The Breakthrough

by Jerry B. Jenkins

  Right at ten that morning, they listened in on Mannock’s phone conversation.

  “Manley Motors, how may I direct your call?”

  “New car sales.”

  “One moment.”

  “This is Phil.”

  “Phil, it’s DeWayne Mannock.”

  “Well, hello there! Ready to take ownership of your new chariot?”

  “I sure am.”

  “Your financing all in place, or do you want us to handle that?”

  “Paying cash, Phil.”

  “Sorry?”

  “This is a cash deal.”

  “Cashier’s check, right? Make it out to—”

  “No. Cash cash.”

  “I’m not following.”

  Mannock laughed. “What? My money’s no good? I’m bringing it in cold, hard cash. Dollar bills.”

  “Surely not.”

  “Well, not dollar bills. Hundreds.”

  There was a rustling of papers. “Mr. Mannock, the total out-the-door price of this vehicle is seventy-one thousand four hundred thirty-two dollars and sixty-nine cents.”

  “I know. I’m looking at the same sheet you are. If I give you seventy-one thousand, four hundred and thirty-three, you can keep the change. How ’bout that?”

  Phil laughed. “I don’t think we’ve done a cash transaction here—outside the used car lot, I mean—in decades. You seriously bringing in that much in cash?”

  “Seriously.”

  “You know we have to report that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Anything over ten grand in cash, we’ve got to let the authorities know about it. It’s just routine, but—”

  “I don’t need that. What should I do, take the cash to the bank and bring a check?”

  “Yes, a cashier’s check. But you know the bank reports any cash transaction over ten grand too.”

  “They do?”

  “Yeah, something about preventing money laundering, you know, like drug pushers do, that kind of a thing.”

  “Well, I want the car today.”

  “And we want to see you in it today. How’re we going to manage this?”

  “So you report the cash, but that doesn’t keep me from taking the car, right?”

  “Right. But within a few days you’ll be hearing from the state or the feds or whoever cares about these things. They’re going to want to confirm the money was yours and that you didn’t get it through nefarious means.”

  “Nefarious—?”

  “A crime, Mr. Mannock. They’re going to have to establish—well you’re going to have to establish—where you got that kind of money and that you’re not a criminal. You’re not, are you, sir? . . . I’m just joshing you.”

  “Ha! No! Not a criminal!”

  “Well, if you’re seriously bringing that kind of cash, I need to let my boss know, and we’re going to have to get someone from security in here. They won’t want to keep it on the premises long.”

  “You don’t have a safe?”

  “Sure, but we’re not in the habit of holding large sums of money overnight.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Anyway, the car is ready, and she’s a beauty. When should we expect you?”

  “Taking a cab. See you soon.”

  Boone turned to Jack and Lefty. “If DeWayne were smart, he’d disappear in his new ride and stand up Loggyn. Then we won’t be any closer to Kenleigh or this Jammer, and I think we all know Jammer is the key.”

  “No question,” Tidwell said. “So what do you want to do?”

  “We’ve got to take DeWayne and all that money at the dealership,” Boone said. “Once we get Mannock downtown, we’ll for sure get a lead on Kenleigh, maybe even Jammer. The sales guy already told him they’d have a security guy there. Let me be that guy. As soon as DeWayne sees me, he’ll know he’s been had.”

  “You kiddin’?” Jack said. “First thing through that thick skull of his will be wondering what the odds are of you showing up at the same car dealer on the same day.”

  “Not the sharpest bulb in the woods?” Tidwell said, and even Boone had to smile.

  “You’re likely to shoot him,” Jack said.

  “Security guys don’t carry,” Boone said. “All I need is a suit coat.” He pointed to one of the techies. “His would fit me. You guys back me up.”

  “You can play that role, Boones, but you know as well as I do that you can’t be the officer of record on the arrest. How would that look in court? Father of the kidnapped kid makes the collar. I’ll give you the satisfaction of gettin’ the cuffs on him, but—”

  “Fine, Jack. We need to go. He’ll be on his way soon.”

  Just then the surveillance tap on Mannock’s phone picked up his call to the cab company. The dispatcher told him someone would be there for him in twenty-five minutes.

  “That means an hour, most likely,” Tidwell said, “but let’s assume they’re efficient today. If we’re going to do this, we’ve got to do it now.”

  “Let me set it up with the car dealer,” Jack said as he and Boone exited the van for his squad. “This is sort of my thing.” He reached Phil at Manley Motors, knowing the other cops were listening in the van as it pulled out.

  “Phil, this is Jack Keller, chief of the Organized Crime Division of the Chicago Police Department.”

  “C’mon, who is this really? Biff, is that you?”

  “Phil, I’m going to read off to you my badge number so you can call the Chicago PD and verify my identity. You ready?”

  A pause. “Sure.”

  Jack recited it and continued. “I need you to listen carefully. My colleagues at the Hammond Police Department and I just monitored a call between you and a DeWayne Mannock.”

  “I knew he was a crook!”

  “Are you listening, Phil? We need your complete cooperation, and we appreciate it.”

  “Is this guy dangerous? Will he be packing?”

  Jack glanced at Boone and rolled his eyes.

  “We don’t believe he’s dangerous, but we do plan to apprehend him inside your establishment. Can you help with that?”

  “Whatever you want me to do. You know my uncle was a cop, and he—”

  “And I’d love to hear all about that, but we need to get there before Mr. Mannock does, all right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Jack outlined how Phil was to welcome DeWayne as he would any new buyer, then ask to see the money. As soon as DeWayne showed it, Phil was to remind him that he needed security present. “At that point, the chief of our Major Case Squad will assume that role, and I’ll make the arrest.”

  As they sped toward Manley Motors in East Chicago, Indiana, Jack called Tidwell in the van. “Lefty, we haven’t talked about jurisdiction.”

  “You know me better’n that, Jack. I wouldn’t mind a little credit. You send a note to my chief, that kind of a thing. Looks good in my file, am I right? Huh?”

  “Done.”

  “But the abduction happened in Chicago,” Lefty said, “and I don’t need all the paperwork, the interrogating, all that.”

  “We’re set, then,” Jack said. “Drake and I will transport Mannock and the money to Chicago, and if you could tie up the loose ends with Shane Loggyn, I’ll owe you.”

  “Well, he’s getting his car back, isn’t he?”

  “He is.”

  “Loggyn’s the only one who’s gonna come out of this unscathed.”

  “Unscathed,” Jack said. “Nice word choice there, Tid.”

  “I know, right? You like that? Every once in a while, you know? Am I right?”

  As the Hammond PD surveillance van pulled in behind Jack in the shadow of the service bay at the far end of Manley Motors’s used car lot, Boone picked up the conversation between DeWayne Mannock and the cabbie. He could see that everyone else had a finger pressed to their ear jack too as they entered the new car showroom from the back.

  “New car, huh?” the new voice was saying. “Whatcha gettin’?�
��

  “The big Caddy. Escalade.”

  “No way!”

  “Yup. First new car.”

  “Your first and it’s one of those? What’d you do, win the lottery?”

  “Matter of fact, I did.”

  “Don’t think I ever met anybody who won the big one. One of my buddies won a grand or so once.”

  “Can’t buy much with that.”

  “Nope. Well, good for you.”

  “Hey, you got change for a hundred?”

  The cabbie laughed. “High roller now, huh? Nah. Can’t break bigger’n a twenty. Sorry.”

  “Man, all I got is hundreds.”

  “I can wait while you get change.”

  “Ah, it’s okay. Let’s make it an even hundred.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that, man. We’ve only got about another mile. Meter’s gonna say less than thirty bucks.”

  “I insist.”

  “Wow, thanks, dude.”

  As the cops took positions inside, Tidwell and the techies hid their guns in their pockets and strolled around the showroom. They split up and told the salespeople they were just looking. When one salesman tried to show Tidwell “a ride that looks like it was built just for you,” Boone saw Lefty flash his badge and say, “Looking. Got it?”

  Jack and Boone met with Phil, a fiftyish string bean, impeccably dressed and well spoken. “Do you always sweat this much?” Jack said.

  “AC’s not that great in here. The customers sweat too.”

  “As long as it’s not just nerves.”

  “Well, I am nervous, but no. Sales is like acting, chief. I’ll play my part. You watch.”

  Jack and Boone waited in the office of the sales manager—the aforementioned Biff—near the back of the showroom, sitting with their backs to the window but able to monitor the front door in the reflection behind Biff’s desk. They would be able to see when Mannock came in and watch what was happening in Phil’s office.

  Biff, a young man in a dark suit, sat at his desk, fidgeting with a pen. “Haven’t had excitement like this in here for years,” he said. “Selling the Escalade was going to be the highlight of our week, but we’re not going to see that money, are we?”

  “No, sir,” Jack said. “You’re not. But we sure thank you for your cooperation.”

  “As if I had a choice.”

  Boone shot Biff a look and saw his smile.

  “Happy to help, really,” the sales manager said. “You’re not expecting trouble, are you? Fighting, shooting, hostages?”

  Jack shook his head. “This is a bad guy, sir. But we won’t have any trouble with him.”

  “Sort of a low-level crook?” Biff said.

  “That’s for sure,” Boone said. “We will have to take him out of here in cuffs, though. We’ll try not to make a scene.”

  “Would you mind taking him out through the back then, in case we have customers? I mean, Monday mornings aren’t usually busy, but you never know.”

  “Back door it is.”

  24

  Sting

  “I’m serious about waiting if you want to get change,” the cabbie said.

  “And I’m serious about you keeping the change, my man,” Mannock said.

  Boone hoped DeWayne was enjoying his last minute on top of the world. He glanced at Jack. “If he’d give me one reason to—”

  “You gonna be able to deal with this, Boones?”

  “I got it.”

  In the reflection, Boone watched Mannock stride in, grinning like he owned the place, a heavy canvas satchel at his side. Phil immediately rose and left his glassed-in cubicle, meeting Mannock with a hearty handshake. “You look like a man who just bought a new car!”

  “It’s gonna be sweet!” DeWayne said. “All prepped and everything?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Can I see it?”

  “Before we do the paperwork?”

  “Yeah, that okay?”

  Phil’s bravado seemed to have suddenly failed him. “Let me check with the guys in the back. Come into my office.”

  “It’s always something,” Boone said. He leaned forward and whispered to the sales manager. “The car was prepped, right?”

  “Yes, but after we heard from you guys we put it back in stock. I didn’t think the sale was supposed to get that far.”

  “Neither did we.”

  Biff peeked at his ringing desk phone. “That’s Phil,” he said.

  “Make up a story. Stall.”

  “Yes, Phil.”

  “Hello, Service?” Boone heard Phil’s side of the conversation through Mannock’s phone.

  “Yes, Phil. I’m with you.”

  “Yeah, Service, is Mr. Mannock’s car ready for him to see? He’d just like to take a peek before we complete the transaction.”

  “Well, Phil, as your boss has told you, that’s not customary. Mr. Mannock saw it when he was shopping, and we like to make a big presentation when we hand him the keys.”

  “Okay, Service, I’ll tell him.” Phil covered the phone. “Mr. Mannock, they’ve, uh, they’re just, um, drying it now. Want to make it really nice for when we give you the keys.”

  Mannock swore. “Well, what’s another couple minutes, eh? Let’s get this done.”

  “Okay, Service,” Phil said. “Take your time.” He hung up and turned back to DeWayne Mannock. “This still a cash deal? I don’t need to get our finance guy in here?”

  “Cash on the barrel,” DeWayne said, hefting the bag onto the desk. “You wanna see it?”

  “Well, not only have I never seen that much cash before, but someone here is going to have to count it. That may take a while.”

  “I know. It took me a while.” Mannock laughed loudly.

  “As I mentioned, sir, I’m going to ask a security guard to take the money to our accountant while I’m printing out all the documents.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Phil dialed the sales manager’s office again. “Could you send security to my office for a cash delivery? Thank you!”

  “Stay here,” Jack told Biff. “Boone, follow me.”

  They headed toward Phil’s office, where Jack introduced himself as the sales manager. “Congratulations, Mr. Mannock!”

  “Thank you!” DeWayne reached up to shake his hand.

  “You are DeWayne Mannock, right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You’re going to be very happy with your purchase.”

  “I already am!”

  “Before we have security take custody of the cash, could I see some identification?”

  “You betcha.”

  Mannock rocked forward to reach his wallet and showed Jack his Indiana driver’s license.

  “Security,” Jack said, and Boone stepped out from behind him with a pair of handcuffs.

  “DeWayne Mannock, please stand and turn around with your hands behind your back.”

  “What the—?”

  “You’re under arrest for the kidnapping of Max Lamonica Drake—”

  “Kidnapping! No way! I—”

  Boone yanked Mannock up out of his chair and twisted him around, reaching for his hands. “Get ’em behind you, DeWayne!”

  “C’mon, Drake! You know I—”

  “You have the right to remain silent,” Jack said as Boone applied the cuffs and turned Mannock around. He dropped him back into the chair.

  “I don’t need to remain silent. I didn’t kidnap anybody!”

  So much the better, Boone thought.

  “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law,” Jack continued.

  “Once you let me explain, there won’t be any court! C’mon!”

  “You have the right to an attorney.”

  “I don’t need one! Just listen to me!”

  “If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”

  “Don’t provide me nothin’! Just hear me out!”

  “Do you understand the rights I have just read
to you?”

  Mannock gritted his teeth, and shook his head.

  “Come now, DeWayne. You know you have to answer these two questions. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”

  “I understand ’em! I just don’t need ’em!”

  “With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me? . . . DeWayne? Silence is not an acceptable response to that question. You told me you understood your rights. With those rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?”

  “Will you listen?”

  “Do you wish to speak to me?”

  “Yes! Yes! Yes, I wish to speak to you.”

  “That’s going to happen in Chicago,” Jack said.

  “Oh no! Now, I’m buyin’ a car here! I got all this money.”

  Boone leaned into Mannock’s face. “You’re riding into the city with us, DeWayne. Your money is evidence. The car stays here.”

  “I’m not leaving without my car!”

  “You won’t need it in Stateville, DeWayne. You know that.”

  “Drake, listen to me. When you hear how little I had to do with any of this, how little I even knew, you’re gonna bring me right back here and let me buy my car.”

  “We have to do the interrogation properly. Don’t start talking till we get to Chicago.”

  “I’ll be talking all the way.”

  “We won’t be listening.”

  “Didn’t I just say that? I knew you wouldn’t listen!”

  “When we get downtown, you can talk all you want, and we’ll record every word.”

  “Well, you’re going to feel like idiots once you know everything.”

  “Telling us everything is the best idea you’ve ever had, DeWayne.”

  25

  Raspberry

  On the ride back to Chicago, when Boone could think over DeWayne Mannock’s incessant badgering, he allowed himself hope that finally, finally they had made some progress. With no ransom demand, the mystery deepened over what had become of Max. Boone had to push from his mind thoughts of the boy’s fear. He didn’t allow himself to think of injury—or worse—to Max, because Mannock had been paid as much as he had simply to be a finder, the boy was a ridiculously valuable commodity. But why? And to whom?

  Boone’s phone vibrated, and he looked down at a text from Lefty Tidwell. Mannock’s phone still transmitting. Mind if we listen in?