"Yes, sir.”
"I've already talked to my Chief of Staff about this. Scott has assured me there is no credible threat. Do you have evidence to support your claims?”
My mouth tensed. "Several compelling factors have led me to this conclusion."
"I appreciate the call, Deputy, but I am a very busy man. I trust the security staff in this regard. They know what they're doing.”
"Certainly. But I would urge that you do a simple scan for Bluetooth or wireless devices.”
"I will take that into consideration. Thank you for your time, Deputy."
He ended the call before I had a chance to say anything else.
Sometimes it was just impossible to get a person to act in their own best interest.
The event was at the ballroom at the Seven Seas. The same one that had suffered a security breach during the charity gala. This was another one of those $25,000-a-plate fundraisers.
When I talked to the sheriff, he said, “I know you’re not gonna just let this go. What’s your plan?”
I told him, and surprisingly, he was on board.
55
Socialites flooded into the lobby of the Seven Seas in formal attire—black tuxedos, elegant evening gowns, and plenty of sparkling diamonds.
Sheriff Daniels and I were both dressed in tuxedos, but he still wore his ten-gallon hat. We blended in with the flow of traffic as they strolled to the bar, chatter filling the lobby.
We moved to the front of the line, and the sheriff flashed his badge to security at the door. He waved us in. Daniels had contacted Scott and offered additional protection. He didn’t turn it down.
"How close do you need to get to the senator?" Daniels asked.
"15 to 20 feet would be optimal.”
The sheriff pointed to Senator Bergen, who was glad-handing with attendees.
We meandered over to the politician, and I launched a hacker tool on my phone and scanned the area. I set the device to ignore AirPods, cell phones, watches, fitness trackers, and othercommercial electronics. I was looking for a bespoke device with a unique signature.
It didn't take long for it to pop up on my scan.
I sent the address of the device to Isabella, then let her access my phone remotely. From my phone, she could access the network and directly connect to theimplant.
We approached the politician, and Sheriff Daniels discreetly flashed his badge. “Senator Bergen, Sheriff Wayne Daniels.”
Bergen forced a smile but didn’t like being interrupted. “Nice to see you. What can I do for you?”
“I believe you had a discussion with Deputy Wild earlier,” Daniels said, motioning to me.
Bergen’s face tightened. “Yes, and I appreciate your concern, but I’ve talked to some people in the intelligence community, and they tell me a device like the one you described is just not feasible yet. The chips aren’t small enough, and the charge would need to be bigger than what could fit in a tooth. There’s no power or antenna. It’s pure science fiction.” He laughed. “I appreciate how hard you boys work to keep people safe, but this is a non-issue. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have donors that need attention.”
“I’ve found a suspicious wireless device.” I showed him my screen.
He sighed and gave the phone an annoyed glance. He took one look and shook his head. “That could be anything.”
“For someone in your position, you’re taking a rather cavalier attitude toward your safety.“ It was probably the wrong thing to say.
His fake smile vanished, and he glared at me. “Deputy, if someone was trying to kill me, there are easier ways to do it.”
“Yes, but what better way to send a message than having you drop dead while on stage, taking a firm stance against the cartels?” I said, motioning to Paris Delaney and her cameraman, who had infiltrated the event.
