The abrupt change in expectations had clouded Frank’s view of the man, but now he could see that the sergeant was quiet, hat in hand, just looking at Frank. Frank didn’t know what to say. This sounded like a genuine cry for help, not an invitation to come help them cover their asses with this investigation.
“No luck yet?” Frank asked.
Sergeant Burwell shook his head.
“The family checks out,” Burwell said. “Both families, actually. The housekeeper has been with the Martins for years, and the girls practically grew up together. The Martins have money, although they might not have enough. The ransom call came in today. They want a million by tomorrow evening.”
Frank nodded but didn’t say anything.
The cop waited for a response from Frank, but none came. After a moment, Burwell continued.
“We were treating it as a missing person’s case and worked it a while, before the Chief called in the Bureau. The kidnappers called the mom’s cell phone yesterday, first call. The FBI representative up from Cincinnati will take point on that. I’m not sure…well, Chief said not to say much about Agent Shale, the FBI liaison. Anyway, it’s been days, and you know, better than anyone, the statistics on kidnapping and child abductions. Most of the kids recovered alive are found with two days of the initial abduction.”
Frank nodded.
“Yeah, after 48 hours, the percentages drop off,” Frank said.
Burwell nodded and took out a small notepad and pen, taking notes, but Frank did not elaborate. After a moment, the cop looked up.
“And?” the cop said. “The percentages drop off, but not always, right?
Frank sighed. “The drop off severely. But those are in the cases of abductions.”
Burwell wrote it down, then looked back at Frank. They both waited for the other to speak, but nothing came.
“Look,” Burwell finally said. “I get that you might not trust us because of the Stan situation. But we have an active investigation going on here, and you’re in our jurisdiction. If you know anything that can help—”
Frank shook his head.
“So, you’re going to bring me in because I can’t solve your case for you? What’s the charge, officer?”
Burwell seemed taken aback by Frank’s outburst.
“That’s not what I meant, sir,” Burwell said. “But I’m sworn to uphold the law, same as you were.”
Frank nodded. “Emphasis on the past tense.”
The room grew quiet. Frank wondered if Burwell had figured out Frank’s little system of staying quiet to let the silences grow. Maybe Frank was getting a little of his own medicine.
Finally, Frank sighed again. “It’s true, it’s more likely in abductions that, as more time passes, it’s more difficult to recover the victim. But in kidnappings for ransoms, the timeline doesn’t matter as much. It can drag out over weeks or months.”
“Oh,” Burwell nodded, jotting it all down. “I hadn’t thought about that. But we were relieved when the kidnappers called. Chief King wants you—”
“I can’t,” Frank said, shaking his head and cutting Burwell off. “I’m not getting involved. I told you what I know, and what I think about your prospects, but I’m not helping with the case.”
Burwell looked up from his pad.
“Why?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Frank said. “But…any dialog with the kidnappers is good,” he said, changing the subject. “Just give them what they want, keep them engaged.”
The cop paused for a long moment.
“Yup, okay,” he said. “Chief is working through all that with the Bureau. They will handle the ransom and the drop. But our investigation is going nowhere.”
Frank thought about it for a minute to let the cop think he was considering it. But his mind was already made up. His mind had been made up since the conversation started.
“Look,” Frank said. “I’m done with this kind of stuff. I...I’m done. And it sounds like you’re on the right track. The Bureau is involved, now,
“No luck yet?” Frank asked.
Sergeant Burwell shook his head.
“The family checks out,” Burwell said. “Both families, actually. The housekeeper has been with the Martins for years, and the girls practically grew up together. The Martins have money, although they might not have enough. The ransom call came in today. They want a million by tomorrow evening.”
Frank nodded but didn’t say anything.
The cop waited for a response from Frank, but none came. After a moment, Burwell continued.
“We were treating it as a missing person’s case and worked it a while, before the Chief called in the Bureau. The kidnappers called the mom’s cell phone yesterday, first call. The FBI representative up from Cincinnati will take point on that. I’m not sure…well, Chief said not to say much about Agent Shale, the FBI liaison. Anyway, it’s been days, and you know, better than anyone, the statistics on kidnapping and child abductions. Most of the kids recovered alive are found with two days of the initial abduction.”
Frank nodded.
“Yeah, after 48 hours, the percentages drop off,” Frank said.
Burwell nodded and took out a small notepad and pen, taking notes, but Frank did not elaborate. After a moment, the cop looked up.
“And?” the cop said. “The percentages drop off, but not always, right?
Frank sighed. “The drop off severely. But those are in the cases of abductions.”
Burwell wrote it down, then looked back at Frank. They both waited for the other to speak, but nothing came.
“Look,” Burwell finally said. “I get that you might not trust us because of the Stan situation. But we have an active investigation going on here, and you’re in our jurisdiction. If you know anything that can help—”
Frank shook his head.
“So, you’re going to bring me in because I can’t solve your case for you? What’s the charge, officer?”
Burwell seemed taken aback by Frank’s outburst.
“That’s not what I meant, sir,” Burwell said. “But I’m sworn to uphold the law, same as you were.”
Frank nodded. “Emphasis on the past tense.”
The room grew quiet. Frank wondered if Burwell had figured out Frank’s little system of staying quiet to let the silences grow. Maybe Frank was getting a little of his own medicine.
Finally, Frank sighed again. “It’s true, it’s more likely in abductions that, as more time passes, it’s more difficult to recover the victim. But in kidnappings for ransoms, the timeline doesn’t matter as much. It can drag out over weeks or months.”
“Oh,” Burwell nodded, jotting it all down. “I hadn’t thought about that. But we were relieved when the kidnappers called. Chief King wants you—”
“I can’t,” Frank said, shaking his head and cutting Burwell off. “I’m not getting involved. I told you what I know, and what I think about your prospects, but I’m not helping with the case.”
Burwell looked up from his pad.
“Why?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Frank said. “But…any dialog with the kidnappers is good,” he said, changing the subject. “Just give them what they want, keep them engaged.”
The cop paused for a long moment.
“Yup, okay,” he said. “Chief is working through all that with the Bureau. They will handle the ransom and the drop. But our investigation is going nowhere.”
Frank thought about it for a minute to let the cop think he was considering it. But his mind was already made up. His mind had been made up since the conversation started.
“Look,” Frank said. “I’m done with this kind of stuff. I...I’m done. And it sounds like you’re on the right track. The Bureau is involved, now,
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