MISSING ANGEL
Part One
By Sean Lennon
Russell Norman was having a good day. He woke up this morning with the spring sun shining in through the bedroom window, his favorite song, Runaround Sue, was being played on the radio. Once he put on his navy blue bathrobe on and walked downstairs, he found his wife, Betty, in the kitchen cooking homemade waffles with bacon for him.
The drive through the Lincoln Tunnel into New York City went smoothly, without any major traffic holding him back. His new Lexus shined and sparkled in the sunlight as he cruised up Park Avenue to his office building on the corner of 48th street. Russ pulled into the paid parking lot under the building. As he slowed down, he saw Marty, the parking attendant, step out of his little office with a smile on his face.
“Good morning Mister Norman,” Marty said.
“And a beautiful one at that,” Russ replied to him. He took his ticket and headed for the elevator leading to the building’s lobby upstairs. Russ strolled across the lobby, tipping his head to the security guards sitting in the center of the lobby, while slightly swinging his briefcase.
Runaround Sue was still in his head when he reached the floor his company was on. The receptionist, Gillian, smiled and said hello to him as he walked by. Russ was glad that he had hired her. Her constant happy mood was a pleasant sight to see as soon as people walked through the door. And she certainly wasn’t hard to look at, he thought to himself.
“Mister Norman,” a voice called out to him as he walked through the maze of cubicles to his office. Russ turned around and came face to face with Wesley Fredricks, one of the employees of the accounting firm, R.H. Winters Inc., that they both worked for.
“Good morning Wesley,” Russ said with a smile. He noticed the thick file in the employee’s hand.
“I’ve finished the Ranston account.” Wesley handed the file over to Russ. Russ raised his eyebrows and stared at the file that was given to him.
“Wasn’t this given to you last night before you left?”
“Yes, sir. I saw that it was needed for tomorrow so I came in early this morning to go through it.”
But this report is at least four inches thick.” Russ looked at his watch. It was only a few minutes to nine. “How early did you arrive?”
“Um, about 5:30 a.m. sir.”
Russ was shocked. Was this the same employee that he had denied a raise last week due to his slacking? Perhaps he had been wrong about Wesley in the first place.
He remembered the moment like it was yesterday. Early last week, the CEO of the firm had asked for Russ’s presence upstairs. When he had gotten there, he saw that his good friend and co-worker, Caleb Veich, was already sitting next to Brett Sanders. Right away, Russ knew why he had been summoned.
“I guess he hasn’t decided yet, huh?” Russ asked the two co-workers. Brett shook his head and Caleb smirked.
“Nope. But we all know who’s going to be picked.”
“Yes, but why did he ask for you to be here?” Russ joked back.
“Very funny, Rusty. It’s pretty obvious that I’m the best suited for the position.”
Russ and Caleb acted competitive in the office but the two men were very close as friends. They joked back and forth in the workplace because they had both thought that the floor they worked on needed a little lightening up. But after their supervisor died of a heart attack, the CEO immediately searched for the perfect replacement. He had come up with the three men that sat outside his office door.
“We’ll just see about that,” Russ smiled back.
A moment later, the secretary was buzzed and she picked up her phone. Russ listened to the short conversation and looked over at her. When she hung up the phone, she looked over at the three men and told them that they were allowed to enter the CEO’s office. The men did what they were told.
Inside, the CEO sat with R.H. Winters’s son, Jeffrey Winters. Russ was amazed at the size of the office. It was about the size of the entire first floor of his house. He walked in, trying not to look amazed, and sat down in one of the guest chairs.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen. I assume you are aware of the reason why I called the three of you here,” the CEO said to them. The men nodded and replied yes.
“Good. Well, I do have to apologize for the long wait that I’ve put you all in. But it was all needed because this was not an easy choice. Like Jeffrey’s father once said, ‘This firm chooses only the best out there.’ And I’ve certainly found this to be true. All three of you are the best out there. But who do I pick to replace Arnold Schneider?”
Russ prayed that it was him to be chosen. It would make the nine years he had put into this firm worth it.
“And so, after this long weekend, I’ve decided to have one of you become the manager of the twenty-eighth floor. And my choice for the position is Russ Norman.”
Russ sighed loudly. Caleb looked over and smiled, patting Russ on the back. Brett just looked over, disappointed. The CEO stood up and held out his hand for Russ to talk. Russ stood up and went over to thank the CEO. Jeffrey Winters stood and congratulated him as well.
An hour later, Russ was admiring the view that came with the new corner office on the twenty-eighth floor. He stood behind his new desk and stared up Park Avenue. That was when Caleb walked in with his first managerial task.
“Hey boss man. Got some work for you.”
“Already? I just got the position an hour ago.”
“No rest for the wicked, I guess.”
“Very funny. What is it?”
“Raise request. Needs your approval.”
“Who is it that requested?”
“Wesley Fredricks.”
“The water cooler sloucher?”
“The one and the same.”
“He hasn’t held his weight around here, has he?”
“Not really. And he’s a womanizer. The female co-workers aren’t that fond of him.”
“Hmm,” Russ thought for a minute, “Tell him that he’ll have to wait until the mid-year evaluation.”
“You got it. Oh and for the record, if I got beat out of this position by anyone, I’d rather it be you than Brett the Set, you know.” The nickname for Sanders was something that Caleb had thought up one day when Brett had mocked the previous floor manager to his face. Caleb had told the others that it took a giant set of balls to do something like that and get away with it.
“Thanks,” Russ said.
Russ remembered later that day, while walking around the floor, he ran into Wesley. Wesley shot him a look and then congratulated him under his breath. Russ had felt bad that day but knew he had made the right choice.
Now, he was wondering if it was the right choice.
“I was just thinking that you’d still need time to go over it and make sure that everything is correct. So I made sure that it was ready the minute you walked in.”
“Well, I have to say that I’m impressed, Wesley. Job well done.”
“Thank you sir.” Wesley walked back to his cubicle and started on something else.
Russ worked in his office for the rest of the morning without any interruptions. He had placed the Ranston account to the side of his desk and was planning on taking care of it as soon as he returned from lunch. Caleb poked his head in Russ’s office.
“Hey Russ, you up for some lunch?”
“Sorry, I’ll have to take a rain check today. I’m having lunch with Angel. She has some big news for me.” Russ said, straightening the 5X7 photo of his daughter, Angel, on his desk. Beside it was a smaller picture of Russ and Betty. Angel was his only child. At the age of 20, she was deep in study at New York University for her acting major. Russ had watched her grow up watching television and pretending to be anyone who she chose to be at the time. He and Betty had seen her talent early and supported her one hundred percent. Angel had also the beauty of her mother at the same age. Russ knew that she would go far. Caleb had once told him that if he were any prouder, he’d have one of those cheesy T-shirts with a picture of Angel on it that read ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’.
“Figures. My invitations only get bumped off for her. Well, tell her I said hi.”
“Will do.” Russ checked his watch. It was almost time to meet her. He fixed up the stuff on his desk before leaving to the restaurant that she had chosen.
Russ decided, seeing how it was such a wonderful day, that he would walked the short amount of blocks to the Jekyll and Hyde restaurant located just south of Central Park. Angel had always loved the strange and unique, so it was typical to think of a meeting place like it. It was the only explanation to her love of the Village. He had walked around there a few times and wondered what she saw in people who dressed in flamboyant colors and had piercings in just about every orifice. But Russ was never one to judge a book by it’s cover.
Fifteen minutes later, Russ arrived at the restaurant and approached the woman who assigned the seating. She crossed off a name on the reservation list and explained to one of the female waitresses that a certain party was canceling. Once she was finished, she turned her attention to Russ.
“Yes, sir, may I help you?”
“Hi, I’m here to meet my daughter. I made a reservation under the name Norman,” he told her. The hostess skimmed down the list, looking for the name.
“Ah yes. Party of two?”
“That’s right. Has she arrived?”
“No, I’m sorry. If you’d like to be seated, I can have her brought to your table when she arrives.”
Russ agreed to it and was brought over to the wall booths on the ground floor. He looked around and took in all the spooky horror memorabilia on the walls. There was a family with four children sitting in the center of the floor. All six were staring at the talking skeleton sitting at an organ hanging above on the second floor opening. He smiled and knew that this must be one of Angel’s favorite restaurants.
After a few minutes, the waitress walked over and asked if he’d like something to drink. Russ stuck with the water and wondered if he had gotten the time for the lunch wrong. It was not like Angel to be late for anything. But then again, it was New York City, where anything can and normally does happen, he told himself. She was most likely stuck in traffic.
After twenty minutes, Russ was concerned. He did not know where she was and it was not like her to not call if she was running late. He had given her a cell phone on her seventeenth birthday in the case that she was in trouble or needed help.
Just then his own cell phone rang. There she is, he thought. Russ dug into his inside jacket pocket and fished out his own cell phone. Examining the phone number on his phone screen, he saw that it was a number that he was not familiar with. Curious, he answered anyway.
“Hello?”
The line was silent.
“Hello? Who’s there? Angel?”
“This is not Angel, Russell Norman,” said the voice on the other line. The voice had an electronic buzz to it. Could this be a prank? If so, how did they know his name?
“Who is this?”
“Who I am is none of your concern. What you should be concerned about is who I am with.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Mister Norman, I have your daughter. And I will kill her if you do not do as I say.” Russ felt the wind knocked out of his lungs as his good day came crumbling down around him.
TO BE CONTINUED….
Part Two
By Sean Lennon
“Do I have your attention now?” the voice asked him. Russ froze, unsure of what to do next. He looked at the number on the screen of his cell phone and wrote it down on a napkin.
“Mister Norman, I do not have time for games. Do you want your daughter to continue breathing?”
“How, how do I know this is not a joke?” Russ had to make sure that he wasn’t being fooled or conned.
“Would this clarify things?” Russ could hear the phone being handed over. Then his daughter’s voice rushed into his ear.
“Daddy! Help me!” Angel was then cut off and the electronic voice returned. Russ felt all his muscles turn to jelly. His daughter was all he had. She was his everything and the thought of her being held hostage by some nutcase filled him with fear.
“Do I have your full attention?” It asked.
“Yes,” he said defeated.
“Good. Listen to me and do as I say and your daughter will live. Play the hero and she dies. Got it?”
“Yes. Please don’t hurt her. I’ll pay whatever you want.”
“You’re damn right you will. Now listen. I want you to return to your home. In your closet, you have a shoebox filled with ten thousand dollars in cash. Get it and I’ll contact you as to what to do with it.”
Russ was surprised by the knowledge the person on the other side had about what he stored in his closet at home.
“How did you know about the money in my closet?”
“You have pickable locks on your front door, Mister Norman. I’ve been in your house several times.” Russ then knew that he was playing with a professional. He could not disobey this person. If he did, they would certainly kill his daughter.
“Now, here are the rules,” the voice said, “First, tell no one. Especially the cops. You do, she dies. You obey me. Disobey, she dies. No playing around. You do, she dies. Understand?”
“Yes. Just please, don’t hurt her.”
“Only you can decide that, Russell. Now get going. You have forty minutes.” The phone then went dead. Russ stared at the phone and could not move. What was he going to do? Suddenly, the thought came to his head. An old friend of his would be able to help.
New York detective Joe Potter was a friend that Russ had made back in his college days. Now, twenty-six later, he and Potter had still kept in touch and traditionally got together every Sunday afternoon for football games. Russ had gotten box seats to the Jets and the Giants thanks to the firm. And he always took Joe to celebrate the brutal sport every weekend.
Russell hung up the phone and turned it back on. He went to press the speed dial number that was Joe’s desk at the precinct he resided at when the phone rang again. He picked up and answered.
“I mean it, Russell. Tell no one about this.” It was the electronic voice again. Russ was shocked that the person knew what he was thinking. Then it dawned on him. He began looking around the restaurant. Unfortunately the lighting was dim and the tables were all filled with the lunch crowd. He couldn’t see everyone.
“That’s it. Look around. You’ll never find me. And if you keep it up, you’ll never find Angel again. Now scurry off to home, little mouse.” The voice hung up again. Russ couldn’t believe he was being watched. But then again, he could use that to his advantage.
Russell hurried back to the firm and went upstairs before he retrieved his car from the parking lot underground. Caleb was waiting for him when he reached his office.
“Hey Rust, I’ve got an idea for next weekend.”
“Not now, Caleb. I’m in a rush.” Caleb paused and looked at his friend. He tipped his head down and looked closer at Russ.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just have something important to deal with right now. Let me get back to you.” Russ picked up the phone on his desk and stared at the photo of Angel that stood before him. Then he stopped before he could dial Joe’s number. If the kidnapper had been in his house, what were the chances that he had been in Russ’s office as well? Could the phone be bugged? Russ couldn’t risk it if it was.
“Can I use your phone? It’s important.”
“What’s wrong with yours?”
“It’s a personal call. Please?”
“Russ, if there’s something wrong, you can tell me.”
“I can’t right now. But I need you to understand.”
“Anything you need, you can always rely on me for. You know that. Anything.”
“Yes, I know and right now I need your phone.” Caleb pointed in the direction of his office. Russ rushed off to it, leaving Caleb worried and concerned. Russ got to his friend’s office and closed the door behind him. Unconsciously, he touched his right side, making sure that the cell phone was still in his pocket. It was his only connection to Angel and her kidnapper, the Voice. He was damned if he’d lose it.
Russ sat in Caleb’s chair and pulled the phone on the desk close to him. Then he dialed Joe’s work number. The phone rang several times before someone picked up.
“Joe Potter’s desk,” the person said.
“Yes, I need to speak to Detective Potter, please.” Russ tried hiding the fear and stress in his voice but failed in the attempt.
“Is this to do with a case that the detective is working on?”
“No, my name is Russ Norman. I’m a friend of his and I needed his help. Is he in?”
“He’s in the can, Mister Norman. Can I have him call you back?”
“No thank you. I’ll hold.”
The cop on the phone paused at the reply. Then he said, “Okay, I’m going to put you on hold and he’ll pick you up when he gets back.”
“Thank you.” Russ sat back and found that he could not sit still. His only daughter had been kidnapped and he had no idea who it was. He hit the speaker button and stood up, pacing back and forth behind the desk.
“Damn it, Joe, get the hell on the phone,” Russ spat out. He stopped and took a deep breath. He couldn’t get mad at Joe for not being at his desk. Joe didn’t know what was going on with him. He pushed his salt and pepper hair back and stared at the ceiling.
Then the phone came to life.
“Hey, Russell, you okay?” It was Joe, finally.
“Joe, thank God. I need your help.” Russ grabbed the phone with two hands and brought it up to his face.
“Whoa, hang on, Russ. You sound frantic. What the hell is going on?”
“Someone’s taken Angel. And I don’t know who it is and they want my money and I’m not supposed to tell anyone but I can’t do this alone.”
“Russ, you have to calm down. Now give me the details. When was Angel kidnapped?”
Russ paused and breathed in deep. “Today I guess. I spoke to her last night to confirm that she was available to meet. Everything was fine then. I went to the restaurant where we were supposed to have lunch.” Russ explained the phone call and the being watched.
“Okay, this sounds planned. Have you told anyone else besides me?”
“No,” Russ answered, “I know I shouldn’t have but I was afraid that Angel would be killed regardless of whether or not I did what they said.”
“No, you did the right thing. Okay, this is what we’re going to do. From what you’ve told me, it’s very possible that you may be followed, so don’t stray from where they want you to go. I’m going to work from here and try to figure out who it may be that has Angel. Nine times out of ten, it’s always someone either you or Angel knows. Is there anyone at work that it could be? Anyone in the neighborhood?”
Russ sat and thought about it. Names came rushing into his head. Wesley. Caleb. Brett the Set. His lewd neighbor, Doug Finnegan. Angel’s ex-boyfriend, Terry Gibson. There were too many to consider. And he couldn’t really trust except Joe and himself. He suddenly realized that everyone had just become a suspect.
“I don’t know. There are so many possibilities.”
“Okay, I’ll work some of the angles. Now I want you to go home and get the money. They should call you then. I’ll contact you somehow when you get there.”
Joe hung up and Russ felt all alone again. He was not prepared for something like this. All he wanted was his good day back. He left Caleb’s office and walked out of the building, numb to everyone trying to get his attention. He handed Marty the ticket and drove out of New York and back home to Secaucus.
When he pulled into the driveway of his house, he saw his neighbor, Doug Finnegan, standing on his lawn, taking in the nice April sun. Russ never liked Doug on the fact that he had caught Doug on several occasions, staring at Angel when she would visit. Doug was about the same age as Russ but was not married. Russ got out of the car and headed for the front door when Doug called out to him.
“Hey Russ, home early huh?”
“Something like that,” Russ replied, not looking to spark up a conversation with the deadbeat.
“How’s that actress daughter of yours? Gotten any sexy roles yet?” Russ couldn’t believe what his neighbor had just said. He turned to face Doug and started walking over to him instead. Doug saw the look on Russ’s face and took a few steps back before Russ got right in his face.
“What about my daughter? Have you seen her today? Do you have her in your house? You sick perverted bastard, have you seen Angel?” Russ’s voice became louder and louder until he was sure that everyone on the block had heard him.
“What, what are you talking about? I was just kidding, man.” Doug was leaning back, afraid of Russ. Russ grabbed the collar of Doug’s shirt and pulled his arm back, his hand tightly clenched into a fist. Doug brought his hands up to protect his face, at the same time, looking as if he were about to wet himself. Russ saw the look on his face and let go. Doug staggered back and straightened out his shirt.
“What the hell is the matter with you? Have you gone crazy or something?”
Russ, surprised at his actions, quickly went into his house before the neighborhood gossipers took notice of the scene. He closed the front door and slumped onto the couch. He was not the same since the call in the restaurant. All that ran through his mind on the way home was the numerous suspects that he knew. Many of them had perfect motives. Wesley Fredricks had revenge for being shot down for a raise. Brett Sanders had envy for having the position taken away from him. Doug had the molesting behavior to kidnap Angel for his own perverted fantasies. Angel’s ex, Terry Gibson, was angered that she had dumped him. And it didn’t help that Russ had talked her into doing it. Russ was even surprised to consider Caleb, his friend and co-worker for the last seven years, as a suspect. And he was sure that he could probably think up several more suspects. It was driving him crazy.
The house phone suddenly rang, disrupting the silence spreading through the house. Russ flinched at the sound. He wondered if it was the kidnapper calling with more orders and taunting. Joe was also going to call him with his help on the kidnapping. He rushed over and grabbed the kitchen phone.
“Hello?”
“Russ? What the hell is going on?” It was his wife, Betty.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I just had a call from Joe asking me all these questions about enemies that I have. I made him tell me about Angel. Why did you tell me? Is she alive? Did you talk to her?”
Russ cursed to himself at Joe. He never called Betty for the sole fact that he didn’t want to panic her. And he knew that she would find it hard not to talk to the police about it as well as friends she knew.
“I didn’t want to worry you. Listen, they told me not to tell anyone else and not to go to the police.”
“But you told Joe before me? I’m her mother for God’s sake! Please tell me, is she okay?”
“She’s okay for now. But they said if I don’t do what they say, they’ll kill her.”
“What do they want?”
“They know about the money in the closet. They want that.”
“Did they say when they’d let her go?”
“No, not yet,” Russ told her. Suddenly a beep sounded on the line. He looked at the receiver and saw that another call was coming in. The caller ID told him that the call was originating from Angel’s cell phone. Russ went wide-eyed with the hope that she had somehow escaped.
“Betty, I can’t talk right now. I’ve got another call.”
“No, wait.”
“I can’t. I have to go.” Russ hung up on his wife, not taking the chance if Angel was in danger and needed his help. He clicked over to the other line and was answered by the Voice.
“I thought I told you not to go to the police, Mister Norman? You’re going to get your daughter killed that way.” Russ was surprised that the Voice knew about his talk with Joe. But it was possible that the house phone was tapped and the kidnapper had just listened to the call with Betty.
“I swear it won’t happen again. I made a mistake. Please don’t kill her. I’ll give you all the money I have. Please.” The line went silent and then Russ heard a metallic click.
“Do you know what that was, Russell? That was the sound of a gun being cocked. If you disobey again, I’ll show you what it sounds like to be fired.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Good boy,” the Voice said, “Now, listen closely. Take the money and put it in a large brown Macy’s bag. Then I want you to go to the South Street Seaport. Go into the shopping center on the pier and head up to the top deck. Go outside overlooking the East River and wait for further instructions. And don’t take your time. I am very busy, Mister Norman. Now go.” The line went dead and a surge of adrenaline coursed through Russell. He rushed upstairs and tore apart the closet, searching for the emergency money that he and his wife had hid for specific reasons. He was heading for the door again and the phone rang once more. Russ debated on answering it but did anyway.
“Hello?”
“Yeah, is this Sid’s Stationary?” Russ immediately recognized the voice. It was Joe. He paused, unsure of why Joe would ask for Sid’s, the magazine shop in the center of town.
“What?”
“Is this Sid’s?” It quickly dawned on Russ that Joe was talking in code. He must have been calling from Sid’s, looking for Russ to meet him there. Joe knew that the phones might have been bugged also.
“Um, no. Sorry, you have the wrong number.”
“Damn, my mistake, buddy. I’m all excited that the new swimsuit issue comes out today, I must have dialed wrong.” Joe hung up. Russ took the hint and left the house. He drove to the center of town, on his way to the Lincoln Tunnel again. Pulling over, he parked in front of Sid’s Stationary. Russ went inside and noticed Joe standing by the sports magazines. Joe tilted his head to have Russ come over and then walked to the soda windows. Russ walked over to where Joe was and saw a note sticking out of one of the magazines. He was not used to being covert like this, but he did his best to not look suspicious. Joe must have been afraid that Russ was being followed.
The jingling of the chimes above the entrance to Sid’s was heard and Russ instinctively looked up. He noticed a younger man with a mustache and beard walk in and look over the newspapers. Russ turned back and read the note that his friend had left for him. It read: RUSSELL, TAKE THIS PHONE TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH ME. BE CAREFUL, YOU MAY BE WATCHED OR FOLLOWED. JOE.
Behind the magazine was a cell phone that was left for him. Joe was right. The kidnappers could follow him, in order to make sure he didn’t involve the police any further. Russ slipped the new cell phone in his pants pocket and went to buy a bottle of water to give him a good reason to be in there and returned to his car. As he drove off, he noticed a blue Neon pulling out of it’s own parking spot.
Russ plugged the cell phone that Joe had given him into the small speaker set that he had purchased for talking on the phone while driving. The speaker allowed him to talk and not be caught up holding the phone while the car was in motion.
The phone rang and Russ hit the Send button. It was Joe.
“Good job back there.”
“Thank you. They know I spoke to you.”
“How?”
“I think they overheard the phone call from Betty at home.”
“Damn, I’m sorry, Russell. I thought she knew as well. I was only trying to get a feel for any enemies that she may have made that would do something like this.”
“Well, next time they find out that I disobey them, Angel is dead.”
“Don’t worry, that’s why I gave you the phone. It belongs to a fellow cop who owes me. They can’t listen in on a cell phone that they don’t know you have.”
“Good point,” Russ said. He then explained to Joe what the Voice had told him to do. “I have to go buy a Macy’s bag. We didn’t have any at home.”
“Okay. Try not to get caught up in traffic if the kidnappers are giving a certain amount of time to get there.”
“I understand. Can I ask you something?”
“Go for it,” Joe replied.
“Do you think they let her go?” Russ questioned the friend cop.
“Three out of four kidnappings end up with the person going free.”
“Could this be that fourth?”
“No way. You’re a good man, Russell. We’ll get Angel out of this alive. I promise. Now call me on this phone just before you get to the Seaport. I’m going to stop by your firm and get a grasp on the people there who might be behind this.”
Russ agreed and hung up. He pulled into line to get through the tollbooths on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel. As he did, he looked in his rear view mirror and noticed that the same blue Neon was behind him. Taking a closer look, he saw that it was the bearded man from Sid’s. He wondered if it was the kidnappers or just his paranoia. Russ moved over to the next lane just to be sure. As he pulled in, the blue Neon then followed suit, inching over to the same lane that Russ had moved into. There was no paranoia now. He was being followed. And now he had a face to the voice.
TO BE CONTINUED….
Part Three
By Sean Lennon
Russ watched as the blue Neon drove behind him through the tunnel and went up the same street that he had gone up. Russell was stopped at the light at the New York Port Authority Terminal. The blue Neon still right behind him. And several cars behind and next to it. It was trapped. Now or never.
Russ stepped out of the car and walked up to the driver’s side of the Neon. He banged on the top of the car as hard as he could. The driver became startled by him.
“Get out of the car now!” he screamed. There was no way this man was going to get away with kidnapping his daughter.
The driver was too scared to leave his vehicle but Russ was not going to wait all day. He tried the door handle and found that it was unlocked. The driver yelped in surprise and horror. Russ reached in and pulled the driver free of his seat belt.
“Please, God. Take the car, just don’t hurt me.” The driver covered his face in fear.
“Where is she? Where’s Angel?” Russ moved in so that the driver could not squirm away from him.
“Who? What?” The driver looked at Russ, puzzled.
“I know you’re following me. I know you have my daughter. Now where the hell is she or by God, I’ll kill you myself.”
“Look man, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen you before in my life. And I don’t have your daughter. Please, you gotta believe me.” The driver held his hands up in surrender. Russ looked him straight in the eyes and studied him for a moment. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. The driver just stood there, waiting for Russ to do something. When the cars behind them began honking, Russ came out of his trance. He let go of the driver, stunned by what he found himself capable of. He believed the man did not know what he was talking about. And yet, he had threatened to kill him for nothing.
Russ stared at the crowd gathering on the sidewalk for the show that he had put on for them, then got back into his car. He drove south on Broadway to
Russ turned the corner and slowed down. The loading docks were partially full. So he pulled into the last dock and turned off the car. As he stepped out of the car, a security guard walked down the small set of steps and over to him.
“You can’t park there,” he said to Russ. Russ knew that but he couldn’t risk being late to the drop off point. He had to think of something fast.
“I’m just picking up something from the manager. I’ll only be a minute.”
“I’m sorry but we’ve got trucks coming in soon. It’s against the rules to have personal vehicles in the loading dock area.”
“Look, I’m not trying to put one over you. I’m running late and if the manager finds out that you kept me from grabbing the stuff and getting back down the head office, we’ll both be out of jobs. Do you really want that?”
The guard stood, looking dumbfounded, thinking of what to do. Russ didn’t have time to wait for Wonder boy to decide the right thing.
“Maybe I should call upstairs first,” the guard spoke, finally.
“Yeah, sure go ahead. Piss the manager off. Listen, you and I both know that he gets very cranky when things don’t go his way.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” the guard said with a chuckle, “He gets, like, major menstrual.”
It was working. Russ was able to convince the guard that he was supposed to be there.
“So, you’ll let me stay there so I can save my ass?”
“Yeah, what the hell. Just make it fast, cause I’ve got another four trucks on their way over right now.”
“Not a problem. I’ll be out of here before you know it.” Russ patted the guard on the back and headed inside through the service entrance. He walked through the maze of hallways onto the sales floor. He breathed a sigh of relief that he was still able to talk his way through any obstacles.
He felt a buzz in his coat and reached in to retrieve his cell phone. Again, it was the mystery number. Was he too late getting the bag and getting down to the Seaport? Did he make another mistake? He was too afraid to answer it yet he couldn’t not pick it up.
“Hello?”
“Good thinking, Mister Norman. I’m impressed.” The Voice told him.
Russell unconsciously looked around him. The Voice was still with him. “What are you talking about?”
“The guard. I saw that. I wonder what it was you said to him that made him let you keep the car there. Using the old charm again?” Russell caught the slip up. The Voice did know him. But the identity of the Voice was still a mystery. He knew too many people to single him out, thanks to his job and personality.
“I did what needed to be done,” he replied.
“Well, do it faster. You’re running out of time to get your ass down to the Seaport.” The line was disconnected. Russ knew the call was made only to keep him aware that the Voice was watching him. But the new evidence was his main thought. He needed to find out who the Voice was soon.
* * *
Joe Potter walked into the lobby of the building in which R.H. Winters Inc. was located. He, like most of the police detectives in
“Detective Potter, 34th Precinct. Either of you know where I can find a Russell Norman?”
The two guards looked at him for a second and then the skinnier guard pulled out a keyboard and punched in the name. After a few seconds of the computer system searching, it popped up the answer and the guard provided it. Joe thanked the two and headed for the row of elevators.
“Hey, is he in trouble?” the larger guard asked as Joe walked away. Joe ignored him and headed upstairs.
Once he reached the twenty-eighth floor, he stepped off the elevator and strolled in the receptionist’s office. The woman who Russ had described to Joe was the ultimate secretary. The perky attitude, as well as other perky things on her, was exactly like he explained.
“I’ve got to get me a secretary,” Joe muttered to himself. He leaned on the desk and smiled at the receptionist.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“You certainly can,” Joe told her. He flashed the badge at her and she tensed up, “Can you direct me to a Russell Norman’s office?”
“Um, I don’t think he’s in right now. I can buzz him to check.”
“No need to, sweetcheeks. I’ll go check myself.”
“Is he in some kind of trouble?” she asked. Joe couldn’t help but to stare at her and not her eyes when he answered her.
“No, I’m just here to question him about being a witness to a crime. Usual NYPD Blue stuff.”
“I love that show!”
“I bet you do,” Joe said, smirking. He walked into the back and tried remembering where Russ had told him where his office was. Joe walked to the farthest corner and found the door with Russ’s name on it. Joe looked around to make sure no one was watching him, then opened the door and went into the office.
There was no one inside and the office was kept neat and organized. Joe walked around the desk and checked everything on the surface. He saw the picture of Angel and put it to the side, planning to get the frame fingerprinted for any suspicious prints. Other than that, there were no signs of anyone being in the office after Russ had rushed out hours ago.
“Can I help you?” Joe looked up and saw a man in the doorway with a puzzled look on his face.
“NYPD. Do you know Russ Norman?” Joe said, flashing his badge. The man squinted trying to examine the badge and gave up trying to figure out if it was a fake.
“Yes, I do. We’ve worked together for the last seven years,” the man replied, “May I ask why you’re here in Russ’s office?”
“Following up on an investigation that involves him. You got a name?”
“Caleb Veich.”
“Mister Veich, how well do you know Russ?”
“I’d say pretty damn good.”
“And in the time that you’ve known him, have the two of you ever had any arguments, any fights?”
“No, we’ve been great friends since as long as I can remember. Is he in some sort of trouble?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because after lunch, he came rushing in and took off. He didn’t seem himself.” Joe noticed that the concern was genuine. He was well known for his ability to read people on their expressions and facial movements.
“Does Russ have any enemies here? Anyone who dislikes him?”
“Not really. Russ is a very laid back and friendly guy. It’s hard to not like him.”
What about being boss? Has he stepped on any toes there?”
“Not that I know of. I mean he’s done some things but nothing to worry about.”
“What things?” Joe hoped for a lead that would point the finger at the kidnapper.
“Just beating people out of the position here.”
“What people?”
“Myself. And another guy named Brett Sanders.”
“What kind of person is Brett Sanders? Would he be capable of bodily harm?”
“No way. Is Russ okay? Is he hurt?”
“He’s fine. I’m just looking into something that he’s involved in. Thank you for your time, Mister Veich.” Joe walked past Caleb and out of the office. The job was a dead end. Russ’s natural charm and friendliness prevented any enemies from here, thought Joe. But somewhere, the charm didn’t work. And Russ pissed someone off too much.
* * *
Russ knew that he didn’t have much time but he had to find out who the Voice was. He had to get his daughter back. And if it meant being late for the drop-off then he would have to take that chance.
Russ parked the Lexus on the north side of one of the NYU dorms. It was the dorm that Angel resided in. He prayed that her roommate, Gabrielle Wilson, was still there and not in class. If anything, she would have some information on anyone being seen with Angel this morning.
Walking into the lobby, Russ approached the desk with one of the students sitting behind it. He stood there as the student read from a textbook, unaware of Russ’s presence. Russ cleared his throat to get the student’s attention. He looked up and smiled.
“Sorry, sir. Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see my daughter, Angel Norman.”
Do you know what room she’s in?”
“Um, I believe it’s room 810.”
“Okay, I have to call up first. It’ll only take a minute.” The student picked up the phone on the desk and dialed the room’s phone. He sat for a moment as it rang and answered the person that picked up.
“Yes, Angel Norman please,” the student paused, listening to the person on the other end, “Okay, yes. Thank you.” The student looked up at Russ and frowned, “Sorry sir, she’s not there right now. Would you like to leave a message with her roommate?”
“May I speak to her?” Russ asked. The student handed Russ the phone and returned to his reading.
“Gabrielle?”
“Hi Mister Norman. Angel’s not here. How was lunch?”
“May I come up to talk to you?”
“Um, I don’t see why not. Just tell Jeff that you’re coming up to see me and he’ll tell you how to get upstairs.” Russ thanked her and hung up. He asked the student at the desk the way upstairs and was directed to the elevator to the eighth floor. Russ made his way up to the room that Angel lived in.
“Is everything okay, Mister Norman?” Gabrielle asked immediately. She saw from his face that it wasn’t. Gabrielle stepped to the side and let Russ into the dorm room. Russ entered and saw the side that belonged to Angel. His throat clenched up and he gritted his teeth. It hurt knowing that Angel was somewhere tied up and tortured. But for her sake, he had to keep going. There was still hope to get her back. That was why he was there.
“Angel. Angel is missing, Gabrielle,” he said, getting straight to the point. She gasped and covered her mouth.
“Are you serious?”
“She never showed up at the restaurant for lunch. I got a call from the kidnapper.”
“Did you call the police?”
“I have a detective friend helping me. But I needed to talk to you. I needed to find out if she was okay this morning. Was she being bothered by anyone?”
“No, she makes friends with everyone she runs into.” This made Russ smile. She was daddy’s little girl. A female version of himself.
“Did you see her this morning? Was she okay? Did she leave to meet me on time?”
“I saw her just before she left to meet you. She was so excited to tell you all about the role she got in a independent film over the weekend.” Russ realized that was why she had wanted to see him so bad. He wished he had known sooner. Then maybe this all would have never happened.
“So she wasn’t worried about anyone or anything?”
“Like I said, she’s been flying since she nabbed the role.”
“What about Terry? Has he stayed away?”
“He was. But he showed up last week, looking to talk. I think he wanted to get back together with her. But Angel had gotten over him and moved on. She was talking about this new guy in one of her acting classes. But she was having a hard time finding out if he was interested in her. You know her, able to strike up a conversation with anyone until she falls for a guy. Then she clams up and turns all shy.”
“Do you know what was said between the two of them?”
“No, we try to give each other privacy. Normally, she’d talk about it to me afterwards. But she just said that he wanted to get back with her. And she said no. She’d seen what he was really like.”
“What do you mean?”
“She said he was deadbeat. That he had no potential to make it in any profession. She wanted someone who was as excited about life as she was. Terry was just a slug.”
Russ froze. He felt somewhat guilty about Angel breaking it off with Terry after the talk he had with her. It was him who saw Terry not going anywhere in life. He had mentioned to her that Terry was not someone he could see her being with. Russ had hoped that she’d realize that he was right and leave him. He didn’t like her dating anyone who had no intention of supporting her for the rest of her life. But Angel had taken the suggestion too seriously and took on his opinion. He prayed that she wasn’t in this situation because he had brainwashed her into dumping Terry.
“Does Terry live in this building?”
“Yeah, on the fifth floor. Odd floors are for guys, even for girls.”
“Is he there now?”
“I don’t know. He could be in class right now.”
Russ was considering going down to Terry’s room and having a talk with him. Terry was a suspect as well. If Terry found out that Russ had suggested the breaking off of Angel’s relationship with him, Terry could take offense to Russ and want revenge. He had to find out who was behind this. Not only for himself, but for Angel’s life as well.
Just as he was about to ask for the room number, the cell phone rang. He looked down at it in fear. Was it the Voice? Or was it something else?
“Hello?” Russ answered wearily.
“Where are you, Mister Norman? Your daughter is waiting.” It was the Voice.
“I’m stuck in traffic,” he lied.
“No lying to me. Now get your ass in gear and bring me my money. You have fifteen minutes. Any later and she dies. Got it?” The Voice did not wait for a response. It hung up and left Russ standing in the dorm room, worried for his daughter.
“Gabrielle, please, whatever you do, don’t tell anyone about this. The kidnappers told me not to tell anyone, for Angel’s sake.”
“Don’t worry Mister Norman. Angel’s like a sister to me. Anything I can do to help her.”
“Thank you. Angel’s blessed to have a friend like you.” Russ said goodbye and rushed back to the Lexus. As he reached the street, the cell phone rang again. He checked the number and saw that it was work. He hit the Send button.
“Russ, what the hell is going on?” It was Caleb.
“I can’t talk right now,” he told his friend. He hated to sound rude but he did not have much time to drive down to the South Street Seaport.
“There was a cop here asking about you and if you had any enemies. Are you in trouble?”
“Caleb, please understand that I can’t talk to you right now.”
“But I’m worried about you. And the CEO is looking for you. He wants to know if the Ranston account is completed and ready for the morning meeting.” He couldn’t believe that Caleb was mentioning it at a time like this.
“Dammit, Caleb, I told you not now!” Russ hung up the phone and jumped into the car. He started it up and shot out of the parking spot.
As he headed downtown, he dialed Joe on the other phone. He was still careful not to appear talking on the phone to other drivers. He was still unsure of whether he was still being followed.
“Potter,” Joe answered.
“Joe, it’s Russ. Have you found anything?”
“Not at the workplace. I spoke to some guy and he wasn’t much help. I’m sorry, Russell.”
“You tried and I thank you. I have someone else for you to talk to. Angel’s ex-boyfriend, Terry Gibson. He stays at the dorm that Angel’s in.” Russ filled him in on the talk he had had with Gabrielle.
“I’ll get right on it. And I’m telling you, be careful down at the Seaport. Do exactly what they tell you to.”
“I will. I’m not risking Angel’s life again. I can’t take the chance.”
“I’ll call you after I talk to the Gibson kid. Keep me updated on anything new that develops.”
Russ agreed and hung up. He made the drive to the Seaport in ten minutes. Not caring, he pulled into the first parking lot that he found and quickly handed over the keys to the attendant. Russ carried the Macy’s bag with the shoebox of money inside over to the pier that made up most of the South Street Seaport. He carried the cell phone just in case.
Russ entered the shopping mall on the pier and climbed the stairs to the upper level. Once there, he walked through the food court, looking at everyone seated. He hoped that he’d see the kidnapper and hope that he’d recognize them. Then he could figure out why this was happening to him and Angel. Yet, no one looked back at him. He hated the whole thing. Russ was used to being in control. And now, he was the puppet in this sick game. It made him nauseous.
He reached the outside of the upper deck and found himself surrounded by long chairs, looking towards Staten Island and over the
The phone rang and Russ answered it, “Hello?”
“Good timing, Mister Norman. Good to see that you can listen to orders,” the Voice said.
“Can I ask a question?”
“Depends on what the question is.”
“Why me?”
“Why you? Why not?”
“Did I do something to you?”
“You could say that. Let’s just say that this is the price that you pay for that lovely position you just received, Russell.” Russ froze up. Was his daughter kidnapped and tortured because he was promoted? He was scared that it was his fault that she was in this hell. He couldn’t bear to be the one responsible for Angel’s death.
“Is that what this is all about?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. You’ll never know because your love and fear will cloud your eyes from the truth. But that’s enough about that. Now I have one more thing for you to do for me.”
“What is that?”
“Go over to the railing,” the Voice told him. Russ did as the kidnapper said, “Now I want you to jump.”
“What?” Russ said loudly. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“You heard me. If you want your daughter to live, jump into the
Russ thought the request was insane. There was no way that the Voice could be serious. He prayed that the Voice was joking.
“You must be joking,” he said.
“Russell, do you love your daughter?”
“Of course I do, but,”
“But nothing. You either jump into the river or I put a bullet into her brain. You decide.”
Russ peeked over the railing and saw that there was some distance from the edge of the second deck and the end of the pier. He’d have to jump forward in order to clear the pier at all. But one thing kept running through his mind.
“Please, I’ll pay you more if that’s what you want.”
“Shut up Russell. This is about more than just money. But you’re too bullheaded to realize that. Jump now or else.
Russ knew that he had to do it. There was no way out. He put his foot on top of the railing, staring down at the water. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. And he knew he would have to do this fast before anyone nearby prevented him from doing it. He had to do it for Angel. He had to save his daughter. He had to stop thinking about that one thing. Russell Norman could not swim.
TO BE CONTINUED…..
Part Four
By Sean Lennon
“Do it, Mister Norman.”
Russ stood, half on the railing, looking down at the murky water of the East River. Fear paralyzed his legs from moving. But he knew that if he didn’t, Angel would die. On the phone he heard the familiar click. The Voice was cocking the gun again. Russ couldn’t stop now. He had come so far and done so much to keep Angel safe.
“Okay,” he said to the Voice. Russ put the phone on the floor of the deck and grabbed the rail.
“Whoa! Hey buddy!” said someone behind him. Russ paid no attention and pushed off the top of the rail, soaring forward. He felt the air all around him as his stomach cartwheeled around in his belly. Seconds later, Russ felt the water engulf him. His lungs clenched up and his arms flayed back and forth in panic. He could hear nothing but a distorted swoosh sound. He fought for air, unsure of how deep he was under. Everything around him slowed down severely. His brain screamed for help and his body and muscles felt like jelly. For the first time in his life, Russ Norman felt like he was going to die.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped itself around his torso. Russ was yanked backwards and he went limp, knowing that was the best thing to do at the moment. It seemed like forever before he reached the surface. His lungs burned as they filled with the smog filled air. It had never felt as good to breathe as it did just then.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” said the someone that owned the arm around his waist.
“Thank you,” Russ replied, coughing out the salty water at the same time. His mind ran rampant with thoughts about what had just happened. He wondered what would have happened if he did die. Would Angel have been freed? Would the Voice be satisfied and leave his family alone to mourn? Russ prayed that the Voice was satisfied.
The man who had saved Russ carried him over to the ladder around the side of the pier, where two police officers were waiting. One climbed down to help pull the two men up and out of the water. Russ grabbed hold of the ladder rung and pulled himself up. The second officer took his hand and helped him to the top. Russ collapsed on the floor for a moment, catching his breath and use of his muscles again.
“Are you all right? Can you breathe?” the second officer asked. Russ coughed again and nodded in response. Did the Voice care if he lived?
“You want to tell me what that was all about?” the first one questioned.
“I had to do it,” Russ replied. That was all he said, remembering that the Voice ordered him to keep the police out of this. He couldn’t risk endangering Angel any further than he already had.
“And why was that?”
“Because I was told to. It was the Voice. It told me to do it.” Russ knew that it was the truth but to the officers, it may sound like he was crazy. And that was okay. As long as they did not know about the kidnapping, his daughter was safe.
“Really? The voices in your head?” The first officer was sarcastic in his comments and questions. He did not believe Russ and thought him crazy. Russ didn’t care.
“Maybe we should bring you in for some questioning,” the first officer said, motioning to his partner with a chugging beer move, “You can relax and take a nap there before you tell us everything.”
“I can’t,” Russ told him, “I have something to do.”
“Well, it’s going to have to wait. Let’s go, pal.” The first officer took a hold of Russ’s arm. Russ yanked his arm back and out of the officer’s hold.
“Hey, take it easy, bub. We don’t want to hurt you.” The first officer grabbed his arm again, this time tighter. He pulled Russ to his feet and pushed him forward, back to the street.
“Watch your head,” the first officer said as he dragged Russ to the cruiser and pushed him into the back of the vehicle. Russ ended up bumping his head regardless. He couldn’t believe what was happening. But he knew that he had to get out of it and try to find Angel before it was too late. He hadn’t expected to be separated from his cell phone if he had lived. But now, there was no way that the Voice could contact him. Russ became scared over the scenarios that ran through his mind. The Voice could think that Russ was deciding to rebel and end up killing Angel for disobeying him. It was now or never.
“Hey, he’s talking to you,” the first officer said. Russ looked up in surprise.
“I’m sorry?”
“I said why did the voices tell you to jump into the River?”
“’Cause he’s a loony toon?” the first officer joked.
“Do you have a family?” Russ asked, leaning forward in his seat.
“Oh tell me that you’re not threatening him. ‘Cause I’ll get in the back with you and show you how it’s not nice to do something like that.”
“Is he always like this?”
“Hmph, yeah,” the second officer smirked.
“Shut up,” the first officer said, “Don’t make friends with him. Look at him, he’s just another drunk bum who’s wasted his life away. We run into guys like him all the time.” Russ couldn’t believe that he was being compared to the typical bum on the street. He had worked hard to get where he was today. And he would be damned if he’d let some psycho destroy what he had struggled for.
“Last week, I made more money than you did all month. I’ve busted my butt for the last twenty years to be where I am today. And what about you, officer?” Russ said, staring at the back of the first officer’s head, “Here you are, dealing with bums on a daily basis. Your mother must be proud.”
“Shut the fuck up you piece of shit. I save lives. What do you do? Jump into rivers and listen to voices in your head. Yeah, your opinion counts.”
“You have no idea what my life is like,” Russ told him. Russ himself did not know what his life was like anymore either.
* * *
Joe walked up to the cell where Russ sat by himself. He saw his friend, dressed in soggy clothes and holding his head in his hands. He was worried about Russ and the situation that he was thrown into. Joe couldn’t fathom what he was feeling or thinking. Joe had not been as lucky in love as Russ was. In a way, he had envied his old college chum. He had always thought family was important in life and here he was, thirty-five years old, and still single. But he was determined not to end up old and alone. And with friends like Russell Norman, he would find happiness.
“Hey Russell.”
Russ looked up and smiled back at his friend who had come to release him from the jail that he was sitting in. Russ stood and walked to the jail door, anxious to get back into the sun again.
“They’re getting the key for the lock,” Joe told him, “Want to tell me what happened?” Russ explained about the phone call and the demand that he jump into the river.
“But I’ve been thinking. He obviously knew that I couldn’t swim. And I think that’s a clue. There aren’t many people who know about that.”
“Hell, I didn’t even know.”
“Exactly. But there was something he said to me just before I jumped.”
“What was it?”
“It wasn’t exactly what was said, it was the words that he used. It sounded familiar.”
“Familiar how?”
“I can’t explain. It’s just that I think I know the kidnapper. I just can’t put my finger on it.”
“Well, the sooner you can remember, the sooner we can save Angel.” Joe led Russ through the precinct and out onto the street. Russ looked up and then checked his watch. It was only fours hours ago that he learned of his daughter’s capture, yet it seemed like days.
“Get in, I’ll drive you to where your car is.” Russ listened to his friend but could not stop thinking about the conversation that took place between him and the Voice. There was something on the tip of his tongue that he knew revealed the identity of the evil mastermind. He had to know, for his daughter’s life depended on it.
“I’m going to drive over to the dorms and question Terry for you. I’ll give you a call on the other cell and let you know what I find.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done on my own.”
“Hey, that’s what friends are for. Don’t mention it.”
Joe drove Russ back to the Seaport and pulled up to the parking lot. Russ stepped out and looked into the lot. His car was still in there. And he had luckily still obtained the parking stub. He walked over and handed the ticket over. The attendant recited the price and Russ paid in soggy bills. The attendant took the keys and drove the car out to the street. Russ gave him a good tip and climbed in. As he sat back, he noticed his cell phone on the passenger seat. He stopped short and stared at it. Russ had placed the phone on the floor of the upper deck at the mall. Someone had picked it up and placed it in his car. There was only one person who could have done that. Russ leaped from the car as if it were on fire and ran to the attendant booth.
“Did you see anyone near my car?” he shouted. The attendant leaned back in shock. He dropped the magazine that he had been reading and put his hands up.
“What?”
“Someone was in my car. Did you see who it was?”
“I just started my shift a little while ago. I didn’t see anyone in the lot.”
“Where’s the other guy that was here?”
“He went home.”
“Where does he live?”
“I dunno. I don’t talk to him that much.” Russ gritted his teeth. There was no winning. He stomped back to his car and drove off. He got several blocks away from the parking lot and was stunned by the ringing of his cell phone. It was Angel’s number again.
“Where’s my daughter?” he answered.
“Straight and to the point. I like that in you, Russell,” the Voice said, “Did you enjoy your time with the nice cops?”
“No more games, dammit. I gave you the money, now I want my daughter.”
“In due time. But I’m not finished yet.”
“No. I won’t do anything else you tell me until I know my daughter is still alive.”
“My, what zest you have. I love that aggression in you, Mister Norman. It shows that you still have some fight left in you. You’re lasting longer than I thought you would. Bravo. Now I guess it’s only fair to give you a biscuit for being such a good boy.”
Russ heard some movement on the other end of the line and then he heard another voice, “Daddy?”
“Angel, sweetie, are you okay?”
“Daddy, help me. It’s,” The line was interrupted by a loud slap. Then the Voice returned.
“Nice try, Mister Norman. But I’m smarter than you.”
“God damn you. When I find you, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”
“Shut up. No you won’t. Do you know why? Because you don’t have it in you. You can make deals left and right but you are too kind-hearted. And that is why I will win.”
Suddenly something clicked in Russell’s mind. He recollected something that was said to him when he was at the Seaport. ‘…this is the price you pay for that lovely position you just received…’ The Voice mentioned his job then just as he had done now. He had slipped up and told Russ more than he should have.
“I’ll get you, you son of a bitch. I promise that.”
“No you won’t, you fool. I’ll contact you with more instructions when I’m ready.” And with that, the Voice disconnected the line. But Russ didn’t care. He was headed straight for the Voice.
* * *
Joe flashed his badge at the student at the desk in the lobby of the dorm building. He hoped that being there would prove useful to finding Angel.
“New York police. I’m looking for a Terry Gibson,” he told the student. Then a man stood up from the lounge area and walked over to Joe.
“Detective Potter?” the man asked, “I’m Dean Draiman. We spoke on the phone.”
“Yeah, hey Dean. Thanks for the help.”
“Well, when one of my students are in trouble, we try to help out as much as we can. If you follow me.” The dean led Joe past the student, nodding to him as they past. Dean Draiman took Joe up the elevator and over to the room that Terry Gibson was staying in.
“I contacted the teacher that Terry was with at the time and had him sent to his room. He’s in there now.”
“Thanks,” Joe said. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a thin boy wearing a pair of baggy black jeans and Saliva t-shirt. The boy had the look of a slacker. Joe understood why Russ would be worried about Angel dating him.
“Yeah?” the kid said.
“You Terry Gibson?”
“Yeah.”
“Mind if I come in and ask you a few questions?” Joe asked, showing him the badge at the same time.
“What’s this about?”
“I’ll tell you that in a minute.” Joe moved around the kid in the doorway and entered the dorm room. He saw several posters on the wall with rock bands on them. He read them, Papa Roach, System of A Down, Korn, and Disturbed. The room was also a mess. Signs of beer bottles peeked out from under the bed. He knew that the questioning would be fun for him.
“You know an Angel Norman?” Joe asked, getting right into it.
“Yeah, we dated.”
“You don’t anymore?”
“Nah, she dumped me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Cause she didn’t think it was working. She said that we were too different.”
“And when was the last time you saw Angel?”
“Um, about a week ago.”
“Where?”
“Going from one class to the next.”
“And what was said?”
“Nothing. I just said hi and all.”
“You didn’t try to get back with her?”
“Yeah, wouldn’t you? She’s a hottie.”
“And she shot you down again, didn’t she?”
“She was already seeing someone else.”
“And that made you mad didn’t it?” Joe had to make a move now and test Terry for his suspicion.
“No, just bummed. I did like her.”
“Did you like her enough to kill her?”
“What?” Terry’s eyes went wide and his body went stiff, “She’s dead?”
“Didn’t you want her that way?” Joe stepped closer to Terry, getting in his space. Terry backed up in fear.
“No! I didn’t want her dead. I liked her too much to be mad. She was right about us though.”
“And that pissed you off, didn’t it?”
“No I swear, I didn’t kill her. I was happy being friends, you’ve gotta believe me!” Joe looked Terry right in the eye and paused. The fear in Terry’s eyes was proof enough. His instincts told him that he wasn’t the kidnapper. Besides, he didn’t seem smart enough to pull it off as well as the Voice had so far.
“If you know anything, you tell the dean.” Joe left the dorm room and walked back to the elevator. He pressed the button and waited for the elevator to show up. As he did, he glanced around the hall and noticed something in the upper corner of the ceiling. It was a video camera. Hot damn, he thought. The halls were surveillanced by security. It was the perfect lead if something happened to Angel as she left the dorm. He rushed back down to the sign in desk.
“Hey, where is the security office?” he asked the student there. The student directed him down the right hall and into the security department.
“Who’s in charge here?” Joe asked, walking in the door. The men behind the desk all looked at him oddly, as if he had asked an irrational question. Then one of the men in the far left raised his hand. Joe walked around the service counter and over to the man. He showed his badge and explained his situation.
“All the floors are recorded on individual recorders. They’re all on twenty-four hours loops,” the head guard explained to him.
“When do they loop over?”
“Midnight every day.”
“And if I needed to see this morning on the eighth floor?”
“You’d have to get permission from the dean to see that.”
Joe picked up the phone on the head guard’s desk and handed him the receiver, “Call him and get it.”
The guard looked at him and took the phone. He dialed the Dean’s number and spoke to him about Joe’s request. The guard listened to him for a minute and agreed before hanging up the phone.
“Okay, follow me.”
* * *
Russ stormed into the firm, angry and ready to end the game with the Voice as soon as possible. He stopped in front of Gillian’s desk and spun his head in her direction. She looked back at him with wide eyes. He took a deep breath and calmed down. She was not involved so it was not right to take it out on her.
“Gillian, please notify Wesley Fredricks, Brett Sanders and Caleb to be in my office immediately.”
“Um, of course, Mister Norman,” she replied, slowing reaching for the phone, afraid that Russ would blow up at her.
“Thank you.” Russ walked away to his office.
Russell sat at his desk and waited. He had planned out exactly what he was going to say in order for the Voice to reveal himself. It was obvious to him from the conversation he’s had with the kidnapper. The Voice knew too much about his job, thus the Voice had to be one of the three that were on their way. Minutes later, Caleb, Wesley and Brett stood before him.
“What’s going on with you?” Caleb asked right out.
“My daughter was kidnapped this morning.”
“Shit, why didn’t you say so? What do the kidnappers want?”
“Shut up Caleb,” Russ spat, “You should know what the kidnappers want. Or at least one of you should know.”
“Am I being accused of kidnapping her?” Wesley asked his boss, “Because I don’t even know you, let alone where you live.”
“This is bullshit,” Brett muttered, “I’m leaving.”
“Don’t dare touch that doorknob,” Russ shouted, standing up quickly.
“Russ, what the hell is going on? This isn’t you, man,” Caleb said, trying to calm his friend.
“The kidnapper made mention of my job on several occasions. From what he said, I got the impression that this was about revenge for something I did. I denied Wesley a raise and I beat you two out of this position. I know of no one else who I have done wrong to here.”
“You honestly think that I kidnapped your daughter because you got the position instead of me? We’ve been friends for how long? You asshole, get your head out of your ass,” Caleb ranted.
“Surprised that someone with his head up his ass beat me out of that position,” Brett joked. Russ bolted around the desk and threw Brett against the wall of his office. He stuck his finger in Brett’s face as Brett struggled to free himself from Russ’s grasp.
“Joke all you want, I’m not letting anyone out of here until I get my daughter back,” he told Brett.
The door to Russ’s office opened and the CEO walked in. His jaw dropped when he saw that Russ had Brett against the wall.
“What the blue hell is going on here? Russell? Care to explain?” the CEO questioned.
“One of these bastards has my daughter hostage,” he said, letting go of Brett. Brett straightened his tie and brushed himself off.
“Is this true?” the CEO asked the other two men in the room. Wesley shrugged his shoulders and Caleb spoke up.
“I think Russ is under a lot of stress from his daughter being kidnapped that he’s not thinking rationally.”
“Russell, I think that you should go home and take care of your personal business. When, it’s taken care of, then you can come back to work. No sooner.” The CEO said. He looked at everyone and then left the office, followed by Wesley and Brett. Caleb stayed behind.
“Do you need a ride home?”
“Go away.”
“Hey, I’m still your friend. Even if you did accuse me of kidnapping your daughter.”
The phone rang and Russ looked at it. All afternoon he had been afraid of the sound. And now it was not his cell phone. It was his office phone. He stood over the desk, debating on answering it.
“You going to pick that up?” Caleb asked. Russ answered the phone.
“Hello?”
“I figured that I’d find you at your office. Ever the businessman, huh, Russell?” It was the Voice.
“You win,” Russ told him, “Just please give me my daughter back.”
“In due time. I’m having too much fun with you. Why stop now?”
“Please. Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because you deserve it, Russell. You think you can walk all over people because everyone loves you. Well guess again. Now listen to me. I want you to go to the fountain in Central Park. I will call you on your cell phone. And don’t take your sweet time.” The line was disconnected.
“Was that the kidnapper?” Caleb asked Russ. Russ nodded in reply. He sat down in his chair again and was surprised by the sound of the cell phone that Joe had given him.
“Joe?”
“Russ, God damn, I found out who kidnapped Angel!”
TO BE CONTINUED…..
Part Five
By Sean Lennon
Angel Norman threw her windbreaker jacket and prepared to meet her father for lunch. She was so excited about nabbing her first film role that she couldn’t wait to tell her father. Even though she had heard the news several days ago, she preferred to tell him in person.
“Tell your dad I said hi for me,” Gabrielle told her roommate.
“I will,” Angel said, smiling. She said goodbye and left the dorm room. Angel walked down the hall to the elevator and sifted through her purse for her lipstick. If there was the chance that she could run into Brad from Acting 304, she wanted to look her best.
“Angel,” said a voice in front of her. Angel looked up and smiled at the person before her.
“Oh hi. What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you,” the person said to her.
“Okay,” Angel said, weary of the way the person before her was acting, “What’s up?”
“This,” the person took a handkerchief from their pocket and clamped their hand on Angel’s mouth. Angel struggled but found it useless. The damp handkerchief made her dizzy and before she knew what was happening, Angel’s world went black.
* * *
Russ rushed back down to the dorm where Angel stayed. Joe had called him and told him that he knew who had kidnapped Angel.
“What? How? Where are you?”
“I’m at Angel’s dorm. Get down here now!”
“Wait, who is it?”
“You won’t believe it. Now hurry down here!”
That was five minutes ago. Russ was now racing down to the NYU dorms and prayed that it was not too late to save his daughter.
* * *
Joe followed the head guard into the back room where there were nine small screens linked to nine separate video recorders. There was another younger guard, sitting in front of the set up, reading what Joe saw to be a video game magazine.
“Move over, Kenny,” the head guard told him. The young guard stood up and stepped over, making room for the head guard and Joe. The head guard sat down and reached for the recorder that was labeled #8. He hit the Stop button and then hit Rewind. Joe prayed that he would find something worthwhile on the video. After a few seconds, the head guard hit the Play button.
“Now, the video runs at a fast speed, but I can slow it down for you.” Joe smirked, knowing exactly how the recorder worked. He had used videotapes on several cases before this.
“Okay, let’s look for between 11a.m. and noon.”
“Got it,” the guard fast forwarded to the right section of the videotape. The three watched the super fast students walking back and forth in the hall. The time sped through on the bottom of the screen. When the counter read 11, the guard hit the Play button. Everything slowed down yet still went faster than normal.
“Let’s see, Tell me when you see something,” the guard told Joe. Joe leaned forward and kept a close eye on Angel’s dorm room.
At 11:24a.m., Joe saw Angel leave her dorm room. He pointed to the screen and said to the guard, “Okay, there she is, can you slow this down?”
“Yep,” the guard hit another button on the recorder and everything slowed down again, this time to normal speed. Joe watched as a figure moved up the screen to Angel. Angel stopped to talk to the figure. Joe leaned in further and studied the figure. The person had on a long coat and a baseball cap. He had trouble identifying them because they looked away from the video camera. Joe then saw the person grabbed Angel’s face and the struggle lasted only seconds. Once Angel went limp, the figure, still keeping their back to the camera, dragged her over to the elevator.
“Damn, are there any other cameras on that floor?”
“Not on the floor. But we’ve got a hidden one in the elevator.”
“You do? I never saw it.”
“I know. That’s because it’s hidden. You’d be amazed what we see on that one. Some people just have an elevator fetish.”
“Well, where’s the tape on that one?”
“That’s over here,” the guard reached over to the last screen and video recorder. He stopped the tape and rewound that one as well. Stopping at the exact time, he hit Play and they watched again. This time, there was no hiding from view. Angel was propped up in the corner and the mysterious figure leaned forward to hit one of the floors. When they leaned back, their face came into the center of the screen. Joe’s jaw dropped at the face of the kidnapper.
“Um, I’m guessing you got what you wanted?” the head guard said, looking at Joe’s expression.
“Shit yes!” Joe yanked the cell phone from his pocket and dialed Russ’s number.
* * *
Russ pulled up to the dorm ten minutes later and left his car to head quickly inside. Joe was standing in the lobby, waiting for him. Russ went to him and shook his hand.
“So who is it? Who has Angel?”
“I think you should come look at the tape of that floor,” Joe told him, turning back to where the security office was. Russ grabbed Joe’s arm and turned him back. He looked his college friend in the eye, pleading without words.
“Seriously,” Joe said, “You need to see for yourself.”
Russ followed Joe into the back room with all the screens and the head guard nodded, hitting the Play button again. Russ watched the scene in the hall on the eighth floor. He studied the figure that was taking Angel and knew through the body movements that he knew the kidnapper, just like he thought. But the identity was just out of reach of his mind. Then he watched the figure drag Angel into the elevator.
“Who is it?” he asked again. Joe looked over to the head guard who then pressed the Play button on the other recorder. Russ continued watching until the kidnapper looked up, almost into the camera lens. He gazed into the eyes of the kidnapper and almost collapsed to the floor. Joe saw him slowly falling backwards and grabbed him to keep him steady.
“Whoa,” Joe said, “Calm down, Russ. Come sit down.” The head guard got up and offered his chair for Russ to sit in. Once he was sitting, he put his hand to his mouth, speechless from the sight in front of him.
“How? This can’t be. Why?”
“I don’t know, but we need to get the rest of the precinct involved. We need to find,”
“But this doesn’t make sense!” Russ shouted.
“I know,” Joe told him, “I know. I can’t believe it either. I don’t know how I didn’t figure it out. But you can see it right there Russ. That’s the kidnapper.”
Russ knew that Joe was right but didn’t want it to be true. He stared back at the face behind the voice on the cell phone. The face that hid the evil mind that broke him like no one else could. Russell Norman could not tear his eyes away from the screen that showed the face of his wife, Betty Norman.
* * *
Joe pulled up to the front of the house and looked over at Russ. He had not said anything since they left the dorm. Joe had become worried about him. He knew that the revelation of what he had seen moments ago was the biggest shock he had ever had in a case. But he should have known better. Statistics show that most kidnappings are committed by family member or friends of the family. It was a stupid slip up but he didn’t think that Betty was capable of doing something like that.
Russ walked up to the front door and opened it, staggering inside. Joe followed right behind him. The two walked into the kitchen and found Betty standing there on the phone.
“Did you hear anything? Is she okay?” Betty asked immediately. She held the phone to her breast, preventing the person on the other line from hearing her. Russ stood dumbfounded. Joe stepped past him and stopped a few feet from Betty.
“Betty, we know,” was all Joe said. Betty looked at Joe strangely. She almost appeared as if she did not know what he was talking about. But the façade faded and she smiled.
“It’s about time,” she said, “So you were smart enough to get the clues I left for you.”
“We saw you on tape at the dorms, drugging Angel and then in the elevator.”
“There was a camera in the elevator? Drats, you got me.” Betty held out her hands, waiting for Joe to cuff her.
“Where’s Angel?” Russ finally spoke. Betty turned her attention to him and frowned.
“Aw, you poor baby. Don’t you want to know why I did it?”
“Where is she, Betty? Did you kill her?”
“God no. She’s my daughter too, you know. Give me some credit.”
“I don’t get it,” Joe told her, “Why kidnap your own daughter? You were all happy together.”
“That’s what Russ wanted you all to think. Isn’t that right Russ? The perfect family to show off to all your accounting friends and co-workers. Something to prove that you’re so great.” Betty walked over to him. She stopped right in front of him and spoke softly, “Do you know what it’s like to go from being your soul mate’s light to their mere possession? You never once thought how I felt slaving over a hot stove every night, making dinner for you, only to have you show up three, four hours later and tell me that you picked something on the way home. You spent more time with your firm and that floozy of a receptionist than with your own wife. How am I supposed to feel?
“Oh, but wait, Joe,” she said to the detective, “It gets better. As soon as Angel made it into the
“Most women that are unsatisfied with their married lives, end up in another man’s bed, Betty. Why go to the extreme?” Joe needed to know everything. That would make the arrest hold.
“Oh, I did go to another man’s arms for what I was missing. Russ met him today too. Tall, dark hair, gorgeous eyes and a beard. Sound familiar, Russell?”
Russ stopped and realized that he was being followed earlier. The man in the blue Neon was following him for his wife. He was shocked.
“I see you do remember. That’s right, he followed you all day and you didn’t even know half the time. And he told me everything that you did too. That was how I knew where you were and what you were doing. Oh, and David was such a great lay. He certainly wasn’t bothered by pleasuring me like you were. You made it such a hassle to make love.”
Joe broke the speech and dialed the local police on his cell phone. He explained that there was a kidnapping at Russell’s address. After being told that two patrol cars would be there in a few minutes, he thanked them and hung up.
“Why did you do all this to me?” Russ asked her. He walked over and stared into her eyes, pleading for understanding, “Why did you put me through all you did today?”
“Think, Russell. You’re supposed to be so damn smart. In the last few years, day by day, you broke me little by little. I was just a shell of a woman a week ago. And it was all because of you. I did all this because I wanted you to know how you made me feel. I crushed your whole world today. You have nothing left. Your neighbors are afraid of you, you accused your co-workers of the crime, and your spirit is the size of a pea now. You have nothing left. And it’s all because of me. Doesn’t feel so great, does it?” Russ knew that she was partially right. No one would ever look at him the same again.
“You’re insane. You’re not the same woman I married.”
“And you’re not the same man I married. But I did something about it. What will you do? Nothing. Because that’s who you are, just another drone, trying to impress the rest of the world. You’re worthless.”
“Where is Angel?”
“Right where you’d never think to look. Right under your nose, the entire time.” Betty looked at Russ and smiled.
“What the hell does that mean? Just tell me where she is!”
“Always want the straight way out. Well, I told you. Figure it out.”
Russ gritted his teeth and lunged forward, lashing out and punched Betty square in the mouth. Betty flew back and fell to the kitchen floor. Russ tried to follow her, but Joe grabbed his arms and held him back.
“Where the hell is she!?!” Russ screamed.
“You saw that,” Betty told Joe, “You saw him strike me.”
“What are you talking about? I saw Russ defend himself from you.” Joe said with a serious face.
“Oh, well isn’t that wonderful? Look, Russell, your only friend in this world. Pretty sad.”
“Just keep your mouth shut until the local police arrive.”
“Tell me where she is,” Russ continued.
“Russ, she said it. Right under your nose. She’s here. Check the basement.” Joe looked at his college friend. Russ looked at him and silently thanked him. Then Russ bolted for the basement door.
He ran downstairs and yanked on the string that was attached to the light bulb. The darkness of the basement vanished and in the far corner, Russ saw Angel. She was lying on the cold concrete of the floor and was tied and gagged with old rope that he had been meaning to get rid of.
“Angel!” Russ ran to her and pulled off the blindfold covering her eyes. Angel opened her eyes and faintly smiled at her father. Russ hurried to remove the gag as well as the binds on her hands and feet.
“Daddy, why did Mom do this to me?” she asked between coughs.
“Don’t worry, sweetie. It’s over. It’s over.” Russ squeezed his daughter tightly, overwhelmed by the return of her. After all that had happened today, Russ still felt that it was all worth it, as long as he was still able to see Angel again.
* * *
Joe walked over to Russ, who sat in the ambulance beside Angel. The local police had come and were just about to leave with Betty in the back of the vehicle. The detective thought that this was definitely one of the strangest cases he had ever worked.
“So what happens now?” Russ asked him.
“Well, she should be going away for a long time for kidnapping charges.”
“But what if she denies it?”
“Well, with Angel’s testimony and her confession, our side is pretty strong.”
“Yes, but it’s our word against hers.”
“Not exactly,” Joe fished out a small tape recorder from his shirt pocket, “Never leave home without it.”
“Joe, thank you for everything today. I would have never gotten Angel back without your help.”
“Don’t mention it. You’re a friend. And you’re not such a bad guy.”
“Excuse me, we’re going to be leaving now,” said one of the paramedics. Joe nodded and smacked the door of the ambulance.
“Go on, I’ll meet you at the hospital,” he told Russ.
“Thanks again,” Russ said, reaching out and shaking Joe’s hand. The paramedic closed the door and told the driver that they were clear. The ambulance drove off and Russ looked down at his daughter. He knew he had a long road ahead of him, but he was not afraid. He still had Angel. He wasn’t completely lost.
THE END