Read Under Suspicion - The Legend of D.B. Cooper Page 37

Clifford emerged from the bushes up the street, then stopped and crouched down when he saw movement next to the Suburban. He slowly pushed his way into the bushes, and laid down peering out from behind the leaves. He watched as Alan wiped the dried mud from the license plate, and then walked to the corvette carrying the package.

  Damn it! Clifford thought as he lay there waiting, trying to think. There was no way he could use the truck again, the cops would nail him for sure. He cringed at the thought of how mad Buck would be when he found out. He would have to lay low and decided to hang with some friends in the U-district until the whole thing blew over. Yeah, that’s what he should do, he nodded. Clifford pushed his way back through the bushes and disappeared.

  When Alan got in his car, he crouched down low in the seat and checked the road behind him with his mirrors. He picked up the car phone then dialed a number.

  “Drug Enforcement Agency. This is Agent Rodriguez, how can I help you?”

  “Angela, this is Bradley, can you run a plate for me?”

  “Let me have it.”

  “55201-R, Washington plate. Call me on my car phone when you get it,” Alan said then hung up. After checking the street again, he turned his attention to the package. He opened the end of it and knew instantly it wasn’t pot. He enlarged the opening to examine it closer.

  He took some out and rubbed it between his fingers, then put it up to his nose. His eyes widened with surprise as his mind raced back to a thin dust covered file folder he had seen months ago. The case file described what was in his hand exactly, and he had seen a similar package in the Agency’s evidence locker. He said the name of the case file out loud as he recalled it.

  “Phantom!”

  A few minutes later, the call came in and Alan picked up the phone. “Yes?”

  “Alan, the vehicle is registered to one Eugene Buckston Henderson. No priors, wants, or warrants,” the voice said over the line.

  “Run a full profile on him through the computer, and get back to me when you’re finished.”

  “Will do,” came the reply. The receiver clicked dead.

  How was a kid like that involved with a case like this? Alan asked himself, and he knew there had to be something more going on than it appeared. Alan checked the streets again and waited. An hour later the phone rang and he picked it up.

  “Hello.”

  “Bradley, I’ve got the skinny on your man,” Angela said.

  “Let’s have it.” As the information came over the line Alan’s mind digested it trying to determine a possible link to the case.