Dixon made ago aheadmotion.
Jude dialed. On the third ring, Cedric picked up. “Jude?”
“Yes. I spoke with my buyer. His highest offer is thirty M.”
“Hmm.”
Jude waited, staring intently at the corner of the wooden desk.
“Accepted,” Cedric said. “Be prepared to transfer the funds during our meeting. As soon as I see the money in my account, I'll hand over your buyer's purchase.”
“That will be fine. Would you like to meet at my apartment? It's conveniently located and private.”
“Non, merci. We'll meet at my hotel.”
“Very well. Which hotel?”
“I haven't decided. Let's plan on Friday at four o'clock, New York time. I'll let you know my hotel forty-five minutes before.”
“Sometimes it takes more than forty-five minutes to get around the city.”
“I'll be in Midtown Manhattan. If you're in that part of town when I call, you'll have plenty of time. Yes?”
“Yes,” Jude was forced to concede.
“See you soon.” The call disconnected.
Jude placed his phone face-up between Dixon and Shannon. He played back the exchange for them.
Shannon gave the older man a concerned look.
The FBI subscribed to the idea that haste makes waste. Their standards of professionalism were extremely high and they frequently invested months and large sums of money in laying groundwork. That and foreseeing every possible complication enabled the best chances of success.
Had it been within their control, none of them would have chosen this scenario. Cedric had not given them the name or address of his hotel. They had just forty-eight hours to prepare and gain approval for the temporary use of thirty million dollars.
“Cedric told you he hasn't decided on a hotel but that might not be true,” Dixon said. “It's possible he has or soon will reserve a room. We need to know the name of his hotel.” With that information, they'd gain advance access to his hotel room to set up audio and visual equipment.
“If we’re able to search the reservation information of hotels in Midtown,” Jude said, “we might be able to pinpoint Cedric’s name.”
Shannon made a note in her phone. “If we can narrow the search to one or two hotels, we should be able to get an order from a judge to access reservations information.”
“Do you think Gemma will know where in Manhattan Cedric likes to stay?” Dixon asked.
“Maybe.”
“Let's you and I converse with Gemma as soon as she gets off work today.”
Foreboding gathered in Jude, dark and icy. He was more than willing to fulfill his role in this operation but the best thing about his conversation with Cedric had been Cedric's insistence on removing Gemma from the equation. He didn’t want her anywhere near Cedric or Vincent. He couldn't do his job if she was in even the smallest amount of danger.
Dixon's attention transferred to Shannon. “Please contact the New York office and bring them up to speed.”
“Got it.”
“We'll need transportation to New York and lodging there for the three of us. I want us on a plane out of here tonight.”
* * *
It was the middle of May and springtime weather blanketed Maine in green splendor. The last time Gemma had met the FBI in the meadow outside Bangor, snow had prevented her from steering her Vespa along the private drive. This time she made it almost all the way before the road began to disappear into thick grass and the ruts made it impossible to continue.
