Chapter Twenty-nine
Murphy dropped Kayti off to get her car as he’d promised the night before. It almost killed him to drive away and leave her, even though they planned to meet up at the Headquarters’ office Kale had assigned them for the case.
His plan was to get to Kale before Kayti arrived. And to make it happen, he drove like a fiend… took shortcuts, drove faster than normal and got in to see her as planned.
As he walked into her office, she stood and approached him unsmiling. “I’ve just read the report on the murder at the poolhall, Agent Murphy. Alex Traver, the only reliable witness we had, is dead.”
“We took every precaution. Didn’t Frank add the details in his S.W.A.T. report? We had no way to identify the killer. All we know is it wasn’t Draper. We’d have recognized him.”
“Murphy, I’m not blaming you. You set up the sting exactly per policy. Shit happens. But I’m thinking if they killed Alex, it was to tie up loose ends, and most likely, Gina’s already dead.”
“I’ll give you that, but I don’t figure they’ll kill Misti, not yet anyway. She’s their golden goose. If it was a purely for-money kidnapping, and they got spooked by the FBI suddenly being involved, I wouldn’t give the kid a chance in hell.” Murphy just knew it to be true. It made sense.
“Right. My thoughts exactly. Those Russians want something worth more than money from the Senator, and I want you to find out exactly what he’ll be facing with the Bill in the Senate when they hit him with an ultimatum.”
“So, you believe the same as I do. They’ll keep her alive to bargain with, and then she hasn’t a rats-ass chance of coming out alive.” Disgust echoed in Murphy’s words.
Kale didn’t disagree, she couldn’t. But she did push her shoulder-length dark hair behind her ear, a move she often used when she wanted to think before answering. “Okay, yes. I believe you’re right. But, there’s still a chance. Until he gives in to their demands, we have time. Use every FBI resource available to find that poor girl.”
“Right, I’m on it. We had Gina and Alex’s apartment closed off. I want to check it out and see if we can find anything to connect them to the kidnapping other than just a sad couple in need of money. There might be friends who can share some insights into why they were the ones picked out and approached to work with Draper.”
“Figured you would.”
“I also wanted to find out how they met up with the Russian bastard? I sent for the files from the Chicago jurisdiction where they ran Draper through the FBI N-DEx system and came up with nothing. It’s like he appeared in the states, probably on a false passport, and we swallowed him whole.”
“So, it’s not just me. There’re so many loose ends to do with Baranov, and others like him, I can’t begin to count them all. No wonder the Senator and his colleagues decided to put a stop to their money laundering.”
“By the way, what’s happened to Viktor Baranov? Is he still in Chicago?”
“No. He left on a private flight to Vancouver, changed to Air Canada and flew from there to Paris. We lost him after that. But he’s no doubt back home in Moscow right now waiting for news that they killed the Bill.”
“But you don’t know that for certain?”
“No. According to sources, who wish to remain anonymous, he’s hired agents to buy two floors of apartments in the new condos being built downtown.”
“Not too shabby. Real Estate is one of the rich man’s way to hide income using Shell companies from tax collectors.”
“And without the Bill, it’s legal. Look, the Senator called a few minutes before you arrived, and he’s frantic. They haven’t been notified, and his wife’s thinking the worst. Poor woman collapsed and is under a doctor’s care.”
“Well, I’ll try my damnedest to get some answers, but this won’t end soon.”
Kale rested her hip against her desk and changed the subject. She considered her words in a weird way that had him watching her closely. He’d never seen her wring her hands together or flush and look away. “Tell me what went down at the convenience store.”
He gave her a brief outline of the events. And she became even more serious when he added, “I meant to talk to you about this. I’d like you to move Agent Edwards to another case. Maybe Intelligence or Surveillance. A job where she isn’t expected to drive… or be under fire.”
Kale glared at him before she answered. “I did put her on surveillance. With you. Your orders were to watch Draper, follow him, then report back. Not get involved in a dangerous kidnapping of a Senator’s daughter. Not to have her up to her neck in a case with one dead and how many more to come before we get this one tied up. What? Because you don’t like the way she drives? You want I should pull a highly thought of agent, one who ranked in the top five in her class from working with you?”
Jesus!Murphy watched her reaction and was stunned. Her voice rose with each new sentence, her tone dripping sarcasm.
Not intimidated, he answered in a similar tone, “Yeah. That’s about it.” He glared back before he added, “She’s a softie. Those Russians will eat her up and spit her out. And I can’t be watching her every move.”
“Is that so? Well, I’m here to tell you right now. You’d better watch. And you’d better keep her safe. Or I’ll come for your badge, your gun, and your ass. Got it?”
Pissed and showing it, Murphy sauntered to the door. He opened it and stopped. “Yes ma’am,” was all he replied.
He reiterated it again when she added, “Keep me in the loop.” This time, he didn’t grind the words through bared teeth.