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“He’s a frequent business traveler.” Jack sounds resigned.
“Where’s he live?”
“He has an apartment here.” He exhales loudly. “He likes it here. Look, I’m tired of you guys coming up with theories and being wrong. You are wrong on this one. We’re going to pay and get her back.”
“If we’re wrong, you won’t mind us talking to him, right?” Jack’s eyes flick to mine. He’s listening to me. “You’ve talked to the cops for extensive periods of time since this began. If he’s innocent, like you say, he won’t mind talking to the FBI. If he’s your friend, he’ll do anything he can to help you get your daughter back.”
Jack rubs his jaw. He’s considering it.
“We’ve reached out to him already. Sent agents by his addresses both here in San Diego and Houston. No one home.”
“Just because he wasn’t home doesn’t mean he’s guilty.” Jack heads over to his desk, head bent down, jaw muscles flexed. “Let me call him.” He turns his head to Ryland. “You didn’t tell me you sent agents by.”
“Didn’t need to tell you. In this investigation, we can talk to anyone we like. The goal is to find your daughter. Remember?”
Jack dials a number. With the phone pressed to his ear, he sinks into his desk chair. His gaze flickers over the room and settles on the frozen screenshot of his daughter. Her legs and arms are thin and underscore her youth. Her expression is one of terror. She’s afraid of the person filming her.
Every single agent in the room watches Jack. Quiet prevails. We all want to hear this conversation.
Jack purses his lips and ends the call. “Voicemail,” he announces.
He dials another number.
“Linda. Can you tell me where Larry Reyes is? I can’t seem to get him on his cell, and I need to speak to him.”
There’s a pause.
“And when did he go on vacation?”
Another brief pause.
“And where did he go?”
Pause.
“Right. Can you see if you can get him on the phone for me? Yes, my work cell. Thank you.”
I text Erik.
Any update on those financials? Also, have you accessed sales by sales rep?
Jack tells the room, “He’s on vacation. She doesn’t know where. Has been out of the office this week.”
Agent Ryland turns to a member of his team. “Locate Larry Reyes. Access his credit card transactions. Process the paperwork to see if we can get his number run through Phantom.”
Phantom is a powerful program that provides access to someone’s phone without having any interaction. All you need is a phone number. It’s designed to help fight enemies abroad. But in rare instances, the US government will use it to fight homeland crime.
“This is guilt by association,” Jack utters, almost to himself.
“Jack, you have to recognize there are too many coincidences here.”
He purses his lips once more. “And we don’t believe in coincidences?” he asks, but he knows the answer.
“No, we don’t,” I confirm.
The agents break into separate groups. Jack has his hands templed, and his head rests against them as if in prayer. He’ll send payment as soon as it’s available. It takes a while to prepare twenty-five million to be paid via cryptocurrency. No one has that kind of money sitting in a cash account. But once it’s available, Jack will pay.
I’ll feel better once we have an idea who we are dealing with. If there is an opportunity to negotiate, I’ll step in. If we can determine her location before the ransom deadline, then many more options open up.
