Price No Object Ch. 01

"Uh oh." I said.

"Yes." Tim Jenkins said. "The IADC has no record of that front being used in this County, neither yesterday nor for the last twelve months, at least."

"So it's either some outsiders using it, and the cover is blown," I said, "or someone conveeeeniently forgot to clear it with the IADC, or it's a mission that's so classified that it's off the IADC's books."

"Exactly." said Tim. "It's been an unwritten but well-followed rule that if it's too classified or restricted to be openly on the IADC's books, then it shouldn't be used for that classified mission. So either someone (air quotes) 'forgot', accidentally or intentionally; or it wasn't anyone connected with the Federal Government."

"Okay, that could be important." I said. "So what about this flag on the JDJ Security Software SBS loan?" I passed over the sheet of paper showing the record of the flag.

Karina White said "I got an email about that last night, and looked it up this morning before we came over. It's fishy. The code attached means that it was flagged because of non-repayment. But that loan was made just last year, and it's nowhere near the due date to repay it."

"That flag was put on the loan just before Christmas." said Jack Muscone. "It would allow the SBA to begin legal actions against the business, as well as the Mathesons and Mr. Cawthorne. Demands for immediate payment-in-full, garnishment of wages, all the stuff the IRS normally does to people."

"And that's another funny thing about all this." said Karina. "As far as I can tell, they had not yet notified the Mathesons nor Mr. Cawthorne of the flag."

"That could just be the sheer speed of the Federal Government at work." said Jack Muscone, with just a weeee bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"That could really crush their business, couldn't it?" I said, halfway to myself.

Tanya spoke up: "Yes, but I don't see it as a reason to commit suicide, much less murder-suicide. Even if they did know about it, they have time to fight it, or negotiate about it."

"Negotiate about it..." I said, then fell into a reverie. I wad pulled out of it very quickly, when the door flew open.

"Commander!" said a visibly excited Captain Claire Michaels. "Oh... sorry for the intrusion Chief, but we've got two people in the lobby that the Commander needs to know about right away!"

"Who are they?" I asked. "Jeff Cawthorne?"

"Yes sir." said Claire. "He and his fiancée just walked in the door..."

To be continued.