ability. That is something that will have to be done carefully, as only a couple of us know, and Jim is there with you. Given the small number of people who are believed to be aware, I can’t see how a leak could have originated here, but I’ve been surprised before.”
Carlson hesitated, then switched topics.
“Jim told you about my plan for your family?”
“He did,” Jake confirmed.
“And does your wife agree?”
“Reluctantly. We talked last night. I think it would put my mind at ease. If she is protected and we are physically apart, it would make this madman’s task much harder. He might go after me in anger, but that would cost him any hope of getting what he claims to want.”
“Okay. You and Jim should take your family to the city this morning. Here’s how my brother will contact you and escort your family to safety.” Carlson explained how the hand-over would work, and Jake had to agree it sounded safe enough.
Chapter 6
Separating at the airport had been far harder than Jake had anticipated. He had this strange feeling that it would be some time before they were back together and this matter was fully resolved. Even little Janna seemed to sense something was wrong, and clung to him fiercely, crying loudly to indicate she was not happy about being separated when the time came for her and Karin to board the plane.
“They’ll be fine,” Sam Carlson promised as he shook Jake’s hand before departing.
Jake had liked Susan’s brother. He exuded the kind of confidence that was contagious and he appeared to be fully in control of matters under his care.
Jake and Agent Laney waited by the large windows until the small plane pulled away from the parking spot and taxied away toward the runways. Jake had mixed feelings about the situation. Given the lack of progress the FBI had had on tracing back the people responsible for the various events that led to this, he believed he’d be forced to back-track before long, in which case none of this would matter. On the other hand, if they found a lead, they might just become actively involved in a chase, in which case he’d feel better knowing his family was where they couldn’t easily be found. Even Laney had said something that indicated he was thinking along similar lines.
“He’ll be difficult to find, and will be looking for us coming after him,” the agent had said the night before just as he’d headed off to bed.
“Let’s go,” Jake said when the plane could be seen climbing into the sky above the open tarmac.
Laney drove them in his rental car. The newspaper office where Ray was employed in some function was in one of the less glamorous parts of San Francisco, several miles to the south of the city center. They found themselves driving through an industrial area, with numerous large warehouses and a steady stream of large semi trucks coming and going.
“There,” Jake said, pointing to a steel gray structure halfway down the block on Laney’s side.
They had to follow a number of large trucks with the logo of the newspaper on the side.
Close up, the steel sided building showed that it had seen better days. The larger of the two interconnected buildings displayed spots of rust, and the steel siding looked weathered. Flush with the main building and looking somewhat like an unlikely growth, was a smaller structure made of the same material as the main warehouse.
“Over there,” Jake said. He could see that the smaller building had numerous windows, and a sign announcing the office for the paper. The first floor looked like it was set up for interfacing with the public, although Jake wondered how many bothered to come here. The second story was probably where the reporters had their offices.
Laney guided the car into one of the open parking slots near the front door. Together they climbed the six tired steps leading up to the double doors that led inside.
“Who are you looking for?” the receptionist asked as they approached the desk.
“Your editor, Mr. Wally Hamilton,” Agent Laney said as he flashed his badge.
The badge didn’t even earn a raised eyebrow. Perhaps they were used to law enforcement coming to talk with reporters.
“Second level, third office on the right,” the receptionist said, and then turned back to something far more interesting on her computer monitor. “I doubt he’s here this time of day,” the receptionist added as they walked away.