Gloria touched each corner of the square-shaped box, and then put her white cane before her. “What are we waiting for? I appreciate you coming here in the midst of distress, but let’s go to the police station now.”
“Oh, no, I just think you should stay out of it,” Anna replied with confusion on her face.
“A visit to the police station won’t scare me, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Gloria said.
The two women went into South Orange Police Department and walked up to where the desk clerk sat. A gold crest police department logo hung on the wall behind him. The countertop was a little tall for the women’s height of 5’6 and 5’7. The officer was talking on the phone, and they waited until he finished.
“Good afternoon. I am here to see Officer Daniels.”
“I have to tell him what this is regarding,” the officer said.
“He requested for me to come in again. I was in here this morning,” Anna said.
“Have a seat over there, please. I’ll be back shortly.”
Anna turned in the direction the officer pointed his index finger to, then guided Gloria to a chair on the far left of the entrance to the lobby.
Daniels came in minutes later. The officer’s head was buried inside a folder in his hand. He then looked up at Anna sitting next to Gloria, and walked up towards her.
“Are you Anna Rank?” Officer Daniels said with a serious look on his face.
“Yes,” Anna answered.
“I need to speak with you in private.”
“Did you find the thief?” Anna asked in an anxious tone.
Officer Daniels remained silent for a moment, and purposely relieved the congestion built up inside his chest. He glanced inside his folder, then back at Anna.
“It’s urgent that I speak to you. It seems there’s a problem with your story,” Officer Daniels replied.
Anna was speechless for a second. “Excuse me? I stated this morning how I was hacked. Whatever questions you may have inside, I’m letting you know right now that I am sticking to facts.”
“I cannot say anymore here. Follow me,” Officer Daniels told her.
Anna noticed him looking first at Gloria, then at her white cane. “This is my sister, Gloria.”
“Good afternoon. I really need to speak with your sister in private. If you need any assistance with anything, please call out to the desk clerk,” the officer said politely.
Anna became even more insulted by his plain and almost interrogative tone with her, versus his polite and friendly tone with Gloria.
“I’d like to accompany my sister,” Gloria replied.
Anna got up from the chair and put her hand on her sister’s shoulders. “There’s no need. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Let me come with you!” Gloria pressed. “Officer Daniels, please!”
“She can come. Let’s not waste any more time. Please follow me,” Officer Daniels said to them.
With Officer Daniels leading the way towards his office, Anna held Gloria’s hand and followed from behind. They went into a medium-sized room containing only one large rectangular table and a few chairs around it. A large plasma flat screen television hung on the wall in the center. Anna stood by a chair and gazed at the simple, sparsely furnished area. Two men in suits stood near the television without uttering a word.
“Please have a seat,” Officer Daniels said. He moved a chair for Gloria to sit down on. The two men moved forward.
“I am FBI Special Agent Michael Sanchez,” the man said as he took out his badge.
“And I’m FBI Special Agent Keith Henderson,” the other man said while also pulling out his badge to show Anna.
Anna looked at Officer Daniels and then at the two men as she wondered why all three wanted to question her.
“I am going to let these two handle it from now on,” Officer Daniels said to her. He turned to the FBI Agent. “Mr. Sanchez, I will let you know when more information comes in.”
FBI Agent Sanchez nodded, and Officer Daniels left the room.
“What. What is going on here? This doesn’t look like a regular office. It’s more of a room I saw on Law and Order episodes. What is this?” Anna asked nervously as she slowly sat down while observing the room.
“The South Orange Police department was working on this case; but because identity theft is a federal crime, we had to take it over,” Special Agent Sanchez said.
“I still don’t know what’s going on,” Anna said.
FBI Special Agent Henderson read Anna her rights. “Ms. Rank, you have the right to remain silent...”
“Am I being arrested?” she said in confusion.
“If you do say anything, what you say can be used against you in a court of law...” Special Agent Henderson continued to read Anna her Miranda Rights, whereas she looked dumbfounded.
Gloria shook her head several times.
Anna crossed her hands and stared straight at the Special Agent’s eyes. “I am the victim here.”
“Where were you at the time your bank account was hacked?” Special Agent Henderson questioned.
“In my apartment.”
Special Agent Sanchez grabbed the remote from the table’s edge and pressed the power button. The television screen came on, and Anna saw a female on the surveillance camera look similar to her. Anna’s jaw dropped.
“Who is she? This woman isn’t me...” Anna was speechless. “I... I... I don’t understand. Who would want to frame me? Impersonate me? This cannot be!” Anna pointed to the television screen, her arms feeling frozen. A migraine began to build inside her head, and the feeling of being in an interrogation room for the first time in her life was much more real than when she walked in here a few minutes ago. “When did this happen? I mean. I mean, when did THIS person arrive there? Where is it, by the way? It looks like a train station area.” Anna got up and moved closer to the television screen. “What train station is this person at?” Anna said to herself as she tried to make some sense out of it. “I get the sense I’m being framed. Call it denial, but I... I don’t know what is happening. I really don’t. She is not me. Not me at all!”
“This is not you?” Special Agent Henderson asked.
Anna was surprised by his question. Her heart burned in her chest.
“No!” Anna shook her head several times. “Why would you suspect it was me! Because she looks identical to me?”
“Where were you at the time of this video?”
“I was asleep,” Anna answered and shook her head. “I will not answer anymore.”
“Ms. Rank. I am not attacking you. I want to rule you out as a suspect if you’re telling the truth,” Special Agent Henderson said.
Anna remained quiet.
“Do you have a twin?” Henderson asked.
“No. There are so many people in this world. Someone will of course look similar to me,” Anna said as she became more irritated.
“Do you know of anyone who looks like you?” Henderson went on.
“No,” Anna replied. She had become very annoyed.
“Is that person on the screen someone at your job or somewhere you go regularly?”
“No, not that I know of. I can’t believe this is happening to me,” Anna said as if to herself while staring at the table. She looked up at the two men and continued in a stern tone of voice. “If you want any more answers from me, you will hear them when my lawyer is present.”
Officer Daniels knocked on the door and stuck his head inside. “Agent Sanchez?”
The Special Agent whose name was called turned his head, then moved towards Officer Daniels. They started to whisper, and Gloria couldn’t make out what they were saying during their brief exchange. The two men then disappeared for fifteen minutes, where there was prolonged silence between Special Agent Henderson and Anna. Special Agent Sanchez came back with a folder provided by Officer Daniels, then moved towards Special Agent Henderson.
Sanchez, a man in his late forties and one of the highest ranking special agents in New Jer
sey, looked through the file in his hands. “We have additional information,” he told his colleague, who did not comment. Henderson, another high ranking agent in his late thirties, didn’t want to have any facts missing, unlike his receding hairline.
Special Agent Sanchez spoke. “I’m sorry Ms. Rank. I have gathered some information and now suspect someone is impersonating you. We are still gathering more details in this case. I’m afraid that we cannot rule you out as a suspect at this time.”
“But you believe me?” Anna said with frustration.
“Yes. I do believe you,” Sanchez replied.
“Excuse me for barging in, but you were just arresting my sister. Now you’re saying you believe her. Please make up your minds!” Gloria told both agents.
“I apologize for your distress. When I stepped outside, I looked over Anna’s case and talked to the North I Bank security department.” Special Agent Sanchez turned to Anna. “This appears to be a classic identity theft case. So, again, I do believe you.”
Anna remained suspicious. She kept quiet for a few seconds and turned to speak, then turned away from the men for a moment.
“Who would do this?” Anna looked up at Special Agent Sanchez, who pulled up a seat to sit across from her. “I don’t think I have made many enemies. I haven’t pissed anyone off.”
“We cannot yet suggest if this incident is either a random cybercrime or a plot against you,” the agent said.
“A plot against me?” Anna said, baffled.
“It’s just one thought,” he added.
“I’d rather it be a random cybercrime. I have had enough bad surprises recently.”
“We just need you to give us more information,” Special Agent Henderson said.
“A bank consultant showed me more transactions online after my purchase and a transaction from an NJ Transit ticket machine around 6:30 AM. I had no idea the person would look like me! That’s all I know,” Anna added.
The agents glanced at the document.
“How can I say this?” Special Agent Sanchez said to himself.
“What were you going to say?” Anna asked frantically.
Special Agent Sanchez looked up at her. “Just be very careful. Do not go on the same route every day or enter your place at the same consecutive hour.”
Anna took a moment to gather her thoughts, then spoke. “Behind your statement, you’re telling me something. Aren’t you?”
“Please stay safe,” Special Agent Henderson cautioned.
The sound of police officers doing their paperwork and phones ringing outside the room overshadowed the silence and duel of stares between Anna and the special agents. She finally gave up, realizing they would have nothing further to offer. Turning her head toward the flat screen television, she glanced at the footage of an unknown woman in front of the ticket machine, wearing a navy blue baseball cap.
Anna got up from the chair and positioned her cross-body bag purse over her shoulder. Then she tapped Gloria’s shoulder, and her sister got up as well.
“Lock your doors; call us right away if someone is lurking nearby,” Special Agent Sanchez advised as he gave Anna his card.
“Better yet, stay with someone for the time being,” Special Agent Henderson suggested.
“I won’t let anyone ruin my life, and I’ll be fine,” Anna said. “There’s no need for you to worry about me.”
“Your safety is our priority. Call me if you need anything,” Special Agent Sanchez pressed with his voice.
The siblings went through the hallway and out of the building in silence. Once outside, Anna spoke again. “I cannot believe there’s a crazy person out there impersonating me. I’m just fuming right now.”
“I kind of sense that. When you’re upset, you tend to hold your tongue. I’m so sorry this is happening to you; seeing you in this situation hurts me,” Gloria said.
“As if going into my account wasn’t enough,” Anna said in frustration while moving towards her car. She then opened her car door, and put her head on the steering wheel for a minute.
Gloria entered, and closed the door on her side. “Don’t let this situation control your life. The FBI is handling this,” she said.
CHAPTER 3—UNSPEAKABLE
The next day after work, Gloria got off the Gladstone train line, which stopped near her home. She walked on South Orange Avenue and turned the first corner, which led her down to 118 Vose Avenue – her sister’s residence. Gloria touched the structure of the cement walls and main entrance door to make sure it was the correct place. Having reached the door to her sister’s stairway, she slowly walked up the steps to the second floor, then touched each door with one hand while moving her cane with the other. Gloria felt a square wooded welcome sign, then rang the bell. A few seconds later, Anna opened her door.
“Hi,” Anna said.
Gloria walked in. “How are you feeling?” she asked as she moved toward the living room. Her cane stopped at a chair, and she sat down. Gloria could hear that the television was on, but Anna took the remote and lowered the volume. The sound of people from outside the closed window became clearly audible in Gloria’s ears.
“I am finally feeling all right. Ginger ale?” Anna offered.
“Yes, thanks,” Gloria said and began to focus her ears on the television screen, which was showing a documentary on identity theft. Her sister loudly shook ice from the ice cube tray and put it in two glasses, then closed the refrigerator door and returned to the living room.
“Here you go,” Anna said as she placed a napkin over the very cold beverage, which Gloria then took with both hands.
“Thanks.” Gloria turned away from the television and moved her body to the sound of her sister shifting in another chair.
“This television program took me by surprise, and I had to watch it,” Anna said.
“I’m curious about the surveillance tape. Did the person actually look like you?” Gloria asked.
“She did resemble me. Of course, I can tell differences such as her earlobe and cheekbones, but...” Anna paused for a moment. “No. I wouldn’t expect anyone else to pinpoint the dissimilarities.”
They both fell silent. Gloria drank again, whereas Anna kept her full glass of ginger ale in her hand.
“I’ve heard stories in the news about thieves who dress up as their victims after stealing their identity. Once they’re done wiping every last penny from the victim’s bank account, they move on to another person to hack.” Anna’s serious look only lasted a few seconds before she started to chuckle. “I’m not a millionaire. They are done wiping every penny from one of my bank accounts. Lesson learned.”
“I’m glad you’re making light of this,” Gloria said.
They both fell silent again, and Gloria heard ice hitting each corner of her sister’s glass.
“You’re probably still angrier at yourself than at the thief,” Gloria said. From what she could hear, her sister had stopped moving.
“I am going to forget everything and get to work, focusing on what I need to do there. Since the cops are doing their job, there’s nothing else to do on my end,” Anna responded.
“I know someone who is an expert on cybercrimes, but haven’t been able to reach him. I’ll let you know when I track him down.”
“Thanks. An expert is helpful,” Anna replied. “I just hope things get fixed.”
“Me too! Well, let’s change the subject. Tomorrow, an expert will talk about green sustainable living...”
Gloria heard the elevator door open outside her sister’s apartment. Anna’s doorbell rang.
“Hold on for a second. It must be my neighbor.” Anna got up from her chair and went towards the door.
“Be cautious,” Gloria suggested.
“It’s rush hour. Plenty of people outside at this time,” Anna said and opened the door. She suddenly screamed. Having heard the door open all the way until it hit a wall, Gloria got up so abruptly that her chair moved and her ginger ale spilled on the floor.
“Anna! Anna!” Gloria shouted, moving her head left to right.
“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Anna said in a trembling voice.
“What is it? What is going on?” Gloria kept moving her head left to right. When she heard her cane fall on the floor, she bent down, moved her hand around on the floor, and quickly grabbed the fallen object. Then she placed her hand on the wall to stand, and moved her cane towards Anna.
“Stand back!” Anna commanded.
Gloria immediately stopped moving.
“It looks like a dead body,” Anna said.
“Where?” Gloria persisted.
“Lying in front of my door,” Anna said, her voice continuing to tremble as she whispered.
Despite her fearfulness, Anna slowly bent down near the person to hear if there was breathing within them. No sound came from him, and Anna then looked to the person’s upper chest, which displayed a collection of keys on a key ring with small circles of blood stains on it. The shirt was torn in the middle, and blood was deepening on the clothes by the minute. Anna stood still to see if the person’s chest moved up and down gradually. The bloody individual remained still.
“Oh God. Anna? I don’t hear you,” Gloria whispered.
“I’m here,” Anna whispered back as she got up.
“Did you know this person?”
“No! Don’t move.”
“The person is already dead,” Gloria responded.
Anna quickly moved towards the room again, and took her cell phone from a small table. Ignoring her sister’s diagnosis, she dialed 9-1-1 and waited until someone came on. “Hello?... I’m calling because there is a body in front of my door!...Yes, I think he may be dead, I don’t see him breathing... Come quickly.”
Anna took Gloria’s arm and moved her away from the door, then closed it.
“I will do that,” she said to the dispatcher at the other end, then gave her address and hung up. She turned to Gloria. “I called 9-1-1. The police are coming.”
With her phone still in her ear, she looked into the peephole while Gloria stood back. Gloria heard the police sirens, which were not very far away.
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