“Operation FDR. Sea turtles.”
“FDR?”
Zamzow shrugged one shoulder. “Franklin wore a lot of turtlenecks. I didn’t pick the label. Anyway, think your unknown could be Aiker or Cobb?”
“Cobb’s out. DNA from the Lancaster bones came up male. But there could be a link. Was Aiker working the sting with Cobb?”
“Not officially, though I know he spent time with her.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Not much to tell. Six, seven years ago we were tipped about poachers trucking turtles up to Charlotte from the coast, transferring them on to buyers in New York and D.C. Service sent Cobb to try to infiltrate the ring. Figured a female might get inside quicker.”
“How?”
“The usual. Cobb was hanging around places the suspects frequented. Bars, restaurants, some gym.”
“She was living in Charlotte?”
“Had an apartment. One of those month-to-month deals.”
“How was it going?”
“No idea. Cobb didn’t report to me.” Zamzow snorted. “And the lady wasn’t what you’d call the social type. When she was in Raleigh, Cobb pretty much kept to herself. Guess it’s tough being under-cover in this business.”
“Or being female.”
“Could be.”
“Did Cobb and Aiker disappear at the same time?”
“Aiker failed to show up one Monday in December. I remember. It was cold as hell. We phoned for two days, eventually busted into his apartment. No sign of him.”
Zamzow looked as though he hadn’t spoken of Aiker in a long time, but had returned to the man many times in his thoughts.
“When we backtracked, last anyone had seen him was the previous Friday. We thought he might have gone through ice somewhere. Checked rivers, dredged ponds, that sort of thing. Nothing. Never found Aiker or his car.”
“Any signs he planned on leaving? Emptied bank accounts? Missing prescription medications?”
Zamzow shook his head. “Aiker ordered two hundred dollars’ worth of fishing tackle over the Net the week before he disappeared. Left fourteen grand in a savings account at First Union.”
“Doesn’t sound like a man intending to take off. What about Cobb?”
“Cobb’s disappearance was harder to nail down. According to neighbors she stayed to herself, kept odd hours, often disappeared for days at a stretch. Landlord was persuaded to open the apartment a week after Aiker disappeared. Looked like Cobb had been gone awhile.”
I thought a moment.
“Were Aiker and Cobb an item?”
Zamzow frowned. “There was talk. Aiker made several trips to Charlotte while Cobb was here. Records showed they talked on the phone, but that could have been business.”
I kept my voice level to mask my excitement.
“The skeleton I examined is tall, white, and male. From what you tell me, Aiker’s age fits and so does the time frame. Sounds like it could be your missing agent.”
“As I recall, the Raleigh PD got dental records on both Aiker and Cobb. Never needed them.”
I was so eager to talk to Slidell I nearly hustled Zamzow out of my office. But I had one more topic to broach.
“Do you know an agent named Palmer Cousins?”
Zamzow shifted in his chair.
“Met him.”
I waited for him to elaborate. When he didn’t, I asked, “Your impression?”
“Young.”
“And?”
“Young.”
“I talked to Cousins the other night, asked about bear poaching in the Carolinas. He seemed to know very little.”
Zamzow looked me straight in the eye. “Your point?”
“He knew nothing about the smuggling of exotic birds.”
Zamzow checked his watch. Then, “Don’t know Cousins myself, but the man attracts his share of
