“Yes, please.”
Thirty torturous seconds passed before the mayor heard, “Hi, Jack, what’s up?”
Trying his best to stay calm, Chandler said, “I just received a phone call. My daughter Charlotte has been kidnapped. The kidnappers have demanded money and the release of Lieutenant Karl Kruger. They’ve threatened to kill Charlotte if I don’t meet their demands.”
Floored by the news, the commissioner took a few seconds to process the information.
“That’s a real problem, Jack. You know the policy. We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
“I know the policy, George, but this is my only child we’re talking about. She’s my life. It will kill me if I lose her.”
“I understand. I’m a parent too. To hell with the policy. We’ll figure it out. Do you have any idea who we’re dealing with?”
“I have no idea. The kidnapper called on Charlotte’s cell phone. He said if we try to trace the call and if he smells any cops, Charlotte will be killed immediately.”
“Kruger must have paid someone to do the job. If I had to guess, I’d bet it’s the White Skulls,” the commissioner said.
“You could be right. That’s one of the reasons Kruger’s awaiting trial. He allegedly hired a White Skulls member to murder Detective Dan Mason.”
“That makes sense. I bet Kruger’s hired them again to get him out of jail. By the way, what time frame are we looking at here?” asked the commissioner.
“I’ve got four days to transfer twenty-five million dollars into an offshore account. Once they have the money, the guy on the phone said I’d be contacted. That’s when he said he’ll give me the time and place for the exchange to take place.”
“That doesn’t leave us much time. I should be able to spring Kruger, but we can’t do much until we know the details. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can come up with a plan. Try not to worry. The kidnappers won’t kill Charlotte. If they did, they would lose their bargaining chip. If Charlotte were dead, there would be no reason for us to turn over Kruger.”
“You could be right. But I sure as hell don’t want to take any chances.”
“Don’t worry. Call me as soon as you hear from the kidnappers, and we’ll go from there. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can come up with.”
“Okay. I’ll get back to you as soon as I know when and where the exchange is to take place. In case you haven’t already guessed, our 1:00 p.m. meeting is off.”
“I assumed as much. Talk to you later.”
After hanging up, Police Commissioner George Gowan’s mind went into action. How could he get the mayor’s daughter back safe and sound without letting Kruger escape? He thought for a minute. It might be a long shot, but it was worth a try. He picked up the phone and dialed.
“Good morning. Warden Olson’s office.”
“Hi, Marilyn, it’s Police Commissioner Gowan. May I speak with the warden, please?”
“One moment, please, Commissioner. Warden, I have Commissioner Gowan on the line.”
“Thanks, Marilyn. Good morning, Commissioner. How are you this morning?”
“I’m good, Terry,” the commissioner lied. “I need a favor.”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“You’ve got a prisoner, Lieutenant Karl Kruger, in isolation awaiting trial. Can you tell me if he has any dental appointments scheduled soon?”
“Hold on, and I’ll check.”
A minute later, the warden came back on the line.
“As a matter of fact, he has an appointment with the dentist tomorrow afternoon at two. Apparently, Kruger has an abscessed wisdom tooth that needs pulling and a molar that needs filling.”
“Do you know who the dentist is that will be working on Kruger?”
“Yes, it’s Dr. Donald Charles.”
“Would you happen to have his number handy?”
“Just a minute. I’ll get it for you.”
After receiving the number, the commissioner said goodbye and hung up before the warden could ask any questions.
When he dialed the number, Dr. Charles did not answer. The commissioner left a message. He said it was important the doctor call him as soon as possible. Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Charles was on the line. Commissioner Gowan explained what he needed, and Dr. Charles agreed. Next, he called Mayor Chandler and filled him in on the plan. The commissioner hung up and smiled. He couldn’t believe his luck. The long shot had paid off. The wheels were in motion.
CHAPTER 23
At 1:45 p.m. the next afternoon, four burly guards approached Kruger’s cell. The door was unlocked, and he stepped out. For his safety, the guards surrounded Kruger and escorted him to the dental clinic. One guard entered the room with Kruger and handcuffed him to the dental chair. The guard stood by the door while the other three sat outside in the waiting room.
Shortly after Kruger had arrived, Dr. Charles entered the room with a female assistant.
“How are you feeling, Lieutenant?” Dr. Charles asked.
“I feel like hell,” Kruger replied. “My fucking wisdom tooth is driving me crazy. I’ll be glad when you pull it.”
“I’m sure you’ll be happy to get rid of the pain. Shall we get started?”
“I’m ready whenever you are,” Kruger said, holding his free hand to his aching jaw.
In less than forty minutes, Dr. Charles had extracted Kruger’s wisdom tooth, drilled out the cavity, and filled in his molar.
Before calling the guard over to uncuff Kruger, Dr. Charles leaned over and whispered something into his ear.
Kruger looked shocked, then he nodded and smiled.
Back in his cell, his jaw was still numb from the freezing, so Kruger decided to take a nap.
At 2:45 p.m., Commissioner Gowan’s phone rang.
“Commissioner Gowan.”
“It’s done,” Dr. Charles said.
“Good. How did it go?”
“A piece of cake.”
“Did Kruger suspect anything?”
“Not a thing. It went smoothly.”
“Thanks, Doc. I really appreciate your help.”
“No problem, Commissioner. I was glad to be of service.”
“Thanks again. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Commissioner.”
The commissioner smiled. Part one of his plan was now completed. He picked up the receiver and dialed. After two rings he heard, “Good afternoon, Mayor Chandler’s office.”
“Hi, Wanda, may I speak to Jack, please?”
“Just a minute, please, Commissioner.”
“Hello, George. I hope you have some good news.”
“Yes, I do. I just received a call from Dr. Charles. It’s done. We’re in business.”
“That’s great!”
“Let me know as soon as you hear from the kidnappers.”
“I’m expecting a call on Friday. By that time I should have the money transferred.”
“Good. Let me know as soon as you get the details on the time and place for the exchange.”
“I’ll call you as soon as I know.”
“In the meantime, all we can do is sit and wait. Try not to worry. We’ll get Charlotte back safe and sound.”
“I pray to God that you’re right. It’s going to be an agonizing few days.”
“Keep the faith, Jack. I’m confident my plan will work. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, George.”
After hanging up, Commissioner Gowan called Captain Robertson.
Glancing at the screen on her ringing phone, Captain Robertson wondered what the commissioner wanted.
“Good afternoon, Commissioner.”
“Good afternoon, Captain. I’ll cut to the chase. We’ve got a situation.”
After providing the details of the kidnapping and his plan, the commissioner sa
id, “I’d like Detective Woods to drive the car carrying Lieutenant Kruger to the exchange. Woods knows Kruger well, having worked with him in narcotics. Once the exchange takes place, I want Detective Woods and his partner to be the lead detectives on a team that will be assembled to recapture Kruger before he has a chance to skip the country.”
“Okay, Commissioner. I’ll inform the detectives and make them available for the assignment.”
“Thank you, Captain. I’ll be in touch as soon as I know the details. Have a good day.”
“You as well. Goodbye, Commissioner.”
“Goodbye, Captain.”
Buck and Kristie were in the squad room catching up on paperwork when Captain Robertson summoned them into her office.
Kristie glanced at Buck. “From the look on the boss’s face, it must be something serious.”
“Probably another homicide assignment.”
Once they were seated, Captain Robertson dropped the bombshell on them.
After the initial shock had worn off, Buck said, “The mayor’s daughter, kidnapped? And the kidnappers want to exchange her for Kruger. Who in hell are these people?”
“The commissioner suspects they may be members of the White Skulls gang.”
“That makes sense,” Kristie agreed. “I’m sure Kruger’s been in bed with them for a while now.”
“It certainly looks that way,” Captain Robertson said.
Kruger awoke to the sound of a key rattling in his cell door. “You have a visitor,” the guard said. Once more, he was escorted by the same four guards––this time to the visitor’s room.
After Kruger was handcuffed to a table, Billy White, the leader and founder of the White Skulls walked up and took the seat opposite him. In his mid-fifties, White was similar in size to Kruger. He appeared more rugged-looking than handsome. His head was shaved, and his round face was covered by a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. White’s nose had a slight bend from a fight when he was a teenager. His black eyes were like two laser beams, and when he smiled the first thing you noticed was his one gold tooth. Because of the tooth, his followers had given him the nickname “Goldie.”
Looking down at his hands cuffed to the table, Kruger laughed. “I hope you don’t mind if I don’t shake your hand, Goldie. You’re looking dapper, brother.”
White was smartly dressed in a dark blue business suit with a crisp white shirt and a red silk tie. “You think so, do you?”
“If I didn’t know better, I might mistake you for a high-class lawyer.”
“Shit! You think I look like a fuckin’ lawyer?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“I hate fuckin’ lawyers. Anyway, gettin’ down to business.” White leaned in and whispered, “We’ll have you out of here in a few days. The twenty-five million should be in your account on Friday. Don’t forget, when you get to your destination, send my half to the account number I gave you.”
“No problem, brother, I’ll transfer it as soon as I get there.”
“The exchange will take place Friday night at eight, barring any unforeseen circumstances.”
Relieved, Kruger said, “That’s great news. I can’t wait to get out of this hell hole.”
“We’ve got your new ID waiting for you. A passport, driver’s license, and credit cards under the name James Paul Smith. My man took one of your pictures and created a new look for your passport and driver’s license. When he’s done, you won’t recognize yourself. We’ll make you look exactly like the picture he created. A real bargain for the money you paid.”
“Smith? How original,” Kruger said sarcastically.
“Stop your fuckin’ complainin’. It’s a hell of a lot better than Englebert Humperdinck.”
Kruger laughed. “You’re right about that. Sorry, Goldie, I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. I’ll get used to it. I think I’ll go by Jim Smith, or maybe J.P. Smith. What do you think?”
“Whatever. I really don’t give a fuck.”
The White Skulls leader stood and patted Kruger on the shoulder. “See you soon my little brother.”
“See you soon, my big brother,” Kruger said. “Thanks for your help.”
When he was back in his cell, Kruger lay on his bed and smiled. In a few more days he ’d be on his way to a life of leisure and luxury far away from NYC. His half of the ransom money and the other four million he had accumulated over the years, plus the million from the recent sale of his condo and car, would be more than enough to last him a lifetime. His mind at ease, Kruger fell asleep within a few minutes. He was dreaming he was on a sun-drenched, white, sandy beach with a drink in his hand watching beautiful women in bikinis stroll by.
CHAPTER 24
At 11:00 a.m. Friday morning, Kruger was escorted to the prison library. He sat down at a computer and accessed his offshore account. When Kruger saw a twenty-five-million-dollar deposit, his eyes lit up. He turned off the computer and walked to the nearby guard, a White Skulls member. Kruger put out his hand, and the guard handed him his cell phone.
“Yeah,” Billy White said.
“Great news, Goldie. The eagle has landed.”
“You mean the eagle has shit.”
“Whatever.”
“Great!”
Kruger hung up, handed the phone back to the guard, and smiled like a kid who had just received the present he wanted from Santa Claus. He whistled happily as he was being escorted back to his cell.
Mayor Chandler’s cell phone rang at 10:20 a.m. The screen read “Unknown Caller.” It was the same distorted voice. This time he didn’t use Charlotte’s phone––it was a burner phone. Charlotte’s phone had been destroyed, and the pieces were at the bottom of the Hudson River.
“Good morning, Mr. Mayor. I checked, and I see you’ve deposited the money. That means your daughter stays alive…for now.”
“I want to talk to Charlotte.”
“I’m not with her. You’ll just have to take my word that she’s okay.”
“That’s not good enough. I want to speak to Charlotte, now!”
“You’re not in a position to make demands, Mr. Mayor. Shut up and listen. Write this down.”
The kidnapper gave Chandler the time and location of where the exchange was to take place. He reminded the mayor the only cop he wanted to see was the one delivering Kruger.
After the kidnapper had hung up, Chandler dialed Police Commissioner Gowan’s office.
When the commissioner came on the line, he said, “The kidnappers just called. The exchange is to take place tonight at eight. The location is the abandoned Red Hook Grain Terminal, Halleck Street on the East River.”
“Okay, Jack. Now that we have the details, I’ll make sure Kruger is delivered on time. Once Charlotte is safe, we’ll go after Kruger.”
“It’s gonna be one hell of a long day. Hopefully, your plan will work, and I’ll get my daughter back safe and sound, and you’ll recapture Kruger.”
“That’s the plan. Don’t worry, things will work out fine.”
“I pray to God they do.”
At 7:17 p.m. a smiling Karl Kruger was escorted to a waiting squad car. Tasting freedom, he felt like a kid on his way to Disney World. His hands were cuffed behind his back, and he still wore an orange prisoner jumpsuit. As one guard opened the door, the other guard put his hand on Kruger’s head and roughly pushed him down onto the back seat.
In a cheerful voice, Kruger said, “Good evening, Officer. You look familiar. Do I know you?”
The officer stared straight ahead without speaking. He started the engine, shifted into drive, and drove off. As they were crossing the bridge, the officer finally spoke. “Yes, Kruger, you bastard, you know me.”
Kruger was surprised to hear a voice he recognized. “Buckley, you son of a gun. What the fuck are you doing in a patrolman’s uniform?” He laughed. “Get demoted, did you?”
“Real funny, Kruger. You’re a barrel of laughs. I’m your chauffeur for the evening. Where to, asshole?”
Kruger laughed again, “To freedom, Buckley. To freedom. I’m sure you’ve been given the address. By the way, how’s your sweet bitch of a partner doing? I heard she had a little accident saving your sorry ass.”
“As a matter of fact, Kristie’s doing just fine. She told me to tell you to go screw yourself. Correction. That’s not right. She told me to tell you to go fuck yourself.”
Once more, Kruger cracked up. “When you see her, tell her thanks, but I’d rather do it to her. I always knew she liked me.”
“You sound pretty cocky, Kruger. You do know you’re not getting away with this, don’t you?”
“Oh, I’m getting away all right. Soon I’ll be living the good life in a place where the sun always shines. I’ll think of you and lovely Kristie freezing your asses off on a cold January day running around trying to catch killers. As for me, I’ll be soaking up rays on a beach with a drink in my hand and a pretty lady by my side.”
“Dream on, Kruger. That’s not gonna happen.”
“Oh, yes it will, and I’ll be lovin’ every minute of it.”
“I suppose your name will no longer be Duckworth. You’ll probably come up with something original like Brown, Jones, or Smith.”
Laughing, Kruger said, “Maybe I’ll change my name to Engelbert Humperdinck, Bugs Bunny, or Elmer Fudd.”
“I think Elmer Fudd would suit you just fine. It won’t matter what name you use. We’ll catch you, and you’ll be living your life of luxury in state prison. I think Sing Sing or Attica would be a nice place to spend the rest of your life.”
Kruger chuckled. “Ah, Buckley, don’t be so nasty, I thought we were friends.”
“You thought wrong. How could I be friends with an asshole who had one of his own detectives murdered?”
“Mason was a fly in the ointment of my retirement plan. He got too nosey, so he had to go.”
“And when Raymond Cooper slipped up, you didn’t want any loose ends, so he had to go, too. With him out of the picture, there would be no one to testify against you in court.”
New York City Murders Page 18