The Grey Zone

by Easton, Don

  “Thanks. I … I hope that calling you was the right thing.”

  “It was,” Alicia replied confidently. “We don’t want anyone else to go through what you two are going through now. These people must be caught.”

  He nodded for them to follow him.

  After climbing a narrow path through some scrub brush, they skirted a tall hedge surrounding a tennis court, passed a swimming pool, then crossed a patio to a set of French doors.

  “Guest room,” David whispered as he reached for a door handle. “My wife, Jia, is inside, but she won’t turn the lights on until you’re all in.”

  “You’re doing really well,” Alicia whispered back. “We’re going to get through this together.”

  “I, I just want Tommy back,” he choked out in response.

  He opened the door to let everyone inside. Once the lights were turned on, Alicia could see David and Jia clearly. The police database had revealed that neither had a criminal record, and according to their driver’s licences, both were forty-two years old. If she’d been guessing their ages, though, she’d have added eight years. The stress was telling.

  David looked at Alicia and turned his palms up to ask, What now?

  Good, he was already turning to her for answers. She put her finger to her lips as a reminder to be quiet, then gestured for them to sit on the bed. She and Hawkins sat down in the only two chairs in the room.

  The technicians immediately went to work. The room and hallway outside were given the all-clear, allowing them to talk while the technicians continued through the rest of the house.

  Hawkins wasted no time conducting the interviews. Was there anyone whom they suspected? Any trouble at work or competitors who could be involved? Had anything unusual happened recently? Any salespeople come to the house? How long had Tommy been taking piano lessons, and was it always with this teacher, on this day? Could Jia better describe the men? Did they wear gloves? What about the white van? Was it dirty or clean? Old or new? Any decals or bumper stickers? Could it have been a rental? What did the inside look like? Any scratches on the floor?

  The questions continued, but the answers were of little value. Jia remembered that the man who shoved a gun in her stomach wore latex gloves, but was too scared to remember if the other one did.

  Hawkins made notes and had Jia repeat certain details to ensure accuracy or to help jog her memory. “You said one of them asked for your phone number as well as your husband’s. Did you see him write them down?”

  “He wrote the numbers on a piece of paper that looked like a sales receipt.”

  Too bad. If he’d used something like part of a cigarette package, that might have helped identify him later on.

  “We’d like to put a tap on your phones immediately,” Hawkins said.

  Both parents agreed.

  “Jia, you said you drive Tommy to school every morning,” Hawkins continued. “Did you ever notice someone who might’ve been following you?”

  Jia burst into tears. “No, I didn’t! I should’ve been paying more attention!” she sobbed. “I let this happen. I let them drive away with my Tommy.”

  David put his arms around her and tried to comfort her. “It’s not your fault. They had a gun. What were you supposed to do? Fight back? They said they’d kill you both if you didn’t co-operate.”

  “You did the right thing,” Alicia added firmly.

  Hawkins cleared his throat. “Jia, you also said they took the keys to your car and chucked them out the window a block away, at the next intersection?”

  Jia nodded. “They told me to wait three minutes before going to get them. I found them in the grass beside the sidewalk.”

  “You said they gave you a map?”

  “As well as a note. They’re upstairs on the kitchen table.”

  “A note?” Hawkins asked.

  “Typewritten, giving David directions. They said they won’t put up with any, uh, bullshit, like us asking for proof of life or going to the cops and having them send someone else to deliver the ransom. They said this isn’t the movies, so no heroics. They’ll release Tommy as soon as they have the money. That’s not on the note — it’s what they said. Their words.”

  “I see. Alicia will go with you to look at the map and the note. David, I have some questions for you while we’re waiting. I’d like to properly identify everyone who comes to your property and the companies they work for. Maids, landscapers, pool maintenance, repairmen, tree pruning service, and anyone else you can think of.”

  Alicia and Jia went upstairs. As they made their way through the living room, a technician came around from behind a grand piano to speak to Alicia.

  “This level of the house is clear,” he told her in a hushed voice. “It’s okay to talk, but keep your voices low. I think the guys upstairs are almost finished, then we’ve got some rooms to do downstairs, including a media room. Shouldn’t take long.”

  “Thanks,” Alicia replied. She noticed Jia staring at a framed picture of Tommy on an antique desk.

  Their eyes met. “Do you need it?” Jia whispered. “It was taken last month.”

  Tommy was smiling broadly in the photo. His ears protruded and his face seemed tiny in comparison to his two upper front teeth, which stood out like a beaver’s.

  “Cute kid,” Alicia said. “I’ll take a picture of it. Maybe you could hold it for me so there’s no reflection or glare. Here, let’s sit on the sofa.” She took out her cellphone. Jia’s hands shook as she held the picture. “Tell me more about Tommy,” Alicia said, reaching out to steady the picture.

  “The other officer wanted the map,” Jia replied, looking toward the kitchen.

  “There’s no rush,” Alicia responded. “We’ll need to have it examined by Forensics later.”

  “I opened it, but David didn’t touch it.”

  “That’s okay. We’ll get your prints if we need them and DNA swabs from the both of you. What’s Tommy’s favourite colour?”

  “Red. It’s a lucky colour in Chinese culture,” Jia added blandly.

  “I see. How about toys? Does he have a favourite? Or video games? Bet he spends a lot of time on the computer. Most kids do.”

  “Not really. What he really loves to do is play the piano. I know most children need a lot of prodding to practise, but not Tommy. He seems to have a natural love of music.”

  Alicia purposely stalled as they talked. One reason was to gain Jia’s trust and try to calm her down. The other was to give Hawkins time to question David about his personal life — like whether there was a mistress or a past affair that could have made him an enemy. That conversation would be very intrusive, and it was unlikely he’d admit to any infidelities in front of his wife.

  Alicia’s instincts told her that David didn’t have any such secrets, but the questions still had to be asked. Because Jia didn’t work outside the home, they’d hold off asking her any questions in that regard until after they’d examined her phone records.

  Eventually they went to the kitchen to examine the map. It was an enlarged copy of Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver. An X near West 33rd Avenue and Cambie Street indicated where David was to take the money.

  A separate scrap of paper read:

  Friday 4:30 p.m. — park car in lot. Walk to where the road branches off to 33rd Ave and the tennis courts. Wait at the park bench opposite that intersection. Carry $ in cloth satchel bag. NO SUITCASE!

  “Why not a suitcase?” Jia asked.

  “Probably because a suitcase could easily hold a hidden GPS locator,” Alicia replied. “A cloth bag would be harder to hide that in.” She glanced up as Hawkins and David appeared.

  “The techs are almost done,” Hawkins said. “We can talk normally. Also got a text from the guys outside. They haven’t spotted anyone.”

  Alicia stepped aside to speak to him privately. He made eye contact and shook his head subtly, indicating that David’s personal life was apparently clean. Yeah, I didn’t get the feeling he was that kind of guy.r />
  Hawkins cleared his throat. “As soon as they finish, I’ll round everyone up and head back to the office. David’s provided me with thirty days’ worth of security camera footage, which I’ll have someone review at the office. Tomorrow he’ll arrange for the money. He deals with a couple of banks, as well as financial investment places, so he’ll split up where he gets the money from. If anyone asks, he’s going to say it’s a bonus for someone who’s assisting him with a foreign investment.”

  “In other words, a possible bribe,” Alicia replied.

  “Whatever works.” Hawkins leaned over to view the map and the note.

  “I’m pulling the location up on Google,” Alicia said. She counted the potential exits from the park that a vehicle could take. “Thirty-two.”

  “Check out the bench where David’s supposed to wait,” Hawkins directed. Alicia went to Google Maps Street View and zoomed in on the bench. “Chain-link fence as a barrier to the golf course,” Hawkins noted. “Looks to be a deserted part of the park for any pedestrians.”

  “Maybe David will be instructed to toss the bag over the fence to someone in a golf cart,” Alicia suggested.

  “Maybe.” Hawkins paused. “I’ll take the exhibit. I want to get back to the office as soon as I can.” He rejoined David and Jia. “I’d like Alicia to stay in your house. Is that okay?”

  “Yes, I’d feel better knowing someone is with Jia while I’m arranging the money tomorrow,” David replied.

  “You can use one of the spare bedrooms,” Jia added.

  “Thank you,” Alicia replied, although she didn’t suppose any of them would get much sleep tonight. She saw the pain on Jia’s face. We’re all thinking the same thing: What kind of night will Tommy have … if he’s still alive?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Back at his office, Hawkins and several subordinates worked through the night. The security camera footage that David had given him identified two pizza deliveries and a few other vehicles whose occupants were likely to be acquaintances. All would be identified and checked out.

  Tommy’s welfare wasn’t the only priority. It was unlikely that the kidnappers knew when or where David would be collecting the money, but regardless, protection had to be provided for his security.

  At 7:30 a.m. Hawkins held a meeting in the bullpen to outline what was to take place. Due to concern that the kidnappers had scanning equipment, no transmitters or GPS tracking equipment would be placed on David or in the satchel with the ransom. David was to be in the park at 4:30 p.m. It wouldn’t get dark until around 9:00 p.m., but there was another concern: with nightfall, there’d be fewer people out, less traffic, making it easier for the bad guys to spot countersurveillance. For this reason, the satchel would be covered in an invisible ultraviolet spray that could only be seen through special goggles fitted with an ultraviolet filter. David’s red Cadillac would also be marked with a large X on the roof.

  An audio switch would be hidden in David’s car. It was a one-way method of communication with the police, but was only to be used in an emergency. The audio would be encrypted to prevent potential eavesdroppers from hearing anything David said. However, equipment that could detect when transmissions were being made nearby existed and was available to the public. For that reason, all communication, even between police on cellphones, was to be kept to a minimum.

  Hawkins reiterated an important point as he brought the meeting to a close. “Surveillance of David Chung will be maintained from the air,” he declared. “I’ll be the eye in the sky in the Cessna and relay what’s happening. As far as you guys on the ground go, nobody — I repeat, nobody — is to come within three city blocks of Chung without my say-so. Got it?”

  Nods and responses to the affirmative confirmed that they did.

  * * *

  For Alicia, the following day was long as she tried to comfort Jia while David was out arranging the money. Stress often brings people together; Alicia felt the two of them had connected, but eventually the conversation turned to small talk, and then silence took over.

  At one point, when they were sitting on the sofa, Jia gave Alicia’s hand a tight squeeze, and Alicia squeezed back. It wasn’t necessary to ask what was going through Jia’s mind. Alicia couldn’t stop worrying, either.

  At 5:30 p.m. the sound of the automatic garage door announced David’s arrival.

  “It’s done,” he said, once he’d met them inside. “Sergeant Hawkins will photocopy all the money tonight. He’s arranged for someone to hand it off to me tomorrow morning in an underground parking lot.”

  Jia unexpectedly burst into tears, perhaps in relief that at least part of the ordeal had gone okay. Alicia stood back as David rushed to comfort her.

  “It’ll be okay,” he said. “You’ll see. Tomorrow night Tommy will be home and all this will seem like a bad dream.”

  More like a nightmare, Alicia thought.

  “Did you remember to cancel the maid service for tomorrow?” David asked.

  Jia nodded. “I said I have a migraine and don’t want anyone around.”

  “Good. Are you hungry? Should we make some pasta?”

  After dinner, Alicia pushed her plate back. “There’s something you both need to know about tomorrow.” She paused. “I’ll be surprised if the drop takes place right away. It’s a large park with lots of exits. They’ll probably make you walk through the park or perhaps drive somewhere else. Don’t get angry with them.”

  “Angry? Angry doesn’t describe what I’d like to do to them,” David said bitterly.

  “I’m sure, but you’ll need to keep your anger in check. It’s important to maintain your cool. If anything, act subservient. It’ll make them feel more relaxed and in control — which translates to less chance they’ll do anything rash or react out of panic.”

  David nodded.

  “Our goal is to get Tommy home safely,” Alicia continued. “Once that’s done, then we’ll deal with the bad guys … which brings me to something else. Try and remember everything they say to you. Word for word, if possible. As soon as you’re able, I want you to write it out. Court could be a long way off. You’ll need a record to refresh your memory.”

  David swallowed, then nodded again.

  Alicia turned to Jia. “I know you’ll be watching every second that ticks by on the clock. Don’t panic if the seconds turn into hours. The bad guys’ nerves are going to be on edge, as well. They’ll be paranoid and might suspect there’s a cop behind every rock and tree. They could easily get spooked and pull back before working up the nerve to contact you again. Make sure your phone is fully charged. It may take a lot longer than you think … or hope.”

  “What if they get spooked and don’t call back?” Jia asked.

  “Greed is a strong motivation. Once they calm down, they’ll likely realize that whatever spooked them shouldn’t have. They’ve already taken a big risk and gone to a lot of trouble to set this up. They’ll want it to be successful.”

  “I just want it over,” Jia replied. “I want Tommy home with me.”

  “When I left the house yesterday morning, I was in such a hurry that I forgot to tell him I love him, like I always do,” David said, his eyes welling. “I didn’t even realize it until I was halfway to work.”

  “There’s no doubt in my mind that Tommy knows you both love him,” Alicia said. “And you can remind him how much when you see him.”

  “Will you be in the park tomorrow?” Jia asked. “I’d like it if you were. Then maybe you could let me know what’s happening.”

  “That’s up to my boss,” Alicia said, pleased she’d been asked. Hawkins was right. Maybe that’s why he’s a sergeant. “I’ll call him. I’m sure he’ll agree. I’ll be in touch with you every step of the way. I’ll give you my cell number, as well. Feel free to call anytime.”

  “I could smuggle you out in the trunk of my car,” David offered.

  Alicia took out her phone and called Hawkins to make the request.

  “No problem,�
� he said. “I wanted you out there, regardless. Your gender is suited for the station wagon with the baby seat. Nobody would make you for a cop.”

  “Thanks, Ned.”

  “Doesn’t mean you’ll see much. I’ll be watching from the air, and I don’t want anyone on the ground closer than three blocks.”

  “You got it. David offered to smuggle me out in the trunk of his car.”

  “Take him up on the offer. I’ll get him to smuggle someone else back in to stay with Jia.”

  Alicia joined David and Jia in clearing the dishes, then they all retired to the living room. She noticed that they were fidgeting and casting her occasional glances. “Anything you’d like to talk about?” she asked.

  “What if you’re spotted?” Jia blurted. “They told me not to call the police. What if they see you?”

  “They won’t, I can assure you,” Alicia said firmly. “The surveillance will be done by someone with high-powered binoculars in an aircraft so high up it’ll only be a speck in the sky. Nobody will know. I’ll be helping out with the ground crew, but none of us are allowed to go within three blocks of wherever David might be.”

  “But still, what if you’re seen?” David persisted.

  “We’ll be in unmarked police cars,” Alicia replied. “For example, I’ll be driving a blue Volkswagen station wagon with a toddler seat in the back and a Baby on Board sign. Does that sound like a police car?”

  David looked surprised. “No, I guess not.”

  “It was brave of you to call us, though. I’m sure it was a tough decision.”

  David grimaced. “I wouldn’t call it brave. In our minds it was the practical decision. We were both frightened out of our wits about what to do. Jia said that if we didn’t involve the police, who was to say they wouldn’t take the money and kill both Tommy and me? At least this way you’ll have a better chance at catching them.”

  Alicia stared at David’s grim face. You’re right. They could kill you. But it’s not like we have a choice.