Hostage!: A Hugh Ranier Novella (Hugh Ranier Short Series Book 2)

by Robert E. Crull

  “Have you found anything yet?”

  “Not much to speak of as far as raw theft is concerned. At least not what the cameras have captured.”

  “How many of the named stores have been reviewed?”

  “Nearly all of them.”

  “And, you’re not finding anything?”

  “I’m sorry. No. Our next step is to put people in the stores for periods of time to do physical surveillance.”

  “When will that start?”

  “We’ll get it started by the end of the week,” I said.

  “That’d be great.”

  “Sure Stan. I’ll give you a call next week.”

  “Thanks Hugh,” he said ending the call.

  The Roselawn Mall case had completely slipped my mind. I’m glad Stan had called in. We’d have to take the resources off the video review and put them on roaming. We’d need a lot more than two though. The mall was a big place and two people wandering in and out of stores repeatedly would raise suspicion. Back to the Criminal Justice student pool for this one.

  I walked into Don’s office.

  “Hey. Just got a call from Stan Samuals.”

  “Yeah,” he said.

  “I’d completely forgotten about it.”

  “I moved Christina and Stefan onto the video review after we closed out Leon’s case.”

  “I said we hadn’t really found anything yet and we’d assign some folks to do in person surveillance.”

  “Not entirely true but, we can make it work.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. M & RS has a male employee who likes to walk product to the back room and stuff his backpack. Loads it with paper coming into work, and a changes the paper for product at shift end.”

  “That’s cool! Were there any others who were obvious?”

  “A couple small time stuff but nothing else we caught off the bat.”

  “I’ll let Stan know in a day or so then. Can we put a couple of the students on roaming duty for a while?”

  “Sure. Staffing may be tough.”

  “Why?”

  “Coming up on the end of the semester and the kids will be focused on finals,” he said.

  “Makes sense.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “When did we find out about the backpack thief?”

  “Tail end of last week.”

  “Why am I just finding out?”

  “Because you’ve not been readin’ your status reports asshole!”

  “It’s been a little crazy.”

  “I’m able to take the time to write them, you could have the decency to read them,” he said. “You’ve been a little caught up with Dallas and the property search. Some of your stuff is startin’ to slip.”

  “I hadn’t noticed bubba.”

  “Now you know.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Your cool. Get your head back in the game brother.”

  “You’re right.”

  I left his office for another cup of coffee. As I crossed reception I noticed Laura was heads down reading.

  “Everything ok?”

  “Sure. There’s a lot to read here. I didn’t know we had this many contractors.”

  “A fair portion of those are folks we don’t use often. Many have specialized skills which aren’t appropriate for most of our business.”

  “I’m seeing that,” she said.

  “How are you feeling since you’re learning about the whole business?’

  “I’m still a little pissed y’all didn’t trust me sooner than this.”

  “We’ve always trusted you.”

  “Evidently not or I would’a known about the whole business.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, because it’s not the truth.”

  “How else am I supposed to feel if you’ve been keeping the biggest part of the business from me for years.”

  “I see your point. But, we were trying to make sure you didn’t put you in a bind if we ever got into trouble.”

  “You’ve said that before. I need some more time to absorb all there is.”

  “As long as you’re still on board for being a partner.”

  “Oh yeah, though I’m a little pissed, I still like the idea of what we do.”

  “Good,” I said. “Any word from the attorney yet?”

  “Yeah, he’ll be here Friday at ten in the morning.”

  “Thats good.”

  I left reception to fill my coffee cup as the front doors of the office opened. In walked a brunette of mid thirty’s, five seven, and drop dead gorgeous. She was so well put together to call her pretty would have been an insult. I completely forgot what I was doing as I damn near walked into the wall.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  “Morning. May I help you.”

  “I’d like to talk with the owner.”

  “We’re a partnership. What’s this about.”

  “I’d like to discuss business with your firm.”

  “Sure.”

  “You were referred to me by a former client, Rachel Workman.”

  “Of course, how is Rachel?”

  “She’s fine.”

  “How can we help?”

  “I’ve been receiving some calls on my cellphone which have me a little worried.”

  “Let’s have a seat,” I said directing her to the conference room. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

  “Stephanie Brothers.”

  “Stephanie, nice to meet you. I’m Hugh Ranier, the young lady sitting just outside is Laura Morgan, and my other partner is Don Coyne.”

  “I’d like to find out who is calling me.”

  “Understandable. Have you blocked the incoming number?”

  “Yes I have, but he keeps calling using a different number.”

  “Must be using burn phones then. How often have you been getting these calls, and for how long?”

  “It’s been going on for over a month and they happen two or three times a week at all hours of the day.”

  “Have you taken this to the police.”

  “I’d like my case handled not swept under the carpet.”

  “I’ll bet you do.”

  “I don’t have any evidence other than the call log on my phone.”

  “Ok. What exactly do you want done?”

  “I want the person found so I can ask why, then I want them turned over to the police with all evidence your team is able to collect.”

  “We can do that. I’d like to bring Laura in as I’d like to assign the case to her. She’ll work with you from start to finish of the case.”

  “That’s fine.

  “I’ll be right back,” I said standing to leave.

  I left the office and went to find an empty reception desk. I stuck my head back into the conference room and asked Stephanie if she’d like a water.

  “A cup of coffee would be great if you have it.”

  “Sure.”

  I made the way to the kitchen area and found Laura making herself a cup.

  “Hey, I’ve got a case for you.”

  “What? Another one?”

  “Stalker this time, should be able to clear it quickly and Worm will have to do most of the work on this one.”

  “Does this mean I’m off the hook for the team recommendations by this afternoon.”

  “Yeah, I’ll give you a pass on it to take this one. But I still want to see what you’ve come up with so far.”

  “Fine.”

  “Come into the conference room,” I said starting the brewer on another cup of coffee.

  +++

  “Here you go Stephanie,” I said as I handed her the coffee then slid the cream and sugar her way.

  Laura joined us with a day planner cradled in one arm and a coffee in the other.

  “Laura this is Stephanie Brothers.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Laura said.

  “What I’d like to do is get a new case file set up with all the personal in
formation. Stephanie, your in good hands with Laura, she’ll get you all set-up.”

  “Thanks Hugh.”

  “I’ll leave you two to it then.”

  Back in my office I sat at my desk and thought of food. It was coming up on noon and I was getting hungry.

  The office phone rang.

  “Acme Planning and Delivery. This is Hugh.”

  “Hugh this is Steve Johnson.”

  “I thought I’d made it abundantly clear I never wanted to hear from you again.”

  “Hugh, she’s gone missing again.”

  “She should. The less she has to do with you the better her life will be.”

  “I’m afraid something has happened to her this time Hugh.”

  “You said that the last time.”

  “Yes, I know. I just have a bad feeling about it this time.”

  “Is the restraining order still in place Steve.”

  “Yes it is,” he said.

  “Then I’m not interested in anything you have to say,” I said as I hung up the phone.

  As soon as I was finished, I dialed up one Bill Smiley. Don wasn’t a fan but I liked the way the kid held himself.

  “Bill. Hugh.”

  “Yeah Hugh, what’s up?”

  “I’d like to meet you face to face.”

  “When?”

  “Let’s do lunch.”

  “Where?”

  “Pick a place that works for you.”

  Line two of the office phone was ringing. I let Don pick it up.

  “Yeah lets go to Mario’s sandwich shop. Say thirty minutes.”

  “Done. See you there,” I said ending the call.

  Don walked in.

  “So Steve Johnson on line two.”

  “Yeah I already told him I wasn’t interested.”

  “I figured as much. Seems concerned though.”

  “He told me. Elaine needs some peace and quiet.”

  “I hear ya. What do you want me to tell him.”

  “Evidently a simple no isn’t working. Try something more drastic, like go fuck yourself.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Good. I’m running out for lunch. Be back soon.”

  “Alright.”

  I left the office and climbed into the SR/T for the fifteen minute drive to Mario’s Sandwich Shop. I arrived at the shop a few minutes ahead of schedule and sat in the car until I saw Bill pull in.

  “Good to see you,” I said meeting him in the parking lot.

  “Same here. How’ve you been?”

  “Fairly well. Been busy. How ‘bout yourself?”

  “Real good. Startin’ to get a little hungry if you know what I mean.”

  “Thats one of the reasons I called. I’ve got two assignments coming up.”

  “Two huh? That’ll be good.”

  “Lets eat and I’ll tell you the story of one of them.”

  “Sure,”

  We entered the shop and placed our orders at the register, filled our drinks, and took a seat.

  “So there’s this guy I served with during the first Gulf war. Been married for a while, has an early twenties daughter.”

  “Sounds boring so far,” he said.

  “I’m getting there.”

  “Ok.”

  “Wife dies of cancer. Daughter gets strung out. Dad takes out his loneliness on the daughter.”

  “Where’s he live?”

  “I’ll get you the packet from the car after lunch.”

  “How do you want it done?”

  “I want him to disappear. No trace, no finding him.”

  “When?”

  “This week would be great.”

  “What’s the pay look like?”

  “I’ll pay you a quarter to get it done this week.”

  “Done.”

  “Good. Make sure he knows what its about.”

  “You got it. What’s the other event?”

  “Gonna be tail end of next week at soonest.”

  “Where?”

  “Local.”

  “For a change.”

  “You’ll be part of a team of six that you’ll not know.”

  “Who’s leading?”

  “Sean McConnell.”

  “That’s a brutal bastard! I’ve heard of him through some of the other guys.”

  “Yeah he is. This is an up close engagement so guys like you and Sean have been selected.”

  “You say I won’t know the rest of the team?”

  “I don’t think so. We’ll be pulling you guys together early next week to start going over the plans.”

  “So, I’ll wait to hear from you then on that.”

  “Yeah, on the other, it’s strictly you and I. No one else needs to know.”

  “Ok,” he said.

  “Hugh,” I heard my name being called.

  “Here,” I said.

  “Enjoy your lunch,” the server said.

  “Thanks.”

  We talked about things like the weather and his latest toy acquisition for the remainder of our time together. Nothing of note happened. I wound my way back to the office.

  I walked in to see Don standing with Laura.

  “Welcome back,” she said.

  “Hey, thanks.”

  “How’d the case with Stephanie come together?”

  “I’ve contacted Worm, he’ll be over this afternoon.”

  “Good.” I shot Don a quick glance. “How’d the team selection go for Koothrapoli.”

  “I didn’t get all the way through the resources, but I think I have a few ideas.”

  “Let’s hear them,” I said.

  “I picked Terry Rivers, John Snyder, and Bill Smiley.”

  “Those are some pretty decent choices,” Don said. “Why’d you pick Terry?”

  “Mostly from his physical characteristics and hand to hand experience. The way I see it, up close I could hit a target and I’m not well trained. I wanted guys who could grunt their way through if it were necessary.”

  “I told you she’d do fine,” Don said.

  “Is that wrong?”

  “Not at all. We used the same basic premise when we selected our team. Though we leaned a little heavier on hardware guys then we did close up guys,” he said.

  “I’m not sure I don’t like your selections better than our other two,” I said.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really.”

  “That means a lot Hugh.”

  “You’re a natural kid,” Don said.

  “Don, do you want to use Rivers and Snyder?”

  “I think it would’t hurt to have them there.”

  “Then it’s Smiley, Rivers, and Snyder plus the Walton brothers and we’ve got a team,” I said.

  “Looks like it,” he said.

  “I haven’t heard of the Walton brothers before,” Laura said.

  “They’re out of the Maryland area. We worked them a couple years ago.”

  “Are they going to be available?”

  “We’ll find out this afternoon.”

  +++

  Don and I took care of making the calls to the guys. I let Don know I’d had lunch with Smiley and that he was onboard with the gig. It took most of the afternoon to get the calls made and agreement obtained but, it was done.

  “Hey Hugh,” Laura said from the door.

  “Yeah. Come in.”

  “I’ve got the package pulled together for Stephanie. Nothing to report. She seems to have a pretty full social life. Meets lots of new people every week.”

  “Any one person stand out to her who would be suspect?”

  “Her father owns an engineering firm where she is being groomed to take over after his retirement. Like I said she meets a lot of people in a week.”

  “Any of her beliefs make her a target?”

  “Beliefs in what?”

  “Pro-choice, medical marijuana, ASPCA, any number of things which would be a hot button of contention for a whack job.”

  “I
f that were the case Hugh, we’d all have a whack job callin’ us at all hours.”

  “I understand. You say she’s pretty social. Is it clubbing social or politically social? If she’s being groomed she probably is being forced into all sorts of events. Her old man is trying to instill a sense of faith in his heir apparent.”

  “Didn’t get the feeling daddy was parading her around.”

  “Ok, have Worm come see me when he gets here.”

  “Will do,” she said.

  She turned and left the office when the thought struck me I’d left Dallas at the house all alone and hadn’t checked on her. Then I thought if I did check on her it would be like a parent checking on a kid who’d stayed home sick from school.

  I decided not to call. If she needed anything she’d call me. I decided to call the decorating firm who did Dallas’s place, but before I did, I dialed up Christy McDougal.

  “Blairsville Realty this is Christy. How may I help you?”

  “Christy, Hugh.”

  “Oh, hello. What’s going on?”

  “I wanted to know if I could access the house this weekend. I want to take a decorator up.”

  “I’m sure it will be ok but, let me call the owners to be sure.”

  “Please do,” I said.

  “I’ll give you a call back later this afternoon or in the morning. Does that work for you?”

  “Sure, that’ll be fine.”

  “Talk soon,” she said hanging up.

  “Hugh,” I heard from my door.

  “Hey Al.” One Albert Stankowitz, the Worm, entered my office.

  “What’s the case?”

  “What’s it been a couple months since we’ve seen you?”

  “Something like that yeah.”

  “How’ve you been?”

  “Been getting a lot of work from the University to monitor suspect website visits.”

  “On a campus? Tell me we aren’t raising a generation of degenerates!”

  “I know right. There has been a couple which are suspect, but they’re not visited often so I don’t know what to tell them.”

  “Give the facts Al, that’s what they’re paying you for.”

  “Yeah, I guess. So back to the reason I’m here.”

  “Right. Woman walked in this morning looking for an assist identifying some dirt bag that’s been harassing her.”

  “I can get the phone logs given enough cash.”

  “How much?” I asked.

  “Probably not more than a couple grand.”

  “Go grab Laura please.”

  It wasn’t a minute and he was back with Laura leading the way.

  “Laura, in your conversation with Stephanie did you get an idea what she had to spend? This is going to be all labor with the addition of the little expense Al just brought up don’t you think?”