IMBERADO

                                                  Chapter VII

Travis had never been to Sheriff William Dexter’s house before. Of course until recently he hadn’t been engaged to the Sheriff’s daughter, Andrea, either. As they pulled to a stop in the driveway, he thought to himself; you could call the house country comfortable, kind of a one level cross between a Ranch and a Cape Cod. The porch, driveway and walk were lit up with lighting. He and Andy got out, walked to the front door where she unlocked it and just walked in.

“Hi Daddy, we’re here, where are you?”

“Come on back to the den Baby, I’m watching the news.”

Andy turned to Travis and whispered before moving on through the house. “Well, we won’t talk much until he has his fix.” Then stifled a chuckle before they walked on through the living room and then dining room to the den.

Travis noticed as they walked that the house still had that presence of her mother, even though she had passed away several years before. Every room was cozy, with family photos on the wall and fireplace mantle. Here and there they were scattered on end tables and the hutch in the dining room. He could tell that the imposing figure of Sheriff William Dexter had a soft core toward his wife and family, it added a new dimension to Travis’s image of the man.

“Daddy, you have company now, you can catch up on current events later.”

“Okay little girl, I was just listening to the reports about the Russians in Afghanistan and the drought all over the Midwest. Did you know that there are hundreds of barges stranded on the Mississippi River? Besides, I’m fed up with all the election ads anyway. If I hear one more ad for Dukais, I’m gonna….”

“I know Daddy, I know.”

Dexter rose from his Lazy-Boy and hugged his daughter. Then he reached his hand to Travis, so they could shake hands in welcome.

“You two are right on time, dinner is ready. I just put it in the oven to stay warm.”

“So, Travis, you ready for some southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy with string beans?”

“Sounds great to me, Sheriff; I didn’t know you liked to cook?”

“Cook? I’ll bet when he pulls it out of the oven it’s still in a KFC bag.”

“And why wouldn’t it be Daughter? You surely wouldn’t want to eat it if I cooked it, now would you?”

Andy and her dad laughed heartily in response. Travis just smiled and enjoyed seeing her happy to be at her father’s house, in such comfortable banter.

Once dinner and light conversation about Andy’s high school pupils, catching up on news about her brother in Richmond and other news they all had been reading or hearing about; they all got up from the table, cleared away the dishes and put the few left-overs in the fridge before returning to sit in the den, the television now turned off.

“I got farther than I thought I would with a friend of mine today, Travis. He’s a mortgage broker and with the new information we got from your friend Helen, he used his reverse directory connections on this Donna Gustafson. She does live in Manchester and has for quite a while, and she has a little house on the east side of town. With the address he found out she owns the house. But what’s unusual is, she bought it about five years ago with a good sized down payment, paid her regular payments monthly, but every so often she would make large extra payments on the principle, then about two years ago she paid it off early, even with the penalty for early payoff.”

“I agree that is unusual, but in itself, doesn’t mean she is still connected with Davis. She could have worked a second job, or got an inheritance, or won some money.”

“True. But the rest of what he found out gets even more suspicious. Once he found that out, he checked with the original mortgage lender, one he has used several times himself. They said that she only listed the one job on her original loan application, and that the three years of tax forms she submitted with it, showed she always took the standard deduction only, no itemizing. So, he called another contact with the same mortgage company who said, after checking farther into her filed state taxes since then that for all three years for her nothing changed. He told my contact that according to all of them up, to the last year filled, still showed only the one income and even after buying the house, still all were just the standard deduction.”

“Okay, now that is either really stupid on her part, or very cagey. If she never itemized, then there would be no reason for an audit by the IRS. If and when, any red flag might come up at IRS, if there was a reason for them to connect the dots on payments they received, it still could fall through the cracks. She had to be getting these larger sums from somewhere though, and it could just be our Sgt. Davis.”

“My thoughts exactly. I wrote down her address in New Hampshire and made a copy for you, here it is. I also made a copy for Levi, just in case he thought of something he or his girlfriend could check into.”

“Good, I would have done the same thing. The more of us following up every lead the better. So far we are still working mainly on avenues that have a low possibility of anyone suspecting an investigation is going on. I hope we can keep it that way. However, with what you just told me, I wonder if it might not be time for me to take a road trip to Manchester.”

“Whoa there, Marshall Dillon. I can tell you right now this Miss Kitty would want a good explanation on that idea. You just said we are keeping a low profile, and now here you go wanting to ride off and show your hand to the outlaws?”

“Not show my hand, Andy, just snoop around some. Get the lay of the land and see if she really looks like a real lead to Davis. New Hampshire gets lots of tourists this time of year, an out-of-state car tag wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow driving down the roads sight-seeing. I’m not sure yet, just a possibility, I’d have to think of a plan before I took off yet.”

“Well, it better be a good plan Travis. I now have voting rights on any unnecessary risks you take. I know they are going to happen, and I accept that. But we are now an equal partnership and I don’t want to lose you any time soon.”

“You know, Daughter, he might be making sense. I surely have no jurisdiction there, and he’s not licensed to be a Private Investigator there either. But just another tourist wandering around the area, taking stupid vacation pictures, asking where the good restaurants are, might just let him dig up a little more on who she is, or is not.”

“Okay, you two can flesh out this idea. But think about this. If he is going to look like a tourist on vacation, it would be more believable if he wasn’t a single man wandering around by himself.”

“Exactly what are you suggesting?”

“Not suggesting, just making a logical observation. How many single men do you expect to see in New Hampshire? In the Caribbean maybe, not so likely in New Hampshire. Husbands and wives vacationing there, yes. A few buddies off together, could be. A single man, by himself taking pictures of stuff, not likely.”

“She has a point, Travis.”

“She does Dexter, and a good one. You’ll never hear me say that my Sweetheart and your daughter isn’t one smart cookie.”

“You better remember that, my Knight in not so shiny armor.” Andy chuckled openly at saying this.

“Hey, it just needs a little WD40”

“And maybe some Brasso here and there.” Dexter added as all three now started to laugh out loud at each other.

After they had all enjoyed the banter, Andy and Travis said goodbye to her father and headed home. They talked about what they had learned and the possibility of him going to New Hampshire some, but as they got close to home, that talk waned into mostly handholding and smiles at one another.

The next afternoon Travis received an email from NDN Will.

As Travis opened it and read the message, he thought deeply about the lessons his Great Gran taught him so many years ago; I have seen the coyote in an awakening dream and his bitch is there, hiding in the shadows of dawn’s mist, to warn him if raven or owl seek to warn his prey. Be like brother eagle and hunt from the clouds. Remember as you do, that coyote is the trickster and cannot be trusted. The creation tales have told us so, make your way in the light of truth only.

Travis remembered the creations tales his Great Gran had told him many times, until they were memories he could call into awareness and recite them himself.

Later that evening after he and Andy had finished their dinner he told her about the email.

“Does he always talk in such a cryptic way; can’t he ever be straight forward?”

“NDN Will never talks bluntly, sweetheart, he leaves no trail for someone to follow, or even see a reason to, in his messages. But I know what he is warning me about. Donna Gustafson is still tied to Sargent Davis, and we should be very careful in looking into her.”

“If you say so, you’re the one who had a Great Grandmother with Apache knowledge.”

“Yeah, I know it’s not what you are used to. By the way, you do remember I am going to be tied up a lot the next three days in D.C., right?”

“That’s right, you have that job for the Sheik. Will I see you much?”

“Can’t say for sure. If you do, it will be early in the mornings before I go over pick him up at his hotel, or very late at night. I could have to pull an all-nighter the day of his meetings at the UN. Don’t worry though I’ll leave you a message, so you know everything is okay.”

“I never doubted that, and I can worry if I want. It didn’t sound like a job with much intrigue to it, though.”

“Not really.”

The next three days came and went begrudgingly slow. Andy barely saw Travis. When he was home he was so quiet, that when she was asleep, she wouldn’t have known he had been there except for the loving notes he left her.

“Morning, Sunshine.”

“Good Morning Travis, what time did you get in last night?”

“Oh, around one. I drove home as soon as his plane took off.”

“Goodie, I’m glad he’s gone. I missed you.” Andy confided in a sweet tone just before she stood up and planted a long tender kiss on Travis’s welcoming lips.

“I missed you, too. How about some waffles?”

“Ooh, yes. Banana and pecan, please.”

“ Coming up, they’ll be ready by the time your out of the shower.”

“Yummy, I’ll be right there.”

After breakfast was over, Andy left for Winchester. Travis went right to his office to check his computer. There were no new messages, so he decided to drive into Leesburg and see if anything new had developed with Levi or Sheriff Dexter.

Travis spent the next three hours researching what he could think of on the computer and making a few calls on his mobile phone. Just before noon he parked on South King Street and walked to the Old Towne Grill. The Old Towne Grill had been in this same location for a long time and was well known for its quiet and homey interior with good food, as long as you liked small town fare. Once inside he ordered a coffee and waited for Dexter and Levi. His wait wasn’t long though, they walked in together before he could finish the first cup.

“You been waiting long, Travis?”

“Not even long enough to drink my first cup of mud, Sheriff”

“Good, Levi and I met up around the corner, on Market and walked over from there.”

“Hey, Travis. How did the gig go in D.C.?”

“Routine, kind of a long and boring three days. I like it when that happens. No surprises and I get paid.”

The waitress came up as they were talking, she handed Dexter and Levi menus while asking if she could get them something to drink. Levi ordered a coke while the Sheriff ordered sweet tea. They looked at the menus until she returned with their drinks. All three men ordered cheeseburgers and fries and she left telling them it would only a few minutes.

The three men chatted about nothing in particular until their food arrived, then assuming the waitress wouldn’t return until she thought they were done, the conversation turned to the investigation. Travis filled both of his companions in on the message from NDN Will.

“Does this guy ever say anything remotely like normal conversation?”

“No, Sheriff, he doesn’t and with good reason. He is a hacker and being a hacker, he knows how vulnerable every email can be intercepted by another hacker with his skills. So his conversations are clouded so they at least look irrelevant, if not innocent. But I know his meaning, or at least believe I do. Donna Gustafson is still in contact with Sargent Davis, if not in league with him in some way. That money she gets, that doesn’t show up anywhere, is from him. I am pretty sure she is the one feeding him information. I just haven’t figured out why, or why he killed Jim.”

“So what are you going to do next?”

“I still think the best plan is going to Manchester. I even agree with what Andy said about a couple looking more believable as tourists, but I am not going to let her or Helen take that risk. Davis has killed before and he wouldn’t think twice about killing again.”

“Okay I agree, but she won’t like you going alone either.”

“He wouldn’t have to, if I went with him. We can go back to that buddy’s road trip idea.”

“That might work, I could okay you for some time off, Levi. Probably would look better if you came down with a bug though and called in sick.”

“You sure you want to do this, Levi? I agree two of us would be better and Andy would have less to disagree with. But how do you think Helen is going to react?’

“She’ll be fine with it. She knows the two of us have been together in worse situations.”

“Okay, when I get back to the house I’ll reserve us some rooms in Manchester, say three days from now. You talk to Helen tonight and I’ll talk to Andy. We’ll leave day after tomorrow, drive up ninety-five to Boston, then to Manchester.”

“That sounds good, Travis. Don’t call in until the morning you’re leaving, Levi. When Julie lets me know you have called, I’ll know you two are on your way and I’ll tell her you looked puny the afternoon before.”

Travis signaled for the waitress to bring the bill. He left her a tip, paid the cashier and then all three left the café, going their own way. Once home he reserved two adjoining rooms at the Radisson Hotel on Elm Street in Manchester. Then he sent a message to NDN Will; Brother Eagle would soar high over Coyotes den and pack to observe all there’s movements, so he could protect those being tricked. But his friend Wolf who has not wings to fly, would track him from closer on the mountain using stealth and his wolf pack as his allies. Where Coyotes scent is strong the best traps can be laid.

That evening Travis and Andy talked about his plan and that Levi would be accompanying him to Manchester. At first she was somewhat skeptical, but eventually she agreed that it was the most logical considering the entire situation. Tomorrow he and Levi finalize their preparations and leave the next morning, Travis promised to call her each evening and keep her up-to -date.

The next day Travis and Levi were having lunch at Travis’s house and had just decided that Travis would pick up Levi at Helen’s the next morning. “How is Helen taking our trip?”

“Like a true leatherneck. You know she would have went with you instead of me, to make it look like a couple, but she knows it’s better that it’s the two of us, said she knows we work good together if something goes south.” Levi stopped for a moment to have another bite of his sandwich and then a sip of Bud. “Do you remember that guy I said I would talk to who works with ex-Marines?”

“Sure, did he come up with something?”

“Well in a way, yes. He finally found and talked to s guy who was Forced Recon with Davis about a year before the attack in Lebanon. This guy said; he never bought the official story of Davis’s death, but never said anything about it to anyone in the chain of command, because he wasn’t a part of it.”

“So, why did he doubt the story?”

“Said it didn’t ring true with the man he knew. Number one Davis wasn’t a guy who took much leave and if he did. It wouldn’t have been to Germany. Secondly Davis would never have left the airport for a few hours sleep in a barracks. Said Davis would have stayed in the airport and tried to get on any plane headed in the direction he was heading. But most importantly, there was no way Davis would have been caught so unaware of his surroundings, that he could have been caught that off guard and annihilated in the first moments of an attack. He told my guy that Davis was a pain-in-the-ass, but a consummate professional, probably the best he had ever worked with. He was a dead shot and could camouflage himself so well, the he could be standing right beside you and you wouldn’t know he was there. But the thing he remembered the most, was Davis liked it.”

“What do you mean, liked it?”

“The kill, he enjoyed taking someone out. Didn’t matter who or what, just give him the okay and bam they would be dead and him gone before anyone knew he was there.”

“Oh, a thrill killer. Usually a guy with a problem that they usually weed out, if they know that. You can’t depend on their judgement in a tight situation when things go into flux.”

“Yeah, but I guess the right people never found out…or..”

“I see where you are going with this. Maybe someone did find out and used the attack as a cover to brin him under their wing.”

“Yep, we talked about this early on, right after we found out a dead guy posed as Jim; six months before his supposed suicide to buy the gun he was killed with.”

“Good information Levi, I’m sure you thanked your contact.”

“I did and told him to keep it on the Q.T. He said he had, and left it with the guy as very hish-hush.”

“Even Better.”

After finishing lunch. Levi went back on patrol. They both wanted to enjoy their evenings before leaving the next morning.

After dinner Travis handed Andy a new Mororola 8500x

“Ewww, what is this for?”

“It will make both of us feel better. I’ve already set it up for you. Now either of us can call the other, regardless of where we are. That being that we’re both in a cell tower range, there’s still a lot of bad reception and no reception areas out there.”

“I know Sweetheart, but yes, this is sooo much better. Thank you.”

They didn’t get as much sleep as Travis had thought they would, but he was definitely not going to complain. At eight a.m. Levi was in the Land Rover and they were headed for the Ninety-Five North.

“Okay, about ten hours from now and we be in the heart of maple sap country.”

“Should be, as long as we don’t get caught up in any traffic jams, and I wouldn’t make bet on that.”

“No, me either. But at least we’ll be there sometime today, and we’ll be in the Rover. That in itself is a plus.”

“I agree. You should call in now like Dexter wanted, try to sound sick, not dead.” Travis jokingly said to his long-time friend.

“Hey, just listen, this will be Academy Award stuff.”