Bloody Basin

by John R Cuneo

  “I just want to let you know that today’s going to be somewhat of a long day. First we’re going to Albuquerque to pick up a friend of mine, and then the three of us are continuing on to St. Louis to meet someone.”

  The detective nodded and then asked, “Lank, what time is our flight?”

  Lank looked over at the detective and said, “As soon as we get my plane out of the hangar, we’ll be on our way.”

  “You mean we’re not flying on a commercial flight?” asked Detective Gore.

  “No, we’re flying in my own airplane.” “Oh.”

  “You don’t mind flying in a smaller airplane, do you?” asked Agent Tygard.

  “To tell you the truth, I’ve never flown in anything smaller than a commercial airliner,” said Detective Gore.

  “Well, you are in for a real treat today,” Agent Tygard replied.

  “I only have one question,” said Detective Gore. “Is it safe?”

  “Of course, it is safe,” said Agent Tygard. “In all the years I have been flying, I have only had one mishap, and that really wasn’t my fault.”

  “You’re not making me feel any better,” said Detective Gore. They laughed.

  “I’m glad I have my life insurance all paid up,” said the detective.

  A short time later, the two men entered the Scottsdale Airpark, and after passing through the security checkpoint, they arrived at the hangar where Agent Tygard kept his airplane. After exiting their vehicle, Agent Tygard opened the hangar doors, and Detective Gore got his first look at the aircraft they would be flying in today.

  “Come here, Adam,” said Agent Tygard. “Bring your bag and coat and put them here in the luggage compartment.”

  The two men secured their luggage for the flight to Albuquerque. Then Agent Tygard gave his car keys to Detective Gore. “Pull the car forward so I can get the airplane out. When the aircraft is clear, I want you to park my car here in the hangar.”

  “Okay,” said Detective Gore. Once the aircraft was outside, Detective Gore parked the car, and a few minutes later, the two men were sitting side-by-side in the beautiful twin-engine aircraft that would soon be whisking them first to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and then on to St. Louis, Missouri.

  The engines of the aircraft roared to full power as they shot down the runway. The feeling of speed and the sensation of being pressed back into his seat were two things Detective Gore came to terms with as he and Agent Tygard departed the airport. Their first stop was to pick up one of Agent Tygard’s former coworkers in espionage.

  Detective Gore heard Agent Tygard’s voice through the headset. “How you are doing?”

  He just nodded. “It’s okay,” said Agent Tygard. “Talk into the headset. I can hear you just fine.”

  “I’m okay,” said Detective Gore. “This is really something. I’ve never experienced anything like this before, I think I could get accustomed to it.”

  “You go ahead and make yourself comfortable and adjust the seat any way you want to. However, a word of warning: do not touch the door release handle, okay?” said Agent Tygard. “I understand,” replied Detective Gore. He made himself more comfortable and began to enjoy the flight. The aircraft reached its assigned cruising altitude, and Agent Tygard engaged the autopilot on course. As they sped toward their destination of Double Eagle Airport, Agent Tygard brought Detective Gore up to speed on why they were traveling that day.

  “You’re going to meet two guys that used to work with me in military intelligence. I want you to know that they both have the ability and the skills to make anybody disappear from the face of the earth, but having said that, both guys have done very well for themselves in the private sector.

  “The first one you’re going to meet is Chuck McGowan. Then later today, you will meet Paul Rossi. Chuck has been in the construction business for the last twenty years or so, but he’s also kept his eye on crime figures that are prominent in the Southwest, primarily in New Mexico and Texas.

  “Paul, on the other hand, owns a company based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in corporate espionage and surveillance. Yesterday morning, Paul contacted me and told me he had identified a target working for the FBI who was removing documentation that was, in turn, sold to an unknown second party. I would not be surprised if, by the time we meet Paul this evening in St. Louis, he has identified the second party or at least gotten an incredibly good idea who it is. That’s the reason we’re having this meeting today. We need to be damn sure that we identify our targets before we move forward.”

  Detective Gore stayed quiet for a few moments before he said, “It sounds like you guys are planning some kind of a hit. Is that right?” he asked.

  “Adam, you have to understand that in this business—and by business, I mean narcotics—the people we’re dealing with only care about money. They do not care about their friends, their family—nobody. They would kill you or me in a heartbeat and not think twice about it. I wanted you to be involved because I’m sure your name and my name are on somebody’s watch list, and if they decide we’re getting too close, then someone will give the order, and we’ll be gone.

  “Before that happens, we’ll identify the target and formulate a plan that makes them disappear first. So, I want you to think about what I just told you, and if you have any problem with what we are about to implement, tell me, and after we land in Albuquerque, I will put you on a commercial flight back to Phoenix. Is that understood?”

  “I understand completely,” said the young detective. “And I understand what it is you’re doing, but I’ve never done anything like this before, so if I seem a little hesitant, I hope you and your friends will fill me in on what I should be doing.”

  “That sounds fine to me,” replied Agent Tygard. “And I’m sure the other guys will be happy to give you some real-world guidance on what might happen over the next few weeks.”

  Carolyn and I finished a late breakfast in Flagstaff. We topped off the gas tank in the truck and headed east on Interstate 40. In time, we would pass the meteor crater and then the Petrified Forest on our way out of Arizona, but for now we settled back and enjoyed the beauty of Northern Arizona and the long drive over to Amarillo, Texas.

  “Honey, anytime you want me to drive, just let me know. I’d be happy to take over from time to time,” said Carolyn.

  “Thanks, babe. I’m good for now, but it’s going to be a long day, so I will definitely be asking you to take over later,” I told her.

  The back of the pickup truck was empty, so we had plenty of room for boxes of cash or whatever else we found in the storage shed in Amarillo. I also had made new California license plates in addition to the California stickers we would put on the back window of the truck to help with the illusion and hide our real identity. Carolyn was getting surprisingly good at reading some of the handwritten notes in our book, and it was just a few days ago that she had discovered some of the notes were not written in Spanish but in Portuguese.

  Shortly after leaving Arizona and entering New Mexico, we saw the sign for a travelers’ rest stop, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to stretch our legs and use the bathroom. It felt good to walk around and enjoy the fresh air and relative quiet of the rest stop. We saw a large glass-covered map hanging on a wall, showing exactly where we were in relation to the rest of the United States.

  “We still have to go the entire width of New Mexico,” commented Carolyn.

  “That reminds me,” I told her. “You can drive from here. I want to enjoy the view for a while.” “Then I had better get something to drink with plenty of caffeine,” she said.

  When we were ready, we continued our trip, we took one more look at the highlighted map and saw our destination: Amarillo Texas. That was the farthest east we would be traveling to visit storage sheds along Interstate 40. It was our plan that after we removed the contents of the storage unit in Amarillo, we
would stop in Gallup, New Mexico, completely bypassing the storage facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Then after stopping in Gallup, we would travel south off I-40 to our property in Pinetop, Arizona. We would arrive late and put boxes of cash under the floor of the cabin in the hidden cellar. One thing was for sure: if this trip were successful, the entire bed of the pickup truck and probably some of the back seat of the cab would be full boxes of cash.

  As Detective Gore sat quietly in the right seat of the airplane, enjoying the view of the landscape below, Agent Tygard was busy talking to air traffic control, getting his instructions for the descent into the Albuquerque airspace.

  “We’re about to start the descent into the Albuquerque area. It might be a little bit bumpy on the way down,” Agent Tygard said.

  Detective Gore nodded and watched Agent Tygard at the controls of the airplane, following the instructions of the air traffic controller. After what seemed like a short period of time, their aircraft was cleared for direct approach into Double Eagle Airport.

  Agent Tygard pointed his finger forward. “That’s the airport, about ten miles ahead of us, so we’ll be landing shortly.”

  Detective Gore nodded again, all the time watching Agent Tygard fly the airplane and communicate with air traffic control. The detective was somewhat taken aback when Agent Tygard, after reducing the airspeed, lowered his flaps and then the landing gear. When the gear was completely down and locked, it made a clunk sound that gave the detective pause for concern. Moments later, they landed at Double Eagle Airport, just outside of Albuquerque.

  After the beautiful landing, Agent Tygard exited the runway and contacted ground control, who gave him permission to taxi to the main hangar facility, where Chuck McGowan eagerly awaited them.

  “That hangar ahead is the one owned by Chuck’s construction company,” said Agent Tygard. “As a matter of fact, that fellow standing at the main doors is Chuck.”

  As before, there was a marshal waiting for them completely decked out in a florescent orange safety vest and paddles in both hands, giving Agent Tygard visual instructions as to where he wanted the airplane parked. The marshal crossed his arms, giving Agent Tygard the signal to stop; Agent Tygard touched the brakes and brought the aircraft to a complete stop. He then went through the engine shutdown checklist and, one by one, shut down each of the powerful engines on his airplane.

  “It’s okay to unlock the passenger door,” Agent Tygard said. Detective Gore did, letting a blast of cool air shoot into the cockpit “It still feels pretty cold here, doesn’t it?” said Agent Tygard. “I’ll take Arizona weather anytime,” said Detective Gore.

  They exited the aircraft. It felt good to stretch their legs and get a breath of fresh air.

  “I see you’ve made it in one piece,” said Chuck as he walked over to Agent Tygard and Detective Gore.

  “It’s good to see you, Chuck,” said Agent Tygard as they shook hands. “I want to introduce you to Detective Adam Gore with the Department of Public Safety.”

  “Nice to meet you, Adam. I’ve heard good things about you, and coming from Lank, that says a lot,” Chuck said.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Chuck. Agent Tygard has told me a lot about you, and I just want to say that you and Agent Tygard and Paul are the leaders of this operation, so please don’t hesitate to let me know what I should be doing,” Detective Gore said.

  “That’s fine, Adam, and if any of us think something unpleasant is about to take place, we’ll tell you and give you plenty of heads-up so you can take action,” Chuck replied. “Are you fellas up for a bite of lunch before we get back in the sky?”

  Agent Tygard and Detective Gore both said, “That sounds great.”

  The three of them headed to the local coffee shop there at the airport. Before sitting down at the table, Detective Gore excused himself and made a beeline for the men’s room. Chuck and Agent Tygard sat at a table by the window and ordered hot coffee for three. Chuck looked over his shoulder toward the entrance to the restroom, then glanced back at Agent Tygard. “Do you really think that guy is up to the task that may be ahead of us?”

  Agent Tygard looked directly at Chuck. “Adam Gore’s as fine a lawman as you will find anywhere. I know he’s only been in one shootout that took place shortly after he was promoted to detective, but yes, I believe he is up to the task.”

  “That’s all I wanted to hear,” said Chuck. “You know we will do our best to keep him out of the front lines on this one, but as you know, sometimes the shit can get deep really quick when you’re dealing with narcotics.”

  A few moments later, Detective Gore joined the two men for breakfast. Chuck announced that Agent Tygard would be riding in the back seat today with the rest of them. “What do you mean by that?” said Agent Tygard.

  “It just so happens that I need to deliver some contracts to a customer in St. Louis, so I can justify using the corporate plane,” Chuck said.

  “I didn’t know you had a corporate plane,” said Agent Tygard. “I thought you just had the helicopter.” “I guess that shows you just don’t know everything, do you, Special Agent Tygard? We’ll be flying in a Learjet 31 over to St. Louis today,” Chuck said.

  “Great balls of fire!” said Agent Tygard. “Maybe I should have gotten into the construction business with you after all.” They all laughed and enjoyed their breakfast.

  It was almost seven o’clock by the time Carolyn and I reached the Amarillo, Texas, city limits. The sun was casting long shadows across the freeway when we finally saw our hotel in the distance.

  “I can’t wait to take my shoes off and lie down,” said Carolyn.

  “You and me both,” I said. “I think I’ll be taking a hot shower as soon as we get into our room. It’s been a long damn day.”

  The hotel was nice and quiet, with large rooms and comfortable beds. Carolyn made good on her wish to lie down for a while, and I immediately went and took a long, hot shower after the day’s drive from Arizona.

  Our plan was to relax for the evening and then start fresh tomorrow morning. We would go to the storage shed after breakfast, and after topping off the gas tank of the truck, we would ride back home. We did not want any delays after removing the contents of the storage shed. According to our map, the storage facility backed up to the frontage road that bordered Interstate 40, and conveniently for us, there was a restaurant just down the street from the main entrance to the storage facility itself. It would enable us to drive past the main entrance and get a look at what we were up against.

  Agent Tygard, Detective Gore, and Chuck each looked out their own window on the private jet as they quickly made their way to St. Louis, Missouri. Piloting the aircraft were two men Chuck trusted with his life. They were ex-military pilots and had logged thousands of flight hours in both military and commercial jets. Equally important to Chuck was the fact they had experience in clandestine operations. Paul Rossi was waiting for the men in St. Louis. It was at his request that they meet in person to discuss his findings so far and agree to a plan of action moving forward.

  Paul was in a private executive suite located in downtown St. Louis. He had swept the room for listening devices and had an assortment of refreshments and snacks waiting for his guests. One of Paul’s employees checked the three men for electronic wires, then allowed them to enter the room before he returned to his post outside as security.

  Paul greeted Agent Tygard, Chuck, and Detective Gore, thanking them for coming to St. Louis, then got right to the point.

  “Fena LaStrange is without any doubt a mole planted within the FBI. She’s a student at Georgetown, working part time at the FBI and living in a $2,600-per-month luxury apartment, which has been furnished with high-end antique furniture. I found a hiding place under the carpet in her closet along with three designer purses, each worth over $1,500.”

  He paused, looking at the men. “How in the hell can she af
ford this?”

  He continued telling them about the letter he had found written in Portuguese and her high-level recommendation for the job at the FBI. Paul had had his best employee, a woman, shadow Fena, trying to identify her male contact, the person Paul had witnessed passing something to Fena during their encounter on the D.C. Metro. After Paul’s briefing, Agent Tygard and Chuck agreed that Fena was the mole, but they needed more information about her male contact before any move was to be made against her. “We’ll watch a bit longer,” said Agent Tygard. The other men agreed.

  “Let’s take a break,” suggested Paul. He turned his attention to Detective Gore. “Do you think you’re ready for this?” asked Paul.

  “As I told Agent Tygard and Chuck, I will do as I’m told, and I respect your experience in these matters,” replied Detective Gore.

  Paul nodded his head, then said, “Let’s be clear on what we’re about to do. People are going to disappear. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, I do,” answered Detective Gore. “And I’m fine with that.”

  Paul poured himself a drink and raised his glass. “Here is to the team.”

  Chapter 14

  Dirty Deal

  Morning in Amarillo, Texas, came way too early for me; the hotel bed was actually comfortable, and the noise from the freeway was almost nonexistent. Carolyn was sound asleep, and I could see by the illuminated alarm clock that it was just a few minutes away from going off. It felt so peaceful that I turned off the alarm so we could both sleep a little longer. It was going to be another long day, but not that long.

  Today, after we visited the storage locker, we would drive to the Pinetop property without any stops. We knew there were lockers in Albuquerque and Gallup, New Mexico, but we had both agreed over dinner we were pushing our luck, so after breakfast, we would hit the Amarillo locker, then go straight back to Arizona.

  The Learjet landed at the Double Eagle Airport outside of Albuquerque, then taxied up to the executive building. Chuck, Agent Tygard, and Detective Gore exited the aircraft and made their way into Chuck’s private office.