Page 61 of Shadow of Death
“I can see the car. I can’t see the agent! There’s no one in the car, Amy. I’m scared!”
“All right, stay on the phone. You have the doors locked and—”
“Yes, yes, and the windows are locked, but... Amy, I’m scared.”
“All right, we’ll get out there right away. And not to worry, they’ll reach your agent from headquarters and we’ll find out what is going on. Please don’t panic, Carey. It would truly be foolish for anyone to come after you, but we won’t take any chances. Stay inside, keep everything locked and keep talking to me.”
She was looking at Andy as she spoke. He nodded and then he started moving down the hall. “Come with me now. I’m bringing up Gleason’s body cam—he was watching Carey’s house. Gleason is a good man, he’d never just leave.”
They followed him quickly. He walked over to the video computer and punched keys, but instead of the dashboard all they saw was static.
Gleason wasn’t in his vehicle. Andy ran the tape back to see the preceding minutes.
Back to where Gleason sat in his unmarked car. They saw the officer turn his body to reveal that he was approached by a figure in a jacket, scarf, and hat. They couldn’t see anything of the man’s face; he knew there was on a camera.
He kept his head down.
They could see Gleason was appropriately cautious, but when told anxiously there was something strange on the back of his car, he groaned and exited the vehicle. They could see him follow the stranger and walk around the car, and then...
The figure had stepped out of the body cam’s line of vision. Moments later, the feed cut to static.
Andy’s assistant had followed him in. Andy turned to him, saying, “Get the forces on it. I want any piece of security footage anyone has from that neighborhood. Closest unit to Carey’s place immediately—”
“Right,” Hunter interrupted. “But have them observe and surround the place.”
“And let us get there,” Amy said.
“They can burst in and—”
“If this is a cult lackey, he’ll let himself be killed, taking Carey with him. If the police or agents burst in, she’s dead. We can be there in ten minutes—give us a chance,” Hunter said.
“Go,” Andy said. “But keep me informed, every step of the way.”
Hunter nodded at Amy and they started out quickly.
“Do you think someone will be that willing to die?” she asked.
“Whoever was sent there? Yes.”
“How do people ever get so crazy?” she whispered.
He smiled. “Normal people fall prey to all kinds of propaganda all the time. Needy people are seeking something to believe in. Mind control is one of the most frightening aspects of this job that we ever face. But you know that by now.”
“So, we have to figure out how to use it in reverse,” Amy murmured.
He glanced at her, grimaced, and nodded. “Talking. Finding the right points. And it’s something I’m betting you’re better at. We’re all a bit jaded, but you find empathy for everyone.”
“Not everyone,” she assured him. “If I knew who was doing this...um. No, I don’t think empathy would kick in!”
They were in the car when both their phones vibrated; it was a call from an Officer Zwick of the local police. He had checked out Gleason’s car. It was empty and there was no sign of anyone near it. A door-to-door search was ongoing. He and his partner and one more team were assigned to the house, and they were holding position, and would not force entry to the house that had been under bureau surveillance.
“We’re on our way,” Amy said. Hunter was driving but she could glance at the gages on his GPS. “ETA eight minutes,” she said.
“We aren’t hearing anything from the house,” Zwick said, “but as ordered, holding pat.”
“Thank you,” Hunter said. He ended the call and glanced at Amy. “There has to be something on video somewhere. That neighborhood is a family-oriented, middle-income area—but I’m willing to bet there are home cameras.”
“The problem is those cameras usually pick up the front of a house and don’t extend to the street,” Amy said.
