AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Twenty-one
Sloan headed to the agency office, his reinstatement coming at the perfect time because he’d have access to their data banks and other facilities that made getting information so much easier. He intended to find out everything he could about Tadeo Kealoha, his uncle.
First he stopped at Jack Harrison’s office, schmoozed his secretary to find out if the AD was free and then knocked on the door. “Hey, boss, you got a minute?”
Jack pushed the papers to the side of his desk, settled back into his chair and crossed his right leg over his left knee. “Sure. I had it on my agenda to call you in today, so this will save me having to do that. What’s up? You look rattled.”
Sloan slumped in the chair across from his former boss and tried to figure out how to start without sounding like a man on the edge.
Jack beat him to it. “Did Don get the equipment to your place? I know you’ve decided to use the sunroom for the stakeout, and he was going to set up the monitors, the long-lens camera and bring the binoculars before Al and her kid showed up. That way, if Kean sees the stuff, you can pretend to have a star-gazing hobby or some such thing.”
“No problem. Don’s coming early tomorrow before the barbecue, as far as I know. You’re right. We wanted to get organized before Hawkins and her son arrive later.”
“So what is it then? You look riled. I hope you’re not backing out of Operation Relatives.”
“No, nothing like that. I just got a shock and I’m still trying to process it. Look, there’s a chance my old man, Tommy Booker, was murdered and didn’t die in the car accident as we all thought. I want to do some digging and I need your permission to use the facilities here, get the guys researching on an old case Don and I were working on at that time.”
“What’s that got to do with your father?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Which case was it?”
“Kroller. I think there’s a tie-in between him and Tommy’s death.”
Intensely interested, Jack leaned forward. “No shit? You’re telling me you believe they were linked? We’ve been hitting dead-ends with Kroller for years now; every time we get close, the bastard shuts us down. I’d give my left nut to get something on that slimeball. If you think you have some pertinent info, give it to us and let us run with it.”
“Nope. It can’t happen that way. I need to be in on this one. Look, I just found out I have an uncle on my mother’s side who works for Kroller, has done for years. Tommy called him the day he died and they had words. I need to look into what happened.”
“How the hell can you do that? What about Relatives, and the fact that you’ll be having some of your own visiting you the day after tomorrow?”
Sloan groaned and swept his hair back. “Shit!”
Jack stood and began pacing. “Look, Booker, we need that operation to go smooth as fucking lake water on a still day. No screw-ups, nothing. Intelligence has intercepted some communications that there’s a lot of underhand activity happening on the island. The details they’ve collected so far allude to some form of an attack here in the holiday capital; we’re thinking bombs.”
“Crap! You’re kidding me?”
“Not at all. We both know that ISIS wants the US to quiver in fright; and to that extent, the fear mongers have done their job well. We all understand the cold, hard facts; they have people everywhere who are willing to die for Allah. And what better place for them to hit than the city where everyone comes to have their vacations free from danger.”
“And no doubt, like every other state in the union, Hawaii has given sanctuary to their share of new supporters to the cause.”
“Exactly. Knowing what we do, we can’t afford to mess up with these neighbors of yours and their visitors.”
“You’ve managed to attain proof against the Amans’ relatives?”
“That’s just it. They aren’t relatives, no more than Hawkins is your fucking sister. We’ve been able to ascertain that much. As far as we’re concerned, they’re strangers who have somehow forced their way into the Amans’ lives by pretending a relationship to Janna’s brother.”
“Crissakes. You’re serious.”
“Like prostate cancer. We have other leads we’re following, but the people planning to visit Samir Aman have shady shit in their background, enough for us to keep a close eye on all their activities. That’s why we need you and Agent Hawkins totally focussed on that family. There has to be someone watching their house all the time.”
“Seriously?” Sloan moaned. “How the hell—?
Interrupting, Jack waved him quiet. “Look, I know you have commitments at the garage and we’ve taken care of that for you. One of the other agents has a brother who took his mechanic’s ticket and needs a job. I was going to tell you about him today. We’ll pay his wages if you put him to work and free yourself so you can help Al in the stakeout. With her kid around, she won’t be able to man the binoculars and other equipment all the time. Either you or Agent Howard will sub for her when she needs assistance. I’ll leave you to work out the details.”
“What about Kroller?”
“With your reinstatement, you’ll have access through the computers into most of the files, and in time, I’ll make sure you have total clearance on that case. But for now, we expect you to do the job you’ve been assigned to.”
