Thirty Days: The Hunt for Angelino Marquit (Book 2 of the Days Trilogy)

By Lora Lindy

Mike needs help hunting Angelino Marquit.
FBI profiler Jacque Real is called to help.
She knows more about Marquit than anybody.
A sting operation is set into motion.
Something goes horribly wrong.

This sequel to Eleven Days: An Unexpected Love is all about the hunt. Can Mike find Marquit before he kills again? The investigation proves to be difficult since Marquit like to toy with Mike. It seems Marquit is always a step ahead of them. But Mike will have his day when he meets him in a face-to-face showdown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lora Lindy
• Release date: Dec 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311371379

Lora Lindy

I was born in California to two hard working parents, Bob and Ann. My mom was a housewife and Dad worked for Whirlpool. With luck on my side, I was the second of four girls. Some people hated being the middle child, but I loved it. I didn't have the responsibilities of the oldest nor coddled like the youngest. Anyway, my father's job moved us all over the US, and finally we ended up back to our roots—Oklahoma. We settled in Tulsa, and I went to Daniel Webster High School through my junior year. Unfortunately my parents divorced, and I went my last year of high school to Spiro High, the home of the Bulldogs. Even though my parents divorced, and even though I moved my senior year, I didn't mind. I had returned home. All the family lived in the area, so I always had someone to hang out with. Besides, I spent many summers visiting my grandmother, so her home became my second home. My memories of visiting Granny is where the idea of The Party Line originated. Once I graduated from High School I wanted to vist a gigantic continent. So I ended up in Texas. Hey... it's big. Settling in Huntsville, I went to Sam Houston State University and got a MBA. I met my husband and had two children, Cody and Victoria. Many years later I divorced and moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains. I love it here but still travel when I get the chance. Cape Cod, Oklahoma, and Europe are a few places I enjoy. Sitting on the mountain top is where most of my ideas develop. There's nothing more romantic than viewing the range of mountains with light snow falling.

Book preview

Thirty Days: The Hunt for

Angelino Marquit

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Lora Lindy

Copyright 2012 by Lora Lindy

Smashwords Edition

[e-mail]

Books by Lora Lindy

Series

Days Trilogy:

Eleven Days: An Unexpected Love (August 2012)

Thirty Days: The Hunt for Angelino Marquit (June 2013)

Four Days: The Revenge (September 2013)

The Party Line

Dear Reader,

This story is continued from book one, Eleven Days: An Unexpected Love. As the author of these stories, I feel it's my responsibility to let you know about the continuation from book one into book two before purchasing. Please feel free to preview both novels. Enjoy! Lora Lindy

Chapter 1

Day 1

Sara was so upset she hardly could talk. Mike, it's not good news. Not good at all.

I'm almost afraid to ask, what's the bad news? Sara, I'm going to put you on speaker phone. The team is here, and I want them to hear what you have to say. Mike could tell by the tone in her voice the news was worse than normal. Rarely did Sara get this excited unless she had critical news.

As you know, I have a friend in the FBI named Adam. He overheard that Angelino Marquit, at one time, was an informant for the CIA and possibly a double agent, or I should say a double informant. My friend also told me that Marquit had shot several law enforcement officers in several countries. One theory is when officers get too close for comfort the drug lords hire Marquit to kill them. I just wanted you guys to know so you'll be careful. Also, nobody knows for sure if this is his true name, and he might be using several names. It will take me awhile, but I'll track him down like a dog.

How did the FBI find him? Raymond asked.

They found the cases through their research, and you'll have to check with them about the specifics. All Adam could tell me was that he had been linked to several murders.

Does the FBI have any idea where he might be right now? Raymond asked while writing the details in his pad.

That's a negative. The last they heard he was in Birmingham Alabama. Since he's a paid assassin, there is no way to know whom might hire him next. I'll continue to scan everything that crosses my desk.

I'll check my contacts and find out if they know anything about where he might be. If they won't help you, they probably won't help me, but I'll give it a try. Thanks Sara for everything and I mean that with all my heart.

You're welcome. Keep me informed. Of all the cases she had worked over the last twenty years, this one proved to be the most difficult. Some cases were tough for the simple fact they had little evidence, and some were more heart wrenching because children were involved. Deep down, she knew this case would be the most heartfelt for the men. All she could do was offer moral support and search for information.

I certainly will, and you keep plugging away. Call us with any news you might find. Mike lifted the phone and popped it back into the holder to disconnect them. Well guys, I suggest we load up the boxes and head for the beach house. Raymond, please call Gopher and tell him the good news about working in the field. I'll call Jacque and ask her if she would like to join our investigation. Mike glanced at his watch. I'm thinking since it is early morning. Let's plan on having everything ready at the beach house by seven tonight. That should give us enough time to get Jacque and Gopher on board.

Raymond and Joe looked at each other. Neither man was sure about working at the beach house. Through the years, they had gotten to know their boss and knew he was never high strung. They knew he would be professional, but sometimes finding the line between emotions and work proved to be difficult. They had no choice but to trust him.

Nothing was said as they walked down the hall to the director's office. Joe picked up the first two boxes and said, I'll be back in a few minutes to get some more.

Mike and Raymond also picked up two boxes. With a grin, Raymond said, Since you're the youngest, I'll take you up on toting the last two.

No problem old man. Joe loved to tease them about their age. This would be his first significant case and just thinking about it made the adrenaline flow. He would get to work it with two incredible investigators. Even Gopher was brilliant at his work. He could hack into any system made by the most brilliant men. A few years back, Gopher was arrested by the marshals for hacking into government files. Instead of sending him to jail, they hired him. That little gesture proved to be a win for the marshals. He turned from being a criminal to catching the most unscrupulous criminals. Since he started working for the marshals, all the marshals wanted Gopher's help.

Joe smiled recalling the first time he ever saw him, and how he didn't remotely resemble a federal agent. He had thick curly brown hair, blue eyes, and a small frame. He was five-foot-eight when he had his boots on. Many of the men who worked with him called him Barney Fife. They said his gun was bigger than him. However, this small deputy stood up for himself. He told them to shut up, or he would hack into their bank accounts and steal their money. The deputies knew Barney was quite capable of doing just that, so they didn't tease anymore. Yep, he couldn't wait to see him again.

While Joe is toting the last few boxes, I'll load them in the SUV, and you call Jacque. The quicker you call the quicker she can get here, said Raymond.

That's a good idea. Mike circled her number on the list Craven gave him and scanned the list one more time before dialing. It looked as though she would be the best choice. An older agent would be set in his ways; a young one would be too green. But a younger agent would prove to be gung-ho. Right now—he needed gung-ho. He dialed her number without thinking about it again.

Jacque Real speaking, she answered in a monotone voice.

Ms. Real, this is Marshal Mike Ramsey…

"Yes, Mr. Ramsey, I'm so glad you called. My boss told me he put me on the list. If you're wondering about me, please don't. My record speaks for itself. Of all the people on the Marquit task force, I'm the most knowledgeable about him." Shut-up Jacque and stop rambling or he's going to hang-up.

That's kind of you. I understand you are willing to help with the investigation?

Yes, I am. I've been on this case for a long time, and I'm ready to help any way I can. I know you don't know me, but I'm ready to capture him.

When can you get here?

I'm glad you asked. A flight leaves in two hours. I can be in Boston this evening.

This is a first for me—I've never had an agent check on flights before they were asked. Mike liked how she showed initiative. I'll see you this evening. Text me your arrival time, and I'll send a car for you. There were many questions he wanted to ask, but it would have to wait. He didn't want her to miss the flight and risk not starting the case until tomorrow.

Yes, sir, she answered, unable to control her enthusiasm. She danced a happy dance in her living room.

One more thing I need to mention.

What's that sir?

You will be working with all men, and all those men loved Lana. Knowing that, they will expect you to be at the top of your game. We don't know anything about Mission Impossible, and we expect you to teach us. The more we know about him, the better chance of catching him.

I understand, and I'll do my best.

That's all I can ask. I just wanted to forewarn you.

I understand. When they hung up, she ran to her bedroom and packed.

Chapter 2

Mike drove the familiar gravel path to his beach house, and the closer they got the more nervous he got. In hindsight, he had second thoughts. The memories may prove to be too much to bear; maybe he wasn't ready. It took several weeks after Kathy's death before he could get back in the groove of work. He had always been the get-up-and-dust-yourself-off kind of guy. In the past, he had always been able to forget about one case, and move on to the next, but not this time. Hopefully the memory of Lana would encourage him to work harder. When the SUV stopped, he just sat for a few minutes taking deep breaths. The last time he pulled up to the house, Lana was sitting next to him chatting up a storm.

Raymond saw Mike's face turn pale. It broke his heart to see him so distraught. They had been friends for years, and normally he didn't show emotion. Lana changed that. If you want to, we can go back to the office or work from my beach house. Mike, there's no shame in waiting a few more days. He felt sorry for his dear friend. For years after Kathy's death, he had hoped Mike would meet that one-in-a-million someone, then Lana waltzed into his life. He knew the minute Mike saw her he had fallen in love. Within days, he knew his boss would marry her—no doubt. Then, in the blink of an eye, she's gone. Now his focus needed to be helping his friend get through this trying time.

No, I need to go in and face what happened. Do you know if they cleaned the back porch? He knew it would be difficult to see remnants of blood everywhere. Suddenly his face started sweating just thinking about that horrific day.

Yes it's been cleaned, and I put all Lana's belongings in a box on a shelf in your closet. Do you want me to remove them? The last thing Mike needed was reminders lying around the house. He couldn't remotely imagine what Mike had gone through the past few weeks.

No. Once we get involved with the case, I'll be okay. Both inhaled deeply and opened the car doors, but neither exited quickly.

We're moving at a snail's pace. The first thing that had come to Raymond's mind was to lighten the mood.

At least we got the doors open, Mike cracked back.

When Mike walked in and glanced at the kitchen, tears formed in his eyes as he remembered Lana cooking at the stove, and how she smiled at his whistling. His eyes pivoted to the living room, and he recalled how they had danced in that room. He remembered how her hands were always cold, and how she had rubbed them together over the warm fire. If he could have had one wish, it would have been to make love the first night they met. Oh God, he had wanted to so badly. No… he changed his mind… if he could have had one wish, it would be not to let her go outside—no matter how much she begged.

Raymond grabbed a couple of boxes and sat them on the table. He noticed the cork boards still sat in the living room corner. As fate would have it, he would need them again. I put some groceries on the counter, so why don't you make some coffee. You make better coffee than any of us. Did you get Jacque's flight schedule? By the way, when we pick up Jacque, we need to swing by the office and get Gopher. He said he would meet us there.

I have to pick Jacque up at the airport this evening; then I'll stop for Gopher. I have to get a couple of files at the office anyway.

Do you want me or Joe to pick her up? Raymond offered, even though he knew Mike needed to get away.

Distracted, Mike went through the motions of putting the groceries away. They were the usual work-on-location groceries: coffee, donuts, frozen pizza, cereal, and milk. But this time, french vanilla creamer was in a bag. He held the container a long time. He remembered standing in that precise spot when he first tormented Lana about using that sissy stuff. A smile crossed his face when he recalled how she wouldn't take his guff, and how she teased right back.

Do you want me to go to the airport? Mike… MIKE.

Mike snapped back to reality. No, I'll go get her and pick her brain while we drive to the office. None of the team personally knew this agent, so he hoped she fit in with the group. The team needed someone knowledgeable about Marquit, and since she had been on the case from infancy, she undoubtedly would be the best choice.

Let's hope she's as gung-ho about catching him as we are, Raymond commented as he cut the seals on the boxes, anxious to open them and take a peek at a killer. All along he had doubts about working with Jacque, but he had no choice in the matter. The FBI task force had worked on the case for years and knew the suspect better than anyone, including the marshals. Maybe Jacque would revive his faith in them and in women agents.

She told me that she would review the case and talk with the original team. She wanted to make sure the file was up to date. If you think about it, it's kind of scary to depend so much on one person. Especially someone we've never met, Mike said as he put the boxes in numerical order.

I agree. So why do you think Craven picked Gopher, or should I say Curtis Yarborough?

"Well, he's the best hacker the marshals have, and we need someone who can track Marquit through technology. That's how he got the name Gopher. Anything he goes for on the computer he gets. I'm not sure who gave him that nickname, but he's had it for awhile. If we need to hack into a file somewhere, Gopher will prove to be extremely handy. Besides, he's an agent, and if we get into a tight spot, he can fend for himself."

True. What time will you leave to get Jacque? Raymond asked as he put away his pocket knife.

Her flight arrives at six-thirty. So I'll leave about five or so.

Their conversation was interrupted when Joe opened the front door with boxes and plastic bags looped on his arm. These are the last few bags of groceries. I see we got the usual stuff. One thing is for sure, I'll miss Lana's cooking, he said before thinking.

Quickly Raymond snapped at him. That was stupid, Joe.

Mike waved his hands and said, Don't worry about it. Please don't think you guys need to tiptoe around me and be cautious about what you say. We all know this will take time, and there will be times I'll be quiet and edgy. He took a deep before continuing, I'm going to the airport and pick up Jacque. I'll be back shortly. Why don't you set up the boards and computers? When I get back, we'll spend the night going through the boxes. Jacque can help us determine the importance of some of the evidence.

We can certainly do that. I'll make sure it's finished by the time you return, said Joe as he looked at the ground, feeling terrible about what had blurted out of his mouth. Never would he disrespect Lana's memory. Mike, I'm sorry I said what I did.

Don't worry about it, Lana would love it that you were thinking of her in such a fond way. Mike walked out without another word being said.

Chapter 3

Mike had checked his phone and knew Jacque's flight arrived on time. This was the part he hated the most about airports—waiting in line. Every time he sat at the airport, it reminded him of September 11. All marshals were put on high alert that day and many days to follow. That was one of the saddest times of his career.

Twenty minutes later, Jacque walked out of the luggage area. Exiting the SUV, he extended his hand and said, Good evening Ms. Real, how was your flight? Neither one of them needed a sign to know the other was a cop—instinctively they knew.

She grinned at him and said, It was a pleasant flight. I used the time to start preparing the case. Please call me Jacque. Immediately, she liked him. She liked his firm handshake. All the men from the FBI office shook hands like a girl. In her upbringing, men who shook hands delicately didn't respect a woman, nor did they consider the woman an equal. Plus, Mike looked squarely in her eyes, and that showed trust.

As he opened the door for her, sudden sadness hit him as he recalled how he had always opened the door for Lana. Once they were intimate, she would slide in on his side of the truck. He didn't think he ever would allow a woman to do that again. That had been special to both of them. A car honked, and Mike snapped back to reality. He put the bags in the back, slid in the driver's seat and started down the road. So what's your insight on this guy? Mike immediately wanted to delve into the case, no sense wasting time.

Mostly he keeps a low profile, and we can't find any criminal record on him. The only file we have is what we created. Even our international sources are scratching their heads, and we think some overseas murders are connected to him. He has an uncanny knack of being evasive and undetectable. I've never investigated a man who can walk away from a murder and nobody's the wiser. I've been on the team for three years, and I'd say he is the calmest person I have ever investigated. He never seems to panic, nor does he seem to care about leaving witnesses. Many people saw the killer as either a man or a woman, but not one witness saw the same features. He is unbeatable with disguises, confusing the witnesses, and killing. I think he enjoys all three. That's how he got the nickname Mission Impossible.

We kind of figured that out on our own—that he likes disguises. He certainly fooled us when he disguised himself as Peter Waters. Not one person recognized him as Marquit, but Lana could spot his distinct features immediately. You're right about him being calm and in control. We think he sat in the lighthouse for at least ten hours before shooting Lana. So, where do you think he's hiding now?

I'm not sure. I think the last sightings were in Birmingham, then Atlanta, then Boston. The only reason we know he was in Boston was because he was on Lana's flight. If Lana would not have remembered his face, we would have never tied him to Waters. I personally haven't looked at the case since Ms. Andrews was murdered because it was put on hold after that. I guess the FBI knew you would want this one, considering the circumstances. I want you to know the last couple of years I have taken this case personally. I wanted to keep working on it, but the FBI wouldn't let me. Sometimes when other cases take priority, and past cases get put on the top shelf, like this one. Anyway, I'm glad you chose to take it on. Good grief Jacque, stop rambling.

Mike liked her candor, it was obvious she liked her work, and she was right—men cops usually don't take the women cops seriously. After this case, he would make a conscience effort not to think that way anymore. Trust me when I say everything you tell me will be taken seriously. We know nothing about this guy, and we're eager to learn. As I told you on the phone; the next few days you will be the teacher and we'll be the pupils. I don't think I can say it any clearer than that.

She grinned at his remark. She had been with the FBI for several years, and no one ever told her she could teach them anything. I'll tell your team everything I know about Mission Impossible. It shouldn't take too long because we don't know much about him. Can you tell me who is on the team?

There's Joe—he's twenty-eight-years-old and has been with me for a few years. He's the happy-go-lucky guy of the group. Then there's Raymond who is forty-years-old. I'd say he's the most serious and most reliable. He's our sharpshooter and can outshoot anyone, including me. Gopher is the next guy, but he's not on my regular team. He'll be joining us for this case. If you need anyone to hack into a computer, he's the go-to guy. Lastly, you're the fifth person on the team. Mike was so busy talking, he almost forgot his exit and