“First, this passage didn’t make any sense to me.WF26BLBLICIRM15K.That’s what you wrote on the paper.”She handed it to him and he took it with a nod, recognizing his own handwriting.He passed it to Warren.
“What the hell is this shit?”Warren asked in shock.
“No clue, there are passages like this all over Eddie’s notebook,” Paul said with a shrug.
“I think I might have a clue,” Petra said and turned to what she had written.“This is directly from the book.Notice the difference?”She pointed to several different things.WF26,BLBL,IC,I-R,M,15K.“There are comma’s meaning different statements.I did some digging.”
“With what?That’s nothing but gibberish,” Warren said.
“Think like a criminal, not a cop.”Petra looked at Paul.“Think like Zeke.”
“Who’s Zeke?”Warren asked.
“The president of Devil’s Scorpion.”
“The biker gang you guys were undercover with?”
“Yes,” they both answered.Paul studied the writing for a long moment, then shrugged.“I’m sorry, I’m not seeing anything significant here, Pet.”
“Okay, this is what I thought of.What if this is shorthand, again, thinking like a criminal.White woman, twenty-six, blonde hair, blue eyes, from Iowa City, Iowa, goes to, because that line before the R,M has an arrow pointed to it in the original book, I still have no clue what the R,M stands for.Then the fifteen kay might mean money.”She let them stew with what she said as she opened her laptop, woke it up, and with it in her hands, she turned it for them to look at.
“How does this sound?A white female by the name of Nancy Carter was reported missing from Iowa City, Iowa, two years ago, after going out with friends.According to the police report, they got separated at one point, and the others didn’t realize she was missing until the next day.Then they had to wait the twenty-four hours before they could make a report.”
“Where did you get a copy of the police report,” Warren demanded as he grabbed the laptop.“What is this website?”
“First, remember, I’m also a federal agent, it’s not just Paul.Second, that website is the National Missing Persons website.Third, there’s a brief report on that site, but I also used my federal credentials to access the original report.Do either of you know a man by the name of Fred Dawson?”
“Fuck me,” Warren said and looked at Paul.“What’s he got to do with this?He’s my boss with the State Police.”
“Damn, I’m sorry, but he’s the one that took the report.”
“What could the R comma M, and fifteen kay possibly mean?”
“I have a theory on the fifteen kay, but absolutely no clue about the R comma M.”
“What’s your theory?”
“What if it’s money?What if Nancy Carter was kidnapped from Iowa City, because that’s where she was reported missing from, taken someplace, and sold for fifteen kay?”She paused when Paul had to reach out and help Warren to a seat, and she had to jump in to save her laptop from crashing to the floor.
“Son of a bitch,” Warren said after several moments of silence.
“What?”
“I think I might know what R comma M means.”
“What?”
“Eddie was arrested by you guys in Minnesota, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Rochester, Minnesota.R for Rochester, comma to separate the two, M for Minnesota.”He looked at them with deer in the headlights look, and jumped to his feet.“I need a minute.”He stormed toward the door.
“Remember your promise!”Paul called after him, and nodded in relief when Warren waved his head over his shoulder.
“What was that about?”
“I haven’t told you yet, because I wanted to get more information first.I’ve uncovered that Eddie Brickman, and Fred Dawson are sort of related.”
