Chapter 47 Summary

Special Agent Javon Morris exited the Met building and took a cab back to the FBI office after he met with Roger Cortez. Although the meeting had gone smoothly, Javon couldn’t shake the feeling that Cortez’s polished demeanor, expensive suit, and subtle charm concealed something deeper. He decided to proceed with following up on the four unfamiliar names on the media event visitors’ list.

Before doing so, he examined the photocopy of the note from the envelope: “The living delivers a warning; the dead will reveal the consequences of a warning ignored.” Javon pondered its meaning, wondering whether it implied that Jenkins was alive and sending a warning, or that the warning had been ignored and Jenkins was dead. The lack of updates from Angelina in Italy increased his frustration.

Javon grabbed his notepad and started researching the first of the four unfamiliar names: Helen Chan from The Labor Gazette, the official labor newspaper for Greater St. Louis and Southern Illinois. He called the newspaper, and Helen agreed to meet him at a café halfway between their locations. Even though he felt the meeting might be a waste of time, Javon decided to go ahead with it to ensure a thorough investigation.

At the café, Helen arrived promptly, a slim, attractive Asian woman in her late thirties. Javon introduced himself, and she ordered a Chai Tea Latte while he got himself a coffee. During their conversation, Javon asked if she had noticed anything unusual at the media event. Helen recalled two attendees who seemed eager to leave early, chatting and giggling throughout, then shuffling to the back at the end. She identified them as Sandra Brown and Roger Cortez. She also mentioned two local reporters, Tom Barker and Tom Halloway, who are known for their casual and procrastinating approach to assignments.

Their discussion remained cordial and professional, with Helen sharing her observations and Javon quietly noting the details. Once they finished their drinks, they parted ways, with Javon reflecting that the meeting, while unlikely to yield significant evidence, had confirmed some behavioral patterns among key attendees and brought greater clarity to his ongoing investigation.