by Mark Nolan
“Hi, Cody, I see you’re still hanging around with this troublemaker,” Beth said.
Suddenly, they heard Levi yelling, “Please put down the gun!”
Lauren said, “Not until you tell me who killed my husband, why my home is under attack, and where you’ve taken my children!”
Beth drew her pistol, but Jake raised a finger. “Hold your fire, Beth. It’s Lauren Stephens, the wife of the deceased. Let me try talking to her. It sounds like she’s having a panic attack.”
The sound of a gunshot boomed throughout the house and Beth held her hand out toward Jake with her palm facing him. “Shots fired. Stay back; this is a police matter now.”
Jake gave a command to Cody and they both stayed in place. Jake’s took a deep breath in frustration as his high respect for Beth fought with his concern for Lauren.
Beth ran down the hall and Terrell came toward her from the other direction. She reached the door and said, “Police! Put down your weapon and raise your hands above your head!”
Lauren sounded panicked. “I’m sorry. It was an accident; I didn’t mean to fire. I’m so sorry.”
Beth nodded at Terrell, and they stepped into the room with pistols held out and ready to fire. She went left, and he went right.
Levi was sitting near the end of a long table, with his right hand holding pressure on his bleeding upper left arm. Lauren was sitting across from him, crying and wringing her hands, her Glock on the table in front of her.
Levi nodded. “It was an accident. Can you call the paramedics to patch up my arm?”
Beth holstered her pistol and called 911 while Terrell took a pen out of his pocket and used it to pick up the Glock by its trigger guard. He set the weapon down at the far end of the table, out of reach of Lauren. “Where did this pistol come from?”
“I keep it in a gun safe in my nightstand,” Lauren said.
Jake came into the room along with Cody.
Terrell caught Jake’s eye and pointed at the Glock. “Did you know she had this pistol?”
“Yes, Cody found it.”
“Well, you should have told me.”
“Sorry, Grinds.”
Levi looked at Jake and said, “This is the first time I’ve been shot by my own client. Maybe it’s a sign I should retire from this BS.”
Jake noted that Lauren wasn’t doing well and said to his dog, “Be friends, Cody. Comfort those in need.”
Cody walked right past Levi and went to Lauren, who was rocking back and forth in her chair. He put his head in her lap and wagged his tail. She reflexively petted him and stopped rocking.
“What is it with your dog?” Levi said. “Why doesn’t he like me?”
“You two just got off on the wrong foot this morning. He’ll probably warm up to you eventually—maybe by this time next year.”
Jake saw several large white linen napkins on the table. He picked one up and used it to bandage Levi’s arm. “You were lucky. It’s just a flesh wound. Looks like the bullet went right through.”
Levi grunted in pain and gritted his teeth as Jake tied the bandage.
Lauren stared at Jake in surprise. “Those napkins are the highest quality Irish linen.”
“Great. That one made the highest quality Irish linen bandage for the man you shot.”
Lauren closed her eyes, grabbed a fistful of tablecloth in front of her, and took some deep breaths.
Jake approached her. “Are you on any anxiety meds?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You’re under a lot of stress, I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’ve taken my medicine and I’ll be fine,” Lauren said. “But I wish I’d trusted you and stayed out of that room.”
“You want answers—I understand that,” Jake said. “I’ll tell you what I know, but most of it is still a mystery.”
“Thank you, Jake.”
“Sometime before dawn, your husband was murdered by an unusual weapon that was hidden inside his headphones.”
“How is that possible?”
“Think about who could have switched the headphones for another pair exactly like it.”
She turned her palms up. “I have no idea. The whole thing is just so bizarre. I didn’t even know the room existed, much less what, or who, Gene was involved with.”
“The police will suspect that you switched them, so help me find out who actually did it.”
“The police will suspect me?” Lauren’s face paled.
“Of course; you’ll be the number one suspect because you’re the spouse. Did your husband take the headphones with him anywhere? On business trips, to the office, maybe leave them in his car sometimes?”
“Yes, Gene used them when he traveled—on airplanes, at airports, in hotel rooms. When he was home he left them on the desk in his study.”
“Did he usually lock the door to his study?”
“No, the door was left open so the maid could clean the room and empty the trash.”
“Well, anybody you let into the house could have gone into his study and made the switch. The maid, the nanny, a friend or visitor.”
“But why was he murdered?”
“What did he do for a living?”
“He was a real estate broker, but he earned the majority of his fortune by buying and renting out high-end properties in the city. The rents in San Francisco are astronomical. He was cashing in on the housing crisis.”
“My guess is his death had something to do with all of those spy camera feeds I saw on the dozens of TV monitors. It looks like he bugged the rental properties. Maybe he was blackmailing someone, or he saw something he shouldn’t have seen, and he had to be silenced.”
“I saw my own bedroom on one of those monitors. Can you find the hidden camera for me?”
“Yes, it’s a tiny pinhole camera, virtually undetectable, but I can find it with a spy cam detector.”
“Are all of those cameras in the rental properties against the law?”
“Yes, they sure are. Unlawful video surveillance is a felony, punishable by up to four years in prison.”
“If it’s four years for each count, could Gene have gone to prison for forty years or more?”
Jake nodded. “I’ll find the spy cam and remove it for you, and we’ll check the rest of your house.’”
“Thank you.”
“Somebody has to inform all of the people Gene was spying on, and remove the cameras from their homes.”
“Will they all want to sue me?”
“Oh yeah, but if you hire Levi’s security firm they could make up a story about a burglar who broke in recently and installed the cams. They’d need permission from you and each tenant before going in.”
“You’d lie to the renters?”
“Not me personally, but yes, one of Levi’s employees would lie to protect you—and to help the renters remove the cameras with as little fuss as possible.”
“I’d feel bad about lying to the renters.”
“Would you rather feel bad, or hold a press conference and invite the renters to sue you into bankruptcy?”
Lauren put her hand to her forehead. “If my husband was already dead, why did that drone attack the house?”
“Good question. It may have come here to kill the person who switched the headphones. To eliminate the witness.”
Lauren’s mouth went dry, and she took a drink of water from a crystal glass. “Where did your driver take my children? You said they were safe, but you didn’t say where.”
“When the drone attacked, we diverted the driver away from the school, and sent the kids to a safe house.”
“What’s the address of the safe house?”
Jake turned to Levi. “Send the address to our phones.”
Levi tapped his phone and sent the texts.
Lauren’s phone chimed a second later, and then rang. “It’s my daughter.” She thumbed the answer icon, “Chrissy, is everything okay?”
“Mommy, I’m scared!” Chrissy said
.
Lauren’s face went pale. “Why are you scared Chrissy? Tell me what’s happening.”
“We’re driving really fast, and a car is chasing us.”
At that moment Lauren heard the car slam against something with a loud thud, and then her daughter screamed.
“Chrissy? What happened? Talk to me!”
The phone went dead.
Chapter 15
Levi called his driver, Kim. There was no answer. He sent her a text message: Report. There was no reply. His phone made an alarm sound. He cursed. “I’ve lost contact with my driver, she sent out the distress signal, and the tracking beacon in the car has stopped working.”
“Give me the last known location of the beacon,” Terrell said.
Levi checked his phone and recited the cross streets.
Terrell called police headquarters and reported a possible kidnapping attempt in progress. He questioned Levi then relayed the car’s license plate and the address of the safe house. He asked Lauren for the cell phone numbers of both of her kids and gave them to HQ.
Roxanne ran into the room. “Everything is being erased from the computer downstairs. I unplugged it from the internet, but a virus kept running so I shut it down.”
Terrell ended his call. “Rox, assign someone else to the computer problem. The Stephens kids are in danger. I want you to go out in the surveillance van and track their phones. Beth, you drive the van while Rox navigates. Find that car and rescue those kids. I’ll follow you.”
Beth was already halfway to the door and Roxanne right behind her. “Copy that, we’re on it.”
Jake sent a text to Levi.
Levi’s phone buzzed. He looked at it and shook his head at Jake. “No way. You can’t be serious.”
Jake pointed his finger at Levi. “Just do it.”
Levi let out a loud breath and sent a text to one of his employees. “Done.”
“And I need a car, right now,” Jake said.
Terrell shook his head at Jake. “Not this time, brother. Let the cops handle it.”
Jake frowned. “When Levi hired me this morning he said this family needed my help. I made the decision and commitment to help them and I’m going to follow through no matter what.”
Lauren wrung her hands. “I appreciate that, Jake. Please do everything you can to help my kids.”
“I have a friend at the FBI, Agent Knight, who owes me a favor. I’m going to call it in.” Jake made a call and put it on speakerphone so Terrell could witness it.
When the call was answered, Jake said, “I need to speak with Special Agent Knight. It’s an emergency.”
“What is the nature of your emergency?”
“Two children are in danger and every minute you waste increases their risk. Please get Knight on the phone. Tell him it’s Jake Wolfe calling.”
“One moment, please.”
Knight came on the phone. “Jake, what is it?”
“Is Agent Reynolds still assigned to your FBI bird?”
“Yes, she’s in the helicopter right now.”
“There are two children that have likely been kidnapped. I’m at their house with Terrell Hayes of the SFPD. Can you please divert the bird to the address of a safe house, then have the pilot work back toward an elementary school while Reynolds searches for their vehicle? I’m sending the info to your phone right now.”
“Terrell, is this intel correct?”
Terrell spoke up. “Yes. I’m here with the mother of the children. The father was murdered this morning, and the house was attacked by an armed drone. Now someone is chasing the car that’s transporting the children to a safe house. My people are in pursuit and are tracking their phones, but your helicopter will be a big help.”
“I’ve got the address,” Knight said. “Let me bring Reynolds onto the call in case she needs more information.” His phone clicked and dialed. A phone rang twice and then a woman answered.
“Reynolds,” a voice yelled. The chop-chop-chop of a helicopter could be heard in the background.
“This is Knight. I have Terrell Hayes from the SFPD on a three-way with a credible tip of a possible kidnapping in progress. Two children are in danger. You can get there faster than anybody else in the city.”
“Location?”
“I’m sending it to your phone.”
“Intel received, we’re on our way.”
Reynolds left the call.
Terrell said, “Thank you, Knight. As you know, the highest odds of finding them is in the first hour after abduction.”
Knight cursed under his breath. “I’m going out there myself, in my car. Keep in touch.”
The call ended, and Jake turned to Levi. “I need a vehicle!”
Terrell held a hand up toward Levi. “No. We have enough people on this now. Jake will just cause car wrecks and confusion, and get himself arrested … again.”
“Speaking of that, the only way to stop me from searching for the kids is to arrest me,” Jake said.
Terrell gave Jake a hard stare. Jake saw the conflicted emotions that played across his friend’s face, but he knew that technically it was not illegal for him to drive around and look for the children.
Terrell turned to Levi. “You could lose your license.”
Levi shook his head and cursed in Yiddish.
Lauren opened her purse and took out a Porsche key fob and tossed it to Jake. “Take my husband’s—my late husband’s—car.” Fresh tears ran down her face.
Jake caught the smart key. “For the record, Lauren, you’ve employed me as a bodyguard on your private security team, and now you’re asking me to search for your children—all in accordance with state and federal law. Is that correct?”
She glanced at Terrell. “Yes, I’m formally requesting to retain your firm for the purpose of finding my kids and bringing them home safely to me. No matter what it takes, or what it costs—just do it.”
“Send pictures of your kids to my phone,” Jake said.
Lauren tapped her phone. Jake’s phone buzzed and he received several photos.
Jake gave a command to Cody, and they headed for the door. At the last moment before Jake left the room, he turned to Terrell. “I’m sorry, Grinds, I have to do this.”
“I know,” Terrell said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He reached into his pocket for some ibuprofen, and popped two of the pills.
Jake went into the garage and found the Porsche. It was a four-door SUV that looked like it was going fast even when it was standing still. There was a police evidence tag on the door handle indicating that the car had been processed. He removed the tag and pressed a button on the key fob to open the garage door, then he and Cody got into the car and sped away.
Chapter 16
Beth drove the surveillance van while Roxanne tracked Chrissy’s phone. She took a sharp corner with a squeal of tires, then punched the gas pedal. “Which way now?”
Roxanne studied the computer screen. “Take a left at the intersection up ahead.”
Beth raced to the intersection and took the turn. “How close are we?”
“Very close. Wait; it looks like they’ve stopped moving. We’ve got them!”
Beth’s phone was in a mount on the dashboard. She tapped it and when Terrell answered she said, “Are you nearby?”
“Copy. I’m coming up on your six.”
Beth glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Terrell’s SUV approaching fast.
Roxanne pointed her finger. “There—pull into that parking lot.”
Beth roared into the lot and the van was barely stopped before she and Roxanne jumped out and drew their pistols.
Roxanne held a device in front of her and studied it as she began walking quickly toward the building. “Cover me.”
Beth followed alongside, with her pistol ready as she watched for threats.
Terrell pulled into the lot a few seconds later, and jogged after them, carrying his shotgun.
Once he caught up, Roxanne stopped and pointed ahead
of them. “I think they’re in one of those vehicles parked in the corner.”
Terrell sprinted toward the corner of the lot. He pumped a round into the chamber of the shotgun and raised it to his shoulder.
Roxanne stared at him. “What the hell?”
“He served as a combat Marine, and they always run toward the fight,” Beth said. “Let’s catch up with him. Come on, move!”
Beth took off running after her partner and Roxanne jogged behind them and kept an eye on the device in her hand.
Terrell arrived at the corner of the lot and went from vehicle to vehicle, looking in the windows, ready to neutralize any threats in order to rescue the kids.
Beth caught up with Terrell and checked the cars across from him. They silently worked as a team, the way they had done countless times before.
Roxanne walked past them as she studied the device. She went to a dumpster at the end of a row of cars and stopped. Her shoulders slumped, and she turned and looked at Beth and Terrell. She tried to speak, but no words came out of her mouth.
Terrell ran over to her. “The kids’ phones are in there?”
Roxanne nodded.
Terrell cursed. “Beth, don’t look at this.”
Beth was the mother of a little boy named Kyle. As a parent, this was one of her worst fears. She gritted her teeth and shook her head.
Terrell flipped back the right half of the cover of the dumpster and looked inside. He saw several plastic trash bags full of garbage and the toe of a shoe. He flipped open the other half of the cover and pushed some of the trash bags aside. Then he saw some long hair. With a heavy heart, he set the shotgun on the ground and then hoisted himself up and into the dumpster. He tossed bag after bag of trash out onto the parking lot until he uncovered two bodies.
Then he let out the biggest sigh of relief in his entire life. “It’s the nanny and the driver, and they’re both alive and unharmed and smelling like garbage.”
The two women were hog-tied with rope and had duct tape over their mouths. Kim had a black eye. Terrell used his knife to cut them free and carefully peeled the tape off their faces. “Are you Kim? I’m with the SFPD. Where are the kids?”