'Thanks.' I hung up and noted next to Paul Grey's name, 'murdered,' with the date and approximate time. That reunion just got smaller. In fact, maybe only Chip Wiggins would be there, unless Wiggins had moved east, and already had a visit from Asad Khalil. Bob Callum was still alive in Colorado, and I wondered if Khalil had left him alive because he knew the man was, according to Mrs. Hambrecht, very ill, or because Khalil simply hadn't gotten to Colorado yet. And where was Wiggins? If we could save Wiggins' life, that would be a small victory in a game where the score was Lion five, home team zip.
Kate came into the cubicle and sat at her desk. She said, 'I stayed on the line with Mrs. Callum and held until she called the police and the Academy Provost Marshal on a second line. She said she has a gun and knows how to use it.'
'Good.'
'She said her husband was very ill. Cancer.'
I nodded.
'Do you think Khalil knows that?'
'I'm trying to figure out what he doesn't know.' I said to her, 'I called the Daytona Beach police. Paul Grey was murdered Monday, about noon, maybe earlier.'
'Oh, my God…'
I told her all of what Deputy Sheriff Foley told me, then said, 'The way I figure it, Khalil got in Jabbar's taxi, did not go to McCoy's museum on Long Island, but got out of the area, which was smart, went directly to Perth Amboy, whacked Jabbar, got in a waiting car, drove to D.C., stayed someplace, went to Waycliff's house, whacked the General, his wife, and housekeeper, then somehow got to Jacksonville Municipal Airport, took a private plane to Spruce Creek, whacked Paul Grey and his cleaning lady, then flew back in the private plane to Jacksonville, then… I guess went to Moncks Corner… Satherwaite's business address is a charter flying service, so Khalil charters Satherwaite's plane with Satherwaite piloting, and they fly to Long Island for a reunion. Must have been an interesting flight. They get to Long Island, whack, whack, he does them both in the museum-in an F-111, no less, and also whacks the guard. Fucking incredible.'
Kate nodded. 'And where did he go next? How did he leave Long Island?'
'I guess he could have flown out of MacArthur. It's not international, so the security is not always tight. But maybe I see a pattern of private planes.'
'I think that may be it. So he may be flying to Colorado Springs, or to California in a private plane.' She added, 'Most likely a jet.'
'Maybe. But maybe he wants to quit while he's ahead, before he loses big-time, and he's now on his way to Sandland.'
'We haven't given him much reason to lead him to believe he can't go for it all.'
'Good point.' I took a pencil and started adding up the known dead, not counting the gassed people on Flight 175. I said, 'This guy is reducing the overpopulation on the East Coast.' I put down my pencil and read, 'Andy McGill, Nick, Nancy, and Meg Collins, Jabbar, Waycliff, wife, and housekeeper, Grey and cleaning lady, Satherwaite, McCoy, and a guard. That's unlucky thirteen.'
'Don't forget Yusef Ffaddad.'
'Right. Scumbag accomplice. Fourteen. And today's only Tuesday.'
Kate didn't reply.
I handed her the fax sheets and said, 'Except for Callum, who's covered, Wiggins is the last guy who is-or might be-alive and not covered.'
She glanced at the fax sheets and asked me, 'Did you try Wiggins?'
'Yeah. Phone disconnected. Let's try to get him through Burbank directory information.'
She swiveled around and started banging away at her computer. 'What's his real first name?'
'I don't know. See what you can do.'
'Call Counterterrorism in D.C. while I play with this. Then call the L.A. field office. Then notify everyone here in the ICC by e-mail, or whatever you think is the quickest.'
I didn't exactly jump to it. I was trying to think faster than Khalil was killing people. The knish, mustard, sauerkraut, and red wine were churning in my tummy.
I didn't see any immediate reason to alert my colleagues around me, or to alert Washington. I'd already established that four men were dead and didn't need cover. Callum was alive and covered. That left the problem of finding Wiggins, which Kate and I were more than equipped to handle. I said to her, 'I'm going to call the FBI field office in Los Angeles. Or do you want to make that call?'
'I would if you knew how to use the computer better. I'll look for Wiggins.' She added, 'Ask for a man named Doug Sturgis. He's the Deputy Agent in Charge. Mention my name.'
'Right.' So I called the Los Angeles field office, identified myself as working with the New York Anti-Terrorist Task Force, which usually gets people's attention, and I asked for Doug Sturgis, who came on the line. He asked me, 'What can I do for you?' I didn't want to confuse the guy with facts, nor did I want him on the horn with Washington, but I wanted him to help. I said, 'Mr. Sturgis, we're looking for a male Caucasian named Chip Wiggins, first and middle name unknown, age about fifty, last known address is Burbank.' I gave him the last known and added, 'He's a possible witness in a high-profile case that might involve international terrorism.'
'What case is that?'
Why is everyone so nosy? I replied, 'The case is sensitive and under wraps at this time, and I'm sorry I'm not at liberty to identify it right now, but Wiggins may know something we need to know. All I need is for you to look for him and take him into protective custody, and call me ASAP.' I gave him what little I had on Mr. Wiggins.
There was a silence, then Mr. Sturgis asked, 'Who is targeting him? What group?'
'Let's say Mideast. And it's important that we find him before they find him. When I get more details, I'll call back.'
Mr. Sturgis didn't seem inclined to do my bidding, so I said, 'I'm working with Kate Mayfield on this.'
'Oh.'
'She said you were the man to call for help.'
'All right. We'll do what we can.' He repeated Wiggins' last known address and phone number, and said, 'Give Kate my regards.'
'Will do.' I gave him my and Kate's direct dial numbers and said, 'Thanks.' I hung up and dialed LAPD Missing Persons. I ID'ed myself, asked for and got a supervisor, a Lieutenant Miles. I went through my slightly evasive rap and added, 'You guys can do a lot better job than we can in locating a missing person.'
Lieutenant Miles said, 'This can't be the FBI I'm talking to.'
I chuckled politely and informed him, 'I used to be NYPD, Homicide. I'm here to teach basic law enforcement.'
He laughed. 'Okay. If we find him, we'll ask him to call you. That's all I can do if he's not a suspect in anything.'
'I'd appreciate it if you'd escort him to your location. He's in some danger.'
'Yeah? What kind of danger? Now we're talking danger.'
'I'm talking national security, and that's all I can say at this time.'
'Oh, now you're a Fed again.'
'No, I'm a cop in a bind. I need this, and I can't say why.'
'Okay. We'll put his picture on a milk carton. You have a photo?'
I took a deep breath and said, 'It's not much of a photo, and it's very old, and I don't want posters in his old neighborhood either. We're trying to catch the guy who's trying to find him, not scare the guy off. Okay? By the way, I called the L.A. FBI office, an Agent Sturgis, and they're working on this, too. Whoever finds him first gets a gold medal.'
'Wow. Why didn't you say so? We'll get right on it.'
Cops can be pains in the ass. 'But seriously, Lieutenant.'
'Okay. I'll work this one and give you a call.'
'Thanks.' I gave him my and Kate's phone numbers.
'How's the weather in New York?'
'Snow and ice.'
'Figures.' He hung up.
