IMBERADO
Chapter XII
Sheriff Dexter was in his office early this morning. He had three deputies scheduled for funeral duty today at one PM. He intended to attend the funeral himself, the deceased was a lifelong resident of Loudon County and been 89 years old when he passed away. Dexter made it a practice to attend as many longtime resident’s funerals as he could, it made a statement that he cared about the people in his county and that was always good at election time.
He was interrupted by his phone ringing so he picked up the receiver. “Sheriff Dexter, how can I help you?”
“Sheriff, this is Sandy Milliken. I think that guy you’re looking for is at The Old Towne Grill, right now.” Sandy is one of Sheriff Dexter’s deputies.
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure, Sheriff. I was in there sitting in a booth finishing my breakfast, when this guy walked in and took a seat at the counter. I don’t think he saw me at all. Elaine walked over gave him a menu, poured him a coffee and then walked around like she was offering refills to everyone in there. When she got to me she slightly leaned her head in his direction and whispered, it’s him, to me. I handed her a ten spot and told her to keep the change. Loud enough for him to hear. Then I came right outside and called you.”
“Where’s your car parked.”
“Right out front, but it’s my own car. I hadn’t made it to the department yet.”
“Good, stay in your car until I get there. Once you see me walk inside and sit down at the counter next to him, get out and stand against the hood of your car, you’re in uniform right?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good I’ll be there in a few minutes, don’t let him leave.”
“Roger that. I don’t think he would anyway, Elaine hasn’t even brought him his order yet.”
“Great, I’m on my way.”
Dexter went right down stairs and headed for his patrol car. He got inside, turned on the key and headed in the direction of King Street and Market. He parked his car on Market and walked to the restaurant’s front door. Once inside the door Elaine nodded at the man sitting at the counter, Dexter walked straight there and sat down next to him.
“Morning Elaine, how about a cup of mud and a menu?”
“Coming right up.”
Dexter turned his head toward the man next to him. “Morning, my name’s Sheriff William Dexter. What’s yours? I pretty much know most of the people here in the county, and I don’t recognize you. You here on business or pleasure?”
“Morning, Sheriff. My names John Bigelow, just stopped here for a couple of days looking for an old friend of mine.” Bigelow didn’t look up for his eggs and bacon, as he answered the question. He didn’t appear nervous or concerned that the Dexter was the Sheriff.
“You don’t say, who is your friend? I might know where you can find him?” Dexter noticed everything about Bigelow, the short cropped salt and pepper hair, his off the rack sport coat and shirt without a tie. He was of middle age and appeared to be in fairly good shape. His gut told him there was a weapon under that sport coat though.
“His name is Travis Cody, I’ve asked the waitress here if she knew him, but no luck.”
“Well you’re in luck with me, I know Travis quite well. You say you’re an old friend. Did you work with him before he moved here to Virginia?”
“No, a lot longer than that Sheriff, I knew him in the service. I heard a while back that he had moved here a few years ago. I had to be on the East Coast a couple of weeks and thought I’d try to look him up.”
Elaine came over and asked if either of them wanted a refill. They both nodded yes, so she poured the coffee and left. But she didn’t go around to the other customers, instead she went to the cash register at the end of the counter.
“Well, like I said I know Travis so I can help you with meeting up with him. In truth, your reason doesn’t ring true to me. I have doubts you have ever even met Mr. Cody, and I don’t think you are telling the real reason you’re looking for him. So if you want my help you are going to need and be honest with me. I want to know who you really are and what your business is with him.” As Dexter said this in turned slightly toward Bigelow and his right hand moved more to his right upper thigh were it rested at his holstered revolver.
Bigelow not only noticed the move in position but also glanced up and then slightly to the left where he saw Elaine standing behind the cash register with her right hand not on the counter but at the shelf below it. In the mirror on the wall behind the counter he saw the deputy standing in front of his car just outside the front door. He turned his face to the Sheriff very slowly. “You have me wrong Sheriff Dexter, I am not a criminal like it seems you think. I am also not going to cause you any trouble here or anywhere. I can see you have planned very well to stop me from leaving this restaurant alone.”
“I think Mr. Bigelow, if that is your real name, you could start by showing me some identification. I warn you though, reach for it very slowly. If you even think about pulling a weapon out, I will not hesitate to stop you, permanently.”
“I believe you, and you are right I have a pistol, but I am licensed to carry. I will just get my wallet out and hand it to you. You will see my ID, license and federal ID in the wallet. My name is John Bigelow and I work for the CIA.” Bigelow very slowly pulled the wallet from his inside coat pocket and handed it over to Dexter, he had opened his jacket far enough for Dexter to see what he was getting and see the edge of his shoulder holster which held a Beretta 9mm.
“For right now, why don’t you pull that Beretta out, using just your thumb and index finger? I’ll hold on to it while we talk.”
“Yes sir, Sheriff. Like I said I don’t want any trouble with you or your department.” Just as slowly Bigelow reached in with his left hand and complied, handing the pistol to Dexter. Then he put both hands on the counter in front of him.
Dexter looked through the wallet finding all three cards; a current Virginia driver’s license, a carry and conceal permit from the state of Virginia and a US Government ID card showing Bigelow as employed by the Central Intelligence Agency. There were also a couple of credit cards, some currency and a few other folded receipts. “Well, now I know who you are, and you finally told me the truth. Let’s just leave here and continue our conversation in my office.” Dexter turned his head to look at Elaine. “I’ll be back later to settle the bill, Elaine.”
“Sure enough Sheriff, see you later.”
Dexter and Bigelow stood up together and walked out the front door. Once outside Bigelow walked with the Sheriff towards his parked car around the corner.
“Sandy, Mr. Bigelow and I are going to the department. Follow us over there and then you can get out on patrol. Let the funeral duty crew know I won’t be there today, so I want them to attend the graveside service in my place.”
“Roger that, Sheriff.”
Twenty minutes later Dexter and Bigelow were sitting in his office. Dexter put Bigelow’s wallet and Beretta on his desk right in front of himself as he sat down and motioned Bigelow to sit in the chair across the desk from him. Then he picked up the receiver of his phone and dialed Travis’s mobile number. Travis answered his phone on the second ring. “Travis, this is Sheriff Dexter, I have a man in my office who’s been looking for you. His name is John Bigelow and if you can, I think you might want to meet us here.”
“So that’s who the guy is we heard of. I’ll head over there now, I’m going to leave Levi here though.”
“That sounds fine, just come on up when you get here.”
“Sure, Dexter. Probably in about thirty to forty-five minutes.” Travis disconnected the call.
“Well, Mr. Bigelow, Travis says he’ll be here as soon as he can.”
“Okay, Sheriff. I’ll have to follow your lead, now.”
“I’m glad you are being so cooperative. Let’s you and I chat some more about why you’re looking for Travis.” For the next forty minutes Dexter and Bigelow talked, or you could better say, held a not so furtive question and answer session. Until Travis opened and walked in the Sheriff’s door, which he closed right behind him. After he did he walked right to Dexter’s desk and put his hand out to shake Bigelow’s hand, who took it somewhat disdainfully.
“I’m Travis Cody, Mr. Bigelow. So what is it, I can do for the CIA?”
“You, Mr. Cody, could start, by telling me, why you are looking for a dead Marine Sargent.”
“I’m not looking for a dead Marine at all, and you know that I am sure. I’m looking for one of your black ops operatives, who I believe has went off the reservation. Former Marine Sargent Antonio Davis. Who you covertly named as dead in the Beirut massacre.”
“That would be pure conspiracy conjecture on your part, and maybe even a national security threat. All proof shows that Sargent Davis died in the massacre.”
“No, not all. In fact there is more proof he didn’t, now. He was alive enough to purchase a gun, at a gun show a few months back, posing as a U.S. Congressman. That was the same gun used in an apparent suicide by that same Congressman. That I have proof of. There is also evidence now that he is involved in the death of a high school principal in Texas, some months after that. Also, made to look initially as a suicide, that is now a reopened case of homicide. So would you like to try again?”
“Which Congressman, and who is this principal in Texas?”
“I think you know both those answers, or you’re not as good at your job as you should be. If I could find this out, surely the Agency should have. I think you are actually looking for Davis just as I am, but the Agency is worried that I’ll find him first. If I find him first and he’s brought to trial for either or both of these murders, your bosses will have a lot to answer for. They don’t want that and that’s why you are here looking for me. A dumb PI has uncovered a CIA screw up that’s let a murderer loose, probably not only here, but who knows where else, since you couldn’t keep a leash on one of your people.”
“Again, even if you think you have evidence, I doubt it more than circumstantial. I have grave doubts there is anything from a gun show to prove Davis was alive and there buying a gun to use later in a murder meant to look like a suicide. Much less another murder of a high school principal in Texas. How on earth can these two be linked together?”
“You’re evading the obvious Bigelow, and it’s not even a good evasion tactic. I don’t have time to play your Agency games. Your over-the wall spook is on his way here now, unless he’s already here, while I’m wasting my time on you. Either become part of the solution, or stay out of my way, way out of my way if you know what’s good for you. I will catch Davis, and I have every intention of him standing trial for murder. He made a mistake this time, he didn’t know as much about his victim as he thought. That will be his downfall, that and the fact that I knew Jim better than he did, even the Sheriff here knows for sure now that Congressman Whiteside did not commit suicide, and we are sure it was Davis that killed him. The only thing we are not sure of is who Davis killed Jim for. If I get even a hint the Agency was involved, you can bet your life; the FBI, Attorney General, and maybe even the press will know in a New York minute.”
“Hold on there, Mr. Cody. I am not your enemy and neither I, nor the Agency, were ever involved in a Congressman’s death, or covering up one. I cannot say much more without getting clearance from my superiors. What I would say, and will deny ever saying this. I am here to see if there is a possibility that Sargent Davis is still alive, and in saying that, I am not admitting anything else. But I would warn you, if he were, then his capture could be an even more serious matter than a murder.”
Sheriff Dexter stood and placed both the palms of his hands on his desk with hammer like sharpness at Bigelow’s statement before Travis could answer. “There is no more serious matter than a US Congressman’s murder in my county, Mr. Bigelow. Nothing trumps that, not now, not ever. Now can you help us, or do I have to keep you on a very short leash, something akin to a choke hold?”
“I don’t react well to threats, Sheriff, you should keep that well in mind before you escalate this beyond my pay grade. Now I have cooperated with you, you have taken my mobile phone, wallet and firearm. You have detained me, questioned me, and are now threatening me. You have full knowledge of my position and right to be here and be armed. Either return my property and release me, or charge me with something and give me my right to a phone call.”
“Bullshit. You were caught stalking one of my county’s citizens without proper court documents or sufficient legal reason to do so, which you as a member of the CIA are not allowed to do inside this country. You have refused to render even a modicum of assistance in an ongoing murder investigation, of which you are believed to have vital information. That alone can be considered obstruction. I can hold you for at least seventy two hours on that alone, before I decide if any charges are to be filed. So you decide right now, which way do you want this to go?”
Travis interjected before Bigelow could answer, or Dexter say something Travis was not ready for the agent to hear. “Mr. Bigelow, before one of us does something really detrimental to finding and stopping Davis from another killing, you need to decide on your options here. If you cannot work with us, then I have to agree with the Sheriff, he needs to put you in confined custody. Then he can pursue legal and prudent investigation and corroboration of your information and decide whether you should be charged with anything or not.”
“I have nothing more I can tell you and I have no authority to assist you. Legally Sargent Davis died years ago in Beirut and you are following a goose chase. Either let me go, or lock me up and take your chances with my supervisors later.”
Sheriff Dexter did not respond, he simply tapped a button on his desk phone and told Julie Dinsmore to send up two deputies on duty. Julie answered “Right away Sheriff.”
Within two minutes two deputies knocked at the Sheriff’s office door. Dexter told them to come in. When they were both standing inside the office, he told one to escort Mr. Bigelow down stairs to booking and find him a cell to occupy until further notice. When the deputy asked what the charge was, Dexter told him “obstruction of justice and operating as an investigator without a Virginia license”. Dexter then handed the other deputy Bigelow’s wallet, mobile phone and pistol, telling him to enter the items as evidence and placed in the Evidence Room with the deputy there for logging and storing. Both men left with their charges, to do as the Sheriff told them without questions or hesitation. Bigelow never said a word and did not resist.
“I hope you won’t regret this Sheriff, but I owe you my thanks anyway.”
“Hell, I never liked those guys from the Agency anyway. I just hope you can get Davis, and I have him locked up before I have to let that prick go. I can only hold him legally for three days. Now, get out of here and catch Davis. Call me if you need anything.”
“Done, Dexter.” Was all Travis said as he turned and walked out the office door closing it behind him. Then he went quickly down the stairs and right out of the Sheriff’s Office Building, across the parking lot and into his vehicle. A few minutes later he was on the Nine headed for home.
Thirty minutes later Travis was walking through the front door. Andy was standing there waiting, as soon as the door was closed and locked, she grabbed Travis by the waist and put her head to his shoulder. Travis tilted her head and gave her a long kiss.
“You two can do that later, how did it go at the Sheriff’s Office?” Levi said with a sandwich in one hand.
“About what we expected. His name is Bigelow and it’s certain he is an agent with the Agency. He wouldn’t share anything about Davis. At first he tried to get us to believe Davis died in Beirut. Then all he did say, off the record, was that if Davis was alive it would be a much bigger issue than a murder. That’s when Dexter blew up and told him there was no bigger issue than him killing a US Congressman in this county. But by the time I left Dexter had Bigelow headed to lockup and his belongings being taken to the Evidence Room.”
“Holy crap. That could stir up a shit storm.”
Andy butted in before Travis could say anything. “So this guy won’t help us and Daddy locked him up?”
“Yes, Dexter had a couple of ways he could do that for seventy two hours before he would have to charge him and let him make a call or release him. After the deputies took him away he told me he hoped we could catch Davis, before that time. It was unsaid, but neither of us trust Bigelow to not interfere with catching Davis alive.”
“Yeah, the Agency wouldn’t want him standing trial that would put too much heat on them, especially if could be proven that they were involved in his faked death at the least.” Levi added before he took a bite of his lunch, and continued. “Why don’t you two come on downstairs in a few minutes, I’ll let Helen know what happened.”
“Sure, right after we get something to eat. Did you forget something for Helen?”
“Naw, she’s still nursing her coffee.”
“Cool, be there in a few.”
Travis and Andy walked into the kitchen and fixed themselves a couple of sandwiches, pulled out two bottles of water and had lunch together. The four of them spent the afternoon watching the monitor and scanning the pans from the new cameras. Travis and Helen took a couple of turns at the computer searching for more information and Travis sent another message to NDN Will on FIDONET catching him up on the status and about Bigelow as discretely as he could.
The day rolled into evening and then into the dark of night outside the house. Around twelve-thirty Travis’s mobile hummed with an incoming call. By the number blinking on the screen he knew it was John Little Horse, or as he had once known him NDN Will.
“Hey John, you’re up late.”
“Cody, I was able to hack into the security cameras at Reagan Airport. Davis is here, I spotted him from that fake Driver’s License he used to buy the gun.”
“When?”
“Maybe an hour ago, I just saw him come out of the airport, get into a cab and it pull out into traffic.”
