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Alexis zipped into their room with a huge smile on her face. “I got the routing number for the account in the Caymans. In the file, it was labeled El Cemento, but we know it actually belongs to Fielder.”
“Holy smoke!” Maggie gasped. “Now that is real sleuthing!” She gave her a high five. “Do Annie and Myra know?”
“Yes.”
“So what’s the game plan?” Maggie asked.
“We’re going to have a Zoom meeting tonight at nine.”
“Eileen and I will have to do it from the truck,” Maggie said.
“Since there was no activity last night and we have the photos Alexis took, we probably don’t need to wait in the woods,” Eileen said. “There is only one entry and exit on the property. It’s at the gate. The trucks have to be cleared by security before they can get in.”
“From what Zoe explained, it’s the ratio of the combination of materials they use that determines the density,” Alexis added.
“Which means a truck has already delivered raw materials that could have been something else.” Maggie tapped her pen against her notebook. “It takes twenty-four hours for the blocks to cure, so the ash had to have been delivered before we arrived.”
“If our assumption is correct, and the load destined for Italy is being loaded tomorrow, the truck with the bad blocks will be leaving the plant tonight,” said Alexis.
“That sounds about right. So tonight we watch all the traffic in and out of the plant and send photos of the trucks and their plates to Charles and Fergus. They’ll alert the International Maritime Organization, who will inspect the cargo at the port and have it tested,” Eileen said.
“Can we be sure they’ll inspect the right trucks?” Maggie asked.
“Not entirely, but we could always follow the trucks and tag them with my trusty, laser-sharp paintball gun.” Eileen pulled it out of its holster.
“Oh . . . wee! Let me see that thing!” Maggie was like a little kid.
Eileen made sure the safety catch was on it. “It’s not available to the general public. But some DEA agents carry them when they’re trying to track a drug haul and can’t get close enough to plant a GPS device.”
Maggie turned the gun over in her hand. “This is way cool.”
“Okay, Annie Oakley, hand it over.” Eileen put her hand out and Maggie obliged.
“That sounds like a safer plan than trying to climb over a fence without becoming part of someone’s cinderblock foundation.” Alexis snickered.
“For sure.” Maggie was intrigued and excited. “A low-speed chase?”
“Kinda,” Eileen said. “We just need to be careful they don’t realize we’re following them.”
“What if there’s more than one truck?” Maggie asked.
“If there’s more than one, chances are they’ll be carrying similar loads. According to the papers I looked through, each job is custom ordered. That way they’re not sitting on inventory. They do one job and while it’s curing, they start the next.”
“Got it. So they’ve already made the subpar concrete?” Maggie asked.
“Let’s hope we’re on the right track. We are making a lot of assumptions, but based on shipping manifests and timing, I think it’s a good bet the trucks will pick up the load tonight and bring it to the port,” Eileen said.
The room fell silent for a moment and then Maggie asked, “Alexis, do you think our disguises are good enough?”
Alexis replied with a completely straight face. “I think you should both have mustaches.” After the snickering, Alexis continued. “Two guys in a pickup truck would look less suspicious than two women.”
“Very true,” Eileen agreed.
Alexis thought for a moment. “I think I can fake it with one of my extra wigs, eyebrow pencil, and some eyelash glue. We should also get another baseball cap and make it look worn out.”
Maggie folded her arms. “So we leave the apartment looking like Cheech and Chong?”
“Since I’m not planning on going back to the REBAR office, I’ll go with you. I can plant the lip foliage on your faces when we get in the truck.”
