Since Burak was a model prisoner, the rules of his probation included a meeting every month, instead of the typical weekly visit to the parole officer. He was, however, limited to residing in the Istanbul Province of Turkey. Burak was not too concerned about the limitations of his parole because first he was going to change his identity, and secondly, he had no plan of living in Turkey. He might have to visit the country, but it would only be for a limited period of time. He wished the parole system good luck in keeping tabs on him.
One of the only benefits of being part of the family of criminals is that you are usually able to establish contacts that few honest people will be able to make. One of the most popular contacts is for fake IDs. One such individual is Luca Cattaneo, while he was not of the same calliber as Tom McBride, but one thing, he is certainly a lot cheaper and his work is still good enough to fool TSA agents at an airport, and that is all he needed. Besides, he didn’t have deep pockets. Luca was also quick. Usually, the documents were ready within 24 hours.
Being a careful and highly intelligent criminal, Burak stashed money in a couple of safe deposit bank boxes in a couple of countries. While you couldn’t retire on these stashes, they each held enough money to get out of the country. Each box, in fact, held between $10,000 and $20,000 USD. The first thing he did was empty the box and then get a passport and a credit card. This took a couple of days after he had his ID’s he bought a one-way ticket to Washington DC’s Dulles International Airport (IAD). Now that he had his new ID, he will henceforth be known as Varga Bardhi.
The ticket he purchased was for a direct flight from Istanbul (IST) to Washington (IAD), the flight was 11hr and 25min long. The flight would take off in Istanbul at 4:05 PM and would arrive in Washington DC at 7:30 PM. Since the direction of the flight was towards the west, every time zone, the plane crossed gained Varga an hour. The total time difference is 8 hours. Besides buying a plane ticket, Varga also rented a 4-door mid-sized AWD SUV Hyundai Santa Fe. This vehicle would give him plenty of room to carry anything he might need and would give him off-road capabilities if needed. It also looked like it would be able to handle a collision with another vehicle if it got real ugly in, say, a high-speed chase.
Hyundai Santa Fe SE AWD
When Varga arrived in Washington DC, the first thing he did was to buy an iPhone. He needed internet access and the GPS capabilities of a smartphone. He settled for an iPhone because they were reported by most users for having a shorter learning curve. Before he left the airport, he booked a motel room, then he hopped on the courtesy bus that took new arrivers to their car rental agencies. His happened to be the Budget Car Rental Agency. After he picked up his SUV, he stopped at a local Subway sandwich shop to get a bite to eat, then he drove over to his motel to check in. It was already 8:30 PM, and he had been going for a long time and was exhausted.
When he woke up the next day, he felt refreshed. After walking to a coffee shop across the street from his motel, While he was munching on his apple cinnamon muffin and drinking his black cup of coffee he did a search for funerals, unfortunately there were several funerals being held today. However, since the funerals were listed in alphabet order, the mass Anderson Funeral was listed first. Since the family cemetery plot was located in Virginia, the funeral was being held at a cathedral located close by. Peter had paid to have all of the bodies to be transported from Arizona to Advent Funeral & Cremation Services, a funeral home in Virginia. The Funeral Home was located in a small town called Falls Church, which was just 22 minutes away from Washington DC.
The cemetery plot purchased by Grandpa Gordon so many years ago was located another five miles west of the Funeral Home. The lot he had purchased was supposed to be able to take care of all the family’s needs for the next couple of generations. It was now going to be almost half filled up with the seven new family members being buried there today. Varga, through his internet search, found out that the viewing and ceremony was scheduled for 1:00 PM. This gave him some time yet. The first thing he needed to do and that was to get a gun or two. He knew that most states had restrictions for hand guns, that involved cooling down periods, but rifles and shotguns typically had not such restrictions placed on them. A pump action shotgun would definitely be a game changer in any kind of fight.
While Varga knew the rudiments about US gun laws, his knowledge was still very limited, so he did some research. He found out that Virginia requires a background check to purchase a firearm. This one fact ruled out Virginia completely. He just did not have the time for that nonsense. So he moved his search to West Virginia. He was in luck here. The results of his search are below.
West Virginia has several gun laws, including:
- Open carryAnyone who is at least 18 years old and legally able to own a firearm can openly carry a handgun without a permit. However, there are some areas where open carry is not permitted, such as schools and courthouses.
- Concealed carryIndividuals who are at least 21 years old and legally able to own a firearm can carry a concealed handgun without a permit. This is known as “constitutional carry”. Individuals who are 18–20 years old can obtain a Provisional Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to carry a concealed handgun.
- PurchaseHandgun buyers must be at least 21 years old, and rifle and shotgun buyers must be at least 18 years old.
- Prohibited purchasesIndividuals who have been convicted of a violent misdemeanor or assault are prohibited from purchasing guns. Domestic abusers who have been convicted of a misdemeanor are also prohibited from owning guns.
- Concealed carry licenseA CHL can be obtained by applying to the sheriff’s office in the county where the applicant resides. The application fee is $75. Applicants must meet certain requirements, including:
- Being a citizen or lawful resident of the United States
- Being a resident of the state and county where the application is made
- Being at least 21 years old
- Not being addicted to or an unlawful user of alcohol or controlled substances
- Not having been convicted of a felony or an act of violence involving the misuse of firearms or deadly weapons
- ReciprocityWest Virginia honors concealed carry permits from other states. If West Virginia has a written reciprocity agreement with another state, then a CHL from West Virginia is valid in that state, and vice versa.
The gun laws of West Virginia allowed the purchase of a shotgun without a background check. This presented a slight problem his time was quite limited, but thanks to the unique geography of the region he was close enough to not only Virginia where the funeral was going to be held and the border of West Virginia where he needed to drive to for his gun purchase. He could also just give up on purchasing a gun and just buy several knives that would be suitable for throwing and stabbing. However, he was still alive by being complacent or taking the easy way out. So he looked up the closest gun store and set his GPS for the quickest route. While 2A Firearms was a little further from Washington DC, it was in line with the funeral home, so it saved time in the long run.
A –Washington DC
B–2A Firearms
C–Advent Funeral & Cremation Services – Falls Church
Varga had to haul ass to make it, but it was definitely doable. He topped off his tank as he left the DC area (his car rental agreement did not cover a full tank of gas). Varga did not like driving over the speed limit because it increased the risks of getting pulled over, and while he did have a good fake passport, it was better not to tempt fate. In this case, he had no choice, Peter’s life may well depend on his being there. If nothing else, Varga believed in repaying his debts. When he arrived at the 2A Firearms, the service was quick and professional. He was in and out in less than 20 minutes. It did help that Varga knew exactly what he wanted and didn’t ask a lot of inane questions. Varga purchased two Franchi SPAS-15 Dual Action Semi-Automatic Shotguns with 200 12-guage shotgun shells.
As an afterthought, Varga decided to buy two bullet-proof vests, one for him and one for Peter. The armor he he purchased had a NIJ Level IV rating. This is the highest rating you can get and is rated for high velocity rifle defense. This extreme protection was necessary because the bad guys were using AK-47s. You could just never tell when it would come in handy.
Note, there are some limitations on the general populace in buying body armor.
In most cases, law-abiding US citizens over the age of 18 can purchase and wear body armor:
- Federal law: 18 U.S.C.A. Section 931 regulates body armor at the federal level.
- State laws: In most states, civilians can purchase and wear body armor without restrictions. However, there are some exceptions:
- Connecticut: Body armor can only be purchased in person.
- New York: Has limited the rights of its citizens to purchase body armor.
- Kentucky: It is a crime to commit a crime while wearing or owning body armor.
- Louisiana: It is illegal to wear body armor on school property or campus.
- Other restrictions: Felons are prohibited from purchasing or possessing body armor. Some types of body armor, designed for military use, may not be available for civilians to purchase or use.
Now, he had to backtrack to get to the funeral home. Varga knew it was going to be tight. However, he didn’t have to be the first one there. He only had to get there before Peter left the building. He didn’t think Popovic would try anything while he was in the Funeral Home. He would wait for him to come outside or maybe even make the hit at the Cemetery. He also figured that he would wait for Burak/Varga to get there. At least, that is what he would do. This way, Popovic could take out two birds with one stone. Varga had been to funerals before, so he knew that people spent some time at the wake. They just didn’t run in and out. This held especially true because of the enormity of it. When was the last time there were seven bodies being viewed at a wake? Peter would definitely need some time to spend with his aunt and to grieve, so Varga had some time to get there.
We will now leave Varga for a while as he speeds through the countryside and picks up with our hero Devon. Devon was at the Vatican brushing up on his judo skills when the instructor came over to him and told him that he had a phone call from the states. When he picked up the phone, he was greeted by a voice he never expected to hear again. Archbishop Michael Richelaue spoke in a subdued manner, “Peter/Devon, I have some terrible news for you. It is on all the news in the US that seven members of your family were brutally murdered while celebrating the 4th of July in the backyard in Peach Springs, Arizona. The only survivor was your Aunt Christine. I knew I had to call you, in the advent that the news of the murders did not reach you in Italy. I am so sorry for your loss. One more thing, the news reported that due to the trauma that your aunt suffered, she has not spoken a word to anyone. They are saying that she is suffering from traumatic mutism. No human being should have had to witness the atrocities that she witnessed. The bodies are still being held for the investigation, but my sources say that they will be released in the next few days.” Devon thanked him for notifying him. It meant a lot that he personally made the call.
When Devon got off the phone he excused himself from the instructor and immediately went to his boss, Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti and told him what had happened to his family in the US and that he would have to take an immediate leave of absence, for an indeterminate length of time. His boss was very understanding and told him to take all the time he needed and that his and the Vatican’s prayers would be with him and his family.
So far, Devon was holding it together, but when he got home and started to tell Jennie what had happened, he brought down in gut-wrenching sobbing. All Jennie could do was hold him and kiss him tenderly on his head. Finally, the sobbing subsided, and he was able to finish telling Jennie all the details. He told her that the killings most likely were for revenge, but he had no proof of this as of yet. This is when Devon started to talk firmly to Jennie, “I need you to follow my instructions. You need to go into hiding, preferably at the Vatican. I will contact Archbishop Peter Ignastius and request protection for you while I am away. I am not sure how long this will take, but if I am right about who is responsible, it will be a while. But I know one thing if we are ever going to have a normal life, this matter needs to be taken care of once and for all.”
After Devon finished, Jennie waited a few minutes as she thought about what to say and how to say it, “I am so sorry Devon, I understand this is something that you have to do, and I will be waiting for you when this is over. I love you very much.”
Devon purchased his plane tickets to Flagstaff, Arizona. The closest airport to Peach Springs was to Flagstaff Pulliam Field (FLG). The flight was on American Airlines and including layovers would be close to 19 hours long. The layovers were in Philadelphia and Phoenix. After he purchased the airline tickets, he contacted the Vatican and made arrangements for protection for Jennie. The next day, Thomas Jenner arrived at their apartment to pick up Jennie. He helped Devon load in Jennie’s suitcases, and then he waited patiently as they said their goodbyes. When Jennie and Thomas Jenner had left, he loaded up his suitcases in the SUV and locked up their apartment. The flight was long and tiring. Along with purchasing his tickets, he rented a medium-sized sedan that would blend in well. The last thing he wanted to do was drive around a flashy car that would be noticed by everyone.
The flight arrived quite late, so he took an Uber to the closest hotel to the airport so that he could get some sleep. In the morning, he would pick up his rental car. Since check-out was the standard 11:00 am. time and his aunt was not expecting him, he slept in so he could catch up on his sleep. When he woke up, he showered and put on some fresh clothes. His Uber driver picked him up and took him back to the airport to get his rental car. Once he had his car, he stopped for a bite to eat before he went to see his aunt. When he arrived at her house, there was still crime tape on the front door. There was also a note from his aunt telling anyone that was concerned they could find her at her friends house down the street. The note included the address. Devon wasn’t so sure that this was such a good idea, but he figured if they had wanted to kill her, they would have done so already.
When he pulled up to his aunt’s friends house, he was greeted at the front door by Betsy, her BFF. Peter/Devon had met her only once, but she still remembered him and greeted him with a hug. She moved to the side as He entered the living room. She pointed to his aunt sitting quietly in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. Devon walked up to his Aunt Christine and gave her a hug. She did not reciprocate. Her body was very tense. She looked at him as he stepped away from her, and a spark of recognition glistened in her eyes. She then said one word, “Popovic.” After she spoke that single hateful word, the light went out of her eyes, and she resumed rocking back and forth in her old rocking chair. Devon turned and looked at Betsy questioningly.
Betsy shrugged and told him that was the only time she spoke since her family had been tortured and killed. Devon told her that he was going to transfer all of the family members to their family plot in Virginia. Betsy replied that she sounded just fine. Besides, she further added, “I don’t think your aunt would really mind.” Betsy gave him two business cards, one with the contact information for the local funeral home. He asked if he could sit down at her dining room table so that he could make a few calls on his cell phone, and she simply shrugged.
Devon contacted the funeral home and gave the undertaker all of the appropriate contact information for the Virginia Funeral home. He then made arrangements with Judy Miller, the RN, who had been keeping an eye on his aunt. He then contacted the airlines and bought three tickets, one for him and a second one for his aunt and a third one for Judy. His ticket was just one way, and his Aunt and Judy’s tickets were round trip tickets.
Judy Miller RN and Aunt Christine
Devon spent the rest of the day trying to find out more about the muders but had little luck. Despite the incredible carnage left at the Anderson house, there was very little useable evidence. The rapist wore condoms and gloves. They even policed the site for the used condoms, bullet casings, and cigarette butts. There just wasn’t anything to work with. None of the neighbors saw anything because they were all in their backyards celebrating the 4th, just like the Andersons. Devon really wasn’t surprised by the paucity of evidence. Once, his auntie said the name Popovic and confirmed his hunch because he only hired the best professionals that money could buy.
The flight to Washington DC was uneventful, Judy was highly professional and very caring. Devon had no complaints as she tended and catered to his aunt’s every need. Devon at the behest of Judy had rented a van with a wheelchair ramp just in case his aunt decided that she wasn’t going to walk. This actually came in handy because as soon as they arrived at the funeral home for the wake and the viewing she refused to walk, so Devon had to lift her up and put her in the wheelchair that they had rented. It always pays to have a contingency plan. Grandpa Gordon would be proud of him.
They rolled Aunt Christine into the funeral home and took her to the chapel where the seven caskets were all laid out. When she saw all those caskets, she shrieked and passed out. Judy checked her pulse . It was present but thready, she was still breathing so she took out a pack of smelling salts ( a combination of diluted ammonia, water and ethanol) and snapped it as she held it under her nose. There was an immediate jerking reaction
as she came to. She involuntarily said, “Where am I.” Then she immediately clammed up as if she did something bad or betrayed some trust only known to her. At least his Aunt Christine was still with them. When Judy tried rolling the wheelchair closer to the caskets , she started to tremble violently. Upon further consultation, they decided that for Christines sake, they would bring her to a meditation room. Once she was out of view of the caskets, she started to calm down. The poor thing had obviously suffered too much already, so they decided to forego any further exposure to her dead relatives. Devon had tried he wanted her to have some kind of closure, but alas, it was not to be.
If she were to react this way for the viewing of the caskets, then there was no way that she would be up to going to the cemetery. So Devon asked the secretary at the reception desk where the closest hotel room was. She took out a brochure and handed it to him. The hotel provides these for us because occasionally people need to stay over. He called up the hotel and made reservations for two rooms. Once he was done doing this, he instructed Judy to take the van as he gave her the keys and to take Aunt Christine to the room he had paid for. After Judy had left with his aunt, he went back to the viewing room to continue paying his respects. As he was walking back and spent time with his deceased family members, he caught out of the corner of his eyes, someone he never thought he would see again, and that was Burak Kaya. He actually had to blink his eyes a couple of times to make sure that he wasn’t experiencing stress induced hallucinations. Burak walked up to him and told him that he was not hallucinating.
As they shook hands, Burak/ Varga guided Peter/Devon to the corner of the viewing room. When they sat down, Burak started by saying that he needed to talk to Peter because he was in dire straights. Burak started by telling Peter that he had assumed a new identity, and from now on, he was to be known as Varga Bardhi.” Peter/Devon nodded that he understood. Varga continued, Peter, I am not sure if you are aware that Popovic is responsible for the death of your family members.” Peter affirmed that he was aware of this. Varga then added, “Popovic will not be satisfied with just killing Peter’s family he would be gunning after him, and he also wanted to erase Burak/Varga out as well. Popovic is highly intelligent, and he will know that I will do my best to warn you. He will also take this opportunity to kill both of us together. Only then can he erase the stigma of his failure.
Varga and Peter’s conversation will continue in Chapter Twenty-Six.