Nameless

by Joe Conlan

  She reluctantly threw her legs over the edge of the bed and slipped her ice cold feet into her bear claw slippers. “Did I hear your cell phone ring late last night?” she inquired.

  Already feeling guilt over the surreptitious lunch, Daniel wasn’t about to lie about the identity of the previous night’s caller. “Yeah, Annie called.”

  “What did she want?”

  “She was worried about her seventy-two year-old next door neighbor who went missing. Her flight landed in New York just after six and no one’s heard from her since. Evidently, she was supposed to call her sister on Long Island when she arrived at her hotel. The sister was a nervous wreck. Annie asked me if I could help out, maybe find out if she actually boarded the plane.”

  “You didn’t do it, did you? I mean, you can’t conduct your own little investigation outside of an official one, can you?”

  “Honey, if it were your mother or sister, would you care about the rules?”

  “I’m just sayin, sweetie. I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble.”

  “I don’t think it’s a problem. Besides, the airlines gave me the information. She was on the plane.”

  “Boy, you just jumped right on it, didn’t you?”

  “What’s the problem? I don’t get it. Why would you be upset that I’m doing what I can to find a missing woman?”

  “Daniel, don’t be naïve. You’re a brilliant man, but sometimes you can be so dumb. It’s not the woman. It’s Annie. I have a huge problem with her. It’s not that I don’t like her. She’s nice enough, not to mention beautiful and intelligent. Think about it. You were in love with her for a long time. You asked her to marry you for Pete’s sake. How would you like it if I started hanging around with my ex-boyfriend, Justin?”

  “Jeez, is this High School or what? Sweetheart, I’m very secure about your love for me. I trust you. That’s what relationships are based on. I’d never tell you who could be your friend and who can’t. Who the hell is Justin, anyway?”

  “I just made up a name to make a point. I don’t care what you say. It’s not normal for a married man to have a close relationship with his ex-almost fiancée.”

  “I guess I’m not normal then. Are you saying you don’t want me to help this woman? Do you want me to end my friendship with Annie?”

  “No, honey, I wouldn’t do that. I just want you to understand how I feel. I can’t help getting jealous. When I get sarcastic, you should let me get away with it. I’m confident you love me and I trust you. I just get a little insecure every once in a while.”

  “I’m not your father. I’m not your professor friend from college. I’m your husband. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Daniel always had a way of getting the upper hand in a conversation. Suggesting she was comparing him to her dad and her first love was almost a low blow. It was something he knew she worked hard on with her therapist to avoid. In the end, she had to concede he was right, as usual. She probably wouldn’t have as many insecure moments if it hadn’t been for the extra havoc the professor wreaked on her ability to trust men.

  In her first couple of years at Georgetown University, Deborah’s total focus was on her studies. She did go out on occasion with fellow students of the opposite sex, but rarely accepted an invitation for a second date. Receiving inspiration from her therapist and incentive from the tragic experience involving Ally Schnyder, it was Deborah’s goal to get her PhD in Psychology. Throughout her years in high school, Deborah volunteered her time to programs for neglected and mistreated children developed by her therapist. Her dream was to someday open her own center for kids who were victims of sexual abuse. It was during her time at Georgetown’s College of Psychology that she met her first love.

  Toward the end of her junior year, Deborah registered for Anatomy of the Brain, a class required for her major. When she walked into the classroom for the first time, her attraction for the professor was both immediate and powerful. She wasn’t a believer in the concept of love at first site, but the feelings that struck her like a lightning bolt that day compared to nothing she had ever experienced. It was apparent the feeling was mutual. Embarrassed, yet enjoying every second of it, she noticed he didn’t take his eye off of her until she chose her seat. Two weeks into the class, she received a note from him tucked into a returned paper asking her out to dinner. Being a woman with principles and morals, she rejected that invitation and the several overtures that followed. She refused to get involved in a romantic relationship with a professor while she was taking his class.

  It wasn’t until the following semester she finally gave in to his advances and agreed to a date. For the next several months, they saw each other on a regular basis. He was the most handsome, intelligent, sophisticated man she had ever known. There was no question in Deborah’s mind she was at the precipice of the love abyss and was about to fall over the edge. She was so smitten by the man that finally, she had to confide in a fellow psychology student that she was having a secret romance. She was shocked, mortified, humiliated and devastated when the friend informed her that her lover was married. Deborah’s classmate had attended a department function the previous year where the professor was being honored. In his acceptance speech for the award presented to him, he thanked his wife in the audience. Deborah confronted him with the information and he was forced to admit the truth. Disappointed, hurt and furious just skimmed the surface of describing the emotions she experienced for quite some time afterwards. She had let her guard down only to get involved in another relationship that would foster her mistrust in men. She immediately cut off all ties with him and didn’t date another man until she met Daniel.

  Daniel finished dressing then went into the bathroom to comb his hair. He truly never thought about Deborah’s feelings about Annie. It didn’t take a genius to know a woman’s claws came out when they felt their relationship was being threatened by another woman. Perhaps, he was subconsciously avoiding the subject. He wasn’t so sure it would be easy to cut Annie out of his life if Deborah had answered the question differently. At least, he didn’t have to go there for now. His marriage and especially his children were on the top of his list of priorities, but there was no way he could deny that a piece of his heart would always belong to Annie.

  After saying his goodbyes to Deborah and the boys, Daniel stepped outside into the cool, crisp morning. The sun shone brilliantly through the cloudless sky, though the strong wind gusts carried a penetrating nip that motivated Daniel to put on his black overcoat. In his hometown of Chicago, this may have been a day for short sleeves. Having lived in South Florida for the past five years, when the temperature dipped below sixty, it was time for the heat. He cranked it up as he pulled out of his parking space. At the first red light, he pulled his cell phone out of its case and dialed Annie’s number.

  “Good morning, Daniel. I’ve been waiting for you to call. I didn’t sleep a wink last night.”

  “I take it there’s no good news? They didn’t find her?”

  “No. I spoke to her sister ten minutes ago. Still nothing. She’s a mess and so am I. I’m almost positive something terrible has happened to her. I would think if she fell asleep early last night, she would’ve called by now”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m on my way to the office right now. I should be there in about twenty minutes. As soon as I’m through with the morning briefing with my people, I’ll call the New York field office.”

  “I appreciate anything you can do. So does the family. Call me when you can.”

  “Sure thing, Annie. If she turns up, or God forbid, the family receives a ransom call, let me know right away.”

  Shem Chassar exited the plane into the covered jet way leading to Ft. Lauderdale airport Terminal 3. There was an extra skip in his step as he made his way to baggage claim to collect his prize. The edge he was feeling over the past few days had completely dissipated. Everything had gone smoothly at Albany’s airport. His suitcase passed inspection. Otherwise, they would have removed him f
rom the flight before it took off. Not that he was ever really concerned. If he wanted, he could probably get a homemade bomb past the numbskulls. Arriving at baggage claim, he checked the monitors which indicated his flight’s bags would be delivered at Carousel 4. He waited at the entrance to the conveyor belt at the point where the luggage exited through the plastic verticals. He wanted to be able to snatch his suitcase as soon as it emerged into the terminal.

  There was still one more task to complete before his plan was fully executed and time was going to be an issue if he wanted to get it done that day. If he hurried, he could make it to the post office before it closed at noon. Having also ridden in first class on the return trip, his suitcase was among the first to spew out onto the conveyor belt once again. With his bag in hand, he exited the terminal and took the shuttle bus to the remote pay parking lot off airport property where he left his car. When he sat in the driver’s seat of his 1997 Acura Integra, he took a second to calculate whether it would be worthwhile trying to get the job done before the post office locked its doors. He would have a little bit over an hour. Deciding he absolutely didn’t want to have to wait until Monday, he headed for a stationary store he knew was open on Federal Highway just down the road from the airport. Before he entered the shop, he placed a pair of driving gloves on his hands. He purchased a manila envelope, paying close attention to the surveillance cameras at the entrance, behind the counter and at the rear of the store.

  Back behind the wheel of the parked Acura, he rummaged through the console compartment to find a pen and razor. He scribbled an address on the front of the envelope, reached into the backseat to grab the suitcase then set it in the passenger seat. The ears were sealed in a plastic bag inside the lid’s zipper pouch. He opened the bag and removed one of the ears. With the razor, he carefully peeled off part of the rubber coating to expose the human skin of the lobe. Next, he put the ear back in the plastic bag, fastened it, placed it inside the manila envelope and sealed it.

  The post office on Las Olas Blvd. was just a five minute drive. It was now 11:40, so he would have plenty of time to get there before it closed. He didn’t trust placing his precious package in a mailbox. He wanted to personally deliver it to the post office. There was a line running from the counter all the way out the door when he arrived. Since it was approaching closing time, the postmen manning the desk worked quickly. Ten minutes later, his envelope was placed on a scale to determine the price for postage. Shem gladly paid the fee then strolled out of the building whistling one of his favorite rock tunes, “Every Word is a Knife in My Ear.”

  Chapter 10

  Daniel’s morning briefing was over by 8:30am. Accompanied by Rick Suarez, on his way to grab a cup of coffee, Daniel described the events that took place the previous evening involving Hannah Richards.

  “I’m going to call the New York field office to see if they can get a head start on this. Obviously, timing is crucial if she was abducted. You don’t think they’ll have a problem if I ask them for help, do you?”

  “Absolutely not. In fact, you should also call TSA over at the airport and get a hold of their surveillance tapes. They could be a tremendous help. I would have them do that up at LaGuardia, too. As Special Agent in Charge, it’s our responsibility to determine which cases are within our jurisdiction. I’m sure you know that. Since this incident is a multi-state affair which could include kidnapping, I can’t see a problem starting an investigation, at least until we know more. Later, we can get the local police involved.”

  “I was thinking along those lines. I just wanted to check with you first. I was also a little bit worried about stepping on someone’s toes, not waiting the full twenty-four hours.”

  “That’s what I’m here for, at least for the next couple of weeks. And even when I’m gone, feel free to call me any time you have a question... Fuck’em if they get their nose outta joint. It’s completely within your discretion to take this kind of action right away. Don’t hesitate, Daniel. Get right on it. Waiting the full twenty-four hours can have disastrous results. We’ve seen it enough.”

  “I hope for the family’s sake that isn’t already the case. Thanks, Rick.”

  “My pleasure. Just don’t spend your entire Saturday in the office. If you need any more help with the Richards woman, let me know.”

  Daniel headed back to his office preoccupied by his jam-packed schedule. He was still in a transition period handing his former responsibilities as A.S.A.C. of the criminal division to his replacement Supervisor Charlie Atkins. After careful consideration and caucuses with Rick and Assistant Director Evans, Daniel ultimately decided to pass over Leland for the job. Everyone agreed Leland was too valuable an investigator in the field and wasn’t quite ready for the next level of management. Daniel had a meeting with Atkins in twenty minutes to go over some details of the A.S.A.C’s involvement in the task force for the prevention of juvenile crimes and gang activity. He decided to use the time to call the New York field office to recruit some help with the Hannah Richards disappearance.

  At Quantico, Daniel trained with several of the agents who were now working in the criminal division of the New York office. Being a part of the Bureau’s career development program, he also had the opportunity to visit the New York field office for inspections and established a good rapport with many of the agents there. He developed an especially close bond with Special Agent James Mancini, now working in the Violent Crimes Task Force in Manhattan. He picked up the phone and dialed Mancini’s extension.

  “Hello, Special Agent James Mancini.”

  “Jim, it’s Daniel Falcone. How are things up there in the jungle?”

  “Dan, shit, I haven’t heard from you in months. I couldn’t be doin better. I have some great news. I finally knocked up the old lady. We’ve been trying for five years now. She’s expecting in November.”

  “Congratulations, Jim. That is great news. Although, it wouldn’t have surprised me if you were shooting blanks.”

  “Go to hell, pretty boy. You wish you were half the man I am.”

  “Yeah, my life’s ambition, to be just like you.”

  “So, what do I owe this call to? I’m sure you’re not calling to shoot the shit.”

  “Actually, I do have a favor to ask. A neighbor of a personal friend of mine is missing.” Daniel described the details of the disappearance.

  “They’re really concerned for her. They say it’s not like her to be this irresponsible. Do you think you can check the New York area for any women fitting her description that may have turned up at one of your hospitals? I guess there’s the possibility she could be dazed or confused and forgotten her name. It’s happened before. So, include unidentified women in your search. She’s in her seventies, red hair, blue eyes, about 5’3”. I understand she looks a lot younger than her age though. I suppose we should also check for any bodies found since last night. I’d like to get my hands on the surveillance tapes from LaGuardia, too. What do you think?”

  “Sure thing, man. It’s been a slow morning here. I’ll get on it right away. I’ll give you a call this afternoon.”

  “Thanks a lot, Jim, I owe you one.”

  “And don’t forget it. I’ll talk to you this afternoon.”

  “Take care and give my regards and congratulations to the wife.”

  Next, Daniel phoned TSA at Ft. Lauderdale Airport and made a request for the previous day’s terminal three surveillance tapes. They advised him they could have copies available by noon. Since time could be of the essence, he decided to pick them up at the airport, himself during his lunch break.

  Shortly after noon, Daniel hopped in his car and headed north on Interstate 95 toward Ft. Lauderdale’s international airport. When he arrived, he parked his Crown Victoria alongside Terminal 3 in an area reserved for police vehicles. He walked into the building and descended one flight on the escalator located just inside and to the right of the entrance. The TSA office was adjacent to baggage claim on the far side of the security check st
ation. From across the room, Daniel could see the door to the TSA office was closed and the reception area dark and deserted. He peered through the narrow window that ran along the side of the door to find there was a room toward the rear with its lights on. He knocked. Several seconds later, a middle-aged man the size of an NFL linebacker in a TSA uniform opened it.

  “Are you Agent Falcone?”

  “Yes, I am.” They shook hands.

  “It was me you talked to on the phone earlier, Agent Spencer.”

  “Good to meet you.”

  “Likewise. You wouldn’t mind showing me your credentials, would you? Better to be safe than sorry.”

  Daniel pulled his identification from his inside jacket pocket and held it up at eye level.

  “Perfect,” said Agent Spencer. “Why don’t you follow me back to my office.”

  The two men walked through the dark reception area into the lit office on the opposite side. Rather than take the seat being offered by Spencer, Daniel told him he preferred to stand. He wanted to make this meeting as short as possible, hoping to get home at a reasonable hour. He inquired, “Were you able to make copies of the tapes?”

  “Yes, I was. I assume they haven’t found the woman yet?”