I was afraid of that. I'll call the Washington office and see if they're on it . . . Right, I'll get back to you."
Farrel hung up the phone and looked at the people across the table. "Looks like we're too late . . . Henry Cobb was shot in the back of the head just thirty minutes ago. It appears it was a pro. A small-caliber weapon was used and nobody heard the weapon's report. Firemen found his body before the office building became an inferno."
Eli exchanged looks with Ashley. "What about Congressman Richards, sir?"
The SAC looked up at his secretary. "Doris, get the Washington office SAC on the phone for me." As she hurried from the room, Farrel's gaze fell on Faraday. "He's missing . . . he hasn't showed up at his office this morning."
Farrel turned to Agent Bowlan. "Get our people to the scene in Dahlonega and seize all the Yona Group's records, if there are any left. You'll also need to get hold of the U. S.
Attorney and tell him what's happened. We'll need an okay to pick up all the partners for questioning."
Bowlan stood and strode toward the door. Ed Faraday stood, too, and leaned over, looking at the SAC with a glare.
"Sir, what the hell is goin' on here? Were Cobb and Congressman Richards connected?"
Farrel leaned back in his chair with a distant stare. "We don't know."
"Sir, excuse me, but I don't buy that. Something is going on here. The two men who could have answered questions about the Yona Group's business affairs are dead or missing.
I'm just a state dick, but that tells me somebody didn't want them questioned. It seems logical to me, then, that they were both involved with that somebody--and I think you know who that somebody is."
The SAC kept his face expressionless. "Detective Faraday, I told you what I know. Thank you for coming over and filling us in on the group's leaders. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."
Faraday kept a hard look on the SAC for a long moment before finally turning and facing Eli. "So much for sharing information, huh? I'll wait outside for you two."
The SAC waited until the detective had left before looking at the two remaining agents. "Agent Tanner, I want you to check Agent Sutton into a hotel so she can rest. She's got no business working so soon."
Ashley began to protest, but Farrel growled, "That's an order, young lady; don't argue with me." Farrel shifted his glare to Eli. "Once you've taken care of your partner, talk to the GBI again and try and smooth their feathers. We're going to need their assistance on the case."
Eli raised an eyebrow. "Sir, you were pretty rough on Ed. He was right--it's obvious somebody else is involved.
We can't keep him and the GBI in the dark and expect cooperation."
"Handle it, Tanner. My hands are tied, damnit! Do the best you can, but don't tell them about the player connection. Now get out of here."
Eli and Ashley left in silence and met Faraday in the hallway. The fuming detective motioned toward the SAC's door. "Does he think I'm a damn idiot?"
Eli gave his friend a consoling pat on the shoulder. "Ed, he's under a lot of strain . . . he's got a murdered senator and a missing congressman to deal with."
"They're my senator and congressman, Tanner. You don't think the GBI isn't under pressure to find out who's knockin' off our Georgia boys?"
"Ed, we're all under pressure. Just believe me when I tell ya that the SAC is doing all he can."
"Yeah, I'm sure he is, Tanner, but I also think you feds are hiding something. Come on, what is it?"
Eli began to shake his head when Ashley spoke up. "Ed, there might be a connection with a drug player out of Miami."
"A drug player? Connected to Cobb and Richards? How?"
Despite the glare Eli was giving her, Ashley said, "Money laundering. The conversion van business is perfect for it-- high turnover of vans and boats. They buy the basic boats, vans, parts, and accessories with the dirty money. . . . When the vehicle sells, they get back clean money."
"Who's the player?" Faraday asked.
Eli spoke before Ashley could respond. "That we honestly don't know, Ed, and neither does the SAC. The DEA has the lead on the case and is working the player connection angle . . . we're only in the support role."
Faraday shook his head. "Jesus, you feds are unbelievable. My senator is dead, along with his whole family, and a congressman is missing, and you feds are playing turf games. I know, I know, it's not your fault it's run this way, but it still doesn't make it any easier to swallow. . . . Thanks for telling me. At least now I understand what we're up against. So what's the deal? Are we supposed to wait and let the DEA get the player?"
"No," Eli said. "Agent Bowlan is driving on with the investigation; we're not standing still on this."
"What part are we going to play?" Faraday asked.
Eli sighed. "Sorry, Ed, we're just gofers. As liaisons, we pass each other info on what our investigators come up with."
The stocky detective's shoulders sagged. "We're not gofer types, Tanner. We should be doin' somethin' real to get the bastards."
"Not our job, Ed. Right now I've got orders to check Sutton into a hotel so she can rest. How about tomorrow morning we get together at your office and I'll show you everything we've got so far."
Faraday nodded. "Fine. Hey, since you guys are in town, we might as well have dinner together tonight. I know a couple of joints that have good ribs."
Ashley was about to nod, but to her shock saw Eli shaking his head. "Sorry, I can't, Ed. I have a date tonight."
"A date?" Ashley said, giving her partner a disbelieving look.
"Yeah, I told you about it."
"You didn't tell me you had a date, Tanner. That I'd remember."
Eli's face reddened. "Oh . . . guess I just thought I did.
It's not a real date; it's kind of a have to thing. Stacy Starr made a deal with the SAC, and part of the deal was that I--"
"Take her on a date?" Faraday asked with a smile. "You expect me and Ashley to believe that?"
Eli held up his hand. "Scout's honor, guys. It really is a duty."
Ashley gave him a disapproving glare. "Tough duty, huh, Tanner?"
Before Eli could respond, Faraday stepped closer to
Ashley. "What d'ya say I take you to dinner, then? We'll just happen to go to the same place Tanner takes the news lady and we'll see firsthand how tough Tanner's duty really is."
"Sorry, guys," Eli said. "We're having dinner at her place."
"Her place?" Ashley croaked. "What's going on, Tanner?
Her place?"
Eli was beginning to enjoy her anger. "Look, Sutton, I'm just following orders, just like I have orders to check you into a hotel. Drop it, okay?"
Faraday lifted his hand. "Hey, as much as I'd like to stay and watch you two claw each other up, I've got to get back to the office. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Faraday began walking down the hall, and spoke over his shoulder with a smile. "And Tanner, good luck with your duty tonight."
Ashley rolled her eyes and began walking in the opposite direction. Eli barked, "Where you goin'? I've got orders, remember?"
"I'll meet you in the van. I've got to pick up something first."
Minutes later in the parking lot, Ashley got into the van holding her briefcase. Seated in the passenger seat, Eli held up his cell phone. "I got us reservations at the Marriott and I called Regina. She's going over to your place and pack you a few things. Tom will drive the stuff up this evening so you'll be more comfortable."
Ashley nodded in silence as she kept her gaze on the front entrance of the office building. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Eli was about to ask what was wrong but she held up her hand and growled, "I'm fine." She started the engine and quickly backed out.
Dahlonega Ted held his breath as the Georgia highway patrol car sped around the van with its lights flashing. As he sat behind the steering wheel, Glenn sighed in relief; the patrol car continued on. "Oh man, I thought we'd had it," he said, shaking his head.
Ted looked over his
shoulder at the pickup following them. "I bet Virgil shit his pants seeing that county Mountie come up behind him."
Glenn motioned ahead. "Look, that's what that cop was in such a hurry about--there's a fire someplace in town. See that smoke cloud?"
Entering the outskirts of the community, Ted glanced at the distant billowing gray-black cloud and was about to comment when he saw two GBI cars parked at a gas station on the corner of an intersection. "Uh-oh."
Glenn glanced at the two cars and winced. "You think they're here because of the missing money?"
"I don't know. Better drive on past the motel and let's see if they're stakin' it out."
"God, Teddy, you think somebody ratted us out?"
"We haven't done anything yet. Christ'a'mighty, don't get paranoid on me now."
"I'm paranoid because if they pull us over and search us, they'll find enough illegal weapons and demo in the back of this thing to put us away for twenty years!"
"Take it easy, Glenn. The motel is just ahead. Look, the parking lot is almost empty; nobody is waitin' for us. Relax now, will ya?"
Glenn pulled into the motel parking lot and brought the van to a halt beside a small Hertz rental truck.
Ted got out and smiled at his friend. "See, nothin' to worry about." He turned as Virgil parked and got out of his truck.
"You guys see the GBI vehicles back there?" Virgil asked, getting out of the pickup.
Ted was about to respond when a blue sedan pulled into the lot and stopped in front of the motel office. Three men got out, all wearing blue windbreakers with big gold letters on the back saying FBI.
Ted froze, Virgil closed his eyes, and Glenn began trembling.
None of the agents even glanced in the three men's direction as they walked toward the office door, which suddenly opened, revealing a gray-haired woman. "Hiya. Agent BowIan called and said you boys would be over to sign for rooms. I told him none of 'em was cleaned yet." .
The agent in the lead smiled. "That's no problem, ma'am, we just wanted to get them reserved for us. We'll need all the rooms you have available."
"All of 'em? That's twenty-one rooms."
"We'll take them all, ma'am."
"All of 'em? You sayin' you want all of 'em?"
"Yes, ma'am. We have more agents coming."
"This all about that fire over there at the Yona company building? I heard somebody died over there, that right?"
"Yes, ma'am, it's about the fire. We need to get back to the scene. Could we make the arrangements for the rooms now, please?"
" 'Course, you boys come in . . . y'all goin' to pay with credit cards, aren't ya?"
As soon as the agents disappeared inside the office, Ted spun around and faced Virgil. "Get in your truck and follow us. We've got to get the weapons and gear hidden outside of town." He turned to Glenn and held out his hand. "Give me the keys to the rental truck and I'll drive it and follow you guys."
Glenn's face sagged. "Ramon has the keys."
"No, don't tell me that." Ted shook his head. "The night vision and tactical gear is in the back of the rental."
"Okay, Ted, I won't tell you Ramon has the fucking keys, but guess what? Virgil and I don't have them, do you?"
Ted looked up at the blue sky. "Why are you doin' this to me, Lord? Are you tryin' to tell me somethin'?"
Virgil worriedly glanced toward the office before looking back to his leader. "Ted, we gotta get the hell out of here before this place turns into an FBI convention."
"Let me think a minute," Ted said, lifting his hand. "All right, I got it. We drive our two vehicles out nice and slow and easy. We find a nice secluded spot and hide the weapons. Once we're clean, we get the keys from Ramon then come back and get the rental truck."
Glenn motioned toward the office. "Once the feds leave I'll check us all out of the motel."
"No," Ted said quickly. "If we check out now it would look too suspicious. If the feds know about the missing money, they'll be looking for the crew that took it."
"Ted's right," Virgil said, patting Glenn's shoulder. "We gotta stay here again tonight and be cool."
"But what about the money?" Glenn asked.
"Most of it will still be there," Ted said as he opened the van door. "Ramon said they were going to take it out a million at a time, remember? Come on, we gotta hide our weapons and get those keys."
Atlanta It was a little after noon as Ashley sat in the Marriott's lounge holding a gin and tonic. Eli walked in, saw her sitting at a corner table, and sat down beside her. He handed her a card key. "Your room number is 204. I'm in 206."
Seemingly ignoring him, Ashley raised her hand toward a passing waitress. "Another one, please, but make it a double." She shifted her eyes to Eli. "I'm going to get myself drunk, Tanner. When I get where I can't sit up, just take me to my room, okay?"
Eli saw the warning signs in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.
She lowered her eyes to the empty glass. "I can smell the blood on my clothes. They washed them, but I . ."
He saw the tears coming and reached over, taking her hand. "Come on, let's go shopping and get you out of those things." Eli stood and took her arm to help her to her feet but felt her trembling.
She looked up at him as if in terrible pain. "I'm not very good at this, am I? I should be stronger . . . I'm an FBI agent, right?"
"You're doing better than most I know, Sutton, but maybe you should talk to the shrink again."
She tried to stand but sank back into the chair. "Give me a minute. . . . I didn't like her, Tanner. She acted like she understood, but she didn't. You understand, though, don't you?"
Sitting down beside her, Eli put his arm over her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Yeah, I understand, pard.
It'll take a while but you won't think about it as much. There was nothing you could have done. It happened; nothing will change it."
"Paul was a good guy, Tanner. I really liked him."
"I know."
"I had feelings for him when we were in Quantico, but I never told him or did anything to make him think we weren't just good friends. I always regretted not telling him.
When he looked at me yesterday that first time, I knew, I felt it, you know? I knew he felt the same way."
Eli squeezed her shoulder again but didn't speak. She stared blankly at the glass and shook her head. "It's not fair, Tanner. It's like I'm being punished for even thinking something would have happened between us. He . . . he was married, Tanner . . . and I didn't care. I thought . . . no, that's not right. I didn't think. I was so high from his reaction to seeing me, I didn't even think about his wife and children. I didn't care about them. I only cared about me and what I thought was going to happen between Paul and me."
The waitress set the drink on the table and began to speak but saw Ashley's tears. She gave Eli a consoling look and walked away.
Ashley looked into Eli's eyes. "I'm pretty pitiful, aren't I?"
He wrinkled his brow as he handed her a cocktail napkin.
"No. You've been through a lot is all. I think once we get you some new clothes and you get your mind on other things, you'll start healing faster than you think."
"Work is your answer to fixing everything, isn't it, Tanner? I mean, you have to have it to keep going, don't you?"
"I dream, too, Sutton. I wish a lot of things were different but they're not. Work is real and it's now. Maybe one of these days I won't need it, but right now . . . yeah, it's all I've got. You ready to go?"
She stood and gave him a sad look. "I think we're both pretty pitiful, Tanner."
He put a ten-dollar bill on the table and walked her toward the door without responding. She was right, and that hurt.
Chapter 12.
Dahlonega, Georgia.
Lying on the embankment of a heavily vegetated stream bed, Ted lowered his binoculars and looked at the angry, small man beside him. "Ahh, Ramon, stop pissin' and moanin' about it. We'll just have to wait until tomorrow to hit 'em.
Tonight we'll make a night recon and make any adjustments we need for tomorrow evening's score."
Ramon spoke between clenched teeth. "You're screwin' up, man. Tomorrow might be too late. The money will be gone."
"No way. The guys comin' for the money are gonna see the town is crawlin' with FBI and have to wait just like us."
Ted motioned to his watch. "It's 1600 hours, Ramon. You know we couldn't do a good recon by nightfall."
Duty Bound (1995) Page 17
