"Does that put us out of contact?"

"Tell me why you called?" he asked instead of answering.

I filled him in on the details; skirting the reason Merrill Cooms didn't report the break-in to the police. I told him we were trying to trace the electric bike by its model but asked about checking hospitals. He thought a moment before answering.

"I can't help you through the authorities; they'll ask me why I'm inquiring and I don't have an answer. I'll see what I can do on my own. Cross your fingers I don't get caught."

"What about the director? Can't he get these people off your back; and off ours?"

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"Do you remember our early conversations? The director wanted me to help as much as I could but if someone was getting too close, I was to drop it. These guys are that close."

"So you're out of it?"

"You're a vital asset and the director knows it. I haven't had personal contact with him lately but I hear he's trying to snow ball them but he's subject to subpoena so he has to be careful. It's not easy with these guys; they're a level of government all to themselves. So far, all their snooping is fact finding but if they want your talents, they don't take no for an answer. They've got fifty agents going all over the state of Idaho looking for an old lady." I must have snickered involuntarily. I hadn't told him of our miss information ploy to Ethel Reagan.

"Doesn't sound like that news worries you too much."

"I guess we'll say good-by to Boise," I said tongue in cheek. "The rest of this business is worrisome as all hell. Is the tip line compromised?"

"I just can't say. These guys have state of the art equipment. I don't know what to tell you. I know for a fact they've talked to the tip line people and didn't get very far but who knows if they're tapping the line. I'm pretty much out of the picture, at least for the near future."

"Any suggestions for us?" I asked.

"Try talking to that outfit After that's been in the news. I don't know them personally, but they should be on top of the case with this bastard who's chasing you. That's what they do; chase old unresolved cases. I know they have a very good detective on the payroll. He's a real in-your-face prick with an attitude that got him tossed off the force in New York, but he's a top notch investigator. Maybe After would be interested in chasing down a well-placed tip."




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