“I promise, Jack.”
“OK. I’ll get the stuff, leave it at the hotel, and I’ll pick you guys up tomorrow morning at nine? We’ll get some breakfast together.”
“The kids are looking forward to tomorrow.”
“Me too. Turn off your phone and check for messages at the hotel. This guy knows his stuff and he’ll track you if he knows your phone number.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’m serious. Turn your phone off. I’ll get you a different one.”
“OK, Jack. Talk to you later. Be careful.”
“Always am.”
Jack held the phone to his ear to make sure Jules wasn’t still there, not wanting to let go. Finally he flipped the phone shut, got up, and got the key out again from its hiding spot and went in to gather his family’s things for the next few days.
Chapter 37
“Junior, any news?”
“There’s a team working the river sites. Nothing’s turned up yet. You OK?”
“Yeah. I’m cleaned up and ready to get to work. You ready for some field work?” Jack asked.
“What’s the plan?”
Jack pulled his car into the convenience store lot and stopped at the gas pump. “I have to get some gas and cash and then I’ll pick you up. Be ready to go in fifteen minutes. Bring the files with you so we can take a look at them.”
Jack stopped the Mercury Cougar outside the door of the FBI offices to pick up Ross. “Come on, Junior,” Jack said to the windshield. There was a lot to do and he wanted to get going. He took another drink of the convenience store coffee and grimaced at the bitter taste of the lukewarm beverage. He opened the car door and poured the coffee onto the parking lot. The passenger door opened and Ross got in.
“Had enough coffee?”
“Enough of that coffee. Buckle up; we have a lot to do.” Jack put the car in drive and drove out of the lot while Junior struggled with the seat belt with his one good arm.
“You sure you’re OK, Jack?” Junior asked.
“Patty’s been shot. I’m OK, but I’m pissed.” Jack turned left through a yellow light, and then made a quick right into the drive of the Marriott Hotel at the downtown Depot, a refurbished train station that now housed a hotel, water park, and indoor ice-skating rink.
“What’re we doing here?” Ross asked the empty driver’s seat. Jack was already out of the car and walking back to the trunk. Ross fumbled with the seat belt and opened the door. “You want me to come with you, Jack?”
“Yep, let’s go. This is the first stop.” Jack didn’t stop to check on Ross. Instead, he walked straight up to the front desk.
“Can I help you, sir?” The college-aged woman with blonde, shoulder length hair smiled at Jack.
Jack returned her smile. “Hi…,” Jack searched for her name tag, and Ross joined him at the counter. “Hailey. I need two rooms, preferably across from each other. One with two beds for a woman with two children, the other room can have one or two beds.”
Hailey directed her attention to her computer. “Let me see what we have available.” She guided the mouse as she searched. Her manicured nails clicked on the computer keys.
“Above the ground floor,” Ross added.
Jack looked at Ross, nodded, and turned to Hailey. “Right, above the ground floor.” Jack was glad Ross was along. He may be beat up, but he was thinking straight and had figured out what was going on.
“I have two rooms on the second floor, across the hall from each other. Both have two queen-size beds.” Hailey looked at Jack, then quickly glanced at Ross, his face, and then the arm in its sling and she smiled again at Jack.
“Sounds great, I’ll take them.”
“Did you want the water park package too?”
“For the room with the mom and her two kids.”
“What credit card did you want to put this on?”
Jack took out his wallet. “I’ll be paying in cash.”
“That’s fine, sir, but I still need a card in case there are other charges.”
Jack laid his FBI credentials on the counter in front of the young woman. She looked down and then back and forth from Ross to Jack. Jack leaned forward and spoke in a husky whisper. “I need to pay in cash and I can’t have anybody be able to track these rooms right now.” Hailey nodded, the smile gone from her face, and Jack continued. “I’ll put one room under Julie Jacobson.” He spelled the last name and looked at Ross. “That’s her maiden name.”
“The second room?” Hailey asked.
“Just a minute. Are you working the check-in desk for a while?”
“I’ll be here all day.”
“I’ll have her ask for you. She may be looking for a room under Miller, but please don’t put that in the computer.” Jack smiled, still leaning forward on the counter.
“Not a problem, sir. And the second room?”
“Hailey Fruen.” Jack pocketed his credentials. “And Ms. Jacobson isn’t to know about the second room. Check them in, give them their water park passes and let them enjoy the evening. If they want anything else, keep the bill and I’ll cover it when they check out.”
“You can just pay later, sir.” Hailey slid card keys to both rooms across the counter to Jack. “The elevator to the second floor is down the hall on your left.”
“Thank you, Hailey. I’ll put their bags in their room and return the key to you in a few minutes. Remember, this is to be kept quiet and no word of the second room to Ms. Jacobson.”
Chapter 38
Jack drove the Mercury Cougar through the curves of River Road. The windows were down and the hot air blew through the compartment as the car approached a speed bump. Jack accelerated and the car smoothly but loudly passed over the bump as the suspension absorbed the shock.
“Geez, Jack. Where’s the fire?” Ross asked as he braced himself and hung on with his one good arm.
“We have a lot to do and not a lot of time.” Jack accelerated again. “Hold on.” The car slammed over another speed bump. “That’s it for the bumps. Get out your phone. Call Sure Thing.” Jack kept up the speed down the hill into the lowest part of River Road that ran parallel to the Mississippi, honked his horn, and passed an older Volvo Wagon, its driver honking back at Jack for passing on the two-lane road. An Asian couple standing at the retaining wall fishing looked back from the river to see what was happening behind them on the road while their lines hung in the water eight feet below. The car’s transmission shifted as Jack pushed the car up the hill from the river flats.
“I’m getting his voice mail,” Ross said loudly to get Jack to hear him over the sound of the car and the wind. Ross held the phone to his ear with his good hand. “Can you roll up this window, Jack, so he can hear me?”
Jack rolled up Ross’ window and answered, “Give him the room numbers and tell him I need some tools for surveillance to keep them safe through the night. We’ll meet him there in a few hours to see what he has for us.” The turn-off of River Road was just ahead. Jack didn’t brake, but took his foot from the accelerator as he steered the car through the curve up and around to Franklin Avenue.
