Set Me Free (A Fugitive #2)(21)
Chapter 11
ZACH
They found a motel with Wifi and spent the evening researching everything they could about the FBI and where evidence for cold cases was stored. Thanks to Elliot's genius, they managed to find the FBI storage warehouse. It was located about ten miles south of where they were staying and according to Elliot's quick illegal search, the Tate evidence was stored there.
Zach couldn't believe their luck. The evidence was there! All they had to do now was get their hands on it.
"I think our best bet is to go in as agents...maybe from out of town? We need to imply that something has popped on the case and we've been sent to collect the evidence with the potential of re-opening the investigation. We want to be able to take the evidence off site so we can look at it properly, which means we'll need to sign for it." Lucy pinched her bottom lip as her eyes went glassy with thought.
"So, what do we need to make that happen?" Alex snaffled up his Chinese take out box and poked the chopsticks into his noodles. Zach drummed his knees with his fingers, too wired to even think about eating.
"We'll need a professional look, ID badges that will withstand scrutiny. Although we're no doubt dealing with a slightly bored employee who spends all day behind a desk. We don't need to worry about weapons. I doubt we'd be checked for that kind of stuff at a storage warehouse.
"Elliot can you pull up a satellite image of the warehouse? Let's see what kind of security they have around the perimeter."
Elliot went to work while Zach leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So, who's going in then? How are you going to swing this?"
"We'll have to use a distraction technique so that no one looks at us too closely. So we need a guy and a girl to cover our bases." Lucy sounded so professional as she ran through the logistics. Zach couldn't help a touch of awe.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we don't know if it'll be a male or female employee at the desk. We need both genders to cover both bases, especially if we want to use a flirt tactic. If it's an older lady, we can play the mother card or if it's an older man, we can soften him up with stories from the past. I won't know until I get in there, but I'll know when I see them which way to swing it."
"There's no way you can pass for an agent. You're eighteen."
"It's okay, Zach. Dress me up and it'll work." She ran her fingers through her soft hair and twirled the ends. "People's eyesight adapts to what they expect to see. If I stroll in with Alex, dressed like a professional, the person behind the desk will immediately think I am a young agent, fresh out of training and Alex is my first partner, showing me the ropes. Now if we take too long or the person is naturally suspicious, then of course that impression starts to change, but we still have those first few seconds and as long as the words coming out of our mouths is confident, then we're in. Shorty always said, act as though you know what you're doing and you're supposed to be there. People will buy it."
"Yeah." Zach leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "Yeah, I forget how often you've done this before."
Lucy's eyes fluttered to the table top, a slight blush heating her cheeks. Zach felt a little bad for saying it or maybe it was the tone he used. It didn't take much for his awe to flicker to aversion. He felt like a tennis ball was being bounced from one side of his brain to the other. He didn't mean to make her feel guilty, but it was hard not to judge her deceitful past just a little. He was juxtaposed between admiring her ability to fool people and despising the fact she could do it so easily. What if she tried to lay one over on him? She'd done it once and there was nothing stopping her from doing it again. Would the doubt always niggle away at him?
Squeezing his eyes shut, he shook his head and was about to reach for her hand when Elliot spun his computer towards them. "Here you go. Satellite images of the warehouse."
They all leaned towards the screen, Alex moving to stand behind them. Lucy's blue gaze worked over the slightly blurry image. She took her time soaking it all in.
"So we'll need to drive in through that guard station." She pointed at the screen. "Our IDs will get one check there and then probably just one more on the inside as well." Sitting back, she chewed her lip. "That's not too bad, but those IDs are gonna need to be good. Elliot can you pull up a standard ID for me? Let's see what information's on there. We'll hopefully be fast enough that if they do call to verify anything, we'll have time to get out of there. Again, let's just hope and assume we're dealing with bored security who aren't overly phased about doing their job properly. We'll push a little persuasion if we have to as well." Lucy nodded, as if confirming that her plan would work. Letting out a breath, she lightly slapped the table and stood. "Okay, so tomorrow Alex and I need to go shopping. Zach and Elliot, you need to rent a car. Either of you got fake IDs on you?
Zach shook his head.
"Really, you've never been out drinking?"
He was a little embarrassed by her incredulous look, but held his chin high. Thankfully, Elliot took the heat from her expression by pulling out his wallet with a grin.
"Let me introduce you to Lester Henshaw." He held up the card with a smile.