27
LAPD HARBOR COMMUNITY police detective Mark Justice entered the Blue Water Marina and was directed by uniforms to the location of his victim. He walked under the red and black crime scene tape and introduced himself. Chris, Jordan, and Hallier presented their credentials and shook his hand. After exchanging pleasantries, he asked, “You mind telling me what brings the FBI and DARPA to my boatyard?”
Hallier shook his head. “Sorry, Detective,” he replied. “That’s a matter of national security.”
Justice smiled. “Somehow, I knew that’s what you were going to say. All right, let me put it differently. How did you end up finding the body?”
“We’re investigating a kidnapping,” Jordan said. “We had reason to believe our missing person could have been taken here.”
“And was she?” Justice asked. “Did you find her?”
Jordan shook her head. “We’re still looking for her.”
“Have you reached out to us for help?”
“That’s not possible,” Hallier interjected.
“Why not?”
“Same reason as before.”
“This must be one hell of a kidnapping case if you’re not prepared to involve the local P.D.”
“It’s a military matter,” Hallier replied.
“And yet the FBI is involved.”
“Our victim is related to Agent Quest. She’s her cousin.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Agent,” Justice said. “Are you absolutely sure you won’t accept our help?”
“Thank you, Detective,” Jordan said. “I appreciate the offer. But this situation is very sensitive and highly classified. It’s better for everyone if we handle it ourselves.”
Detective Justice nodded. “Very well.” He looked down at the dead man lying at his feet. “Sonofabitch,” he said.
Hallier caught the compassion in his voice. “You know the vic?”
“Yeah,” Justice said. “Name’s Everest. His real name is Raymond Bodine. Folks nicknamed him Everest because he’s so huge. Six foot four, two seventy at least. You know, a mountain of a man. He’s been the nightwatchman here at Blue for the last few months. Kindest, gentlest giant you’d ever want to meet. I can’t believe someone shot him.”
“To be clear, Detective,” Hallier said. “This wasn’t a random break and enter gone bad. Mr. Bodine was executed.”
“By your kidnappers?”
“We think so.”
The detective removed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his brow. “This is wrong. So goddamn wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Chris asked.
“Everest was a marine. Did several deployments overseas. From what I hear, he was one hell of a soldier. They released him early. Came home with a chest full of medals, a busted up back and a bad case of PTSD. He loved this job. Told me once there was nothing more peaceful than being around boats, whether they were on the water or not.” He pointed to a thirty-five-foot bow rider sitting on its tow trailer across the yard. “See that one over there? That was his. He named it June’s Joy after his wife. Told me once there was only a handful of things in his life that mattered to him these days. The first was his wife and kids, the second the marine core, and June’s Joy. He’d offered to take me out on her a few times. Now I wish I had.”
“Life is short, Detective,” Jordan said. “I’m very sorry this happened to your friend.”
“There is something about the scene you should know about, Detective,” Chris said.
“What’s that?”
“When I entered the security trailer to open the main gate, I noticed something missing,” Chris explained. “Whoever broke in took the time to locate and remove the security system’s hard drive. Unless they have a cloud-based backup, there won’t be a surveillance video to review. I checked the admin building as well. The windows hadn’t been jimmied and the door lock is intact. Robbery wasn’t the motive here. Unfortunately for Mr. Bodine it was a matter of wrong place, wrong time.”
“I’ve delivered a lot of bad news in my time,” Detective Justice said, “but breaking this to June is going to be one of the most difficult notifications of my career. The woman is as close to a saint as it gets.”
Three men wearing white Tyvek outfits rounded the turn on the gravel path. The detective waved them over. “My forensics team,” he said. “These guys are good. By the time they’ve processed the scene we’ll have something on whoever did this. And when I find out who it is they never see the light of day again.”
“We’re very sorry for your loss, Detective,” Hallier said. He handed him his business card. Jordan and Chris did the same. “If you feel the need to reach out to us for anything at all, please call. But for now, we have a case to get back to.”
“Thank you.” Detective Justice said.
The team left the late Raymond Bodine in the hands of the detective and the crime scene investigators. A van from the coroner’s office had arrived. They stepped aside as the two-man team walked past, the wheels of their gurney shaking and clattering on the uneven gravel path.
“You know what pisses me off the most about this?” Hallier said.
“What’s that?” Jordan asked.
“Those guys won’t find a thing. The woman who shot Bodine’s a ghost. There won’t be a shred of evidence back there that will be of any use to them. Not one.”
Jordan looked down the path. Across from the murder scene, the spectral image of Raymond Bodine stood at the helm of June’s Joy.
Everest was home.
28
THE COLONEL ANSWERED the call immediately. “Hallier.”
Agent Tamblyn was on the line. “Sir, we’ve just received information I think you should know about.”
“Go ahead.”
“Mr. Coltraine received a call a few minutes ago.”
“And?”
“It traced back to one Antonio Vecchio in Malibu.”
“So?”
“We ran a background check on Mr. Vecchio. Sir, we might have a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Vecchio is CEO of VTL International, Vecchio Transportation and Logistics. The company is a global concern with hundreds of employees worldwide. They specialize in providing ground, rail and air cargo shipping services in a dozen countries.”
“How is that important?”
“We felt it necessary to check out Vecchio since we’re still uncertain whether or not Mr. Coltraine is involved in his wife’s disappearance. We contacted Homeland. They gave us quite an earful.”
“Homeland Security is interested in Vecchio?”
“Yes, sir. They have been for some time.”
“What did they say?”
“Vecchio’s family ties reach back to Italy. VTL is a legitimate front for the Vecchio crime family out of Sicily. HS is working with the FBI, ATF, INTERPOL, and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office to build a RICO case against them. Each law enforcement organization has had agents working undercover in VTL subsidiaries for the last two years, gathering intelligence. They’ll be making their move soon.”
“What are they going after him for?”
“Narcotics, weapons trafficking and money laundering.”
“Any idea what Spencer’s connection is to this guy?”
“Possibly. Our guys did a deep dive into Vecchio online. They found his graduation photo in a Columbia University yearbook from back in the day. Out of curiosity, we ran Coltraine’s name as well.”
“And?”
“We got a hit. Spencer Coltraine’s father, John, attended Columbia at the same time as Vecchio. They both graduated with law degrees.”
“Is there any proof that they know one another?”
“Not that we’ve been able to nail down. But you must admit it’s one hell of a coincidence that on today of all days Spencer reaches out to and gets a call back from a man his father knew many years ago, much less someone who has ties to organized crime. There’s only one conclusion that can be
drawn from that.”
“Spencer’s asking for Vecchio’s help.”
“Looks that way.”
“Anything else?”
“Mr. Coltraine is on the move again. He’s leaving Carson now.”
“Where is he headed?”
“South on Avalon Boulevard towards West Lomita.”
“Intercept him. Take him down. The last thing we need to worry about right now is some renegade husband putting Dr. Coltraine’s life at unnecessary risk.”
“Copy that, Colonel.”
“Let me know when he’s in custody, Agent Tamblyn. And one last thing.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Make damn sure he doesn’t lose you again.”
“Understood, Colonel.”
29
QIN ADVANCED SLOWLY down the pitch-black laneway in search of the phantom male voice and the growling dog. He sounded young, a teenager, therefore no match for a highly trained deep cover MSS operative like herself. She pointed her flashlight at the end of the laneway, clicked it on for a second, then off. The powerful LED beam from the mini Maglite flashed in the dark and briefly illuminated the laneway. Qin used that spilt second to commit to memory everything she saw: the Dumpster, behind which the teen was hiding with his dog… several aluminum garbage cans standing beside the disposal bin, one missing a lid… a chainlink fence located thirty feet behind the bin… a panel truck, white, parked alongside the fence. The name on its side read GLOBAL STEEL DRUM MANUFACTURING LTD.
Qin took a tentative step forward, called out. “Don’t be scared, kid. Step out where I can see you. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of. I don’t want to hurt you. You’re not the one I’m looking for.”
The dog growled again, the tone more guttural and menacing than before.
“Says the bitch with the gun,” Bullet yelled back. “No, thanks. I’m comfortable right where I am.”
Qin opened her arms, displayed the gun. “Sorry,” she said. “I’m just being careful. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She lied. “I’m a cop. The weapon is for my protection.”
“Cop, huh,” Bullet called out.
“That’s right.”
“Which division?”
The question caught Qin off guard. “What?”
“It’s a simple question. Where are you stationed? What precinct do you work out of?”
“Central Los Angeles.”
Bullet chuckled. “Lady, you’re the world’s shittiest liar. The only cops patrolling these parts are LAPD Harbor Community Police or Los Angeles Port Police.”
Qin tried to bluff. “I’m on special assignment.”
“Me too,” Bullet replied cockily. “I’m actually a Rockefeller. I’m just living on the street behind a fucking garbage container to gain a better understanding of how the little people live. Helps keep me grounded. Geez, lady. What a load of horse crap.”
“I’m looking for someone.”
“So am I,” Bullet said, “But Jennifer Lopez won’t take my calls.”
“She’s a fugitive.”
“Jennifer Lopez?” Bullet quipped.
“No,” Qin said. She was growing more impatient with the kid by the second. “The woman I’m looking for.”
Eddy growled.
Qin pressed. “I need to check out the yard, see if she’s hiding in there.”
“You don’t need to check out jack shit,” Bullet replied. “This is my home, such as it is, and I don’t recall inviting you over.”
“You’re making a mistake, kid,” Qin warned.
“Trust me, lady. The only one making the mistake here is you. Now, if you don’t mind, kindly fuck off.”
“Not until I’ve checked out that yard.”
“Never gonna happen.”
“We’ll see about that,” Qin said. She turned on her flashlight, raised the gun. “If you don’t want me to shoot you and your dog, I suggest you move out of the way.”
Bullet shot his arm out from behind the disposal bin. In his hand he displayed a cellphone, its glowing screen a beacon at the end of the laneway. “I got 911 on speed dial, bitch!” he yelled. “Take another step and I press the button. Let’s see how well it works out for you when the real cops show up.”
Qin paused, reevaluated the situation. This was pointless. This teenager was nothing more than a street kid protecting his turf. The dog was likely his only friend in the world. They were looking out for one another. She knew kids like this because she had been one herself. As a child, the streets of Shanghai had been cruel and unforgiving, but somehow, she had survived. This kid would too. If there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that he was only concerned about himself. With little food and probably no money, the last thing he would do was harbor a stranger. That was the way it worked on the street. No one protected you, and you protected no one. It was then she realized the critical mistake she’d made when she had confronted him. She had identified herself as a police officer. The authorities were the natural enemies of street kids, and she had received more than one beating from them in her youth. There had been a greater atrocity levelled upon her by one such man whom her country had empowered to serve and protect, and she had spent a lifetime trying to purge that horrific personal assault from her mind. She had wasted enough time. Dr. Coltraine wasn’t here.
Bullet called out. “What’s it gonna be, lady? You leaving, or do I make the call? You got five seconds to disappear, starting now. Five… four… three… two…”
“All right,” Qin replied. She returned her gun to its holster. “I’m going.”
“Excellent fucking choice.”
Qin walked back up the laneway to the main road. She surveyed the surrounding buildings in the industrial complex. Down the street, another dog barked.
She had spent the last five minutes trying unsuccessfully to match wits with a street kid. That had been a mistake. Dr. Coltraine could be anywhere in the area by now. She hadn’t gained any ground by pursuing the kid’s barking dog. If anything, the opposite was true. Perhaps Zhang’s luck had been better. When he returned to pick her up, she hoped she would find the scientist locked once more in the trunk of the car. She wouldn’t just drug her this time. She would bind her from head to toe in duct tape, then TASER her into unconsciousness. When eventually they met up with Chang’s men, she’d present her to them on a silver platter. She had no choice. It was the only way she could save face with her handler and ensure Zhang’s mistake stayed out of his report to Shanghai.
Qin removed her phone, called her partner. She needed him to pick her up. There was too much area for her to cover on foot.
Once again, the call went to voicemail.
“Cao!” she swore.
From a business down the road, the dog barked again.
Coltraine was out here somewhere. She could feel it.
Qin removed her gun, held it at her side.
Next time, there would be no negotiation. She would shoot first and ask questions later.
She headed down the road, following the sound of the baying animal.
30
ERIC PALOMAR, OWNER of the Blue Water Marina, sat on the front steps of his office, listening as Detective Justice broke the news to him about the murder of their long-time mutual friend, Raymond Bodine. The businessman cupped his face in his hands. “How did this happen, Mark?” he asked.
“We’re still investigating,” Justice said. “But from what we’ve been able to ascertain, Everest confronted an intruder who entered your yard through a break in the rear fence where it backs on to the service road. He was shot and killed not far from his boat.”
Palomar shook his head. “This makes no sense. I don’t know why anyone would do this. We never keep money on the premises, and most of the boats stored here must be hoisted on to trailers to transport them. Plus, we have security cameras located every fifty feet, which cover the yard from all angles. They’re top of the line. The hard drive and monitors are in the security office.” He stood. “Come on. I’
ll show you.”
“That won’t be necessary, Eric,” Justice said.
“Why not?”
“Because whoever broke in and killed Everest was smart enough to locate the hard drive and take it with them.”
“They weren’t that smart,” Palomar replied.
“What do you mean?”
The marina owner removed his cell phone from his belt. “The hard drive isn’t my only backup.” He tapped on the screen. “All my cameras are tied into a central cloud-based monitoring system. Here, I’ll show you.”
Palomar opened the security app. A list came up, each camera identified by a number. “The area of the yard you’re referring to is covered by camera seven.” He tapped the VIDEO icon beside the camera’s number. “Do you know what time this happened?”
“The coroner’s team said the body wasn’t in rigor,” the detective replied, “which means Everest was murdered within the last six hours.”
“I’ll go back hour by hour.”
Justice extended his hand. “Give me the phone, Eric. Let me do this. I’ll go through the footage myself.”
“No,” Palomar replied. “I want to see the face of the sonofabitch who did this.”
“You sure?”
Palomar nodded, then tapped the icon.
The two men reviewed the video footage. Finally, the scene the detective needed to see began to play.
“Jesus,” Palomar said. “It’s a woman!”
The beginning of the video revealed the image of a slim, athletically built woman walking alongside a vehicle as it crept along the roadway, then braked to a stop. At the break in the fence, she slipped into the yard while the vehicle continued up the road. Her every step looked considered and cautious, her movements confident and practiced, like she had done this many times. There was an air about her, as though she knew precisely what she was doing and could deal with any obstacle that presented itself. The men watched as the light from Everest’s flashlight fell on her. Justice watched her open her arms. He knew exactly what she was doing. She was submitting to Everest while rapidly closing the gap between them. It surprised him that with Everest’s extensive military training he hadn’t picked up on the telltale sign, become immediately suspicious. The two talked for a few seconds before the woman deftly drew her weapon and fired twice, then once again as she advanced on Everest before delivering the final gunshot to the fallen man’s head. What struck Justice the deepest about witnessing the murder was how casually the woman responded to her encounter with the guard. The execution was effortless. It was clear she possessed a level of training far superior to Everest. The reality of the situation was that once she encountered the big man, he was already dead. He just didn’t know it yet. The rounds were delivered without hesitation. Whoever she was, she was exactly the person the DARPA colonel and FBI agents had described her to be. A professional. As he continued to watch the footage, the question Justice kept asking himself was why. This attack made no sense whatsoever. Except for the hard drive, nothing had been stolen from the boatyard. He needed to turn this footage over to his people, let them review it. Agents Quest and Hanover and Colonel Hallier would need to see it, too. Despite their different motivations, they were still very much a part of this investigation.
Nemesis: A Jordan Quest FBI Thriller Page 10
