Chapter 15
The Collin County Jail was a pretty dismal place, and Stan felt very uncomfortable as he waited to see Melissa Thornton. Dozens of people lingered around, many of them unsavory looking characters that Stan thought ought to be in a jail cell rather than in the waiting room. The scene brought back horrific memories of his time in the brig at Quantico, Virginia after he was arrested for the murder of his drill sergeant. His neck and shoulders began to tense up and he felt a headache coming on.
While he waited he wondered how they were treating Melissa. He felt sorry for her having to endure this ordeal while here husband was off somewhere hiding from the FBI. Finally, the deputy escorted him to a visitors room where Melissa was seated at a small table with a screen between them to prevent any physical contact. Stan walked over and sat down.
“How you holding up?” Stan asked.
“It’s miserable in here. I can’t wait to get out.”
“What does your lawyer say about that?”
“He thinks if I cooperate with the prosecutor, they’ll make me a deal.”
“Good. I know you didn’t have any control over Brad. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I don’t know. I wonder what he’d have done had I put my foot down.”
Stan shrugged. “Probably ignored you.”
Melissa laughed. “Probably.”
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Stan asked.
“I’m worried about Brad. He hasn’t contacted me in over a week. I think something may have happened to him.”
“When was he supposed to be back?”
“In just a few days. He should be home by now.”
“Do you think he’s intentionally staying away to avoid being arrested?”
“No, I don’t think so. He never mentioned running to me. I think he thought he could beat this thing.”
“How can I help?”
“I don’t know, but you’re the only one who seems to care about anybody. I know Brad shouldn’t have gotten involved with Rubio, but he doesn’t deserve to die over it.”
“No, he doesn’t, but I have no idea where to look for him.”
“You told me your professor had hired a private investigator. Put them on the case. I’ll pay for it.”
“I really don’t have time for another project. I’ve got school, Kristina’s campaign, and work—not to mention a family that would like to see me once in a while. . . . Why don’t I have one of them come see you, and you can hire them directly?”
“No. They need someone to direct them and keep a close eye on what they are doing. If I hire them, I’ll just be throwing money away.”
“I really don’t have the time,” Stan repeated.
“I understand, but if you find Brad, he can help clear Rob’s name.”
Stan thought about that a moment. That was the first reason she’d given that tempted him a bit. He sighed. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll talk to him and see if he thinks they can help.”
“That’s all I ask. Go see Don Karnes at the bank. He’ll give you a $5,000 retainer. Use it as you think is best to find Brad.”
“You know if I find him the FBI will arrest him, don’t you?”
“Yes, but better behind bars than dead.”
Stan nodded and got up. A jailer immediately entered the room and took Melissa away. Stan watched her leave and then hurried out of the jail, praying he wouldn’t ever have to go back to that grim, depressing place. On the way home, he stopped by the bank and asked for Don Karnes. The receptionist said he could go on back. Stan walked back to Karnes’ office and knocked on the door. Don invited him in, and Stan took a seat.
“How are you holding up after the kidnapping? Don asked.
Stan shrugged. “It seems like it happened a long time ago, although I know it’s been less than a week.”
“No permanent injury?”
“I don’t think so. I knew the FBI was following us, so I was fairly sure they’d intervene before things got out of hand.”
“Good. . . . So, what can I do for you?”
“Melissa Thornton wants me to hire a PI firm to find Don. I have reluctantly agreed to see what I can do. She said you would give me $5,000 to get started.”
“Right. Well, that’s about all I can give you. Her trust fund is getting rather depleted with lawyer bills and the regular monthly expenses. Normally, Brad would have paid the regular expenses, but the feds have frozen all his bank accounts pending completion of their investigation.”
“Well, if you don’t have the money—”
“No, no. Finding Brad has to be a top priority. We need him back here to sort this mess out.”
“You don’t have any idea where he might be, do you?”
Don shrugged. “Well, he usually goes to Maui when he wants to get away and think things out, but I doubt that was his destination this time. That’s the first place the FBI would look for him.”
“You think he’s hiding from the FBI?”
“That or Carlos Morales has taken him somewhere to lay low for a while.”
“Do you have any idea where they would take him?”
“Probably Mexico. He likes San Antonio del Mar a lot.”
“Yeah, but I doubt he could have gotten out of the country with an FBI investigation going on.”
“Well, don’t forget you’re dealing with the Burilo Cartel. They own the border. If they want to get him into Mexico, they won’t have any trouble doing it.”
“Okay. I’ll send the investigators down there to look for him. Maybe they’ll get lucky.”
“The trick will be getting him to come home. He may want to, but I’m pretty sure Morales wouldn’t allow it.”
“Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Stan said.
Don gave Stan a check and wished him well. When he got home, he told Rebekah about his latest assignment, and she was livid.
“Why did you agree to help her? Her husband was responsible for your kidnapping! She almost got you killed!”
“We don’t know that. More likely it was Morales. I don’t think Brad Thornton is calling the shots anymore.”
“You promised me this would be over soon, and now you’re jumping right back into the fire. What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry. I’m going to let the private investigators handle it. All I’m doing is hiring them and giving them a little direction.”
“You’re still going to be involved, and Morales and his thugs are going to find out what you’re doing. You want them to come after you again—after us?”
Stan took a deep breath. “All I have to do is have a couple of conversations, it’s no big deal. The cartel won’t even know I’m involved. Anyway, it’s already done. I’m sorry. I can’t back out now.”
Rebekah shook her head angrily and stomped out of the room. Stan ran his hands through his hair anxiously. He understood Rebekah’s concern, but he really wanted to find Brad. He agreed with Karnes that Brad was the key to sorting this whole mess out. In his mind, he had no choice but to go forward with Melissa’s assignment.
Since Rebekah wasn’t talking to him, he went upstairs to see what the kids were doing. They were all glad to see him and soon talked him into playing a game of Go Fish. An hour later, Rebekah came up and told the kids it was time for bed. She continued to ignore Stan, so he went out to the garage to look through the Rogers’ trash. He gagged when he inhaled the pungent odor of rotten garbage as he opened the big black bag. After he’d sorted out the discarded paperwork, he closed up the bag and went to his workbench and laid them out.
There was an assortment of junk mail and then he came across an American Express bill. It was ninety days past due. Putting that aside, he looked in the next envelope—a demand letter for eighty-six dollars due to the Columbia Records Club. Quickly, he sorted through the envelopes until he came across one from a law firm named Page & Smith. He searched for the letter that had been in the envelope but couldn’
t find it. He’d heard of the law firm before but couldn’t remember anything about them.
Remembering he had a chapter of his oil and gas textbook to read, he went back into the house. After checking on the kids, he went to his desk and retrieved the textbook. Stan found oil and gas interesting but couldn’t see himself practicing in that area of the law. He knew living in Texas, however, that it would likely come in handy sooner or later. When he finally made it to bed, Rebekah was asleep, so he slipped in next to her and soon fell into a deep slumber.
The next morning, Stan woke up at first light. He was excited about hiring a private investigation firm to look for Brad. He’d never even met a private investigator before, so he was a little nervous. After he’d put on a pot of coffee, he went outside to get the local newspaper. He brought it in, but before he opened it, he poured himself a cup of coffee. When he finally opened the newspaper, his eyes widened as he read the headline, ‘Representative Ron Wells Calls Opponent ‘Irresponsible Nobody’:
State representative Ron Wells today lashed out at his new opponent, Republican Kristina Tenison, who he characterized as an “irresponsible nobody who he will crush on election day.” He claimed she was trying to attract attention by spreading “outlandish lies” about him, but “it won’t work.” Wells denied accusations that he has sold out to special interest groups and is more interested in pleasing them than his own constituents. He pointed out he was responsible for pushing through more bills in the last session than any other state representative…
The story went on to explain how Kristina had been the third opponent facing Wells since Rob Shepard won the primary election. Then it detailed Commissioner’s Barnes’ switch to the Republican Party and appointment to fill Shepard’s spot after his untimely death. Finally, it related that most experts believed that Kristina Tenison had little chance of upsetting the incumbent, Ron Wells.
Stan’s heart sank. He knew Kristina would be devastated by the article. He looked at his watch. She wouldn’t call before seven o’clock, he figured, but it wouldn’t be too long after that he’d be hearing from her. At 7:12 the phone rang and Stan picked it up quickly, hoping Rebekah wouldn’t be awakened.
“Hello,” Stan said.
“Stan, did you see the Star Courier?”
“Yes. It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal? The pig called me a nobody!”
“Come on. You’ve got to have a thick skin to be a politician. You didn’t expect Wells to ignore your accusations, did you? He had to say something after your scathing attack.”
She sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re getting some good press. People need to hear your name as often as possible so they’ll remember you on election day.”
“The experts don’t think I can win. Maybe they’re right. I’m just wasting my time.”
“No, you’re not. You can win this thing. Trust me. The dirt I’ve got on Wells is going to even the playing field. The only way you can lose is to give up now.”
“Okay. I’m going to take a hot shower. Maybe that will make me feel better. I have a Kiwanis luncheon today and an appearance at the Small Business Section meeting of the Chamber of Commerce tonight.”
“Good. That should keep your mind off of Wells. Just be yourself and you’ll be fine.”
“Alright. Sorry to bother you so early.”
“It’s alright. I’ve got to get to school. I’ve got a big day.”
“Really? What’s up?”
Stan told her about Melissa and the search for Brad Thornton.
“Well, let me know how that turns out.”
“I’ll call you tonight,” Stan replied and then hung up the phone just as Rebekah walked in with a sour look on her face.
“Who was that calling so early?”
“Kristina. There was an article in the newspaper this morning that upset her.”
“Well, she ought to have a little consideration. What does she expect you to do about it anyway?”
“I don’t know. She just needed a little reassurance.”
“Well, tell her to go find it somewhere else and leave you alone.”
“Okay,” Stan said, forcing a smile. “I think you need a cup of coffee.”
Rebekah sighed. “I’m just sick of everyone expecting you to solve their problems. You’ve got your own problems to worry about, like graduating from law school and selling enough insurance so we don’t starve.”
“Well, the election will be over in less than a month, so things should quiet down after that.”
“Right. I’m not holding my breath,” Rebekah spat.
Stan finished his coffee, gave Rebekah a peck on the cheek, and left to go to school. He hoped she’d be in a better mood when he returned that night, but he knew that was a long shot, as her anger usually took a few days to subside. When he got to SMU, he went straight to Professor Hertel’s office, hoping to talk to him before class. He knocked on the door, and the professor said to come in.
“Stan! I wasn’t expecting you to be in today.”
“Oh, I’m okay. I can’t afford to be missing class. It’s hard enough keeping up when I’m here every day.”
Professor Hertel nodded. “So, you were lucky the FBI was watching Mrs. Thornton, huh? If they hadn’t been you may have been killed.”
“Yes, that was fortunate. Speaking of Mrs. Thornton, she’d like your PI to locate Brad for her. He seems to have disappeared.”
“Well, that’s not really my problem.”
“True, but since they’re already investigating the Burilo cartel, she thought they could find him quicker than a new firm. She’s willing to fund the investigation, and Brad’s favorable testimony is going to be needed to get the Commissioner off the hook.”
Professor Hertel thought about what Stan said and then shrugged. “Well, if she’s funding it, I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Good. What’s the name of the firm?”
“Burger and Wolford Investigations. Greg Wolford is in charge of the case. I think I have one of his cards around here.”
Professor Hertel searched his desk and then produced a card with Greg Wolford’s contact information.
“Don Karnes, his banker, thinks he’s in San Antonio del Mar. Apparently, that’s one of his favorite hideaways.”
“It’s a fine resort with lots of beautiful senoritas. I’ve been there a time or two.”
“Great. I’ll call Mr. Wolford and get him started.”
After class, Stan met up with Paula, and they went across the street to Dairy Queen for lunch. Stan thought Paula looked particularly sexy in her tight jeans. He was admiring her from behind as they walked across the street when Paula looked back. She frowned and then smiled wryly.
“You want some of this?” she asked playfully.
“Sorry,” Stan said meekly.
Stan knew she liked men admiring her but still felt a little embarrassed. He followed her inside, and they gave their orders and then found a table.
“I guess you’re not too traumatized if you’ve got sex on your mind.”
Stan shrugged.
“I was so worried when I heard on the news you’d been kidnapped. You must have been terrified.”
“Yeah, I was really scared.”
“I bet. How did Mrs. Thornton take it?”
“Pretty well, actually. She’s a pretty tough woman. She wants me to hire Burger and Wolford to try to find Brad. His banker thinks he’s in San Antonio del Mar.”
“Really? Did you talk to Harry about that?”
Stan laughed. “Oh, so it’s Harry now? Not Snake?”
She shrugged. “Ah. Snake didn’t go over too well.”
“Hmm. Yeah, he said it would be okay when I reminded him he needed Brad’s favorable testimony to get Commissioner Barnes off.”
“Stan, you’re a genius,” Paula said.
“Huh?” Stan replied warily.
> “I need a vacation. San Antonio del Mar should be beautiful this time of the year.”
Stan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I think Harry had the same idea. His eyes kind of glazed over when I mentioned it.”
She laughed. “That’s because I know how to take care of my men. You should let me take care of you sometime.”
Stan thought about that a moment. “I would, but then I’d be under your spell and would lose my free will.”
“So. . . it would be worth it,” Paula teased.
“Only in the short run. Eventually Rebekah would find out and kill us both.”
The cashier yelled, “Twenty-one!”
Stan looked at his ticket and went to get their food. After lunch Stan went to the library where they had telephone booths and called Greg Wolford’s office to try to get an appointment. His receptionist said he had some time late that afternoon, so Stan made the appointment. While he was waiting, he checked the Martendale Hubbell Legal Directory to check on the law firm of Page & Smith. When he found the listing, he discovered the firm represented mortgage lenders. Suddenly, he was pretty sure he knew what had happened the night of the Shepard murders. All he had to do was check the Collin County deed records to be sure.
After his federal taxation class, Stan went to Greg Wolford’s office. It was located on the second floor of a strip center on Greenville Avenue. Professor Hertel had warned Stan that the firm operated out of a dump, but not to be alarmed by that. Apparently, Greg Wolford liked to keep a low profile but was actually a bored multi-millionaire who did PI work for the sheer fun and excitement of it. Stan took a seat in front of Greg’s beat-up steel desk.
“So, Snake said you want us to find Brad Thornton.”
“Right. Actually, Mrs. Thornton is the one retaining your services. She would have come herself—”
“But she’s in jail. Yeah, I read about that.”
“His banker thinks he may be in San Antonio del Mar.”
“Good. I’ve got some contacts down there. I’ll put them on the lookout for him, and if he surfaces, I’ll send someone down right away to keep an eye on him for you.”
“That would be great. We need him as a witness, so try not to spook him. Also, Carlos Morales and Tony Rubio probably won’t take kindly to us rescuing him and bringing him back to Texas.”
“No, they won’t. That’s why we’re only going to locate him. You’ll have to figure out how to get him back to Texas.”
“Well, if you find him, the FBI will help me get him back, I’m sure.”
“You and the FBI are tight? Why is that?” Wolford asked.
“What makes you think that?”
“Well, it’s pretty unusual they would give you the time of day. They usually keep their investigations close to the vest.”
Stan swallowed hard. He couldn’t let on that he was a confidential informant for the FBI. They had warned him that if that information came out he’d immediately become a target. But then again he was already a target, it seemed. “They haven’t told me much, actually. I’m just passing on anything I find out that might impact their case against Brad Thornton. It’s my civic duty, right?”
“How does our client feel about that?”
“I told her the FBI would probably arrest him if we were able to find him and bring him back. She knows I’m cooperating with them.”
Wolford nodded. “Okay. We charge $200 a day until we spot him, then it’s $500 a day once I send a man down there, plus expenses.”
“Okay. I’ll give you $2,000 to start, okay?”
“Fine. That will last you a few days.”
Stan counted out twenty $100 bills and handed them to Wolford. He took them and stuck them in his pocket. Stan filled out a client services contract and then left. On the way home, he wondered what the odds were that he’d actually find Thornton. He hoped he wasn’t wasting Melissa Thornton’s money. Then he worried about what he’d do if they found Thornton and the FBI couldn’t help him get Thornton back to Dallas. If Professor Hertel and Paula went down there, they might be able to persuade him to come back, if he was on his own, but not if the Morales’ or Rubio’s men were babysitting him.