“Sounds like you’re working on an interesting project.”
“You know how research goes. A lot of twists and turns, with a few crumbs along the way. I’ve just been asked to pin down some of these old records.”
“Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Thanks for your help. I sure will.”
Chapter 14
When Wade picked up the phone, he could hear excitement in Yari’s voice.
“Hey, I think I have something.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Our boy Mashburn is extracting from Spain. Condor seems to be calling all the shots. There’s been no communication with CID. In fact, I think Army Intelligence is out of the picture.”
“Did they say where Mashburn is extracting to? They can’t be bringing him back to the U.S., because Morrison has a warrant out for his arrest in the Lockhart matter.”
“He’s on his way to British Honduras. I mean Belize. I keep forgetting they just changed their name.”
“Interesting. Why Belize?”
“It seems Condor is setting up a meeting there. He’s made calls to Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Cuban operatives. There’s talk about a U.K. war game exercise off the coast of Belize.”
“What’s the date of the meeting?”
“They haven’t said. No travel dates yet. Condor has Mashburn going from Spain to Panama, then on to Belize. He’s supposed to call Condor for his next instructions when he arrives in Panama.”
Wade thought about the set-up before responding. “He’s on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. They may be concerned he could be picked up between Spain and Panama. Any information on the operatives involved?”
“No. Condor isn’t giving Mashburn any details, except where to go on the next leg.”
“Are you able to monitor other calls Condor is making?”
“I’m recording all his calls from the one landline in Brussels.”
“If it’s any help, Condor’s first name is Myles. He’s a former CIA operative who became an independent contractor about seven years ago. He ran black ops for U.S. and U.K. Intelligence for about three years after he left the agency. They also used him to broker sensitive information between difficult European countries. For the last few years I hear he’s been retired from intelligence work.”
“That will give me something to go on.”
“If we need to, I can probably get a last name for Condor. I just don’t want to raise any suspicions with my contact source.”
Yari’s voice sounded more than a little eager when he responded. “Let me work on what you’ve given me so far from my end.”
Wade, on the other hand, saw his target coming closer to his neck of the woods. “I think I want to pay a visit to Mr. Mashburn when he arrives in Central America. Keep me posted.”
“You got it.”
Wade relished the thought of Mashburn coming closer. His mind started whirling, devising ways to get to Central America. His suspicions grew more each day about the Agency’s involvement in the Lockhart killing and the drug activities of Spencer in Vietnam. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly how his Agency was involved, but it was clear that Army Intelligence, Mashburn, and Spencer were all acting under orders. He just didn’t know yet who was pulling the strings — or why.
His mind raced, thinking about how much the Agency already knew about the Lockhart murder. He thought it unlikely that Megan’s penetrating questions were mere curiosity. As much as Wade wanted Megan’s help to glean more details about the Agency, he couldn’t put her or himself at more risk. Feeling he had no other options, Wade resolved to live with Megan’s uncertain role in the Agency’s involvement in the Lockhart matter. That was just the way things had to be for now.
Morrison had been on Wade’s mind; it was time he got up to speed on the Lockhart investigation. But he would only make that call after taking precautions to be sure he was on a secure line.
“Morrison here.”
“Mr. Morrison, this is Wade Hanna. We haven’t spoken in a while, and I thought I might call to get you up to speed on the Lockhart case.”
“Good idea. I just received the toxicology report. As suspected, one of the drugs in Lockhart’s body was similar to a rare substance derived from the skin of an Amazonian frog that paralyzes the muscles.”
“Sounds pretty exotic.”
“It’s a synthesized version of what jungle Indians use on their arrows and darts to paralyze prey. The substance comes from a mixture of several skin secretions of certain poisonous frogs, which you only find in remote locations of the Amazon, Malaysia, and India. The drugs were mixed with modern binding agents. After a few days, these drugs dissipate in the body, making them almost undetectable.”
“That’s why the Army wanted to prevent a full autopsy as long as possible.”
“That certainly sounds like the motive. I still don’t think the base knew much until the jurisdictional issue was brought up. They may have been instructed to fight for jurisdiction without knowing the reason why.”
Wade snapped his fingers, suddenly remembering to ask a very important question. “Did you ever get the base’s forensic footprint results?”
“Yes, and those were Lockhart’s footprint impressions you found in the soil. There was a slight defect in the sole of his left boot, which showed up perfectly in the impressions. He was your man, all right.” Morrison paused. “Have you found out anything on your end?”
Wade thought for a moment before he replied. “Yes, from what I’ve been able to learn, the killer, or at least a major participant in the death squad, was David Mashburn. I don’t think he’ll be coming back to this country anytime soon. He’s on some clandestine covert mission for the U.S. Military.”
Morrison replied, “That’s a convenient assignment. What about the people who gave him the orders?”
“I don’t have any names yet — still working on that angle. What I found out is that Mashburn is no longer reporting to Army Intelligence in the U.S. on the new assignment. He’s being handled by an offshore operative out of Brussels.”
Morrison was eager to pursue that lead. “That’s another convenient twist. I’d like to find out who Mashburn reported to here, the one who was giving him orders in the U.S. That’s who I want to go after.”
“I’m still working on that angle. I did find out something on your money theory.”
“What’s that?” Morrison asked.
“There was a military investigation on drug deals that went on in Vietnam involving Army Intelligence and CIA operatives. Mashburn was initially part of that group, although I think he was primarily a delivery boy. The CIA operative involved was a guy by the name of Daniel Spencer, who was the subject of a secret government drug investigation.”
“After the investigation, Spencer left the agency and the military. He was killed by a hit-and-run driver in South Carolina shortly after returning to the States. They never found the driver or solved that case. Other than a few memos referencing the investigation, Spencer’s records have also gone cold or disappeared. There’s a Spencer file at the Pentagon which is sealed, classified as Top Secret.”
Morrison’s instincts told him not to buy the coincidence. “Spencer’s death sounds like it may have been a hit. I’ve worked with some detectives in North Carolina, so I can follow that thread with them. Do you have the names of any of the military offices involved in the drug deal?”
“Haven’t gotten any yet. I’ll keep you posted on what I find. What are the next steps on your end?”
“I’ve turned up the heat on Fort Benning. I’ve asked the court to force the Army to produce the psychological records on Lockhart. I want to ask Dr. Jarvis some questions when I finally have those records in my hands.”