Nowhere to Run

When the receptionist asked who was calling, Joe gave his name. When she came back, she said Agent Coon was in a meeting and would have to get back to him. So Joe called Coon’s private cell phone number.

“Hello?” Coon said.

“It’s me, Joe.”

“Damn, I didn’t recognize the number. If I knew it was you, I would have let it go to voice mail.”

“You gave me this number last year, remember?” Joe said. “You said to use it if I couldn’t get through to you.”

“That was last year,” Coon said.

When they were both working on the Stenko case, Coon wanted Joe to be in contact. Joe pictured the agent on the other end of the conversation. He had close-cropped brown hair, small features, and a boyish, alert face that didn’t jibe with his tightly wound manner. He had a young son and another child on the way. He’d worked for several years under Tony Portenson before Portenson got his wish and got reassigned. Joe assumed Coon and the entire FBI office had sighed a collective sigh of relief when Portenson walked out the door.

Joe asked about the baby on the way (she was due in a month) and Coon’s son (four and starting preschool), and he briefed the agent on his family and how things were going now that April was back with them. It all took two minutes. Then: silence.

Which said to Joe that Coon was being very cautious.

“You know why I’m calling,” Joe said.

After another pause, Coon said, “Why don’t you tell me just so, you know, I don’t start giving national counterterrorism secrets away or something like that?”

“The Grim Brothers,” Joe said.

“I was afraid that was what you’d say.”

“Tell me about them.”

“There’s nothing to be said.”

“Which means exactly what?”

“Joe,” Coon said with some finality, “the Grim Brothers don’t exist as such.”

Joe’s stomach hurt. “Please translate? As such?”

“Exactly that. They don’t exist.”

“Are you saying I made them up?”

“Not exactly. But I can’t go much further than what I already said. Let’s just leave it at this: it’s a matter we’re keeping our eye on. The bureau doesn’t comment on ongoing investigations. You, of all people, should know that.”

“Man, I’m confused.”

“So,” Coon said, “how is that dog of yours? Tube, wasn’t it?”

“Not so fast,” Joe said. “I need to get something straight. Are you saying they don’t exist because you can’t find them in your database? Or that you think I made them up?”

Coon sighed. “They’re not in the database, Joe. Caleb, Camish Grim, or G-R-I-M-M, or Grimmengruber, or any combination thereof. They gave you a false name, Joe.”

“Why would they do that?”

Coon exhaled, as if he were going to answer Joe, but he caught himself. “I’ve already said enough, I think.”

“But I’m investigating them, too. So’s the governor and DCI. I thought we shared information these days?”

Coon laughed, “When did you come up with that one? Nice try, though. Besides, at some point in this conversation, were you going to let me know you’re on administrative leave? Did you think I wouldn’t know that?”

Said Joe, “Chuck, what is going on here? Why are you guys so interested in what happened up there? From what I know, it’s purely a local or state matter on the surface unless you got asked to assist. I know the state didn’t ask you to come in on this, and I doubt Sheriff Baird would. So that means there’s some other reason. I don’t buy it you have nothing else to do and you’re bored.”

“As I said, the FBI doesn’t comment on ongoing . . .”

“Sheesh, I know, I know. But why is there federal interest?”

“I’m sorry, Joe. That’s the best I can do.”

Joe said, “You’ve done nothing.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Joe. My best to Marybeth and the girls. And don’t call me on my cell again.” With that, he punched off.

Joe closed his phone and stared out the window. Ed Nedney was back outside putting fertilizer on his lawn.

Despite what Coon withheld, he’d inadvertently confirmed a couple of things. There was an investigation going on, and it was obviously big enough he’d felt the need to play it coy. That the bureau hadn’t tipped off DCI or the governor of their investigation was suspicious. Even so, Joe was heartened they believed him and his story after all.

JOE SPENT THE AFTERNOON walking