Silver Justice

by Russell Blake

  “I need to take this outside. Can you throw three sweeteners in mine?” she asked Richard, then pushed her way to the entrance.

  “Hello.”

  “Jesus. I just heard. What happened? Do you know anything?” It was Eric.

  “No, Eric. I don’t. She was kidnapped last night from the flat. We don’t know by whom, or even what they want. But I’m on my way over there right now to meet the techs so they can record any demand calls and trace them.”

  “The feds are coming to put tracers on my phones, too. How did they get her? And how did they get by you?”

  “We don’t know how they got in, but the best guess is that they picked the locks.”

  “But how did they make it past you?”

  Silver considered the ten possible non-responsive rejoinders she could try to make his life miserable, and then just told the truth.

  “I wasn’t there. She was with a babysitter.”

  “What? You weren’t with her?” Eric barked.

  “That’s what I just said, didn’t I?”

  “Where were you? What was more important than taking care of our daughter?” Eric’s tone had gone dangerously ugly in a heartbeat. The insinuation was clear. If Silver had been doing her job as a mom, Kennedy would still be safe. Guilt slammed into her, but she banished it — that was precisely the effect he wanted. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Any remorse she had for having left Kennedy with the babysitter would be played out on her own timeline, not his.

  “I was having dinner with a colleague from work. I do that once every year or so.” She really didn’t need this. She should have lied.

  “So you were out on the town while someone was breaking into the flat? Is this some kind of nightmare? What in the hel-”

  Silver depressed the end call button and then dialed Ben. She briefly explained the situation on his machine and asked him to call back as soon as he was in the office. She would just ignore Eric’s abuse until she could talk to him.

  Her line rang again. Eric.

  She answered, against her better judgment. “If you start down that road again, I hang up,” she cautioned.

  He didn’t apologize, but he didn’t pursue it. “What are you doing to get her back?”

  “We have a full team on it, and I’ll be with the investigators in a few minutes. I don’t know anything more right now. I’ll make sure you’re kept in the loop. Now I have to go.”

  “Silver, don’t hang up on me again. I’m warning you. If you think you can-”

  She stabbed the line off and switched the phone to silent. Her nerves really couldn’t handle this today. She would leave Eric to Ben.

  Richard exited with their coffee and hesitated when he saw the look on her face. “You okay?”

  “No, Richard. I’m not okay. My daughter’s been kidnapped, my life is a shambles, God knows what’s being done to her while we speak, and my asshole ex is going for my throat.” She stopped. He was on her side. “I’m sorry. I’m just raw.”

  “I figured, and I completely understand. No problem. You want to hold these while I try to drive?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “Sure.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Sam was in the office early and heard about Silver’s situation within the first five minutes. It was all anyone was talking about — the biggest news to hit the building in years. One of their own had first been attacked by a gunman, and now her child had been kidnapped, all within a space of a few days. That was a threat to every one of them — most had families, and the unspoken fear was that if the job put their loved ones in jeopardy, that changed the playing field.

  Sam sauntered to Brett’s office and knocked on his door. He looked like he’d been there all night.

  “Yes?”

  “I just heard about the situation with Silver. That’s unbelievable, sir.”

  “Yes, it is. I’ve been working on it non-stop. We will be committing substantial resources to this case — agents to question everyone in the neighborhood, to review all the traffic footage, coordinate with NYPD…”

  “I just want you to know that you can depend upon me to step in and pick up Silver’s load on The Regulator task force. We shouldn’t miss a beat.”

  “Really…” Brett’s eyes narrowed.

  “Yes. I mean, I know she’s going to be too distracted to run the task force effectively. She’s good, but she’s not superhuman. Nobody could expect her focus and concentration to be there. I know mine wouldn’t be…”

  Brett considered Sam’s statement. “I’ve been too slammed to devote a lot of thought to it, but you make a good point.”

  “Between the shooting, and now this…nobody could be anywhere close to a hundred percent. And with The Regulator’s killings heating up and more pressure coming from all directions…it wouldn’t be fair.”

  Brett picked up his pen and resumed signing the stack of documents on his desk. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t be. Your readiness to step into the breach is noted and appreciated.”

  “No problem, sir, I just wanted you to know that she’s got support systems in place.”

  “Very well. Thanks. And please, close the door behind you.”

  Silver climbed the stairs to her apartment and was greeted by two techs who had been let in by the departing agents that morning. They quietly and efficiently went about their mysterious business, and Silver motioned Richard to take a seat while she ducked into the bedroom to change.

  As she was pulling off her dress, her phone lit up, and she grabbed it after catching a glimpse of the number.

  “Ben. Thanks for calling me back so quickly.”

  “Silver. No problem. Now what’s this about a kidnapping? Did I hear you right on the voicemail?”

  Silver took him through the events of the last twelve hours, finishing with the call from her ex.

  “All right. I’ll handle it. You’re right not to have any contact with him. You have more than enough to contend with right now without worrying about how every other word will be used against you later. Speaking of which, you’ll be happy to know that some of your money is paying dividends. I don’t want to jinx it, but we may have something that will shut down Eric’s bid for Kennedy.”

  “That’s wonderful news, Ben. Although I would be more excited if I knew she was…that she was okay.”

  “I understand. Leave everything to me. I still have his phone number. I’ll touch base and advise him to stop pestering you with calls.” Ben paused. “He’s quite a dick, isn’t he?”

  “That’s the technical term. Yes, he’s relentless and totally amoral, and as vicious as a pit viper.”

  “Snakes are my specialty. I’ll handle it. Silver, I hope everything turns out okay. I know it’s slim comfort at a time like this, but my heart goes out to you. This is a terrible, terrible thing…”

  “Thanks, Ben. I appreciate the kind words.”

  She disconnected and then completed her wardrobe change, selecting a pair of loose slacks and a button-up, creme-colored blouse. She slipped on a pair of sandals and dialed Brett’s number as she exited the bedroom.

  “You want something else besides coffee?” Silver asked Richard.

  He shook his head.

  Brett’s voice came on the line, and she held up a finger.

  “Brett. It’s Silver. I’m back at the flat.”

  “How are you holding up?”

  “So-so. The electronics team is here. No ransom call yet. It’s the landline they’ll need to use.”

  “That’s good. Simplifies things. But we’ll still be running a trace on your cell as well — they might get the number from your daughter.”

  She hadn’t thought of that — and it was basic procedure. She needed to pull herself together, or she wouldn’t be any good to anyone.

  “I know it’s too soon to expect anything, but have you made any progress?” she asked.

  “I’ve got a team assembled, and they’re going to canvass the neighborhood and see if anyone saw any
thing. That’s a good first place to start. You never know. It’s a relatively busy area, so we may get lucky. We’ve also gone through the traffic camera feeds, and one of the cams captured a suspicious-looking SUV.”

  “Suspicious? Suspicious how?”

  “The SUV triggered a stolen plate alert. A dark green Ford Explorer. I’ve put out an APB on it, so maybe we’ll get a hit.”

  “I wonder how many cars on the streets at any given hour are stolen? I’m guessing it isn’t a lot.”

  “Not that many. This is significant. It’s our best lead so far, but it’s still early. Silver, we’re going to throw the kitchen sink at this. Nothing will be spared. Absolutely nothing,” Brett assured her.

  “I know you will. I appreciate it. Now tell me who’s running the team? Maybe we can compare notes.”

  “It’s Art Phillips. He’s seasoned — has done a lot of these, relatively speaking.”

  “Art’s good. That will help. Listen, I’m sorry to have to take time off from the task force. I know things are heating up there with the latest-”

  “I need to talk to you about that. Don’t worry about the task force. Your priority should be your daughter.”

  “I know, but I’m able to focus, and I’m planning to be back on line tomorrow. I really feel like we’re making progress now. With the traffic image and some leads on possible motivation…”

  “Silver, that isn’t important. You need to look after yourself until this ordeal is over. I’ll assign someone else to run the task force.” Brett dropped the bomb as artfully as possible.

  Silver took a few seconds of silence to absorb his words. “You’re pulling me?”

  Brett hesitated, and then his voice grew in conviction. “I have no choice. With your daughter kidnapped, there’s not a chance in hell the Bureau will let you keep running it. You know how things work. We can’t afford to have anything but best efforts every step, and with all this other shit going on… Look, once we find Kennedy, you’re back in the saddle. You have my word on that. But for now, you need to concentrate on your family, not the task force.”

  She swallowed, temporarily feeling like she was choking. “I…I can do this, Brett. Really. It will help take my mind off wondering what’s happening to Kennedy every minute of the day. The work will help.”

  “I don’t doubt it, but running a serial killer investigation isn’t some kind of therapy, Silver. The victims need someone with no distractions. I wouldn’t remain in this office for two minutes if I let you continue. You know it.”

  She felt blood rushing to her cheeks as he spoke.

  “Because I’m a woman, and women are emotional, right?”

  “Silver, that’s not fair. If you were a man, we’d pull you off just as quickly. It has nothing to do with gender — and everything to do with being involved in a crisis. Think about it. That you would even consider this is because of your sex is irrational. Which underscores my assumption that you aren’t going to be performing at peak while Kennedy is missing.”

  Silver digested his words for a few moments. “You’re right, Brett. This is a massive body blow. I’m sorry for lashing out at you. It’s just that right now, the job is all I have. Without that…”

  “It’s still your job. But you’re going to take time off. That’s an order. I don’t want to see you near this building until…until there’s a resolution on the kidnapping.” His voice softened. “Silver, if this happened to me I’d be a basket case. Stop forcing yourself to be Wonder Woman. Nobody could keep it together in light of what’s happened. Take the time to deal with this, and we’ll revisit things once…later.”

  “Who are you putting in charge?”

  “Sam Aravian.”

  “No. Brett. Please don’t do that,” she blurted, her voice sounding borderline hysterical. Silver reined in her anger before she lost it. She needed to make a dispassionate case for not giving Sam the lead, not unload on her boss. “He’s not on the same page, Brett. He’ll take the investigation down an unproductive road. He’s fought me tooth and nail on virtually every decision for the last week. Why not Seth? He’s good, and he’s up to speed.”

  “He’s also got three years’ less experience, Silver, and he’s not a Supervisory Agent yet. I can’t just bypass a resource like Sam and ask him to answer to Seth. Give me a break.”

  Brett was right. He had to work within the framework of the Bureau’s playbook, and while Silver didn’t agree with the decision, she could see how it was the only one he could make.

  “I get it. But with all due respect, you’re not going to get rid of me that easily. I want access to the computers while I’m off. If I don’t have something to work on, I’ll go stir crazy. Come on, Brett. Throw me a bone here. Don’t shut me out. I didn’t do anything wrong…”

  Brett groaned and then capitulated. She could hear it in his exhalation.

  “Fine, Silver, fine. All right. Your remote access will remain in place. But don’t wear yourself out. Your first priority needs to be to yourself right now. We’ll catch this serial one way or another. It shouldn’t be your overriding concern.”

  “Thank you, Brett. I appreciate it. And I completely understand what you’re saying. But we’re all wired differently, and the work will really help.”

  “Good. Call me if you need anything at all. I’ll be around today and tomorrow, and then I’m off to a conference in D.C. next week. Closed doors, so I’ll only be available in the evenings. Meanwhile, you can also have full access to Art. He’s expecting your call.”

  Brett gave her Art’s cell number. “Give Art an hour — he’s going to be in a briefing first thing this morning. I’ve got to go give it, so I won’t be around, either. I’ll keep you posted on any progress. Again, I’m sorry this is happening, Silver.”

  “Yeah. It sucks.”

  “It does indeed.”

  Chapter 19

  Kennedy had regained consciousness a few hours earlier, lying on a bed in a completely dark room with no windows. She’d felt her way around, exploring what she could absent any light — it seemed bigger than her bedroom at home, and very different. The air smelled dank and musty and abandoned, and the only furniture in the room was the bed — a single width mattress on a box-spring with no frame.

  The cold metal door was locked. She twisted the knob and alternated between pushing and pulling, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t get it to budge. She debated slamming against it and making as much noise as possible but then thought better of it. She didn’t want to risk angering whoever had locked her in.

  She listened intently but didn’t hear anything other than a dim humming she couldn’t identify, emanating from somewhere on the other side of the door. Wherever this was, she’d never been anywhere like it before. Her trembling fingers brushed against the coarse finish on the walls. Rough cement with a damp feel. At least it wasn’t freezing or boiling hot.

  Her wrists hurt from the cuffs, and her head was pounding. Dizziness came and went along with waves of nausea. Her mouth was dry and tasted like she’d chewed on metal in her sleep, and she was sore all over. Creeping anxiety gnawed at her stomach, aside from the fear she’d awoken to, and her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head.

  The last thing she remembered was struggling with the intruder, fighting to break free from his superior grip. Then everything had gone dark, and the next thing she knew she was on the bed, thirsty and needing to use the bathroom.

  Something scuttled across her arm. She screamed reflexively, brushing it away with revulsion. Visions of spiders, their mandibles twitching feverishly as they sensed blood pulsing just below the surface of her skin, froze her in place. Kennedy had always been terrified of the dark. This was her worst nightmare come true. She shuddered at the thought of insects creeping towards her, unsure of how to protect herself from them.

  Kennedy started bawling out of fear and dread of whatever was to come. She wanted her mother and to be someplace safe. Her cries reverberated off the cold,
uncaring walls as she shrieked her terror and frustration at them. She threw herself down on the bed face first and howled into the pillow until she drifted off again, exhausted by her outburst.

  The humming continued without abating, her only company in the dark confinement.

  Kennedy bolted upright, woken by the sound of the door lock being slid open. She instinctively shrank back to the farthest corner of the bed, pulling her knees to her chin.

  Light streamed through the opening as the heavy steel door swung wide, and then a man filled the space. He walked into the room and reached overhead, and she instinctively flinched. His hand gripped a short cord dangling from the ceiling, and he pulled it with an audible snap. A single bulb illuminated.

  Kennedy peered up at him, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the new light. He turned and studied her, rubbing a hand over the closely-cropped, quarter-inch stubble on his head. Their eyes locked, and she felt a chill run through her.

  “You probably have to go to the bathroom by now,” he said, his voice sounding gravelly in the confined area.

  Kennedy nodded fearfully.

  “All right, then. Follow me.”

  He turned and moved towards the door. She remained where she was.

  “You going to come, or should I leave you in here to do your business on the floor?”

  That got her attention. The lesser of two evils was to accompany him.

  She stood up gingerly, her legs still wobbly, and trailed him out of the room, through a basement area with a boiler. A small utility door stood open, beyond which she could make out a toilet and an old, cracked, enamel wall sink.

  “You have five minutes. Make it worthwhile.” He pointed to the bathroom.

  Kennedy went in and closed the door, searching frantically for a way to reach the small window near the ceiling. The light only just penetrated the grimy glass and looked like it might not even open.

  “And don’t get any ideas about the window. I have a couple of very mean, very hungry Rottweilers circling the grounds. You wouldn’t make it ten feet.”