Tick tock, p.7
Tick Tock, page 7
“What do you mean, ‘her real name’?” Charles quizzed him.
“Izzie didn’t get into it, but Abner swears by Libby’s techno-talent. He’s going to send an intro text to both of you.”
“If Abner thinks she’s top-notch, well, that’s good enough for me.” He paused for a moment. “But that is an odd coincidence, don’t you think? That she was also once in a coma?”
“Not for this group.” Harry smiled.
Charles chuckled for the first time that day.
A few minutes later, the kitchen phone rang again. It was Jack. “Charles. The doctor said she is stable enough to be medevacked.”
“Splendid.” Charles felt a sense of relief. They were moving in the right direction. “Get me all the information, and I’ll arrange for transport.”
“Thanks, Charles. I don’t know what we would do without you and Myra.” Jack’s voice cracked.
“Likewise, Jack.” Charles hung up the phone and explained to Harry they were going to arrange for Nikki to be taken to Philadelphia.
“What do you want to do about the computer issue?” Harry asked.
“I’ll reach out to Libby as soon as I get Abner’s text. First thing is to get Nikki’s transport settled.”
Harry checked his watch. “I have to get going. Let me know if there is anything else any of us can do.”
Charles walked Harry to the door. “Thanks for everything.”
“Anything. Anytime. Anywhere.” They shared their first fist bump in a long time.
About an hour later, Charles received another call from Jack, with specific instructions as to where and when the helicopter should arrive. The transport would be later that day. Jack would ride with Nikki and the medics in the chopper. Charles and Myra would drive to Philadelphia and meet them at the hospital. Depending on when Annie and Fergus returned, they would accompany them.
Charles walked softly over to where Myra was sleeping. He gently touched her shoulder. She immediately sprang up, dogs tumbling over each other.
“What is it?” Her voice was frantic.
“They are going to transport Nikki later this afternoon. They’re taking her to Jackson University Hospital in Philadelphia. We’ll meet them there.”
“How is she?” Myra clenched the tissue she was holding.
“She has a traumatic brain injury.” He hurriedly added, “But she is breathing on her own. That’s a good sign.” Charles put his arm around her. “We’re sending her to one of the best neurological institutes in the country.”
Myra sat up and looked Charles straight in the eye. “How bad is it?” She was steeling herself for the worst.
Charles let out a sigh. “She’s in a coma. They don’t know how long it will last. They are going to be testing her constantly and recommending treatments. It’s going to be a waiting game, I’m afraid.”
Myra took Charles’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “I cannot lose another child, Charles. I just can’t.”
“There, there, now. She is going to be okay.”
“You don’t know that. You can’t promise that!” Myra was agitated from fear and frustration.
“My dear, all we can do is pray and stay positive. Think good thoughts. I know it’s difficult, but what other choice do we have?” Charles was certainly not about to divulge his concern about the VPN. That could push Myra over the edge. It was best to keep that from her for as long as possible. Nikki was the number-one concern right now. But maintaining security could not be overlooked. He would get Fergus on it as soon as he could. As soon as he heard from Libby Gannon.
Myra sniffed and stared ahead. “Do we have any soup?”
Charles did a double take. “Soup? Did you just ask me for soup?”
“Do you have a better idea?” She squeezed his hand again.
He kissed her on the cheek. “That’s my girl. Come.” He hoisted her off the sofa. They linked arms and went into the kitchen with the pack of dogs following, Cooper in the rear. He had their backs.
Chapter Fourteen
Virginia
Leroy and Darius stared at the TV. It was true. A woman had been approaching the car when it exploded, sending her backwards. She was in stable condition. Names were being withheld for now.
Darius stifled the urge to punch the wall. The explosion hit the wrong mark. Nothing he could do about that now. His cell phone buzzed. It was Bennie. Bennie, the guy who made all the arrangements.
“Hey, man. How’s it goin’?” Darius asked. He nodded. “Us? I took care of some business.” He kept his cool with Bennie. He didn’t want any of them to know what he was up to. Unfortunately, Leroy was not only a witness; he was also now an accomplice. But better Leroy than Bennie or Eric. Neither of them would let Darius push them around like he did Leroy. If Eric knew what the 3D printer was going to be used for, he probably wouldn’t have fronted the money.
Darius snapped his fingers at Leroy, indicating he wanted the pad and pen sitting on the wobbly table. Leroy jumped and handed them to Darius. Leroy might seem like he was oblivious, but Darius’s mood could not be ignored. Leroy was keenly aware the man he was sitting with was a ticking time bomb. The word bomb sent shivers up his spine.
Darius proceeded to write down information. “Got it. Yep. Uh-huh. Will do.” He listened for another minute. “Okay, man. We’re on it.”
Leroy’s excitement was like that of a kid about to go on an adventure. He was bouncing up and down on the bed. “Whaddhesay? Whaddhesay?”
“Easy, man.” Darius looked at the instructions. “Tonight, we drive to D.C. We’re staying at a motel near the airport. Tomorrow, we go to the DHL counter, where an envelope will be waiting for us. Inside will be passports, driver’s licenses, your airline ticket, a hotel reservation, and a letter of introduction. You’re to get on a plane to Grand Cayman Island. You’ll check into The Hideaway.”
“Wait! The place is called The Hideaway? For real?” Leroy’s imagination was running wild. He felt like James Bond.
Darius continued. “You will go to Cayman National Bank and give them the letter that will be in the envelope. It will instruct them to transfer the funds to Banco de Guayaquil.”
“But . . . but I don’t speak Cayman!” Leroy was getting nervous.
“They speak English, you twit.” Darius continued. “Once the transfer is done, they will give you a letter of confirmation and will send a copy electronically to Eric. Once you get the letter, you get back on a plane and come home.”
Darius copied the list of instructions onto another sheet of paper. He didn’t want to worry about someone, namely Leroy, losing the list. Darius handed it over to him.
“Let’s go over this again,” Darius instructed. “Oh, and we’ll have to pick up some kind of better clothes for you. You can’t go looking like that.”
Leroy ruffled his hair. “Like what?”
“Like a hick who just got out of jail.”
“Huh.” Leroy slumped his shoulders.
The week before, Eric and Bennie had arranged for everyone to get 3,000 dollars cash for supplies, food, clothes. Eric had also arranged for new passports and driver’s licenses. During his stay behind bars, Bennie became acquainted with a gentleman named Julio, who was locked up for forgery. Bennie and Eric cut a deal with him. Once Eric got out, he would be put in contact with an associate of Julio’s. Eric had to personally deliver the cash to Julio’s mother in San Pedro. Then Julio’s associate would arrange for the new identities, to the tune of 8,000 dollars.
“So what are you going to be doing while I’m in the Caribbean?” Leroy asked.
“You won’t be gone more than a day, day and a half.” Darius pulled out a cigarette. He had quit many times before, but now he needed an outlet for his nervous energy.
“I thought you gave those up?” Leroy asked.
“I did.” He lit the end of the Lucky Strike.
Leroy snickered. “I like your brand. Luck-ee Strikes! Don’t they call that some kind of omen or something?”
“Maybe. I suppose.” Darius took a long pull. As soon as Eric and Bennie had the coordinates, he was going to track down the half-baked lawyer who had represented him. This time, he would hit his mark. Then he would take care of his ex-girlfriend. She had dumped him the second he got arrested—and he had been doing it all for her. Every time he thought about it, his blood would boil, even after fifteen years.
“Come on. Let’s pack it up. We gotta three-hour drive, and we gotta get you some clothes.”
Leroy was atwitter. This was probably the most exciting thing he had ever done in his life. Not probably—it was the most exciting thing. He tossed the few clothes he’d brought into a brown shopping bag.
“That, too, has got to go.” Darius looked at the pathetic thing that Leroy was using as a suitcase.
“What?” Leroy looked confused.
“The big brown bag luggage. We’ll get you a carry-on. There has to be a Target or Walmart on the way. Come on.” Darius zipped his duffel bag shut and hauled it over his shoulder.
Darius got in his vehicle, and Leroy followed. It was going to be a bit challenging keeping two vehicles in sync. They’d have to keep a good eye on each other. They took Route 17 to Fredericksburg and got on the interstate. Darius dialed Leroy’s cell to let him know he was going to take the next exit, where it looked like there might be one of the big box stores nearby. They both needed gas, and after stopping, they asked the attendant for directions. Once they filled their tanks, they drove another mile and came to a Target. They parked their vehicles far enough away from the main entrance. Both donned baseball caps and sunglasses. They were wearing jeans and T-shirts emblazoned with obscure band logos.
Darius grabbed a cart and proceeded to blend in with the rest of the shoppers. They stopped in the men’s department first and picked out two pairs of trousers, two shirts, and a pack of underwear. God forbid something happened to Leroy; he didn’t want to be found with ungodly undies.
From there, they went to the shoe department and got a pair of Top-Siders.
“Man, I don’t like these shoes. They make me look like a poof,” Leroy complained.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You need to look realistic. You know, like a guy who would actually have money in an offshore account. And please, please do not engage in any conversation with anyone. No ‘Hello, how do you do.’ Nothing. Got it?”
“What if they ask me what I’m doing and where I’m going?”
“You’re checking on a resort for your employer.”
“Which one?”
“Several. We’ll pick up a travel guide so you can fake it. But please try to limit the chatter.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Leroy kept checking his feet in the shoe department mirror. “Socks?”
“No socks.”
“No socks?” Leroy exclaimed loud enough for a woman nearby to give him an odd look. She quickly ushered her grandson out of the department.
“No socks. It’s a thing. Okay?” Darius was trying to be patient. It was like being with an eight-year-old. The departing grandkid seemed better behaved.
“Can I put powder in them?”
“Since when have you been so foot-conscious?”
“Since I am going to the K-Man Islands.”
“Keep your voice down.”
Leroy saluted Darius and placed the shoes in the shopping cart. They moved on to the luggage department. A small duffel bag with wheels was on sale. “Forty-nine bucks.” Leroy pointed to the tag.
“Fine. Let’s get outta here.”
Darius told Leroy to go on to his truck. No need for both of them to stand in line. Plus, it was better if they split up. Harder to give a description. Darius kept his head down, attempting to hide from whatever cameras might be spying on him. Once he was done paying, he wheeled the cart out to his car and tossed the shopping bags into the back. He got in his vehicle and signaled Leroy to follow him. As they were leaving the parking lot, Darius tossed his baseball cap into a dumpster.
Leroy had the address of the motel, just in case they got separated, but Darius liked it better if he could check on Leroy in his rearview mirror.
It took just a little over an hour before they reached the motel. It was still early in the day, and there wasn’t much for them to do. Leroy was going to try on his clothes. Darius knew he would have to supervise the entire makeover. “We need to find you a good barber shop.”
“What’s wrong with my hair?” Leroy ruffled it again.
“Well, that, for one thing.” Darius mimicked Leroy playing with his hair. “Stop messing with it.” Darius scrutinized him. “A good shave, trim those bushes that double for eyebrows. Check your ear hair. Remember, you have to resemble the photo on the ID.”
“Oh, is that why Eric made me wash the gel out?”
“Duh.” Darius gave him a look.
“Whatever.” Then Leroy smiled, thinking that he might look decent after all.
Darius called the front desk and asked if there was a barbershop nearby. There was one within walking distance. Darius thought maybe their luck was finally moving in the right direction.
Chapter Fifteen
Pinewood
The farmhouse was a flurry of activity. Myra had gathered enough wits about her to organize a travel bag. She suspected she would be away for an undetermined amount of time, and so packed ten days’ worth of clothes. She could always find a way to do laundry. Annie made arrangements for adjoining suites at The Kimpton Hotel. It had all the amenities and was a short walk to the hospital. Annie and Fergus would catch up with them in the evening. The only hitch was Cooper. All systems had to be a “go” if the big dog was going to be traveling with them. Annie assured Myra that the hotel policy allowed for service dogs, which is exactly what Cooper was. He had every kind of identification a canine could collect. He was almost human, but better. He had special abilities. His sixth sense was off the charts. Since Nikki would be in a private room in a special wing, Cooper could visit any time he was accompanied by a person. Or was it the other way around?
Charles was relieved to see Myra a bit more lucid and controlled. He smiled to himself. She’s dealing with this as if it was one of their missions. Good. That will keep her focused. I suppose I should be doing the same thing. He still had not let on about his suspicion of their system being breached. He was waiting to hear from Libby.
Myra smiled at him. “This is going to be like a mission.”
Charles let out a snort.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
“Of course you were.” She patted him on the cheek.
Charles hoped Myra would remain in this cogent frame of mind. He threw his Dopp kit into the suitcase and turned to Myra. “We are going to get through this.”
“Yes, we are, and we are going to find out who was responsible. They will never see the light of day again. That much I can promise you.”
“That’s my girl.” Charles patted her on the rump.
“What time will Annie and Fergus arrive?”
“Around seven o’clock. We should be there by four o’clock if we can beat the traffic.” Charles continued to pack a few shirts. “I doubt they’ll have Nikki settled before then.”
Myra sighed. “She is going to be all right, isn’t she?”
Charles wrapped his arms around her. “Right as rain.”
Earlier, Charles had sent a group text to the Sisters:
Nikki in stable condition. Moving to Jackson U. Hosp. in Phil. Meeting Annie and Fergus later. Will send more info after we arrive. Pray.
Another flurry of texts arrived on Charles’s phone. Some asked why they weren’t using the VPN. Charles ignored the question. He hoped he would hear from Libby before they parted. He didn’t want Myra to overhear the conversation. No sense in adding more worry.
His phone chimed. It was a text from Libby:
Hello. It’s Libby. Can we chat live?
Charles replied:
5 minutes. Is this a good number?
Libby responded:
Yes.
“Who was that, dear?” Myra asked.
“Harry. Checking in. He needs something from the war room. I’ll be back in a jiff.” Charles hurried to the basement steps. He hated lying to Myra. It wasn’t right, but it was for her own good. He kept telling himself that.
He dialed Libby’s number. “Hello, it’s Charles.”
Libby chuckled. “Yes, I know. Aside from knowing it was you, I have a special program for caller ID.”
“I hear you are quite the techno wizard. Abner speaks highly of you.”
“As he does of you.” Libby had a sweet-sounding voice. “So, Charles, what can I help you with today?”
“I’ve been getting little, almost indiscernible, glitches on my monitors. I think there is a problem with our VPN.”
“I understand you have some of the highest-performing security.”
“Well, at least I thought I did. Would you mind taking a look? Is it malware? Spyware?”
“Really.” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Yes. I need an outside assessment.”
“I’d be happy to,” Libby replied.
“What do I need to do?” Charles asked.
“Nothing. I’ll be doing everything on my end,” Libby explained. “I will attempt to hack into your system. If I can do it, then it’s likely someone who is highly skilled has breached it, as well.”
“How long do you think it will take?” Charles was getting concerned that Myra would come looking for him.
“As long as it takes, Charles. I don’t have to tell you that.”
“Yes. You are correct. I’m a bit distracted right now. Myra’s daughter Nikki was in an accident, and we are about to leave for Philadelphia.”
“Oh, my goodness. What happened?” Libby sounded genuinely concerned.
“Car explosion. She’s in a coma.” Charles stopped short, remembering Libby had been through something similar.
