Silent Sanction: A Novel

by Joseph D'Antoni

  Linda said, “She has been at my sister’s friend Carla’s house for the last two days, since T.J. and I started arguing.”

  “The son of a bitch is going to kill me. He already tried. I think he could also go after Mindy to get back at me.”

  Everyone gathered around Linda, again in tears. The girls hugged Linda and offered her tissues.

  “You have to go to the police,” said Jamie firmly. “This is not right.”

  Linda quickly replied, “No, don’t call the police or we’ll all be dead. You have no idea how brutal T.J. can be! I saw that before I moved in with him and should have known better. I was just trying to give Mindy a better life.”

  When Linda had walked in, Jamie had a customer in her chair. Jamie asked the customer if she would mind having one of the other girls finish so she could attend to her friend who had been in a car accident. Now Jamie asked the other girls if they would mind leaving her alone with Linda for a minute.

  One of the other girls helped Jamie’s customer to another chair.

  Jamie asked Linda, “Where are you staying?”

  “I just left the hospital 45 minutes ago. T.J. thinks I’m still there. I have so much going through my head right now, I don’t know what to do. You were the only person I trusted and could think of.”

  Linda started crying again and said, “I have to get Mindy.” She looked imploringly at Jamie. “Do you know anyone who can help me? I need to get Mindy somewhere safe.”

  Jamie took a deep breath, but met Linda’s eyes and said, “You can stay at my house.”

  “Thanks, but you don’t understand. If T.J. finds out you helped me, you’ll be killed – he’s that brutal.”

  Jamie still had her arm around Linda, helping wipe the tears running down her battered face. She said, “Let me get in touch with my boyfriend, Wade. He may know someone.”

  Linda replied, “I like Wade.”

  Jamie said “I’ll be right back.” She went to call Wade. Shaking, she told Wade the story.

  Wade was calm and said he would take care of it. He said he was calling Pisano and would be right over to the salon. Wade instructed Jamie, “Just tell Linda I’m calling a family friend who can help and will be right over. Have Linda stay right there; don’t let her leave even if you have to take her car keys away. Everything will be okay.”

  Jamie went back to Linda, who was calmer now, and told her, “I spoke to Wade, and he knows someone he thinks might help. He’s on his way over and should be here very soon.”

  Linda choked, “Thank you,” and started crying again.

  Wade immediately called Pisano to find out what to do.

  Pisano thought quickly. “I’m coming to pick you up, and we’re going to the salon together.”

  Wade asked, “Do you think it’s a good idea for me to be there with you?”

  “Yes, we have to do it this way because your being there will give me instant credibility with Linda. I wouldn’t have a chance with her alone – she’s too scared right now.”

  Pisano arrived to pick up Wade within minutes, and they headed for the beauty salon. On the way, Pisano told Wade, “Don’t introduce me by my real name. Just say I’m a family friend. I’ll take it from there.” He removed his weapon, holster, and badge and told Wade to put them in the glove compartment. They made it to the beauty salon in less than 35 minutes.

  Wade asked, “What about Jamie? She knows you too.”

  “Don’t worry about Jamie. She’ll pick up on my cue.”

  When Wade and Pisano walked in, Jamie was still helping Linda clean up at the sink at Jamie’s station. Linda seemed a lot calmer.

  Wade walked over to the two women. He gave Linda a hug. He then gave Jamie a hug and said, “I brought a family friend with me. He might be able to help.”

  Pisano introduced himself as Jake Lawrence and said, “I’m a former police officer with the NOPD and now work with the department on a consulting basis. I’ve dealt with these situations many times before, and we should be able to help you and your daughter.”

  Linda looked cautiously at Wade and asked, “How does he know so much?”

  “I told him what I heard from Jamie as we drove over. I think you should listen to him. He’s helped other people in my family before.”

  Pisano sat calmly next to Linda and said, “I’m going to have to ask you a few questions so I can get you out of here and to a safe place.”

  Linda, now accepting Pisano, nodded and wiped her nose, and said, “What do you want to know?”

  Pisano proceeded with a series of questions, as if he had done this many times before. He would ask a question and wait to get the response from Linda, “Did you drive over here alone?”

  Linda replied, “Yes.”

  “Do you have your car keys with you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Would you mind if I have someone take your car and put it in a safe place? It’s very recognizable, and it’s not a good idea for you to be driving it.”

  Linda replied, “You can have it,” handing Pisano the keys from her purse.

  Pisano looked down at the keys in his hand. “Are these other keys on your ring to your house?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t’ worry; you won’t be returning to your house, I just needed to know.”

  “What hospital were you in?”

  Linda gave him the name.

  “Do you remember what time you left the hospital?”

  “It’s been about an hour and a half now.”

  “Did you tell anyone at the hospital where you were going?”

  Linda shook her head emphatically. “No.”

  Pisano asked, “Where is your daughter?”

  Linda explained she was with her sister’s good friend Carla.

  “When did you speak to your daughter last?”

  “Two days ago.”

  “I’ll need to have the address and telephone number of your sister’s friend, Carla.”

  Linda realized she had little choice but to trust Pisano. She gave him a piece of paper with the address and telephone number.

  Pisano looked at her steadily as he spoke. “Here’s what we’re going to do for now. I’m going to take you in my car with Wade to a safe place where we will meet up with a woman detective. She’ll help you get settled so we can work on finding your daughter. We’re not going to a police station, but to a safe house where I want you to contact your friend and speak with your daughter. We’ll get you and your daughter together in the same safe house. Do you understand?”

  Linda replied, gratefully, “Yes.”

  “So you’re okay with this plan?”

  “Yes,” Linda said again, then looked at Wade and Jamie and said, “I can’t thank you two enough.” She started to cry again, and Jamie held her and cleaned up the tears.

  Pisano recognized one of his plain clothes men who had just arrived at the salon. Wade thought Pisano must have contacted the other officer before he picked him up. Pisano handed his guy Linda’s keys, and the officer immediately left – apparently knowing where Linda’s car was and what to do.

  Pisano turned to Linda and said “This is the man who is going to take your car to a safe place. I think we should be going now.”

  “Wade will be with us all the time?”

  “Yes.”

  Linda turned and hugged Jamie and said again, “Thank you. I’m still afraid, but I don’t know what I would have done without you. Thank you so much.”

  Jamie reassured her, “Everything’s going to be fine.”

  Pisano picked up Linda’s purse and handed it to Wade while he helped Linda by the arm to his car. As Pisano and Wade scanned the parking lot, they saw that Linda’s baby blue Cadillac had already gone with Pisano’s agent.

  Wade sat in the back seat with Linda while Pisano drove. Pisano was checking rear view and side mirrors as he left the parking lot and headed toward the other side of the city.

  In the back seat, Linda quietly asked Wade, “How long
have you known him?”

  Wade said “Mr. Lawrence has been a friend of our family for many years. He’s very good and knows all the right people. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  Linda held Wade’s hand and put her head on his shoulder and cried. At one point she said, “I’m so worried about Mindy.”

  Wade didn’t know how to answer, so he remained silent.

  In 40 minutes, Pisano pulled up in the driveway of a two-story home. He pulled the car about halfway up the driveway so it wouldn’t block a side door into the downstairs of the house. The door opened and a tall, professional-looking woman greeted them with a brief smile.

  Before opening the car doors, Pisano informed his passengers, “This is Jane Mason. She’s a former detective, and she’ll be staying with you.

  Linda asked, “What about my clothes and everything?”

  Pisano hadn’t thought about that, but he answered, “Don’t worry about that right now. We’ll get you everything you’ll need. Right now we want to concentrate on getting you and your daughter together.”

  Pisano opened his car door and they started to get out. Pisano introduced Linda to Jane. Pisano said, “While you and Jane get to know each other, I’m going to be in the other room making some calls.”

  Jane took Linda’s arm from Wade and said in a calm voice, “This house is safe.” Jane continued talking to Linda, “Would you like to have a drink of water or use the bathroom?”

  “I could use the bathroom if you don’t mind.”

  As Linda and Wade separated, Linda turned back to him and said, “You’re not going anywhere are you? You’re my only link here.”

  Wade replied, “I’ll be right in the other room when you come out.” He went upstairs and could hear Pisano already on the phone in one of the rooms. As Wade approached the door, Pisano waved for him to come in. Pisano was setting up stakeouts of the beauty salon and Coletta’s home. Pisano hung up the phone and turned to Wade and said, “We’re only half in the clear. Once T.J. finds out she’s no longer at the hospital he’ll turn this city upside down looking for her. He’ll definitely go after the daughter and use her as bait and leverage to control Linda. We have to move fast and get the daughter safe.”

  “I’m going to need to get Linda to make some phone calls without losing it. My men are probably already outside of Carla’s house at the address she gave us. They haven’t reported any movement at the house and the lights are out. Let’s see if Linda is able to function now.”

  Pisano found Linda and Jane chatting in the kitchen. Linda was holding a glass of water. Pisano asked how she was feeling.

  She replied, “I hurt all over, but I’m okay – just worried about my daughter.”

  She seemed calmer and more rational to Pisano. He suggested that they move to the other room and go over some details if she felt up to it. He said, “I’m going to need you to make some phone calls.”

  “Sure. Whatever you say,” said Linda.

  Pisano explained, “What we are doing now is trying to get your daughter as safe as you are. I sent some men to the address you gave me for Carla’s house. The lights are off and no one seems to be at home. Are you sure the address you gave us is where your daughter is?” Pisano showed Linda the paper she gave him at the beauty shop.

  “That’s where I took her during the bad argument with T.J., yes.”

  Pisano asked, “Tell me about this person your daughter is staying with.”

  ”Carla is a close friend of my sister.”

  “Can you think of any reason why they might not be home?”

  Linda replied, “No, not really. She’s stayed with Carla before when T.J. and I had arguments or I had to go out of town. Sometimes Carla takes Mindy shopping or to the movies. That’s possible I guess.”

  “Does Carla know where you live?”

  Linda registers some alarm as she slowly answers, “Yes.”

  “Is there any chance Carla would bring Mindy back to your house without talking to you?”

  “Oh, God, I hope not!” blurted Linda, and she started crying again. Jane heard her and came in and tried to comfort her as she cried.

  Pisano pressed on, “Linda, please forgive me, but I have to ask some of these difficult questions.”

  Linda managed to compose herself. “I understand.”

  Pisano’s asked Linda to call Carla’s house again, and there was no answer. Pisano said “I’m not sure we can do anything right now. We just have to wait.”

  In two hours, Pisano got a call from the officer on the stakeout at Carla’s house, telling him one female adult and one female child had just pulled into the driveway and were now inside the house. At this time, Linda was exhausted and lying down on one of the beds Jane had prepared for her. Pisano asked Jane to bring Linda into the room with the phone.

  Pisano said to Linda, “It looks like your daughter just got home with Carla, and it doesn’t look like they’ve been followed. Let’s give them a few minutes to get settled, then I would like you to call.”

  Linda called, and Carla answered the phone. Linda said, “I’m so glad to hear your voice. Is everything okay?”

  Carla, puzzled by the question, replied “Yeah, how about you. Are you okay?”

  “Not really, but it’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it soon. Right now I’m concerned about Mindy. Is she all right?”

  “She’s fine.”

  “I’m here with a retired NOPD detective who can explain everything. But first can you put Mindy on?”

  “Sure.”

  When Mindy took the phone, she said, “Hi Mommy! Aunt Carla bought me a new dress, it’s beautiful! We had a great time shopping.”

  “That’s wonderful Mindy. Listen, Honey, Mommy hasn’t been feeling well, but we’re going to see each other soon and spend the night in a beautiful new house together. We’ll have a great time.”

  Excited, Mindy said, “That sounds like fun!”

  Linda asked Mindy, “Can you put Carla back on the phone?”

  A moment later, Linda spoke briefly with Carla again. “I’m going to now put Detective Lawrence on. He’ll explain everything for you.”

  Pisano took the phone and cleared his throat before saying, “Hello, Carla, I’m detective Lawrence. Linda has had problems with T.J., and we have her here in a safe house across town. We’re concerned that T.J. may try to find Mindy. I have some police officers in an unmarked car outside your house. They will identify themselves and show you their badges. They work for me. They will bring Mindy to her mom here at the safe house. I’m going to keep the officers stationed outside your house for safety for the next several days. If you get a call from T.J. or anyone other than Linda, tell them you don’t know where Linda or Mindy are. Say that Linda picked Mindy up several days ago and you haven’t heard from her since. Tell them you thought they were going out of town somewhere but they didn’t say where. Are you comfortable with that story?”

  Carla stammered, “Yes.”

  Mindy was shortly going to be united with her mom for the first time in several days, and Linda, although still apprehensive, was calmer now than she had been since arriving at the safe house. Jake, Linda, and Wade all sat in the room where the telephone call had been made and breathed sighs of relief.

  Wade’s mind had been running possible scenarios involving Coletta ever since leaving the beauty shop. With all that was going on, he hadn’t had a chance to discuss any of them with Pisano. Wade, Pisano, Linda, and Jane were sitting in the room after the call to Carla and Mindy. They all knew Mindy would soon be on her way to the safe house.

  After a few minutes, Wade turned to Linda and said, “Linda, now that we know Mindy is safe, I have to ask you a question. Did you at any time mention Jamie’s name or my name to T.J.?”

  Linda put her hand to her mouth thinking. She started crying again, and through her sobs said, “Yes, probably a couple of times. I didn’t think anything of it. You two were such a nice couple.” She started sobbing as she saw the impl
ications. “I’m so sorry.” She stood up and stepped toward Wade. He rose to meet her and held her as she cried.

  Wade was facing Pisano over Linda’s shoulder. He said, “It’s all right,” as he rubbed Linda’s back. For a moment, Wade and Pisano looked at each other intently. They didn’t say a word to each other because of Linda’s presence. They didn’t need to speak. Both realized that Coletta had connected the dots between Wade, the Race Track, Ed Langer, and the beauty salon.

  Pisano glanced over to the window, thinking, “that explains almost everything.” The pieces of the Hanna and Langer operations were quickly coming undone, and it was clear that cover had been blown in both operations.

  Linda and Mindy were united and spent the next several days at the safe house together. During that time, Linda was able to give Pisano a great deal of information about the Coletta ring including locations where they held secret meetings, the names of organized crime bosses Coletta frequently met with, the names of lieutenants – names Pisano didn’t know, some of the names of underbosses in other states, and details about where Pisano could find accounting records of the operation – in the house, buried in a vault beneath the basement floor.

  Knowing there was eminent danger for both Langer and Hanna, Pisano called a meeting at Abe’s Records. Both Hanna and Langer showed up on time and were ushered to the back room by another manager neither knew.

  Pisano began without any formalities. “I called this meeting because I think both of you are now too close to being uncovered as operatives. You have both done an excellent job. I have discussed your performance within the department and with the DA’s office. We have unanimously concluded that you both have served with distinction, and your service to pay for your crimes has been met. Your files have already been destroyed under my supervision. There will be no record of your having been arrested or having a police problem. Now, if you get a ticket going home today, that’s another story. But everything in your past connected with the police department has been eliminated under my direct supervision, and I am no longer your parole officer.” Pisano paused.

  “Actually, I never thought of my role with you two as that of a parole officer. We were all members of an undercover operation team, and I would be honored to serve with you on any assignment in the future. As of now, you’re free to go and get back to living your lives the way you were living them before. Of course, if you were considering changing your lives for the better, this might be a good time to do that.”