Free The Fugitive's Trail by J.C. Fields Page A

long before you have to leave again?”
    “Probably not for awhile. I’m behind on paperwork. I normally just work out of the local bureau office when that happens. A friend of mine from the academy is the special agent in charge here in Kansas City. What about you?”
    “The shareholder meeting starts two weeks from Monday. I have to prepare for it, so I’m in town.”
    “Good.” He looked at the clock on the microwave. “It’s almost noon. I need to make a phone call. Afterwards we could do whatever you want.”
    Smiling, she started walking back to the bedroom. “I’ll go clean up and then be back. Let’s say, an hour.”
    Kruger took a quick shower and made the phone call. Charlie Craft answered on the third ring. “What’s up, Sean?”
    “Charlie, I’ve been thinking. How much trouble would it be to get all the new business applications from the various secretaries of states around the country?”
    Silence was his answer. Finally Charlie said, “Don’t know. We would have to send an official request to each state attorney general, I guess. Depending on the detail and length of time you want, the data could be massive. Why?”
    “Our fugitive is a computer expert, right?”
    “Yeah.”
    “He’s going to need to work, wherever he might be.”
    “Okay, I’m starting to see where you’re going with this. See where new computer companies have incorporated.”
    “Exactly.”
    “That will be a lot of data and lots of variables. Maybe he didn’t start his own company. Maybe he hasn’t started yet, and so on and so forth. What then?”
    “Then we’re in the same situation we are in now. No idea of how to find him.”
    “Are we still officially on this case, Sean?”
    “Well, not officially. But it bugs me we can’t find a trail. If you’ll get the information, I’ll dig through it in my spare time.”
     
    ***
     
    A week later, Kruger and Stephanie were enjoying lunch together on the Plaza, when his cell phone vibrated. He glanced at the caller ID and quickly accepted the call.
    Charlie Craft said, “I don’t have good news, Sean. We’ve received information on over five thousand computer-related companies registering as corporations, LLCs, or S-Corps, just in the past two months alone. I used that timeframe since we don’t know if he might have started the process before he disappeared or after.”
    Kruger was silent for several moments, he stared at Stephanie.
    She said, “What is it, Sean?”
    He shook his head, held up one finger, and said into the phone, “Okay, how can we narrow it down?”
    “I don’t know if we can, we would run the risk of eliminating the correct one. Heck, we don’t even know if he will be on this list.”
    “Okay, at least it’s a start.” Kruger sighed. “Send the information to me. It could take months, but I’ll start sifting through it.”

Part 2
     
    Five Months Later
    Springfield, MO
     
    It was a Friday, JR Diminski had just finished signing a contract to improve internal and online security for S&W Technologies, Inc. It was a high-tech company that designed and manufactured microchips for everyday household consumer goods. Diminski’s task was to make sure no one stole their chip designs by hacking into their servers. The job included a complete computer security audit. Today he was on a plant tour, becoming familiar with their systems.
    He saw her at a design table next to a high-end Macintosh. He stopped listening to his tour guide and basically stared at her. She was of Asian descent, petite, long black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, and the most piercing dark eyes he’d ever seen. She looked up from her design table, smiled, and extended her hand for him to shake. “Hi, I’m Mia. Yes, I’m single, and yes, I’ll have dinner with you tonight. I should be done around six. Pick me up in front of the office.”
    He stood there holding her hand, not knowing if he was shaking it or not. He remembered to breathe and suddenly felt like