The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2))

by David Carner

  FBI Building

  New York City

  Chapter 16

  As John entered the foxhole, he gave a low whistle. Chet had apparently gotten his hands on every state of the art piece of technology he could find. There were digital displays everywhere. Chet was standing over a monitor moving his hands like something out of a sci-fi movie looking through different files. John knew his buddy was good with computers, but maybe John had underestimated Chet. For the first time John noticed that Chet seemed confident. This was Chet’s element. John knew what he owed his friend. They had to solve this case. John cleared his throat, but Chet had him tuned out. John walked over and laid his hand on Chet’s shoulder. Chet turned.

  “Everything you asked for, Boss,” said Chet. John shot a quick glance at Jessica who waved the comment off. Chet started to apologize and Jessica cut him off.

  “Chet, stop! This is the most active, happy, and confident I’ve seen you since. . .” she glanced over at John, “Well, since Captain Bozo here left.” She pointed her thumb toward John.

  “Captain Bozo? Captain Bozo?!? You came crawling back to me,” Jessica sighed lifted her hands toward the heavens in exasperation. John continued, “and you call me Captain Bozo???” John smiled, “That sounds about right.” Jessica smiled. The team was back. John started to take charge of the investigation.

  “Ok, let’s start going through everything and see if we can find a connection. Jessica, where are we on interviewing spouses of the victims?” John turned toward Jessica who had a sheepish look on her face.

  “John . . . see, here’s the thing.” John sat down. He didn’t know what was about to come out of her mouth, but he knew it was going to be nothing good. “Their local PD did the interviews.”

  “Why would New York PD interview the suspects?” asked John.

  “John, when I say local . . . I mean the local PD where the spouses are.” John wasn’t quite sure what to say. “John, this case is dead cold. We have been authorized to travel to speak to one spouse.”

  John was livid. “This is a practical joke, right!?! I mean what is the point??” John was running his hand through his hair in frustration. Jessica was watching him, waiting to give him the rest of the bad news. John noticed Jessica and groaned inwardly. There was more. It was going to get worse. He wasn’t sure how that was humanly possible, but it was about to get worse. He waited.

  Jessica began. “You see, when I say we are authorized, what I really mean is the FBI will cover the expenses of someone to talk to one spouse and see if there are any leads to follow. If the interview creates new leads, then, and only then, will the FBI consider authorizing more manpower to be placed onto this case.” John rubbed his hand slowly down his face. The look on his face was incredulous.

  “Exactly what did you two do to get this deep in!?! You don’t have a case; you have a wild goose chase!!!” John stormed around the room muttering. Chet and Jessica both were snickering at him. “WHAT???”

  Jessica responded, “Chet said he knew that would be your reaction to this.” Chet was bursting with laughter. John couldn’t help but smile. These two knew he hadn’t done any real detective work in nearly three years, they had a case that was stone cold dead and they thought he could solve it. It felt good that someone, somewhere, had faith in him.

  Chapter 17

  John turned back to Chet.

  “Show me what you got,” John motioned to the numerous displays. Chet jumped at his chance to show off his techno-magic.

  “Ok,” said Chet. “Tom Bradley lived in Vermont.” As Chet spoke he was opening virtual files with speed that was making John’s eyes hurt. “Tom was a local doctor there that practiced family medicine. He was married, no kids, no record, and nothing strange on financials.” Chet moved to the next digital file. “Amy Jensen, originally Majors, married to Todd Jensen, lives in Illinois, currently a second grade school teacher with two dogs, nothing funny on financials and no record.” John held up a hand to stop Chet before he hyperventilated.

  “Let me guess,” said John. “On the others, there are no records and nothing strange in the financials?” Chet nodded. “Any connections, anywhere?” Chet shook his head no. “Do you have everything printed out?” Chet nodded. “Then I’ll go through these by hand and see if I can make any connections on anything.” Chet lifted a full banker’s box full of files onto the desk. John sighed and sat down. Jessica walked over and sat down next to him.

  “John, are you ready for this?” Jessica asked. John looked puzzled, Jessica continued. “This case, John, are you ready to get back into this routine?” The puzzled look left John’s face. He turned and looked at Jessica.

  “Jess, I need this. I may never be ready for it, but I need this. I’m not upset about having to work a case. I just can’t figure out why there isn’t one clue anywhere on how any of these four had a link to Captain Jason Sparks. Chet, run him for me.”

  John hopped up and headed for the display while Chet made the images dance on the screen. “Captain Jason Sparks. Won a State Football Championship in high school and then joined the Army upon graduation. Jason received many commendations in his Army career and was killed in a firefight in Afghanistan by suspected members of the Taliban.”

  John looked over the electronic file. There was absolutely nothing. Not one thing that connected these people except four of them were shot and killed at Jason’s funeral. That fact itself screamed at John. He didn’t know yet what it was screaming, but it was screaming at him all the same. John started to pace. Somewhere these people had to have crossed paths. Four random people did not just suddenly decide to attend a man’s funeral that each of them had never met, and then get shot. The chances of that were astronomical. He stopped when he snapped his fingers.

  “Chet!” John yelled excitedly, “Check the birth certificates.”

  Chet cut him off. “Already done, Boss, everyone was born in the current state they were living in.”

  John dropped his head, but had one last idea. “Chet, what about high schools?”

  Chet opened more electronic files. “Sorry, Boss, they all graduated from the state they were born in. Now you are talking mid to late 80s for their earlier school records. Many of these records are not stored electronically, and I’m working on finding them, but it’s going to take a while.”

  John was dejected. “Keep on it, you might just find something there. So which one of the victim’s spouses do I get to interrogate?”

  Jessica spoke up. “It’s your call, John, what’s your gut tell you?”

  Chet pulled up all the pictures of the victims. John looked at each, his gaze kept returning to the Doctor from Vermont, Tom Bradley. John walked up to the electronic image, and turned to face the other two.

  “For some reason,” John said pointing toward Tom’s picture, “I think this is the one I need to find out about.” Jessica was leaning against a desk with her arms crossed. She smiled and uncrossed them. She looked John straight in the eyes.

  “Then go to Vermont, John, and find out what you can about our Doctor and his connection to this group. And for our sake, please do it fast. I’m not sure how much colder this case can get before it is gone forever. John nodded and turned back to look at Tom’s picture. Something in his gut told him he would find something there. As John stood there, he could feel something building in him he hadn’t felt in a long time . . . hope. He had no idea why. Then it dawned on him. He was back on a case, and felt no urge for a drink, and for the first morning in the past three years, he wasn’t heartbroken about Sam. He still missed her, but the numbness he felt inside each time he thought of her wasn’t there. Yes it was definitely hope he felt. He smiled broadly and turned to look at his two partners. His smile fell from his face. Jessica’s and Chet’s body language spoke volumes. They looked like they were preparing for their funeral. John turned back to the board for one last look through Tom’s profile. He had to find the connection. He had to.

  Lisa Nichols

&nbs
p; 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

  Chapter 18

  First Lady Nichols rubbed her eyes as she sat back in her chair. Her office desk was covered with files. They were all on the murders of the four mourners at Captain Jason Sparks’ funeral. There was knock on the door. She glanced at her watch. It was much too early for her husband to be done with briefing.

  “Who is it?” She asked.

  “It’s Agent McDonald,” the voice on the other side of the door replied. She smiled. There were already rumors that she and the agent were carrying on behind closed doors. They were carrying on, but it was not how people were thinking. There was absolutely no sexual contact between her and the agent. She was quite sure he was smitten with her, as well he should be.

  Lisa Nichols was a gorgeous lady. There was no doubt that her beauty and charisma helped win her husband the election. It didn’t bother Lisa; she had always known how beautiful she was. Not only had she known it, but used it to her advantage every single day of her life. Lisa smiled and called for Agent McDonald to come in.

  He was carrying another manila folder, and Lisa groaned internally. She had hoped with all the red tape that had surrounded the murders and the few phone calls her people had made it would make sure this case got passed around until it was so stone cold no one could ever solve it.

  “Ma’am,” Agent McDonald greeted her. “Two things, first, there’s good news; secondly we’ve had a request from the soldiers that will be attending the dinner next week.” Lisa smiled.

  “Well, what can I do for these men who defend our county,” Lisa asked coyly.

  “It seems, some of these men would like a picture with the first lady in the oval office,” Agent McDonald said.

  “Any chance we could ‘leak’ these pictures to the press?” Lisa asked.

  “Oh we can do better than that, we can have this videotaped and use it as some stock footage,” said Agent McDonald, smiling.

  “These men are some members of the Special Forces groups, correct?” asked Lisa. Agent McDonald nodded. “Then, let’s let these men come in here one at a time and have their picture made. It will get them what they want and be great publicity for us. Agent McDonald,” Lisa added. “Let’s don’t flood this office with Secret Service while they’re here. These guys don’t need to feel like we don’t trust them. They’ve protected the country for God’s sake.” Agent McDonald gave Lisa a withering look. Lisa smiled. “Does that cover all the dinner plans, Agent McDonald?” Luke nodded. “Then give me the good news Luke.”

  “The case has made its way to the FBI,” Agent McDonald said. “We have suggested to our people in Washington to put Bruce Cosby on this case. We have suggested that it would make Senator Cosby very happy since this case would be a career maker.” Lisa looked concerned. “You misunderstand ma’am. Bruce Cosby is an abysmal FBI agent.” Lisa chuckled. “The only reason he has a job is because of who his father is. He should have the case in his hands by the end of the next week at the latest.” Lisa frowned.

  “Why so long?” She asked.

  Agent McDonald flipped through the file. “Let’s see. It is currently in the hands of a team that hasn’t closed a case in three years. Huh.” Lisa raised her eyebrow. Agent McDonald smiled and waved off her worry. “Oh it gets better. The team hasn’t solved a case since John Fowler left them three years ago to deal with his wife’s death. Rumor is he became an alcoholic while he was deep undercover, and has become a full-fledge drunk now. The two remaining agents are apparently on the verge of being reassigned. Here’s where it gets really interesting. The team has pulled this guy back in as a consultant. Can you believe it??” Agent McDonald was smiling as he read off this information to Lisa. As he raised his head and saw her face, he knew trouble was brewing. Lisa looked ready to explode.

  “John Fowler?? The former FBI agent who helped bring down some 40 plus Mafia members a few years back!?!? That John Fowler!?!!?!?!?” Lisa was livid. Agent McDonald was nodding, but was holding his hand out trying his best to calm her.

  “Ma’am, please calm down. This guy hasn’t done anything in the past three years. This entire unit is on the verge of being reassigned.” Lisa was anything but calm.

  “AGENT MCDONALD . . .” Lisa stopped and composed herself. “Agent McDonald, do you realize that Senator Cosby has used John Fowler to make himself one of the most popular senators in the United States!?! Every time there is any bust that John is involved with Cosby glues himself to Fowler’s side to up his approval rating. He has basically thrown his own son under the bus for this guy. John Fowler is the best there is!!! You do realize if Fowler hadn’t left the FBI, Cosby probably would not have pulled out of the presidental race? Cosby would have won the blasted election because of his relationship with John Fowler! Cosby knows he’s a winner. Cosby only surrounds himself with winners!!” McDonald was looking very uncomfortable and was starting to wish he was anywhere else right that moment. “Agent, let me make this very clear. 25% of John Fowler is better than 100% of most agents.” Lisa stopped and drew a deep breath. She stood up, looked Agent McDonald in the face and spoke very quietly. “Get that case out of John Fowler’s hands. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!” Agent McDonald ran from the room. Lisa sat back down at her desk her head in her hands.

  Chapter 19

  Lisa sat at her desk thinking about the newest development. She was sick to her stomach. Senator Cosby would have easily won the last election if John hadn’t left the FBI. Her dreams would have been over with before they even started. The dreams she had since she was a very little girl. She wasn’t President of the United States, but she was the first lady, and as far as issues she cared about, she ran the country. The people didn’t need to know all of that, but the fact she knew it was enough.

  She had worked so hard to make her dreams come true and now this John Fowler could come so close to derailing them; it unnerved her. She stared out the window. She was going to have to do something about Cosby. She had her best people digging into his history and the only thing she could find remotely out of place was his son being so highly ranked in the FBI. The thing is Lisa was absolutely sure that Senator Cosby had never asked a soul to move Bruce into such a place. It was just one of those things that had been done to make sure the FBI remained in Senator Cosby’s favor. The strangest thing about Cosby was his relationship with John Fowler. Sure Fowler closed cases and the appearances Cosby put in with him popped Cosby’s ratings, but how did Cosby find Fowler? That was a mystery for another day.

  Lisa’s gaze returned to the files. Cold fear gnawed at her stomach. If it was anyone else working the case, she wouldn’t worry about the connections that could be made to her. But it wasn’t anyone else, it was John Fowler. She shivered. It was like he was some kind of superhero. He wasn’t though.

  “Get a grip, girl.” Lisa thought to herself. “He’s just a man. He would have to know exactly where to look to even begin to unravel the web.” She got up and walked over to the window. She loved the view, and tried to enjoy it. It was impossible to however. She glanced back at the files. No, as bad as it was that John Fowler was on the case, it was even worse as to the people that had been murdered. There was the connection, the connection that she feared Fowler would figure out. Maybe it would be best if Fowler could figure it out. If someone had linked everyone else together did that mean her life was in danger? . . . she couldn’t think it. Had someone finally figured out what had happened all those years ago? No, impossible! She noticed she was biting her fingernail. She yanked down her hand angrily. She hadn’t done that in years. Not since she had known Beth.

  Well there it was. Beth. She hadn’t thought of her in years. She really couldn’t be surprised that the memories of Beth came back to her now. Here was everyone else’s picture in front of her, what could she expect? She was the only one missing from the group. Beth George . . . was this ghost finally coming back to haunt her? Tears came to Lisa’s eyes. If someone saw her they would think the tears were ones of sorrow. They weren’t. They were te
ars of fears that her life was about to come tumbling down around her and there wasn’t one thing she could do to stop it.

  Chapter 20

  Agent McDonald sat down in his office in the security center. He was looking over all of the files he had gotten for Lisa. As he examined them he could find no connection between any of the mourners or soldier that had died.

  He placed his head in his hands and thought about Lisa screaming at him. He had become enamored with “Silk”. Luke had come up with that codename and the other agents all agreed. The first lady loved the name. Agent McDonald had never felt like this before in his life. Lisa was in his every thought and dream.

  Agent McDonald picked up the receiver on the phone and placed a call. He had never met anyone in the group that helped the first lady with her problems. They always referred to her as Silk so there could be reasonable deniability.

  “Silk would like the case we discussed earlier out of the current agent’s hands.” He listened to the person on the other end. “I do not know why. All I know is that is her wish.” He listened for a second and responded. “Thank you.” He paused. “How good a relationship do you have with Senator Cosby?” He listened for a minute. “I see. Does anyone we know have a good relationship with the senator?” McDonald listened and responded. “Okay, I will take care of it myself then.” Agent McDonald hung up the phone. He got up from his desk and began to pace around his office. He wanted to make Lisa happy, but he wasn’t for sure how far she wanted him to go. He walked back to his desk and decided to try the indirect approach first. He dialed the phone and waited for the voice on the other end.