5 Let's Skip the Formalities

Georgia was the place where Julia belonged. Gates suddenly got the connection between them. He was driving back to the safe house while driving he called Estela.

"Come out and be quick."

"What's going on?"

"We're going to California."

Soon they reached the Airport and took the first flight to California.

As soon as they reached "Panther" Thomas got out of the car and went inside the campus, since it was already evening the buildings were closed so Gates went to the guard and asked him about the necessary details, the guard recognized the man and named him.

Jim Houston.

After a little bit of persuasion they got his address.

Gates and Estela went to a motel for the night.

The next morning they both took off to Jim's house with Estela behind the wheel.

"What do you think he'll have for us?"

"Hopefully something good" Gates said while looking out the window.

Both reached Jim's house after a half-hour drive.

*knock knock knock*

*knock knock knock*

"No response..."

"Back door?"

"Back door."

Fortunately it was unlocked, Gates slipped inside

"Keep a lookout for any intruders"

"Fine...."

Estela was not happy about being kept outside so she started strolling around the yard.

Gates started searching the house for something, anything that could clue him in to Jim's current whereabouts.

Through the backdoor he entered in the kitchen and saw that Jim is a rather untidy and clumsy man, all of his waste boxes lying on the tabletop and the floor, he appeared to be a very disorganized person.

He then went to the only bedroom of the house, saw a picture of a younger Jim, and headed to the bathroom where he saw a few pages which Gates thought was Jim's research and one thing caught his eye. It was a page in which some Russian and some English words were scribbled on, and on the bottom of the page, there was a name written "Justin Frekals", below the name was written

"Найти его" meaning "Find him"

On the back of the page was a photo of Gates' house burning. Gates picked up his phone, snapped a few pictures and put the page back.

Whispering "Gates. Gates."

"What is it, Est?"

"It's Jim, he's back."

Gates quickly and silently went out of the house and joined Estela on the porch, both of them went to the sidewalk outside the house and after a few moments and knocked. The door opened revealing a tired-looking Jim.

"Yes? What can I do for you?"

At that moment Gates thought to himself that he should probably let Estela handle this, out of the two of them she was better at non-violent interrogation

"CIA we want to ask you some questions."

"Oh, come in then."

Gates and Estela both sat on the couch.

"Would you like anything to drink? Some coffee or maybe tea?"

"No, thank you."

"So, you are a professor?"

"Yes"

"Have you ever heard of the name Justin Frekals?"

The question drained all the color out of Jim's face.

He replied in a low voice "Never heard of him, why do you ask?"

"Thought you would have known him since he is related to our case"

"Why do you think I know him? This is the first time we've met?"

"It is, but my next question is the reason I'm asking."

"Do you know Julia Day Gates?"

"Yeah, I saw the news on TV, poor woman."

"Ok then professor, see you later" replied Estela

Old habits die hard. Estela fixed her number on a note and left it on the table.

Gates and Estela went off to the motel again.

"It appears, at this moment we won't be able to get anything out of him. You saw how pale he went when I mentioned Justin Frekals....."

"So what do you say we should do now?"

"Now we wait for the professor to call us, the only way we're getting anything from him, is if he's willing to tell us."

A few days later they received a call from Jim.

"Meet me at my house"

"My pleasure" said Estela

Both took off right after the call.

This time Gates was driving and both were discussing the possible theories of the relation of Jim and Justin.

When they reached his house, Jim nervously invited them inside.

"You want coffee or something?"

Gates straightforward as he is asked

"Why don't we skip the formalities Mr. Houston?"

"Yeah, sure"

Jim started with his relationship with Julia.

"Ok, so Julia and I were friends and we went to the same college as you know, but during her final year she dropped to join the Marshals and that was it for us."

"So what were you doing at our house when Frekals or whoever that was, was burning it down?"

"Alright well, first of all, you are right, that was Justin Frekals and at that time I was following him."

"Why?" asked Estela

"I have a degree in Russian history and their system, and I believed that Frekals had something useful related to my theories."

"So who is Justin Frekals?"

"He is a Russian Mobster, he does these things for reputation and Money"

"Let me be very clear, I didn't know it was Julia's house or that Julia had died a day before"

"Alright then Jim, anything else?" enquired Gates

"That is all I can think of right now..."

"Alright then, if you remember anything else feel free to call."

"See you later, Houston"

Both Gates and King went to their vehicle and returned to their Motel.

A few miles away there was an empty ford standing in a dark alley.

When Jim Houston was going to bed he heard a voice from behind but before he could react there was a sharp hit on the back of his head and he started to doze off.

"Why did you tell them about Frekals, Jim, when I told you not to?"

"I was scared that they would arrest me. I promise I won't say anything else."

"Oh Jim, I'll make sure of that."

The man pulled out his gun up and shot Jim straight in his forehead, threw his body in a half-filled bathtub and stuck a note on the same spot as the bullet hole on which it was written

"Нарушители не допускаются"

Meaning "No Trespassers Allowed".

He placed a call from Jim's mobile phone to Estela and dropped the phone on the floor. And then got out through the back. Dumped the gun in the dumpster and took off.

"Hello"

"HELLO!"

"Jim are you there?"

After a long silence she hung up

"Thomas I think there is a problem with Jim"

"What happened Estela?"

"I just received a blank call from him"

"Okay... I'll talk to Bill, he'll do something about it."