When the Dead Speak

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Carl opened the door to his hotel suite wearing a robe, his face covered in shaving cream. "I see you are still an early riser," he told Jake.

"Old habits are hard to break."

"Help yourself to coffee." Carl returned to the bathroom. "Any luck on the survivors in Mushima Valley?" Carl called out.

"According to Lieutenant Colonel Joe Kelly, none of the survivors of his Task Force was conscious at the time so they wouldn't be able to tell us anything anyway."

Jake carried his cup of coffee to the large picture window. The sun was making a stunning appearance on the horizon, dwarfing the fishing boats and a large tanker off in the distance. He walked over to the dressing area where Carl was rinsing off the shaving cream.

"Murphy closed the Wilson case. He received the order from Preston."

"I thought you removed that bug from Preston's phone." Carl hung his robe up in the closet and slipped into a light blue short-sleeved shirt.

"These were calls made before I removed the bug. Preston is bribing Murphy with the police commissioner post. Claims he can't have any negative publicity in HIS town before his announcement."

"What announcement?"

They moved to the couch in the living room. Jake told Carl that Preston was blackmailing Governor Avery Meacham. "I'm not at liberty to explain the extent of the blackmail. It has been neutralized, for now."

Carl shook his head in disbelief. "That man has no conscience. State rep wasn't good enough. Now he wants to be governor?"

Jake told Carl about the phone call from Preston to a man named Cain.

Carl slid several pictures across the table. "My surveillance team took shots of this guy coming and going from Preston's house numerous times. Recognize him?"

Jake studied the picture. The man looked like a retiree from the pro-wrestling tour. "Hate to meet him in a dark alley."

"His name's Cain Valenzio. Former boxer from New York. We think he was a runner for the Gambino family at one time. We could never get anything to stick. For his size, it's surprising he's able to slip in and out of the darkest recesses of a city without being seen. If he's used aliases, we haven't pegged any on him yet. But give us time."

"He didn't happen to hop a plane to Dallas recently, did he?"

"I'm embarrassed to say he gave my men the slip that night. His name wasn't on the flight log but he could have used an alias. Our Dallas office showed Cain's picture around the VA hospital. No one recognized him."

Jake showed him a copy of a fax. "The family attorney found this lone item in Abbott's safety deposit box. According to the bank, the box hadn't been accessed since 1957."

Carl studied the picture. "Damn. That's the same pin."

At exactly five-thirty, the phone rang. Jake pressed the speaker button on the phone. They exchanged introductions and pleasantries. The woman's name was Phong Lee. Elvis translated for Phong Lee who said she hoped she could help.

"Phong Lee tells me she was twelve years old when Hap washed ashore in their village of Yongchou," Elvis explained in his slight accent.

"Does she remember a date?"

Elvis relayed the question to Phong Lee.

"No. She says she only remembers it was hot, so it had to be August or September. And since she had turned twelve the month before, it had to be 1951."

Jake read off a list of questions slowly so Elvis could write them down. Elvis relayed the questions one by one to Phong Lee.

"She says the black man was delirious. He had a bullet in his back and he also had malaria or something. He told her his name was Duke."

"Does she have any idea where he went after he left Yongchou?" Carl asked.

"She says men stopped by the village for food and he left with them. The men had painted faces and spotted clothing. They frightened her. They were American. Duke was frightened of them at first but then after talking with them he shook their hands. Duke told her father that he lost his papers to get home and the men would help him get some made up. He mentioned something about Honolulu."

"Mercenaries," Jake said under his breath. "One last question, Elvis. How does Phong Lee know this Duke was the same man pictured in the paper?"

After a while Elvis replied, "She says it was his smile. She had never seen anyone smile the way he did."

Jake ended the call and looked over at Carl. "He had a whole new set of I.D.s made up."

"Which might prove the desertion theory. Why else would he need to change his identity?"

Jake got up to leave, then turned back to Carl, rested his gaze on him, his brows furrowed. "Are you sure there isn't some information you want to share with me?"

Carl shoved his hands deep in his pants pocket, studied the patterned carpeting. For a moment, Jake thought Carl might finally tell him what was bothering him. Instead, Carl patted him on the back as he walked Jake to the door.

"Have patience."