It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we watched as the options for grabbing Carolyn went out the window. It appears that the only option is to wait for Cortez’s team to contact someone. Pricilla believes it will be Lazar’s lawyer. Nothing is certain at this point. IN fact, we don’t even know if and when they will call. As a precaution, Stennis, the lawyer, will hang around for a while to see if a call will come in. I see everyone is hanging around the interrogation room waiting for a call. I guess we should go there and wait with them.

“This is driving me nuts.”

“I know Mr. Popović. I don’t think there is much else we can do. Hold on, I have a call coming in. I don’t recognize this number. Well, there is nothing to lose by answering. Yes, this is Thomas. Hello. Yeah okay. Speaker, it is. You are on speakerphone.”

“I’m only going to say this once, so listen up. We have Carolyn Popović. She will come to no harm if you release Lazar to us. If you don’t see this plan’s wisdom, you can inform Mr. Popović that he will need to do another plan. That will be for the memorial service.”

“Who are you?”

“Please, Ms. Thomas. Don’t make yourself look stupid in front of all those in the room. Also, do not interrupt me again. We will be communicating through you. You can expect a call within two hours, giving you precise instructions. Oh, please triangulate the location of this phone. By the time you figure out where this call is coming from, we will be long gone. Don’t try to call this number since it won’t exist in twenty seconds. That is all.”

“Wait. How is Carolyn? Hello? Hello. Damn, he’s gone.”

“Oh my god. They have my little girl. I don’t care. What happens to me. Do as they say. Let them have me. We have to save Carolyn.”

“Please settle down, Mr. Popović. The government has a standing policy against meeting the kidnapper’s demands. We need to get a plan together. Unfortunately, you will not be too useful. Lieutenant.”

“Yes.”

“Please take Mr. Popović back to the holding cell. Mr. Stennis, you are free to go.”

“Wait, Ms. Thomas.”

“What?”

“I can help, I’m sure. There must be a place where they have taken her that I know about. After all, there are Cortez’s men, and I used to work for him. Please let me stay and help.”

“My better judgment says no, but there is something in what you just said that makes sense.”

“Okay, you can stay. Larry and Andrew. I don’t see that this is something you need to be concerned with so you can beg off.”

“if you don’t mind, Andrew and I would like to stay and help.”

“We can use the help. Okay, you are signed on as well. Lieutenant, how about you?”

“At your service.”

“Mr. Stennis, you are excused.”

“Thank you, but I too wish to help.”

“All the same, I think we have a working group, and your client will be in good hands.”

“Very well. If that is your desire.”

“It is.”

“Okay, Lazar. Remember what I said about saying anything.”

“I remember. All I want to do is get my daughter away from those animals.”

“Alright, then. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye. Lieutenant, would you please escort Mr. Stennis to the front door.”

“My pleasure. Follow me, sir.”

“Everyone, hold on until the lieutenant returns.”

“What’s the problem ?”

“Just wait.”

“Okay, Ms. Thomas, Stennis is out the front door.”

“Riddle me this all of you. How did Cortez’s group know my number?”

“Is it unlisted?”

“Yes, of course. Also, how did they know there were other folks in the room?”

“Now that you ask, it is an excellent question. We have a mole.”

“Exactly, Larry.”

 

 

It is Wednesday Story Time again, and last week, we took a little breather. Pricilla and Jerry Stennis, Lazar’s lawyer, had a little conversation, which resulted in Stennis wanting to stay with Lazar until Carolyn’s status is known. After their discussion, Pricilla left to talk to her FBI counterpart. I see she is coming back, so we better get there and find out what that conversation was all about.

 

“Mr. Dunfee, could I see you outside for a moment?”

“Uh, sure, Ms. Thomas.”

“Follow me.”

“Can Andrew come too?”

“Yes, I see no reason why not.”

“Ms. Thomas?”

“Yes, Mr. Stennis.”

“Does this concern my client?”

“No, sir, it does not.”

“Thank you.”

“Excuse us for a minute.”

“Hold on, Ms. Thomas, while I get the door.”

“Gallant, Mr. Dunfee.”

“I just want to make sure it is closed.”

“Is it closed.”

“Yes, it is.”

“I said this does not concern Lazar bu it does.”

“What is it, Ms. Thomas.”

“We just got another hit on Andre Terrian, and it is not good.”

“What do you mean.”

“It looks like he was a person of interest in Corsica as the supposed leader of a kidnap for ransom scheme.”

“Corsica? That is pretty random.”

“They only used the location as a base.”

“How did they get sideways with the locals?”

“They actually had the locals in their pocket.  They were never charged and left the island.”

“This does not sound good for Carolyn.”

“Yeah, no kidding. I think Lazar made a big mistake hiring him to watch Carolyn. It looks like a couple of the kidnap victims were roughed up pretty bad.”

“How so?”

“Andre was pretty forceful in his demands and sent some pretty vicious videos of the victims getting punched around if there was any delay in payment.”

“None killed or missing?”

“No. it Looks like his MO is to scare the crap out of the parents. None of the victims were seriously hurt just looked that way on the video.”

“Well, that’s one thing.”

“Let’s hope the guys in France get to Carolyn before Andre can get away. If he does, we can almost count on some kind of ransom situation.”

“How did you get all this information on Andre anyway.”

“He had an accomplice who got caught in another situation and started to talk.”

“But no one got to Andre.”

“Nope, he disappeared. Which he is good at doing.”

“When will the train reach France.”

“I’m guessing in the next ten minutes.”

“Someone going to let us know what happens.”

“Yeah, we have agreed to a text which is much faster.”

“Good idea.”

“I’m worried, though.”

“Not a good thing to hear.”

“Not a good thing to say”

“

 

 

It is Wednesday Story Day, and last week, we learned the plan to have American agents pick up Carolyn from the French and take her back to. The US in a private airplane. The question came up about the identity of the driver who was taking Carolyn to Paris. Pricilla asked her contact in the FBI if it was possible to ID the driver. The contact indicated that a satellite pass was coming up and would get back to her. I see her zoom call with her contact has begun. We better get back.

“Thomas here, Winters. What have we got?”

“We did get a shot of the driver, and we are running his image through the facial rec software.”

“How long?”

“A matter of minutes if this guy has a record. If no record, then almost impossible.”

“Yeah, I get that. I’m secretly hoping he is clean.”

“For Ms. Popović’s sake, I hope so too. Uh oh. I just got the info. Let me look at it a second.”

“That does not sound good.”

“Hmmm.”

“What does hmmm mean?”

“We have a problem.”

“Tell me.”

“It looks like the guy driving the car is one Andre Terrian with several AKA monikers. Long story short, he is a thug with ties to organized crime.”

“Any outstanding warrants?”

“No, unfortunately. Otherwise, the authorities could pick him up.”

“Couldn’t we call it suspicion of kidnapping of Carolyn?”

“There’s no evidence, and if Carolyn hired him, we would all end up with international egg on our face.”

“But we would have Carolyn.”

“Don’t forget the French Police Nationale are going to grab her anyway.”

“Yea, I got a little carried away. Do you think this thug intends on following Carolyn’s orders or is maybe working for Cortez?”

“There is no record here of Terrian being associated with Cortez. He’s pretty much a French thug.”

“it still makes me uncomfortable.”

“I know what you mean. Once they get off that train at Coquilles, we will all breathe better.”

“So, the train trip is about how long?”

“About 35 minutes.”

“And she is how far from Coquilles.”

“About thirty minutes.”

“your guys are how far from landing?”

“Two hours.”

“So, the French will have to hold her for at least an hour and a half or more if there are delays in the arrival of your guys.”

“That seems right.”

“That is not too long a time. Maybe nothing will go wrong.”

“Knock wood.”

“Yeah. You said it. If you hear anything more, let me know.”

“Well, there is just one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“There is a guy in the backseat as well.”

“What?”

“We can’t get a good look at him.  He is all slouched down. Looks like he is taking a nap.”

“Just swell.”

“We’ll keep trying, but I don’t think this means too much.”

“How so?”

“The guy in the back is dressed like a college kid. At least that’s the overall impression. I’ll bet it is a boyfriend.”

“I think I need to ask Popović’ about what he knows about Terrian and a boyfriend.”

“Good luck. Winter out.”

“Yeah, good luck indeed.”

 

 

It is Wednesday Story Day time again, and last week, we learned where Carolyn is probably heading when she gets to France. We also learned that probably Cortez’s men won’t know where she is heading but could grab her during the three- and one-half hour drive between the Chunnel exit at Coquilles and Paris where she is headed. An idea came to Pricilla that if Somner could give up her French passport name, Carolyn could be grabbed while on the train to Paris. I see she is coming back into the room. Let’s get over there. Maybe she has a name.

 

“I have some bad news.”

“Somner, wouldn’t give you the name?”

“It’s worse than that. He died.”

“On no. There goes the last chance to locate my Carolyn.”

“There is a glimmer of hope.”

“What is that?”

“I just got off the phone with the FBI. After I explained the situation, one of their techies took it upon himself to locate the car Carolyn was riding in. He thinks he found it. With some high-resolution photos and facial rec software, he thinks they are in a blue Mercedes.”

“Is he sure?”

“Pretty sure. The important thing is we can have some folks at Coquilles detain the car and make sure. If it is her, then we will take her.”

“What if it isn’t?”

“They can check each car as it leaves. But the techie thinks he is most certain.”

“So, If it took a satellite and high res photos to locate her, what makes you think Cortez will be successful too?”

“He can do the same low-tech check at Coquilles as we will if the person in the blue Mercedes is not Carolyn.”

“So, it is a race to the finish.”

“In a matter of speaking, Mr. Popović.”

“I have a question.”

“Certainly, Mr. Dunfee.”

“Mr. Popović. Does the name Sandusky mean anything to you?”

“Um, yeah, my sister married a guy named Sandusky.”

“Is she still married to him?”

“Naw, he died of a heart attack ten years ago.”

“Never heard Cortez mention Sandusky?”

“I can’t remember.”

“How about the names Janis Rafferty or Ned Dixon?”

“Now, those names I’ve heard before.”

“Where?”

“Not sure. Might have been in one of the phone calls. I have heard of Alexis Rafferty, though. He worked for Cortez.”

“This is making me and countless others happy, Mr. Popović.”

“Of course, until my Carolyn is safe, I can’t give you any more information.”

“I understand. I don’t have any more questions. Thank you, Ms. Thomas.”

“I hope we will be able to shed some light on your case. In the meantime, we need to concentrate on Carolyn.”

 

 

It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we learned a guy named Somner who made the ID’s for Carolyn was beaten pretty badly. Chances are he gave the identity names to Cortez’s men. If so, Cortez will hunt Carolyn down and take her for insurance against Lazar talking. Now it is a race to see who can find Carolyn first, Cortez, or our side. There is some more discussion going on with Lazar. I think Larry has asked him a question. Let’s go and find out what they are talking about.

 

“I’m sorry my mind was a million miles away. Could you repeat the question, detective?”

“Sure, Lazar. What I asked was do you know of any place in France where Carolyn might be heading?”

“That’s a good question. Let me think a second. I remember in high school, there was an exchange student from France. He and Carolyn were pretty good friends.”

“Do you know where he lived?”

“Oh, yeah, he was at our house several times. He was really a nice kid. He and his family lived in Paris.”

“Do you have a name?”

“Sure. His name was Pablo.”

“And he was French?”

“Yeah. He always got asked the same question. His parents named him after Picasso.”

“How about their names or address?”

“I have all that in my phone. His parent came for a visit and stayed with us.”

“Pricilla. I think we may have a lead here.”

“Yes, Larry. Thanks for the help. So here’s your phone Mr. Popović. Get the address, and we will have some people go there to protect that family.”

“What do you mean to protect?”

“I’m sure Cortez will be paying them a visit as well.”

“How will he know she is going there?”

“My guess is he will have someone bribe someone in the passport control office to give him the address.”

“How will the passport control office get the address?”

“Don’t arrivals fill out a form with the address where they are going to be staying?”

“She has a French passport and is, therefore, looks to be a citizen. She won’t have to do anything.”

“Well, there goes that theory. I still think getting some folks over there will at least allow us to get Carolyn. Who knows? Maybe Cortez’s men will be following her so we can prevent a grab there.”

“There is another concern Ms. Thomas.”

“What is that, Mr. Popović?”

“It is a three and one half-hour drive from Coquelles where the Chunnel terminates in France to Paris. Cortez’s men could grab her anywhere along that route.”

“Goodness. We have to get her on the train as it arrives in France.”

“Can you do that?”

“If the stars align and if we can get Somner to tell us the name on the French Passport.”

“If he can’t tell us?”

“Then, we need a miracle.”