The Credit Card Caper Ch. 03

"Ooooh," Alicia said, her eyes lighting up as I activated the device, which would destroy any chance of our conversation being overheard or recorded. "That's hot-shit stuff. Cops don't have that; where'd you get it?"

"Never mind that. I said. "But do take note that I have it, Mrs. Foster. Now, what I do need for you to know... is that my wife is a Deputy Director of the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology. She is one of the highest level CIA officers in the Nation. I think you're aware of this, and who she is. What I can offer you in exchange for your truthful testimony against your husband, is that you won't be assassinated in jail. I know that you've been disavowed, and that if you're put in prison they will get to you. I'm offering you the opportunity to be able to sleep at night while you're in prison. I'm offering you the chance to live."

Alicia thought about it. "Okay." she said.

"And there is one other little thing I'd like, just between the two of us." I said. "I want your schematics on that remote control you rigged that car with." Alicia's eyes widened in surprise, but she told me where I could find that information...

---------

After a phone call to Laura to make sure she'd keep the CIA from killing Alicia, to which she agreed, I went into Interrogation-2. A very impatient Spence Foster and his equally angry lawyer were waiting. With me was D.A. Krasney and Lt. Teresa Croyle.

"Okay, Mr. Foster." Krasney said. "I'm giving you a chance to cooperate. I'm offering you a chance to cop a plea."

"What the hell for?" Foster asked. "For what charges?"

"Conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Dorian Sherwood." I said. "The woman your wife murdered and put into the car when she faked her death. Also, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud in helping your wife fake her death, then receiving the insurance payoff."

"Spence, don't say a word." his lawyer said. "They can't prove a word of that. Make them prove it."

"That won't be a problem." I said, sitting down. "Let's watch some TV." The TV screen lit up with Alicia Foster telling me and Krasney, in front of her lawyer, that her husband was fully involved in the faking of her death, and fully knew of the plan to murder Miss Sherwood.

"That's a lie, every word of it." yelled Foster. "It's all a goddamned lie! She's just saying that shit to save her own goddamned neck."

"Why Mr. Foster!" I said, "that's hardly language to talk about your beloved wife in, if you're not having problems with her. But you've given yourself away too many times, Mr. Foster. Closing the wrong credit card, the one your wife thought was good, then having her buy a guy from Cummings Outdoors instead of giving her one from your own inventory, then filing the police report when the credit card alert came out... that was a cute try, Mr. Foster."

"Oh yes," I continued, "even more cute was disappearing and going on a strangely-timed vacation, hiding from us, resisting our efforts to bring you in. You thought that would arouse our suspicions -and- bring in the FBI... so maybe we'd investigate and find your wife that way. Once she's out of the way, you can claim the trust fund money from the bank account... which you did know about.

Foster's look was one of hate-filled shock as I continued. "Mr. Foster, your wife did not appreciate the betrayal; hence, her testimony against you. I'm willing to let a Jury of your peers decide if she's lying to save her own neck, or if she's telling the truth about you." I then leaned forward and continued. "But you know what really gave you away, Spence? The fact that the CIA did not even try to check up on your wife's death."

After ten full seconds of silence in the room, punctuated by both Foster and his lawyer's faces falling as they realized where I was going, I explained: "Your wife was already in trouble with the CIA, and she conveniently dies in a car crash... and they don't bother to investigate? That is just not understandable, Mr. Foster. Except for one reason, and one reason only: you also, Mr. Foster, are an agent of the CIA. And you're one of the last remnants of the late Jody Corrigan's rogue cell."

I bore home: "It was you that told the CIA that your wife's 'death' really had happened, which called them off. Corrigan backed it up, and you thought it was a done deal. But once the Corrigan cell was blown to pieces- literally, at County Airport- you had no more reason to keep playing the ruse of Alicia's death. You needed for her to really die, and the best way for that to happen is for her to be exposed. So you told her to come to Town, and to go buy a gun with that credit card that she thought was good, but you knew was closed. And then you went on from there. You actually thought you could betray her and she would remain loyal to you to the last."

"So what do you want?" asked the lawyer, beginning the negotiations.

Krasney said "I'm willing to go for 20 years with possible parole, given a confession, testimony against your wife, and a guilty plea."

Foster accepted the deal.

As I stood up, I turned to Teresa and said "You were right, Lieutenant. This one was indeed..." I looked hard into Foster's eyes, "... right up my alley. Book him." I left the room.

Part 12 - Wrap Up

Apparently while waiting with Spence Foster, Officer Bobby Cosby struck a deal with him to buy Foster's Indoor Gun Range. The FFL was transferred, and I was one of those attending the grand opening of 'Cosby's Safe & Gun Store', buying a nice gun safe at a good price. Officer Cosby resigned from the Force to run his new business with his brother, and they would do very well with it.

The Fosters' arraignments and guilty pleas were quickly made, and we were able to keep the details out of the Press's attention until it was too late for them (the Press).

But while my wife was able to keep her promise, and the CIA agreed to let Alicia Foster rot in a Supermax prison for the rest of her life (there would be parole hearings, but parole would be forever denied), no such offers nor promises had been made to Spence Foster... he'd forgotten to ask when he made his plea deal. As such, he was found murdered in his cell just a year into his 20-year sentence. That crime would never be solved.

So, which was worse... Alicia's crimes in faking her death, and actually murdering Dorian Sherwood... or Spence's in his conspiracy of the same -and- brutally betraying his wife?

--------

It was after dinner on October 23d. Laura and I were hosting 'Crowbar's Angels', Cindy, Teresa, and Tanya Perlman, at the Mountain Nest.

"I'll help with the dishes, Laura." Cindy offered, and the two women went to the kitchen. Teresa was feeding little Jim and Tanya tended to baby Pete as I held Carole, who apparently thought baby Pete was a second little brother, paying rapt attention to him.

"E.J. got a job with the City Police." Teresa said. "We're all kind of shocked about it. Commander, you think he wasn't happy? Think I ran him off?"

"Naah, it was Tanya and Julie Newton's fault." I teased. "Seriously, to be honest and a little bit politically incorrect, highly qualified minorities like Earl are in demand. The City saw a chance to improve its minority hiring in their Police, Earl saw a chance to move to the opportunities of the City, and so he went. I'm afraid our small town Police Force just isn't very exciting to some, and they need greater challenges."

"Are you kidding?" Teresa said, teasing back in her own way. "Take it from me: this is the best Police Force anywhere. I had to spend six months away from it, and that was hell."

"Yes," said Tanya, "and just what can the City offer that this County doesn't in the way of challenging crimes to solve?"

"For myself," I said, "I'd prefer that the criminals go to the City and present Earl and his fellow City Police detectives all the challenges they want, and we can just twiddle our thumbs and give out traffic tickets." Both women laughed at that.

"Seriously," I said, "I don't think you were an issue with Earl, Teresa. I talked to him when he turned in his resignation. While he really did think the City would give him some opportunities, having to work with Sharples was a factor in his decision to leave."

"I can understand that." Teresa said. "Don, I'm a good cop, and I can lead good cops. Even Geiger is acceptable. But Sharples is a cancer inside my unit."

"Well, I heard the Coroner's Office is a little better off." said Tanya. "CMB resigned. He's going to be the Chief Medical Examiner for Coltrane County."

"Well, good for him." I said, perhaps a bit biting in my voice inflection. "Any idea why he's leaving?"

"Personally," said Tanya, "I think he was one of the good ole' boys, like Sanders and Judge Stone. They're in Coltrane County now, so he went down there, too."

"Good." I said. "I wish him the best of luck in his new job." I wasn't exactly sorry CMB had left. He didn't like it when I pointed out fallacies in his conclusions, nor when Tanya or I made observations that he missed.

"I think he's glad to get away from you too, Don." said Tanya, her eyes twinkling as she teased me. "He did not like not being the undisputed authority at a crime scene."

"Which means he didn't like it when you were there, Tanya." I said, giving it right back to her...

--------

"So, let me make sure I have this straight." said Cindy to Laura as they finished the dishes. "Alicia faked her death and was living in San Francisco. Her husband called her back, using the burner cell we found in the empty apartment Alicia had been living in."

"That's right, from what I know." Laura said.

"And Alicia didn't know that when her credit card was rejected at Cummings Outdoors, her husband was going to make a police report, in order to get us on her trail." Cindy said.

"That's what Don says." Laura replied.

"And both Spence and Alicia were part of that rogue CIA group who met their most timely demises at County Airport a few months ago, while I was holding onto the most important rifle in the history of evidence in this County." Cindy said.

"That would be the case." Laura replied. "I know Don has told you a lot more than he tells anyone else, and I appreciate you keeping quiet about some of this stuff. But I really do think you guys just kind of walked into this one by coincidence. We really didn't have any idea of Spence Foster's involvement with the Corrigan cell, and Alicia wasn't really part of them. She was just a sidebar issue."

"Is there anyone still out there that's a danger to us?" Cindy asked.

Laura said quietly "Keep this between us, but Don and Jack Muscone think there's still a few of them left. Don is not sure if the guys that ambushed you on that Ned raid were the ones he killed at the airport, or of they're still out there. At any rate, I know you're watching my husband's back, and I'm grateful to you for it."

"I just have one more question." Cindy said. "If I'm to help Don, I need to know who our enemies are."

"Just between us: Keep your eyes on Henry R. Wargrave." said Laura, turning and looking at Cindy. "I am very scared of what he might be planning on doing. Don, he's a bit too fearless, he's actually trying to goad Wargrave into doing something. Please, do keep an eye on my husband, and don't let him get too rash."

"I'll watch out for him." Cindy said. "Just like he's watching out for all of us."

"Thank you." Laura said. She hugged Cindy, who returned the hug warmly. "Thank you for everything."

"Right back at you." Cindy said. "Now Don's sister, who just got sprung out of prison... is she a threat?"

"Probably." Laura said. "But if I'm any judge of character, Elizabeth is no match for Don... nor their mother..."

-----

"Why, I'm sorry, Fussbudget." I said to my daughter, who was becoming cranky. "I know you want to stay up and talk to Teresa, but it's your bedtime, little girl."

"Nite, nite!" said Carole upon hearing the word 'bedtime', surprising us all. After making some goodbyes, which included Carole giving Teresa, Tanya and Cindy big hugs, the three lovely Lieutenants (and baby Pete) headed to their homes, and Laura and I put Carole to bed then headed for our own.

"So you and Cindy had a good talk?" I said. Not much deduction in knowing when ladies want to talk amongst themselves, and what they're talking about: men, in this case me.

"I did find out this much." said Laura as she changed for bed. "Spence was part of the Corrigan group, but Alicia was very likely not with them."

"She was innocent?" I asked, easing myself onto the bed after stripping naked.

"No, I didn't say that." Laura said, sliding onto the bed next to me, wearing a black lace teddy. "Alicia was an engineer for DynaCorp, and assigned by the CIA to watch over the contracts. Spence was ordered by the Company to support Alicia's mission, and simply lay low. Gayle did not even know that Spence was in the CIA, and I wasn't told about him, either."

"Ahhhhh," I said, quickly grasping the situation. "Should you have been?" I asked.

"Yes." Laura said. "Gayle kept me in the loop about the others, but even though he was inactive, I should've known about Spence being inside the Agency. But now we know why we weren't told: Jody Corrigan 'recruited' Spence into his cell, and while Alicia was selling information to outside sources, Spence was feeding that same information to Bartholomew Scott. When the first rumors of the rogue cell began coming out, it was Corrigan who threw Alicia to the wolves, had her disavowed, and also had Spence give her the idea of faking her death. Corrigan got us to believe Alicia was really dead; hence, no investigation. Nice how you spotted that discrepancy in the narrative."

Laura leaned over me and began playing with my cock as I asked "So who was Alicia selling her information to? Or can you not tell me?"

"I have no idea." my wife said as she played with my balls and jacked my cock to throbbing, iron hardness. "Jack Muscone and his team are assigned to it, and were at the time, but so far they've reported no success in finding out."

"That's unusual. In fact, it ought to be- ohhhhhhh!" I gasped as Laura slid her lips over my cock and began deeply sucking it. "Oh geez, baby, that's so fucking good!"

After several seconds of fellating me, Laura said "I have a surprise for you. My doctor's appointment is on the morning of your birthday. If I'm cleared, then I'm going to give you one hell of a night, Mr. Birthday Boy."

"Oh, that'll be great!" I said. "I can't wait to get back into your sweet pussy again... ohhhhh, oh yeah, baby, that's so good..." I just gave in and let the pleasure flow over me as my beautiful wife gave me head, feeling my balls rumble as I headed toward climax...

-------

"This is an amazing view. Amazing!" said SBI Director Jack Lewis. He was looking out the windows of Henry R. Wargrave's 30th-floor offices in the City, admiring the lights stretching out to a seemingly limitless distance against the nighttime sky.

"Thank you, Director." said Wargrave. "So what brings you into the City?"

"Meetings with Inspector Maxwell, meetings with the City Police Commissioner, always trying to heal the wounds between our law enforcement organizations and foster a spirit of cooperation."

"You sound like a politician." said Wargrave. "Speaking in cliches, and obviously not meaning a word of it.

"Who knows, Mr. Wargrave." said Lewis. "Maybe I should become a politician. Would you support my run for Governor in two years, should I choose to do so?"

"Maybe." said Wargrave. "Though I'm very happy with your work with the SBI. Still a lot to do there, though. That's not a reproach to you, just a reminder that we've still got further mountain peaks to climb, better views to admire."

"Yes sir, don't I know it." said Jack Lewis. "By the way, the City Police hired E.J. Jefferson away from the Town & County Police. He was on their Vice Squad. That's really great news for us."

"Why is that, Jack?" Wargrave asked politely, already fully knowing the answer.

"Their Vice squad is getting thin." Lewis said. "The Iron Crowbar got that Croyle woman back, but now Ikea's gone, Malone is gone, Jefferson is now gone. Most of the people they have now are young, inexperienced... and now they're going to precincts over there, which will divide their forces. Looks like they may need a better Narcotics Task Force to come in and interdict all the drug crimes going on there."

"Wishful thinking, Jack?" Wargrave asked. Lewis looked hard at him as Wargrave continued "Better be careful, Jack. And definitely do what I'm doing: waiting until after the November elections. Maybe even wait until next year, after Griswold's gone. That Allgood is a bright young man, but he's just that: young. The Iron Crowbar is one hell of a cop, but he's also just that: young. You'll get your shots, and the Town & County Cops are becoming younger and more inexperienced by attrition every day."

"Yeah." said Lewis. "But you heard how Troy nabbed the Fosters? Damn, I have to hand it to him for that one. Especially Spence Foster. Who knew that a quiet man running a gun range was a CIA operative and part of a Rogue Hit Team?"

"Yes." said Wargrave. "The Iron Crowbar is damn good, but he was lucky as hell on that one. What kind of luck is it when the parents of a woman who disappeared check on the investigation, the Iron Crowbar personally looks into it, and at the same time some dead woman's credit card is used... and the next thing you know, that man has put the two things together, found the deceased woman, flushed out the fake dead woman, connected her husband where there seemed to be no connection possible -and- got both of them to confess without breaking the law or violating their rights."

"Luck is where preparation meets opportunity." said Jack Lewis, looking out at the views.

"Well, I know one thing from my experience." said Wargrave, more to himself than to the SBI Director. "Luck runs out. Even the best have bad days, bad streaks. I had a few myself in my younger years. If the bad doesn't wipe you out, you may go on to better things. But when the Iron Crowbar's luck runs out... he won't be able to go on... at all."

"Wishful thinking, Mr. Wargrave?" Wargrave's eyes cut to Lewis, who was smiling at his own joke, his eyes twinkling fearlessly in getting a little joke in on the powerful billionaire. Wargrave conceded that one.

"Maybe." he said.

"Well, I wish you success in whatever you do to him." said Lewis. "But I will say this. I've had some friends tell me about his wife. She was one of the CIA's best operatives ever, and she's still considered a badass now, from what I'm told. And she blew away that Bartholomew Scott guy, who was also a CIA badass, by fiat of a directive from the highest levels. That's some serious shit right there, from what I understand. The point being: I'm sure you know far more about it than I do, Mr. Wargrave, but I'd watch my back if she's anywhere around."

Wargrave worked hard to hide how startled he was that Jack Lewis knew so much about Dr. Laura Fredricson. But all he said was "I'll keep my eyes open. So, let's get down to business. What did you have in mind for our friends in the State's so-called 'Northwest Territories'?"

Part 13 - Epilogue

"...after all, she was a whore, a nobody..."

The words stuck in my head as we stood quietly a little distance behind the gathering at the grave site. It had been a long trip to make, but I had wanted to attend. Martin Nash had wanted to come along, as well.

It was October 25th, the day before my birthday, a cool, sunny afternoon. Dorian Sherwood, a.k.a. Diana Shire, was being laid to rest, under a tombstone with her own name inscribed upon it, the name of a college graduate. Her family was gathered under the funeral home's tent, family friends as well as people from Dorian's childhood also attending. These were people that knew her, and were now grieving over her loss.