The Conway's Conspiracy Read online

  International pimps had also experienced the wrath of his police actions. Enforcer with a legendary background, bright, forthcoming, and energetic, he was fifty-five years old. The

  managers agreed he would be the best to lead the investigation.

  The detective was in Washington, DC. The FBI Field Office Director offered to inform him about the government decision. Necessity to act urgently being agreed upon, several measures of institutional security were considered and adopted.

  Galiss was contacted and informed about the circumstances of his nomination as a federal delegate. Indeed, he knew about the Hauss & Caust affair. Answering a call from the FBI Field Office Director, the detective said he was shocked by the holdup. It was a well-organized conspiracy. Everything should be done to arrest the bandits as soon as possible.

  The Director concurred that the government should make all resources available to catch the murderers. Galiss emphasized on the absolute need for his team to get the collaboration of both local and federal security agencies.

  The veteran took a plane to Miami the same day. Immediately, he went to see Connoley. The Director received him with the assistance of Deputy Jova Canat, old hand used to all kinds of police tribulations. During the meeting, they briefly talked about the political and economic ramifications of the crime.

  “It’s the work of hardcore criminals,” the Director seemed tense and impatient. “Planning of such a plot requires a level of sophistication uncommon among low level offenders. Our enemies will try to use this for political gains. That’s why I ordered a convergence of administrative resources to ease the transition.”

  “The best method is to operate step by step in order to avoid irreparable mistakes,” Galiss answered calmly. “I’m going to put together an integrated team that should be the source of all information pertaining to this affair. The scattering of data can cause considerable harm and hamper the investigation.”

  “I agree with you,” said Canat. “We’ve got to exert strict control and allow only provocative or necessary leaks.”

  “In view of thwarting hostile maneuvers from our foes, we decided to establish your headquarters in Aventura,” the Director related cordially. “Is it okay with you?”

  “Aventura is good,” replied Galiss; “but we must act quickly... Each minute counts in solving a case of this nature.”

  “As of tomorrow, everything will be in place,” Canat reassured him. “You’ll be able to install your team and equipment.”

  “Send me the list of your deputies,” said Connoley. “I need it for weekly accounting of services... Fees will be paid directly to them. They’ll submit their invoices to Canat in order to avoid delays.”

  “You must be tired,” the Director added placidly. “Go get some rest, man… Tomorrow will be a busy day...”

  * * *

  Seated at his desk, William Arthur Bogatt, Detective Supervisor in the Miami Police Department, smoked his pipe while searching feverishly in a file. Bill, “the guardian”, as they called him, was one of those guys who do things the same way no matter the gravity of the situation. Whatever the circumstance, he had a pipe in his mouth. Some of his collea-

  gues said he was a maniac, others insinuated it was just a dirty habit.

  Member of the police force for twenty-three years, he started his career in Opa Locka and was transferred, first, to Carol City; then, to Miami. He was a fifty-two-year-old African American, gray-haired, honest, and spirited. His rank and talent as an investigator placed him among the Police Department’s top brasses.

  Married father of four, Bill was an inflexible Republican. He showed such respect for traditions that, on two occasions, he declined to accept a promotion, just to follow institutional custom. In the Police Department where he worked, seniority had usually precedence over heroism and competence, an absurd hierarchic trend the veteran candidly adopted.

  He frowned when the telephone rang. It was Galiss Vaughan, special FBI agent charged with the task of leading the investigation in the Hauss & Caust affair.

  Bogatt was first to visit the crime scene. He had interrogated the bank’s President, Vice-President, and Head Teller, as well as the managers of Jensen & Jensen Security Firm. The Detective Supervisor expected the call for he had been informed that local authorities would have to work closely with the federal Police. The two men had collaborated in the past and showed mutual respect. As usual, Galiss wasted no time.

  “Bill, what do you’ve for me?” he asked in a friendly tone.

  “The first elements,” the African American answered vigorously. “The file is in front of me and I’m scrutinizing some interesting details. Two burning topics preoccupy me: the bandits and the weapons.”

  “Why do you say: the weapons?” inquired Galiss.

  “Ballistic evaluations have determined the use of two rifles during commission of the crime,” Bogatt sounded a bit nervous. “One of the bandits was positioned on top of the hillock facing the bank; another one had hid behind a wall, on the Westside of the polygon.”

  “Did they begin the search for the guns?” asked Galiss.

  “Actually, six teams are diving in Miami’s lakes and rivers,” Bogatt answered quickly. “I just sent two supervisors to manage the plungers.”

  “Any good trails?” inquired Galiss.

  “We’re examining the elements of discovery...” replied Graham. “The FBI will investigate the same samples.”

  “Hard evidences…?” asked Galiss.

  “Three cars have been recovered,” said Bogatt. “They’re being cleaned up… Human blood was found in two of them. I’ll send you a report as soon as possible.”

  “Prints…?” continued Galiss.

  “Several were left in the cars and collected by our agents; but the first witnesses affirmed the bandits wore gloves,” Graham sounded doubtful and hesitant.

  “I’m trying to digest the available information,” said Galiss. “I count on you for quick follow-ups…Please, don’t let me down!”

  “Don’t worry, my friend … I’ll not fail you…” Bogatt was full of energy.

  * * *

  Galiss chose three detectives to assist him. They were career officers with whom he had worked in the past. The first was Garibaldi Bonaparte, an Italian man who grew up in the United States. His father was an ardent admirer of the great patriot and judged promising to baptize him with the name.

  Gari was nine years old when his family emigrated in the United States. He grew up in the shadow of traditional Italian community but quickly learned to live in America’s liberal environment.

  Bonaparte Senior considered the Yankee fair play as a cardinal virtue of the American people and talked constantly about it. The old man explained to Gari that respect of the rules is a noble principle adopted in a free nation. The future cop believed he was successful in many of his endeavors because of strict application of this principle.

  His first years in the police force were difficult but he went through the obstacles with remarkable tenacity; then, things got easier. The recognition of his ability to investigate complex crimes allowed him to become a detective after four years in the force. Garibaldi was thirty-five, married with no children.

  The second officer called to help Vaughan was Graham Popo Isaacson. The alert forty-year-old African American was a quick and accurate thinker. Galiss met him for the first time when he was sent to Miami for a week of intensive training. As a trainer, Vaughan appreciated the novice’s remarkable talents.

  The veteran took care of him and they became friends. A couple of years later, Galiss intervened and obtained Graham’s transfer from Oklahoma to Florida. Isaacson was married with two young children.

  Born in Puerto-Rico, Canamera Rodriguez, the third detective, had lived in Florida since childhood. He was a bold and heroic man. In the course of a deadly confrontation with downtown gangsters, he was grievously wounded and, for a moment, they had feared he would die. Decorated many times for bravery, always ready to
face outlaws, he had the reputation of a strong character. Canamera was forty-six years old, married, and father of three.

  Standing in the middle of the room, Galiss addressed his new teammates. It was the beginning of a tough mission and they all listened attentively.

  “Here begins an investigation that will probably be one of the most difficult we’ve ever undertaken,” he said straightforwardly. “It’s critical that we understand the importance of this quest for justice. I’ve asked that you work with me, so, we can find the pieces that fit the puzzle of this horrendous crime. We’re the soldiers on the front line. The Hauss & Caust affair has taken incredible political proportions. Arresting the criminals will be an act of faith in the cause of justice.”

  Taking a piece of chalk, he walked toward a board hanging on the wall. “I here expose the primary evidences of our inquiry,” he continued with a sharp voice. “They derive from four institutional entities that must be our beacons... Any way we questioned that tragic event, at least one of them was the source of a lethal indiscretion.”

  He stammered as he wrote on the board, “Hauss & Caust Bank, Jensen & Jensen Security Firm, Commercial State Bank, Miami Police Department...”

  “Hauss & Caust is a financial institution managed by a President and a Vice-President,” he said calmly. “It’s the place where should lie the key to the enigma. Retraced step by step, its story allows us to detect questionable dealings

  from top to bottom…”

  He stayed thoughtful for a moment, stared at his teammates, and continued, “The bank has lived a troubled life... Its transactions are distorted with gross financial irregularities and its managers are not credible. A report delivered by the Department of Banking Regulations reveals the shadiness of their administration. The President, Mr. Ganoot, was arrested in 1967 for swindle. The Vice-President, Mr. Johnson, is a renowned playboy.”

  “Jensen & Jensen is a security firm established in Miami since 1910,” he went on steadily. “As indicated, it’s a family affair. A first report exposes an unflattering portrait of Mr. Calva, the owner and General Manager; but, overall, the man is a fairly good citizen. His employees are okay, except for a few legal peccadilloes. Amilcar, his oldest son, is a strange character with few brushes with the law. The young man’s best known infraction occurred in 1973 when he broke his wife’s jaw and was arrested.”

  “What about the two security guards…?” asked Graham with a resonant voice. “Did you find anything that can help us?”

  “We searched their lives…” Galiss answered heartily. “For once, Jackson Collins was arrested in the evening of April 16, about ten hours before his death. He had caught his wife with another man and, apparently, had tried to kill her. Circumstances of the arrest remain unclear but one fact is noto-

  rious: Mr. Collins was a man of impeccable professional integrity.”

  “Anything on the other guard…?” Garibaldi sounded annoyed and impatient.

  “His name is Charles Becker,” Galiss waved and smiled amenably. “He was also known to being a well-behaved se-

  curity agent. According to information garnered from his peers, his respect for law and order was excessive. He was a tough bachelor who found happiness in the beds of prostitutes.”

  The men in the room exploded in laughter.

  “Two persons at the Commercial State Bank knew about the transfer,” Galiss continued impassively. “The Supervisor, Josef Conan; and the Master Accountant, Audubond Martinez... The first is immaculate: good husband, good father, and good citizen. The latter is a Kangaroo, perhaps a dinosaur… Born Pedroso, he became Madatt, Kaschatt, and then Audubond; but always Martinez …”

  “God Almighty…” Graham screamed in his Southern Afro-American accent. “Why all those names?”

  “There are reasons for that,” Galiss replied sarcastically. “Martinez had been rapist and burglar...”

  “Ah yeah…” Canamera stayed wide-eyed.

  “The fellow was born in Honduras where he spent the first years of his life in dire economic deprivation,” Galiss explained patiently. “His father was a pimp and his mother an alcoholic. Audubond grew up in the slums of Tegucigalpa. His criminal record contains three convictions for burglary, rape, and attempted kidnapping.”

  “How the hell did he become a brass at the Commercial State Bank?” Canamera asked with skepticism.

  “A lucky encounter with a girl of good family extraction and excellent education had changed his life,” Galiss answered jokingly. “Paula Alarcon, legitimate and sole child of Josua and Maria, owners of opulent stores in Little Havana, saw him and fell in love… He was twenty-eight years old; she was twenty-five.”

  “What did he do to climb the ladder so quickly?” Graham seemed suddenly in a better mood.

  “Hard to say,” Galiss shook his head. “For a long time, Audubond lived in chronic vagrancy and was unable to find a steady job. Paula saved his life. Despite her family’s adamant rebukes, she married him. The thief went to school and became an accountant. The young woman used her family’s commercial connections to get him a job. A first assignment led to a better one, which opened in front of him the door of success. He got a position in a local supermarket before being hired at the Commercial State Bank. That’s where he has been working for five years now. Audubond is a depressing preoccupation…”

  “What about the Miami Police Department…?” asked Garibaldi.

  “We’ve put in place a surveillance mechanism to know if the two murdered cops or people inside the Department are connected with employees of the other institutions,” the delegate answered amicably. “We’ve to wait and see.”

  He paused and walked slowly toward a desk. “My friends,” he said calmly, “I’ve indicated the pockets of our investigation. We must now find the bandits’ trails. The cooperation of the four entities will be critical. Garibaldi will take charge of the Commercial State Bank and Canamera will deal with Jensen & Jensen. Graham and I will investigate the Hauss & Caust and the Miami Police Department.”

  “Do you intend to publish Ganoot’s criminal record?” asked Garibaldi.

  “It’s a question to be debated with the security agencies,” Galiss appeared aloof and reserved. “For Martinez, the boss thinks we should inform banking authorities. For the other people, it’s a matter of institutional politics...” .

  “Is it really necessary to denounce the accountant?” Graham sounded feverish and annoyed. “Isn’t it a dangerous interference?”

  “I believe so,” Galiss answered with his usual frankness; “but the chief thinks differently.”

  “Shouldn’t we brandish some bogeys to obtain their cooperation?” said Canamera with a sarcastic smile.

  “If they’re not guilty, yes…” Galiss winked at the Puerto Rican agent. “Otherwise, we should be careful and keep our distance.”

  “Ganoot has the reputation of a crafty player,” Garibaldi waved jeeringly. “The prospect of explosive revelations is of a nature to bend him…”

  “If he is guilty, he will send us out for a long walk…” Galiss replied with a friendly nod. “Those guys are vicious…”

  “The probability of his involvement in this crime is slim at best,” Graham mumbled boringly. “But it’s too early to be sure of anything.”

  “The evidences allow us to move toward well-known targets,” said Garibaldi. “Ganoot is one of them. Audubond is another one. I’m going to place the accountant under tight scrutiny. I suggest we do the same for Ganoott.”

  “What about Johnson…?” asked Canamera. “His playboy attributes are no exonerating factors… I think he deserves the same attention.”

  “I’ll take another look at his record,” Galiss promised vaguely. “That might help…”

  “When all pawns are exposed, things will move fast,” Graham appeared surprisingly collected. “It would be wise to dispose early of the coercive forces… It’s difficult to get them busy.”

  “What are you talking about?” Galiss s
tared at the African American.

  “State Department and Immigration Service,” he replied quickly. “It has been now five days since the killing and we’ve no clear trail. The probability the bandits are already overseas becomes more acceptable. Our administrative system can be tricky.”

  “That question is not for us to answer, but we’re obviously concerned,” Galiss shook his head. “I’ll have a word with the chief about it…”

  “Did you think about sending a note to Interpol?” asked Canamera.

  “Interpol will be touched this evening,” Galiss reassured them. “For the other institutions, everything is already in place.”

  “What about Miami International Airport?” inquired Gari- baldi. “It’s a good place to start.”

  “Our people work all over the area,” Galiss sounded calm and confident. “A nice corner has been cleared for our team and well-trained agents are patrolling alleys and waiting-rooms. Videos are being taken and will be carefully examined.”

  “Isn’t it too late for that measure?” Graham wondered musingly. “The bandits probably left the country the day of the holdup.”

  “You can never be sure of anything,” answered Galiss. “Our agents will stay in place as long as possible.”

  “Did we discover anything of interest?” asked Canamera.

  “Three men were arrested and released,” Galiss replied hesitantly.

  “It’s not good…” Garibaldi shook his head. “We may have

  too many cases to settle before the end of this investigation.”

  “The road ahead looks rough,” said Galiss. “It’s impossible to take everything into account...”

  “What about the videos…?” asked Graham. “When will we get them?”