Double Cross (10 page)

7:30 P.M. MONDAY

Once dinner was cleared
 
—Gran’s homemade firehouse chili and jalapeño corn bread
 
—Daniel paced his grandparents’ media room searching for the right words to explain the dangerous situation at Silver Hospitality. He prayed Gramps was coherent enough to understand. A headache hammered his skull: Emma’s death, Gran’s threat, and Laurel’s dismissal from the FBI.

Daniel stared at his grandfather’s mammoth grand piano, the focal point of the floor-to-ceiling windowed room. He could make those ivories sing with the expertise of a concert pianist, and yet his mind hovered over the past and present.

“Why don’t you spit it out and tell us what’s going on?” Gramps said, his eyes clear.

“You’re in danger, and it’s my responsibility to surround you with those who are trained to guard innocent people. Gran received a threatening note today.”

“How?”

Gran took his hand and explained the flower delivery. “Whoever is involved thinks I’m feeding investigators information. But you were threatened. Staying home will protect both of us until arrests are made.”

“You mean protect old and senile people?” Gramps said. “Told you earlier, I’m not deserting my friends.”

Daniel took a deep breath and planned a new tack. “Gramps, I already made the arrangements. I’ve hired around-the-clock nurses and officers. The police officer outside will guard you until the officer who takes the first shift arrives at eight.”

“Bodyguards?” Gramps frowned. “I have an arsenal to protect Abby and me. Who taught you how to shoot?”

Gran touched his arm. “What if your mind slips, Earl? You and I’ve done a lot of hunting together, from deer to big game in Africa. The truth is I don’t know if I can shoot a man. I’m afraid I’d be too nervous, and he’d take away my gun. Use it on us.”

Gramps buried his face in his hands. “I hate getting old. Losing what once made me a respected man. Can’t even take care of my own wife.”

“Earl, you’ve protected me since I was fourteen years old. Seventy years of loving you. Let me return the favor.”

“Abby, girl, no matter how far the big A takes me, I promise you this
 
—I’ll always recognize you and know your name.”

Gran kissed his cheek. “What more could I ask?”

Daniel swallowed the thickening in his throat. “When I couldn’t take care of myself, you stepped in and showed me real love and how to be a man. You helped me see I needed God in my life. The arrangement away from the facility won’t be too long. Only until arrests are made. A nurse will be here at eight o’clock tonight and she’ll begin an eight-hour shift. The nurses’ shifts will overlap thirty minutes, and I’ll visit whenever I can.”

“Will the officers be inside our home?” Gran said.

“Only if you want them.”

She nodded. “I’ll sleep better.” She walked across the room and hugged him. “Thanks. You have a good heart, Daniel.”

He focused on Gramps. “Will you let me do this for you?”

“Yes and no. Yes, I agree to your arrangements, but we’ll pay for it. We have more money than we can ever spend
 
—minus eighty grand.” He lifted a brow. “Most all we have goes to you, not some swindler.”

“Thanks. Now I have some sad news for you. Emma Dockson passed this afternoon. She had a heart attack.”

Gran touched her chest. “Such a sweet lady.”

Daniel explained the missing money. “Another reason for you to stay here.”

“I’ll do all I can to cooperate,” Gran said.

Daniel smiled. “Thanks. How about a song tonight? Joplin?”

“You got it,” Gramps said. “Abby, prepare to dance.”

Daniel’s phone rang. He didn’t recognize the caller’s number, but with all that was going on, it could be important. “Officer Daniel Hilton,” he said.

“Back off from this case,” a distorted voice said.

Daniel left the room and walked into the kitchen. “What case?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

The voice cursed. “Yes, you do. This is over your head, cop. You got the wrong person’s attention. Now he’s upset with your interference.”

“When it comes to my grandparents, I’m not backing off. Tell your boss that.”

“Then you’re more stupid than we thought. Your grandparents aren’t in good health. Be a shame to lose them in an accident. Only a matter of time.” The caller disconnected.

He’d notify the officers protecting Gran and Gramps of the potential danger. Double the men on each shift. If the caller thought Daniel would leave the case alone, he was wrong. Dead wrong. He’d call Laurel in the morning for her input.

He walked into the media room and plastered fake enthusiasm on his face. “The police officer will be here in a few minutes. Good man. I’m anxious for you to meet him.”

“Let’s hope I can remember his name from one day to the next.” Gramps’s dry tone indicated depression. “Some days I can laugh at myself. This is not one of them. I’m praying for a miracle drug. Dying and meeting Jesus is one thing, but I want to recognize
Him.” He shrugged. “I’m being foolish. I’ll be healed then and none of this will matter.”

Daniel considered how much to tell them. Did they really comprehend the danger? “Promise me you won’t leave the house without protection or let any strangers inside.”

Gran slipped her arm around Gramps’s waist. “Whatever it takes, right, Earl? I’m ready to dance if this old man can make a little music.”

An hour later, Daniel left his grandparents, glad he’d made the arrangements for their care and yet fearful for their safety. They liked the officer, who held several commendations and needed a little extra money for his daughter’s college fund. Daniel privately explained the call. The other two officers were good men too, men of faith and courage.

He phoned HPD to check the number used to call him earlier. As he expected, a burner phone.

Tomorrow he wanted to talk to Laurel. Perhaps she’d open up. But he had to curb the impulse to phone her too often when she had personal issues with her career. Made him look selfish, as if he were interested.

9:15 A.M. TUESDAY

Laurel learned from SSA Preston that Liz Austin was an alias. Her missing file had contained a photo, and her online file had been deleted. She was the insider. They’d hit a temporary dead end until she surfaced again.

No man was an island in the investigation business. Teamwork solved crimes and put bracelets on the bad guys. Then she remembered.

Wilmington made his exit today. Media would video his walk back into society with a recap of what sent him to prison. An interview too, and most likely at his lawyer’s request. Chances were her role in his takedown would hit the radar. They’d post photos from the past, the kind she’d pay to have destroyed. The whole city and state would hear about his conversion, his remorse, and his future plans of living for God.

Media speculated on why she’d been dismissed from the FBI, most of it derogatory. That aspect helped lend credibility to what would happen later on in the week.

Su-Min sent a text:
Do not contact me ever.

The finality hurt and yet Laurel had expected it. Didn’t make the news any easier even if it played into SSA Preston’s plan.

The clock inched toward ten, when Wilmington would be released from prison. No doubt some of his fans who hailed him as Robin Hood would be on hand to cheer, along with media coverage.

She brought up a live feed on her laptop.

Wilmington stepped out of prison wearing designer jeans and a button-down shirt. He smiled and waved at the onlookers. She sickened. Those blue eyes might fool others, but she knew the evil behind them.

This man killed Jesse, and now he wanted to look like he’d paid his price to society. Laurel’s nerves leaped in time to her heartbeat. How could she even bear to speak to him?

An older, serious reporter spoke into the mic. “In less than five minutes, Morton Wilmington will speak to the press. His lawyer states he has a special message regarding his recent conversion to Christianity. From here he’s meeting with Pastor Emerson McKee of Community Evangelical Church, Houston.”

Who would believe his trash? Had they forgotten the murderer who steamrolled his opposition? Could she really follow through with this assignment?

12:10 P.M. TUESDAY

Daniel clicked off the radio in his patrol car. Morton Wilmington’s release wasn’t a coincidence. Laurel had worked undercover to secure the evidence leading to his arrest, and now she no longer had a job. He took his lunch break to phone his best source for word on the streets, a woman of many talents.

“Hey, Coco. This is Daniel.”

“I don’t work for free, sweet man.”

Daniel laughed. “No one does. I need info.”

“Hold on. Let me get something to write on.”

“That could be dangerous if you’re caught.”

“I have a code.”

Another one who worked encryption. “Hope it’s a good one.”

“Personally developed it myself,” she said. “I use words from my line of work.”

Not sure he wanted to hear what they were. “Ready?”

“Fire away.”

“Are you charging by the minute?”

“Business is business, and you never see me professionally.”

And he wouldn’t. “All right
 
—two things. Somebody tailed and fired at me the other evening. Had my grandparents with me. Then last night a caller threatened them. Have you heard anything?”

“Not a word. Your chosen career isn’t safe. That could have been anybody trying to get to you by threatening them.”

She was right, but the sophistication of the elderly fraud wouldn’t hit the streets. “What’s the word on Morton Wilmington’s release?”

“How quick do you need this?”

“An hour ago.”

“This will cost you a little more.”

“But you’re the best.”

“Right. I have many talents.”

“Cut the hype, Coco. This is important.”

“Okay, I heard Wilmington’s men are laying low. They heard Monday about his release. Confused. He’s called a meeting with them late tonight. With all the religious talk from inside the prison, they’re either questioning their jobs or waiting to hear how business will play out.”

“Job security in today’s economy is critical.”

Coco laughed, a rough crackling sound that spoke of her addiction, booze, and cigarettes. “My rates have gone up.”

“Last I checked, a warrant was out for your arrest. One of your associates turned you in.”

“Since when?”

“Do you want to take the chance? Some of those girls in jail aren’t happy with your success. Your pimp can’t help you there.”

Coco swore in Spanish. “Oh, be glad you’re so good-looking. I’ll call you tonight. Same price as always. Leave it with the girl at the McDonald’s inside Walmart.”

12:25 P.M. TUESDAY

Daniel wanted to see Laurel or talk to her. Her dismissal bothered him, especially when the FBI had given the media a conflict-of-interest reason. Paper-thin. What did he have to lose with a phone call, since he had no idea who’d threatened his grandparents?

She responded on the second ring. “Officer Hilton,” she said.

“It is. Are you busy?”

“I’m supposed to be updating my résumé for a headhunter, but my heart’s not in it.”

Not a job he’d want to tackle. But he detested paperwork too. “Need some help?”

“I got it. Thanks.”

“I have a blunt question.”

“No, I don’t want pizza.”

He chuckled. “Good one. This is another matter. Are you going to tell me why you’re no longer with the bureau? I realize it’s none of my business, but you did take an interest in my grandparents’ case.”

“I can’t. The circumstances are raw. Maybe in the future.”

“Fair enough.”

She sighed. “I care about your grandparents and all the others who’ve been abused by a scammer. The FBI’s following up on all leads.”

“So I direct everything to SSA Preston?”

“Yes. What happened?”

“Got a call last night, ordering me to back off the case or my grandparents might have an accident. Burner phone. What have you found as the typical way to scam the elderly?” Daniel said. “If you’d rather I talk to SSA Preston, just say so.”

“I don’t mind. The typical victim is an older person who lives alone with no family or the family is not attentive. Too many times, the victim meets a couple, husband and wife, at the person’s church or a reputable charity organization. The scammers start out taking care of little things for the person, doing more than the family. When the couple establishes trust, they persuade the elderly person to add them to various accounts.” Laurel sighed. “But that’s not true of all the victims. We’re looking at an out-of-the-box scam.”

“How do you think Russell Jergon weaseled inside Silver Hospitality?”

“Found a way to avoid the security cameras. The FBI is constantly pouring inquiries into the FIG
 
—Field Intelligence Group.”

“I know the FIG’s function.” He swallowed his irritation. “This is an operation with nationwide potential. They’re using a computer database that gives them a list of specific victims. I found out a few things about health insurance databases from a friend of mine. You probably have the info, but I’m being the good guy and sharing.”

“I’m sorry. The situation with my job and Morton Wilmington has me distracted.”

“And I’m probing you. My apologies.”

Laurel hesitated before continuing. “One of the reasons I want the scam ended is because of my growing-up years. A dear woman raised me, a foster mother. Ten years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and her husband put her in a filthy nursing home. I saw her every chance I could until she passed.”

“So you understand my protective nature with Gran and Gramps.”

“When your grandfather mentioned dignity, I was transported
back to her suffering.” She paused. “Fat lot of good it does me now that I’m no longer working for the system. I have to ask you not to contact me until this is over. Please. This has gotten dangerous.” She ended the call.

He didn’t believe she no longer worked for the FBI. She specifically said,
“No longer working for the system.”
Wilmington had been released from prison. She’d supposedly been dismissed from her responsibilities. Neither was a coincidence. Even with her abrupt end to the conversation, her mood didn’t match that of a woman whose career had just been flushed down the toilet.

8:30 P.M. TUESDAY

Laurel finished the laundry while her mind spun with Morton Wilmington’s release and how she loathed the man. Washing, drying, and folding clothes hit the no-brainer level, making it impossible to push the man away from her thoughts. Partnering with him collided against everything she believed in. Yet, the end justified the ugliness. At least that’s what she told herself.

SSA Preston had promised they’d watch her back, but that meant a device inserted in her phone, a chip implant, or a wire. She’d refused them when she worked undercover with Wilmington before because of his security methods, and she did so again. Today’s sophistication meant she could lose her cover, and she’d rather risk her own life to find the truth. Her reasons sounded heroic, but they only reflected her low self-esteem. She had nothing to live for except justice for Jesse. His death could have been prevented if she hadn’t hesitated in shooting Wilmington. It was only one of many areas where she’d failed.

Taking a deep breath, she shoved aside the piercing fragments of her past. Being alone brought it all on, and she despised the memories. If
 
—

Her cell phone rang, and she didn’t recognize the number. Laurel answered with a simple hello.

“This is Morton.”

Chills numbed her. “I thought you weren’t contacting me until later.”

“We have a new development.”

No surprise there. “What is it?”

“My contact called. Wasn’t expecting him to get in touch this soon. Wanted to know my plans. I dropped the bomb and told him we were back together since I became a Christian. Gave him the scenario about the FBI giving you the ultimatum of your career or me. You chose me and they fired you. Stated both of us were bitter. Told him I wasn’t sure what the future held, but trusting in God wasn’t exactly working out.”

“His reaction?”

“Has a business proposition for me. Not sure those with him will approve of you. I told him we’d discuss it and get back to him. But we were a team and I had plenty of contacts of my own.”

“Faster progress than SSA Preston expected. Did this guy contact you in prison?”

“Yes. Offered me a partnership in an elderly scam. At the time I wasn’t interested. He asked why I hadn’t eliminated you. Told him I still cared.”

“Sounds like overkill.”

“He and I go back a long way. Were in the Army together. He went on to serve in Delta Force. He was the first person I told about asking you to marry me. I made myself believable.”

She shivered. “When we have a face-to-face, I want to know everything.”

“Got it. We need to move dinner to tomorrow night. The longer we wait, the more victims.”

Still using his control tactics. “Okay. When do you think he’ll get back to you?”

“Hard to tell. I’ve arranged for a leak to the media. That will show him we’re together.”

“Wonderful.” She didn’t hold back the sarcasm.

“Laurel, you despise me. That’s a given. You don’t trust me. That’s a given. I’m not happy about this charade either. But I’m ready to see it through to the end. Staying out of prison is at the top of my list of priorities.”

“How noble.”

“Watch how it plays out.”

“I don’t see how your
friend
will ever believe I’m on the wrong side of the law.”

“We might need to stage a crime. With FBI clearance, of course.”

“That’s the only way, Morton. They’re heading up this project.”

“I’m working with the law on this whether you believe me or not. My driver will pick you up at seven thirty Wednesday night. Bodyguards are watching you. These people tend to leave bodies in their wake.”

“How big’s his operation?”

“Haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Does SSA Preston have this information?”

“I just learned about a few specifics tonight. I’ll give you more tomorrow at dinner.”

“Why not now?”

“Because I want to verify it first.”

Laurel set her phone on the counter when the call ended. Fear spiraled through her, but courage took over. She’d see this through. What more could she lose? Her former partner and best friend had cast her aside, and the one man outside the FBI she could trust could get himself killed along with his dear grandparents.