On Monday morning Jack and Laura arrived at the Aquatic Centre Café in separate vehicles. Their aim was to follow Graves after he delivered the weapons to Linquist. If Jack was right in his belief that Graves had received the guns on credit, then he’d have to pay whoever supplied him with the guns afterward.
Jack chose to drive an SUV, as they were more common and less obvious than trying to follow someone in a van. He parked in a location where he could watch the entrance through binoculars while Laura parked her car and went inside.
At 10:00 a.m. Jack saw Buster Linquist arrive and phoned Laura. A moment later she confirmed that he’d taken a seat by himself in the café.
As the minutes ticked past, Jack used his binoculars to scan other cars parked in the area to see if anyone else was watching. Counter-surveillance by bad guys was not uncommon, both for protection from the police and from other bad guys intent on robbing them.
He didn’t see anyone suspicious, but did notice a car slowly driving past for the second time. Someone looking for a parking spot, or checking for surveillance?
He took a photo of the car and licence plate as it passed, then realized they were dealer plates. Okay … test driving a new car.
It was then that someone caught his eye. A man exited the café and immediately used his phone while looking intently all around.
Jack took a couple of photos, then called Laura. “You see a guy with a black jacket, dark grey pants, about forty, leave?”
“Yes. He was by himself. Eyed me up and down, but I thought he was only being a guy. Maybe he was looking for heat. Why? Do you think he’s the connection? Maybe hanging around for the money?”
“Could be. He’s standing outside the entrance and using his phone and gawking all around.”
“Gotcha.”
Jack took a few more photos, but the man had the phone close to his mouth and he wasn’t able to get a good facial image.
He then saw Graves carrying a backpack and walking toward the restaurant.
Jack eyed the man with the phone again. Did you just give him the all-clear call?
Graves walked past the man without any obvious sign of recognition and Jack told Laura what he’d seen. A moment later Laura reported that Graves had joined Buster at his table.
Jack then saw a woman pull her car over to the curb. The man he’d been watching put his phone away and quickly got in.
Jack photographed the car and licence plate, then saw the man give her a peck on the cheek. A toddler’s seat in the rear told him that his suspicions were likely unfounded.
“Okay,” Laura whispered into her phone. “Graves handed Linquist the backpack. He’s unzipping it … peeking inside … Linquist is reaching under the table … Graves is glancing down. Okay, I suspect Linquist handed him the money under the table.”
“Good.”
“Linquist is standing up. Looks like he’s leaving.”
“Stay put to see if Graves hands cash off to someone else in there.”
“Will do. I bet they were fronted. I don’t see a goofball like him having ten grand or whatever amount he’d need to pay for them. Okay … hang on, guess if he is handing the money off it’s not in here. They’re leaving together.”
Jack watched Graves and Linquist part company out front. He and Laura then followed Graves back to his apartment. Once there Jack positioned his SUV to watch Graves’s truck from the rear of the apartment building while Laura parked her car to watch the front.
There was no activity until 5:00 p.m. when Jack next saw Graves. He quickly phoned Laura. “He’s going to his truck. Hang on … he’s leaning over.” Jack thumbed the dial on his binoculars. “Maybe getting something from the glovebox. He’s back out of the truck. Yes! We’re in luck. He’s got a flashlight and is crawling underneath.”
“Good, I was getting bored. Hopefully he’s getting ready to meet his connection and not deliver guns to someone else.”
“My guess is it’s his connection. Roger’s team was on him. He only retrieved two socks from one vehicle. I’m sure all the guns he had were what he passed on to Linquist. Okay … he’s popped the hood and is looking inside the engine compartment.”
“Monday night at the border shouldn’t be much of a wait,” Laura noted.
“He closed the hood and is looking under his seat … wait … no, the asshole has his own set of binoculars. I’ve got to duck. He’s scanning the area.”
“He is one kinky puppy.”
Jack peeked over the dash and saw Graves using the binoculars to scan the sky.
Looking for aircraft surveillance, jerk? No worries. I know where you’re going.
Graves then got in his truck and drove away.
“Okay, he’s on the move.” Jack said, smiling to himself. You’re not as thorough as you think you are.
“Head for the border?” Laura asked.
“You got it. I’ll get ahead of him and wait while you follow him through. I’m calling ATF now.”
Jack then called Ferg and told him what had transpired.
“Good timing,” Ferg said. “I’m already on my way home. Leaving the Seattle city limits as we speak. I could be in the vicinity of Bellis Fair within forty-five minutes.”
“That’s where he brought the guns to be delivered to Canada,” Jack noted, “but who knows where he goes to pick them up … or pay for them, if my guess is right. He might be going to Seattle.”
“Either way, he’s coming my way. We’ll have him between us.”
“I think I can confirm he’s heading to the States. I just spotted him ahead of me, southbound on the 99. I’ll pass him and wait on your side of the border so I don’t get caught up waiting at Customs.”
“See you soon, amigo.”
Twenty minutes later Jack crossed into the U.S. and waited near the border while Laura followed Graves. Ten minutes after Jack crossed the border, Graves also cleared Customs and Laura followed two minutes later.
Jack then called Ferg. “We’ve cleared Customs and are southbound on the I-5.”
“Perfect,” Ferg responded. “That puts you about thirty minutes away from Bellis Fair, which I’m almost at. I’ll set up north of it on the I-5 and wait to join the parade.”
“Good. I’ll call you when we’re about fifteen minutes away.”
As Jack followed Graves south on the I-5 he noticed he was checking the side mirrors on his truck continually. Jack glanced in his own rear-view mirror and saw that Laura was behind him. Jack picked up the phone again.
“We better drop back out of sight, Laura,” Jack said. “He’s driving slower than most everyone else and is checking his rear-views continually. You and I are beginning to stand out like a couple of sore thumbs.”
“We’ll risk losing him,” Laura replied.
“I’d rather do that than heat him up. He’s only about fifteen minutes north of where Ferg is. I’ll call him and tell him to keep his eyes peeled. With luck, the three of us can then follow him without being made.”
Jack then called Ferg and kept him abreast of the distance between them as he drew nearer. Any hope he had of discovering Graves’s connection vanished when he drove past Ferg, who was still waiting on a side ramp.
“Sorry, amigo. He didn’t come by,” Ferg said.
Damn it! The son-of-a-bitch turned off.
“Maybe he took the Bakerview Road exit north of here,” Ferg suggested. “It’s not the shortest way to the mall, but it still takes you there. Let’s check the mall regardless. He could still be meeting someone there.”
Jack felt disheartened, but agreed. Minutes later he was driving through one of the mall parking lots when he knew his troubles were not over.
Oh shit!
He swung the wheel hard, but the sound of grating metal and his SUV being knocked sideways told him he was too late.
Jack came to an abrupt stop and stared out the window. Oh yeah. I’m in it now. Right up to my ears.…