DIG: The Official Prequel

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Yehuda Lior at the diamond exchange admitted the large number of small-dollar transactions you flagged are unusual coming from a single buyer, but he found no other reason to be suspicious. Clearly he and I disagree about what is deemed suspicious.”

- From DIG: The Official Prequel, Inspired by USA Network’s Television Event Series

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To: PeterConnelly@USconsulate.com

From: LynnMonahan@USconsulate.com

Re: Detective Golan Cohen

Date: August 6, 2014

So, a little birdie told me that things might not have gone so well with your first meeting with Detective Golan Cohen. Rumor has it that there was a thrown coffee mug…? That sounds like something out of a 1940s movie or a Real Housewives episode.

Have you found an apartment? My assistant, Sarit, told me that she sent you a list of places that were very nice and livable. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I think once you move out of the hotel you will feel better about things. It’s good to be settled, that’s always important when you are stationed abroad. Living out of a hotel is not helping your mental state. I promise I will stop nagging if you at least look at a few places.

Maybe dinner later this week?

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To: LynnMonahan@USconsulate.com

From: PeterConnelly@USconsulate.com

Re: Detective Golan Cohen

Date: August 6, 2014

I’m available for dinner Monday and Thursday, but also Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I heard about a great Italian restaurant in the German Colony. I promise not to get you drunk.

P.S. Detective Cohen is an asshole.

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PETER CONNELLY: FIELD NOTES - AKULA FILES

August 7, 2014 – 2:30pm Israeli time (7:30am EST)

Went back to the bank armed with new suspicions about the elusive bank teller Orit Peleg and her possible connection to the fugitive Jonathan Frank. The bank manager seemed surprised that I would assume there was any connection. I think he might have been sweet on Orit, by the way he gushed about her. In any event, Jonathan had complete access to the bank system and Orit Peleg’s carbon and/or digital footprint is nonexistent. All I got from the manager is that she liked cats and gave hers a specialty diet. (One thing I knew and the other I find ridiculous.) So, I’m spending my morning tracking down specialty cat food places that may know Orit Peleg and then hopefully getting to speak to the diamond dealer who received a large amount of wire transfers on the day of the heist. Liat is putting me in touch with him since Detective Cohen is less than forthcoming. I am trying to “play by the rules” and not ruffle any more feathers. Just another glamorous day in the life of an FBI agent.

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FBI MEMORANDUM

To: Liat B.

From: Peter Connelly

Re: Israeli Diamond Exchange

Date: August 9, 2014

Yehuda Lior at the diamond exchange admitted the large number of small-dollar transactions you flagged are unusual coming from a single buyer, but he found no other reason to be suspicious. Clearly he and I disagree about what is deemed suspicious. I showed him a photo of Jonathan Frank, but he said the buyer was a woman. A beautiful brunette in her early thirties, with a thick eastern European accent from Georgia or the Ukraine.

I know this goes without saying, but please keep this strictly confidential, especially from anyone associated with local police. Just as I suspected, there are several people involved and we need to find them if we have any hope of taking down Akula. Please send a sketch artist immediately and discreetly to Mr. Lior so we have a working image of the buyer.

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POLICE REPORT

Detective Golan Cohen, Jerusalem Police

August 11, 2014

Upon arriving at Bank Leumi the other day, FBI Agent Peter Connelly exited the building and made some reference to needing food for his cat. The FBI is clearly withholding information from Israeli police and this officer will not be participating in this cat and mouse game, so to speak. On second thought, maybe we should keep Agent Connelly “busy” with information to keep him distracted from derailing this case. Our intel on Akula indicates that he uses other people as the front of his operation while he hides in the shadows avoiding capture. This officer believes we are looking for at least two different people who may be fronts for Akula.

Our friend at the FBI office says that he will keep me updated on the coming and goings of Agent Connelly. I don’t expect him to have the jump on any leads, but you never know.

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Senator’s Son Murdered in Home

August 14, 2014

(Reuters) Chicago -- World-renowned antiquities dealer Timothy Sinclair, and eldest son of Senator Edward Sinclair, was found dead in his home last night. Chicago Police have ruled this a homicide, but gave no further comment as it is an open investigation. Mr. Timothy Sinclair primarily dealt with vintage clocks and rare coins, but allegedly had a safe house below his home with millions of dollars in religious artifacts. The motive for the alleged homicide is unclear, considering none of the rare coins and artifacts are missing from his collection. Mr. Timothy Sinclair had been engaged in a long and acrimonious divorce and custody battle with Mrs. Teresa Caldwell that spanned almost a decade. Recently in an alleged reaction to a custody ruling, Caldwell allegedly had taken their two minor children and evaded giving Sinclair correct information on their whereabouts for the first two months of their initial separation. Besides his father, Mr. Sinclair is survived by his mother, Adele Sinclair, his two daughters (ages six and eight), two sisters, and three nephews.

The Sinclair family has received support from customers all over the world. “The world lost a great man today,” says David Ames, a customer from Florida. “He was the kind of guy who’d remember your name even if you’d only met once.” Mr. Sinclair graduated from Northwestern University and campaigned for his father’s recent re-election.

Senator Sinclair’s press secretary thanked everyone for the worldwide outpouring of condolences but asked for “privacy at this time of family tragedy.” Senator Sinclair heads the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and has been an outspoken advocate for accountability in the Department of Veterans Affairs in light of the agency's repeated failure to clean up widespread misconduct. According to family wishes, the funeral will be a private one, with only family and friends in attendance.

While Chicago police are remaining quiet on the specific details of the case, the divorce attorney for Mr. Timothy Sinclair states that, “in any case with domestic acrimony, there needs to be a delving into the morass of family politics.” While focus remains on the domestic front, unnamed sources state that the police have a small list of other possible suspects and have named Chicago resident Yussef Khalid as a person of interest. As of this posting, not much information is available about Mr. Khalid, other than that he is an American-born citizen who may or may not have been living in Chicago during the time of this incident. According to sources close to the investigation, police are still investigating all aspects of the murder, including searching for Mr. Khalid’s whereabouts.

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Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Do you think there’s any connection between the murder of Timothy Sinclair in Chicago and the missing $25 million?