“Where are we meeting Agent Stanley?” Bobby asked as he pulled his jacket closed, trying to block out the freezing air.
“Right here,” Michael said. He pointed over to the painfully dull man standing practically at attention in front of their car.
Handshakes were exchanged and they all settled into the car: Michael and Agent Stanley in the front, Bobby in the back.
“You can understand why I couldn’t have this conversation over the phone. It’s imperative that the details of this meeting remain completely need-to-know.”
“Yes,” both men agreed.
“I’ve given your problem some thought over the last few days. I realized the old adage, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, suits this situation. In this case you need to start making something squeak louder than your friend. If I were doing this, I would create a very solid, fake identity and take the information your friend has to infiltrate the ring myself. I would then become such a problem for them, blatantly being the one to turn them in that they would all but forget about my friend. Then I would burn the identity and let the FBI handle it from there, hoping the ring wasn’t professional enough to track me down. But I couldn’t do something like that without a named source and authority from my superiors. Something you’ve made clear your friend isn’t interested in doing.”
Michael wasn’t sure what to infer from this conversation. Was Agent Stanley suggesting he do this? “I see. That sounds like a very solid plan to redirect attention off my friend and help take some very bad guys off the street. I’m not sure I know anyone with the means to create such a solid false identity. That seems like the more difficult part of this plan.”
“Did you know I am notorious for leaving my car doors unlocked?” Agent Stanley asked dryly. “It’s very irresponsible of me considering I keep all sorts of important government documents with me, including new identities.”
Michael’s lips curled into a smile as he realized what Agent Stanley was doing. “You should be more careful, Agent Stanley.”
“I intend to, starting tomorrow. Today, however, I’m almost certain to forget. Anyone could walk up to my car over there.”
“Thank you, Agent Stanley.”
“Anytime, Mr. Cooper. I expect to hear from you when you have some viable information on the organ ring.”
“You’ll be my first contact.”
“Tread carefully, Mr. Cooper. To these men you’re just another set of spare parts and a possible payday.” They all nodded their goodbyes as Agent Stanley went for a stroll in the other direction, allowing plenty of time for Michael to retrieve the identity information.
When he hopped back in the car he could already see the skepticism on Bobby’s face. He was now sitting in the front seat and looking very unconvinced. “So we’re banking on the fact that these guys won’t have the means to get past these identities and come back to seek retribution?”
“Yes,” Michael responded flatly. “I’m not suggesting this is a foolproof plan. Rueben could smell a rat and kill us. They could decide I might be a good candidate for a kidney they need, and off us because of that.”
Michael was reading quickly through the paperwork, shaking his head in amazement. “Agent Stanley might be a little dry, but the man is brilliant. The identities he created are going to work perfectly. My cover is Paul Cleavers. I’m a liaison for UNOS, the United Network of Organ Sharing. They’re the non-profit that manages transplants all over the country. My position for them would allow me access to an entire database of desperate families waiting on the transplant list. People Rueben wouldn’t be able to get within a hundred feet of. I’m going to pitch that I will connect them with families who have the means to pay for the organs they may not get if they continue to play by the rules and wait. We’d be drumming up business for them in a way they’ve never seen before. If Rueben is truly as greedy as Marty says, they won’t kill us because they won’t be able to resist. They are willing to pay for what they need if it can be safely transported to their hospital. As the UNOS liaison, I have agreed to manipulate the system and database to reflect the organ as being donated from a member of their family and therefore not needing to be added to the list.”
“Who am I?” Bobby inquired, flipping through the paperwork until he found his cover.
“Lou Potters, my brother-in-law. I’m married to your sister and you are my backup. I’m guessing Agent Stanley thought the more credible this looked, just two guys going out on a limb to make some cash, the better off we would be. I picked up some gear to help us record our conversation. There is a wire in the bag. I figured no matter what plan Stanley came back with we’d need this. It’s in the frame of those glasses. It can record up to an hour of audio. I’ll be doing most of the talking so I’ll wear them.” Michael slipped them into his front pocket.
“Good, my name is already Lou, I’m not sure I could be the dork with the glasses, too.”
“I know you have your personal gun. I’m thinking it might be enough.”
“Here,” Bobby reached down and pulled a small weapon and holster off his ankle, “you can take this, but we are not shooting anyone. We need to get in, get some evidence and get out of there. Let the FBI come in and do what they need to do. As long as we take the heat off Marty, our job is done. We don’t need to be heroes, because if you die in there I might as well jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. I’m not going back to face those women by myself.”
“Deal,” Michael shot back. “I’m not looking to get myself killed today. I’ve got a fiancée and baby to think about now.”
“That still sounds weird coming from you.”
“It still feels weird to say, but a little less so every time.”
“In case I don’t get the chance to tell you, you know, before I swan dive off the Brooklyn Bridge and you die in a hail of bullets trying to broker an organ deal, I’m happy for you guys. Seeing Jules happy is all I’ve ever wanted for her. Stan would have approved, and Betty loves you. You two will do just fine.”
“I’m having second thoughts about this plan now. Are you going to be able to cover me while wearing that skirt? I mean, you could trip.”
Bobby rolled his eyes and threw up his hands. “I knew before I said it you’d give me hell, but I don’t care. Just make your phone call,” Bobby said, punching Michael’s shoulder.
They’d expected that reaching Rueben directly wouldn’t be an easy task. Bobby had assumed Michael would get voicemail, that their plan to meet these men would be sometime later this week. As he heard the conversation progress, he felt the brick in his stomach turn to a boulder.
“They want to meet tonight, in two hours actually. He said it’s now or never. I’m guessing he figures if we’re snitches that won’t give us enough time to get ready.”
“We are snitches and that doesn’t give us enough time to get ready.” Bobby shot back waving the papers in Michael’s face. They had barely had time to skim their identities let alone memorize them.
“Hopefully this will help.” Michael pulled a backpack to the front seat and unzipped it. It was full of cash. One-hundred-dollar bills bundled up.
“Where the hell did you get that? Agent Stanley?” Bobby reached into the bag and inspected the cash. It was real.
“Hell no, it’s from Marty. I told him we were getting started trying to solve his problem, and he said these guys are greedy as hell. The money will offer a little extra distraction and buy us some time. All we need to do is get some evidence and get out. It needs to be enough to take down the entire operation so that they don’t have anyone left to come after us if they manage to figure out who we are. The good news is, they’ll be so busy knowing we double-crossed them, they’ll forget about Marty.”
“This is still a terrible plan,” Bobby muttered, as he tossed the money back in the backpack and threw it in the backseat. “But I guess it’s the only one we have right now.”
“I’ve already set up a meeting with them for eight o’clock. Just start quizzing me on
my cover, Lou, and let’s get this over with.”
*******
Just over two hours later, Michael and Bobby checked their watches for the third time. It didn’t seem like Rueben was going to show. They were standing outside the empty office building when the sleek black Mercedes pulled in. “Flashy,” Michael whispered, as he slung the backpack over his shoulder and walked up to meet the men stepping out of the car.
“You two look like Feds,” the tallest of the three men said, as he reached for the gun on his holster.
Well that was quick, Bobby thought to himself, but luckily Michael was a little more prepared. “That’s kind of cool,” he said, raising his hands, “I sit behind a desk all day and punch numbers. I’d kill for a job like that.” Michael snorted out a laugh. “Bad choice of words, I wouldn’t kill.” Michael pretended his hand was a gun and imitated firing off a couple shots, with sound effects and all. Bobby watched as his friend transformed into a common dork right before his eyes.
“I guess not,” the man said, as he released his hand from his holstered weapon and straightened his coat again. “So what the hell are we doing here? We don’t have time for some play date. Either get serious or hit the road.”
“We’re very serious.” Michael grabbed the zipper of the backpack and pulled it open exposing the money.
“What the hell are you doing?” the man shouted. “Zip that up. We’re out here in the open. Butch, open the door before these two idiots get us all arrested.”
The key was to look inept. They were just two guys about to get in over their heads. They needed that to be believable.
The group entered the empty office building, and the man called Butch pulled up a few chairs for them to sit on. Otherwise the large room was empty.
“So, Money Bags, what the hell are you pitching here?” Rueben grunted as he took a seat across from them. “And who’s your friend?”
Michael was positive they already knew the answer to the question. There was no way these guys would meet with them unless they vetted their background, so this was likely a test.
“Like I told you on the phone, my name is Paul Cleavers. I work for UNOS. I pretty much just push papers around and get all the right signatures. This is my brother-in-law, Lou. He’s just here because there was no way in hell I was meeting you guys alone.”
“And what do you think you have to offer us? I hope it’s something good because otherwise we’d just as soon shoot you both and take that bag of money you were flashing around.” The two men snickered at each other.
“I . . . I,” Michael stammered, laying it on thick. “I didn’t really think about that.” He looked over at Bobby who wiped the sweat from his forehead. Looking inept was pretty easy.
“Let’s hear it then,” Rueben said, as he as he lit a cigarette and took in a long drag.
Michael stammered again before he spoke. “Well . . . a few months ago a family waiting for a kidney kept getting bumped off the list. One thing after another. They were desperate. They came to me and offered me twenty-five-thousand dollars on top of the cost of the organ to help them orchestrate a solution. My problem is I don’t have a contact who is able to get me the organ I need when I need it. I started digging around, and your operation seems to have access no one else does. If I’m going to do this, I want to partner with the best,” Michael played to their egos.
“Well, you have that right, you certainly need us, but why would we need you?”
“If I understand the way you operate, the biggest challenge you have is the actual surgery. It’s not like a patient can walk into the hospital with a cooler filled with ice and a kidney and ask for someone to toss it in him when they get a chance. So that forces people to have surgery at less than reputable locations, probably frightening off many of your potential customers as well as elevating your risk of being caught. What if you could sell the organ and then be done? You wouldn’t have to worry about the procedure or the patient after that. I can make it look legit. I have unlimited access to people in very desperate situations and the one database in the country that can eliminate half the risk you face. More money, less risk.”
The men were silent. Bobby hoped that meant they were entertaining the idea, rather than deciding where to dump their lifeless bodies.
“That’s an interesting proposition. And why bring a bag full of cash?”
“I have a customer who is chomping at the bit to get his situation resolved. The paperwork is in the bag. His wife is in a hospital in New Jersey, and she doesn’t have much time. She’s had two organs lined up and they’ve both fallen through for different reasons. He’s fed up with the system and ready to take matters into his own hands.”
Butch stood and unzipped the bag. He dumped its contents out onto the floor and started examining the bundled stacks of money. He picked up the paperwork and handed it to the third man who, up until this point, hadn’t said a word. He read over the chart and nodded at Rueben. “We could handle this.”
“And how do we know you are who you say you are?” Rueben asked as he stubbed out his cigarette under his shoe.
“I don’t know, how do you normally figure that stuff out? You guys are the pros, right?”
“We do an extensive background check. We called your employers, we checked all your bank records, and we dug into your lives. And you know what we found?”
Michael swallowed hard and this time his nervousness was not part of the act.
“You two are pretty damn boring. Which tells me you must be shitting your pants right now.” The man stood and reached his hand out and Michael shook it. He let out a nervous laugh and put his free hand over his heart.
“You have no idea,” Michael laughed, pulling the man in for a hug.
“What the hell are you doing?” Rueben asked, shoving Michael backward. “Did you just hug me?”
“I’m sorry,” Michael apologized as he stumbled back again and waved his hands regretfully. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here. I’m just nervous. I didn’t mean to hug you.”
“Just keep your phone on and we’ll call you when we have what you need. We’ll deliver the organ to the hospital in New Jersey, and you take it from there. If this one goes well, we’ll talk about more deals going forward. Now get the hell out of here, and if you ever try to hug me again I will shoot you in the face.”
Michael nodded and stumbled backward one more step, bumping into Bobby. They walked out the door, practically falling over each other in a nervous rush and heard the men laughing behind them.
They both got in the car without a word and didn’t speak again until they pulled out onto the main road.
“I seriously almost pissed myself when you hugged him. Did you plan that? Please tell me that was spontaneous.” Bobby punched his fist into Michael’s shoulder.
“It just happened, man, I was in character. Paul seems like a hugger to me.” They both broke into a laugh as Michael fished his phone out of his pocket. He punched in a number and waited for an answer.
“Agent Stanley, I have some pertinent information regarding a powerful black market organ ring here in New York. I cannot provide my name, as my anonymity in this matter is paramount.” Michael continued to relay the information they’d gathered and the logistics of where the organ would be delivered. “I will call you when I hear from the man in question and let you know when the organ has crossed state lines. I also have a recording of the conversation that took place this afternoon regarding the men in question. I will send this over to you as soon as you provide me a secure way to do so.”
Agent Stanley was ready with his response. “I can understand your need for privacy on this matter, and I can assure you we will handle this matter swiftly and appropriately. We here at the FBI appreciate the information you have provided and are grateful for the risk you must have taken in order to gather it. I will text you the location to send your recording. I look forward to hearing back from you.”
The line disconnected and Michael grinn
ed. “I think our work here is mostly done.”
They headed back toward the hospital, Bobby readying himself for a litany of questions and a cramped night’s sleep on the chair by Piper’s bed.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Piper hadn’t expected the hour before she went in for surgery to be so heavy, so emotional. But everyone had something important to say to her.
Michael went first, clearing his throat nervously. “I know I apologized already for what I said to you that day Jules went to the hospital, but I want to say it again. If I implied you are more trouble than you’re worth, I didn’t mean it. Don’t get me wrong, you are a lot of trouble, but you’re worth it.” Piper knew by now it was almost beyond Michael to be able to relay a heartfelt sentiment without including a wisecrack. The only time she’d seen it was when he proposed to Jules. She was too far away to slap him, but, luckily, Betty was close enough to give him a good wallop upside the head.
“I swear, boy, you’re on track to earn second place in the race for my favorite son-in-law. And y’all remember Scott. It don’t say much for you. Now I thought you two were heading off somewhere, trying not to drag this goodbye out,” Betty said, pointing her finger at Bobby and Michael.
“We are,” Bobby said as he leaned down and kissed Piper, clearly trying not to make it feel like it was an in case you die in surgery kiss. They hadn’t really allowed themselves to think about that at all.
As Bobby and Michael left the room Jules flopped down in the chair by Piper’s bed. “I don’t see why they’re running out of here. I expected Bobby to be holding your hand until they pried you away.”
“Men don’t have the stomach for these types of things,” Betty chimed in.
“I told him to go. I didn’t want him watching me wheeled away. I thought if he saw me in here, smiling and happy, that would be how he would think of me during the surgery. Speaking of men,” Piper said with a laugh, “you’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Clay. I really like him, seems like you do, too.”
Changing Fate (Book 3) (Piper Anderson Series) Page 19
