Chapter Nine #2
“Discussing it with him would’ve only delayed things.
He’s insistent on doing it his way, but we don’t have time to waste.
This is the path of least resistance. If it gives us the leverage needed to make headway, quickly, then it’s a win-win for everyone.
But there’s still one more thing I might need.
Have you heard back from IPS about the Fish, Wildlife and Parks report? ”
“Yeah.” He hadn’t gotten a chance to update her.
First, there was the disaster of his proposal.
Then during the ride to the rally point for the raid, she didn’t seem like she wanted to talk and neither did he.
Silence was his safety zone. “They questioned Purdom and believe the report was falsified. Right before the raid, Tak sent me another update. Bo checked Purdom’s financials.
After he was assigned to investigate the claim about the ferrets on the land, he started receiving a special bonus in his paycheck. ”
She raised a brow. “How much?”
“A couple grand extra, every two weeks.”
She whistled. “FWP didn’t even try to hide it.”
“When the claim about an endangered species was first made, the director of FWP resigned. The new director, Fred Lloyd, picked Purdom to do the investigation and is the one who authorized the special bonus. I think I can get the team to rattle Purdom enough for him to make a confession. Is that what you want? Because if the guy admits to wrongdoing, we’ll make sure he’s held accountable,” Eli said, making his position clear.
“Along with whoever else is involved. How far are you willing to take this?”
“Due to the nondisclosure agreement, I can’t act on Purdom’s confession in any way that might jeopardize the client. But IPS doesn’t have the same restrictions. If you do it right.”
Thinking about it, Eli slowly nodded. “I’ll make sure it won’t track back to you.
” In order to pull that off, he’d need the FBI to be the ones taking credit for any exposure of criminal activity.
He only hoped that whatever she was planning wouldn’t ruin their already tenuous working relationship with Trujillo.
He was their best chance to get it done.
In the interrogation room, the FBI agent shoved back from his chair and stood.
“How about I give you a few more hours to stew on the bleak future ahead of you.” Trujillo stalked out and swept into the observation room.
“Audrey isn’t going to crack, and the other six have all said the same thing, that they want a lawyer.
The sheriff doesn’t want them to take up his holding cells, so they’re going to be transferred to county jail in a couple of hours.
Before that happens, I’ll talk to the brother again. He might be the weak link.”
“While you do that,” Olivia said, “I’ll have a go at her.”
Trujillo crossed his arms. “What makes you think you’re going to get anywhere?”
Olivia must have some way to coerce Audrey or something to offer.
“I want to try,” Liv said, nonchalantly. “You’ll get the credit for these arrests and any information given. We’ve got nothing to lose. Right?”
“Suit yourself,” Trujillo said and left.
“Hey.” Eli stopped her. “You’ll only have one shot at Audrey. You better make it count.”
Olivia put on her game face and marched into the interrogation room.
Audrey rolled her eyes at the sight of her.
Steeling herself for a challenge, Olivia sat across from the woman who tried to kill her. Anger would only get in the way. Olivia tamped down emotion and focused on the goal.
The handcuffs around Audrey’s wrists jangled as she folded her hands. “I already told the FBI agent I’m not talking without a lawyer.”
“That’s your right. It’s also a shame. Because I have an offer. But it expires in twenty minutes. I don’t think your lawyer is going to make it in time.”
Audrey slumped back in her chair, gaze lowered. “You can’t offer me anything I want.”
“You’re going to do a lot of time in prison and be labeled a terrorist for the rest of your life.”
“I already heard the spiel from Trujillo. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. We’re not terrorists. We’re activists.”
“The government disagrees. There’s absolutely nothing I can do for you, Audrey, but my offer isn’t for you.
It’s for your brother. Kevin,” Olivia said, and Audrey looked at her.
“I can help him. Make it possible for him to still have a future. He’ll get a slap on the wrist and avoid getting any permanent nasty labels.
Like terrorist. Provided you cooperate.”
“Aegis is an evil entity. You serve the devil. I’m supposed to trust you and make a deal with you?” Audrey shook her head. “I want to see it in writing.”
“No time for that. You have fifteen minutes left before the offer expires.”
“This could be a lie.” Wary hazel eyes scrutinized her. “A setup.”
“You’re right.” Olivia took out her phone and dialed the number Lauren gave her. She placed the call on speaker.
“Deputy Director Baccarin,” the man on the other end of the line said.
“This is Liv Lane with Aegis. I’m sitting with Audrey Carter. Please confirm the specifics of the offer.”
“Miss Carter, if you give us actionable intelligence, I’ll see to it your brother is charged with a misdemeanor.
He’ll do six months in county jail. Refuse to cooperate and he’ll be charged and tried as a terrorist. When he’s found guilty, he’ll do years in a supermax, where we send the worst of the worst. Kevin will be in gen pop.
Those hardcore offenders will tear your little brother apart for entertainment,” Baccarin said, and Audrey cringed.
“The choice is yours and the clock is ticking.” The deputy director hung up.
Olivia set the phone down. “Is your baby brother going to suffer because you dragged him into this mess? Or are you going to save him? Ten minutes left.”
Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, Audrey hesitated. “Okay.”
Olivia nodded. “Good. Now, Shepherd. Tell me about him. Is that his real name?”
“He found us and called himself the shepherd.” Straightening, Audrey began to fidget. “We shortened it. Simply calling him Shepherd. I don’t know his real name.”
“What does he look like?”
“Early fifties. About six feet tall. Really fit. Beard. Green eyes. Glasses. Black hair.”
Great. That described roughly twenty-five percent of the men in Montana. They would need to get a forensic artist in to give them a sketch. “You told Maben that Shepherd has military training. What branch of service?”
“That rat,” Audrey hissed. “Shepherd was never specific. All he told us was Special Forces.”
It could’ve been a lie, the part about being spec ops, to give the group a false sense of confidence in him. Olivia hoped the guy had inflated his skills and expertise. Though she suspected the military training was true. “Where can we find him?”
“He was staying at an old dairy farm that shut down years ago.” Audrey gave the address, in a town two hours away. “After we hit the Rising Rock Resort, he planned to move on to his next objective. Without us.”
“Without you?” That was odd. “Doesn’t he need your help?”
“No. He has others. New members he recruited.”
“I’ll need their names. Addresses. Anything you can tell me about them.”
“I don’t know who they are. Shepherd changed the way we operate. He organized us geographically, different towns and different cities into separate groups. The members in my group don’t know who the other members are. Or their mission.”
A clandestine cell system. Compartmentalization made the network harder for authorities to detect. Groups like the IRA and al-Qaeda utilized a similar cell-based approach for security and to carry out attacks.
Olivia straightened. “I need actionable intel.”
“That’s all I know.” Biting her lip, Audrey bowed her head.
The woman knew more. Olivia felt it in her gut. “You’ve given me nothing. I can’t save your brother with nothing.”
“Shepherd is doing great things. He’s trying to make a difference. This is about something so much bigger,” Audrey said, sounding conflicted, torn between protecting the group and her brother.
Olivia needed to clarify things for her. Make the choice easier. “The report about the ferrets was falsified. Someone paid to make sure the endangered species wouldn’t stop the eminent domain from going through. People are digging into it. They’ll find the truth and expose the people responsible.”
Audrey’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. Her bottom lip trembled.