“Remember, we couldn’t find any entries in Cynthia’s blog from the night before the kidnapping happened,” she said. “But, when we went to question her, she said that she was working on her blog, and that’s why she overslept that day.”
Jake nodded. “You’re right. Why did she lie?”
“In order to hide something,” Kiara said in a measured tone. “To be specific: the date of the kidnapping.”
“What?” Jake asked with surprise. For a second, he couldn’t believe what Kiara had said. “That … that doesn’t make any sense. She would’ve known that we could find it by browsing through her blog.”
“Well, she had no option. She was not privy to Shawn’s plan,” Kiara said.
“What plan?” Jake asked.
“To project Amy as Cynthia,” she said.
“We were made to believe that he called Amy to their apartment with the confidential files, and that’s why he paid her. But, it was a disguise. She was there to pose as Cynthia because Cynthia was already kidnapped before they reached Liberty Plaza.”
“What?”
“This is how it happened: Cynthia was kidnapped as soon as they arrived in New York. Now, Shawn panicked. He could have called the police, but he didn’t, because he knew who kidnapped her and what they wanted from him. He was already getting threats from Lorenzo. Shawn even met him in Rome and tried to strike a deal, but failed to convince him. As soon as Cynthia was kidnapped, his first reaction was to hide it from the family, because by revealing it, he would’ve to answer the questions about the kidnap as he was an eyewitness. However, he also knew that he won’t be able to hide it for long. So he decided to plan something. The first part of the plan was to make sure that when he tells the time of kidnap, he has an alibi. What can be a better alibi than a bunch of colleagues at the office? He must have checked his calendar and found that two days after they arrived from Rome, he had to work the whole night. So, he chose that night as the night of the kidnapping. But, before he could execute this plan, he had to make sure that the world knew that Cynthia had come back safely from the vacation.”
“That’s why he called Amy at the time when the guards change shifts. The guards thought that it was Cynthia.” Jake’s eyes widened as he understood Kiara’s point.
“And, he used the shift change time again in the evening to sneak her out. She kept thinking that she was being paid for bringing the confidential files, but she was actually paid to play the part in keeping the kidnap a secret,” Kiara replied with a smile.
“That’s why no one could find anything related to the kidnapping in their house—no signs of struggle, no camera footage.” Jake smiled back. “Wow! How did you get this idea?”
“Well, today when the guard told us that he saw only Shawn and a woman coming inside, I felt something amiss. Where did Cynthia go from the airport? She couldn’t have gone to her parents because Shirley doesn’t want her there. According to Shawn, she visited her parents only once to patch things up, and that visit happened before they left for the holiday. When I saw Bob’s report, I knew what had happened here. It was all about the fourth investor.”
Jake nodded. “Now I understand why Cynthia lied about the blog entry. After she was rescued, Shawn would’ve told her the actual reason for giving money to Amy and how he broke the news of her kidnapping after two days of the actual kidnap. She would’ve understood his dilemma and told the same story to everyone, including the media.”
“Yes, that’s what happened. Although, I still believe that it wasn’t Shawn who orchestrated the kidnapping,” Kiara said.
“I agree. But, his actions also point to something else,” Jake said thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?” Kiara asked.
“He reacted immediately after the kidnapping—but not in the direction a normal person would react. Instead of first thinking about Cynthia’s safety, he first ensured that he wasn’t linked to the crime. I understand that Lorenzo must've warned him during that meeting. But, he waited patiently for two days before calling the police. The way he loves her, it sounds awfully careless on his part. It can happen only if he knew that Cynthia was safe,” Jake said.
“But, he has to be a part of the whole planning to know that she was going to be all right,” Kiara said with confusion.
“Or maybe, he was forced into it,” Jake suggested. “One thing’s bothering me even more.”
“What?”
“Let’s say that the fourth investor did all of this. If he wasn’t going to hurt Cynthia and everybody knew that she was going to come back safely, then why was the kidnapping even done? I mean, what did they achieve from it? The investor didn’t get his money back, Lorenzo will go to jail, and Shawn is already staring at a life term. I don’t understand why the kidnapping was even done.”
Kiara got up at once. “You are right. We never thought about it.” With that, she started pacing across the hall. Jake knew they were just one question away from cracking the whole case: Who benefitted from Cynthia’s kidnapping?
Suddenly, the sounds of Kiara’s footsteps loudened, drawing Jake’s attention.
“It’s the ransom demand,” she said with wide eyes. “It was a message rather than the actual intention of the kidnapping.”
Jake got up and walked to her. “What do you mean?”
Kiara shook her head. “You were right. Shawn was made to accept the plan. He was protecting someone, as we had suspected.” She turned toward Jake. “Can you call all the people involved in this case? And, make sure Michael comes a little later.”
Before Jake could’ve understood what she was implying, Kiara pulled out her phone from her bag and walked toward the other end of the hall.
“Hey, Bob,” she said in a cheerful tone. “When was the last time you got to interrogate a suspect?”
Jake understood that Kiara had figured out something that needed some analysis, and she wasn’t going to reveal her cards until and unless she was fully convinced. He looked at his phone screen and scrolled down.
“Sir, we think we’ve cracked the case. We need your permission to call all the suspects for one last time,” he said.
Bob was the first one to arrive. The excitement on his face was palpable—it had been ages since he was part of an interrogation. He walked directly to Kiara, who was equally happy seeing him.
CHAPTER 15
By the time Carlson arrived, Kiara and Bob were in deep discussion. Jake was also buried in his computer, doing his part of the analysis.
Carlson walked past Kiara and Bob, but they didn’t notice him. Jake got up as he saw Carlson, who gestured him to remain seated.
“What’s all the fuss about?” he asked, pointing at Kiara and Bob.
“They’re trying to get all the facts and figures aligned so that we don’t miss anything. They want the interrogation to be airtight,” Jake said in a mocking tone. Carlson knew these were Kiara’s words to keep Jake away from whatever she was doing. Carlson patted him on the shoulder and pointed toward the cafeteria.
“What have you found?” he asked as they entered the cafeteria.
“Cynthia was kidnapped two days before it was reported and …,” he said.
“What!” Carlson interjected. “You understand what you’re saying?”
Jake took a deep breath.
“Sir, Shawn lied when he said that Lorenzo threatened him on behalf of the Mafia. Instead of the Mafia, it was one of the investors whose money he lost. Cynthia was kidnapped from the airport as soon as they came back from their trip. Shawn knew who did it and to save himself; he created the lie that she was kidnapped two days after they came back. To ensure that everyone believed that she’d come back safely, he called Amy on the pretext of delivering the confidential files. He entered Liberty Plaza at the time when the guards change shifts. They were exchanging logs at their office and only noticed the vehicle and a man and woman inside it. They assumed it to be Cynthia and Shawn.”
“That’s why we didn’t find any evidence
in their apartment,” Carlson said with astonishment.
“Exactly,” Jake said. “Kiara feels that there’s some message in the ransom demand that will take us to the people behind it.”
“That’s why she called Bob,” Carlson said. “I was a bit skeptical when you requested to call Michael, but this is a big revelation, and he needs to be here.”
“Well, that depends on what she has interpreted. She’s not going to share anything with us until she’s completely sure.”
“Yeah, I know,” Carlson said. “Let’s go outside. Our suspects will be here any minute.”
Jake nodded and followed him. As they stepped out, they noticed Kiara speaking with someone on the speaker phone while Bob stood by her side. As the call ended, both gave high fives to each other. Jake shook his head in frustration.
“They seem to be enjoying the camaraderie,” Carlson said, adding insult to injury.
“Excuse me,” Jake said and walked to his seat. He couldn’t stand it any longer.
“When did you arrive, sir?” Kiara asked with surprise.
“You were busy,” Carlson said tersely. “So who is the big fish?”
Kiara’s face filled with happiness at Carlson’s question. Bob looked equally excited.
“Sir, we were wrong all this while,” she said with a broad grin. Jake looked at her while still pretending to work on his computer.
“You people don’t understand any social norms, do you?” Shirley Campbell roared, interrupting Kiara as she entered with Philip Campbell. Jake gave a muffled grunt. Shirley couldn’t have come at any better time.
Carlson noticed that Cynthia had also accompanied her parents.
“She is staying with them for the time being,” Kiara whispered.
Carlson nodded and walked toward them.
“Mrs. Campbell, this is the last time that we’re going to disturb you. Believe me, you’re going to thank us for today’s discussion,” he said diplomatically.
“I hope it’s not like the last time when you used me as bait for getting James to the interrogation room,” Shirley said softly, dropping her guard a bit.
“Of course not,” Carlson said at once and looked at Jake, who took the cue and guided them to the interrogation room. Shirley looked around the room in wonderment.
Jake came out after a minute, shaking his head. “She wants to know why so many chairs are there.”
“It’s going to be a fun night,” Carlson said with a faint smile.
Kiara was looking at a bunch of papers given by Bob.
After fifteen minutes or so, James came, followed by Amy. James didn’t ask anything and walked into the interrogation room without stopping. Amy, on the other hand, was shaking nervously.
“Why have you called me?” she asked in a frail voice while looking at the Campbell family through the observation mirror. “I’ve already told everything I knew.”
“Don’t worry, Ms. Brooks,” Kiara said in an assuring tone. “We just need you to reiterate what you have already told us.”
“Just like the last time, when we had to corroborate your earlier statements,” Jake said wryly, making Amy sweat with fear. Kiara looked at him angrily and then escorted Amy to the interrogation room.
“When are we going to start?” Shirley roared as soon as Kiara and Amy entered. “And why are James and Amy here?”
“We’re waiting for a few more suspects … I mean a few more people related to this case,” Kiara said sheepishly and left the room before Shirley could’ve said anything. However, James and Amy bore the brunt instead. She could hear Shirley shouting at them as she walked toward Carlson and Jake.
“We need to start before the room explodes,” she said, looking at her watch. Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming toward them. It was Shawn’s parents. Kiara gave a beaming smile. “That’s full attendance.”
“What about Michael?” Carlson asked with surprise.
“We don’t have to interrogate him. He has nothing to do with the case,” Kiara said. “I’m calling him for you. He needs to see our work.”
“Then we need not wait for him. I’ll bring him up to speed. You can start.”
Jake rubbed his hands as the Hansen family joined them. “Mr. and Mrs. Hansen, please follow me,” he said emphatically and walked in front of them.
Kiara looked at Bob. “Let’s go.”
“I … I’m good outside,” Bob said nervously.
“Come on, Bob,” Kiara said while patting him on the shoulder. “You are the chief architect of our analysis. Besides, I need you to support my arguments with your paperwork.”
Bob agreed reluctantly and took a deep breath. “Let’s go.” With that, he started walking hurriedly, making Carlson and her smile.
As soon as Kiara and Bob entered, Carlson moved closer to the observation mirror.
“What’s happening? Why are they here?” Shirley Campbell shouted, pointing at Shawn’s parents.
Kiara looked around the room. Everyone was sitting uncomfortably. She gave a faint smile at achieving what she had planned.
“I know you are wondering why we have called all of you, but trust me, this is the last time that we’re bothering you,” she said and turned toward Shirley. “We’ve finally cracked the case. The mastermind who planned and executed the entire plan is here with us.”
“I don’t see Shawn here,” Shirley smirked without wasting any time.
“That should mean something, doesn’t it?” Kiara replied. “Moving on. In the past few hours, my associate Bob and I have done some research and finally understood all the events that lead to Cynthia’s kidnapping and what happened after that—”
“You were telling about the mastermind. If he’s here then that means Shawn is innocent,” Cynthia interrupted, taking Kiara by surprise.
“Mrs. Hansen—” she said but was again cut short.
“She has nothing to do with that last name anymore,” Shirley said firmly.
“This is going to be a long night,” Kiara whispered and took a deep breath. “Cynthia, I can’t jump directly to the end; otherwise there will be hundreds of questions that will waste everybody’s time. I’m going to tell everything in sequential order so that everything becomes clear to everyone, and there are no open ends left.”
Cynthia nodded. “Please … please go ahead.”
“Thank you,” Kiara said and glanced around the room one more time. Everyone was sitting nervously; Jake had moved to one of the corners knowing that he didn’t have much to contribute, and Bob was fiddling with the papers, waiting for his big moment.
As Kiara was about to start, Carlson knocked at the observation mirror. She looked at Jake, who smiled in return: Michael Campbell had arrived, at the correct time.
Kiara rubbed her hands and then walked to the middle of the room and stood behind Bob’s chair.
“Before I start, I want to make clear that all of you who are here may not be directly connected to the case, but we called everyone for a reason: that the blame games should end after everything is cleared. That’s the only purpose of calling everyone under one roof,” she said and paused for a moment. “So, let’s start from the day Cynthia met Shawn.”
Her words made Cynthia look at her with surprise. “What has that to do with my kidnapping?”
“Well, everything,” Kiara replied. “Tell me how the two of you met and how he asked you for marriage.”
“I was working as a reporter around the same time his company was going through the financial crisis. He was handling the press on his company’s behalf. We started dating soon and within two weeks he proposed and—”
“Yes, we know,” Kiara interrupted. “Did he know about your background?”
“No … he came to know after I said yes to his proposal. I told him everything after that,” Cynthia said at once.
“Is that right?” Kiara turned toward Shawn’s parents.
“I … I don’t know what you’re saying,” Jeffery Hansen said while wiping the sweat from h
is forehead.
“Why is she getting into this?” Michael asked Carlson.
“Don’t worry, it won’t ruin your image. That’s my word and believe me, it’s crucial,” Carlson tried to placate him. Michael nodded reluctantly.
“What are you trying to say?” Shirley asked this time.
“Shawn told us that he knew who she is from the first day, and he married her only because of her last name,” Kiara said firmly.
“No … you’re wrong. He married me because he loved me,” Cynthia retorted.
“He also told us that his parents also knew about it,” Kiara said and turned toward them again.
Cynthia looked at them too, but they were unable to look her in the eye. Cynthia’s heart sank a little, and before she could’ve gathered some courage, Kiara pushed toward her a bunch from Bob’s pile of papers.
“Michal Campbell arranged the three investors that funded the bailout of Shawn's company,” she said while pointing at the circled names. Cynthia looked at the names fretfully.
Michael looked angrily at Carlson, who gestured him to have patience.
“I … I can’t believe this. Our … our whole relationship was based on lies?” Cynthia asked in a frail voice.
“I told you from the first day that these people can’t be trusted,” Shirley smirked. Jeffrey’s face turned red with anger. Kiara noticed that, and before he could’ve said anything; she intervened.
“Cynthia, I only said that he didn’t love you at that time, but I haven’t said anything about now,” Kiara said and turned toward Shirley. “These are the blame games that I was talking about.” Her words made Shirley squirm a bit, and Kiara liked that.
“Coming back to the series of events. Shawn was elevated to the position of Managing Director within months of arranging the investors. The company was back on its feet and with all the debts paid off, the profit started to soar. However, there was a small problem - Shawn wasn’t good at his job. He didn’t earn the position—he was elevated from the second lowest position in the company to the highest one without having the credentials to prove his worth. Eventually, his luck ran out. All the decisions that he made for his division started to backfire, and soon his division began to bleed money.”
Davenport Mysteries 03-Perfect Crime Page 19