Joining
By StarwinderWarnings: Graphic violence, bad language, mention of and some description of a brutal murder.
Part 3
By mid-afternoon Thursday, the phone call campaign had produced no results. None of the PIs that they had been able to reach had heard of Bill Hulett. There were three offices where they never reached anyone. At two they got answering machines, Barton Investigations, and Two Aces Private Investigations, Inc. At the third, Triple G Investigations, the phone rang busy continually, making them suspect that it was off the hook.
Vin and Ezra decided to make personal calls on each of the three agencies. They checked the addresses and headed for Two Aces Private Investigations, Inc., as it was the closest.
When they arrived they found a note on the door, saying that the agency was closed until farther notice as the primary investigator was currently in the hospital giving birth to her baby and the second half of the agency was her significant other.
Ezra marked them off the list, sighing as he realized that Joey Harker and Tony Marks, the two Private Eyes were both female. Trevor hated dealing with women and would not have hired female investigators.
Barton Investigations was closed up tight, with a notice that they would be back on Monday.
Triple G Investigations turned out to be a one-man operation. The office was run down and filthy. There was no receptionist and no answering machine. The phone was off the hook and the retired cop who ran the agency was passed out drunk on the couch in his office, barely stirring when Vin tried to shake him awake.
"Trevor wouldn't hire him," Ezra told Vin, "he would want someone competent, even while wanting someone that he could control."
"Only leaves Barton Investigations. Reckon we need to look a little deeper there," Vin agreed with a nod.
"We should see about getting a home address and checking there. According to the paperwork it is a two-man operation. We should check out this Jeff Zorne that works for Barton as well."
Vin looked at his watch, "It's only about an hour till dark. We need to get back on the streets and work our contacts again tonight."
Ezra nodded, "We can stop off at DPD and check with our contacts there, someone may know Barton or Zorne. Once we have the addresses and home phone numbers we can check them in the morning."
Vin nodded, "That'll work."
They climbed back into the rented SUV and headed for the local DPD stationhouse.
*************************************************
By midnight Vin and Ezra had gotten the home addresses and phone numbers of Barton and Zorne from their contacts at DPD and confirmed from their sources on the street that Zorne had been trying to locate the moving company that had packed up Ezra's townhouse.
Vin Tanner in his guise as Victor Hawkes leaned against the wall of a rundown building, his sharp eyes, watching everything around them.
Ezra stood close enough that they could talk privately, their voices too low to carry beyond their personal space.
Neither had bothered to shave since they had arrived in Denver and their unshaven countenances combined with the aura of violence that they projected only added to their dangerous appearance. Most of Denver's night crawlers had enough of a survival instinct to give them a wide berth. The few that came too close backed off quickly at Vin's viscous glare.
"What'd ya wanna do now," Vin asked, knowing better than to use Ezra's real name and not bothering with the fake one.
Ezra checked his watch, "It's nearly one. I doubt that either Barton or Zorne will be cooperative at this time of night. We catch some shuteye then approach Zorne first thing in the morning. Try to catch him before he hits the streets."
"Not Barton? He's the boss."
"But Zorne is the one asking the questions. Trevor may be keeping Barton on a short leash. If we get too close to Barton, Trevor may know that we are on to him. I'd rather not risk that. I believe that I can persuade Zorne to cooperate with us and not tell his boss that we have been to see him."
Vin nodded, "Okay." He tapped Ezra's arm and nodded towards the SUV parked down the block. "Come on."
They headed back to the youth center to get some rest, unaware of just how short the leash that Trevor had Barton on really was.
*************************************************
Friday morning was a study in frustration.
They just missed Zorne at home, his wife telling them that he had left just minutes before they arrived.
He apparently didn't go into the office. It remained closed and the sign on the door was the same.
Barton didn't answer his phone at home and when they went by his house there was no answer to their repeated knocks.
They considered breaking in but decided not to, noticing that there were several nosy neighbors all of whom had gotten good looks at them.
Finally they decided that they had done all they could if they were going to be at the airport on time to fly back to Kirk's Island aboard the private jet taking their guests to their wedding.
They hadn't accomplished everything that they wanted to but they were now certain that Trevor was in Denver and that Barton Investigations was the PI team that he had working for him.
They also knew that he was aware that they were moving and was trying to find out where they would be living.
It hadn't been a total waste and it had kept them too busy to get pre-wedding jitters.
Flying back on the guest plane also meant that they would know who had accepted the invitations to the wedding and who had not.
Neither of them had handed out all fifty of the wedding invitations that they had had and the plane was not anywhere near full.
As Vin and Ezra settled into the private compartment just behind the cockpit that had been reserved for them, Vin frowned, looking back towards the back of the plane.
"Ain't a big turnout," he said sadly.
Ezra shook his head, "Vin, look again. You must think of this the same way that you do your sniping. When you are working as a sniper it is not the lives that you take that count. It is the lives that you save.
"Here, it is not who did not come that matters but who did. Everyone that matters is here. All the other members of team seven and all of team eight, as well as AD Travis and his wife. Miz Nettie is here and Miss Casey. Raine came with Nathan and brought her father. Inez from the Saloon is here and Raphael Cordova. Chanu Whitehorse, his wife, father and brother are all here. The people that most matter to each of us is here."
Vin smiled, "You're right. It just didn't look like that many people."
Ezra grinned at him, "It's not the quantity of friends you have, darling, it's the *quality* and we have some damn fine friends!"
"When you're right, you're right. So, what're we doing up here? Let's go back and sit with our friends." Vin stood up and held out his hand, "Come on, boyfriend."
Ezra laughed and took his hand. Moments later they were laughing at the wolf whistles and teasing from their friends as they took their seats among them, sitting close and holding hands.
*************************************************
It was nearly midnight by the time that Vin and Ezra returned to their private cottage on the beach.
It had taken some time to get everyone settled on the Island, then supper had been a loud and boisterous affair. There had been music and dancing afterwards.
Ezra seemed restless and Vin suggested a walk on the beach.
As they strolled along it, holding hands, Vin said quietly, "Ya seem kinda pensive. Having second thoughts about marrying me?"
"No, of course not, Vin. It's not that at all." Ezra released Vin's hand and walked to the water's edge letting the waves lap at his bare feet.
"Then what?" Vin asked coming up behind him but not touching him.
After a long moment, Ezra sighed. "Trevor."
He turned to face Vin, "He's killing tonight... and I fear that I was the trigger."
Vin stepped close taking Ezra into his arms. "Ya sure?" he asked quietly.
Ezra nodded against his shoulder, "I don't know how I know, but I know that he's killing tonight."
"It ain't your fault. He does what he does. You got no control over him and no responsibility for what he does."
Ezra pushed away from him and stepped back.
Vin let him go, knowing that Ezra needed to feel strong and in control.
Ezra turned his back to Vin, staring out over the ocean as he spoke, "But it's me that he's after and it's not the first time that he's killed someone trying to get to me."
"Your stepfather in New York."
"Yes, but Adrian wasn't the first. Ten years ago, he killed the woman I was engaged to in Atlanta. Butchered her in our apartment, left me a message written on the wall in her blood. That nearly succeeded in breaking me. It's why I have spent so much time undercover in the last ten years. Why there hasn't been anyone special in my life until now. I didn't want to risk losing someone else that I love to him."
He turned back to face Vin, "I don't want to lose you to him."
Vin moved closer, reaching out to take Ezra's hands in his, "You ain't gonna lose me to him."
Vin stared straight into Ezra's eyes, his voice and face filled with fierce determination, "When he comes for you, we're gonna take this son of a bitch down. Then he ain't ever gonna kill again. You understand me. We're gonna get him. For all the people he's killed and all the people that loved them, we're gonna finish him. You'n'me, together."
Ezra bowed his head and was silent for a long moment then his head came up and he looked Vin straight in the eye. "Yes, we will finish him. You and me, together."
"Damn straight... and we're staying together, forever. Ain't nobody or no thing ever gonna tear us apart."
"Together, forever." Ezra confirmed.
Vin smiled at him and they turned together, walking back towards the beach cottage, in stride, side-by-side and hand-in-hand.
The wedding might not be until Sunday but their vows were already made.
Together, forever, come what may.
*************************************************
It was almost noon Saturday when AD Travis came looking for Vin and Ezra, with the rest of team seven in tow.
"Gentlemen, I hate to disrupt your happy event but I just got a call from the head of team three. Denver PD is looking for you, Ezra. Apparently some one was murdered in your townhouse last night."
Vin and Ezra exchanged looks then Ezra asked, "I should call in. Do you have the name of the detective in charge?"
"Yes, Paulson. He left a cell phone number."
"I'll call him from Kirk's office." He turned to go, heading for Kirk's office, saying over his shoulder, "You gentlemen might as well listen in."
"You don't seem surprised," Travis said.
"I'm not," Ezra told him bluntly.
That statement set off a round of angry questions. Everyone talking at once until Vin snapped.
"Enough! Ez'll tell it once. To Paulson. You can hear it then." There was no compromise in Vin's voice.
The group fell silent, all of them suddenly very aware that they had no authority here, not even AD Travis.
In the office, Ezra dialed the number that the detective had left.
"Paulson," the detective answered in a clipped voice.
"This is Ezra Standish. I believe you wanted to talk to me."
"There's been a murder at your townhouse. I need you to come in for questioning."
"I no longer live at the townhouse. You may have noted the lack of furniture."
"You still own it... and I still need you to come in."
"I am not in the States at the moment, therefore coming in is out of the question, nor is it necessary. I can answer your questions just fine over the phone."
"You're not a Federal Agent anymore, Standish. I can have you arrested...."
"On what charge? I am a private citizen with all the rights of such... and I am currently way the hell out of your jurisdiction. You can waste your time trying to get a warrant for me, a warrant that I seriously doubt that you can get, then trying to find me and wasting the taxpayers money flying down here to attempt to arrest me. Something else you can not do, as I am currently on a private island owned by a citizen of a country that does not have an extradition agreement with the US. Or you can pull in your horns and listen to me as I have a very good idea who your killer is."
"He's after you, isn't he?"
"If it is who I believe it to be, then yes he is after me. First I need to confirm that I am correct. Is there a message written on the wall of the room the body was found in?"
"Yes," Paulson said. "CSI says it's written in blood."
"What does it say?"
"It says, 'No badge to hide behind now, Pretty Boy. Your ass is mine, but maybe I'll let you watch me do your boyfriend first."
Ezra sat back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face.
"Ez? You all right?" Vin asked softly.
"I'll be fine, Vin." Ezra said as the rest began to fire off questions.
"Gentlemen," Ezra said quietly, then louder, "Shut up!" He turned back to face the speakerphone, leaning in to talk.
"My apologies for the interruption, detective. As you no doubt could hear, we are not alone. I am on a speakerphone. All of team seven is here as is AD Travis. But back to the subject. Your killer is psychopathic serial killer named Simon Trevor. You can get the details of his crimes, capture, trial, conviction and escape from custody from the Atlanta office of the FBI's ViCAP unit. On November eighteenth, nineteen-ninety-three in the Atlanta branch of Federal Court he was convicted of sixteen counts of kidnapping, sixteen counts of aggravated rape and fifteen counts of aggravated murder."
"Only fifteen counts of murder? Who got away?"
"I did. I survived, escaped and testified against him. I was directly responsible for his capture and conviction. He will stop at nothing to get me."
"He couldn't just shoot you?"
"He's a psychopath. Just shooting me wouldn't satisfy his ritual. He needs to break his victims before he kills them. He ran into a problem with me. I wasn't what he thought I was.
"All his other victims were young men from wealthy families, all very intelligent *academic* over-achievers, but they had no experience beyond the academic world. They were all between five feet ten inches tall and had auburn hair and green eyes.
"I appeared to fit the profile and did up to a certain point. I fit the physical appearance, had the intelligence and was in the proper age group, but what he did not know was that I did a two-year apprenticeship with the CIA before I went to the FBI academy at Quantico. I had had torture survival training. I knew the drill: survive, escape, retaliate and that's exactly what I did.
"I survived his torture, escaped from him and retaliated by identifying him and testifying against him. He never broke me and because of his need to do so, he can not just shoot me, as you put it."
"Shit!" Paulson swore.
"Exactly," Ezra responded, then asked, "Have you identified the victim?"
"Yeah, a PI named Barton."
"Goddamn!" Ezra swore viciously.
"What?" Paulson demanded.
"I was in Denver from Wednesday until two o'clock Friday."
He was interrupted as team seven was suddenly all on their feet yelling questions.
"You were in Denver--"
"You didn't call us---"
"We woulda---"
A sharp whistle cut them off.
"Will y'all just shut up!" Vin snapped.
He turned back to Ezra, "Go on, Ez."
Ezra nodded and continued. "Trevor uses PIs to track me. He did it in New York eight years ago when he came after me there. I was looking for the PI that he was using. We had narrowed it down to three agencies, Barton Investigations was one of them. I suggest that you get Barton's associate, a Jeff Zorne and his family and put them in protective custody. With Barton out of the picture Trevor may decide not to leave any loose ends. It won't bother him in the least to kill the whole family. He's done it before."
Again the team had questions, drowning out Paulson on the phone.
Again it was Vin that shut them up. Then turning back to the speakerphone, he asked, "What'd you say, Paulson?"
"Who is this?"
"Tanner."
"Standish said 'We narrowed it down'. I asked who was with Standish in Denver Wednesday."
"I was."
"Then I need you both to come back to Denver."
"Ain't gonna happen. Least not today. Me'n Ez are getting married tomorrow." Vin stated firmly.
Ezra added, "We're returning to Denver on the tenth to close on the house that we're buying. You will have to wait until then to interview us in person. I have a CD of everything that I know about Trevor. I will email that data to you along with my statement concerning our visit to Denver. If Barton was killed last night, there is no way that we could have been directly involved."
He paused, then asked, "He was killed last night, wasn't he?"
"Coroner says estimated time of death is one in the morning, give or take an hour."
"Then both Mister Tanner and myself were here at the time he was killed. We have several dozen witnesses, including AD Travis, the rest of team seven and all of team eight that can testify to the fact that we flew out of Denver on a private plane at two in the afternoon yesterday. We made a brief stop in Atlanta then landed here at six in the evening. We have been here since then. We were in full view of our guests until after midnight last evening."
Travis stood and moved closer to the speakerphone, "Paulson? Travis here. I'll see to it that the statements are done and e-mailed today. I'll be in my office on Monday. Teams eight and seven will be returning then as well. We will all be available to you at that time."
"That's fine, sir. It's really just a formality. For the record I never really thought that Standish killed this guy. The message on the wall made it pretty clear that the killer sees Standish as a target. I've got more than enough to keep me busy until Monday. Just getting the info from ViCAP may take that long."
He paused. "I really wish that Tanner and Standish would come in sooner than the tenth though."
Travis looked at Vin and Ezra but Vin shook his head. "No way. The house we're buying is even more secure than the townhouse was. We'll be back when we can start moving into it."
Travis sighed and spoke into the speakerphone, "That doesn't seem to be an option."
"Can't you---" Paulson started.
"Can't I what? Order them back? They didn't follow my damn orders when they worked for me! Which they don't anymore, and I have no authority here. None. I am just a guest at a wedding. You'll just have to wait."
Paulson was silent for a moment then said, "Fine. I know when I'm fighting a losing battle. I just don't want anyone else getting killed...."
"I expect that Trevor is regrouping." Ezra said, "The only people that I would worry about him going after right now is Zorne and or his family. Get them into protective custody and you shouldn't hear anymore from him until we return. I will make sure that the story Mrs. Travis is doing on our wedding includes a side-note that we will be honeymooning here for several weeks."
"But you're coming back on the tenth, aren't you?" Paulson asked.
"Yes, but not openly. We'll slip in on the tenth, and back out again, arriving publicly around the first of November." Ezra told him. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a wedding to finish getting ready for and six colleagues to bring up to speed on Trevor. Goodbye."
Paulson sighed but said, "Goodbye."
Ezra turned off the speakerphone and stood to face Larabee who was had also stood up. He regarded his former boss for a moment then asked, "Are you sure about this? I need to know that each of you is sure about getting involved in this. Trevor has been stalking me for twelve years. He is a very dangerous man and he will do anything to get to me. Getting involved puts everyone of you and everyone that you care about in the line of fire."
"You're family, Ezra. You always have been. From the day that I met with you in Atlanta to ask you to join team seven, you've been 'one of my men' and my men are my family. You and Vin aren't facing this madman alone." Chris declared. "So, start talking."
"I believe I'll save my voice for the wedding. I never really expected to be able to keep you away from this. However, I had to try to keep you safe. I have had Hans, he's one of our hackers, print out everything that he and the other hacker have found on Trevor along with all the data on the CD that I have been keeping my files on Trevor on. I also wrote up and printed a full report of Vin's and my trip to Denver. There is copy for each of you. Read them. Then I will answer questions."
*************************************************
It was surreal.
All around them, Maude and the servants went on with the wedding preparations, hanging bunting, arranging flowers, cooking and baking.
In the middle of all that the two ATF teams and AD Travis spread out at the huge table in the formal dining hall, along with Kirk and Hans going over every scrap of information that they had on Simon Trevor.
Not that it did them much good. With Barton dead, they were at a dead end. There really wasn't anything they could do except wait for Trevor's next move.
Finally Larabee leaned back in his chair, "What are you two really planning to do?" he asked pointedly.
Vin and Ezra exchanged looks then Ezra stood up, "Gentlemen, might I suggest that those of you who remain in law enforcement leave now."
Travis gave him a shrewd look. "You're planning to kill him," he stated baldly.
"I will not confirm or deny that... but this has to end."
"The only way to end it permanently is to kill him," team eight's SAC said quietly.
"Again, I will not confirm or deny."
Ezra's tone was hard and unyielding and his relaxed stance had changed. He stood before them now with his head up, his shoulders back and his back straight. It was a stance that they seldom saw him use, but it reminded them all that under the expensive suits, behind the fine manners and easy smile there dwelt a deadly and dangerous man.
"However, I will say this: I have spent twelve years of my life looking over my shoulder for him. He's murdered two people that *I* cared deeply for, not to mention all the other people that he's killed. I do not intend to allow him to harm anyone else that I love nor do I intend to die by his hand."
Vin stood stepping up beside him. "And I ain't about to let anything happen to Ez. We'll do what has to be done."
AD Travis stood up, "So, be it. I do understand. Never doubt that and I will ask no questions when the time comes. I learned a long time ago that *the law* and justice are not always the same thing. Sometimes justice takes precedence over the law. However, I retire in January. Had I already stepped down I would not be walking away from this table now. May justice prevail, gentlemen."
He walked away, purposefully. He would join his wife and grandson, make certain that he did not hear anything that he might be required to testify to later.
Ezra turned to team eight, "Please, go. I assure you that Vin and I can handle Simon Trevor. Do not put your families, your lives and your careers at risk in this. It is not necessary."
Chris spoke, "Go. They'll have all the help they need. I promise you, if we need you, we'll call you."
Team eight exchanged looks then rose, "We'll go but you'd better not get yourselves killed, because you didn't let us help."
"Yeah, we'll chase you clear to hell and kick your asses if you get killed," The team's SIC told them as the rest of team eight stood to go.
The SAC watched his men as they filed out then gave Vin and Ezra a nod, "May justice prevail," he echoed Travis' words then turned and followed his men.
When they were gone Kirk said, "You have some good friends."
"The best," Ezra confirmed. Then with a sigh he turned to Chris and the rest of team seven, "I assume that there is nothing that I can say or do to persuade you to allow Vin and me to take care of Trevor by ourselves."
"No." Chris stated firmly.
"Hell, no!" Buck added.
"You're not facing this alone, s-- my friend," Josiah said, just barely remembering that he had promised Ezra not to call him son.
"Yeah, you got friends!" JD said.
"You may need a medic," Nathan said, "be best if I'm on the spot... and I can declare the bastard dead!"
Ezra and Vin looked at each other and smiled.
"You didn't really think that you could keep the guys away from this did you?" Vin asked.
"No, not really." Ezra turned back to the others sand gestured for them to return to their seats. "Hans, if you please, pass out the plot plan for the property that we are buying and the floor plans of the house."
As Hans did so, Ezra began his explanation. "We will be luring Trevor onto our ground. Picking the battlefield, so to speak. The house that we are buying is up beyond Granby. It is isolated and above the treeline, giving us an open, unobstructed view of anyone approaching the house from all directions."
He nodded to Vin and the sharpshooter took up the explanation, "There are three separate but overlapping security systems. Motion detectors, heat detectors and video surveillance. All the glass in the house is bulletproof. Every access point into the house is wired and will trip an alarm if opened."
"How's he going to get in?" Chris demanded. "If you're going to kill him, he needs to be inside."
"The house has been empty for nigh on five years," Vin said leaning back in his chair.
JD spoke up, "Security systems could have developed bugs in that time period."
"It could have indeed," Ezra smiled at how quickly JD had picked up on the idea.
"We'd appreciate it if you could go over the system, JD," Vin said, "Make sure everything is working like it oughta... or not."
JD grinned. He could document problems with the system, just enough to justify the idea that Trevor got past it, while making sure that it actually worked perfectly.
The planning session continued until Maude came to insist that they have supper.
*************************************************
After supper they returned to the strategy session.
Buck and JD concentrated on the video surveillance system, deciding that they needed to add inside cameras as well as the outside ones, taking particular care to make sure that all entrances and egresses were monitored.
Buck and Chris insisted that they be on the premises in case Vin and Ezra needed physical backup when Trevor got in. Chris thought that they should enter the house as part of the moving crew and simply remain hidden inside.
"Chris, it could be weeks before Trevor makes his move," Ezra warned. "It would be better if you waited and simply came to visit after a week or so."
"No. There's no way of telling when he'll show up. He might come after you as soon as he knows where you are. You said yourself that you believe him to be furious about you marrying Vin. You need back up in place from the beginning."
Josiah spoke up, "Perhaps I would be a better fit for the long haul. You and Buck could come in later as Ezra suggested."
"Be better if we both went in, "Nathan said.
"Nathan, you have a wife to think about...." Ezra said.
"I figure the best thing is to send her down to stay at her father's in Trinidad till this is all over. He's been feeling poorly. She can take some family leave to look after him."
"Are you sure she won't mind takin' leave, Nate?" Vin asked.
"She's been fretting over it, wanting to go but feeling like she needs to stay and work. This'll give her the push she needs to go tend to him. She don't want to admit it but I think she's afraid that he's dying. She'll never forgive herself if he dies and she didn't go spend the time with him when she had the chance."
"You are still and ATF agent, Nathan, as is Josiah and JD. None of you should be directly involved in this," Ezra reminded him.
"About that, I hear tell that a couple of ex-ATF agents are setting themselves up a business as a pilot and tracker to work with search and rescue up in the mountains." Nathan said with a grin.
"That a fact?" Josiah said.
Nathan nodded, "It sure is... and I thought maybe they could use a medic."
Josiah chuckled, then said, "You know I still have my chopper pilot's license... and with the rest of the team gone, I see no reason not to retire... at least from the ATF. Maybe their pilot could use a co-pilot?"
"Heck," JD grinned, "I don't exactly need my job with the ATF. I've been writing software since I was twelve. Got several offers to do it full time for some big companies, but why work for someone else. I can sell most anything that I write direct. I could handle all your tech stuff. Keep all your electronic equipment working right. Lots of stuff don't hold up at high altitude or in ice and snow."
Chris and Buck exchanged a look then nodded.
Buck said, "We're raising horses. If you're going to do search and rescue you'll need horses from time to time and I reckon the two of us could provide them and help out when needed."
"We are trained in search and rescue," Chris added.
Vin grinned at Ezra. "Be good to have the team together again and it's the perfect excuse for all of them to be hanging around up at our place. We have plenty of room, Josiah and JD could live up there if they want."
Ezra blinked. He'd never considered that the team might follow them into their new life. He shook his head. It looked like the Magnificent Seven wasn't finished after all. They were just morphing into something other than an ATF team.
He opened his mouth to say something but JD interrupted him. "That's it then! We'll hand in our resignations on Monday and soon as you close on the house we'll start getting it set up to trap Trevor."
He grabbed his copies of the security system schematics and flopped down in the seat next to Buck, "Look at this---" he said excitedly.
Nathan and Josiah were leaned over the floor plans. "I like this room," Nate was saying.
Chris was poking Vin, "Let me see the stables plans again--"
Ezra stood there a minute with his mouth open.
"What just happened here?" he asked plaintively.
*************************************************
TBC in Wedding Day