“Well, keep me informed, goddamnit,” Henry growled. “I need to know the moment something develops. My ass is grass and the bulls are hungry. Catch my drift?”
“I understand, Jason. It’s not my intention to hide anything. As soon as something shakes out, I’ll call you…I promise.”
“Okay…see that you do. I’ll be in San Francisco later this evening. I want to see you and Captain Hawkley first thing tomorrow.”
“Fine. Call me whenever you land. I’ll be expecting you,” he said, hanging up the phone. Penburton was relieved the call had gone well. Agent Henry didn’t suspect him of anything.
Niles continued his gaze out the window, smiling faintly, hoping to spot another coed. He sometimes wished he was closer to the street for a better view of the girls, but then remembered how content he was with the more expansive view from the corner office. He loved to look down upon the campus with all its many buildings and rich traditions.
Agent Jason Henry has no clue about what’s going on, he mused. He exhibits the petty tyranny of a bureaucrat who was caught with his pants down.
Niles Penburton didn’t care about Agent Henry’s superiors or anyone else. He would tolerate his trivial power trip, for now, only slightly inconvenienced from his primary goal-taking what rightfully belonged to Quantum Dimensions. He leaned back in his chair, resting his feet on the window ledge, and began to daydream about what he would do with his latest windfall.
Easy, Professor; let’s not get ahead of ourselves, he thought, snapping back to reality. One step at a time…just stick to the plan. After this last deal, retirement in the lap of luxury isn’t far off.
FIFTEEN
Pilar, New Mexico
Ryan Marshall drove back to the Pinon Tree Motel in Pilar, planning to collect his belongings, square his bill, and exchange the company truck for Corky’s Chevy Tahoe. His thoughts were swirling and he felt thoroughly demoralized, like the whole world was caving in around him. There was no way to assimilate all that had taken place in the past few hours, but he knew in his heart Jarrod was at the center of it. He shook his head as disjointed images of their past altercations sprang into his memory. It was hard to imagine anything worse than what Jarrod had done to cause his divorce from Sarah, but this latest incident could be its equal.
Ryan wondered about the source behind Jarrod’s hatred. It was one thing to harbor resentment, but to actually carry out retaliations as serious and destructive as Jarrod’s was mind-boggling. It was time they got to the bottom of their dysfunction, once and for all.
Ryan looked at his watch, calculating the time he had left before Corky would release Detective Westbrook. He estimated he still had about thirty minutes. With Westbrook’s patrol vehicle disabled, he figured it would be an additional half-hour before he could alert police headquarters. It would be close, but he thought he could just make it to the Colorado border.
Ryan was astounded by his dilemma. He was unprepared for thinking like a criminal on the run, having no experience and no clue about what to look out for. His only solace was clinging to his tightly held belief that the truth would eventually prevail. Knowing he was perfectly innocent of these bogus accusations fortified his resolve and bolstered his courage. He prayed that he remained free long enough to run down his cousin for the answers to this life-and-death struggle.
The drive from Pilar to the Colorado border was, thankfully, uneventful. Ryan spent the time trying to imagine what he was going to do when he finally confronted Jarrod. It was hard to contain his anger; thoughts of revenge poured through him like a tropical monsoon. It was difficult to resist conjuring images of how he would torment Jarrod when he got the chance. But torturing his cousin would not ameliorate his current circumstances: wanted by the New Mexico State Police for infractions ranging from unlawfully detaining a detective to obstructing justice. Ryan felt he had reached another low point in his life.
Just stay positive. Concentrate! There must be some reason this is happening.
As Ryan drove toward Pueblo, he tried to imagine how Sarah would react when she learned about his situation. Since their divorce now five years ago, they seldom spoke. Their son, Jeremiah, was completing his senior year at New Mexico State, but they rarely discussed his progress or well-being. When they did interact, it was usually to discuss business and kept very professional. Sarah was in charge of the accounting, finance, and HR; Ryan directed the construction crews. In this way, they were able to stay detached while continuing a very successful business endeavor. This suited Sarah, but Ryan never gave up hope of a future reconciliation. With each passing year, his hopes dimmed, however, as each attempt was summarily spurned.
Even with their amicable business arrangement, Ryan could never dispel his shame from losing the love of his life. He didn’t believe he would ever again be as happy as he had been with Sarah. There was a pain in his chest when he thought about how greatly disappointed she would be when she heard about this latest insane situation. She’s clearly better off without me.
Relationships were never Ryan’s strong suit. He had spent considerable time in the past trying to discover why this was so. At Sarah’s request, he had even seen a counselor, but the results were questionable. He concluded that the strong bond most families enjoyed was simply lacking in the Marshall family. The relationship with his mother, Regina, was anything but healthy, and the counseling exposed her as the primary factor in the dysfunction between Jarrod and himself. Had she spent the time nurturing a strong bond between the boys, they could have yoked their strengths against anyone that dared cross them. Instead, the competitive rivalry she encouraged between them resulted in nothing but contempt.
But even through all the destructive interactions in their adolescent years, Ryan was unprepared for the degree of Jarrod’s vindictiveness in adulthood. There was clearly no boundary that was off-limits, including Ryan’s marriage. Jarrod knew how much Ryan loved Sarah and he couldn’t stand it; the envy grew in him like a cancer. But to have willfully planned a scenario meant to cause their divorce was the most unconscionable act imaginable.
Simply remembering the circumstances in New York caused Ryan’s stomach to lurch. If there was one single mistake he could change in his life, it was his infidelity to Sarah. It was his own fault- he broke his vows to Sarah, not Jarrod. But the way it came about was Jarrod’s unmistakable handiwork. He would give anything to reverse that one decision at Dizzy’s Bar.
Ryan was in NYC some years after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Levitation Solutions, Inc. was contracted to recycle the massive amount of steel that resulted from the collapse of both towers. Typically, when the workday was over, most of the construction crew gathered in a local bar. They drank a few beers, watched sports, ogled women, and commiserated on problems with the job at hand. Ryan was generally vigilant not to imbibe too much, preferring to keep his wits about him. He was also watchful not to allow his men to get inebriated. A high-steel crewmember with a hangover could spell disaster the following day, so he grounded anyone he suspected of overindulging. In this way, the men would self-monitor their drinking; no one wanted to lose a coveted senior position on a high-steel construction crew.
On one such evening, a modestly attractive middle-aged woman entered Moran’s Tavern on Washington and Wall, taking a booth near the back. She was dressed in a gray pantsuit with a maroon scarf, and wore two-inch heels that perfectly accented her fashionable wardrobe. She looked elegant and carried an oversized Brighton purse with a cell phone and other commonly used items conveniently attached to the outside. Once seated, she whipped out the phone and began a very animated conversation. Ryan was heading to the men’s room and happened to overhear the last part: “I’m not accustomed to being stood up. I won’t tolerate this behavior any longer,” she said heatedly, appearing to be fighting back tears. When he passed by her booth, he caught her eye-and she was indeed crying.