Chapter 16 – Detective Spencer was seated at his desk looking over some files. The lights in the office were flickering and he wondered if he could get them changed today. He had called maintenance a few times to no avail. A tall man walked in and stood in front of him. His name was Max Collins.”
“Hey boss, Chad’s fiancee has arrived at La Guardia. What’s our next move?”
Richard Spencer had been married ten years and had a small daughter. He had gone to Columbia University on a wrestling scholarship. Richard had worked hard at his studies while his friends had partied and found other ways to spend their time at college. He had done very well. He had graduated third in his class.
He was recruited right out of school at a large job fair on campus. His wife was now a stay at home wife and mother. He looked up and smiled.
“I’ve already alerted Interpol with a telegram to their headquarters in London and in “Kigali, Rwanda.”
“Aren’t we going to arrest them before they leave?” “No, we know where they are going and when they will be back so why bother? It just gives us more time to investigate those close to him without worry that they might reach out to him. It will be hard to contact him once he’s out on safari.”
“I see sir. Too bad we can’t just grab him now and get it over with.” “We could but this time away will give us more time to get our ducks in a row.” “I guess you’re right lieutenant Spencer, he said as another lower level agent walked by.
Max and Bob Spencer were friends out of the officer but Max kept things very professional in the office as was the rule.
“This has been a long investigation and the guys are looking forward to an arrest or two.”
“All of us are Max, but it has to be done right for it to stick. These are some pretty crafty criminals and they have a very complex scheme on going. We need to be as crafty as they are.
There are hundreds of wealthy and not so wealthy victims who have lost millions. Their funds are at stake. We might get more of that money back if we take our time and do investigation this right. Who knows, maybe some of the money is locked up in foreign banks and can still be brought back. They couldn’t have spent it all for Christ’s sake.”
The phone rang and Lieutenant Spencer picked up the phone. “Hello. Yes this is. I know. Yes, that’s what we wanted. Yes. Thanks so much.”
Lieutenant Spencer looked up from his desk at Max Collins.
“Chad’s brother, Nick, took the bait. His attorney has just called the office. He wants to come in for an informal meeting to discuss some things.” “Why did that happen?”
“We put a bug in someone’s ear close to the family that they might be suspects in some type of investigation. Perhaps he now sees the handwriting on the wall. If he thinks there is a possibility that they are going down, perhaps and he might cooperate to save himself. He’s looking for a deal, I think. Maybe he is just trying to see what we know?”
Charlene sat down in the seats at her gate. Joe arrived twenty minutes later and joined her with an empty seat between the two of them.
“I’m so glad you let me join you here, Mr. Monroe,” she said excitedly. Charlene was hoping that Joe would let her call him by his first name.
“I think we may need to discuss the ground rules of this trip in more detail.” “Fine Mr. Monroe.”
“First off, “Mr. Monroe” is going to be cumbersome and awkward on a three week trip, at best.
You should just call me by my first name and I will call you by yours. Back at the office we will revert back to the more formal greetings. What do you think Charlene? Can you manage that without feeling uncomfortable?”
“Yes Mr. Monroe, I mean “Joe.”
“No one can ever know of this trip back in the office, Charlene.” “No one will. I promise. I have created a great cover story about a dead aunt and a funeral in the midwest for my absence from work.”
“Great. I don’t want anyone in the office to know that you might be my favorite coworker, even though you are. You have made my job much easier with your office skills and reliability.” Charlene’s heart raced.
“You are the best secretary ever and have helped me more than you may be aware of, especially with this whole marriage fiasco.” Charlene was beside herself.
Joe leaned in as they talked quietly and looked into her eyes more closely than ever before. The waiting lounge was as empty as it ever would be.
He noticed her facial symmetry on an unconscious level and things started to churn somewhere off in the back of his brain. He noticed that she was beautiful for perhaps the first time in their working relationship.
He had been preoccupied with work and Susan for sometime. They were closer now than ever before.
Charlene thought she noticed a change in Joe’s face. A softening or relaxation that she hadn’t seen before. He might get over this loss of his fiancee after all, she thought.
I have hated to see Joe suffer like this. She’s going to get just what she deserves.
Things were starting off better for Charlene than she could ever have imagined.
Show me some love and listen to “Sunrise, Sunset,” my book of crazy short stories and “Kazu, son of Osheda Kamasaki,” my Asian historical fiction novel now available on Audible.
“Atlanta,” one of my detective novels and “The House on The cliff” are in audio production now.
I’m done with the rewrite of “The Bad Seed.” It is a little more interesting and will be back p on amazon shortly.
I leave in a few days for my trip up the Mississippi River from St.Louis to the Twin Cities. then off by train to Chicago and a drive home on Route 66. I will be posting as we go.
Don”t forget to see my travel photos here and on TikTok at R.C. Hand 22252.