Firefall by J. H. Bogran

Author:J. H. Bogran [Bogran, Jose]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, suspense
Publisher: Crossroad Press
Published: 2019-06-18T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

DALLAS, TEXAS

Sebastian met Bill and Roger in the latter’s office, and together they went over several cases.

Roger had a keen mind and probed the conclusions his investigators presented him. Take nothing for granted seemed to be his motto.

On one particular case, because the conclusion was inconclusive, Roger probed deeper. He picked up his phone and asked Grace to get hold of somebody. Sebastian did not hear the name. It sounded Latino but he could not be certain.

When Grace transferred the call, Roger put it on speakerphone. This time, Sebastian got the name, Gustavo Fonseca of Honduras. The speakerphone generated a weird metallic ring in Gustavo’s voice.

Roger informed Gustavo that Bill and Sebastian were also in his office, and then went straight to business. “There is a four-year gap,” he summed up.

“I’ve seen similar cases before. My bet is that the boy never existed.” Bill paused then thought of another possibility, “Or the dead one wasn’t covered on the policy.”

“Gustavo, have you met with the coroner?” asked Roger.

“Yes.”

“And?” Roger prompted.

“I don’t know him enough to trust him. His reaction looked genuine.” Gustavo had a heavy accent, but his English was good.

“Anyone can be an actor,” protested Bill.

“Movies are not a booming industry in Honduras, Bill.” Gustavo protested.

“Oh, come on! You have politicians, don’t you?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then you do have great liars south of the border, just as we have them here!” he declared, earning a collective chuckle on both ends of the connection.

All through the exchange, Sebastian had remained quiet, wondering if he’d ever be as cynical.

“Given all the paperwork, you’re saying the death certificate is the only thing you would take as real, correct?”

“Yes, Mr. Simmons.” Gustavo’s tone carried conviction.

“I guess we can spare the doctor this time, huh?”

That comment got Sebastian’s attention. “What?”

“Ancient history,” said Bill in a dismissive manner.

“Five years is not old enough,” countered Roger.

Sebastian felt like the sober guy who had just run into his drunken friends to hear the punch line of the joke. He felt out of place. The three men had a history together, and they knew all the jokes. He despised being the rookie after years of being at the top. He wondered if his decision to be here was the correct one.

“Sebastian,” Roger brought him back, “like I was saying, five years ago a guy took out a policy with us. He was dead within a week.”

“And of course, something other than a rotten corpse started to smell,” interjected Bill.

“Literally,” commented Roger. Then he added, “This happened on Gustavo’s turf. The policy was for a little over a million dollars, so I decided to send Bill to lend a hand as well.

“They interviewed everybody and I mean that in the strictest terms. Wife, kids, business associates, college girlfriends. When the smell was evident but the proofs lacking, we got an order to exhume the body.”

Intrigued, Sebastian said, “What happened then?”

“When we dug up the coffin, we found two sacks of first-grade cement.” Roger said.

“That sounds like something to write a novel about,” Sebastian commented.

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