by Mike Ryan
You’ve followed instructions well. Glad to see you’re still alone. We’re going to deviate slightly from the previous plans. There is another plane leaving in one hour for Mexico. Be on it. Flight 515 for Monterrey. You will get further instructions when you land.
Gemini
Dermott sighed, knowing the plan had already gone to hell. He knew Bridge and Nicole were on the flight to Venezuela. That meant they were going in the wrong direction and likely wouldn’t get there in time for the next drop. Still, he had to go through with it and push on. He forwarded the email to Bridge and then went to the ticket counter to book the next flight.
Bridge and Nicole both had their laptops open to do some work while in the air. They were about two hours away from landing at their second stop at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama. Seeing that he had a new alert for an email, Bridge clicked on it, seeing the forwarded message from Dermott. He sighed loudly, then balled his fist and put it up to his forehead. Nicole noticed he was clearly agitated.
“What’s wrong?” Bridge shifted his laptop to the side so she could read the message. “Oh, no.”
“We’ve been had.”
“This is definitely not good,” Nicole said. “What are we gonna do?”
“Only thing we can do. As soon as we land, we gotta book a flight for Mexico.”
“We won’t get there in time.”
“We gotta do what we can.”
Nicole started checking flight times. “That plane Dermott is going to be on won’t get to Mexico until about eight o’clock.”
“How soon can we get there?”
“Checking.” He heard the frustration in Nicole’s sigh. “Ten.”
Bridge punched his leg with his fist. “Two hours. Two hours. They can do just about anything they want in that time frame.”
“Maybe Dermott can somehow stall long enough for us to get there.”
“He’s not gonna be able to stall for two hours. A few minutes maybe. Not two hours. These guys, whoever they are, if they think he’s stalling, they’ll just kill Ava and be done with it.”
“Maybe. It could be that they’re all just talk. They might not hurt her at all.”
“Can’t take that risk, Nic. You gotta assume that if they’re willing to kidnap someone, they’re willing to kill them.”
Another email showed up in Bridge’s inbox. It was from Happ. Bridge opened it and sighed again. He could only shake his head at the news.
“What now?” Nicole asked.
“Eric got a hit on Hatch’s passport.”
“And?”
“Showed up in Mexico yesterday.”
“Well, at least now we know for sure that he’s involved.”
“We’ve bungled this, Nic. We’ve completely screwed this up.”
“No, we haven’t. We couldn’t have known they’d change meeting places.”
Bridge rubbed his eyes. “We should’ve waited. We should’ve just went down on the same flight as Dermott to make sure nothing changed.”
“But then we wouldn’t have gotten a head start to try to find Ava before the drop.”
“Well, we’re not gonna find her now, anyway.”
“If they have Dermott make the drop and they give Ava back, then it doesn’t matter.”
“And if they don’t give Ava back? They didn’t last time.”
“Then we’ll still have time to find her.”
“Unless they’re done with her.”
“We’ll find her,” Nicole said. She wasn’t sure if she really believed it or whether she was just saying it to keep Bridge’s head in a positive space. But in either case, she hoped that was so.
“We should’ve waited. Should’ve waited to see if we got a hit on Hatch’s passport. Then we might’ve been able to see this coming. We should’ve waited to go down with Dermott. We should’ve waited for everything.”
“Luke, you can’t blame yourself for this. We both know in this business things happen, and things sometimes go sideways, and you can’t always predict what’s going to happen. But things go wrong all the time. It’s just part of the deal.”
“Doesn’t make it any easier to live with when someone’s life is hanging by a thread.”
“All we can do is the best we can.”
Bridge continued thinking about everything. He reread every email that was exchanged between the two parties, retraced every step that he thought the kidnappers made, and every thought that he’d had since he took on the case in an effort to figure out how he got things wrong. As he kept reading the emails, something stuck out at him.
“Why didn’t I see this before?”
“What?” Nicole asked.
“Why didn’t we see this?”
“See what?”
“Look at these last two emails.” The two of them read them together, but silently.
At 9 a.m., there is a flight heading down to Orlando. Be on it. Once there, you will check your email for further instructions. There will be another flight from there to Venezuela, so make sure you bring your passport. We will tell you the specific flight to get on once you’re in Orlando. Bring the two hundred thousand in your carry-on luggage. Remember, no cops. Or else.
Gemini
You’ve followed instructions well. Glad to see you’re still alone. We’re going to deviate slightly from the previous plans. There is another plane leaving in one hour for Mexico. Be on it. Flight 515 for Monterrey. You will get further instructions when you land.
Gemini
Nicole looked at her boyfriend strangely, obviously not seeing what he was seeing. “Ummm, yeah?”
“Don’t you see it?”
“Apparently not.”
“They had eyes on him in Orlando. Someone was there watching him.”
Nicole’s eyes read the emails again. Then she saw it. “How’d I miss that the first time?”
“Same way I did. Glad to see you’re not alone. How would they know he was alone unless they were watching him?”
“It was the plan all along. Get him down to Orlando, have eyes on him to make sure he was still following directions, then have him go to Mexico.”
“So then, wouldn’t it also be likely that whoever is in Orlando watching him, might also be on that plane to Mexico, to continue watching him?”
Nicole nodded. “Could be.”
“I’m gonna fire off an email to Happ. See if he can figure out who our target is on that plane.”
“Could be they just used a local lookout. Might not be anyone who’s following him there.”
“Maybe. But if there is, it could give us a leg up on where to go once we get there.”
Bridge started writing his email.
Eric,
Bodie Dermott is now being rerouted to Monterrey, Mexico. We’re gonna have to change flights once we land in Panama, which means Dermott will arrive there two hours before we can get there. We think someone might have been watching him at the Orlando Airport. Can you check records to see who else got on that plane? It’s Flight 515 to Monterrey. Thanks, pal. I owe you a beer.
Luke
Within a few minutes, Bridge got a reply.
Luke
At this point, you probably owe me an entire bar. But I’ll start looking into it. I’ll let you know when or if I have something.
Eric
“You should probably send an email back to Dermott to let him know when we’ll get there,” Nicole said.
“Yeah.”
Bodie,
Our flight is stopping in Panama. We’ll take the first flight out of there, but we won’t get to Mexico until about ten o’clock. That’s two hours after you. It’s up to you how you proceed once you get there. I can’t tell you what to do. If you’re able to stall long enough for us to get there, do what you can. But if you don’t think you can, then do what you have to do. Trust your instincts. If you have to make a drop right away, and you think it’s the only way, then do it. If something doesn’t feel right, or is too dangerous, th
en back away if you have to. Just keep us in the loop as much as you can about what’s going on or where you are, so we know where to go when we land.
Luke
After hitting the send button, Bridge sighed. “Hope this doesn’t become a disaster. It’s already heading that way.”
“We’ll be all right.”
“Hope Ava Dermott and her father will be.”
Once the plane landed in Panama, Bridge and Nicole immediately took the next flight out to Mexico.
“I hate this part.”
“Which part?” Nicole asked.
“Standing around and waiting. Nothing to do and no way to help.”
“It’s all we can do.”
“I know, but I still hate it.” Bridge took out his phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“Eric. See if he’s got anything yet.”
“He said he’d let you know.”
“I’m seeing early.” Bridge called his friend, who answered almost immediately.
“You do know that I don’t work for you, right? You do know that?”
“I’m well aware.”
“Half the time it seems like I’m more invested in your stuff than I am my own.”
“Maybe my stuff is more interesting or more important?”
Happ laughed. “Maybe.”
“You able to come up with anything on that plane yet?”
“Still narrowing it down. I’ve crossed a bunch of people off. Still a bunch more to account for.”
“How much longer?”
“It takes how long it takes, Luke, you know that.”
“I know. Sorry for being impatient.”
“Look, I know, I get it. There’s a lot happening, a lot riding on this, and a lot that can go bad in a short amount of time. I’m working on it as fast as I can.”
“I know. And I appreciate it.”
“As soon as I know something, you’ll know something.”
“Thanks.”
By the look on his face as he swung his phone down by his side, Nicole could already tell what the answer was. But she figured she’d confirm it, anyway.
“Nothing yet?”
Bridge shook his head. “Nothing yet.”
“Like I said before, might not be anyone on that plane.”
“Maybe. But if there is…”
“Then Eric will find him.”
Bridge sighed. “Yeah. And then we’ll find him.”
9
Once Bridge and Nicole stepped off the plane at the Monterrey International Airport, Bridge immediately tried calling Bodie Dermott. There was no answer. While he kept trying to get ahold of him, Nicole rented a car. Bridge walked outside, standing in front of the airport until Nicole showed up with their SUV. Bridge got in, phone still pressed to his ear.
“Anything?”
Bridge shook his head. “Nothing. Just keeps ringing and going to voicemail.”
“Well, at least it’s not turned off.”
“Yeah, but if it’s on, then why isn’t he answering?”
“Maybe he can’t. Maybe the deal’s going down right now.”
“Then why isn’t his phone off?”
“Maybe he’s got it on silent. Where you wanna go?”
“Might as well grab a hotel and figure out our next steps,” Bridge answered. “Think there’s a Marriott about ten minutes away.”
Once they checked into the hotel and went into their room, they started setting up their equipment. Since Dermott wasn’t answering his phone, Bridge thought maybe he’d send an email, since that’s how they’d been communicating, anyway. Maybe somehow that’d get through.
Bodie,
We’re now here in Mexico. Tried calling you. Let me know where you are.
Luke
Bridge sighed after he was done. “Hope that does something.”
“We can only do what we can do.”
Bridge’s phone started ringing. His initial hope that it was Dermott was quickly dashed. Not that he was disappointed to hear from Happ, assuming he had some information for him, but it wasn’t who he was hoping for.
“What’s up, Eric?”
“Got a couple possibles for you from Orlando.”
“What are the names?”
“First name is Diego Andujar. Flew in from Mexico to Orlando late last night. Haven’t found out anything about his overnight activities or where he stayed yet, but this morning, he got back on the flight to return home.”
“Short trip.”
“And there’s another one,” Happ said. “Name is Anson Berkampf.”
“What’s his story?”
“From New Jersey. I’ve already confirmed that he does have a relationship with your other guy.”
“Hatch?”
“Yeah. Went to the same high school.”
“Well, that can’t be a coincidence.”
“From what I can make out, he went down to Florida a few weeks ago.”
“Right around the time Ava went missing?”
“A couple days before that I believe.”
“Interesting.”
“And there’s been no activity on any of his credit or bank accounts, social media, nothing. Nothing until he booked that plane this morning.”
“One-way trip?”
“Looks like it. Found out something else that’s interesting.”
“What’s that?”
“Berkampf just got his passport about two months ago.”
“Any hits on it?”
“He’s been to Mexico three times since then. That’s the only place he’s gone.”
“Criminal record?”
“Nothing on either guy so far.”
“They both US citizens?”
“Berkampf is. Andujar is a Mexican citizen.”
“So what’s this all mean?” Bridge asked, not really expecting an answer.
“Means you got some work to do.”
“Could both these guys be in on it?”
“I’d say that’s possible.”
“Can you forward what you got on both these guys to me?”
“Will do.”
“Thanks.”
“How are you making out down there?”
“Just got in a half hour ago,” Bridge answered. “No contact with our client yet. Don’t know where he’s at. Everything’s quiet.”
“Quiet’s not good in this instance.”
“I know it.”
“If the drop went down already, he should’ve called you by now to let you know.”
“I know. That’s what’s got me worried.”
“Unless they’re taking him somewhere and shutting off all communications so he doesn’t know or see where he’s at.”
Bridge groaned like he didn’t think that was the case. But at this point, he couldn’t rule anything out. He finished up his conversation with Happ, then checked with Nicole to see if she came up with anything yet.
“I got nothing.”
Bridge ran his hand over his head and blew air through his lips. “This is the worst-case scenario.”
“Maybe let’s go back to the airport, start asking questions.”
“I don’t know. If whoever took Ava’s got people at the airport and we ask the wrong person, we could blow our cover right now.”
“What other choice do we have?”
Bridge shook his head. “Not many.” He stood there, thinking of everything. “Why didn’t he send me a message? I told him to check in as soon as he got here.”
“Maybe he didn’t have time.”
Bridge sighed again. “Or maybe he didn’t have the opportunity.”
“If there was someone on the flight with him, they might have picked him up as soon as he hit the ground.”
Bridge nodded. He wrote down the names of the people Happ told him about. “Eric said these two names were on the flight.”
“What’s so interesting about them?”
“Andujar arrived the night before, then took the next plane
back, which just happened to be the one Dermott was on. And Berkampf is from New Jersey. Just so happens to have gone to the same high school as Hatch.”
“Well, that’s not a coincidence.”
“No, it’s not.”
Bridge sat down to check his email, waiting for the message from Happ to show up. Since it hadn’t come yet, he wasn’t ready to just sit by and do nothing. To get the most done in the shortest amount of time, he offered a plan.
“I’ll go back to the airport, start asking around.”
“What do you want me to do?” Nicole asked.
“Dig up whatever you can on these two guys. Try to find out where they are, who they’re with, where they’re at, whatever you can. One or both of them have to be involved somehow.”
“OK. I’ll see if I can pull up credit cards, phone records, things like that.”
Before leaving for the airport, Hall spent a few minutes pulling up the pictures of both Andujar and Berkampf, wanting to have something to show people at the airport. He printed out both their pictures, along with one of Dermott, hoping someone saw something out of the ordinary. Hall gave his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek before leaving.
“Let me know if you get something,” Nicole said.
“I will. You do the same.”
Bridge went back to the airport, armed with pictures of the three men, hoping someone had seen at least one of them. He went everywhere possible inside that airport. He checked with restaurant personnel, car rentals, airport workers, baggage handlers, terminal workers, even passengers who were just sitting around. If they’d been there for a while, maybe they’d seen something. Unfortunately, nobody he’d checked with saw anything. A few thought one or another looked familiar, but nobody could place any of them specifically.
After two hours of searching, Bridge figured he was wasting his time. Seeing as how he hadn’t gotten a call from Nicole yet, he assumed that she was striking out, too. Bridge went outside and stood near the entrance, watching a few cars go by. He looked around to figure out his next move. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, seeing a younger guy standing there. Bridge didn’t know his face. He was probably in his late twenties or so. Judging by his attire, the man looked like he worked at the airport.