CJ patted her on the shoulder, knowing she had terrified her two companions. “Colin has a good friend at the FBI. I’m waiting for them to call me. We might as well eat!”
Katrina served up the chicken over buttered noodles as CJ downed almost half the bottle of wine.
The afternoon dragged on as CJ waited to hear back from Colin and Matt. She really did not want to sleep in the house that night, doubting she would actually be able to sleep. Finally, around five o’clock, her cell phone rang.
“CJ? What’s going on?” Colin’s voice was tense.
“I think someone tried to break into the house. Or did break in.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The screen on my bedroom window had been moved, and I saw something . . . someone . . . moving near the fence. Then some guy who said he was from a cable company rang the bell. Col, I’m nervous. I know Leonard Franklin is in jail awaiting trial, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have connections on the outside.”
“Are you sure—” Just as Colin was uttering those words, he knew they would set her off.
“Yes, I am freakin’ sure,” she yelled into the phone. “I thought after identifying Franklin that this would be over!” Her voice was at a fevered pitch.
“Hold on. I am going to put Matt on the phone. Tell him what you just told me.”
“CJ? What happened?” Matt was very calm.
“I think someone tried to break into the house. The screen was crooked in the frame. Then a guy rang the bell saying he was from the cable company. I thought this was over!”
“I think we’ll have to move you for the time being,” Matt continued, speaking slowly.
“Move me? Where? Why?” CJ was back to a state of agitation.
“We are going to need your testimony again for the trial.”
“What? You said it would be over!” She was pissed.
“The judge said we need to have your testimony for when you IDed him.”
“And when in the hell were you going to tell me?” CJ was now livid.
“I just found out before we called you back. I was off-line and just got the messages.”
“Swell. Well, now what the hell are we—you going to do?”
“We’re going to put you in Witness Protection—”
CJ interrupted. “Witness Protection!”
“CJ, it’s going to be okay. You have to trust me.” Matt had been through this before and knew how unhinged people could get.
“Someone from the US Marshals Service will accompany you to a safe house. You’ll be assigned to a marshal, who will be your contact person. No one will know where you are.”
“What about Colin?” CJ was on the verge of hysteria.
“Colin can’t know either. It’s protocol. We can get messages back and forth but there can be no direct contact. At least not until the trial is over.”
“And when might that be?” Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead. “And when is this going to take place? And for how long? Months? Years?” She was exasperated.
“We’re sending someone over shortly. Pack your clothes in boxes. They will be picked up by what will look like a Salvation Army truck for a donation. Leave your cell phone behind. Have Katrina use it to make a few calls for the next couple of days. We’ll get your things to you, but it has to look like you’re still at the cabin. At least until you’re settled. In an hour, have Eduard drive you to Ruby Tuesday. You will sit with them and order food. You will then go to the restroom. There will be a brown paper bag in the first stall with a jacket, wig, and baseball cap. Put them on and leave through the back door. An FBI agent will be waiting for you in a green Toyota Corolla.”
As if Matt sensed that CJ was searching for pen and paper, he added, “And don’t write any of this down. It’s going to be okay, CJ. I promise. Now repeat the instructions I just gave you.”
CJ was shaking but repeated what Matt had said.
“Now get busy. You don’t have a lot of time.”
“Do you know where I’ll be going?”
“I do not. But you will be safe. I am going to put Colin back on the line. Try to stay cool. I realize this is shocking, especially after everything you’ve been through, but you can do this, CJ. I know you can.”
Colin got back on the line. “CJ? It’s going to be okay. Think of it as a paid vacation courtesy of the federal government.” Colin was trying to calm her nerves with a touch of humor.
“Ha. My tax dollars finally being used to benefit me.” CJ’s voice cracked, and she choked back a slight sob. “I’m scared, Col. How did all of this happen?”
“I wish I knew.”
“What about all the stuff in Snapper’s secret condo?” CJ was not ready to get off the phone and face another dark tunnel.
“I’m still working on that.”
“Is it all tied in with this catastrofreak?”
“Not sure, but most likely. Listen, you have got to get off the phone and get ready. I’ll get word to you when I find out more. Meanwhile, take care and try to stay cool. I love you, sweetie.”
“Love you too, Col.” CJ clicked off the phone and handed it to Katrina. “You have to use this for the next couple of days.”
“Why, Miss CJ? I have a phone.” Katrina was still nervous and confused.
“Because I’m asking you to. Will you do that for me?”
“Miss CJ, I do anything for you.”
“Okay then! Eduard, please bring some of those banker’s boxes up from the basement. We have to move fast.” CJ gathered her resolve and proceeded to move on her new mission . . . whatever that was. “We are going to pack my clothes in boxes. Tomorrow, you will put them on the front porch with a sign for the Salvation Army. Once we’re done packing, we will go to Ruby Tuesday for something to eat—”
“But, Miss CJ, I make dinner for you,” Katrina interrupted CJ’s instructions.
“I know, and I appreciate that, but we have to do this tonight. As in now.”
CJ bolted up the stairs, taking two at a time. Pulling out the clothes from the closet and drawers, she piled them on the bed. Katrina was hot on her heels. “Katrina, we have to leave in an hour, so if I don’t finish, you know what to do, yes?”
“Yes, Miss CJ. I pack clothes in boxes and put on porch for Salvation Army.”
“Excellent! Now let’s get crackin’.” CJ threw her arm around Katrina. “I know this is all very sudden and a little frightening, but everything is going to be okay. We’re going to Ruby Tuesday together, but I will have to leave by myself. So when I get up to go to the restroom, act like everything is normal. Understood?”
“Yes, Miss CJ. We take you to Ruby Tuesday but not bring you back here.”
Having had her own experience of human smuggling, Katrina had an idea of what was about to happen. She had no clue why it was happening, but she was fiercely loyal and would do whatever CJ asked.
CJ pulled together a few personal items such as cosmetics, a few pair of underwear, socks, and a T-shirt. Whatever she could fit in her small tote. Good thing it was reversible. She could turn it inside out in the restroom in which she would put on the clothing and wig awaiting her. She suddenly felt unusually calm, but, avoiding tempting fate, she did not ask herself, What’s next? She took a deep breath, surveyed what was left for Katrina to pack, threw the tote over her shoulder, and headed down the stairs to a fate unknown.
Chapter 18
Katrina and Eduard drove CJ to Ruby Tuesday in silence. CJ didn’t know what to say without revealing anything she shouldn’t, so she settled for surfing the radio. Once they arrived and were seated, CJ ordered a vodka martini. She needed something to calm her nerves. As the perky waitress with a big smile and bigger eyes returned to take their order, CJ’s palms started to sweat. The reality of what was happening was sinking even deeper.
“What can I getcha?” the ponytailed, cherub-cheeked server inquired.
CJ ordered the first thing she saw on the menu. “I’ll take the
triple play.” She stifled a laugh, realizing she had no idea what she had just ordered. Katrina and Eduard gave her an odd look and placed their orders. As soon as the waitress moved toward the kitchen, CJ slid out of her seat. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and headed to the restroom. A woman who was coming out as she was going in gave her a slight nod. Just as Matt had explained, a brown bag was in the first stall. CJ didn’t know which she should do first, change or throw up. She steadied herself and pulled out the elements of her disguise, a short black wig, a very ugly plaid shirt, and a baseball cap with “John Deere” written on the front. “So glad I went for that makeover,” she muttered as she got a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She splashed some cold water on her face, crumpled the bag, put it in the trash, and made her way out the back door. The green Toyota was waiting. The driver nodded for her to get in the front. She was relieved to discover it was the same FBI agent who had been her security detail at home.
“Agent Becker! I cannot tell you how happy I am to see a familiar face!” CJ’s eyes welled with tears.
“Hey, Ms. Jansen. Heard you’ve been through a bit of a rough patch.”
“That’s an understatement. It’s been surreal. I feel like I’ve been in a bad dream for months.” CJ buckled herself in and settled into the seat.
“I’m going to drive you to Pennsylvania, where you will be met by someone from the US Marshals Service. They will transport you to your new location.”
“Do you know where I’ll be going?” CJ knew the answer but thought she would ask anyway.
“No, I do not. It’s all part of the program. No person outside WITSEC knows more than one or two stages. It’s for safety reasons.”
“I get it. But it does make me anxious.” CJ was about to ask Becker if they could stop at a liquor store but decided that wouldn’t be appropriate. One brown paper bag a day was enough. She was envisioning herself taking a swig from a pint of cheap vodka and laughed out loud.
“Care to share?” Becker looked over and smiled.
“Just picturing myself, now that I’m homeless . . . drinking a pint of booze out of a brown paper bag.”
Becker chuckled. “I know you’re worried, but you’re not homeless. Just temporarily displaced.”
“Can you tell me where you will be dropping me off or are you going to blindfold me?” CJ’s spirits were lifting a bit.
“We’re going to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Better than going to Philly. Easier to spot tails. Not that we anticipate any, but back roads are better. Should be there in less than four hours. If you want, I’ll pull over so you can hop in the back and take a nap.”
“Hmmm . . . don’t know if I can sleep, but maybe resting a little would help. I’m a hot mess. And this wig? Creeps me out.”
Becker pulled onto the shoulder and waited for an eighteen-wheeler to pass before he let CJ out to get in the backseat. “Get comfy. If you can. Would you like to hear some music?”
“Something mellow if you can find it.”
Becker pulled out his Pandora playlist and scrolled to an R and B mix that started with “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green.
CJ took off the hideous flannel shirt she had been given, rolled it up, and propped it under her neck. She was surprised at how comfortable she felt, and, within a few minutes, she nodded off.
Two hours later, Becker woke her and asked if she was hungry.
“I think I can choke down something. I never did get my triple play at Ruby Tuesday!”
“There’s a farm market up the road that makes great sandwiches on their fresh-baked bread. They stay open until midnight, so we’re in plenty of time. ”
“Well, it has to be better than whatever I ordered. I had no idea what a triple play was, and I was too nervous to read the menu carefully enough to find out. I picked the first thing I saw.”
After the rest stop it was only another hour before she would be handed off to a marshal from the US Marshals Service. “How many times have you done this? Accompany a fugitive?”
“You’re not a fugitive.” Becker laughed. “Many times. You would be surprised at the thousands of people who go through this. Most get to go back to their normal lives after a brief hiatus. It’s the ones who committed crimes and are turning state’s evidence who have to disappear forever.”
“Huh. I never realized it worked that way.”
“Yeah. TV. Not always accurate.” Becker pulled into a small diner-type café. “Here’s where the next part of the relay race begins. Time to put that haute couture shirt back on!” Becker knew CJ would never wear those clothes voluntarily, so he had to get in one last tease.
“Can I hug you?” CJ’s fear was starting to mount again.
“You bet!” When Becker gave her a big bear hug, she felt the gun in his holster, which was a bit unnerving. It made her realize that her mind had been on autopilot and that she really hadn’t had time to think about much of anything. Just react. And that would probably be her modus operandi for however long this ordeal would take. React.
A woman in her early forties, of middling height, neither fat nor thin, with medium brown hair in a bun and a plain but expressive face approached the two of them and held out her hand. “Becker! How the hell are you?” She had a nice smile and calm demeanor.
“You must be CJ.” She turned and extended her hand. “I know this can be overwhelming, but let me assure you that I’m going to take good care of you.”
“And she will,” Becker chimed in. “CJ, this is US Marshal Donna Napoli. She will be escorting you to your destination and be your key contact.”
CJ smiled in return and shook the marshal’s hand. “Nice to meet you, and yes, this is a bit harrowing.”
“You’re gonna be fine. Shall we?” Napoli gestured to a silver SUV. “We have another nine hours ahead, so we’ll stop at a motel a few miles up the road for the night.”
“Nine hours?” CJ was calculating the four hours she had already spent in the car. “Where the heck are we going? Canada?”
“Pretty close.” Napoli smiled, and continued, “I have a change of clothes for you. Looking at your photo, I figured around a size ten. My apologies if you’re smaller. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Got you a nightshirt, leggings, and a lightweight sweater. You did bring underwear, yes?”
CJ chuckled. “Size whatever is fine at this point! I appreciate the change of clothes, and I did bring a spare set of underwear!”
Becker started kicking the gravel around his feet. “Okay, you girls can have your slumber party, but I still have to get back to DC tonight.” He threw one arm around CJ. “It’s gonna all be fine. You take good care of her,” he said, motioning to Napoli.
“You know I will!”
CJ and her new best friend climbed into the SUV and drove a few miles before they pulled into a Homewood Suites. “We have adjoining rooms.”
“At this point, I wouldn’t care if it was a tent. Okay, maybe not a tent. But a shower and something to sleep on besides the backseat of a car would be divine.”
CJ’s inner radar was telling her that this woman was in control and she could feel safe with her.
Napoli had checked them in earlier and had the keycards in her pocket. “Follow me.” They took the elevator to the second floor, and the marshal opened the doors. “Need a drink?”
“Boy, do I ever!”
“Good. I brought my own provisions.” Napoli pulled out a J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet and a corkscrew. “Go jump in the shower, and I’ll let this breathe and find us real glasses.”
“I knew there was something I liked about you! I’ll be out in a jiffy.”
“Take your time. The wine needs a few minutes to breathe!”
Those words were comforting. If anything else, Marshal Napoli wasn’t a stranger to wine.
For years, CJ had followed a fairly strict schedule. Her daily routine rarely fluctuated unless it was work related. Her personal life? Whatever there was of it was rather boring, but the past two months, especially the
past two days, were like being at an amusement park on acid. At least that’s what CJ thought it was like. Not that she had any LSD experience, but a screwy visual would come to one’s mind.
Several minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom with her own hair wrapped in a towel and wearing the fresh nightshirt.
“I have no idea how women can wear these things all day,” CJ said, holding the wig as if it were a dirty dish rag.
“I do like the way the real you looks. Kind of Uma Thurmanish.”
“Ha. You’re not the first to say that. I don’t see it, but I went from mousey plain everything to a highlighted blond blunt cut. You can tell that I’ve led a sheltered life.” CJ was being sardonic.
Napoli laughed out loud. “Exactly why you’re in WITSEC. Boring life. Needed a change of scenery.”
“Speaking of scenery, where am I going?”
“Boothbay Harbor.”
“As in Maine?” CJ was dazed. “Another harbor?”
Napoli looked a bit confused at first, but then she remembered reading about CJ’s having lost her brother in a boating accident. “Oh right. But I don’t think there was any other choice at the moment. Unless you would have preferred Reno?”
CJ threw herself on the bed, almost spilling her wine. “It’s not just my brother. My parents were killed on their way home from watching a regatta. Me and the water—not so lucky.”
“Maybe this will change your luck. And you won’t be there too long.”
“And what does ‘too long’ mean exactly?”
“As long as the trial. Three to six months. It will go by fast. It’s the summer, and Boothbay Harbor is beautiful this time of year.”
“If you say so. As long as I don’t have to get too close to the water, I guess I’ll have to deal with it.” CJ sighed with resignation and took a big swig of her wine. Napoli’s taste in wine also gave CJ a little more confidence in the woman. Funny. Basing an opinion on someone because of their knowledge of wine. It was, after all, an ancient ritual. CJ smiled to herself.
“You’ll be fine. Very nice people. Quaint town. I’ll show you around and introduce you to some of the locals.”
Deep Harbor Page 18
