Relentless (Elisabeth Reinhardt Book 1)

by Nancy Alexander

  Chester, Marie and Lou continued to talk with the priest for another 20 minutes, writing down every detail of his contact with Jake, their conversation and his impression of the man and his mind-set. The Father was not a trained psychologist, but he was an experienced counselor. His parishioners had come to him for years asking his help and he was a wise and good observer of human behavior. His conversation with Jake provided keen insights into the man’s psyche and into the group dynamics. He observed that the gang was fractured, the leader insecure and paranoid and that the two followers seemed bound to the leader by fear.

  Within the hour, Will had tracked down the name and address of Teddy Ruff, his old cellmate, a computer genius now living in Pennsylvania. Coordinating with the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Branch of the FBI, they found a bar called ‘The Sit In’ not far from Teddy Ruff’s apartment; witnesses at the bar were able to describe the threesome in detail including their conversation with their waitress, their order, and their questions about Teddy Ruff. Squad cars raced to Ruff’s address to find the apartment door broken and hanging open. No one was there. They assumed that both Ruff and the killers were in the wind. After talking to neighbors they learned that Ruff was seen loading things into his car and had left the parking lot before three men were seen walking toward his apartment. From evidence in the apartment it was determined that Ruff had shut down his computer operation and had packed some suitcases with possessions. Fingerprint analysis revealed that the breakage had come from the gang not from Teddy Ruff and that helped them conclude that they were likely going after Ruff. They decided that Jake saw Ruff as his ‘ace’ and was depending on him to help. Jake would be infuriated if someone he counted on let him down like this. During the search a photograph of a young, blonde woman was found its frame broken. A shard of glass had been used to cut a line down the side of the woman’s face. Jake had found another target. Grimly they realized Ruff’s girlfriend, who they found was named Monica French, had become Jake’s newest target. If they hadn’t been sure the killers were on his trail before they were certain now. They tracked down Monica’s employer who reported that Ruff had picked her up that afternoon after work and the car was seen heading west.

  Lou was on the phone with authorities at Ruff’s apartment as theories flew. Something changed between Jake’s phone call to Ruff and Ruff going on the run. “It’s the girl,” Chester said, “At first, he agreed to help Jake with whatever he had asked and then he pulled up stakes and ran.”

  “If I were Teddy Ruff,” Marie said, “I’d get my girlfriend and head for the airport. I’d want to get as far away from here as possible.”

  “Yes,” Lou argued, “but wouldn’t he realize that the killers could figure that out, too? Wouldn’t it make more sense to stick to the highway, you have more possibilities for evading capture that way don’t you? Not get trapped in an airport or on a plane?”

  “I vote for the airport,” Marie repeated, “that computer room of his was set up for big time hacking. There’s at least a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of equipment in there. A quick credit card check indicated lots of trips to the Cayman Islands and property records indicate he owns a big condo there. This is a guy who thinks big. He probably has lots of money hidden away somewhere and he’d make a move to get his girl away and stay away for a long time. He’d know that Jake and his pals wouldn’t have the cash or resources to follow and find him once that plane was in the air.”

  “Well, that’s where we’re headed,” Lou said as they boarded the FBI’s Cessna Citation V and took off for Pittsburgh International Airport.

  CHAPTER 55

  TERMINAL CONNECTIONS

  Teddy and Monica raced down Terminal A toward their gate, weighted down with carry-on bags hastily bought in a rest stop along the turnpike. An hour earlier, Teddy had covered the valuable equipment in the back of his truck with as many blankets as he could find then locked his truck in long term parking, thinking he could get a friend to send him that stuff once the coast was clear. He had handed Monica several thousand dollars to avoid using his credit card and sent her off to buy them tickets on any flight out of the country that would be leaving within the next hour. He hoped her nervousness didn’t tip off airport security, trained to look for such emotions. They developed a cover story that they were off to get married and that’s why they were both so nervous. The story wouldn’t bear up under questioning, but might get them past a guard or two. The transaction was just being completed for a flight for two to the Virgin Islands when Teddy rushed over and joined her at the counter. Putting his arm around her shoulder, he smiled at the ticket clerk who hardly noticed him as he looked around nervously scanning the crowd for one familiar, sinister face. He desperately hoped he would never see that face again.

  They blended into the crowd clustered around their assigned gate, people talking on their cell phones or listening to their iPods. Teddy prayed they were home free. His shoulders were beginning to relax and his breathing was more normal. He held Monica’s cold hand in his and hoped that the flight south would warm them both. “American Airlines Flight 1773 for the Virgin Islands will now begin boarding at gate A-7” the gate attendant announced. As they both stood, Lou Fairmont appeared in front of them and said in a quiet voice, “Mr. Ruff? Please come with us.” Teddy and Monica looked quickly around and saw two other people in suits and a group of uniformed officers encircling the perimeter. People around them cast wary glances in their direction, and began backing away. Some raised their cell phones snapping photos, while others leaned into one another whispering quickly. “No need for alarm, folks,” Lou raised his arms in a calming gesture addressing the crowd, “everything’s under control. Just go ahead and board your flight.” Marie, Will and Lou formed a tight circle around the couple while the uniformed officers formed a larger circle around them as they moved toward the security offices on the lower floor of the main terminal.

  “I’m Lou Fairmont with the FBI,” Lou said, gesturing for them to sit at the small metal table in the cramped grey room that was airport security’s interview room. “You aren’t in any trouble, Mr. Ruff.” he said, “We just need your help.”

  Teddy was both immediately relieved and instantly irate. “Well you have a hell of a way of asking for my help!” He shouted indignantly, “I’m an American citizen and I demand to be set free right now.”

  “Well, Mr. Ruff, that’s not going to happen right now, we need your help and I intend to get it.”

  “My help, with what?” Teddy demanded.

  “We need to find Jake Gennett and I think you know something about where he is,” Lou responded.

  “Who?” Teddy asked weakly, his face draining of color and his voice getting squeaky.

  “Don’t play games, Mr. Ruff, we don’t have time for that,” Lou warned, “People are dying, girls have been murdered, killers are on a national rampage and you can help us put an end to all of this. You, Mr. Ruff, it all comes down to you!”

  Monica leaned into him, white-faced and whispered, “Teddy? I’m scared. These people are the police, you have to help them. Tell them whatever they want to know. Tell them so we can get out of here.”

  Teddy was silent for a moment then he asked, “How’d you find us?” Teddy thought he’d been pretty clever, driving to the airport. He didn’t think Jake would figure it out, much less the cops.

  “Well,” said Lou, “we just thought about what we would do if a bunch of crazy killers were chasing us and came up with the airport.” He glanced at Marie. Monica gasped and stared at Teddy.

  “What crazy killers are you talking about?” Teddy asked unconvincingly.

  “I told you we don’t have time for your games, Mr. Ruff.” Lou cautioned his voice sounding harsh, “None of us have time for that.”

  “Okay, Okay,” said Teddy, “but it’s kinda scary, you finding us like this. I mean, if you can figure it out and you don’t even know me, well I guess Jake can figure it out, too. What if he finds us?�
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  “It’s all right, we’ve got a handle on that,” Lou said and signaled to Will, “Go on over to the video room and start scanning those screens for our killers.” Will nodded and left the room.

  “And, by the way,” said Teddy, feeling more leverage now, “we just missed our flight! And we’re planning to get married tonight.” He added unnecessarily. “We’ll get you on the next flight out, Mr. Ruff, don’t worry about that. But we need your help finding Jake Gennett, your old cellmate and buddy.

  “You know, who I mean, your friend Jake,” he repeated, “He called you two days ago. Said he needed your help finding someone. Does that refresh your memory? Apparently you weren’t too anxious to meet up with your old buddy and you took off. Does that sound familiar, Mr. Ruff? Apparently your buddy Jake wasn’t too happy you ran off and trashed your place over in Ligonier.” Teddy was getting paler by the moment and Monica was beginning to cry.

  She reached out for Teddy’s arm and whispered, “Please, Teddy, tell them what they want to know. I’m scared, Teddy. This is the FBI, for G-d sake, don’t screw around with them.”

  Teddy started to talk, but his mouth was so dry all that came out was a little squeak. “Can we get our guests some water?” Lou asked one of the security guards, “We need some information about this old cellmate of yours, Mr. Ruff, and we need it now.”

  Teddy gulped his water while Monica clung to his other hand. “Okay,” he said, “but we’ll need police protection, like witness protection, or something. Jake is a dangerous guy and he’d kill me soon as look at me if he knew I was talking to you.”

  “That’s fair enough,” Lou said, “if you help us catch him we’ll provide you with protection.” Lou thought the most important piece of information was about the girl he was after, who they thought was Reggie Lee Raines. If they didn’t get the killers here, they would get them wherever this girl was staying. Lou was convinced that Jake would go after her and they had to get to her before he did. Jake seemed to be convinced that Teddy could find her on the internet.

  Clearing his throat and repeating the need for police protection, he began to talk about the phone call from Jake. “There were court papers on this Raines girl and he needed me to find out where she had gone. Get an address on her. He gave me the name of the witnesses who signed those papers, the judge and the child advocacy lawyer and told me to track down these people and get him current addresses for all them so if he can’t find the girl he can find them and get them to lead him to the girl. He said he’d be coming north to meet me and get the information as soon as he could.” Grimly, Lou relayed this information, telling Chester to work on the court angle as the BAU team left headed toward the heliport. “He sounded pretty desperate,” Teddy told his remaining audience, “that’s really unusual for Jake. He’s a pretty cool character.”

  Standing behind a magazine rack, Jake pulled a blue cap down over his face. Gleefully he had watched as a shocked Teddy Ruff was escorted from the departure gate by the FBI. Hours before, the gang had broken into ‘staff only’ locker rooms obtained uniforms and managed to steal a few badges. Disguised as an airline attendant, Jake trailed behind as Teddy and Monica were escorted along the terminal corridor and down the escalator to the basement. Clean shaven with a buzz cut, he looked nothing like himself, except for the scar of course, nothing could hide that. Custer, wearing a janitor’s uniform, pushed a large trash cart along the corridor. Slim tooled along in an electric airport cart used to transport disabled or elderly passengers. In silent formation, the killers followed their quarry. Looking busy and disinterested, they wandered past the Security Department watching and listening. They caught a glimpse of Teddy when an officer opened the door to deliver 2 bottles of water. After 40 minutes, two Pittsburgh Police officers left the room and headed toward the escalator. They never got there. Ten minutes later, Teddy and Monica were being escorted to their departing flight, when they were confronted by the Parkland Killers. Gunshots rang out. A bullet whammed into Teddy’s chest, knocking him backward across the floor, where he lay motionless, limbs akimbo. All uniformed escorts lay bleeding and Jake held pretty blonde Monica in his arms. She was screaming! The Parkland Killers raced out onto the tarmac and piled into a waiting jeep; the words Airport Security emblazoned along its sides.

  CHAPTER 56

  RESURRECTION

  “What the hell did you take her for?” Slim screamed as he jerked the steering wheel and hit the gas, “Are you CRAZY, Man? What the hell are we gonna do with a girl? She’ll slow us down! She’ll get us killed!”

  “Shut the Fuck up, you moron,” Jake screamed back at him.

  Custer began, “Just slow down and we can let her out. Everyone’s seen our faces anyways. You don’t have to stop, just slow down and I’ll push her out!”

  “Hell NO!” Jake shouted, “She’s MINE!” The jeep was speeding along the tarmac near the commercial runways. Behind them they heard sirens shrieking and loud warning alarms whooping and clanging. Monica curled on floor of the jeep sobbed loudly, begging to be set free.

  “How are we gonna get out of here?” Slim yelled as he sped past planes and cargo carriers. “JAKE?!” He screamed, “What’s the plan?”

  “I don’t know, yet, just shut up and let me think.”

  “We don’t have time to think,” Slim yelled over his shoulder, “we’re in a mess Man. We’re screwed! You shot more people and kidnapped another girl. What the Hell is the matter with you, Man? Are you crazy?”

  Jake ignored him. “Keep driving,” he ordered, “straight ahead over toward that fence.” The jeep was barreling ahead at break-neck speed heading toward the fence bordering the airport. “There’s a gate here somewhere,” Jake called out, “look for it.”

  The FBI agents had just boarded their helicopter when they got word. “Get this thing up in the air,” Lou ordered the pilot, “they’re on this tarmac somewhere. We’ll search from the air. Start at the perimeter, circle the airport slowly. Look for anything moving fast. Will, contact the police and co-ordinate,” Lou said.

  They learned that the killers had stolen a Security jeep, having taken the keys from a guard they captured and knocked out while waiting for Teddy to be released from Security. The jeep was white with red lettering on the side. The three FBI agents picked up binoculars and began searching the grounds.

  “Get as low as possible,” Lou told the pilot. Within minutes, they were joined by three police helicopters. Whirling blades cut through the air making whoop-whoop sounds as four choppers circled overhead like buzzards. Pittsburgh International Airport came to a grinding halt. Planes burned fuel as they waited for permission to land and police roadblocks stopped all road traffic. Land patrols scurried up and down Route 376, across the bridges and up and down the river banks where Heinz Field sat waiting for its next big game. At roadblocks police searched all cars and trucks. Law enforcement personnel from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland were notified and joined in the search for the Parkland Killers.

  Media vans wove through the maze of airport traffic, stopping to interview anyone who would talk to them, filming everything in sight. BREAKING NEWS banners streaked across TV screens as announcers and reporters struggled to keep up with the fast breaking stories. In Ligonier, one reporter stood in front of Teddy Ruff’s apartment building, talking about how this peaceful Western Pennsylvania apartment complex had been disrupted while Teddy’s picture flashed on the screen. Another reporter stood in front of a quaint little dress shop and talked about how the day manager had been kidnapped and her boyfriend shot at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Monica French, everyone said, was a lovely woman, well-liked by her customers and friends. A third reporter appeared from outside of Monica’s parents’ organic farm, showing a clip of Renee French, Monica’s mother, standing in front of bushel baskets stuffed with vegetables begging the killers’ to release her daughter. Media news desks sought film clips of planes waiting to take off and pictures of the police officers a
nd airport security guards who were dead or wounded. There were interviews with the Pittsburgh Chief of Police, the head of Airport Security along with older clips of Lou Fairbanks, at the FBI’s news conference from Hurricane West VA. These stories were interspersed with film clips from the chase across a snowy corn field in West Virginia, the discovery of more bodies at the farm of Alcott Earl Raines and his wife Hattie Raines, the latter of whom was still in Intensive Care and the former of whom was shot dead in his kitchen. There were repetitions of those stories and repeats of interviews with assorted witnesses. There were also stories about the kidnapping, rapes and murders of many young women across a 5 state region all attributed to the Parkland Killers. Pictures and descriptions of the men wanted in connection with these events flashed across TV screens with emergency numbers to call if the men were sited. They were interspersed with warnings that these men were to be regarded as armed and extremely dangerous. Reporters called this crime spree the most widespread, violent event in the history of the country and introduced criminal psychologists and forensic experts who discussed the psychology of the killers, the gang structure and the evidence that had been collected so far.

  Just beyond the airport where Route 376 loops and forms a triangle, nestles a small cemetery. Bound on two sides by high speed highways, Resurrection Cemetery is situated on a deserted hillside; its main access is a rarely used old road surrounded on two sides by woods. Scattered snowflakes fell in the approaching dark when they pulled the jeep under some trees, covered it with as many branches as they could find and broke into a mausoleum, surrounded by shrubs. Square and stone, the structure’s arched doorway was tarnished metal and wood. Built for a prominent Pittsburgh family, it looked to be about 100 years old. Elaborate Ionic columns guarded the door. Breaking in they found themselves in a cold dank room. A slender stream of fading daylight eked through a narrow stained glass window. Square-cut depressions in the walls held dozens of coffins neatly labeled. Marble slabs covered the floor; four stone benches were situated along each wall. On this cold and snowy day the cemetery was deserted. While sirens screamed through the howling wind, helicopters circled overhead until swirling snow necessitated landing. The killers hid silently in the mausoleum and waited, knowing the blizzard would cover their tracks and the night sky would make detection difficult. The white jeep would blend with the snow and be perfectly camouflaged. Jake congratulated himself on finding a perfect hideout; Custer and Slim breathed sighs of relief having escaped yet another death trap and Monica went into shock.