Duty Bound (1995) (14 page)

"Conversion industry?" the deputy director asked.

Eddings stepped closer to the table. "Sir, I'm talking about an industry that customizes vehicles and boats, dramatically enhancing their appearance and comfort. A customized van, for example, on average has seven thousand dollars' worth of accessories, paint, and parts installed on the finished product. Everything that is attached to a boat other than the motor and standard equipment also falls into the category, and nowadays pickups and even semis are being converted. We are talking about an industry that brings in just over a billion dollars a year in annual revenue.

Not IBM, Xerox, or General Foods, but substantial nevertheless. The conversion industry encompasses more small companies and employees and affects more of the general population in northern Georgia and the surrounding region than many of the large corporations taken together. The companies and businesses that make up the industry are for the most part small and rural, employing, on average, only ten employees. The Yona Group is the exception, sir. They are quite large and at present employ well over six hundred workers. They bought out many of the smaller companies and have forced many others out of business through the use of unfair business practices. When one of these small company owners is given a choice of whether to join the Yona Group or be forced out of business, the decision is simple.

In most cases the owners opt to survive. Those who chose to ignore the Yona Group's proposal quickly found suppliers of needed materials would not respond to orders. If that was not enough, frivolous lawsuits were filed against their products for being unsafe or causing injury. Last-resort tactics included owners having 'accidents.' The bottom line is that Senator Goodnight's investigation was about to bust open a can of worms."

The deputy director stiffened. "You said 'was,' Agent Eddings?"

Eddings frowned as he collapsed his pointer. "Sir, as I said, I had just started on the case. I had not yet had the opportunity to collect and copy the information that Mr.

Wentzel had acquired. The Washington field office search of his office and Wentzel's residence has turned up none of the paper or computer-generated records, reports, and statements. And there is more bad news, sir. Whoever stole the files now knows the identity of the witnesses who came forward. In light of the events of past days, we can assume those witnesses will be contacted and threatened into silence, or worse."

The deputy leaned back in his chair with a disbelieving frown. "Are you telling me you believe the motive behind the murder of the senator and the others is his investigation into the Yona Group?"

Eddings held the deputy's eyes. "Sir, I'm saying the senator and his two staff members had collected information that would have exposed a monopoly whose benefactors, if exposed, would lose roughly twelve million dollars in profits this year alone. And the senator's investigation had only scratched the surface. Wentzel had not yet expanded his investigation into the bordering states-that's why he wanted the Federal Trade Commission and the Bureau's involvement. It was going to be my recommendation that we form a special task force and-"

"Yes, I understand, Agent Eddings," the deputy said.

"Please forgive me for cutting you off, but discussing recommendations of what we were going to do doesn't help us.

I find it difficult to believe state authorities were not aware of the Yona Group's activities. What does the Georgia Bureau of Investigation say they have on them?"

"Sir, I have not talked to GBI as yet. We only found out a few hours ago that the missing files were those on the Yona Group investigation."

"I suggest you do that very soon, Agent Eddings. Also based on the amount of profits this group is generating, I'm sure the IRS will be of some assistance to us, and I also want the Federal Trade Commission brought in."

Before Eddings could respond, the deputy director shifted in his seat, pinning the SAC with a stare. "Don, this motive theory of Agent Eddings's seems very thin to me. I know it's all we've got to run with for now, but I have to tell you I have some problems with it. I find it difficult to believe the leaders of this group would hire assassins to kill a United States senator in order to stop an investigation concerning unfair business practices. We've seen price-fixing and monopolizing before in much larger corporations, and we both know they are nonfelony offenses. Even if they had been convicted, the leaders of the group would have suffered only fines and hard slaps on the wrists. There has to be more."

The SAC's face tightened with resolve. "Sir, myself and Agent Eddings agree with you. I assure you we will dig deeper and find out what else, if anything, the group is involved in."

"I know you will, Don. Now, what are you going to need from me, besides my people handling the media? I'm sure you've got a plan prepared."

"Yes, sir, we do. We're organizing a task force, but I'll need your permission to strip the resident offices to minimums and bring in the rest to man the task force. Agent Eddings has already made up a straw-man organization chart.

I'll also need forty more agents from other offices for a period of at least a month, and of course we'll need your experts from headquarters and Quantico."

The deputy nodded and stood. "Done. Anything else?"

Farrel looked into the deputy's eyes. "A word with you alone, sir. It's sensitive in nature."

The deputy frowned. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that. I'll meet you in your office. Go ahead and finish briefing your people and I'll go on up and have a cup of coffee."

Once the deputy departed with his two assistants, Farrel looked down the table at his agents. "Okay, people, right now it looks bleak, but there's bound to be light somewhere.

Find it. I'll let Agent Eddings brief you on how you're going to be organized. There is no need for me to underscore how important this case is. One note of warning to you all. As you know, the press has the story about the murders, and the reporters are outside the front entrance right now. All of the Atlanta television news crews are setting up camp. Remember, no one is to make any statements about this case.

Presently, the press does not know of the two staffers murdered in Washington, and for now we want to keep it that way. Refer all press to our media spokesmen. That's it for me. Agent Eddings has suggested we take a five-minute break for coffee then return and get down to business.

Thank you."

Eli stood, as did everyone else, until the SAC disappeared out the door. Stretching, Eli was about to ask Ashley what she thought about the meeting when he saw the Alabama halfback walking toward him with a smile.

Eli was about to introduce himself but saw that Eddings's eyes were not on him, but on Ashley.

"Ashley, you look absolutely wonderful," Eddings said as he drew closer.

Eli winced and waited for the fireworks to begin. No male agent dared called Special Agent Sutton by her Christian name. Eli had witnessed firsthand her response to those who had made the fatal error, and he knew what would be coming.

Waiting for the verbal blow, Eli was shocked to find that she was blushing like a schoolgirl. Then she smiled and said, "You're looking pretty good yourself, Paul."

Eli nearly fell over in shock. Special Agent Sutton blushing? And calling the jock Paul? And smiling at him? What in the hell was going on? he wondered.

Eddings stepped closer, looking into her eyes as if nobody else was in the conference room. "I knew you were going to be here. I saw your name on the list. I . . . I've missed you, Ashley."

Ashley blushed again and bashfully lowered her eyes.

"I've missed you, too, Paul."

Eli shook his head, but she was still standing there, looking like the pretty wallflower just asked to the prom by the best-looking hunk in school.

Eddings patted Ashley's shoulder. "I have to get some charts from my office for the meeting, but I'm not letting you go again until we talk. After the meeting I'll take you to lunch so we can catch up. Don't say no, Ashley, I really want us to talk."

Feeling like he was watching an episode on a soap, Eli quickly shifted his eyes to Ashley to await her response. She smiled coyly. "I'd love to have lunch with you, Paul. I'd like to catch up, too."

Eddings's eyes lingered on her for a long moment, then he turned and walked toward the door.

Eli tried to pin her with a questioning stare, but she didn't notice because she was watching the all-American walk away. Finally, when he was out of sight, she exhaled and shot a glare at Eli. "What?" she snapped.

Eli backed up a step and lifted his hand. "Nothin'. I was just wondering if you were feelin' all right?"

She gathered up her purse, swung it over her shoulder, and strode for the door. "I'm going to visit the ladies' room. . . .

I'll be back."

Stunned by the sudden transformation of Ashley Sutton, Eli sank back into his chair. Three minutes later he got another shock as Ashley walked through the conference room doorway along with the other agents--she was smiling. Special Agent Sutton did not smile, ever, when in the presence of agents; she assumed all male Bureau personnel hated female agents. And that wasn't all. Ashley had brushed her hair, put on lipstick, and applied some blusher to her cheeks. Eli stared at her. Ashley, is that really you? He forced himself to look away just before she got to her seat.

Then he caught the scent of her perfume, which she had never worn before, and knew he was in trouble. The new Special Agent Sutton was making him very uncomfortable.

He liked the other version better. Yes, she could be bitchy, and yes, at times she was hard to work with, but at least before he had known what to expect. This new person sitting beside him was a strange creature who bewildered and surprised him and smelled too good. It wasn't fair. The additional makeup, maybe; the smile was okay; but the perfume was too much. Hell, she smelled like a woman, not an agent.

How in the hell could he think and act naturally with that damn smell going through his head, triggering all kinds of crazy thoughts? Not fair.

At the head of the table Agent Paul Eddings said, "Let's get started. The Washington office will be responsible for investigating the Wentzel and Cooper homicides and the theft of the records. Our task force will have responsibility for everything else. First slide, please. Here, as you can see, is how we will be organized. Note, Team A will have responsibility for continuing the investigation on finding the assailants of the senator and his family. Team B, the larger team, will be responsible for reconstructing the investigation that Mr. Matthew Wentzel had started. Included in Team B will be representatives from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Federal Trade Commission investigators, and the IRS. The team chiefs have been appointed and have already given me a list of positions that will need to be filled. You can see on the chart where each of you is assigned and what positions are still vacant and will be filled by the additional support the deputy director approved earlier.

Please note the room assignments for each team because I propose we break up into our teams and allow the team leaders to further brief you on what your specific duties will be. Staff meetings will be conducted every day at ten A. M. and at three P. M., to exchange progress reports. Thank you in advance for your support. Please adjourn to your team rooms."

Eli's jaw muscles twitched as he looked at the chart and saw his name below Ashley's, both of them listed as special assistants to Paul Eddings. Yeah, right, Eli thought, now he'd have to watch the two of them play goo-goo eyes and pitty-pat for however long the investigation took. No way, I'm not going to be an REMF for Mr. All-American.

Ashley poked Eli in the side. "Come on, we have to go to Paul's office."

Eli slowly collected his notepad and spoke through clenched teeth. "Yeah, I wouldn't want 'Paul' to have to wait."

She eyed Eli as she swung her purse over her shoulder.

"Tanner, Paul is like a brother to me. We went through the Academy together, and we helped each other get through the tough times."

Standing, Eli sniffed the air. "You smell anything different?"

Red-faced, she turned her back on him and marched toward the door. He nodded to himself and said silently, Yeah, that's what I thought, too. Like a brother, my ass.

Minutes later Eli walked into the small office of Agent Eddings and saw the ex jock and Ashley seated beside each other, all smiles. Eddings rose and extended his hand.

"Agent Tanner, Ashley has been saying good things about you. I'm very happy to finally meet you. . . . I know we'll make a great team. We were just about to head out to have a bite of lunch. Please join us and we can all become acquainted and I'll explain how you'll be assisting me with the case."

Eli wrinkled his brow as he shook the ex--football player's hand. "Agent Eddings, I'm sorry, but I'm not the assistant type. If it's all the same to you, I'd like to fill the open position in Team B that liaisons with the GBI. I have friends in the Georgia State Bureau and I think I can do a lot more good there. And as far as lunch is concerned, I appreciate the offer but it's a little early for me to eat, plus I think it would be better if you two caught up on old times by yourselves."

Caught off guard by the rejection, Eddings let his smile dissolve. He motioned toward a large folder on his desk. "I should have been honest with you up front. I read your personnel file and saw that you had been assigned to the Miami office and were a member of the organized-crime division. I need your help. I need your expertise in looking into the possibility the Yona Group is connected to organized crime."