CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Once Bobby had leveled off at cruising altitude, Harry took the aircraft’s radio telephone from its cradle in the main cabin. He looked through his own cell phone and found the number he was looking for and punched it into aircraft’s device. Within seconds his call was answered.
“Ms. Stillwell’s office, this is Jeanine. May I help you?”
“Yes, please. This is Harry Kincaid calling for Ms. Stillwell. Is she in?” he asked.
“One moment please, sir. I think she just stepped away but let me see if I can locate her for you,” was the reply.
Jeanine Spence was an excellent administrative assistant, thought Harry. She always allowed for dealing with a call that her boss didn’t want to take.
“Harry?” Sally was on the phone in seconds. “Is that you?”
“Yes, Sally,” he answered. “How is your day going so far?”
“Well, that all depends,” she mused. “Do you have any news for me?”
Harry could picture Sally at her desk in the office he had visited a few days ago. Was it only a few days ago? So much had happened since then.
“Yes, as a matter of fact I do,” Harry said with a grin. He was about to make her day. “I need your help, too.”
“Okay,” she said. “What’s up?”
“First, I need for you to get in touch with the U. S. Marshall’s Office in Tucson. There is a cargo van parked in the lot at the private terminal at the airport. It’s about a 2004 Chevy with Arizona plates, all white with no markings. They will need to confiscate it and take into impound. The keys are on the floorboard on the driver’s side.”
“A van? Tucson?” she asked. “Reason?”
“Well, we’ve got its owner and he won’t be coming back to pick it up,” Kincaid said. “One Carlos Garcia-Mendoza. He’s known as el Hacha. That means ‘the ax’ in Spanish. He’s the murderer of Diana Ricci.”
There was a pronounced silenced on the other end of the phone.
“Sally?”
“Yes, I’m here, Harry. Please, run that by me again,” she said.
“Bobby and I are in the air…on our way to Will Rogers now,” he explained. “ETA about two-thirty this afternoon. We have Garcia-Mendoza in custody.”
“Harry, how… uh…,” Sally was amazed.
“I need for you to contact your local police and the FBI. This thing has gone across state lines now and they’ll want to be involved. Please have them meet us at the airport to take this guy off our hands.”
“But... are we sure it’s him, the murderer, I mean,” she asked.
“I’ll explain it when we get there.”
“But, proof, Harry,” she insisted. “Do we have any proof?”
“Well,” he said, “you’re the lawyer. But we’ve got a bloody machete that we captured along with our boy here and it ought to have the victim’s DNA, along with is fingerprints all over it. I’m sure that the lab guys can find the same on the floor of his van if you need to tie it closer to him.”
“That’s… uh… well,” she responded, “pretty remarkable.” She thought for a minute. “Harry, uh, I just need to ask… uh, under whose authority did you apprehend this guy?”
“Well, if you need a name, you can probably get by with Jack Tully,” he answered.
“Tully? As in the Director of the FBI?,” she asked.
“Yeah. Him,” Harry said.
“I’ll meet you at the airport,” Sally said. “I can’t wait to hear the rest of this story.”
Harry ended the call. He looked down at el Hacha who was lying uncomfortably on the floor of the jet, still restrained by the heavy plastic cable ties. The Mexican began to squirm a bit, attempting to redistribute his weight.
“Sorry about the accommodations, Hacha,” Harry said to the man. “But hey, you’re not paying for the ride anyway.”
The Citation Mustang piloted by Bobby Lawson touched down at Will Rogers World Airport and taxied to the general aviation terminal on the west side of the field. Waiting on the ramp was a black SUV, two cruisers from the Oklahoma City Police, and a transport vehicle with Oklahoma City Sheriff’s Department markings. There were assorted men dressed in a variety of suits and uniforms.
Sally Stillwell and Russell Byars were standing near the door to the terminal, joined by another man and woman.
Harry Kincaid and Pete Von Karmenn stepped from the small jet while Bobby Lawson shut down the engines and went about the routine chores that accompanied an arrival after flight. Harry looked for and motioned for Sally when saw her. She came forward with Russell Byars and the other man and woman in tow. Russell signaled for one from the Sheriff’s Department to accompany them.
Harry greeted Sally then introduced her to Pete. She then took charge and introduced her law partner, Russell Byars, then Nora Quinn and Nora’s boss, Toby Gannon, the District Attorney. The other group of law enforcement officials began to work their way toward the jet.
After the pleasantries, Kincaid said, “If you folks will excuse me, I will step inside and get our guest.” Von Karmenn remained on the tarmac.
Harry stepped back into the jet and pulled a pair of wire snips from a small tool kit near the first aid kit kept by the door. He approached el Hacha and leaned down to clip the cable ties. He spoke to the Mexican warning him not to make any sudden movements. He first clipped the ties holding Hacha to the seat. Then he clipped the one that bound his ankles to his wrists. Last, he clipped the tie holding his ankles. By this time, Bobby Lawson had stepped out of the cockpit and assisted Harry in lifting el Hacha to a standing position.
“Are you okay, Hacha?” asked Harry in a very cordial tone.
“Si. Okay,” he answered.
“Well, welcome back to Oklahoma,” he said. “Now come on outside.”
He led Hacha down the stairs and into the waiting custody of the Oklahoma City Sheriff’s deputies who were there to greet him. Instinctively, Sally Stilwell and Nora Quinn stepped back several paces when they saw this diminutive little Mexican step out. The group watched as the deputies escorted Hacha over to their transport and placed him inside. Once securely inside, the deputies got into the vehicle and pulled off of the tarmac. They were followed by the other law enforcement officials, forming a convoy to accompany their newest guest to the Oklahoma City Jail.
As the vehicles pulled off the airport property, Nora said to Sally, “You mentioned something about the murder weapon?”
“Ah, yes,” Harry said. Pete Von Karmenn stepped back onto the jet and retrieved the plastic grocery bag containing the machete.
“Now y’all be real careful with this,” Pete chided, “That little fella is real proud of it.”
The District Attorney ignored Pete’s wisecrack and reached over and took the weapon from Von Karmenn, politely saving Nora Quinn from having to deal with it.
Another man in a suit came forward and offered his hand to Harry Kincaid. “I’m Special Agent Paul LeGarde, FBI, Mr. Kincaid,” he said. “Director Tully’s compliments on your actions here.”
“Thanks, Agent LeGarde. “I’m thinking these folks have all they need here to convict this guy,” Harry said, indicating Gannon and Ms. Quinn.
“And,” interjected Sally, “to free General Hastings.”
“Yes, I think so,” said Nora.
Toby Gannon reached over offering his hand to Kincaid, then to Von Karmenn. “A job well done, gentlemen,” he said. “I’m sure that we’ll have no problems with this case as soon as all the lab evidence checks out.” Then he said, “Shall we meet back at our office, Sally? Perhaps we can get in touch with the presiding judge and gain the general’s release.”
“I will meet you at your office,” said Sally.
Nora Quinn and her boss turned and walked briskly to the parking lot.
Sally turned back to Harry Kincaid. Bobby Lawson had stepped down out of the jet and joined them. “I’d be honored if you guys would let me buy you a steak at the Cattlemen’s’ Club this evening. There mig
ht even be an adult beverage in it for you.”
Harry looked over at Bobby with an obvious ‘want to?’ look. “Suits me, said Bobby.”
“You’re on,” Harry said. “Time?”
“Well, why don’t you ride into town with me?” she asked. “I’ll drop you at a hotel and you can meet Tom and me at the Club around six o’clock. Surely you guys won’t be flying back to D.C. tonight.”
“No,” answered Harry, “not tonight. In fact, I want to chat with Hastings and Sluggo one more time. Can you arrange that for us, Sally?”
“I’m sure I can. I’ll put it together and let you know when we meet at the Club,” she said.
Harry looked over at Pete. “Will you be joining us, Major Von Karmenn?”
Pete looked out towards the parking lot. “Actually,” he said, “I have a ride coming. I’ll just wait over here in the terminal.”
Harry and Bobby walked with Sally out to her car. Harry looked back over his shoulder at Pete who was standing outside the entrance to the building watching them leave. Harry lifted his right hand and gave Pete a ‘thumbs up’ signal. Pete looked back and returned it.