THE SWORD AND SICKLE

Part Two: DECEPTION

CHAPTER ONE

Hidden in Plain Sight

©2017, Olan L. Smith

When the Chief Detective arrived, he found his agents waiting and the Director had yet to arrive. The Chief Detective said, "Guys, I want you to brief me about the old couple in room two-O-four."

Special Agent John Hartley checked his notes, "Yes sir, I knocked and they didn't answer; so, Clint identified us and used the master key to gain entry to the room. When we gained access we found an elderly couple frightened to death and cowering on the bed. We searched the room and found nothing out of the ordinary and left. May I ask why you are concerned about these people?"

"It is just a gut feeling John, and the Director is interested. Did you call me before or during the search?"

"Not to my recollection sir," reported Special Agent Hartley.

"Check your phone records."

Looking at his notes, checking the time, as he looked at his outgoing calls. "Sir, I show a call made at that time but it doesn't show the number I called."

"Interesting, Agent Hartley."

"Clint, is that how you remember the events, while searching the room?"

"Yes, Chief Detective, that is how it went down, but I have no memory of John calling anyone."

Just then, the Director entered the lobby area. Walking over the group, he asked, "What do we have here, Chief?"

"Sir, Special Agents Hartley and McNairy entered room two-o-four, and they found two elderly people cowering on the bed, they searched the room and found nothing out of the ordinary, and they left the room. I asked John if he made a phone call, but he couldn't recall, but after checking his cellphone logs it showed that he had made a call from the room to an unknown number."

"Interesting gentlemen, let's go take a second look to see who was registered in that room?"

Special Agent Hartley again looked at his notes, "Director, the people who registered in the room, were a Mr. and Mrs. Ansell Bastion from Jackson, Mississippi."

"After we have investigated this room, I would like you to photograph their signatures so we can have them analyzed by our experts."

Special Agent McNairy asks, "Why are we investigating this elderly couple? They're not the Jacksons?"

Director Morgan said, "Agent, it could have been a disguise?"

Hartley replied, "If they were in disguise, it was the best disguise I have ever seen, sir."

"Levi is a master of disguise, Special Agent. He can make himself look like anything, even a rock. Now lead the way." Then he led them to the room. Knocking on the door, they received no reply, and Special Agent Hartley used his passkey to enter the room. This time they had their gun drawn. Entering the room, they found it unoccupied, as the clerk had informed them. "Search everything gentlemen! They may have left some clues, then call the crew in to check for prints and DNA. I want this room examined from top to bottom!" Their initial search found nothing. As they exited the room, they placed crime scene tape across the door. Returning to the front desk, they asked the desk attendant when the couple had left.

The young looking clerk answered, "Mr. and Mrs. Bastion left about forty minutes ago."

"How did they pay you?"

"Oh, they paid in cash, and they left me a huge tip."

"I am afraid we are going to need to take your tip money. You will get it back when the investigation is finished, and we've left crime scene tape across the door, and make absolutely sure the room is not cleaned until we inform you otherwise."

"Yes sir. I can do that if you give me a receipt for my money and I will leave a notice with the cleaning crew on the computer."

"We are going to have to take all your tips for the day."

"Oh, that won't be necessary. I know exactly which bills they gave me. They gave me four C-Notes, crisp and new."

"Didn't you find it unusual to get a tip that big?"

"Yeah, I thought so, but they seem to know everything about my family and me. I just figured they wanted to give me the money because they knew my grand-parents or something."

Special Agent Hartley filled in the evidence report and gave it to the clerk. The young man gave him a new one hundred dollar bill to the agent. John picked them up with his gloved hand, placed them into the evidence bag, and sealed it. Then he said to the clerk, "Sir, we will need you to report to our office in an hour, so we can take you fingerprints."

"Why?" the clerk asked.

We need to exclude your fingerprints from the others on the bills. You see, new bills like this have been handled by no more than six people, and we want to isolate the prints of the Bastions."

"I am not sure I can take off work."

Director Morgan replied, "Don't worry. We will speak to your manager. He is aware we are searching for people."

"Sir, can I ask what you want from this sweet old couple?"

Director Morgan turned as he was leaving and shouted, "No!" and they left the building.

Outside the building, the Chief Detective said, "Sir. I was wondering the same thing. How can we work on a case and be in the dark?"

Director Morgan replied, "I'm not in the dark, and that is all that matters; any more questions?"

"No sir, not at all."

When they entered the D.C. FBI offices, Director Morgan went into Chief Detective Wescott's office and found his wife, Louise Wescott, sitting at her husband's desk. He turned to the Chief Detective and said, "Send in Assistant Chief Detective, Greta Bastion."