Mango Bob, page 14
Jack rotated the camera, “On the side of the camera, there appears to be a memory card slot with the memory card still in it.”
Jack looked at me and said, “OK, you can stop recording now.”
He pointed to the object in his hand, “Have you ever seen one of these cameras before?”
I had.
“That's a GoPro waterproof video camera. You can get them online, even from Amazon. Pretty common with the adventure sports crowd.”
Jack looked at me, “Wonder why it's hidden back here? Think anything's on it?”
“Might be. The removable memory card in the camera will fit the card reader on my laptop. That means we can check it out.”
Jack asked, “Your laptop inside?”
“Sure is. You want to take a look?”
We went back inside and showed Jean what we'd found.
Her eyes lit up, “Really? You found a hidden camera? That's pretty exciting. Think there's anything on it?”
Jack smiled, “That's what we plan to find out.”
I went back to the bedroom and got my laptop. When I returned, Jack still had his plastic gloves on, holding the GoPro camera in his hands.
He looked up, “Record me while I do this.”
I started my phone's video app and recorded as Jack opened the camera case, and extracted the tiny camera.
He placed the clear case that held the camera in one of his zip lock bags. Then he held the GoPro camera in the palm of his hands and slowly rotated until the SD memory card slot was in view.
Using his gloved hand, he gently pushed the SD memory card in, which caused it to pop out.
He removed the memory card and held it up.
“Can your laptop read cards this size?”
I pointed to a card slot on the laptop, “Yes. Just slide the card into the slot.”
Jack pushed the memory card into the card reader slot. I pointed the phone-cam at the computer to record the screen activity.
With the card in the slot, the computer popped up a small window indicating a removable storage device had been added.
Jack looked at me, “Let me record the video, while you operate the computer.”
As Jack recorded the computer screen, I used the mouse to click on the memory card icon.
“Jack, we may be out of luck. No files on the card. That means either the camera hasn't been used, or the files have been erased.”
Jack frowned, “So nothing usable?”
I shook my head, “Not necessarily. If the files have been erased we might be able to recover them.”
Back in my computer job, I had plenty of experience recovering lost or damaged files from memory cards. It was easy if you had the right software.
“Jack, I've got software on my computer that should be able recover any files that were recently deleted from the card. You want me to try?”
Jack looked concerned, “Will the process alter or change the contents of the memory card in any way?”
“No. The software doesn't alter the card. It looks for deleted files and if any are found it recovers them onto the laptop's hard drive.”
Jack looked up, “If you're absolutely sure the memory card won't be altered, start the recovery process.”
I clicked on the laptop's program list, found and started the recovery program.
About a minute later, the software announced it had found deleted files.
“Jack, good news. There are four deleted files on the card. Photos and videos. I'll start the recovery process. Then we can see what we have.”
The recovery process took ten long minutes.
When it completed I announced, “Jack, you can remove the memory card from the computer. We don't need it any more.”
Jack removed the card and put it back in the camera. Then he bagged the camera in a zip lock baggie.
Our next step – find out what was on the recovered files.
43
“These files are date stamped. Let's view them oldest to newest, see what we have.”
Jacked agreed, “Sounds good. Get started.”
I clicked first file name.
It was a close-up photo of a man's hand. It looked like someone reaching toward the camera.
Jack carefully looked at the photo. Then, “Show me the next one.”
The second file was a photo of the inside of the motorhome. From the front, looking toward the back bedroom. No people in the photo.
“Show the next one.”
The third file was a video.
The video started with a close-up of a hand. As the video continued, the hand pulled back and we could see a man looking into the camera.
“Jack, that's Harvey Tucker, the guy who was murdered.”
In the video, Tucker took a few steps back and said, “Testing. Testing. Testing.”
Then he moved to the coach door, looked at the camera. “Testing, testing, testing.”
From the coach door, Tucker move to the dinette table. He smiled at the camera. “Testing. Testing. Testing.”
Finally, Tucker walked toward the camera. His hand reached toward the camera lens. The video went black.
Jack pointed at the screen, “Looks like Tucker was testing the camera placement. Making sure it picked up whatever he wanted to record.”
“Play the next one. See if it's the important one.”
I clicked the file name. Another video.
It started with a clear shot of the interior of the motorhome. No people in the scene. No movement.
Five minutes into the video, indistinct voices could be heard. From outside the coach.
As the video continued, the coach door opened. Harvey Tucker stepped into the video frame. He was talking to someone behind him off camera.
Tucker moved to the dinette table as a second man, tall and bronze skinned, dressed in a white panama suit, walked in. He was followed by a shorter heavy-set man carrying a briefcase.
Tucker spoke, “This is my little home away from home. We're safe here. No one is around, no one knows where we are. Please, have a seat.”
The suited man nodded and sat. The large man with the briefcase stood, saying nothing.
Tucker spoke to the man in the white suit, “As promised, I was able to get the company to choose your property for the new plant location. And also to select your people to manage it.”
With a heavy accent the suited man said, “Yes, you delivered on your promise. And I will fulfill mine.”
He snapped his fingers. The heavy-set man placed the briefcase on the table in front of Tucker. Then he stepped back.
The man in the white suit looked up at Tucker, then unlatched the briefcase and opened it.
“In here, you'll find ten rolls of US Eagle gold coins. Each roll contains twenty coins. Two hundred coins in all.”
“These are now yours.”
The suited man continued, “When the equipment from the Conway plant is delivered and installed in the Mexico plant, I will deliver another two hundred coins to you.”
Tucker reached over and removed one of the tubes of coins from the briefcase. He appeared surprised at the weight. Heavy.
He put the roll of gold coins back in place, closed the briefcase, snapped the locks shut, and placed the case under the table.
Tucker smiled. Then reached out to shake the hand of the suited man. “Thank you very much. It is a pleasure doing business with you. You are a man of your word.”
The suited man replied, “I expect you to ensure the movement and installation of the manufacturing equipment goes smoothly.
“If it goes as planned, we will meet again and complete our transaction.”
The suited man stood. “I must go now. My flight to Mexico City departs soon.”
He took two steps toward the door, then turned to face Tucker, “Do not think because I am pleasant to deal with, that there will be no consequences should things not turn out well.
“Should our arrangement be revealed to others, or should it not be completed to my satisfaction, much harm will come to you.
“Do you understand this?”
Tucker nervously stood up, “Yes, I understand. But there's nothing to worry about. Our arrangement is completely confidential. It will go as planned.”
“Make sure it does. Life will be much more pleasant for you if nothing goes wrong.”
With that, the heavy-set man opened the door and stepped out. The suited man paused until the large man stepped back into camera view and nodded his head.
The suited man stepped out of the door, and walked out of camera view.
On camera, Tucker sat down and said nothing.
He appeared to be listening. Off camera a car door closed. Then another. The car started up, and gravel crunched as the car drove away.
Tucker remained motionless for another minute.
Then he stood, walked toward the camera, reached up, and the video ended.
44
I looked at Jack.
“That son of a bitch Harvey Tucker took a payoff to close the plant and move it to Mexico.”
“Six hundred people out of work because of him.”
Jack nodded, “That's what it looks like. And it looks like the people he dealt with didn't want anyone to know about it.”
“But why would they kill Tucker? He kept his end of the deal. The plant's been closed and the equipment's been shipped to Mexico.”
Jack sighed, “We don't know if these people killed Tucker. Could have been someone else.
“But by accepting that payment, Tucker became a liability to them. If they let him live, he'd always be a threat.
“And if they killed him, they wouldn't have to pay him the rest of the gold. They might even be able to recover the gold from the first payment.”
Jack said, “Maybe Tucker recorded the video as insurance. Or as a way to get more money.
“That's probably why he was trying to find the motorhome – so he could retrieve the camera.
“But why would he leave the camera in the motorhome in the first place?”
I remembered something Molly had told me.
“Tucker planned to buy the motorhome. That's why he left the camera in it. He figured it was a safe hiding place.
“But the deal fell through at the last minute. Corporate couldn't get in contact with Tucker. That's why they sold the motorhome to me.
Jean asked, “But why would he worry about the camera? The video had been erased.”
Jack said, “Maybe he didn't want someone accidentally finding the camera. It was easy for you to recover the video. Someone else could do the same thing.
“A more important question. Did Tucker hire someone to break into the motorhome and retrieve the camera? Or did the man in the suit learn about the camera, and send someone to get it?
“Either way, we need to get a copy of this video to the Boston PD as soon as possible.”
Jack stood, “I'll call my contact. Let them know what we found.
“They'll probably want me to ship the camera and memory card. They should be able to recover the video files the same way you did, right?”
“Yes, They should be able to. But just in case, I'll make a copy of the files and give them to you. That way, you'll have a copy, I'll have a copy, and the Boston police will have a copy.”
I paused, then asked, “Once they get the videos, I should be completely out of it, right?”
Jack looked up at me and shook his head, “Probably not.
“Since this might be a crime that crosses international borders, the FBI might get involved. That means they'll want a copy of the video. And they may want to interview you at some point."
He continued, “And whoever is looking for the camera might still be looking for it.”
My heart sank. I didn't want to be involved in this. I just wanted to get Mango Bob to Englewood and get on with my new life.
Jack could see I was disappointed. “Here's what we can do. I'll call my contact in Boston and let him know what's on the video. Then we'll send it to them.
“After they view it, they'll probably turn it over to the FBI. The Feds can worry about the international aspect.
“If Boston or the Feds have questions for you, I'll have them contact me. Then I'll contact you.
“Jean and I will be staying in Venice, just a few miles north of Englewood. We'll stay in touch.”
Jack took a business card from his wallet and wrote his cell phone on the back and handed it to me.
Jean spoke, “Don't wait for something to come up to call us. After you get settled in Englewood, call. Let us know what you're doing. Where you're staying.
“If Bob ever needs a cat-sitter, let me know. He's my kind of cat.”
Jack stood to leave, “Let's get together in the morning. Say about eight o'clock?”
“Sounds good to me. You fixing breakfast?”
“No, but the campground cafe should be open by then. I'll meet you there.”
Jean gave me a hug and said, “Don't worry about this. Jack's got your back.”
They both left for the night.
45
My phone chimed me awake.
The windows were still open from the night before. Wildlife stirring outside. Other campers getting ready to leave. Bob was asleep on the couch.
The clock on my phone showed I had about an hour before I needed to meet Jack.
Time enough to shower and shave.
I hadn't bothered to hook up to campground water. Easier to walk to the campground restrooms and shower there. I grabbed a towel, soap, shampoo, and headed out.
Showers weren't crowded. The water was warm.
When I got back to the coach, Bob was at the window keeping watch over two squirrels playing tag in a nearby tree.
He looked at me over his shoulder and said, “Murrph.” Telling me he could get those squirrels if he wanted to.
I'm sure he could.
I powered up my laptop, checked my email.
Nothing important.
Googled 'Harvey Tucker' to see if anything about his case made the news.
Found a newspaper article about his murder. It said Tucker had resigned from his job the week before his murder. Something about an investigation of 'improprieties' at work.
Wonder if this involved his south of the border dealings?
I checked my phone and saw it was time to meet Jack for breakfast. Checked on Bob. He was still on squirrel patrol.
I headed out, locking the door behind me.
The campground cafe was in the open plaza overlooking the springs. That's where I headed. Took about three minutes to get there.
Jack was already there when I arrived. He greeted me, “I wondered if you were going to sleep in this morning. Have a good night?”
“Not bad. Bob woke me up about three in the morning when he used his litter box.”
Jack laughed, “At least he uses the box. I had a cat use my shoe once.”
I shook my head, “I really can't complain about Bob. He's been a good traveling companion so far.”
Jack looked toward the springs, “You up for a walk before breakfast?”
“I'm always up for a walk.”
We followed the signs to the nature trail, then decided to do the four mile loop to the sinkhole and back.
Jack said “I called Boston again this morning. Talked to the lead detective on the Tucker case.”
“He said until they see the video, they wouldn't know if it was important or not.
“Said even if the video showed a bribe, the Boston PD wouldn't pursue it.
“Bribery is a class E Felony. Even if convicted, it's only minimal jail time.”
“And since the person who accepted the bribe is dead, there's not much of a case.
“He also told me their investigators didn't find any gold coins in Tucker's apartment.
“Tucker either hid them somewhere or cashed them in. Either way, it's not something Boston PD is worried about.
