Chapter 21
Scott had already made two trips between the car and the apartment. He opened the door before his last trip and looked over his shoulder at Lauren. Her face glowed as she rummaged through the packages. The news that the police did not know Scott's identity, combined with obtaining new clothes had lifted her spirits considerably. He went to his car and retrieved the last packages and the rose. He entered the apartment and put down the bags but kept the flower out of sight as he spoke, “I have something else for you.” Lauren was still on the floor when he brought his hand around and gave her the rose.
“Oh, Scott. You're about the sweetest man I've ever known.” She admired the flower, smelled it, then looked at him. “I don't know how to thank you, but I'll remember everything you've done for the rest of my life—and that includes giving me the roses.”
Scott said, “There's an old Chinese proverb I've always believed in. It goes something like this: flowers always leave a fragrance in the hand that bestows them.”
Lauren smiled. She started to speak, but it seemed as if some new thought changed her mind. She got up and went into the kitchen, returning shortly with a white bud vase containing the rose. She placed it on a table, and then she sat looking at the flower. A warm, comfortable silence filled the room, the essence of which Scott wished he could capture in a bottle to save for some future moment when one’s soul begged for such a comforting tonic.
After several minutes, Scott went into his office. He spent considerable time reviewing the markets but found nothing worthy of a trade. He turned his attention to his magazine article but after half an hour, he realized his attitude about the project had changed. He still wanted to complete the article, but too much had happened. He decided to call the magazine and request an extension of the deadline.
He leaned back and thought about the immediate problem. He needed to go to Washington. He would meet with Angela Williams if she agreed to help, but his real objective was to find out more about the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Scott thought he might spend a day or two following Benson, maybe even approach him if he could do it safely.
***
They shared various household duties that afternoon, and then discussed the necessity of obtaining a wig for Lauren. Because they would occasionally go out to make phone calls, they agreed to make the wig purchase a priority. Lauren checked the phone book and found a suitable boutique about two miles away. The ad said the shop closed at six o'clock. When they were ready to leave Scott stuck the pistol under his belt and put on a sport coat. He became anxious as they approached the elevator. This was the first time Lauren had left the apartment, and the trip to the boutique proved nerve wracking. They talked some but mostly watched nearby vehicles. It seemed as if each car was full of potential assassins.
After arriving at the store, Lauren tried on several different wigs that neither of them liked. Then she came out with a long, flowing, auburn wig. She looked different, and she looked beautiful. Scott pulled out his wallet, purchased the wig, and told her to leave it on. Except for her clothes, Lauren left the shop with a very different look.
Scott selected a phone booth in a hotel lobby for the calls to Angela and Lauren's parents. They had previously discussed the need to keep the conversations short and to say nothing about her location. He stood nearby, acutely aware of the weight from his gun, watching everyone entering the lobby.
Lauren finished her first call, paused a moment, obviously struggling with her emotions, then she dialed Angela. She ended the conversation, stepped out of the booth, and said, “She's worried, but she'll try to help.”
“Great.”
“She also said it's hard to comprehend that Hayden Benson is mixed up in something like this, but she made it clear that she believes I'm telling the truth.”
“Did she agree to meet me on Thursday?”
“The Lincoln Memorial. She'll be at the top of the steps at three o'clock.”
“How will we recognize each other?”
Lauren spoke without hesitation. “I told her to look for the handsomest man there.”
Scott felt a surge of emotion. This was the first time she had said anything with a romantic implication. He changed lanes and glanced at her. “Well, I've got this thing for a cute blonde I'm living with, but I just might kick her out and have you move in.”
She laughed.
They stopped at a market and bought groceries. Lauren looked different, but Scott still felt nervous. Living in constant fear seemed inevitable. He felt exposed while on the streets, but the pressure eased when they stepped into the apartment. After he placed the grocery bag on the counter, the phone rang. He picked up the kitchen extension.
“It's Jason. I've been trying to reach you and got worried.”
“We had to run a few errands but we're fine. Did you talk to Jenny?”
“Yeah. It took forty-five minutes and I had to promise her an outrageously expensive dinner, but she agreed to help.”
“Jenny always was a good negotiator.”
“Tell me about it. Remember, I dated her for three years.” Jason's tone changed. “Are you going to be there the rest of the evening?”
“Yes.”
“I'm on my way over. I'll explain everything when I get there.”
Jason arrived twenty minutes after they had put away the groceries. Scott introduced Lauren and asked about the reports.
“You've got a modem and a printer, right?”
“Sure.”
Jason said, “Can two people fit in your office at one time?”
Scott saw Lauren grinning and rolled his eyes.
The two men went down the hall to Scott's office.
“All right,” Jason said. “Here's the deal. Jenny gave me a phone number to access the system, but the password is only good for twenty-four hours.”
“How will I find the right system for the reports I need?”
“That's why I'm here. Jenny gave me a list of the proper keystrokes. Between the two of us, we should be able to figure it out.”
Ninety minutes later, they had produced a stack of reports showing all trades placed during the last thirty minutes on the day the USDA crop report was released.
“That's the easy part,” Scott said .
Jason grabbed a stack of printouts. “I'll stay and help you go through these.”
Lauren entered the room with a large tray containing three dinner plates. She had changed into jeans and a denim shirt. “If one more can squeeze in here, we can eat and then I'll help.”
At two thirty, they had a final printout that listed only those new short positions placed right before the market closed. Somewhere among those names and account numbers, Scott hoped to find a few large trades that would lead to the identity of the person controlling the scheme. He went through the list, then leaned back in his chair and threw his pencil on the desk. “Shit—”
“What's wrong?” Jason asked.
“I should have known whoever came up with something this good wouldn't use one account number. There isn't a single large order on this list, but there were a lot of medium-sized orders entered right at the close.”
Jason leaned over. “What are the names?”
“That's the other problem. Most of these accounts look phony. The rest are legitimate hedgers.”
“What do you mean by phony?”
Scott pointed to the list. “They look like corporate shells. I've never heard of any of them.”
“How about the others?” Jason asked.
“Let me separate them and print out a new list.” He punched several keys and activated the printer.
“These are the hedgers. Let's take a look.”
They scanned the first page:
Arwood Inc
Burgess Grain
Consolidated Ohio Grai n
Barry T. Hanson
Harper Exports
E. H. Newbury
Victor Merrick
Natco Northern Ltd
Turner Grain Exporters
Oliverio & Sons
Paul R. Oppenheimer
R & R Grain
Staten Grain
Peter M. Stonebridge
“There's another page,” Scott said, “but it's just more of the same. Every one of these accounts had a legitimate reason to be in the market. It's those names on the other report that are suspect.”
“How do you trace a corporate shell?” Lauren asked.
“Damned if I know. There's probably a whole series of bogus names behind each one, and I'll bet they all lead to a dead end.”
The results of their efforts combined with the late hour had changed everyone's mood. “That's enough for tonight,” Scott said. He got up and stretched. “I'll sleep on this and take another look later. Let's hope the devil's in the details.”
Lauren excused herself and went to bed.
The two men talked for several minutes, and Scott arranged for Lauren to stay with Jason while he was in Washington.
***
After a restless night, Scott spent the next day sifting through the trading reports but found nothing new. He realized it was possible that one of the legitimate hedgers listed could be involved, but it did not seem likely. He thought the list with the apparently fabricated names and accounts were set up by whoever had access to the USDA information. They were probably hooked into Swiss numbered accounts. The individual who used the illegal data had evidently thought of everything.
Scott worried that someone that clever would be equally as resourceful in his search for Lauren.