The Aegis Conspiracy Read online

  By going to the Sahuaro Inn and removing Jake, Den would remove a threat to himself and to Gigi. Was that why Teddy told him where Jake was staying? Was it because Teddy liked Den and didn’t want to see any harm come to him? It was an impossible scenario. Den couldn’t believe Teddy was ever motivated by anything except self-interest.

  Teddy had been willing to sacrifice Den. He sent him into Guatemala to be killed. Teddy OK’d Jake’s attempt to kill him in Washington. After setting up those two plans to wipe him out, any suggestion that Teddy wanted to protect Den because of some special liking for him was incredible. Teddy had an ulterior motive.

  Of course there was another reason for Teddy’s disclosures. Teddy was afraid of Jake. If Jake, motivated by some paranoid insistence on revenge, tried to kill him or Gigi, Teddy believed the story of Aegis would become public. The protective cloak of secrecy surrounding Teddy would be dropped.

  It made sense. Teddy wanted to get rid of Jake before he could do something stupid and destroy Teddy’s career. That, Den concluded, was Teddy’s hidden agenda. A dead Jake Jacobson protected Teddy Smith. That it also protected Den and Gigi was only an incidental benefit.

  Den’s final question was: Why did Teddy tell him Aegis was now composed of only himself and Jake? Den suspected Teddy expressed that second revelation in order to emphasize the unspoken suggestion that he go to room 110 and kill Jake. Teddy was telling him Jake’s death did more than eliminate the one man who wanted to kill him and Gigi.

  If there were no widespread Aegis organization, the death of Jake Jacobson together with the threat of exposure of the one remaining conspirator, removed all danger Den and Gigi faced. They could move next door to Teddy and he would treat them in the most cordially and friendly manner.

  Whatever Teddy’s motives might have been, one thing was certain. Jake was like a dog gnawing on a root. He simply wouldn’t let go. It was well over a year since Den gave him that beating inThe Bellavista apartment building. Since then, Jake had tried to kill him twice - in Guatemala and in Washington. Now he wanted Teddy to send someone to Arizona to kill him.

  “Unless he’s stopped, he’ll keep trying until he gets lucky,” Den thought as he approached the Sunset Motel. “It would be easy enough to kill him. He doesn’t know Teddy wants him out of the way. Teddy has made it easy for me to finish him off.”

  At first Den was surprised to find he didn’t immediately decide to kill Jake Jacobson. The deaths of Montoya and del Valle might have been justified but there was no excuse for Teddy sending him to kill those kids in Guatemala. That ambush was unjustifiable. It was nothing more or less than plain, simple murder.

  Now, Teddy was trying to use him again - this time to kill Jake. Den thought he had joined a group of higher echelon Agency men who were protecting the country. Instead, he had been deceived into becoming Teddy Smith’s private executioner.

  Den found himself thinking: “Why should I do that bastard’s bidding.” Of course, there was good reason for Den to do that bastard’s bidding.

  As he stepped out of the truck, Den found himself thinking: “What if Teddy was lying to me? What if Teddy has another reason for telling me there were only two people left inside Aegis? What if that son of a bitch is trying to lull me into a false sense of security? What if Aegis is really an active internal CIA network? What if Teddy wants me to let my guard down? What if Aegis still intends to kill us?” The little voice inside him had given him a nudge.

  Chapter 25

  Gigi anxiously awaited Den’s return from placing the phone call to Teddy Smith. She recognized the pick-up truck when it drove past the motel window and Den found his place in the motel parking lot. Den was not smiling when he entered their room. He seemed preoccupied and it caused Gigi some concern.

  Den reported the entire late night conversation with Teddy Smith. Gigi felt somewhat reassured when Den told her Teddy believed the threat of automatic public disclosure. Den told her Teddy knew what would happen to him if his connection to the assassinations became known.

  He told her he was equally sure Teddy couldn’t control Jake. It explained why Teddy told him Jake was staying at the Sahuaro Inn. Gigi furrowed her brow. Den saw she needed an explanation.

  “Don’t you see?” he said. “All Teddy has to do is keep away from us and he’ll run no risk of being discovered. Teddy can order Jake to back off and leave us alone, but Jake might not back off. He might try to kill us. If he does, the assassinations Teddy planned will become known to everyone. He is convinced our exposure of Aegis will disclose everything. It will give dates and places and, most important to Teddy, names. His complicity will become public knowledge and he will be in serious trouble.

  “Jake, on the other hand, may not care about what happens to Aegis or to Teddy. It’s very clear. He wants you dead and he wants me dead. If he tries to kill us and the exposé is distributed, Jake will deny anything and everything that might tie him to Aegis. Remember, there is no record of Jake’s assassination schemes. They were all verbal amendments to official projects, properly reviewed and approved by the Directorate.

  “If that doesn’t give Jake adequate cover, he’ll claim he was following Teddy’s orders. He’ll claim he believed those orders were legitimate. If the prosecutors put enough heat on him, Jake will make a deal for immunity and become a government witness. The worst he’ll get is a slapped finger. It doesn’t take a genius level IQ to figure it out. Going public about Aegis doesn’t represent a threat to Jake.

  “Teddy knows his own protection consists of getting rid of Jake. Then Jake can’t talk and neither can I. I’d have to admit to murdering the little bastard. With Jake dead and me silenced, Teddy is out of the woods as long as my report doesn’t become public knowledge. When Jake is dead, two sources of Teddy’s potential danger will disappear.”

  Gigi nodded. She understood. Then her question went to the core of their problems. “Do you think Aegis is more than you and Jake and Teddy?”

  “I really don’t know, hon,” Den answered. “I’ve thought about it and I really don’t know. Teddy may have told me the truth, but I’m not ready to believe anything he says. It’s quite possible he was lying to me. You’ve asked the right question, hon. If Aegis is a wider network of CIA officials, would we still be safe?

  “Let’s say Teddy lied and Aegis is a much broader organization. If so, unknown Aegis people are another source of danger. Undoubtedly, they know the story of their conspiracy will be distributed when you or I die. And, sooner or later, we will die of natural causes. That means, sooner or later, Aegis will be exposed unless they find a way to insulate themselves from the effects of my report. When they find that way, they’ll kill us if they know where we are.”

  Den looked into Gigi’s eyes and became very serious when he added: “I said ‘when’, hon. Not ‘if’.”

  Now it was Gigi’s turn. “So far,” she said, “the only evidence we have about Aegis is what Teddy told you. I don’t trust him and I don’t trust the CIA. If the Aegis conspirators number more than you and Teddy and Jake, the rest of the people in Aegis have to be worried about the effects of a post mortem exposure.

  “Until we get some very solid proof to the contrary, I think we have to presume Aegis is alive and well. I think you’re right, Den. When someone in Aegis finds a way to avoid the effects of your exposé, we will have to be silenced. I don’t think we should take any chances.”

  Gigi and Den were in agreement. Their ultimate safety lay in the protection offered by continued false identities, by disappearance and by concealment. Den and Gigi had to vanish into a new life. Gigi was a realist. Jake Jacobson was their immediate problem. She knew the course they had to follow. “You’re going to kill Jake, aren’t you?”

  Den expected the question. He had already made up his mind. He knew the death of Jake Jacobson would protect Teddy Smith from blackmail. He also knew the death of Jake Jacobson meant he and Gigi would be free from immediate danger.

  Den exhaled softly and
answered her. “Yes, hon. I’m going to kill him. I’ll do it in the morning. Then we’ll have to stay out of sight, at least until I get my story written and sent to some SEAL buddies. As soon as I get back, we’ll leave for Mexico.”

  In the morning, Den checked the chambers of his revolver. They were filled. He pushed the barrel of the weapon under his belt, kissed Gigi and told her he would not be gone long. Then he drove to the Sahuaro Inn Motel.

  Jake was shaving when he heard the soft knocking at his motel room door. He wiped the lather from his face and took the .45 automatic from beneath the pillow where it had rested during the night. He stood with his back against the wall adjacent to his motel room door.

  “Who is it?”

  “Teddy sent me,” a muffled voice answered.

  Jake was suspicious. If Teddy sent a team to help him, why didn’t he call and tell him? Best to play it safe. Careful to avoid standing in front of the door, he pulled back the deadbolt, removed the sliding chain security lock and cautiously reached for the doorknob.

  Outside of the motel room, Den watched the doorknob. As soon as it began to turn, he stepped back and threw his weight against the door. He expected his weight and the door would meet the resistance of Jake’s body. He expected to knock Jake off balance and drop him to the floor.

  Den, unimpeded by the pressure he expected to find, hurtled into the room. He stumbled and fell, the revolver dropping from his hand. He rolled and reached to retrieve his weapon. A shoe stamped down on his right hand, pinning it to the floor. When Den looked up, he saw the round, ominous opening of the barrel of a .45 automatic. It was pointed straight at him. Jake Jacobson was holding it.

  Jake picked up the revolver and tossed it onto the bed. He stepped down heavily before removing his foot from Den’s hand. His voice exuded cordiality. “Oh please get up, Den. You must be uncomfortable down there. Come. Sit by the table - and be so kind as to keep your hands flat on top of it.”

  Jake’s voice was hard and cold when he added: “If you make a single move, I’ll kill you.” Den’s hand was swelling and throbbing and hurting. He did as he was told. There was no point in fighting unless he had better odds. As long as he was alive, he told himself, he had a chance to disarm Jake.

  “It’s time you and I had a little talk,” Jake said, reverting to his pseudo-friendly tone. “Let’s see now. How long has it been since you beat me up inThe Bellavista?” Den didn’t react. He was looking for an opening, a chance to get to the gun Jake was holding.

  “Answer me you son-of-a bitch,” Jake snarled at him and, at the same time, came close enough to hit Den on the side of his head with his automatic. The blow came without warning and Den’s body lurched to the side.

  “Answer me, goddamn you.”

  Den straightened up and told him it must have been a year or so. Blood seeped out of the bruise and he put his hand to his head. Jake did not react to the movement and Den put his hand back on the table.

  “My, my, Den, you should sign up for a memory course. It will help you recall these important dates. It was one year, seven months and eighteen days ago.” He looked at his wristwatch. “In another four hours and sixteen minutes it will be one year, seven months and nineteen days ago. Does that jog your memory?”

  Den saw Jake step forward preparing to hit him again as he said: “Answer me you son of a bitch.” Den was able to lean away from the blow, softening some of its effect. Nevertheless it opened a gash on the side of his face.

  “Does that jog your memory?” Jake repeated.

  “No, Jake, it doesn’t jog my memory,” Den slurred and spit out some of the blood that came from where his teeth had dug into his cheek.

  “More’s the pity. I’m going to kill you and you aren’t even interested enough to recall the day you beat me up and signed your own death warrant. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Whatever am I going to do with you, Den? Just look at what you’ve done. You’ve gotten my .45 all bloody. And, see, you left some hair on it, too.” Daintily, with thumb and forefinger, he picked some hair from the barrel of his pistol, held it out for Den to see and then flicked it onto the floor.

  Jake feigned concentration. Then he smiled and said: “I know what I’ll do. I’ll use your gun.” Pointing his weapon at Den, Jake carefully backed up until he touched the bed. He reached back and felt around until he found Den’s .357 magnum. He picked it up, dropped his automatic on the bed and walked to the front of the table.

  “I believe I’ll use it to kill you. That would be a nice touch.” He raised the revolver until it pointed directly at Den’s eye. Den watched Jake’s hand, planning a desperation attack as soon as he saw any sign of the finger tightening on the trigger.

  Jake enjoyed this kind of torture. He was disappointed when Den showed no indication of fear. Jake brought the weapon down. “Oh yes, Den. I forget to tell you something. Do you remember the man you killed in your whore’s apartment? Answer me, asshole.” Jake yelled and again pistol-whipped Den, drawing blood from the other side of his face.

  “Yeah, I remember him. I killed him. I may kill you, too, but I suppose someone will beat me to the punch.”

  “Don’t get snotty with me,” Jake said as he swung the weapon at Den’s head. This time Den leaned back and Jake, standing on the far side of the table, missed. He moved closer. He didn’t intend to miss next time. “I’ve got some news for you, Den. The man you killed is the same man who killed that big, dumb Irishman, Mick McCarthy. I saw him do it. Let me tell you all about it.”

  “Go fuck yourself,” Den said in an even voice. “I’ve got news for you. You’re a loser. You’re a loser, Jake, and everybody knows it. Even Teddy Smith wants to get rid of you. He told me where to find you.” Den’s purpose was to enrage Jake. He succeeded. It was too much for Jake to handle.

  “You lying son of a bitch,” he yelled as he raised Den’s revolver and began to swing it in a wide arc, intending to lay Den’s head open. It was what Den was waiting for. Jake couldn’t shoot him with an uncocked .357 revolver pointed at the ceiling. Den lunged toward Jake, driving his left fist at Jake’s groin and reaching up with his right hand to grab the weapon Jake was trying to bring down on his head. Neither maneuver was completely successful. He missed Jakes balls, but delivered a punishing blow into his solar plexus. Den didn’t catch the barrel of the gun. His injured right hand was not strong enough to grasp it, but the blow to Jake’s abdomen bent him over and loosened Jake’s grip on the revolver. It fell from his hand.

  The men wrestled for the weapon. Each touched it at times, but neither could get enough of a grip to be able to use it. Den was able to kick it under the table. He pushed Jake away from him and dove to the bed and Jake’s .45. Den had it in his hand when Jake ran for the door. He was in the open doorway when Den fired.

  The swollen fingers on Den’s right hand would not respond as they had been trained. They jerked the trigger and the slug hit the wall, six inches from its target. By the time Den had the gun in his left hand and ran after him. Jake had turned the corner. He was in Abdul’s auto and out of the lot before Den could fire again.

  Jake had little on his mind except the need to escape and the fear that he might be followed. He drove north on Highway 19 and finished the hundred plus mile trip to Phoenix and the Sky Harbor Airport in less than an hour and a half. The next flight to Washington required stops in both Dallas and Atlanta. It would board in forty-five minutes.

  All of Jake’s luggage and personal effects were left in the Sahuaro Inn. He had only a belt buckle, a watch and some change to put in the tray that received x-ray scrutiny. Nevertheless, he was “wanded” and asked to take off his shoes. Jake hurried through Security and stationed himself where he could watch the passengers enter the airline’s waiting area. He knew Den wouldn’t be able to carry a gun or a knife with him. Nevertheless, he hoped he wouldn’t see him coming through the Security checkpoints.

  When his plane was in the air, Jake calmed down. He began to wonder if Clark had told the truth. Did Teddy wan
t to kill him? Did Teddy tell Clark he was in the Sahuaro Inn Motel? Clark didn’t know he was in Tucson until last night when he saw him in Grant’s apartment. Clark crashed through his Sahuaro Inn motel room door at about ten in the morning. That was only half a day later. Could Clark find him in only one nighttime?

  Clark had to get Grant out of her apartment and into a place where the police couldn’t find her. That would take more time, another hour or so at the very least. There were lots of hotels and motels in and around Tucson. Did Clark have time to call them all? Who would he look for? He didn’t know Jake used the name Albert S. Simpson when he registered at the Sahuaro Inn.

  How could Clark find him so quickly? Teddy, Abdul and that mouse, Ferdie Robbins, were the only people who knew his Tucson motel address. Robbins was afraid to say ‘boo’ and Abdul certainly didn’t tell Clark. Jake heard the shot that killed him before he started the car and drove away from Grant’s apartment building. Abdul didn’t have a chance to say much. He was dead.

  Did Clark tell the truth? If it wasn’t Robbins or Abdul, could Teddy have squealed on him? Jake’s apprehension grew and then subsided. When he called Teddy, he told him Clark was in Tucson, but Teddy didn’t know where in Tucson. Teddy could have found Grant’s address and phone number, but that wouldn’t help him.

  Was it possible Teddy somehow found Clark after he killed Abdul and talked to him? No. That simply wasn’t possible. In his McLean apartment in the middle of the night, Teddy couldn’t find Den Clark, hidden somewhere in Tucson a couple of thousand miles away. It simply wasn’t possible.

  Seated in an airplane high over Arizona, Jake concluded Clark had been lying. He began to feel somewhat more secure. He still wondered how Clark could have found him when another thought occurred to him. Could Clark have called Teddy? The older woman in the seat beside him turned and looked at him in surprise and alarm when Jake suddenly and loudly cried out, “Yes.”