Chapter 5
The black car did not appear again for four days. Then, just three days before the girl’s eighteenth birthday, it surfaced. The assassin seemed bolder this time. He was out of the car and across the street while the girl was still walking to the bus. It was her last day of school, and she was almost to the bus stop as the man stepped through the brush outside the park and into the yard of a neighboring mobile home. Roberts and Diaz were ready for him. If he made any move toward the girl, they would take him out, but he didn’t. He did, however, do the search again. This time, however, when Roberts decided to walk the dog to scare him off, the man didn’t budge.
“Excuse me, sir, are you looking for something?” Roberts asked as he came within hearing distance. The dog stopped obediently at his side.
“I lost something in the bushes, old man. Just go on about your business.”
“I happen to know that you don’t live in this trailer. Maybe you need to move on, sir.”
The man looked up. He had heard the threat in Roberts’ tone, and was sizing him up. He paused as if making a decision.
“All right. I will. I don’t need it anymore anyway.” And he casually walked up the road as if he belonged in the park, and out the exit, to his car. Before his engine had even started, Roberts was on the radio to the couple in the sports car.
“Davis, Michaels. Has the girl arrived at school?”
“Yes,” came the reply, “we just saw agent Thomas posing as the groundskeeper walk her in.”
“Good, I need you to tail the black sedan. He’s headed north on the main road from the park; you should meet him if you head back now. I think he’s going to try something today.”
“Ok, we are on it.”
“He might be heading to the school. Regardless, let me know where he is at all times.”
“Got it.”
Roberts and Diaz straightened up the rental just in case they needed to leave quickly. They were used to living out of suitcases, and this case would actually be shorter than many they had handled, but leaving things behind when you departed a location was always bad. There was no telling how much trouble even the smallest unnoticed item could cause.
The radio crackled, then came to life. “He’s at the school. It looks like he’s staying put.”
“Good. Stay on him. If he leaves the vehicle at all, one of you follow him, and one of you stake out the car.”
“Ten-four.”
Next followed an intense sixteen-hour wait, observing the black car. Even the tiniest movement of the man behind the wheel put the couple watching him on alert. Late in the afternoon, the two agents spotted Miss Becker and her two friends pointing at the black car in the parking lot, from inside the fence that separated the lot from the school. As soon as Miss Becker walked away, the black car came to life, and drove off. They followed him to a small café where he ate and drank, and used the facilities. Agent Michaels, the female agent, went in to watch him. She ordered two sandwiches as well, since both she and Agent Davis were famished. She stood at the counter and flirted with the help, while observing the assassin unnoticed. She used the ladies room while waiting for the sandwiches, then took drinks and food out to the car.
“He’s still in there?”
“Of course, he’s a slow eater.” Michaels handed a sandwich and drink to Davis and they both ate rapidly. Getting a chance to eat was sometimes impossible for hours on end, so they had learned to get food every chance they had. Sometimes they stored food in the car for long stakeouts.
The assassin sauntered out of the café and back to his car. He drove back towards the mobile home park. Michaels radioed ahead.
“He’s heading back your way, Roberts. Not sure what his plan is. Isn’t the girl graduating tonight?”
“Yes, and the mom came home earlier today, so I suspect Miss Becker will be coming home before going to graduation. Yes, the friend just dropped her off.”
“All right. As soon as this guy settles, we will change vehicles and ID’s and meet you at the school as planned.”
“Good. Take two vehicles. We might need them, you never know.”
Roberts and Diaz were alert and ready. They knew the assassin was going to try to make a move within in the next three days. Tonight might be the night. Shooting the girl while she was walking across the stage to receive her diploma was something he might try. It was hard to prevent, as well, unless they knew where he was at all times.
The black car drove slowly through the mobile home park. This was new. He had never entered the park before. He paused near the Beckers’ home, probably trying to see who was home. The agents wondered if the assassin knew that the mom’s car was disabled, and so had gotten home with a neighbor. Then the car continued; pausing at another empty mobile just two doors past the one that Roberts and Diaz were renting. Roberts sent a knowing look to Diaz. The assassin was assessing this location as a possible sniper position. Fortunately, they would instantly know if the assassin chose to enter that site, since they had wired it, and all the other empty mobile homes in the park, for sound. The ones nearest to the Becker’s home, like that one, were also set up with alarms on any entry point, and a computer would notify them if the perimeter was breached.
Within a few minutes, Davis pulled up alongside the entrance to the mobile park, on a motorcycle. He would be following along with the female agent, Agent Michaels, to make sure of the location of the black car and its occupant at all times tonight. Michaels was heading back to the high school in the sporty car to watch for threats before the girl got back. The last two agents, Agent Thomas and Agent O’Brian were still in their roles as janitor and groundskeeper at the high school. They were making sure that anyone working behind the scenes of the evening was who they said they were. It would be easy for the assassin to slip in as a parent helper, or visiting faculty, and they would make sure that didn’t happen.
When it came time for the Beckers to go to the evening ceremonies, Roberts and Diaz discreetly followed them in the older model luxury car they were using as their cover. Davis had already reported that the suspect vehicle had arrived at the high school, and the man they were watching was sitting in the stands with the rest of the friends and family of the graduates. Michaels had found a vacant spot right behind him, three rows back, and was unabashedly flirting with a young college kid. The young man was blushing, and having the time of his life, while Michaels was calculating each and every move the man she was watching made.
Having observed the graduation rehearsal, the team of six knew exactly when Miss Becker would be out in the open. That was the time they dreaded the most. As soon as her row stood to approach the stage, Michaels stopped flirting and focused all her attention on her prey. She watched the man reach into his pocket, and she prepared herself to tackle if necessary, but all he pulled out was a set of binoculars. Oh, so that was his goal. He wanted to get a good look at the girl. Okay, looking was fine, but Michaels stayed on her guard. Once Miss Becker had received her diploma, and, with the rest of the students in her row, was again seated, Michaels breathed a sigh of relief, and relaxed just a bit. She turned her head to laugh at something the college kid said, and almost missed her man rising to leave the bleachers. She excused herself to the ladies’ room, and quickly followed the suspect out. Once she was clear of the crowd she beeped her radio once, to signal the groundskeeper and janitor to pick up as lookouts. They saw the man and were on him instantly.
The rest of the evening was tense. All six agents kept vigil, watching the girl and the suspect equally. Since the girl was staying for the party, the janitor and groundskeeper easily kept her in sight, without being noticed. The other four watched the black car. The man had gotten in it as soon as he left the bleachers, and had not left it since. This was verified every hour by one or the other of them walking in front of his car, and glancing in through the windshield. Although it was tinted, it wasn’t black like the sides and back, and the man was clearly visible in the driver’s seat.
Late in the evening, with students milling around the parking lot, the janitor radioed that the girl and her friends were leaving. They would be going to the home of the tall black girl, Alex, and staying the night, he informed them. Roberts and Diaz left the parking lot first, and went up the main road a few hundred feet, so as not to be obvious when they followed the girls. Michaels and Davis both got into the sporty car, prepared for anything, and continued watching the black car. As soon as they saw the three girls get into the car, the agents pulled up alongside another car, hidden, ready, and waiting to see if black car would interfere. It would be bad for the girls to have to deal with the suspect this late in the evening, as they had to be exhausted.
The moment Michaels saw the black car back out, she knew they had to prevent a meeting tonight. Nothing should cast a shadow on Miss Becker’s graduation day, she determined. “Let’s block him in,” she said to Davis. She radioed to Roberts, “Suspect on the move. Let’s not let him leave. He doesn’t know where the girl is headed, so we should make sure he doesn’t find out.”
“What’s your plan?” Roberts asked.
“When I pull up behind the girls, come back into the parking lot. Let’s block anyone else from leaving for a few minutes.”
“Yes, that will work. Hope you aren’t attached to your sports car.” Roberts grinned. It was a company car. He radioed to the last two agents. “If you guys are out of your maintenance uniforms and back to your vehicle, I need you to tail the Becker girl. The rest of us are keeping the suspect away.”
“We are pulling out of the staff parking lot now, sir. Yes, we see the car. We will update as necessary,” they finished.
Davis quickly pulled up behind the girl Alex’s car, before the black car could get close. Then they watched Roberts swing into the parking lot from the main road, and braced themselves for the impact they were sure was to come. Roberts squealed his brakes, and impacted the rear bumper of the sports car at the perfect angle to block anyone thinking of leaving. The black car had pulled up behind them, but they got out doing the expected exchange with Roberts, and checking damage to the vehicle, etc. All four agents involved in the “accident” observed the vehicle containing their charge quickly escape onto the main road, and saw Thomas and O’Brian on their tail. Relieved, they continued their ruse as long as they dared, then allowed other people in the crowd to help them move all the vehicles out the way, so the tired graduates could go to their homes. The driver of the black sedan never got out of his vehicle. He just sat and waited for the exit to clear then burned rubber on his way out to show his irritation at the delay. No one had noticed Diaz furtively leaving the rest of the “accident” victims, and heading to the spare vehicle that Roberts had had the foresight to request Davis and Michaels bring. He quickly jumped on the small motorcycle near the edge of the lot, and within seconds, could see the taillights of the suspect’s car. The team of agents knew that the girls were already under watch, but they did not want to lose sight of the man who wished her harm. Knowing where he went was half of their battle.
The black sedan raced through the local town, up one street, down another, as if searching for something. Assuming it was Alex’s car he was looking for, Diaz radioed to the two agents following the girls for an update.
“They just entered the tall black girl’s house. After just a short while, all the lights were out. O’Brian and I are doing a perimeter security sweep now.”
“Good. The suspect is still in town, and can’t find the girl. I assume he will give up and find a motel soon.”
After another twenty minutes of dashing through streets, the suspect did give up. He drove up to a mid-class motel and went into the office, exiting a few moments later with a key. Diaz watched him enter a room at the end of the row, and reported to Roberts.
“Go into the office and see if he left a name,” Roberts ordered.
Diaz entered the office and sized up the clerk at the desk. Young, naïve - perfect. He pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and lay it on the counter, and with his hand still on it, he asked, “What name did the man who just left the office give when he registered?”
The clerk looked at him, then down at the cash, and said, “We are not allowed to give out that information, sir.” Then he slowly turned the computer screen around, so that Diaz could see it, and reached for the money. “I need to go check something in the back; I will be back in five minutes. Let me know if you need something I can help you with.” He took the money, and went into the back room.
Diaz quickly went around the counter, and jotted down the information on the computer screen. Name: John Smith. What a laugh. It was an obvious alias. Address: 1234 Main Street, New York, NY. Probably fake as well. He searched the screen for anything at all useful. Paid by cash, two nights. That was useful. The suspect would be in this motel the next night as well.
Diaz left the motel and returned to the motorcycle. He saw Roberts in the old luxury car parked across the street, and rode over to him to report.
“Fake name, fake address, paid cash two nights stay,” he informed. “Not a lot to go on, but we know he’s planning on staying another night. Do we have enough yet to get a government agency involved? Someone who has a license to kill?”
“I’ve been keeping an FBI friend of mine informed all along, but so far he doesn’t seem to think he can get involved. If we could find a weapon, or anything that shows that man is more than just stalking Miss Becker, then they will take over and protect her.”
“And the threats that came in?” Diaz questioned.
“Director Johnson was never able to determine the origin of the threats, so the FBI thinks the threats were a hoax, and this man is just a stalker.”
Diaz looked perturbed.
“Don’t worry about it, Diaz. If our girl is in peril, we will use deadly force to protect her. It wouldn’t be as easy as it would if the FBI did it, but we are licensed to carry weapons, and protect our charge. Miss Becker will be safe. We will make sure of it.” And Roberts prepared for a long stake out. He wanted to be sure the man in the motel room never left his sight.
The next day, the suspect emerged late in the morning, and drove directly to the mobile home park. Having no idea where the girl was, he probably figured she would come home at some point. Roberts and Diaz watched him watch the mobile, and enjoyed the show. It was good to know she was away today, at the other friend Charlie’s home in the ritzy part of town.
Early in the evening, Davis informed Roberts that the girls were headed to the mobile park, so the game was on. Roberts donned the floppy straw hat from before and the dog chain, and prepared to take the dog for a few loops around the mobile home park. Diaz put on an electric company uniform, and climbed up a telephone pole near the Becker’s home. From there he had perfect view of any movement near the house. Davis, Michaels, Thomas, and O’Brian arrived back at the mobile park in stages, following the girls. They stationed themselves unobtrusively and sporadically through the mobile home park and surrounding area, as planned earlier. Thomas and O’Brian were to keep the suspect in sight at all times. They were the only two agents the suspect hadn’t yet seen, since they weren’t involved in the “accident” at the high school, but so far, the man hadn’t left his vehicle, even though the girls had been in the Becker home for several hours already.
Finally, Miss Becker’s two friends left in the tall girl’s car. Now there was just the mom and daughter to watch, and the assassin. At about ten o’clock, it was dark, and the two women in the mobile home were moving toward the rear of the home, shutting off lights as they went, as if preparing the house before retiring. Then, the last light was out. Roberts was still out walking the dog. He figured the poor thing was worn out from walking so much, and they had rested here and there as he saw fit, always within sight of the mobile. Then the radio crackled. It was Thomas.
“Suspect has left the vehicle, and is crossing the street. He’s heading to the brush near the road, and will be slipping between two mobiles and into the park within thirty seconds.”
“Ear-pieces in now, and radio silence unless it’s an emergency. Converge upon the mobile,” Roberts ordered the team.
From watching the man previous times, Roberts knew exactly where he would enter the park at, and was waiting there. He considered putting the dog back in their rental, but the dog was so pooped, he most likely would not make a sound, and he might need his dog walking cover if something happened.
The suspect came through a neighboring yard and towards the Becker’s mobile exactly where Roberts expected him. The man was stealthy, and dressed in black. If Roberts hadn’t seen him slip through the bushes, he would probably not have seen him at all. Using night-vision glasses, Roberts watched the perpetrator approach the home. The man searched the bushes briefly as before, but then gave up and softly, quietly climbed the stairs to the front door of the Becker’s home. He reached for the doorknob, and turned. Roberts held his breath for a moment, hoping Mrs. Becker had locked the door before going to bed. She had. Thwarted, the man left the front door and went around behind the trailer. From his towering height up the power pole Diaz, also using night-vision goggles, watched him move. The man stopped underneath a bedroom window and looked up, measuring the distance. The window was inaccessible without a ladder. The man then seemed to inspect the metal skirting surrounding the home, looking for an opening.
After about twenty minutes of investigation of the entire perimeter, the suspect went back through the shrubbery and across the street to his car. Then he drove away, Thomas and O’Brian following him. The other four agents, relieved, quietly assembled back at the rented mobile to discuss plans for the next day. That would be the final day before Miss Becker’s eighteenth birthday, and, from the intense scrutiny of the perimeter of the Becker’s mobile, the assassin would be attempting to harm her very soon. Roberts assigned shifts for each of them in turn, and sent them off for rest, taking the first turn himself. The next thirty-six hours were going to be intense. Either they completed their assignment, delivering the girl alive and well to the Director the morning she was a legal adult, or they failed in their duty, and she died. Either way, they were holding Miss Becker’s life in their hands. It was a heavy thing to hold, Roberts decided as he settled into his watch.