S6: Chapter 06: Sorry Wrong Number

Dustin paced back and forth in his living room constantly eyeing the phone sitting on his desk as he debated whether or not to give his friend a call back in Korea. Since seeing that fated emblem hanging on the rearview mirror of that dark SUV he had lost plenty of sleep; awashed with worry over the “what if”. Slowly he approached his desk and leaned over the phone for a moment before finally clutching the receiver in his hand and punching in the thirteen digit number including international calling code.

Waiting a moment, Dustin held his breath as the caller on the other end seemingly answered quickly. The voice sounded panicked and breathless as if they rushed to answer the call. What was to follow was a conversation held in Korean. Dustin thought nothing of it as the mood of the person on the other end seemed light and cheery as they greeted him. But as Dustin realized he didn’t recognize the voice and asked who he was speaking with, the caller’s tone took on a very ominous and deeper tone. 

Immediately Dustin went on edge as the next words out of the person’s mouth confirmed the terrible feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. “You and your family are next.” The call ended without another word and Dustin stood in his living room in shock still clutching the phone within his palm.

“Say Mama,” Yvette smiled and rubbed Austin’s belly as he tossed a wooden block in the air practically ignoring her. “Austin, say Mama. Baba? Dada? Tell Mommy she’s being a pain and you just want to go play with Sissy?” she sighed in frustration as he laughed and crawled over towards Autumn who sat near Brett’s leg chewing on her teddy bear’s head. 

“Well I guess that answers that.” She watched as the two seemed to communicate wordlessly and crawl off into the direction of the playpen.

“Don’t worry Yve. I’m sure they’ll be talking in no time. And then you’ll be trying to figure out how to get them to stop.” Brett laughed as they rolled into the padded corner and began slamming bricks together noisily.

“And it’ll be just my luck that their first words will be gun or spy.” She stood and approached the couch and listlessly dropped in her husband’s lap with a frown. “I don’t know if I’d want them following into this line of work Brett but from my family’s background and yours it kind of seems inevitable doesn’t it?”

“Well my father and both of yours and your mom were agents; it is seemingly ingrained in their DNA. But I think ultimately it’ll be how we raise them and how they see us react to our jobs. If they see us stressing about it or complaining a lot maybe it might discourage them. I can’t say I’d stop either Austin or Autumn from doing what they feel they want to though. And honestly I don’t think you would either.”

“No, I suppose I wouldn’t,” she thought for a moment and caught his eyes locked on hers. Rolling herself, she straddled his lap and peppered tender kisses along his face until he guided her lips towards his. She thought back to a few nights earlier and sighed. “Brett there’s something I need to tell you. But you have to promise me you won’t flip out and go completely mental once I do.”

“You know when you say a thing like that it only means that it’s something so bad that my only reaction would be to freak out Yvette. I can’t make you that promise because without knowing what you’re going to say or how bad it is, there’s just no judging how I’ll react.”

“It’s about Ethan.” She watched him as he visibly held his breath and nodded his head. She knew that look all too well. It was the same one he had the day he told her to stay away from him and the same look he had when he found him at his home the night he was killed.

“He’s not dead is he?” Brett asked without waiting on Yvette to tell him herself. He stood from the couch and paced a little in front of her, eyeing the twins before dropping back beside her. “I had my suspicions but I just didn’t know if there was a way to prove it.”

“The night he was shot, he gave me a cell phone and told me to call when I was ready. The night I went through those boxes, I called.” Brett shot his gaze towards his wife and waited for her to continue. “He’s been living underground. He used that night as a means to escape the Company and the assassins they sent after him. Those men that were chasing us were shooting specially designed blanks that without deeper investigation appeared real; ballsy considering the team was there with loaded weapons. But when I thought back to that night I realized Ethan had everyone go do what they needed and he met them in the hall and returned fire alone.”

“He needed witnesses and who better than a team of Federal agents who had launched a battle to kill him and a building highly secured with cameras everywhere; smart. So you talked to him?” Yvette nodded her head and kept watch of Brett’s face for a reaction. “How did that go?”

“Quickly. He basically told me he had to go into hiding again because of the Company. They found out that he was accessing information from their private databases and making copies of the confidential case work in order to have ‘proof’ if ever anything were to happen. He said for a long time he had known about their antigovernment work and was trying to figure out the best way to approach the situation; he found a way but it placed him in the line of fire. I also told him about the twins. He was excited and sad. He knows he can’t be a part of their lives until he gets clear of everything.”

The ringing phone drew the couples’ attention and Brett groaned as he withdrew from the living room heading to the kitchen to answer. Yvette took the opportunity to play with the kids again and Austin happily greeted her with his key toy that she jiggled for him to make the both of them laugh. From the adjacent hallway she could hear Brett growing more and more agitated by the person on the other end of the line. “Don’t call here again,” he barked and hung up abruptly.

Yvette eyed him curiously as he joined her on the floor with the twins. “It was just someone playing on the phone,” he spoke gently as Autumn leaned up and sucked on his bottom lip. “Daddy gets kisses!” he grinned and kissed her back.

“That’s the fifth time tonight Brett. I don’t think it’s just some random teen prank. Maybe we can have Dustin figure it out tomorrow,” Yvette suggested. 

An early morning meeting with the District Attorney and the Mayor put Scott in a pretty foul mood for the day. When the team assembled in the unit room, messages that they’d better come up with something soon greeted them and they knew the pressure was on. “Just what we need,” Victor growled and tossed a pushpin towards the bulletin board. “If Mayor Robinson or D.A. McEnroe thinks it’s that easy to produce witnesses, suspects or evidence, I’d like to see either one of them crawl from behind their desks in their cozy air conditioned offices and give it a shot!”

“Ignore it,” Brett advised. “We aren’t rushing this thing to appease the public or either of those dickheads. This guy needs to be stopped and I’ll be damned if we go running head first into this case and miss something that ends up letting him off. Keep working the leads we have and at the pace we’ve set. We can’t risk overlooking evidence!”

“In speaking of,” Dustin started and waited for Brett to come and have a look at his screen. “The lab came back on the toxicology on our last vics. The drug found in their system is known as Poppyvine, street name ‘Lightning’ when mixed with cocaine. It’s a legal opiate close to one of the purest forms used in China in the late 1400s. It’s used in many clinics like Methadone, a reverse for treating those addicted to heroin. I did a search and came up with 12 possible retailers this particular drug could be purchased at home and abroad.” The printer sounded behind him and Brett pulled the results off the machine and studied them closely. 

“‘How To Catch A Killer’,” Yvette read the title of the book clutched in Ryan’s hand as she joined him on the couch. “Looking for a few pointers?”

“Funny,” he grinned and nudged her lightly with his elbow.

Handing the list to Ryan, Brett looked at Yvette and nodded. “You two take this one. There are four within the city, check those out. Victor and I will hit the phones and follow up on the ones outside of the state and in the other countries. Call if you come across anything.”

“You got it BK,” Ryan saluted with two fingers, opened the door for Yvette and followed her out. Sliding behind the steering wheel he waited for her to buckle herself in before pulling out of the garage and heading towards the first drug store on the list. “So is it weird taking orders from Brett now? I mean I expected that once you got back from the maternity leave you’d resume command of the team but when you didn’t it kind of made me wonder. Why didn’t you?”

“Brett and I talked it over before I was to come back and I told him that my favorite part about being with the Bureau and the CIA before that was being an agent and going on missions. But Brett on the other hand has a goal to be director someday. It just made more sense for him to retain control of the team as it’s more of a stepping stone for him to get to where he wants. And it’s not weird taking orders from him because he knows better than to force his will on me. We’re married Ry, and as every man knows, the woman is the one who ALWAYS wears the pants in the relationship.”

“Yeah right.”

“What’s that you say? Stefanie wants new shoes? A new car? New wardrobe. How’s your bank account looking these days Ryan.”

“Alright, alright, point taken geez!”

“Besides, there’s something about being with a man in power that just gets the juices flowing you know?”

“If you’re about to tell me Brett makes you dress up as a naughty secretary while he chases you around the room, give me a sec so I can get comfy.” Yvette laughed as Ryan pretended to readjust his jeans. He pulled into the parking lot of the Fuller Rx pharmacy and hopped out. 

Noticing the time they hurried to the pharmacy before the woman behind the counter could clock out for lunch. She turned when she saw them and hung her coat on the wall. Pointing towards her wrist Yvette flashed her badge and the pharmacist smiled a greeting towards them. “Hi, I’m Agent Sharpe, this is my partner Agent Knight.”

“You’re a federal agent?” the woman asked suspiciously as she eyed Ryan’s clothing.

He simply smiled and nodded his head and leaned forward on the counter. “It’s ok Darling I get that all the time. I’m a Special Agent and unlike the uptight G-men you see on T.V., I’m not trapped within a strict clothing regime. Anyway, my partner and I are in the middle of an investigation and wondering if you could be of assistance to us.” 

“Well I’m not sure, Agent Sharpe. What is it that you think I can do for you?”

“Well we’re interested in the sale of a particular prescription drug that, from my understanding, this is one of the only places in town you can buy it. We’d like to see your sales records and patient list for those who may have purchased the drug within the last year.”

“Uh…um well, I don’t think I can give you that without a warrant.”

“Aww come on Liz,” Ryan leaned forward with a wink as he eyed the name badge on the coat behind her. “It’ll be our little secret.”

“I really shouldn’t. I could get into a lot of trouble. I’m just the assistant here and if the Pharmacist found out he could fire me!”

“Well now that’s a tough call. See you wouldn’t want us to have to go get that warrant and come back. It’ll open up every dark secret that goes on behind that counter. Every missed prescription, illegal bribes resulting in reduced payments, freebies to friends or even self medication. I’d hate to have to see you or your boss with your faces on the news over a drugstore scandal. This is easier; a quick in and out and we’ll be out of your hair. Whaddya say Liz huh? Help a guy out?” Ryan turned on his charm and Yvette smiled inwardly watching the woman blush behind the counter as he persuaded her to get what he needed.

“Ok but you have to make it quick.”

“Well now that’s something I don’t hear often.” Liz’s face went beet red as Ryan slipped behind the counter, purposely brushing his arm against hers as she led him to the computer. Within seconds he had a printout of all of the names of the drug sales for Poppyvine and was heading back towards Yvette with a grin. “That was easy.”

“Yeah I wonder how Brandy would take the news.”

“Vette!”

“What? Aww Ry,” Yvette smirked as she mimicked his earlier actions. “It’ll be our little secret.” She pulled open her car door laughing at him as he slid behind the wheel again and started towards the next store on the list.

Brett’s attention fell on the door as Ryan and Yvette re-entered the unit room with printouts in hand. Dropping the papers to the desk beside Dustin, Ryan motioned towards one name in particular. “Juan Vargas,” he spoke hurriedly and leaned forward. “This dude sounds awfully familiar to me but I can’t place the name, start with him?” Dustin nodded and his fingers quickly got to work pulling up the Nexus to find information for his teammate.

Moments later, he had the projector going and everyone gathered around as they read the information on the screen. “Juan Vargas convicted on possession of drugs and paraphernalia and sent up about four years ago. He was caught with seven kilos of crack cocaine, as well as a few needles, scales, bags and was on his way to a sale when the DEA caught up to him and brought him down hard.”

“Here’s why he might sound familiar to you Ryan, it says that two years before that you and Brett caught up to Vargas and arrested him while undercover at Birch. He was caught trying to sell to a minor at an elementary school; he was peddling the hard stuff. He claimed you and Brett planted the stuff on him and made this big stink about crooked FBI agents.”

“Wait a second. Bottom right corner, says he is still serving at Riker’s for the DEA bust; he can’t be our guy if that’s the case. We’re looking for people who have recently purchased this drug. How is his name on that list?” Yvette asked as she looked over his record.

“Identity theft?” Victor shrugged.

“Who’d want to steal a convicted felon’s identity?” Ryan asked and dropped onto the sofa. “That’s like trying to paint the walls in a burned down house; no matter how many coats you apply you’ll never cover up the bad spots. There’s no way they can get anywhere with that.”

“Unless that’s the whole point,” Yvette started.

“Right. We’re looking for names on a list of drug pushers,” Brett added. “So while we’re chasing ghosts and cons our unsub is committing these murders with the help of their stolen identities.”

“Kinda makes you wonder if Vargas had anything to do with this,” Ryan sighed and looked up just in time to see the rest of the team’s eyes were staring in his direction. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Agent Knight,” Lieutenant Campbell knocked as he entered, offered a nod as he saw Brett standing across the room from him and shut the door behind him. “I don’t mean to intrude but the lady down at reception said I would find you in here.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Lieutenant,” Brett greeted the man with a handshake and smile. “Was there another body?”

“Oh no, nothing like that. This is about that tip line you set up at the 26^th. We got a call from an unidentified eyewitness who says he knows something about the latest murder. Obviously we anticipated receiving these kinds of calls, you know women who just wanted to harm an ex-boyfriend and use the police to do it. But there was something off about this caller in particular. The number came up as unknown and the person on the other end was using some sort of voice changing device to distort the way they sound.”

“At first we wrote it off as a prank call and just threw it to the side with the other couple hundred or so. But he said something that hasn’t been made public knowledge and that really got our attention.”

“What was it?” Yvette asked moving towards Brett’s side as she listened intently to the Lieutenant’s story and reaching out to receive the manila folder he’d brought with him.

Keeping his gaze on Brett, he continued on with his recount and handed him the folder in his hand. “He mentioned that there was no note found on Toni Laird. Again at first I thought nothing of it but then I reviewed the case notes for her and found out that he was right. Unlike the previous victims, Mrs. Laird was not found with a note hinting towards a new victim. That right there was found on Deputy Wade’s desk when the morning crew arrived today.”

I had my fun but the party’s over
graduation’s done and life has begun
it’s time to choose my career and I’ll be a star
no matter what, it won’t rain on my parade

Brett read the note before closing up the folder and glancing up at the Lieutenant again. “Our boy finally called in,” Victor assessed and dropped onto the desk behind Campbell. “Did he say anything else? A clue towards the next victim maybe?”

“No I didn’t give him the chance to over the phone and I’m kicking myself for it now guys. I thought he was another loon and I guess he sensed that and disconnected the call.”

“You can’t blame yourself for that, it was a simple mistake,” Yvette smiled comfortingly to which Campbell simply nodded. She noted that was the third time he directly avoided eye contact with her and it caused an uneasy feeling to rouse the tiny hairs on the back of her neck. Had she done something to upset him? She wondered and moved her attention to the board behind her to pencil in the new information.

“Well I guess I’m gonna get back then. I’d like to be there in case he decides to call back, I sorta doubt he will but you never know.”

“And whether he does or not, we’ll get him. It’s with everyone’s hard work that people like this are caught. You and your men are invaluable to the investigation and I want to thank you again.” Brett handed the folder over to Dustin who immediately began comparing the records with those he had recorded from the date listed at the top of the page. He checked through the tip line database of calls unsure of how he’d missed this one. But with everything he had been dealing with lately it’s a wonder he made it in to work some days.

“So why do you think he failed to leave the note on the vic this time?” Ryan asked as he leaned forward on the couch. “I mean it was pretty much part of his signature. Does this mean he didn’t grab another victim?”

“Or he doesn’t expect us to come for her. Wants more time with this one?” Dustin suggested as he continued combing through the database still unable to reconcile the same data as Campbell had just brought it.

“I don’t think he was able to. We still have no idea how she even got to the subway in the first place. If she got up and walked out on her own then he wouldn’t have been able to place the note on her without being seen by someone,” Yvette suggested. “And with all the media coverage the ‘murder on the subway’ received, he may have been too distracted. The question now becomes, when did he scoop up the next one? That is if he has yet.”

“I think it’s safe to assume he has in fact pulled another victim. Everything about this guy screams obsessive compulsive I mean just look what he did to victim five and the doll. He feels a sense of control over these women, he’s punishing them for something and that kind of appetite for chaos and destruction doesn’t just end. He won’t stop until he’s either behind bars or seven feet under. We need to review the crime scene, the audio, anything that may point us towards his next victim. I won’t let him take another life,” Brett replied.

“Victor, get that note down to forensics, I want a full scan on everything. Whose blood and thumb print is that? Where was the paper manufactured? What kind of pen did he use? Once they’re done with it get a handwriting expert on it so we can dig a little more into his psyche. Dustin you can get into the local’s video database right? I want all the feeds from the cameras on the date that letter came in. We need to go over it with a fine toothed comb. This bastard is playing games now which can only mean he’s letting the attention go to his head. He’ll make his first mistake real soon. Probably already has.”

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