by Tom Haase
“You did good work. I, on the other hand, should be fired for incompetence,” Matt said.
“Not at all. You took the initiative and could have been right. You were the one who gave me the idea to check the train cars for individual cameras, and that saved the day. Nothing wrong with good intuition.” She gave him a pleased look.
Thirty minutes after their arrival at Teterboro, the Gulfstream landed.
“This should end our association with the Donavans,” Matt said. “After we get his statement, we're through. He’ll have to appear at the trial for the man you caught, but we can go back to Washington and file our reports. That should close it out and make the Assistant Director happy.”
“He's not happy that it took us so long, and you better be prepared to answer questions on why you were not able to be contacted for over twenty-four hours.”
“Would food poisoning be good enough for him?”
She chuckled.
Chapter 51
Teterboro Airport
The Gulfstream came to a stop an hour after Matt Higgins landed in New York. After a minute, the passengers deplaned and walked to the customs and immigration area. When they exited, Matt Higgins and Liz Garcia approached them. Both produced their identification before saying anything.
“Wow, an FBI greeting party,” Bridget said, with the air of someone not impressed. “Oh my God, it's you, Matt, “ Bridget shouted as she looked him in the face.
“Bridget, holy shit. I can’t believe it. How stupid of me. The name Donavan didn’t connect until right now,” he said in astonishment.
“We know one another from the army. A long time ago,” Bridget said to her fellow passengers.
“I recognized the name but had no idea you were connected to Scott Donavan.”
“We'll have to catch up later,” Bridget said. “Right now we are after something and need to go. Give me your card.”
“Bridget, I'm sorry, but that will have to wait,” Matt said.
Bridget stared at him for a few seconds. He could sense her not pleased with his suggestion
“May I inquire what this is about? I'm Monsignor Jonathan McGregor on a diplomatic mission for the Pope,” Jonathan said before Bridget could say anything.
Liz spoke up. “Please forgive us, but we need to talk to Mr. Donavan.”
“You see, I have an apology to make to you young man, and you are lucky to be alive to receive it,” Matt said.
Scott stared at the FBI agent in disbelief. He shook his head as if trying to clear it or to attempt to understand what he just heard.
“What did I do?” Scott asked.
“Fortunately for you, we found out that you did a heroic act, and just in time, we learned that you were not the bomber in the Metro bombing,” Matt said. “I have a few questions for you and a warning that you will be called to testify in the trial of the real bomber we have in custody.”
“A real hero you are?” Bridget said with an ear-to-ear grin at her brother. “But we have to assist the monsignor in his mission and we need to be on our way.”
“Please give us a few minutes right now,” Matt said. “We can contact you later for any follow-up questions we may have. There’s a coffee shop here, and it won't take that long. All of you are welcome to come.”
They followed the FBI agents into the coffee shop, and Scott answered their questions on what transpired on that morning Metro ride to the Smithsonian. The agents were specific in their questions, and Scott answered with a great deal of precision. The questions continued for over twenty minutes. Matt stopped and related the events of his movements to trail Scott and his hope that he would apprehend him when he caught up with Cornelius Jake. He apologized for his actions in pursuing Scott as a terrorist.
“Then you were in Jerusalem. Did you see Gerti Schultz?” Scott asked. “How is she?”
“I visited her in hospital, and she is recovering nicely. She should be back in the States in a few days.”
“Based on what you say, your actions were warranted. You were overzealous in the performance of your duty,” Scott said. “Apology accepted, and it never has to be mentioned again. Seeing you as a dedicated agent is rewarding in itself. And you worked with Bridget in the war. How cool.” He smiled.
Jonathan interrupted. “I assume we are free to go?”
“Yes, Monsignor. We only have a few more questions. Five minutes, please,” Matt said. “We need to get personal information from you, Scott, and we'll need you to come in to sign a statement to what you told us. We'll be in Washington tomorrow and will contact you when to come in at your convenience. When the court trial takes place, we'll want you to appear.”
Scott's cell phone chirped. He looked at the caller ID and pressed the talk button. He smiled as he put it to his ear.
“Gerti, didn't expect to get a call from you.”
He fell silent. His face lost the smile. All at the table could her screaming voice coming from the cell phone. Not clear enough to understand the words, but obvious that something had upset her, and she screamed for a good half minute.
“Gerti, calm down. I need you to repeat this to the people I'm with. There are FBI agents sitting with me right now. Just a second.”
Scott glanced at Jonathan and then his sister. He faced the FBI agents. “You might think you’re finished with us, but I don't think so. You need to hear the latest.”
“What happened?” Bridget asked.
“Benjamin Schultz has been kidnapped,” Scott said.
Chapter 52
New York
Jake calmly walked through the exit door at JFK airport. He avoided Schultz's driver holding a sign bearing his name. The man failed to recognize him. After waiting a few minutes for a taxi, he gave the driver instructions to where he wanted to go in the Harlem area.
“You sure you want to go there, buddy?” the taxi driver asked. “It's not a good neighborhood for white guys.”
“Just take me to that address.”
He exited the cab in front of the store. It looked the same as he remembered it from the story he wrote on a gangland shooting in the old days of the mafia rule in the Big Apple. The place hadn't changed much in appearance, but the neighborhood definitely deteriorated. The place held no racial mix any more. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea. The taxi driver could’ve been right.
He hurried along to the entrance and dashed into the store. It still looked the same. There were piles of old clothing on one side and all sorts of electrical appliances on the other. Nothing in the store looked newer than a decade old.
The ring of the bell on his entrance caused the old man at the back of the store to approach.
“Whatda you want?”
Nice greeting, Jake thought. Sure sign that business floundered. The old man exhibited dark skin, silver hair, and silver half-frame glasses perched most of the way down his nose. He crossed his arms in a defiant gesture and waited for an answer.
“I could be polite and ask you how you are, but on second thought … I just want a small caliber weapon. I want it now, and I don't want any of your black back talk.”
The old man looked up in shocked surprise. First a rare thing to see a white man in his store and second, the audacious manner used to demand the gun.
“And who the hell do you think you are?”
“I'm the guy who saved your ass from jail fourteen years ago because I told the cops you didn’t sell that machine gun to old man Fazio. I stood in the store and saw you do it. You knew I did, and when I told the cops I was here the whole time and you didn't, I saved your butt.”
The storeowner moved up to within an inch of Jake's face. He stared. He slowly started to form a little smile on the edge of his lips.
“So by God, you are. Why didn't you say so instead of making an old man wait to discover you? I never got to thank you because you ran off, and I later found out you were a reporter.” He took off the glasses before they fell and stuck out his hand. “I know it's late, but—thank you.
You know, you shouldn't be in this part of town.”
“I noticed as I got here but didn't know it changed so much,” Jake said.
“Now, what did you want?”
“I want a small handgun. I need it now, and I'm gone as soon as you call me a cab to get out of here. We'll call the debt paid.”
“Give me a minute,” the old man said. He walked to the back of the store and disappeared behind a curtain that swayed after his passage.
Jake looked around and saw faces looking in the window at him. They were all black.
“Come back here.” The old man waved at him to come. As Jake approached the curtain, a young man could be seen behind it as it swayed. The man led him to the back of the establishment and introduced him to his son.
“This is Lucas. He'll take you to wherever you want to go. Go out the back door.” He grabbed Jake's arm and led him back. The young man went out first and got into the driver's side of the Ford F-150. Jake felt the gun slide into his coat pocket as he went out the door.
“Thank you.” Now the next part of his plan secured in place to get more money out of Schultz. So far everything proceeded on schedule. He controlled the necessary items. He held a gun, the Bible of Constantine, and the girl to deliver his Bible. If Schultz didn't play ball, he would cut him out and sell it to the highest bidder.
“Don't use it on anyone I wouldn't,” the old man said as Jake got into the truck.
He slammed the door shut and rolled down the window.
“I plan to use it on someone who deserves it. Today.”
Chapter 53
Schultz's Apartment
New York
Gerti called her father from the airport when she landed. Her plane, two hours behind Jake's, arrived at the same airport. Her father assured her that he would meet her, but she didn't see him. After calling his cell, she tried the apartment phone. No answer there.
She hurried out of the terminal and immediately smelled the evening air of the big city. It reeked of car exhaust, fumes and diesel emissions from buses. Great to be back in the environmentally friendly city, she thought, as she got into a taxi. During the drive, she again attempted to reach her father with the same result.
At their residence, she rushed up to the penthouse and unlocked the door.
“Father, are you here?”
No answer came. She walked throughout the spacious living quarters and noticed that the statue, a miniature original from the first century found at the birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal, usually rested on a tabletop in a small recess near the entrance to the living room, lay shattered on the floor. The statue represented the dancing figure of the mother of the Enlightened One. The piece always a favorite of her father’s and if he ever dropped it or knocked it over, he would have picked it up. Never would he leave it on the floor smashed to pieces. Now she knew something must have happened. She went into the hall storage closet.
In the closet, she checked the monitor station for the surveillance system her father installed for protection and identification of anyone trying to steal any one of the valuable items in the apartment. It recorded on a twenty-four-hour loop.
She played back from the time mark ten hours ago. She’d spoken to her father in the apartment at that time before going to the airport in Tel Aviv. At a fast forward speed, she saw her father in the living room talking on the phone. He sat making calls for a long time. Then she started to worry as the time line came to less than two hours ago. He still appeared in the video in the apartment. She slowed the fast-forward by using the button to control the speed. She watched as he got up and went to the door.
“Oh, no!” she exclaimed when she saw Jake enter the room.
She released the forward button and the machine switched to normal play. She put on the headphones. She could hear the voices clearly. Her father had installed the best equipment available for monitoring the entire household and the resolution displayed HD quality with sound.
“You weren't on the plane,” her father said. “I got a call from the driver I sent to greet you, and he told me you failed to arrive.”
“I was on the plane,” Jake said.
“He must have missed you. Do you have it?”
“But before we go any further, I want five million for the book. “
“We had an agreement on delivery.”
“I decided to change that,” Jake said. “You will make millions on this book. I only get five. I don't think so.”
She knew her father. He appeared to be thinking now. Using the few seconds to figure what would send Jake away and to tell him he didn't need the book that much. He would calculate how quickly he could get some of his contacts to act and retrieve the book from Jake. Not going to pay him anything would be his plan.
“Listen, Mr. Jake, I don't think I can get millions for the book, maybe not even five. So, I suggest you leave and try to sell the book yourself. There'll be a few takers and you might do well. It's not that important to me. Please leave my house now and don't bother me again.”
“You bastard. You know I have the real Bible of Constantine, and you'll try and take it from me. I read you,” Jake spat at him.
Gerti smiled to herself at the fact the man figured her father's assumed course of action, the newspaperman not a fool. She watched as her father came around the couch and headed toward Jake. At that moment Jake pulled the gun from his coat pocket. Her father stopped. He stood beside the figurine she found shattered. Something had happened to her father and now she saw it on the monitor.
Schultz put up his hands. On the way up he struck the small statue and it tumbled to the floor. She heard the explosion in the earpiece as it shattered. He must have figured the shattered piece would alert her if he disappeared.
“You're going with me. I'll keep you until I get my money. I'm sure your daughter will pay my price to get her father back. If not, you will be of no use to me. Get it?”
Schultz nodded.
“Now, we go down and get into your car, and we go to a place where you will be my guest until I get my money. I think your daughter will be more forthcoming than you if she ever wants to see you again. She's still in Israel, I believe. Probably won't be home for a few days. So, until then you will be my guest. Now move.”
Gerti watched as Jake held the gun to her father's back and pushed him out the door. This sort of thing happened in the movies, not in her secure home. What should I do? I can't call the cops. Jake will have to contact me to get the money. What will I do then?
She took off the headset and took out the disc so it would not play over the recorded images on the next loop cycle. At least that would be enough to get Jake on kidnapping charges if that became necessary. Who could help her? She didn't know how to contact the men her father used for such cases. He hid those details from her, but always promised to tell her soon not ever getting around to it. She swore to get it done as soon as she got her father back.
She had an idea. Her father had contracted the Donavans to retrieve the Bible of Constantine for them. The time for them to deliver had arrived.
Chapter 54
Teterboro Airport, New York
“What are you talking about?” Bridget shouted at Scott.
Scott still held the phone to his ear and listened. He signaled for them to be quiet so he could hear Gerti. After a few seconds he said into the phone, “Okay, hang on a second.”
The two FBI special agents appeared to have heightened interest in the conversation now. Their body movements signaled the need to find out more information on a kidnapping. Higgins gave the come on signal with his hands.
Scott related what Gerti had told him. Now, the light of excitement shone in both of the agents' faces and they moved closer to hear everything. It took a few minutes to recount all that Gerti told Scott.
“Where is she now?” asked Liz.
“At her apartment,” Scott replied. He gave the address to the agents.
“Tell her to wait there,” Matt said. “We’l
l be there as soon as we can. We're leaving now.” He got up and Liz followed his example. “Tell her to touch nothing.”
What are we doing?” Liz asked.
“We're going after a kidnapper. We are in hot pursuit and I don't think we have time to get permission. Let's just do this,” Matt said.
“You are putting our asses on the line. You know that?” Liz asked.
Matt nodded and went out the door to the parking lot.
Bridget watched them hurry toward their car. She pulled on Scott's arm to get him moving, but her brother resisted. “Wait. I want to get all I can on what she's been up to.”
Jonathan went to get Captain Grossman. Bridget followed him out to the plane. The Captain descended the jet's stairs on their approach.
“We need transportation. A situation has arisen that demands we go after a certain Mr. Jake, since it appears he kidnapped Mr. Schultz to get more money for the Bible of Constantine than he had originally negotiated. We need to get to him before the authorities do.”
Grossman nodded. “You have the authorization to get anything you want.” He pulled out a sat phone and walked away.
“What’s he doing?” Bridget asked.
“I suspect he’s ordering a vehicle for us with a driver who knows the area,” Jonathan said. “Then he will have some specialists hack into the security camera of the building in which Schultz lives. After that I think he’ll have someone watch Jake's residence in case he goes there. That's for starters.”
“It appears from what we know that Jake thinks he has a day or two at least to get himself set up for the daughter's return,” Bridget said and completed this as Scott joined them.
“I believe he has a plan and it is probably not to return to his place. That's too obvious if anyone would discover he took Schultz. He must have somewhere else in mind for keeping Schultz until he contacts the daughter, “ Jonathan said.
“Wait a minute. You’re acting like Jake is a master criminal,” Bridget said. “He's a goddamn newspaper reporter trying to strike it rich and retire. He has no criminal mentality. No detailed plan. I bet he’s making this up as he goes along. Let's not give him too much credit.”
