Chapter 44
44
T heresa finished loading the dishwasher as Marco showered to get ready for work. He stepped from the bedroom smelling heavenly. She was jealous he was leaving to go to work looking and smelling like he did. He was too sexy for words.
He kissed her lips and held her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "What's the plan?"
"If anything happens here, I'm to dial 9-1-1, and call you while I'm running downstairs to hide in the safe room."
"Yes."
The security system alerted them someone was approaching, and Marco hurried to the cameras. "It's Mitch."
Theresa opened the door to let Mitch in. "Hey there. I'm glad Marco is still here."
Mitch rushed to the desk where Marco sat, and she shrugged and locked the door.
As she made her way to the men, Mitch started talking. "I traced it to Attorney Perry Henry."
Marco's brows rose. "The new attorney in town?"
"Yes."
"How did you trace it?"
"Via an algorithm. From the moment the serial number was added to it until now, it's been tracked. But Perry Henry received it yesterday. I called Blossom Springs police to share this news with them and they are at Henry's office and home right now looking for evidence the bastard was hunting last night."
Theresa stepped closer. "What if they can't find anything?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But also, your phone started getting texts again today. Did you release more information about the Celtics?"
"Yes. In response to this..." She pointed to the device. "If they wanted to let me know they could get to me, I wanted to let them know every time they try, more information will come out."
Mitch pulled her phone from his pocket. "I hope this doesn't backfire." He texted them in response as she watched.
"I guess time will tell. I'm sick of being scared of them. And I have a lot of dirt left to share."
Mitch texted again and sent it off.
His phone rang. Looking at the readout, he grinned. "Blossom Springs PD."
"DeMario."
He listened then replied. "Hang on, let me put you on speaker."
He tapped his screen and spoke once more. "I have Theresa Miklovic and Marco Karason here with me. Please repeat and continue."
"Hello. This is Officer Isak Voss. I called to inform you that we have evidence that Perry Henry did indeed go hunting last night. He's in custody now. We've found a knife with blood on it and deer hair stuck to the hilt. If you can get me the proof that Mr. Henry received the tracking device, we should be able to charge him with hunting out of season. Which isn't much, but it's enough to keep him for a bit. We can also then charge him with stalking if we can prove he had the tracking device. We'll send someone out to pick up the deer so we can DNA test it for a match to that on the knife. And if you have anything linking Perry Henry to the Celtics we just might be able to make this man sing."
Theresa nodded. "I have the codes that have his zip code and some transactions related to him in connection to money laundering."
"I'd like to see that information Ms. Miklovic."
"I'll gather it together and get it to you."
"Thank you. Mr. DeMario please bring in your information as well."
"I'll be down there soon."
Mitch hung up and pocketed his phone.
Theresa moved to her computer. "I'm pulling up the information I have based on his zip code."
Marco nodded and moved to sit next to her at the table. "Also pull up anything you have that relates to PCK Meatpacking and any other business here in Blossom Springs. Let's see if we can pull up the businesses in this area and give it all to the police. If police start questioning them over and over, they'll likely lay low and perhaps ask the Celtics to leave you alone so they aren't all exposed."
"Okay." Excitement ran through her. Finally, finally it was all starting to be worth it. She searched in her codes and printed the documents pertaining to each zip code in Blossom Springs. She then showed Marco and Mitch the money associated with each business. There were four in all. The attorney, PCK Meatpacking, a brokerage firm, and a business not named as a business but under the name of Bradford Bennett LLC. She showed them the money trail. "I don't have a way to track the money penny for penny. But a good question is, how does a business that isn't a business at all, make any money to launder?"
Marco grinned. "Damn, you're smart."
She felt her cheeks heat. "Thanks." She moved a paper. "Also, it doesn't make sense that an attorney with no business and a brokerage firm that I bet can't show you the names of five clients, have large amounts of money deposited on a regular basis into various banks."
Mitch nodded. "All good points. I think I can help in one aspect. The same algorithm I used to track this device, can possibly track money through the accounts associated with these codes."
"Oh, how can we set that up?"
Mitch pulled up his phone and tapped a couple of times. "Gabby, I want to track a few numbers. Theresa is going to send them to you. Please set them up in the algorithm and record the paths."
He hung up and looked at her. "Okay. Send Gabby the numbers, and the amounts associated as well as the names. We can get to the banks through the algorithm and it will trace everything that comes in and goes out. Typically, these accounts deposit and withdraw on the same day. Transactions that are deposited and withdrawn within 24 hours aren't traced. But the algorithm does trace them. All it knows is to follow the trail. Many times, banks can't do that for privacy reasons, and to add these algorithms to their systems is too expensive."
Theresa compiled the lists she had, complete with business names and owner’s names if she had them. She eagerly sent it off to Gabby, excited that she was making progress.