Chapter 353

Evening came, but no call came from Jerrod. I was about ready to make a call to swamp thing for an operative. I hated to be in their debt, so I put if off as long as possible. I probably could frame Jerome for parole violation all by myself, but Althea would not be happy about her brother going back inside on a bum rap. I also had to remember that his niece was the local homicide detective.

It was after midnight when I finally heard from Jerrod. "Ms Stone this is Simon Jerrod," the voice on the phone informed me.

"Mr. Jerrod, Leon suggested you for a job I need done," I replied.

"Yes, I spoke with him earlier this evening. He didn't seem to know exactly what the job was to be. He assured me that if you were recruiting, it would be interesting." Jerrod spoke with a French accent so thick, even I had trouble understanding...

"It really isn't a big deal, so by some standards it may not be very interesting. Then I don't know what your background is, so I can not make even a guess whether or not you will find it interesting ... I would prefer not to have this discussion on the phone." I informed him as an after thought.

"I agree. Leon said you had a club in Aster. I am in Tryon at the moment. Could we make arrangements to meet this week?" he asked.

"You name it," I suggested.

"I would like time to do a little research," he suggested. He had just told me that he was going to be doing a background check on me. I couldn't stop him of course, and I had nothing to hide. He was going to be careful, if for no other reason than to be sure I would pay him.

"Please do, but I do need to get a decision quickly, so that I know what to do next. Could you finish your research by say Wednesday evening at 8PM?"

"I think that would be enough time. I have your number, if anything comes up," he added.

"You mean, should you decide this is not for you. That is fine, if I don't hear from you. then I will see you on Wednesday." I said it then closed the connection.

Jerrod was not in any of my data bases, but I knew he would be in the data base of the farm. I had no access to their data base, but I knew someone who could get into more data bases than I knew about, and he wasn't a farmer's boy.

I left a message on Peter's phone, then I shut down and plugged in the MP3 player. I did it just to replace the power I was using, as I listening to the music from an album called the greatest movie themes of all time. While I did that I cruised the Internet. It was either that or go out after midnight looking for sex.

I could cruise the Net all night and still be perfectly sharp the next morning. I could also go out, drink a dozen drinks, get laid, and that wouldn't effect me the next morning either. Those were just a few of the things I could not have done with my frail body before the change. I was so much better off, and yet sometimes I wasn't so sure. Now and then I might have even regretted my decision to make the change.

Since I was on the net, I decided to do some research. I found a website that gave me directions on how to turn a smart phone into a portable com center. It simply maintained a constant contact with another phone. The blue tooth headset was all it needed to transmit and receive the audio communications all around it. The phone also had a built in camera capable of transmitting a signal over the Internet. Everything just had to be calibrated for the purpose.

All the expensive gear I had used before became unnecessary. All I needed to do was buy a second smart phone and have Peter reprogram it. If someone jerked the headset off and broke it, then it was time to go in hot and nasty. Not much different than if someone outed an agent any other way.

The sun finally came up, but of course I didn't really care. One thing was the same as another to me unless I had something to do effected by the weather. You know like ride bike in a blizzard. While the world had slept I had been pretty much helpless. I could have done something with people from India, I suppose. Or maybe even Australia, but I had no desire to do so.

Peter called me at breakfast. "Wow you are talking to me again so quickly, this is amazing."

"Peter there is another number I can call for this information. If you don't want to help me that's fine, but you are right here in the same town. It would be easier if it were you."

"No, no, I didn't meant that at all. I'm seriously flattered that you called me. What do you need?" he asked getting very serious, very quickly.

"I need a background check on Simon Jerrod recently from France or a French speaking country. Most likely he has a military background, If not that then maybe a mobster. I do tend to lean more to the Military. Probably later twenties or there abouts, and a recent immigrant. See what you can come up with and meet me at the Townhouse after you pick up Sylvia at school. Let her drive from the campus," I said.

"You got it, I should have something by the time I get Sylvia," he suggested.

I rang off immediately, so that I could finish my breakfast, then I headed out to the mall. I walked and tried to work out a plan for Jerome White's downfall. I just didn't know enough. That's why I needed Simon, or someone like, what I hoped he was.

The mall walk didn't give me any answers, since there were no conclusions to be drawn from my sketchy information. I did not want to call Carrie Thompson to accuse her of ignoring her uncle's involvement in whatever he was up to.

She had already informed me that she and her mother did not share information. Since the whole police department didn't know enough to roust Jerome, the only way Carrie could know would be if mommy told her. So it was possible that she didn't know, but you can bet your ass If she didn't know, it was because she didn't want to know.