The Carolina Coup: Another Rwandan Genocide? (The Jeannine Ryan Series Book 4) (9 page)

What the Hell?

The sliding doors had disintegrated into piles of crumbled safety glass.  Gripping flashlight and Beretta together, he looked through the gaping entryway.  Splintered chairs, an overturned lamp and smashed vases lay in disarray on the floor.  The wall opposite was pock-marked with lines of holes.

Brass objects glinted in the beam of his light.  They were 45 mm long casings, caliber 5.56 mm, either from a “Military” M16 or a “Civilian” AR15.  More than two dozen of them littered the deck, surely automatic fire.  But that meant the weapon was an M16, legally available only to the military, the police, and Fed types.

Inside, one of the chairs was stained with blood.  Outside, abundant drips on the deck led to dark splotches on the railing where bloody hands had grasped for support.

He called Jack Marino in Wilmington.

“I need you and an FBI crime crew out here right away.  This case has turned deadly.”

He went back inside.  Something, or someone, had dragged itself through the debris on the floor. 
Ryan? 
He saw strands of reddish hair in the splintered wood. His stomach knotted.

Jeannine’s hurt!  Where is she?

The morning sun shone through the windows of Captain Peter Hume’s quarters at Camp Geiger.  Jeannine limped into the kitchenette where Peter and Wayne Johnson sat at the table.

Wayne looked up.

“How’s the leg?  How do you feel?”

“Better, but you shouldn’t have let me sleep.  We have to go, I mean, I have to go.”

“What?”

Jeannine looked away from Wayne to Peter.

“Can I talk to Wayne alone for a minute?”

Peter left the room.

“Wayne, I can’t stay here.  The FBI wants me, and I shouldn’t get the Captain in trouble.  What’s more, I’m going to get Bill out of the hospital before the FBI gets there.”

“You’re right about Peter.  We shouldn’t involve him in our troubles.  But you’re wrong about Bill.  Even if he is able to leave the hospital, you can’t get him out without revealing who he is, and who you are.  It’s dangerous and it won’t work.”

“But it will!  I found this in his briefcase.  Remember, Bill was covert CIA.”

She waved a passport at him.

“This is issued to ‘Walter Harmon,’ but it’s Bill’s.  It has his photo.  I’ll identify the ‘John Doe’ in Onslow Memorial as ‘Walt Harmon’ using this ID.  But I have to hurry.  Whoever tried to kill us is hunting for Bill, and so is the FBI.  I’m taking my Subaru.  It can’t stay here.  You can follow in your car.”

Jeannine stood and rubbed her leg.  Wayne took her arm.

“But you’re hurt.

“So is Bill, and a lot worse than me.  Are you coming?”

She pushed past him and shouted.

“Thanks for everything, Peter.”

And was gone.

In Chantilly, Virginia, Denise Guerry punched Henri’s number.

“Henri, where are you?”

“I’m at the farm in Pender County.”

“Did you extract Doctor Smets.”

“Yes and he’s safe here.  Byrd doesn’t know this farm.”

“Henri, listen.  Byrd messed up at Topsail.  Holder was shot and hurt bad.  Byrd took him to the VA hospital in Fayetteville.  They’ll ask no questions because of Byrd’s cover.”

She paused and added.

“But Byrd is crazy!  Ryan is on the run with my documents and all he can think of is Smets.  Henri, can you assist me?”

“I’m here.”

“Good.  There’s a ‘John Doe’ in Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville.  Byrd thinks it’s Hamm.  If so Ryan may be close by.  It’s our only lead.  How far away are you from there?”

“Over an hour, but I can leave now.  What about Byrd?”

“He lost our papers and failed to retrieve them, plus he led the Feds to the new electronics lab.  He’s no longer of use.  SÉGAG wants him eliminated.  Kill him, but no one must find his body.  He’s a U.S. government agent.”

“Understood.”

She hung up.

Henri Duval put his “Grande Puissance” pistol into his shoulder holster.  The “Hi-Power” Browning, with its 13 round magazine, was his favorite handgun.

Denise Guerry, had asked for his help.  SÉGAG wanted him to eliminate Byrd.

“Henri, can you assist me?  SÉGAG wants him eliminate
d.
”  A request, not a command!

He visualized her blue eyes, no longer aloof and imperious, but soft and alluring.

Denise was very desirable.

Perhaps?

He shook his head.

Calm yourself, Henri, you cannot trust this woman.  Watch out!

Reason returned.

Why me?

Denise had others to do her bidding.  Henri’s job as security officer with SÉGAG was to protect people.  He had taken lives, but only in defense of others or himself.  He was no assassin.  He guarded others from such killers.

And once SÉGAG no longer needed Henri?

The answer was obvious.

The killer of a government agent like Byrd would be tracked down, no matter the cost.

Still, the image of the beautiful Denise floated before him.

Perhaps, after all?  Why not?

Done!

The drive to the hospital in Jacksonville would take over an hour.  Smets would stay at the farm.  The wimp would have to babysit himself.

Henri went to his car.

At the Onslow Memorial Hospital, a young doctor named Smith examined Stew Marks badge.

“FBI, what can I do for you Agent Marks?”

“Admissions told me you have a ‘John Doe’ on this ward.”

“That’s right.  End of the corridor, the door on your left.  Do you think you know who he is?”

But Stew was already in the corridor.

“Wait, Sir.  You can’t go alone.  I need to go with you.”

Stew reached the door as the doctor caught up.  They entered the room together.  The bed near the door was not occupied and the window bed was obscured by a drawn curtain.

Dr. Smith pulled it aside.  Stew stared.

The rumpled sheets were rolled back.  The bed was empty.

Stew Marks looked at the doctor.  The latter was already in the hallway.

“Nurse Wells, where is the patient in 213?”

“You mean Mr. Harmon, Walter Harmon.”

“How do you know his name?”

“His sister picked him up an hour ago.  She had his passport.  He was Walter Harmon all right.”

“Who authorized the discharge?”

“Dr. Omani was on duty.  It would have been him.”

Stew Marks broke in.

“Did you see Harmon’s sister?  What did she look like?”

Nurse Wells glanced at Dr. Smith.  He nodded approval.

She turned back to Stew.

“She had Auburn hair, quite red actually.  Around thirty, dressed casually, jeans.  Trim, maybe 5 foot five.  She said she wanted to move her brother to a hospital close to DC.”

“Did you see her car?”

“No.  Sue Lacy wheeled Mr. Harmon to the front door.  She might have seen it, but she’s off this afternoon.”

Stew turned to Dr. Smith.

“Can you get me a phone number for that nurse.”

Smith nodded.  Stew turned back to Nurse Wells.

“Thanks, you’ve been helpful.  One last question, was anyone else with the sister when she picked up her brother?”

“No one that I saw.”

Once outside the hospital, Stew Marks called his partner Jack Marino.

“Jack, I’m at the hospital in Jacksonville,  The ‘John Doe’
was
Hamm, but Ryan picked him up.  She’s probably in her Subaru.  Get out a bulletin on it.”

He added.

“I’m going to Surf City.  I want you to leave Wilmington and meet me there in an hour.”

Stew sighed.  Though he had failed to find Hamm, he was relieved.  Ryan had survived the fight at the beach house.

Jeannine was OK.

He was on Route 17 headed to Surf City when his partner called back.

“Stew, we have a hit on Ryan’s Subaru.  It’s parked outside the Food Lion at the Surf City turnoff.  How far away are you?”

“It’s right ahead.  I’ll be there in two minutes.”

Stew swung to the left.  Seconds later, he turned right into the supermarket lot.  Ahead, near the entrance was Jeannine’s Subaru.

The car was empty.

Stew Marks scanned the lot in front of the Food Lion Super Market before calling his partner.

“Jack, I’m at Ryan’s car.  It’s still at the Food Lion.  She must be in the store.”

At the sound of a motor he turned.

“Wait a minute, Jack.  Someone’s stopping.  I’ll call back.”

A man emerged from the car.  Stew started.

“Hugh Byrd, what are you doing here?”

“The same as you, looking for Ryan.  This is her Subaru.”

Byrd smiled.  Stew frowned.

“Where is your man Holder?”

“Where is yours?  Where’s Marino?”

“He’s on the way.  Now where is Holder?”

“He had an accident.  He was reassigned.”

“Come clean, Hugh.  Why are you here?”

“OK.  Like you, I heard about a ‘John Doe’ at the hospital in Jacksonville.  I was there when you came out empty-handed, so I figured it wasn’t Hamm.  I followed you here hoping you had a lead.  Seems I was right.”

Hugh had left his door open.  Stew noted an object on the passenger-side floor.

“Hugh, is that an M16 magazine on the floor?”

Hugh slammed the door shut.

“So what if it is?”

Stew recalled the M16 cartridges on the deck of Johnson’s beach house.

“Do you know Wayne Johnson?

“Johnson?  Never heard of him.”

“He has a beach house on Topsail Island.  There was a fire fight at that house yesterday.  One of the attackers was bloodied.”

“What do you mean ‘fire fight?’  This isn’t Afghanistan.”

“I mean a bloody mess.  And an M16 was involved.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Hugh, was Holder shot?  Was that the accident?”

But Hugh Byrd was done answering questions.  He strode to his car.

“Sorry Stew,  that’s classified.”

Stew stared after him, but there was no time to evaluate Hugh Byrd’s behavior.

A man was approaching Jeannine’s Subaru.

The man opened the door of the Subaru and put his groceries on the front seat.  Stew Marks stepped forward and held out his badge.

“FBI, Sir.  I’m Agent Marks.  May I know your name?

“Johnson, Wayne Johnson.  Is this about my beach house?”

“First, tell me where Dr. Ryan is.  This is her car.”

“I don’t know.  She’s afraid for her life.  You should be protecting her.”

“Mr. Johnson, she’s on the run.  We can’t protect her if we can’t find her.  Why do you have her car?”

“She needed mine.  My tank was full, hers was near empty.”

“Needed yours?  And you think you’re helping her!  Mr. Johnson what kind of car do you drive.  I need the Make, Model, Year and License Plate.  Now!”

Wayne complied.  Stew called Jack Marino and gave him the information about Wayne’s Buick.  He turned back to Wayne.

“Sir, If you really wanted to help Ms. Ryan you should have called us from the hospital.  How long is it since you saw her?”

“Maybe four hours.”

“And this guy Hamm is with her?”

“I assume so.  Yes.”

“He’s a fugitive.  Damn it, you both are aiding a fugitive!”

“But Jeannine’s in danger.  They tried to kill her.”

“And you suppose she’s not in danger now! What the hell were you thinking?”

A chastened Wayne mumbled.

“Maybe I need a lawyer.”

At the word “Lawyer,” Stew exploded.

“Damn right you do. Put your hands behind your back.”

Stew cuffed Wayne.

“Sir, you are under arrest.  You have the right to remain silent.  You have the right to consult an attorney and to have an attorney with you when questioned.  If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost.  Anything you say or do may be used against you in a court of law.”

Stew paused.

“Do you understand these rights?”

At Wayne’s affirmative nod, Stew continued.

“Knowing and understanding your rights as I just explained, are you willing to answer my questions now, while no attorney is with you?”

The barrage of legalese had left Wayne in shock.  He shook his head.

“No!”

At this point Jack Marino arrived.  Stew turned to him.

“Have the Subaru towed to our lot in Wilmington, and have our forensics guys go over it.  I’ll meet you in Wilmington.”

Stew pushed Wayne into his back seat.

“Damn it, Mr. Johnson, you should have called us.  Your friend Ryan has crossed the line.  I can’t help her now.”

Puzzled by that last comment, Wayne stayed silent as Agent Marks drove south towards Wilmington.