wilson when he says ‘her.’”

  “There’s more,” Finn said and then pushed another button on his phone.

  “They tried to grab Marie at the airport. I got her away, but…I don’t know. These guys are good. I don’t know what technology they have at their disposal. I really need your help. We’re going to lay low. Check out Portman and the police. I’ll call once we’re safe.”

  “Dear God.” Kennedy put a hand to her mouth. “Is he accusing Marshall Portman of public corruption?”

  “Yes, let’s talk this through. Last night Dr. Wilson was the victim of a home invasion.”

  “And your friend saved her.”

  “And brought her here to me.” Finn’s gut clenched. He should’ve taken Marie’s statement instead of passing it off to the Granite City-Elkhead police department. But at the time it seemed like a normal home invasion.

  “Her cabin is torched,” Kennedy added.

  “Between the time David dropped Marie at the police station and left the first message, he heard something that scared him. I wonder where he went after he dropped Dr. Wilson off here? Oh, and I think he told Dr. Wilson that it was his first day on the job.”

  “Job? What Job?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think Wilson knew either.”

  “Do you think Ramirez knows?”

  “It’s hard to tell.”

  “Do you think we can trust him?”

  “Ramirez? I don’t know that either.”

  ****

  Finn scrubbed a hand over his face. He was supposed to be going over a case of domestic terrorism, which involved a militia group, The Sons of Freedom. The case would be going to trial soon, which was why his meeting with the federal attorney had gone long.

  He glanced at the surveillance photo of Marie Wilson with David that he’d obtained from the desk sergeant. Quinn didn’t look all that different from when he’d served. He’d worn long hair and a beard then, too. It had helped him blend into the Afghan population. But the scar deformed what would otherwise be a handsome face.

  He should call Sinclair. If anyone knew the identity of David’s employer, it would be his sister. She hadn’t made it home for Christmas, which meant he hadn’t seen her in over a year. She’d opted out of the army a few years ago and was now an investigator with Finders International, an organization that helped find victims of human trafficking. She traveled extensively in a job that had to be grueling and emotionally taxing.

  If she didn’t know what her brother was up to, then Finn would call Tim or Michael. One of them should know something. He already suspected his friend had been employed by PDE. That was the answer that made the most sense, but in an investigation, he couldn’t assume.

  The head of Granite-Elkhead Police Department, Chief Notley, strolled into Finn’s office. His receding hairline and his paunch made him seem older than his thirty-nine years. “Heard you had a visitor this morning.”

  “Yes, a young woman named Marie Wilson was brought here by someone I knew in my military days.” Finn wasn’t about to go over the details again.

  “A friend of yours?” He rubbed the back of his neck. There was something off in the chief’s disposition. Finn’s experience in interviewing subjects included picking up on non-verbal behavior. At this moment, Notley’s body language showed he was distressed and needed a soothing mechanism, hence rubbing his neck.

  “We were close once,” Finn admitted.

  “Why were they here?

  “You should talk to Detective Ramirez. He took the complaint.” Finn didn’t like this line of questioning. Something was wrong, and considering David’s voicemail, he wasn’t about to reveal anything.

  “Does your friend have a name?”

  “Quinn, David Quinn.” Finn had a feeling the chief already knew that.

  “I thought it might be. There’s something you should see. Come to my office.”

 
Finn shivered. The feeling of ants crawling down his back told him there was a big pile of trouble coming his way.

  The police station floor plan was simple. Six desks for the detectives were crammed into the bullpen, with the coffee room and interview rooms around the edge. The cells were at the back of the building. Police Chief Notley’s Office sat in one corner. It was spacious with large glass windows that allowed him to oversee his detectives.

  The Chief shut the door as soon as Finn stepped inside. “A man named David Quinn is wanted in connection with the kidnapping of Dr. Marie Wilson.”

  “No, that can’t be—”

  “How well do you know him?”

  “We were in basic together. Then I joined the military police, and he became a member of the Special Forces.” Finn wasn’t about to reveal he’d had Christmas dinner with Quinn, which was stupid. Notley was bound to find out sooner or later because Finn had just told Ramirez.

  “Special Forces?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Dr. Wilson was in here at this police station on her own?”

  “Yes, she said four guys burst into her cabin, one of them was David. They were looking for a prototype of a solar panel. She thought she was going to be raped and murdered, but David got her out of there and brought her here to me. As I said, ask Ramirez.”

  “Who the hell would want a solar panel?”

  Finn shrugged. He didn’t want to speculate.

  “PDE emailed us a video this morning. Watch it with me.” Notley sat at his desk and motioned for Finn to stand next to him.

  Marie and a uniformed officer walked toward the PDE building. She reached the door as David walked out. He shoved the young policeman and dragged Marie away.

  By Finn’s estimation, the video was less than ten seconds long. He put a hand to his head. Shit. David must’ve been at PDE when he’d heard Portman.

  “Your friend”—the chief hammered his fist on his desk—“just attacked Officer Calder and kidnapped a woman. He’s a wanted man.”

  Finn stared at the blank screen. “Can you play that again?”

  Notley hit the replay button. David shoved the policeman and then grabbed Marie by the arm. Marie was clearly surprised by Quinn’s actions. The screen went blank.

  “Is Officer Calder okay?” Finn tried to keep his tone impassive.

  “Yes, he’s fine. I sent him home for the day.”

  “Good,” Finn said. David probably knew several ways to kill without using a weapon so he obviously hadn’t wanted to hurt the young officer. Finn straightened away from the chief. “Where’s the rest? There has to be more.”

  “No, that’s all there is.”

  “Who gave you this video?”

  “I told you, PDE.”

  Why had Marie been in front of the PDE building? He needed to figure out a way to ask without seeming suspicious.

  “I want to make this clear. I’m only showing this to you as a courtesy because you know the suspect and can help us with our investigation. The kidnapping of an adult falls under the jurisdiction of the Granite City-Elkhead police department.” Notley stood, resting a hand on the weapon at his side. To the untrained eye, it might seem like a casual gesture, but to Finn it was an obvious show of force, which was out of place considering they were both supposed to be on the same side.

  “I have no intention of ignoring jurisdiction, but there’s a chance our cases will overlap. Ramirez has begun an investigation into the home invasion. I’m also exploring a possible connection to the Sons of Freedom.” That was an outright lie. There was absolutely no connection to the terrorist group, but Marie’s cabin was on land adjacent to the Son’s headquarters. He could work with that.

  The chief took a step closer. “I’m not going to step on your toes when it comes to domestic terrorism, and you’re not going to interfere with my kidnapping case. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  Finn forced himself to relax. “Of course, I have no intention of getting in your way.” He wanted to appear nonchalant, and indifferent. Notley had been in law enforcement long enough he knew how to read people, and Finn didn’t want the chief to recognize his lie.

  “I’m glad we understand each other. I’d hate to have to report you to your superiors.”

  Finn said nothing. He knew a direct threat when he heard one.

  “You can leave the door open.” The chief sat down and began typing on his keyboard, effectively dismissing him.

  Finn slammed the door of his office. He was stunned, not just by the video, but also by his conversation with Notley. Normally in a kidnapping case, the local police would be happy to have FBI resources. They would not threaten their resident agent.

  Every molecule in Finn’s body screamed that something was wrong, and it wasn’t just Notley’s behavior. Something was off about that video. It was short—too short. It didn’t show the whole scene.

  He had to get out of here. There were too many implications to deal with: David accused of kidnapping, Marie and her solar panel, Notley’s behavior, David’s warning, and Marshall Portman. He needed to think through all the complexities.

  He checked his Glock 27, shoved it back into his shoulder holster, and felt his belt to make sure he still had his cuff case. Then he grabbed his go-bag. It was packed with a water bottle, snack food, evidence bags, extra ammo for his Glock, flexi-cuffs, a flashlight, and a first-aid kit, along with all the other stuff he carried. He just never knew what was around the corner. His raid jacket and a box of latex gloves were already in his vehicle.

  His cell phone played a funky jazz tune. “Agent Callaghan.”

  “What’s going on with David?” An impatient voice barked down the line.

  “Michael, is that you?” Michael Papin, ex-street kid and computer genius. He had become a cyber specialist and was now an agent specializing in cybercrime for the United States Army CID.

  “I’m picking up a lot of buzz about David and some woman. Have you heard anything?”

  Finn filled Michael in on everything he knew, leaving out his own questions and doubts. Papin possessed a unique mind and would make his own lines of inquiry. “This video is only ten seconds long?”

  “If that.”

  “I’ll look into it.” Michael hung up without saying goodbye.

  Finn stared at the phone. He still needed to call David’s twin, Sinclair, and confirm the name of Quinn’s employer. He scrolled through his contact list and then dialed the number. Her phone went straight to voicemail. “Hi, you’ve reached Sinclair—”

  He hung up without leaving a message and then patted the pocket of his cargo pants to check his credentials were still there.

  On his way to the stairs, he stopped in at Kennedy’s office. “You busy?”

  “Just finishing some paperwork.” She pushed her keyboard aside.

  “I need you to go to the airport and check out all the video recordings from this morning.”

  “You’re kidding. All the video from all the cameras?”

  “Yep. PDE gave Chief Notley a video that shows David taking Marie.”

  She leant forward. “Taking? As in kidnapping?”

  “That’s what they’re saying.”

  “But you don’t believe them?”

  “No. In the first message, he said he’d put her on a flight to Seattle. The second time he called he said they’d tried to grab her at the airport.”

  “And if they tried to snatch her, one of the cameras would’ve caught it. Gotcha. I’ll head over there now.” She stood, snagging her coat from the back of her chair. “Where are you going?”

  “David struck a young officer by the name of Calder. I’m going to talk to him.”

  “Do you think he’s involved?”

  “I don’t know.” He walked toward the stairs. “See you back here after lunch.”

  The wind whipped at him as he walked across the parking lot, almost knocking him off his feet. Hopefully, he had enough time before the snowstorm to drop in on officer
Rick Calder and see how he was doing. If the young man wanted to talk about his experience, then Finn wouldn’t stop him. Then he’d call Sinclair, again, and try Tim. One of them should know what the hell was going on.

  He scanned the sky where low, dark, ominous clouds now blocked out the sun. If he were unlucky, the blizzard would hit when he was on the road. He threw his gear onto the passenger seat of his standard-issue black Ford expedition then checked the emergency kit in the truck, making sure it contained flares, a candle, a foil blanket, and waterproof matches.

  Common sense told him to wait until the weather conditions improved, but his instincts screamed, telling him he needed to figure this out—soon. Somehow David Quinn was enmeshed in something nasty that involved the possible corruption of the Granite City-Elkhead Police Department.

  Finn drove out of the parking lot as the first flakes of snow hit the windshield. He shook his head. This was turning into a fucking wonderful day.

  Chapter Thirteen

  David loved Glacier Country. It was the wildest part of the state and was dominated by mountains, forests, and rivers. If he ever got his cabin built, he would make sure it had a view of the snow-capped Rockies. Today, a wall of clouds covered the peaks. Snow. Even with the acidic trace of diesel coming off the engine, he could smell the frigid dampness in the air.

  Marie slept, curled in his lap. He stroked a long dark strand of hair away from her face. He shouldn’t be attracted to her, and he most certainly shouldn’t act on that attraction. Maybe he should rethink his plan to become involved with her. Any response from her would be marred by the gratitude she undoubtedly felt. As he saw it, his job was to protect her and keep her safe until the FBI could sort this mess out, not use their situation to take advantage of her. Besides, she probably wasn’t interested in him, not with his scarred face.

  She sighed in her sleep and exhaled into his chest, sending a frisson of pleasure to his groin. He smothered the urge to kiss her. She seemed to have no clue of her own appeal, which made her more tempting.

  Jake had lapsed into silence a few miles back and had turned on the stereo to listen to some country music. David’s butt bounced off the seat as the truck hit a rut. Marie’s head snapped up and connected with his chin. He grunted and rubbed his face with his free hand.