that we’d like to clear up to save time, if you don’t mind.”
Curran, “What do you mean agenda?”
Luke responded, “In mid-May, Eric made a series of international phone calls to Georgia. Was this related to his job?”
After a pause, Curran said, “Um, I don’t remember anything specific, but he was the operations manager and could have been working with a new client. If it’s important, I can have one of our internal agents check shipments from Georgia. Will this help find the person responsible for his murder?”
“Mr. Curran, we wouldn’t be bothering you at a time like this if we didn’t need the information. We have to eliminate a lot of possibilities. It would be helpful if we could have someone search the records.”
Curran said, “All right, I’ll make a call down there. Do you want to have someone call you back or, how do you want to get this information?”
“If you don’t mind, we would like to come to the company tomorrow.” Luke knew this sounded like a backhanded effort to look for shipping fraud.
Curran said, “I don’t care. If that’s what you want to do, I won’t stop you.” It could be difficult to get a warrant for this information simply based on a phone record, but Curran was distraught and did not exhibit any resistance.
Luke said, “All right, please let them know that we would like to stop in tomorrow morning. Thank you Mr. Curran, this may be important.”
Almost forgetting, Luke added, “Ah, Mr. Curran, did Michael like to gamble? I’m sorry if that’s indelicate, it’s just another angle we need to understand.”
Curran detested talking about Eric outside the family, “Um, you mean like in Vegas?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.” Curran sounded frustrated and tired. “Maybe, but he didn’t make enough money to do too much. His monthly expenses, the cars and boats, and that shack, they kept him pretty poor.”
Luke said, “Okay, thanks. Sorry, I had to ask these questions.”
When the call ended, he went back to the room where Angela had some more news. She had called the number in Georgia, which resulted in a recording in a foreign language that she assumed meant the number was incorrect or disconnected.
Background Check
The interview with Peter Shields left Angela wondering about him. Using the secure-access National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, she searched for any records under Shields’ name. When no records were found, she queried the Defense Department. To overcome limitations imposed by the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974, she had a federal search warrant prepared and submitted with a Government Standard Form 180, “Request Pertaining to Military Records.” Like most Government processes, it was a lot of work to fill out the online form and to obtain the warrant. In doing so, she identified him as a “Person of interest” in a federal crime investigation.
Most of the day was spent preparing the warrant and having it approved. She indicated that the need was “Urgent.” After submitting the request online, she used the phone inquiry number to begin expediting a response. She was transferred to four different offices in the Pentagon before locating the correct “Desk.”
When the phone range at the Pentagon, a person answered, “Personnel records.”
“Yes, this is Agent Angela Kerr of the FBI in Chicago, I have submitted an urgent request for the military record on a man we are interviewing in a federal case.”
“Ma’am, this is Major Jeff Hostetler, did you happen to fill out any paperwork?”
“Yes Major, I sent in an SF180 with a warrant on the Internet.”
“Okay, hold on a minute. I’m looking through our requests now. Okay, yep, I’ve got it. Ah, let me see what we have. Yep, we have a record on the man, but it’s classified.”
“Classified? What does that mean?”
“Usually, it doesn’t mean too much. We just need to expunge any classified material, and require it to be managed under your facility clearance. Generally, there really isn’t very much classified in these records. But, this record is different than any I’ve seen before. The whole thing is under “special access” control by the DA (Department of the Army), office of Army Intelligence. I don’t think we have any of his records in this office.”
Angela was mildly frustrated. “Then, what do I do?”
”Ma’am, this is really an abnormal situation. I’ll need to do some phone work to put you in touch with the right people. Please let me have your number and I’ll get an answer.”
Angela intentionally sounding exasperated, “Okay, here’s my info, but please try to move this along, it’s important.” She provided her office and cellular numbers, and concluded the call. Although she was frustrated, Peter Shields also intrigued her. Who was he?
Shipping Records
After another late night, they decided to meet in the morning at MLC International. The drive to the company was about equal distance for Luke and Angela, so they agreed that it was more convenient to drive there separately in the morning. They agreed to rendezvous at 9:00AM at the company.
Luke was pleased and a little surprised that she had arrived before him when he was five minutes early. She even had two Starbucks. This agent would go far in the Bureau. “Thanks,” he said. They did not have time to drink much of the coffee before going into the office.
They went through the front door again and stopped in front of the receptionist. From the center of the bullpen, a sandy-haired man in his early 50’s stood when they entered, and gestured while speaking, “Hello agents, Mr. Curran asked me to work with you. My name is Henry Miller, but call me Hank.”
“Hank, I’m Luke Gallagher and this is Angela Kerr, we’re both Agents with the FBI.”
Hank said, “Yep, that’s what Mike said. Mike said you wanted to know about any business we had with Georgia in Eastern Europe.”
Luke clarified, “Yes, well, we have some specific timeframes in mind, and would like to check contact information with companies you’re dealing with.”
“I guess this has to do with Eric?”
Luke answered, “It’s part of the investigation, yes.”
“Okay, shoot; what do you want to know?”
“We’d like to see the accounts of all Georgian shipments in the last year.” Angela spoke, preempting Luke a little, but he was pleased with her assertiveness.
Hank wasn’t sitting at his computer terminal, just standing facing them with his hands in his pockets. “This is really simple, we haven’t had any freight from Georgia since I joined the company, that was over five years ago.”
Angela again, “Can you search your database for customer contact information based on a phone number?”
“Yep, our software is the best, it’s approved by Customs. Heck, we get feds in here all the time and they like our system. Having been around freight handlin’ my whole life, you get used to folks snooping around. Always looking for smuggling you know, but we’re clean!”
Angela went on looking at the computer display, hoping this wouldn’t be a long day; Hank seemed to enjoy the attention. She gave him the phone number in Georgia and asked him to search the database. The search included all accounts, regardless of transaction years.
Hank said, “Nope, nothing even close. Is this a number from Georgia? You know, I still can’t get used to business with the Commies. They’re gonna always be bad guys to me.” Hank was apparently fishing for a reaction.
Angela said, “Thank you Mr. ah, Hank, that’s about all we need from the records. I’ll need some more information about you then we’ll be on our way.” She was happy to close out the meeting with just a few notes about identification and contact information.
The coffee was cold when they left the company to drive downtown.
Motive
Luke and Angela arrived at the federal building late in the morning and there was a message on Luke’s desk that Sam Lee wanted to see him as soon as he arrived. Luke
asked Angela to accompany him to the SAC’s office. Sam would routinely want to get progress reports from his staff. This way, he could manage resources and make sure his budget was being used most effectively to serve the people. He also did not want to be embarrassed or blindsided if some investigation reached the press. Sam wasn’t gun-shy about allowing his agents to stretch their abilities.
Sam Lee was of average height with an upright stocky build. One lingering remnant of his military service was his short cropped gray “white walled” haircut. He was born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1947 where his father managed the local John Deere farm equipment franchise. Following high school graduation, Sam joined the Marine Corps for four years. After basic training, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines were he served two tours of duty in Vietnam. He was engaged in intense combat at the battle for Hue City, Vietnam, in January and February 1968, the longest and bloodiest battle of the war. He was severely wounded and received a medical discharge from the Marines in 1970, having been awarded the Bronze Star, with combat “V”, and Purple Heart medals. After three months of treatment and rehabilitation at the VA hospital in Baton Rouge, LA, he made a complete recovery from his wounds.
Following his release from the hospital and military service, Sam lived with his parents and worked at his father’s store for a while, saving money to attend college. He went to night school at the local junior college for