Yes. In fact, I can walk there in 15.
Cedric
In that case, I’ll see you in the lobby in 15 minutes.
After taking a screenshot of the text exchange, he forwarded it to Dixon, who immediately responded to say he'd received it.
Jude tossed his full coffee in the trash, exited onto the sidewalk, and walked in the direction of the meet. As he went, he deleted his text thread with Dixon from his phone.
Like several other pedestrians, he was dressed as a businessman. He wore a navy suit, pale blue shirt, gray tie. Details mattered so he'd put on the same ring he'd worn to dinner with Cedric. A messenger bag rested against his lower back, its strap a diagonal across his chest. He intended to transfer funds via his phone but had brought a laptop with built-in WI-FI as an alternative option. Everyone on his team knew that technology sometimes glitched or failed. They always had a plan B.
Criminals were smart. They all wanted independent proof from their own bank that money had landed before they'd finalize a sale. It wasn't enough to prosecute a suspect forintendingto do a deal. A UC agent had to see the deal all the way through by paying for illegal items in order to secure evidence that would hold up in court. Later, the FBI would recoup their money, but an actual transfer was a necessary first step.
Far above, the sun hung in a pale blue sky. Its light struggled to reach him through the canyon of buildings. Except at cross-streets. There, sun flashed over him as he passed through.
Jude spun the ring around and around his finger, using its motion to ground himself in Jude McConnell's life. He'd spent his childhood in Rhode Island. Attended Tufts. Worked for perfume giant House of Cordell. Had met Gemma in Las Vegas. Jude McConnell was ambitious, greedy, and willing to skirt the law to benefit himself. He'd be cautious because of the illegal nature of the sale, but also very keen for it to go through so he could collect his broker's fee from his buyer.
He was dialed-in by the time he reached Henry House, and spotted Cedric and Vincent right away. The two were dressed in suits and occupying luxurious chairs near the lobby fireplace. Standing as Jude approached, they exchanged handshakes.
“Did you have a nice flight?” Jude asked.
“We did, absolutely.” Cedric went on to list the reasons why he always enjoyed visiting New York and Jude made the expected responses.
After a few minutes, Cedric pulled his sleeves into place with two small tugs. Metal cufflinks caught the light. “Shall we get to business?”
“Yes. Whenever you're ready.”
Cedric nodded at Vincent.
Vincent strode to the front doors and left.
Strange.
“Shall we?” Cedric gestured for him to follow where Vincent had gone.
“Are we leaving?”
“I thought we would go a short distance, yes. The weather is pleasant. We can talk about this further outdoors. Is that agreeable?”
Warning arrowed through Jude. “Certainly.”
Cedric made his way toward the street and Jude fell in step with him.
Did they suspect their rooms were under surveillance? Is that why they didn't want to conduct the meeting here?
No. If Cedric or Vincent suspected their rooms were under surveillance, they'd have called off the meeting. Likely this was just more of the overall defensive strategy they'd exhibited when they'd refused to provide the name of their hotel in advance.
No matter what, this was a blow to Jude and the FBI. He had audio and video recorders on him as well as a tracker so that his team could pinpoint his location. But now the painstaking preparation of Cedric and Vincent's hotel rooms was worthless. The plainclothes agents in the lobby and in the unmarked cars outside would need to follow in order to provide Jude with backup.
Outside, Vincent opened the front and back passenger doors of a black Mercedes sedan.
Jude's concern deepened. Walking to their destination would have been better. It was dangerous for undercover agents to get into a car driven by a suspect. Two New York City UC policemen had been killed that way a few years back while attempting to buy illegal guns. Even so, the protocol here was to go along. Not doing so risked blowing his cover. Jude got into the backseat.
As Vincent steered them into the flow of traffic, Cedric asked Jude conversational questions about his work.
Jude matched Cedric's demeanor, answering in a relaxed tone, asking Cedric similar questions in return.
“If you and Gemma get more serious, are you going to move to Maine or is she going to move here?” Cedric wanted to know.
