Savannah Law

by William Eleazer

  Malcolm’s phone call was to Carl DeBickero, a friend at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Statesboro. Malcolm had worked with Carl on many occasions while serving as a detective with the Savannah Police Department. They were long-time friends. The nearest GBI regional office was in Statesboro, only forty-five miles away, in Carl’s territory.

  Serious, violent crimes such as these—an abduction, aggravated battery, and a homicide—are the types of crimes GBI agents handle. The GBI enters upon request from sheriffs, DAs, superior court judges, and other such officials, not from private citizens. But Malcolm wanted them in—and fast. The death of a law professor so recently in the news caused by what could be deemed a “vigilante group” was not something Malcolm wanted to leave to local authorities on a Sunday afternoon. Not when he might be accused of being one of the vigilantes. There are ways to “get invited” into an investigation, and Malcolm was sure his friend could arrange it. Carl was soon on the phone, and Malcolm explained the situation and gave his location.

  “We can take the investigation,” said Carl. “We have good relations in Effingham with the sheriff and local chiefs. I’m senior duty agent this weekend, and I’ll handle the investigation myself. You and all the uninjured witnesses stay right there. I’ll call the sheriff, get him to invite us, and let him know I’m on the way. His men may get there before I do, but that’s OK. They will just secure the area until I get there with my forensic team. Just stay cool. How’s the girl?”

  “I don’t know. I’m still in the woods and haven’t even gotten to the house.”

  Malcolm turned to Jaak. “How’s the girl?” Malcolm had never met Jennifer and had momentarily forgotten her name.

  “Pretty shook up,” Jaak said. “She’s been through hell, but she’s going to be OK.”

  “Carl, she’s had it rough, but she’s going to be OK. We’ll be right here.”

  “I’ll be there within the hour,” said Carl.

  Deputies arrived at the same time as the medics. The same cell phone tower that had been the key to locating Jennifer was now the key to the emergency response. A medic went into the house to check on Jennifer, but she declined treatment, stating that she was OK.

  After Jimmy and Nolan were placed in the emergency vehicles, Malcolm and Jaak went into the house. By this time, Jennifer had finished tending to her wounds and soothing her red eyes with a cold cloth. When she returned to the den, Malcolm and Jaak were there, talking with Scott. She smiled at them and sat down on the sofa next to Scott, resting her head on his shoulder.

  As promised, Carl was at the compound in less than an hour. A forensic van arrived soon afterwards. A search warrant had already been signed, thanks to some expedited measures begun by Carl before he left his office. The investigation promised to be thorough. They searched for drugs, ammo, shell casings, additional weapons, letters and writings, computers, and more. They swiped the hands of all four: Scott, Jaak, Malcolm, even Jennifer, with dilute nitric acid to prepare for gunshot residue tests. Later they would go to the hospital and do the same to the hands of Jimmy and Nolan. They confiscated and tagged Nolan’s phone and each weapon used in the shootout. They found Nolan’s tin “aspirin” container, which was still on the kitchen table, and the tape, wire, and pliers used to bind Jennifer’s wrists, and tagged and bagged all of it. They took dozens of photos inside and out and samples of the blood wherever they found it.

  Carl made a call to the hospital and determined that Jimmy had been admitted with serious but not life-threatening wounds. He would be interviewed later. He also learned that Nolan was dead. Carl turned to Jaak and Malcolm.

  “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that your friend, Jimmy, is going to make it. The bad news is that Denis Nolan is dead.”

  Jaak and Malcolm were pleased to hear the good news about Jimmy. And they already knew that Nolan was dead. But “bad news”? Perhaps Nolan’s death was “bad news.” They would not get the pleasure of seeing him brought to justice in court for his crimes.

  Neither Jaak nor Malcolm responded to Carl’s report. They had agreed before he arrived to answer questions honestly but not to volunteer anything. Malcolm expected that his rummaging in the Verizon files would be discovered and that he would be fired. Whether criminal charges would follow, he wasn’t sure, but he did not regret his action. During his service as a police detective in Savannah, he frequently had the personal satisfaction of solving a crime. Several times, his work had prevented a more serious crime. But nothing had given him satisfaction like today. If he was fired, even charged and convicted, so be it.

  Jaak was disappointed and concerned that Jennifer had refused to be seen by the medic. Though she insisted that her injuries were slight, Jaak thought otherwise. He wanted to get her to a hospital, but now they had no transportation. Scott’s vehicle was totally wrecked, and the other vehicle belonged to Jimmy, who had been evacuated, along with his car keys.

  Jaak phoned Juri and gave him directions to the scene. When he arrived, Jaak insisted that Jennifer go with Juri to the emergency room at Candler Hospital in Savannah. Jennifer did not resist; she knew he was right.

  The three men remained at the scene, waiting for Carl to give his approval for them to leave. Malcolm called his wife, Nancy, and she was soon there to drive them back to Savannah when Carl gave his OK. He released them about three o’clock.

  During the ride back, they recounted each step in their adventure. Nancy drove, shaking her head as they worked through the rescue, step by step.

  “Malcolm, you are grounded for a month,” she said.

  Malcolm just laughed. He was enjoying the after-action critique.

  Jaak placed a call to Juri. “What’s your news?”

  “I took her to the emergency room at Candler. She was dehydrated, and she needed butterfly stitches on her cheek. Plus, a tetanus booster. And they put bandages on her wrists. She wanted to go home, but the ER doctor said she really should stay overnight. He told her that sometimes after an experience like she had, there’s a delayed reaction. When he learned that she lived alone, he was adamant that she spend the night at the hospital. She’s to be given a sedative to make sure she sleeps. She was doing OK when I left. She had me call her friend Nicole, who came right away.”

  “Can you think of anything she needs now?” asked Jaak.

  “No, Jaak. She’s fine. The hospital, or Nicole, will make sure that she has what she needs. Is your poker game on tonight?”

  “No. I think I’ll take a shower and go back to Springfield and visit Jimmy. Call the guys, and let them know what’s up. I’m on my way home now.”

  After dropping Jaak off at home, Nancy drove Scott to Candler Hospital. When he located Jennifer’s room and knocked, Nicole opened the door. Scott could see Jennifer in her bed, bandages on her cheek and wrists. Jennifer smiled when she saw Scott in the doorway. He walked over to the bed, bent down, and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “I’ll be leaving now,” said Nicole, “but I’ll be back later tonight.” She closed the door as she left.

  Scott pulled a chair close to the bed and took Jennifer’s hand in his.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” said Jennifer.

  “I love you, Jennifer... from first sight I have loved you”

  Jennifer squeezed his hand and closed her eyes. She could sleep now.

  THE END (Epilogue follows)

  EPILOGUE

  Monday’s paper had a front-page story of the shoot-out and rescue.

  Law professor killed; his hostage rescued. GBI Investigation continues

  Denis Nolan, a professor at Savannah College of Law, died during a shootout Sunday. Nolan who had taken a female law student hostage, was killed by friends of the hostage during a rescue effort near Rincon, police said. He was the son of the late Howard Nolan, a prominent Savannah business and civic leader.

  According to the police report, Nolan abducted the student from her apartment early Saturday morning and imprisoned her at a ho
use he owns on the banks of the Savannah River in Effingham County.

  The investigation of the abduction and rescue led police to piece together the following account.

  Early Sunday morning the abducted student used a cell phone to contact a friend, Scott Marino, a fellow law student at Savannah College of Law. She told Marino that she had been taken hostage and where she was. Marino was with Jaak Terras when he received her call. Terras immediately contacted two friends, Malcolm Zitralph of Savannah and Jimmy Exley of Springfield.

  Marino drove Zitralph and Terras, who were armed, to rendezvous with Exley, who knew the location of Nolan’s house. As the party approached the house, Nolan opened fire with an automatic weapon. In the exchange of fire, Nolan was killed and Exley was seriously wounded.

  “The quick action of these four men likely saved the life of the student,” said Carl DeBickero, the GBI agent in charge of the investigation.

  DeBickero reports that the investigation is still underway, but he believes it is unlikely that any charges will result since the shooting appears to be justified.

  The name of the student is being withheld by this newspaper because of privacy concerns.

  When Jaak arrived at the Library Monday morning, Juri was seated at a table with a cup of coffee and the front page of Monday’s newspaper spread before him. Jaak stood reading over Juri’s shoulder about the rescue.

  “Quite a weekend, eh, Jaak?” said Juri.

  “You might say,” replied Jaak, as he sat down next to Juri. “Malcolm said we could count on DeBickero, but I wondered how it would play out in the paper. The report says the call went straight from Jennifer to Scott, giving her location. Nothing was reported about Malcolm rummaging through Verizon’s files to locate the phone number and the cell towers. I think Malcolm’s job is going to be OK. And I don’t believe anybody’s going to question our vigilante activities. The one thing missing from the article is Scott’s storming the compound in his Camaro, giving us a clear shot at Nolan. Scott saved Jennifer, no question. And lost his prize Camaro.”

  “He’s going to need some transportation. Maybe we ought to help him with it,” said Juri.”

  “Yes, a Camaro. A 1984, eight-cylinder Z28.”

  • • •

  Three weeks later, the newspaper ran the following two articles in its local news section.

  Investigation of law professor’s death closed

  No criminal charges will be brought against the four men involved in the September 17 shooting death of a Savannah law professor who abducted a female law student.

  According to GBI Agent Carl DeBickero, the investigation into the death has been concluded. “The facts established that the shooting of Denis Nolan during the rescue efforts was clearly justified,” DeBickero said.

  Bonaventure memorial dispute ends

  The death of Denis Nolan on September 17 has brought to an end the long-running dispute over the building of a large memorial in Bonaventure Cemetery.

  The Department of Cemeteries refused to grant a permit for the immense walk-in memorial that Nolan wanted erected on the large family lot in Bonaventure. The memorial was designed to have an Egyptian obelisk that would have towered over all other monuments in the historical cemetery. Nolan had hired legal counsel to fight the department’s decision.

  Nolan’s closest relative, Mrs. Goodwin Tuck, an aunt who lives in Covington, Georgia, said plans for the extensive memorial and tall obelisk have been dropped.

  As Scott was reading the newspaper that morning, the phone rang. The caller identified himself as a salesman at Dan Vaden Chevrolet. “Mr. Marino,” he said, “we have a special order for you here at the dealership, and it’s ready for pick-up.”

  “A special order?” Scott inquired.

  “Yes—a 1984 Camaro Z28.”

  Obviously surprised, Scott said, “I know nothing about that.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of that. It’s from someone who insists on remaining anonymous. The title is free and clear in your name. I have the keys; just call for me when you get here.”

  Scott was sure that he knew who the anonymous donor was, and he knew that someday he would repay him.

  • • •

  The day after Scott picked up his Camaro, another newspaper article caught his attention. It was accompanied by the photo of a man he recognized, although he had seen him only once.

  Local man arrested for rape and assault

  Craig E. Muldrabe, 34, of Savannah, was arrested last night after a police chase that began in midtown Savannah and ended with his capture in Port Wentworth.

  Police said they charged Muldrabe with burglary, rape, and attempted murder of a 25-year-old woman. The woman was reported to be a former girlfriend who had obtained a restraining order against him last summer.

  Muldrabe allegedly broke into the apartment of the woman, raped her, and then stabbed her multiple times after she called 911.

  When officers arrived on the scene, Muldrabe sped away in a black Camry, police said. The 12-mile chase ended when Muldrabe crashed his vehicle just inside the city limits of Port Wentworth. He is presently being held without bond in the Chatham County jail.

  This newspaper is withholding the victim’s name because of its policy not to identify rape victims. She was reported to be in serious condition.

  Scott called Jennifer immediately. She had not seen the paper, so he read the article to her. Both were grateful—and relieved—at the news that her tormentor was now in jail. They agreed it called for a celebration. Jennifer promised to make chicken lasagna Alfredo, and Scott promised to bring a couple of movies. Both knew he would forget, and they would end up on the sofa listening to Jennifer’s CDs. And, of course, they would feel like dancing....

  End of Epilogue