Heaven, INC: Chapter 54: UNKNOWN USER

This persistence as private firms continued because it ensured

the maximum of anonymity and secrecy to persons

of tremendous public power who dreaded public knowledge

of their activities as an evil almost as great as inflation.
—CARROLL QUIGLEY

IMPERIAL HOTEL,
LA JOLLA
1:19 P.M. PDT

POPE SAID: “Wait . . . Back it up . . . Stop right there.”

The hotel’s chief of security tapped on his keyboard, freezing the frame. Isolated on the screen’s edge was a man in a black jacket and shirt entering the hotel lobby empty-handed.

“That’s him,” Al said. “Look at the way the cagey bastard slinks along like he knows there’s a camera on him.”

In a corner of the screen, the time showed 12:58 P.M..

Pope said, “Okay. Advance the film, say, five minutes.”

Images flashed across the screen of people coming and going at high-speed— families, businessmen, an attractive blonde for whom Al suggested the security guard rewind the tape a moment. The man reappeared at 1:11, this time with a briefcase in hand, and they got a better glimpse of his profile, a strong chin and the silver hair.

Watching the mysterious man exit the hotel, Pope said, “What about a parking lot shot, you have cameras out there, right?”

The security guard nodded, tapping more keys. “The way cars get stolen in San Diego, you better believe it.”

On the lobby door camera, they saw the silver-haired man briskly stride past the valet stand and continue toward the back of the parking lot. A camera at the back of the lot caught him weaving through cars until he reached the back row and climbed into a black Lincoln Continental that immediately pulled away, moving at good speed. Pope tried making out the license plate, but the angle was poor.

The security guard thought the same. “But he’s gotta cross in front of one of the other cameras to get out the guest exit. When he does, we’ll capture the plate and— look at that, he’s exiting the employees’ gate. That’s really weird.”

“Why?” Al asked. “Doesn’t the gate open automatically?”

“Not without a keycard.”

“Is there a camera directly over the gate?”

“No need, since it’s controlled by the key-cards and those’re registered every time one’s used. Hold on, let me see who’s card it was.” The guard moved to another computer, again tapping keys. “Okay, the card belongs to . . . Wow. Never seen that before.”

On the screen?

USER UNKNOWN.

“Ain’t that the truth,” Al said.

“Do us a favor,” Pope said. “Get a capture on his plates. We’ll see what the lab can do to enhance it.” Pope looked at phone manifest and a call made from the room two days ago at 8:39 p.m..

“I’m gonna see who answers.”

WHEN POPE DIALED THE NUMBER, he listened to it ring and ring without ever being answered.