Read Online The Bonner Incident: Joshua's War by Thomas A Watson, Michael L Rider - Free Book Online
Authors: Thomas A Watson, Michael L Rider
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said it would be the right location you would leave one at, so you wouldn’t leave tracks and still get down into the draw where the trap was set.”
“And you think he’s right?” Griffey asked.
“He’s from here, I’m not. That’s what the power of local help can do so, yes,” Moore said. “Joshua took all the ammunition, rifle magazines, night vision devices, one thermal scope, two self-opening tents off the bodies but left-,” he paused looking at his notes. “BATF Agent Conley’s M4 and side arm, but took a Barrett fifty caliber sniper rifle with ammunition. Agent Dotson of the FBI was missing his SAW and all ammunition.”
Griffey lowered his head to the table. “What the hell was one of them carrying a Barrett for?”
“Ah, I asked and your orders cleared them for shoot on sight and every team has sniper capabilities,” Moore said, then glanced up at Wagner. “What does this stuff he took tell you, super-secret agent?”
“Well, um, it suggests he is collecting superior firearms to use against us,” Wagner said lifting his chin.
“Winters,” Moore said leaning back. “What does this tell us?”
“He has weapons and ample food supplies, but is limited on what he can carry. We now know he has night fighting capabilities and can take out material targets at extreme range. The self-opening tents are impervious to weather and would make a good stash pile protector. This would allow the suspect to make multiple caches around him, thereby limiting what he has to carry.”
Blinking rapidly, Wagner shook his head. “I would’ve known that had I actually seen the area.”
“Then I’ll bring you next time,” Moore said reaching over and taking a small notebook from the pile of stuff around Winters. “Griffey, Joshua pulled the radio out that Conley was carrying and it looks like he tried to get it to work.”
Griffey almost looked relieved. “Well, unless you know the code, the radio is useless.”
Moore opened up the notebook and held it out for Griffey. “If Joshua had looked harder, he would’ve found it. Granted, that radio was only programmed with the fifteen frequencies we are using this week, but it would’ve given him great insight. You have to tell the teams that they can’t write the codes down for anything.”
Winters cleared her throat. “And may I suggest sir, that we make sure someone checks the radios before the teams get to the field. It’s very easy to program the frequencies into the radio and if one team went out with all of our frequencies and the code for that radio, Mr. Anderson would know every move we make.”
Picking up a pen, Griffey looked at Wagner. “If I find out that a team goes out with the code written down again, I’m blaming you Wagner, and will report that directly back to Washington, are we clear?” Wagner nodded dumbly. “You will make sure every radio that leaves this command area is only programmed with the codes needed.”
“I will have it done before the next teams go out tomorrow,” he said with his voice breaking.
“What else Moore? Surely, you have more bad news,” Griffey said.
Getting out of his chair, Moore walked over to a huge wall map and picked up a marker. “Like I said, Joshua was watching. He could’ve killed all of them, but wanted to watch how they performed under stress,” Moore said marking the map. “He could’ve set up anywhere along the ridge and observed. Now, we know the rifle he used blew through the ballistic plates of the agents’ vest, front and back, so his rifle is large and powerful. No projectiles were recovered but I had Schmidt with me, and he said his money was on a .338 Lapua by the look of the wounds. His other reasoning was that it offered more bang for the buck when compared to the weight of the rifle and ammunition.”
Tossing down the marker, Moore walked over to Winters holding out his hand. “Joshua left his calling card as well,” he said as Winters passed him two plastic evidence
“And you think he’s right?” Griffey asked.
“He’s from here, I’m not. That’s what the power of local help can do so, yes,” Moore said. “Joshua took all the ammunition, rifle magazines, night vision devices, one thermal scope, two self-opening tents off the bodies but left-,” he paused looking at his notes. “BATF Agent Conley’s M4 and side arm, but took a Barrett fifty caliber sniper rifle with ammunition. Agent Dotson of the FBI was missing his SAW and all ammunition.”
Griffey lowered his head to the table. “What the hell was one of them carrying a Barrett for?”
“Ah, I asked and your orders cleared them for shoot on sight and every team has sniper capabilities,” Moore said, then glanced up at Wagner. “What does this stuff he took tell you, super-secret agent?”
“Well, um, it suggests he is collecting superior firearms to use against us,” Wagner said lifting his chin.
“Winters,” Moore said leaning back. “What does this tell us?”
“He has weapons and ample food supplies, but is limited on what he can carry. We now know he has night fighting capabilities and can take out material targets at extreme range. The self-opening tents are impervious to weather and would make a good stash pile protector. This would allow the suspect to make multiple caches around him, thereby limiting what he has to carry.”
Blinking rapidly, Wagner shook his head. “I would’ve known that had I actually seen the area.”
“Then I’ll bring you next time,” Moore said reaching over and taking a small notebook from the pile of stuff around Winters. “Griffey, Joshua pulled the radio out that Conley was carrying and it looks like he tried to get it to work.”
Griffey almost looked relieved. “Well, unless you know the code, the radio is useless.”
Moore opened up the notebook and held it out for Griffey. “If Joshua had looked harder, he would’ve found it. Granted, that radio was only programmed with the fifteen frequencies we are using this week, but it would’ve given him great insight. You have to tell the teams that they can’t write the codes down for anything.”
Winters cleared her throat. “And may I suggest sir, that we make sure someone checks the radios before the teams get to the field. It’s very easy to program the frequencies into the radio and if one team went out with all of our frequencies and the code for that radio, Mr. Anderson would know every move we make.”
Picking up a pen, Griffey looked at Wagner. “If I find out that a team goes out with the code written down again, I’m blaming you Wagner, and will report that directly back to Washington, are we clear?” Wagner nodded dumbly. “You will make sure every radio that leaves this command area is only programmed with the codes needed.”
“I will have it done before the next teams go out tomorrow,” he said with his voice breaking.
“What else Moore? Surely, you have more bad news,” Griffey said.
Getting out of his chair, Moore walked over to a huge wall map and picked up a marker. “Like I said, Joshua was watching. He could’ve killed all of them, but wanted to watch how they performed under stress,” Moore said marking the map. “He could’ve set up anywhere along the ridge and observed. Now, we know the rifle he used blew through the ballistic plates of the agents’ vest, front and back, so his rifle is large and powerful. No projectiles were recovered but I had Schmidt with me, and he said his money was on a .338 Lapua by the look of the wounds. His other reasoning was that it offered more bang for the buck when compared to the weight of the rifle and ammunition.”
Tossing down the marker, Moore walked over to Winters holding out his hand. “Joshua left his calling card as well,” he said as Winters passed him two plastic evidence
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