Dead Aim(53)
“I only used my Visa twice. I ran out of cash and I needed—”
“I'm not asking for excuses,” Betworth said quietly. “If everything had gone well, there would have been no problem with a minor slip like that. But now we have to make sure it doesn't hurt us.”
“Have you checked on Scott's background?”
“Jurgens ran a check on him. We tried to find out who he was talking to on the phone but drew a blank. He's a hired investigator, freelance, very good, very discreet. No records in his office that indicate who he was working for.” Betworth idly doodled a hangman's gallows on the pad in front of him. “I'd bet on Morgan. He was the only one who had inside information about Fairfax. What do you think?”
“It makes sense.”
“Scott had a sketch of you. Alex Graham knew what you looked like. So Graham is probably still with Morgan.” He drew in a stick figure to the gallows. “What address will that credit card lead Morgan to?”
“Terre Haute. But it won't do him any good. I haven't lived there for five years. I took the credit card out when I was still married to my ex-wife. I arranged with her not to cancel it and to forward the bills to a post-office box. It kept anyone from pinning down my current address.” He added quickly, “But I can cover my tracks. I'll send Mae on a nice pricy vacation. She'll eat it up.”
“Why do that? It offers us an opportunity. Why don't you go back to the dear old Hoosier state and snap the trap on Morgan? We might catch Graham at the same time.”
“If that's what you want me to do.”
“That's definitely what I want you to do. Call me when Morgan surfaces. Naturally, I'll have Jurgens there on standby to come in if anything goes wrong.”
“Nothing will go wrong.”
“I have complete trust in you.” He drew a noose around the stick figure's neck. “Keep me informed.” He hung up.
He quickly dialed again. To his surprise the call was answered immediately. “Where are you, Runne?”
“Fort Collins. This is too slow. I need more information.”
“That's why I called. I may be able to help you. I've just sent a gentleman named Thomas Powers to a city in the Midwest. Judd Morgan is going there to find Powers, and Powers thinks he's going there to catch Judd Morgan.”
“No!”
“I thought that would be your reaction. Don't worry, I wouldn't think of cheating you. Powers has become a handicap to the operation, but he may be able to draw Morgan out into the open. But you have to do me two favors if I give you Powers's address.”
“What?”
“I want your word that you'll do the work on Z-3.”
He didn't answer.
“I've been very patient with you. Now you have to commit, Runne. You've told me you didn't care about anything but getting Morgan. Prove it.”
“The job may get in the way.”
“Commit. After all, it's a job your father would be proud to send you to do.”
“Maybe.”
“Then do enjoy Colorado.”
Silence. “I'll do it.”
“Your promise.”
“I promise. Where's Morgan?”
“One more thing. I want Powers erased as well as Morgan.”
“Done.” There was no hesitation. “Tell me where he is.”
“At 1372 Oak Place, Terre Haute, Indiana.”
The disconnect buzz sounded in Betworth's ear.
For once Runne's rudeness didn't bother him. He was feeling too satisfied. It was pure joy to be able to pull the strings and watch the puppets jump.
Set the wolf to go after the tiger and then set loose the cobra to dispose of the wolf.
He smiled as he slashed two lines on the pad to indicate the opening trapdoor of the gallows.
“I can't talk, dammit,” Alex said. “I feel like I've got a mouth full of cotton.”
“Sorry. Plastic bags are the best I can do right now.” Morgan quickly parted her hair in the middle and combed it straight. “I told Galen to have a kit waiting for us in a locker at the Greyhound bus station in Des Moines, but we don't want to attract attention while we're traveling.”
“And how are we traveling?”
“The old pickup truck in the barn to Des Moines and then a puddle jumper to Terre Haute. Do you have any foundation makeup?”
She shook her head. “I usually wear only lipstick and powder. The rest is too much trouble.”
He nodded. “With that skin you don't need it. But it's a little inconvenient at the moment.” He went outside for a minute and then came back in to the fireplace and got a handful of ashes before returning to her. “But this should make you sallow enough. . . .” He rubbed the ashes into her skin and wiped the excess off. Then he combed the ashes through her hair and reached into his pocket and gave her a small pebble. “Now, take off your left shoe and put this stone in it.”