Episode 19

Part 83: Paper Trails

Jadon sat rigidly in the chair, his fingers interlocked tightly in his lap. The overhead fluorescent light buzzed, casting a sickly glow over the metal table between him and the two federal agents scrutinizing him like a bug under a magnifying glass. Agent Flannigan, ever the no-nonsense interrogator, leaned forward with his hands clasped. Agent Hernandez sat to his right, her expression unreadable, eyes sharp as they assessed his every reaction.

“We know you and Mr. Ambrose traveled together to Barbados four months ago,” Flannigan began, his voice level but firm. “We also know that was your first trip to the island since your cruise there seven years ago. In the last four months, you’ve been back to the island six times… three times just in the last month.” He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. “Care to explain the sudden frequency of those trips?”

Jadon scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “You guys brought me here to ask about my personal life? Are you joking?”

“We’re not laughing, Mr. Jarvis,” Flannigan replied, his expression unchanged.

Jadon exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Then I’m sure you’re aware that I was there on business.”

Hernandez chimed in, her tone deceptively casual. “What kind of business?”

Jadon gave her a pointed look. “You’re federal investigators, right? I’m sure you already know.”

“We don’t,” Flannigan countered. “So humor us.”

Jadon clenched his jaw, debating his next words. He knew better than to give them too much, but acting too defensive would only make them more suspicious. Finally, he shrugged. “I’m sure you know that I’m a talent agent. I worked for Skyline Entertainment. Recently, I started my own agency, Reverie Entertainment. Cyrus helped me with financing the business.”

Flannigan raised an eyebrow. “So you didn’t travel to Barbados with him?”

“No,” Jadon said firmly. “We just happened to be on the same flight and developed a friendship while we were there on vacation. The guy showed me and a few friends around the island.”

Hernandez leaned forward, folding her hands on the table. “So you didn’t know him before then?”

Jadon shook his head. “No. Never met him before that trip.” Then, a smirk tugged at his lips as he exhaled in disbelief. “Wait… you guys think I was smuggling or something? Man, that’s crazy.”

Flannigan ignored his attempt to downplay the situation. “How well do you know Mr. Ambrose?”

“Not that well,” Jadon admitted. “But we’ve been getting to know each other.”

Flannigan locked eyes with him. “Mr. Jarvis… so what you’re telling us is that you borrowed money from Mr. Ambrose to finance your startup?”

“Yes,” Jadon answered without hesitation.

Hernandez’s expression remained impassive. “How much did you borrow?”

Jadon hesitated, then answered truthfully. “One point five million.”

A silence settled in the room. The agents exchanged a look… one of those silent conversations that made Jadon’s stomach knot.

Flannigan finally spoke again. “Did you receive the full amount?”

Jadon shook his head. “Not yet. I received a partial payment… five hundred thousand.”

“When is the next payment due?” Flannigan asked.

Jadon frowned. “Right about now. And a final tranche in a month. Why?”

Flannigan leaned forward slightly. “I’m guessing these were the terms of the loan?”

Jadon’s frown deepened. “No. It was supposed to be one lump sum but he later asked me to break it up into three deposits.”

Again, the agents shared a glance, their expressions unreadable. Then Flannigan reached under his hand, pulling a document from a manila folder that had been sitting on the table. He slid it toward Jadon.

“Is this the contract?” Flannigan asked, his tone heavy with something Jadon couldn’t quite place.

Jadon’s stomach flipped when he saw the contract in front of him. It was the exact document he had signed with Cyrus.

He masked his shock quickly. “Yeah,” he admitted, his voice steady.

Hernandez tapped her finger on the paper. “So this is an actual contract you signed?”

“Yes,” Jadon confirmed again.

Flannigan’s patience seemed to be wearing thin. “Jadon, were you ever arrested before?”

Jadon blinked, caught off guard. “No.”

“Where were you born?”

“Stamford, Connecticut.”

“And your date of birth?”

Jadon’s eyes narrowed slightly. “December 30th, 1991.”

Flannigan’s frustration reached its peak. He slammed his hand down on the table, causing Jadon to flinch slightly. “This isn’t making sense.”

Jadon’s gaze drifted down to the folder under Flannigan’s hand. His heart skipped a beat. Written in bold letters across the tab was a name.

Jadon A. Jarvis.

A wave of realization crashed over him. He inhaled slowly before speaking. “Because that’s not me.”

Flannigan looked up, confused. “Huh?”

Jadon gestured toward the folder. “The name on the file. That’s not me. I’m Jadon T. Jarvis. Not Jadon A. Jarvis.”

Flannigan’s face twisted in disbelief. “What?”

Jadon leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but firm. “Check it. My social security number is --***.” He folded his arms. “That’s not me. I think you’ve got the wrong file on me.”

Flannigan and Hernandez exchanged a look, then abruptly stood, exiting the room without another word. Jadon let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. The room, already cold, suddenly felt even more like an icebox.

Minutes passed.

The door opened.

Flannigan stepped back inside, his expression… changed. Hernandez followed, carrying the folder with a sigh.

“You’re right, Mr. Jarvis,” Flannigan admitted, visibly irritated. “Our mistake.” He gestured toward the door. “Let’s get you out of here. We can continue this conversation in my office instead.”

Jadon stared at them, measuring their words, their tone. Finally, he nodded.

“Fair enough.”

But as he followed them out of the interrogation room, his mind was already working.

Someone else… a Jadon A. Jarvis… was in their system. What are the odds?

And somehow, it had led them straight to him.

Agent Flannigan gestured to the chair opposite him. "Jadon, have a seat, please. I apologize for the mix-up. As you were talking, something just wasn’t adding up. But you’re right, the I.D. on that file isn’t you. Just so you know, there is another Jadon Jarvis out there. He’s a few years younger than you and has an extensive criminal record."

Jadon leaned back, arms crossed. "I’ll be honest, your apology doesn’t make me feel any better. I know you may think it but we all don’t look alike."

An annoyed Flannigan nodded in acknowledgment, but he quickly moved off the topic.

"This is a sensitive subject," Flannigan continued, "but have you done a recent credit check?"

Jadon frowned, his interest piqued. "I was going to because it was flagged recently. To be honest, I just didn’t get to it because I have other personal issues to deal with."

Hernandez leaned forward. "What kind of issues?"

Jadon hesitated before answering. "My girlfriend… she’s missing."

Flannigan straightened. "Missing?"

"Yeah," Jadon sighed. "She was supposed to fly up and surprise me but never showed. She’s been missing for the past couple of weeks."

Hernandez’s tone sharpened. "Where was she flying from?"

"Barbados."

"Did you report it?"

Jadon nodded. "Yes, and nothing turned up."

Flannigan pulled out a pen, poised to write. "What’s her name?"

"Nadia Gibson. You guys think you can help find her?"

Hernandez exchanged a glance with Flannigan. "Yeah, we’ll run it and see what we come up with."

A flicker of relief crossed Jadon’s face. Maybe this whole ordeal would lead to something good after all.

Flannigan brought the conversation back around. "Jadon, the reason we asked you about your credit is because we suspect it was compromised."

Jadon exhaled sharply. "I figured as much, but I honestly didn’t get a chance to look into it."

Hernandez tilted his head. "Why not? Especially since you're running a start-up?"

Jadon rubbed his hands together, the weight of everything pressing down. "I figured it was the least of my problems. I know it’s stupid, but I just lost the woman I loved. Literally."

Hernandez softened slightly. "How long were you together?"

Jadon gave a sad smile. "A short time… just four months."

Flannigan steered the conversation again. "Tell us about your dealings with Ambrose."

Jadon sighed. "Well, it’s like I said, we met a few months ago, and during that time, he offered to fund my business."

"Is that the only business dealings you have with him?" Flannigan asked.

Jadon nodded. "Yeah, that’s it."

"How often do you two socialize?" Flannigan pressed.

Jadon considered it. "Over the past few weeks, I’d say weekly. Plus, he takes my clients out and shows them around the city. He’s been a great help."

Flannigan narrowed his eyes. "Has Ambrose ever taken you to any of his businesses?"

"Yeah," Jadon said slowly. "Before he offered me the loan, he gave me a tour of all his businesses. Why?"

"We’re interested in his business operations," Flannigan answered. "Do you guys have dinners and lunches when you meet?"

"Yes. Always."

"And who pays?"

Jadon didn’t hesitate. "Cyrus always does. He never lets me or anyone else pay."

Flannigan and Hernandez exchanged a glance. The shift in their demeanor made Jadon uneasy.

Hernandez leaned in. "Jadon, we’re afraid you’ve been a victim of identity theft."

Jadon blinked. "What?"

Flannigan’s voice was grim. "It gets worse. You’re also implicated in bank and wire fraud totaling millions of dollars."

Jadon felt like the air had been sucked from the room. "By who…?"

The realization hit him mid-sentence. His stomach turned.

"Cyrus did this?!" Jadon’s voice rose. "What the hell? Millions?!"

Flannigan nodded. "Yes, millions. It seems your friend Mr. Ambrose is in serious debt, and he needed money fast. You were the perfect mark. He got you to trust him and then reeled you in. He knew you had perfect credit and used you to secure loans from many different banks."

Jadon’s mind raced. "How?"

"We thought you were an accomplice," Flannigan explained. "You see, you were out with him, paying for all your dinners and social activities."

Jadon shook his head. "But I just told you, I never paid."

Flannigan’s expression darkened. "Mr. Jarvis, Ambrose wined and dined you and your friends and paid for it with credit cards in your name."

Jadon’s breath hitched. "You mean to tell me that son of a bitch sat across from me and paid for me with a card in my name?!"

Hernandez nodded. " With a smile on his face. You see, he made sure to have you with him sometimes, to prove you made the charges if it ever came down to it. To make it look like you were in on it. I’m sure he took pleasure knowing you were clueless to what he was doing."

Jadon’s fists clenched. "He conned me! That means Nadia was in on it too."

Hernandez’s brow furrowed. "What does she have to do with it?"

Jadon swallowed hard. "I met her through him. She encouraged me to take his loan, and soon after, she just vanished."

The room spun around him as the realization and weight of betrayal settled deep in his chest. His entire world had just been flipped upside down.

"No… this can’t be happening…"

Part 84: The Cost of Trust

Agents Flannigan and Hernandez sat across the table regarding him with a mix of patience and quiet calculation.

“I know this is difficult to hear,” Flannigan said, his voice measured, “but you need to know the truth. Once we confirmed your real identity, we ran a background check. What we found makes it clear you’re not a suspect, Jadon. You’re a victim.” He leaned forward slightly, folding his hands in front of him. “But we need you to be completely honest with us. Lying to the FBI is a federal offense, punishable by imprisonment. We want to help you get the justice you deserve, but you have to meet us halfway.”

Jadon exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening. “Do I need a lawyer?”

Hernandez tilted her head. “That’s your right. But you’re not under arrest. Consider this an interview. And in return for your cooperation, we’ll assist in locating Ms. Gibson.”

The name hit like a dull thud against his chest. Nadia. His stomach twisted with resentment, anger, confusion. Just a few days ago, he would have done anything to find her. Now, he wasn’t sure he cared.

Jadon sat back, weighing his options. He could walk out right now… he wasn’t handcuffed, wasn’t being charged. But something told him that if he left, he’d be walking away from the answers he desperately needed. He wasn’t just blindsided; he was drowning.

He ran a hand down his face. “Honestly? I don’t even care if you find Nadia. I can’t believe she did this to me.”

“That’s not the way to look at it,” Hernandez said, shaking her head. “I get it. You’re hurt, but you need to understand, this isn’t just about you. You’re not the first. Ambrose has been pulling these cons for over a year.”

Jadon frowned. “But why? He doesn’t seem desperate for cash.”

Flannigan let out a small, humorless chuckle. “That’s where you’re wrong. Our investigation shows his finances are a mess. All but one of his businesses have been significantly undervalued for years. And most of them are cash-based, which makes it nearly impossible to trace revenue.”

Jadon felt his stomach sink as realization hit. “He’s laundering money.”

Flannigan nodded. “Bingo. And that’s just the surface. We’ve traced his operations to a larger drug smuggling network in the Caribbean. The businesses here? They’re just a front.”

Jadon shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around it. The pieces of the puzzle that hadn’t made sense before were beginning to snap into place.

“Then why steal from me?”

Flannigan’s expression remained unreadable. “Good question. What do you know about his business dealings in Barbados? Any connections he might have?”

Jadon hesitated. North Point flashed in his mind… too many risks tied to that place. He couldn’t afford to let that slip.

“No. Nothing that stood out,” he lied. “He’s well-known, but that’s about it.”

Flannigan studied him for a long beat, but let it slide.

“And what about Nadia?” he asked. “You said she was working with him. What did you mean?”

Jadon let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “He knew she was coming up to New York. Said it was a surprise for me. But she never showed.”

Hernandez raised a brow. “So how’d you know she was missing?”

Jadon swallowed hard. “Cyrus called me, asked if I’d seen her. He sounded worried at first, but after a while… he wasn’t. Told me to ‘chill out’ until she was ready.”

Hernandez frowned. “Ready? Ready for what?”

“That’s exactly what didn’t sit right with me,” Jadon admitted. “It felt off, but now it all makes sense. She was in on it. He knew she was gone but only called to torment me. That son of a bitch!”

Flannigan and Hernandez exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them.

“We’ll find her and get to the bottom of this,” Flannigan said at last. “In the meantime, steer clear of Mr. Ambrose. Do not… under any circumstances, mention this interview to him or anyone else. We’re taking a risk with you, Jadon. Don’t make us regret it.” He slid a business card across the table. “If anything comes to mind, call me.”

Hernandez stood, stretching slightly. “We’ll be in touch. You’re free to go.”

Jadon didn’t say another word. He took the card, shoved it into his pocket, and walked out into the crisp morning air. The city was just beginning to stir, the streets slick with remnants of the night’s rain. He shoved his hands into his pockets and exhaled, the weight of everything pressing down on him.

He had no idea what to do next.

Back inside the FBI office, Hernandez leaned against the desk, arms crossed. “So? You think he told the truth?”

Flannigan smirked. “Mostly. He’s not exactly a criminal mastermind. Hell, the guy ignored the signs; fraud alerts, his business struggling… all because of a woman he met four months ago? There’s a sucker born every damn day.”

No Peace

Jadon stepped through the threshold of the loft with slow, deliberate movements. His limbs felt weighted, his mind dulled by exhaustion. The chaos of the last few days clung to him like a heavy fog, and the only solace he sought now was the sanctuary of his bed. He pushed the door shut behind him as quietly as possible, hoping, praying… he could slip away unnoticed.

But luck was never on his side.

“Jadon!”

The sharp call of his name halted him mid-step. His shoulders tensed as he closed his eyes, already knowing who the voice belonged to. He turned slowly to see Nikki standing in the dimly lit space, her arms folded across her chest, eyes scanning him with barely concealed concern.

“Where you been?” she demanded. “Your flight landed last night. You okay?”

Jadon exhaled a long, weary breath, rolling his eyes before mustering the strength to face her. “Morning, Nikki,” he muttered. “I’m fine. Right now, I just need my bed.”

Nikki took a step closer, her brows knitting together. “I was worried sick, Jadon. I couldn’t sleep. I thought something happened to you.”

He could hear the strain in her voice, the genuine worry, but he didn’t have the energy to reassure her, not properly. His body screamed for rest, his mind for silence.

“You do understand, right?” she pressed. “I mean, since Nadia vanished, I was thinking the same thing happened to you.”

Jadon forced a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, here I am. Safe and sound.” His voice dripped with sarcasm, the bitterness in his tone undeniable.

Nikki flinched slightly at his response, her expression shifting from worry to confusion. “Hey… you alright?”

Jadon turned away from her, continuing toward his room without another glance. “I’m just fine,” he muttered. “Just fine.”

With that, he disappeared behind his door, shutting out the conversation, shutting out the world. Nikki stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed door, her mind racing. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

But Jadon wasn’t ready to talk.

Not yet.