With that, Reeve, turned slightly in her chair and gestured to a man nursing a coffee unnoticed at a small table in the corner. He approached and slid back her chair as she rose. ‘Oh, this is my assistant, Marcus. He keeps an eye on me when I am out and about to see that I don’t get into trouble or make too much of a fool of myself.’ Marcus displayed a small smile and dipped his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. Reeve gave Dana a warm handshake and was gone.
Dana went to the counter to pay for the tea. The barista said, ‘The gentleman paid.’ Smooth.
* * * * * * *
The Florida legislature and attendant bureaucracies parceled out the action requirements selected from Josh’s report and paid him handsomely for his help and counsel. When he returned to Maine and got reaclimated to home and hearth, Dana reviewed the meeting with Reeve Carter. By then, she had done what she always does and had dug up more about the lady.
Reeve Carter was actually Melanie Reeve Carter. When she said she tried to keep out of the public eye, she was understating. To anyone less skilled at searching and finding, Reeve and her money management firm would be invisible. Dana had to find information through foreign databases and search sites. In a word, Reeve is HUGE! She serves international clientele with stratospheric wealth. Carlos Slim would be a junior member of the club. Her little compound in Vermont is not little. It consists of roughly 1000 acres with its own air strip to accommodate her G-5 and any visitors up to a 737. She also is a very generous lady with her own extensive wealth and supports many philanthropies discretely. She never accepts awards or homage. No jet setter, she. She seems to live a quiet life with her husband and daughter – or did before her daughter went off to school – and, of course, a substantial staff.
‘Josh, I’m can’t stop thinking about Reeve’s client in St. Petersburg that is involved in geriatrics and theater, although no connection could be found with any Pinellas County theatrical groups or activity. Nevertheless, she is said to have a background of skillful theatrical production management in her youth. I don’t have her name but Reeve mentioned that she lived in Palm Beach as a younger woman and owns, among other things, a nursing home. Shouldn’t we tip off Flint and McG about this?’
‘It’s a long shot but when I left, they were stalled again. Go ahead and call McG. You guys need to keep in touch anyhow.’
* * * * * * *
‘I don’t think we’ll have much trouble in finding which of the local nursing home owners once lived in Palm Beach, Dana. Or, even if she had some success with amateur theater there. The archives of the Palm Beach Daily News, what insiders call the ‘Shiny Sheet’, surely has notes on local thespians and their better productions. You, girl, are a veritable fountainhead of connections and insights. How about ditching that thankless job with the school system and sign on for the glories of police work in an un-named southern town? We have benefits, you know. Ferg’s is right across the street.’
‘Tempting, I’ll admit, but the hubster is not likely to relinquish his hand-hewn log home without a struggle.’
‘You’re bigger than he is. You can take him.’
‘He’s little but he’s mighty. I’ve learned not to underestimate. He’s thrown me more than once. Not that I’m complaining, you understand. Speaking of mates, how’s Donald?’
‘Jesus, this line may be tapped. Mind your tongue, you Jezebel.’
‘Loose lips sink ships, eh?’
‘You got it. If you’re not coming back to paradise south any time soon, how’s about we come see you? We’re tired of perfect weather and tropical birds.’
‘We’d LOVE that! There’s a guest room here I’m tired of dusting. Come dust it for me.’
‘You know how to charm. We’ll see what we can do…after we nab these wiley wascals that keep wobbing our banks. Thanks again for the input. We’ll jump right on it.’
* * * * * * *
‘What a happy and unexpected surprise to have received your call that you would be visiting, Reeve. To what do I owe this pleasure?’
‘Oh, Letticia, I sometimes emerge from my lair in the Vermont woods to press the flesh with my beloved and valued clients like you. My visit is woefully overdue. Thanks for seeing me on such short notice. So, tell me how things are going. What’s next in your life?’
‘Next? At my age, next is likely the embalming table. Next? I haven’t given it much thought, to tell the truth.’
‘Well, while we’re into truth telling, I will admit that I am here to offer you help in life planning.’
‘That goes pretty far beyond financial planning, Reeve. What makes you think I am in need of life planning?’
‘Have you forgotten that one of my competitive advantages in the cut throat world of wealth management is my market intelligence team? I’ve invested a fortune in a deep bench of professional researchers.’
‘Yes. So?’
‘So, I asked them to do a thorough workup on you.’
‘Me? Why? Should I be alarmed?’
‘Yes, you should indeed be alarmed but not because of my profile.’
‘Why then?’
‘Because of the profile being built by law enforcement.’
Letticia was calm and quiet. The silence extended.
‘I can imagine why the authorities would be poking about but why you?’
‘Because you are one of the most astute financial managers and strategic thinkers I know of and because we share certain philanthropic motivations. I have a proposal to make.’
‘If you have something in mind, Reeve, I’m listening. Shall we drop the polite circumventions and talk straight with each other?’
‘Let’s.’
* * * * * * *
‘Donald, didn’t you interview the lady who heads the nursing home owners’ association? Maybe we should start with her to track down the local nursing home owner who may have Palm Beach and theater background. She knows them all.’
‘She seemed a cultured, astute lady but, what if she’s the one?’
‘What was her name?’
‘Um, oh, here it is. Letticia Myers.’
‘Let me do a little Googling to see if anything pops out.’
* * * * * * *
‘But, what of my team?’
‘What of them? Your two oldies, General Fruehauf and Rita Mae are already close to needing hospice. Click and Clack are off the screen and, as far as we can tell, unsuspected. That leaves Rita Mae’s step son, Sheldon. Let’s get him into our own little witness protection program and give him a start on a new life in Montana or Oregon. We’ll have to work quickly, but it can be done.’
‘And, me?’
‘You’re the reason I’m here, dear. I want you as a partner.’
‘A what?!’
‘I already operate internationally, as you know, but we have a huge unexploited opportunity to manage the new fortunes being generated daily in China which, as you may know, has no extradition treaty with the US.’ She paused to let that sink in. ‘If we had more time, we could dispose of your real estate holdings but, owing to the urgency of the situation, you may have to forfeit them and other non-mobile assets if you want to disappear quickly.’
‘You seem to have figured out not only my operations but the imminence of my apprehension. How much time do I have?’
‘To be safe, I’d say a day or two at the most.’
‘How do you know?’
‘You’re not the only one who discretely helps people in need. Let’s just say I’ve watched over the medical needs of family members of some of our senior law enforcement people and I have picked up those markers to have real time input on the investigation that is closing in on you.’
‘God, you’re good. Give me a quick scenario of what I need to do.’
‘Here’s the deal. You walk out the door and don’t look back. Your offshore accounts are still in your control as well as whatever you can carry. We spirit you to Shanghai
where we already have an office and living accommodations awaiting you. You will take charge and build on what we have there already. It’s not roughing it, I assure you, Letticia. I need your skills to make that operation fly.’
‘Now?’
‘Now. Fill a suitcase with whatever’s in your safe and slip out the back door. I have a car waiting in the alley.’
* * * * * * *
‘How about a cold one or are all you Navy guys still operating on a steady diet of coffee.’
‘No, you gravel agitator, we got attracted to the beer smell of you and your fellow Marines when we dragged your sorry asses out of the gutters in every port of call. I allow myself a taste now and then. In fact, now instead of then.’
‘A wise choice, Shore Patrolman.’
McG approached the dining table laden with platters that she and Dana had prepared, ‘Will you guys ever grow up, for Christ sakes? You’ve both been out of the military since the Eisenhower administration.’
‘Not quite, my lovely, but close. We’re delighted that you and the Donald could slip away and enjoy some of our crisp northern air salted by a real ocean with real waves.’
‘Ours is just a more mature ocean, calmer and not so childishly volatile.’
‘Okay, similar ocean but you will notice that our air has been scrubbed of humidity in honor of your visit. Now, give us the true skinny on the Early Bird Capers. We’ve been out of touch. What’s been happening?’
Donald and Marianne looked at each other sheepishly. Marianne said, ‘You tell it.’
‘No, you.’
‘Well, one of you tell us. Did you nab the guys?’
‘Um, actually, no.’
‘No? I thought you said it was resolved.’
Donald shifted in his chair. ‘Oh, it’s resolved all right. It’s been put in the open-but-inactive file.’
‘Really’, said Dana joining the rest at the table. ‘I thought you guys were closing in. What happened?’
Marianne sat up straight, put her chin out and said, ‘They all got away.’
‘What?!!?’ said Josh and Dana in unison.
‘Yep’, said Donald. ‘When we closed in on Letticia Myers and her crew, we found that she and the youngest of her crew are completely off the map. Gone without a clue. Vanished. And another two that were strongly suspected are in critical condition in hospices. Their conditions are terminal and there is no likihood they will be prosecuted. We suspected there were a couple more with mechanical talents but that leaves about half the male population of Pinellas County so they won’t be found unless they give themselves away.’
‘Amazing. But, what about the old saw about following the money?’
‘That didn’t prove to be too tough. Letticia Myers had a foundation that the money went into.’
‘What did the foundation do?’
‘It supported the care and medical needs of a lot of indigent, aged and penniless old folks. It had actually been doing good work for a long time but quietly, under the radar.’
‘So all the stolen money was gone.’
‘No, actually. Letticia had extensive real estate holdings, the money in the foundation and the nursing home that were all seized and will be liquidated. That money will eventually be returned to the victims of the crimes, or will be once the claims and squabbling are sorted out.’
‘But she and one of her accomplices are gone? Like gone gone?’
‘Looks that way. Both the FBI and we have open files but we’ve both come to a dead end. Maybe someday someone will turn themselves in but we still haven’t found D. B. Cooper, you know.’
‘D.B. Cooper?’ asked Dana.
Josh said, ‘D.B. Cooper jumped out of a highjacked airliner over the Oregon forests with $200,000 in ransom and was never heard of again even to this day.’
‘Yep’, Donald said. ‘One of the famous unsolved cases in the annals of crimedom.’
‘I’m filling everyone’s glasses so we can give silent tribute to those missing from this table tonight. Here’s to you D.B. Cooper and Letticia Myers, wherever ye’ may be.’
Glasses were clinked to a chorus of ‘to D.B. and Letticia!’
Endnote: Alex Wilson writes and his beloved muse/editor/mate edits his work in their cozy cottage in St. Petersburg, FL. See his works at www.wilsonwritings.com or contact him at
[email protected].
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