Fatal Connections

Chapter 70

My phone rang. When I saw it was Alex Kingsley, I answered right away. " 'Sup, Alex?"

"You should be getting a package today," she said. "That's all I'll say."

This information took more than a few seconds to fully sink in. "Okay. Should I wear protective clothing when I open it?"

"Haha," she said. "No. But remember. Once you see it, it can't be unseen."

"Gotcha. And let me guess. This conversation never happened?"

A longish pause. "I should hang up on you." She laughed. "Not quite that bad. Just had to call in a few favors."

"Well, shit," I grumbled. "Now, I owe you even more."

Alex huffed dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Listen, one of these days, I'll be too old for all this. But I have other options. I can consult for folks and not actually do this anymore." Her voice hinted that she might be kidding. "You're good practice."

I thought about that. It had never occurred to me that my pleas for assistance might actually help her, too.

"Would you teach?"

"Hardly. I would travel. It's getting easier to do things remotely now."

It sure is, I thought. Everything is getting easier. Everything good and bad.

"Well, thank you." The words felt like an inadequate gesture, but the least I could do was thank her before we hung up.

Directing my attention back to the situation at hand, I let my theory stew for a bit, and then saw the pieces of a plan begin to emerge. I grabbed a pencil and paper and scribbled down my ideas as fast as I could. I took one look at the resulting barely readable scrawl and immediately knew what to do next. But before I could get started, Nick called.

"Hey," he greeted me. "Everything okay?"

No. Everything sucks. "Just fine," I said. "You see the article in the Post?"

"Yep. And I was able to get the name of an agent who works money laundering cases with the FBI." He paused.

"But," I prompted.

"But, he wouldn't talk to me."

Nick then told me about his repeated efforts to reach the federal agent, only to come up against a stone wall of wary friends and associates, multiple voice mails, and quite a few phone hang-ups.

"I could keep looking," he offered.

"Don't worry about it. For now."

I thanked Nick for his help before we ended the call. Time for Plan B.

I called Terry again. At least I wouldn't have to explain each and every detail, since he'd witnessed so many of them already. I was also pretty sure he wouldn't turn down my proposal.

"Hey," I said after he answered. "Want to help me with some research?"