Part 15 (1/2)
”As soon as I hang up from you, I'll see how Kyle wants to handle it. We may need to put extra security on Ron, just in case.”
”That's probably not a bad idea and while you're at it, have Kyle take a closer look at Baysh.o.r.e's s.h.i.+pments. They had a bunch of figurines on the table and I'm pretty sure that's how they're moving the diamonds around the country.”
”Well, it's nice to know that up to this point, we've had pretty good information. Is there anything else?”
”They have my transmitter, and it's only a matter of time before they're able to trace it back to the bureau.”
”Hopefully, by that time, we'll have enough to arrest him.”
”I wouldn't count on it.” Rheyna's pessimism caught her a little bit by surprise. She was usually the one who saw the gla.s.s as half-full, not half-empty, but she knew how cunning Castrucci was, and it wouldn't surprise her in the least to find that he had a judge or two in his pocket as well-h.e.l.l, maybe even a senator, for that matter.
”Right now, we have to be concerned with your safety. There's a good chance that Castrucci already knows who you are.”
”Believe me, that thought has crossed my mind more than once.”
”I'll talk to Kyle, but we may have to pull the plug, Rheyna.”
”Yeah, I thought about that, too.”
”When are you hooking up with Caroline again?”
”I was supposed to go over in the morning, but I called and cancelled. I need to give myself a little rest and figure out how to cover all these bruises.”
”All right, you get some rest and give me a call tomorrow afternoon so we can go over our next step.”
”I'll talk with you later, then.” Rheyna hung up the phone and leaned back on the couch. She stretched her legs out on the coffee table. They looked as if someone had run a metal rake over them. It had taken her quite awhile to pick the tiny pieces of wood out of her skin.
She grabbed the tube of ointment off the table and spread the cream over her cuts, flinching from the sting. It would be several days before she would be able to wear shorts around Caroline without generating questions. She was thankful that bruises and cuts were all she had ended up with. She would have had one h.e.l.l of a time trying to explain a broken arm or leg-or worse, a bullet hole. She leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes.
Chapter 17.
Artie parked his rental car directly in front of the bank. His hand trembled as he removed the key. He pulled a hanky out of his jacket pocket and mopped the sweat from his forehead. He glanced at the manila folder lying on the seat beside him. Surely, it had been more than enough time, he thought as he picked it up. He rubbed his hands together in an attempt to circulate his blood. After a few seconds, he held his hands out, palm down. He breathed a small sigh of relief. The shaking had almost subsided. He smiled as he rifled through the ashtray for some change.
He got out of the car and walked over to the meter. He looked up and down the street and then inserted a quarter into the machine. As he turned to go in the bank, he found himself looking directly into the chest of a young man. The force nearly knocked his gla.s.ses from his face.
”I am so sorry,” the young man with dark, wavy, slicked backed hair said as he jerked headphones from his ears.
”Why don't you watch where you're going?” Artie yelled. He bent down to pick up the doc.u.ments that were now strewn all over the sidewalk.
”Here, let me help you,” the young man said as he picked up several papers and a white envelope.
Artie s.n.a.t.c.hed the items from the young man's hand. ”I can do it myself,” he snapped.
”I'm ... I'm really sorry,” the young man repeated.
Artie's nodded at the MP3 player attached to the young man's waistband. ”In the future, maybe you should turn that thing down a notch and not look at the ground when you walk.”
The young man smiled, gave Artie a mock salute, and put the headphones back on. ”I'll try to remember that. Have a good day.”
Artie watched him walk down the sidewalk. Kids these days just don't listen to anything they're told, he thought as he walked through the bank door.
Ron looked up at the sound of beeping. He glanced at the large, flas.h.i.+ng red letters on the computer monitor for several seconds, and then moved his mouse pointer over the link. He stared at the screen as the form began filling in the blanks. He couldn't believe it-his program had worked.
He pressed the aenter' key on the keyboard and waited for the printer to spit out the report. He tore off the printout, and laid it on his desk. He pulled out his laptop drawer, grabbed a ruler, and used it to scan down the lines of data. He highlighted several rows and then walked over to the filing cabinet, pulled out the top drawer, and thumbed through the folders until he found the one he was looking for. He took the folder and sat back down at his desk, flipping open the file to compare the numbers.
”This can't be right.” He double-checked the numbers again to be sure. He turned back to the monitor and started tapping on the keyboard. He looked at the list of case files, shook his head, and then picked up the phone. ”I don't believe this.” He started to dial a number when a knock at the door stopped him. He laid the phone back in its cradle. ”Come in.”
Sarah Avery poked her head around the door. ”I have your mail.” She handed him a magazine and a large, white envelope. ”The envelope was hand-couriered about fifteen minutes ago.”
”Thank you, Sarah.” He waited for her to leave and then removed the rubber band, tossing the magazine to the side. The envelope had aUrgent Delivery' stamped across it.
He ripped the top of the envelope off and pulled out the contents. He flipped through the photos and then picked up the phone. ”Come on, come on. Pick up, Kyle,” he urged as the phone rang repeatedly. ”d.a.m.n,” he said when Edwards' voicemail answered. ”Kyle, this is Ron. I need you to call me back as soon as possible. I think I found our leak.” He hung up the phone and picked up the top photo. He shook his head in disbelief, not believing what he was seeing.
It had been two days since Rheyna had snuck into Baysh.o.r.e, and Edwards and Laura were busy doing their own Intel regarding the smuggling operation. She had been able to get out of seeing Caroline on both days, but Caroline was not about to let her get away with a third brush-off. Today was the day they had made plans to have dinner with Phil and Jesse, and Caroline was not taking no for an answer. Regardless of how much her shoulder hurt, she wasn't about to try to get out of it.
She watched Caroline walk across the driveway. Caroline opened the car door and slid in beside her. Rheyna waited for her to clip on her seatbelt before pulling out of the driveway.
”Are you hungry?” Caroline asked.
”I'm starving.”
”Good, I think you're really going to like this place.”
”Where am I heading, then?”
”University Avenue. We, my dear, are going to the Cheesecake Factory.”
Rheyna's look was incredulous. ”Cheesecake Factory? I want real food, woman, not dessert.”
Caroline patted Rheyna's knee, still fresh with bruises, and it took everything in her not to flinch.
”Oh relax, why don't you? Live a little. Besides, they're only famous for cheesecake. They do sell other food,” Caroline said as she opened the glove box. She fumbled through the stack of CDs. ”Mind if we listen to some music?” she asked, and then selected one without waiting for Rheyna's answer. She slid the CD in and turned up the volume.
They drove in silence with Sophie B. Hawkins playing in the background. They slowly made their way through downtown and after a few minutes, they came to the main intersection.
”Make a right at the next light and find a spot wherever you can,” Caroline said.
Rheyna got lucky and pulled up in front of the restaurant just as a minivan vacated a prime spot.
Jesse was standing in the lobby, waiting for them. He rushed over and then quickly ushered them to a table in the back where Phil was waiting with a very handsome waiter.
”h.e.l.lo, Ladies. I'm Josh, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?”
Caroline slid into the seat next to Rheyna. ”h.e.l.lo, Josh. I'll have a gla.s.s of white Zin, please.”