Ecuperating - Chapter 19

“Last time it was Eric Tanner who was a person of interest. I find that he’s dead. So why Lodge 16?” Carl asked, taking another bite. He washed it down with coffee.

“Lodge 16 is an important part of our training program for the FBI. It is also a part of the training program for the CIA. We are not ready to make that public knowledge. Therefore we are willing to forget the intrusion into the site by your employee.” Josh stated, taking his own bite out of a donut.

“Jeez! I can see why the cops love Mr. Donuts!” he salivated.

“You ought to get Krispy Kremes up here though. They’re the best.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got to remember we’ve only had the Colonel’s chicken up here a few years. This is the sticks, boys.” Shirley added.

“So, what do you expect me to do in return for your dropping the charges against John?” Carl asked.

“We want you to convince this author to drop her investigation of the lodge.” Jim said.

“Evidently you do not know Jayne Rice very well. All this will merely make her mad enough to continue on her own. I will tell you this: I will resign from the case for the dropping of the charges. That’s all I can promise. I have absolutely no control over what Ms. Rice does. I would suggest you contact her yourself if you want to put pressure on her. But again, pressure doesn’t work with her.

“Another thing, you perhaps do not know what information she already has concerning Eric Tanner. She knows he had a man killed in Newberry, Michigan, and she knows he was instrumental and was present in the murder of the entire Tessinari gang in New York in 1983.” Carl was pleased to see the shock on the faces of Perry and Carver.

“You know this for a fact?” Jim said.

“Yes. His fingerprints were found at both scenes and Jayne managed to put it all together. That’s why she wants this book. No one; not even the FBI, has that information. She smells a best seller in it. I think she’s right. It will sell well.”

“I’ll be right back,” Jim said, pulling out his cell phone and heading for the door.

“I have to check with my boss.” He speed dialed a number.

“This is Tanner,” a strong voice answered.

“What’s the story, Jim?” Tanner knew who was calling with the caller ID.

“Trouble, Eric. I think it’s a big problem. This Jayne Rice knows your old man killed the guy in Newberry and also the big massacre in New York with the Tessinari gang.”

“How the hell did she find that out? Nobody knows that but us!” Tanner exclaimed.

“My dad left nothing behind in either of those operations.”

“McNabb tells us Rice identified a fingerprint in both cases. She’s put it together and wants to write about it.”

“Well, come on back in. We’ll let this John Villemure go. We need to do more planning to get this lady off our backs. We can’t afford to go public at this time. We need another six months on the outside. Did McNabb buy your FBI cover again?”

“No problem there. He hasn’t even called the Detroit office to check our credentials, as far as I know.” Jim offered.

“No. That’s right. I have nothing from them to indicate that. Andrews is covering us there, and I have Standish covering us at the CIA. We should be okay yet. I’ll see you in a few hours. We have to plan our next move.” Eric hung up.

Carl called Jayne after Agents Perry and Carver left the office.

“I’m going to have to stop my investigation on your behalf in this Jayne. I don’t really want to, but I can’t afford pressure from the Feds in my business. I could lose my license in a hurry. And I think you have enough to write your book with what you have.”

I checked with the Michigan State Police, and they seem to uphold what your chief in Newberry said. They substantiated the story about their own man disappearing, but claimed it was only a story. They claim the man appeared in Alaska years later. This got them off the hook. I got the impression that the last part was only to bolster their own egos. They didn’t want to admit they were bested by Lodge 16.

“It seems Lodge 16 has many members in the State Police. Some of them are pretty high up too. Also they have members in both the FBI and CIA, not to mention they have three state Senators and several state Representatives in their organization. This came from my contact in the State Police. He also confirmed the superiority of the kids of that group relative to school and university activities. He claims they score higher on entrance tests than any one group. He also said he would not be able to get us any more information on the group. They are too close to him in the State Police. Not that he is afraid they would do anything to him, but he doesn’t need the pressure.”

“I can certainly understand your reluctance to continue, Carl. I don’t blame you a bit,” Jayne told him.

“I wouldn’t want you to get into any trouble on my account. And you’re right. I have plenty of information for a fictional novel right now. I’m sure I can make a best seller out of it. Thank you for your help, and please assure the FBI, if they come back, that I have dropped my investigation. Of course, you don’t have to tell them I’m still going to write the book!”

she laughed. “You got it, girl! I hope we’ll see you in the spring sometime. And get to work on that book!”

Carl hung up. Jayne was in the middle of a no limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker game at the Excalibur that afternoon when her cell phone went off. She didn’t recognize the number on her caller ID, but did recognize the area code. It was out of Washington D.C. OhOh! She thought. Looks like the FBI is acting quickly! She pushed away from the table.

“Hello?” she answered warily. A female voice came from the other end.

“Hello!” It said brightly. “Is this Jayne Rice, the author?”