Part 30 (2/2)
”Mainstream is negative. Plenty about Vicky. Nothing about any escort.”
”Anybody surprised?” Kris asked.
”I have a hit. The Ankara Picayune-what kind of a name is that-mentions that Miss Victoria was escorted by the noted 'philanthropic' Grant van Schrader. The philanthropic is in quotes. I suspect sarcasm. I am searching on Grant van-Schrader,” Nelly said before Kris could tell her to.
In the silence of the room, Kris could almost hear every heartbeat quickening.
”Mainstream media has zip on our philanthropist. No business, no current events. He, or a Grant von Schrader does pop up in the small media. There was a strike at a software company. Every employee was fired. He was one of the people subpoenaed. That was squashed. There are other reports of him being involved in labor unrest. Buying property up cheap for development. Stealing patents. Courts always friendly. I don't like this guy, Kris.”
”I suspect we don't, either. Is there anything that shows him as a Peterwald man?”
”Not until Vicky arrived.”
”Does the Nuu Enterprises reports from Eden mention this joker?” Kris asked.
”Bingo, we hit the jackpot here,” Nelly quickly reported. ”They do not much like this fellow, either. He seems to be on the shabby side of a lot of stuff. Drugs are even mentioned. After getting uncertified parts from shops in his holding company, they are ignoring his bids. Which is not easy. His companies do quite a name shuffle. Buying each other, selling, renaming. A Nuu manager keeps track of this guy full-time.”
”Get me his reports. Also, see if you can find who owns that warehouse where we found Ruth,” Kris said.
”I was about to suggest that,” Ruth said.
That did not turn out to be easy. The government's available property database was almost a year out of date and Mr. von Schrader seemed to sell his property on a much faster rotation. A database was available-for a very expensive fee-that was more up-to-date. Nelly bought it.
”Mr. Schrader owns several warehouses,” Nelly reported. ”Including that one. I have identified six that are as big.”
Penny stood. ”Captain, may I borrow those two Marines I had this morning. They're good at this skulking business.”
”They're yours. Better take a different rig.”
”And a few of my nanos,” Nelly put in.
And Penny was off at a trot. She opened the door just in time to run into a rather surprised Police Lieutenant Martinez.
”I was told Princess Kris was here,” he said, then noticed Kris and entered the room. Kris waved him to a chair. He took it, but had his eyes on the wall...and the pictures of dead Marines. ”What have I walked in on?” he asked softly.
”Nothing your government need concern itself with,” Kris said.
”I hope,” Martinez added under his breath.
”Us, too,” Jack appended.
”Are you aware,” Kris asked, ”that my great-grandmother Ruth Tordon was kidnapped this morning and two Marines killed?”
”I had heard it from some news sources,” the policeman said. ”I am happy to see you returned to your family,” he added, nodding toward Ruth.
”I...am disturbed,” Ruth said. ”I have visited your planet many times. It is an enigma to me, but still I come back, hoping to teach something to your children. I doubt I will return again.”
”My brother's youngest boy was one of your students. That will be a great loss for us.”
”Will it?” Ruth said. ”Am I really making any difference?”
”Steve thought you were, my nephew. You opened his eyes to what other planets have done. What we can do.”
”As I recall, Steven Martinez told me he wanted to immigrate.”
The policeman flinched, and eyed the table. ”He has not told his family that.”
”So, why don't you immigrate?” Kris said.
”This is my home.”
”But you can't vote. Can't partic.i.p.ate in your government.”
”I am a police officer. I serve my government. I like to think that I make a difference.”
”Have you heard about the contents of the warehouse where I was held captive?” Ruth asked.
”No. I had not heard you had escaped.”
Kris turned to Captain DeVar. ”Do we have pictures?”
A ”Gunny,” resulted in pictures appearing of the various boxed weapons. The cop rose from his chair and approached the screen on the wall. His hands traced the barrels and firing mechanisms of the machine pistols and a.s.sault rifles.
”Holy Mother of G.o.d,” he whispered. ”Does anyone else know about this weapons h.o.a.rd?”
”There are quite a few police cruisers stopped outside the warehouse. I a.s.sume they're doing something about them.”
”I should have been informed. Investigating illegal weapons is my job.”
”I don't think Inspector Johnson thinks so,” Kris said.
”Johnson.” The cop almost spat. ”I would have expected him to be at the bottom of something like this.”
”Importing the guns?” Kris asked.
”No, making them disappear. Our third vice president is very much a believer that if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, then it did not happen. Johnson is his man.”
”Well, this tree is down,” Kris said. ”I don't care about it, but I can't help but wonder if there are more trees getting ready to fall and who they'll fall on. You have any idea?”
Martinez just shook his head for a long time. ”My poppa told me it would be like this. But who's going to listen to just a street cop. He told me the state was going rotten. And someday someone would come along and shove it over.”
”That sounds like a good idea,” Ruth said.
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