Authors: John Strauchs
“Yes, I will do as you ask. How do you wish me to die?”
“You shoot bullet into brain. Simple. Quick.”
Jared didn’t bother asking how he could guarantee that Jenny would be unharmed
and freed if he did as he asked.
There was no point to the question. She would die regardless.
Sami hung up. Jared erased the photo of Jenny from is cell phone. He had memorized every detail in the scene but he was not going to let anyone else see it.
“CHRIST, JARED,” said Brett. Brett and John were in shock.
“I guess we now know he is group one. There are no accomplices. If he’s waiting
to hear of my death on TV news, there are no accomplices. He’s on his own. Moreover,
he tells me to leave for Boston in the morning.
It’s a three-hour drive.
That means he
needs the time to travel somewhere. He is leaving the Boston area now,” said Jared.
“Any chances you record your phone calls?
It’s cellular so maybe not,” asked
John.
“Yes, all calls are recorded.”
“He wouldn’t dare fly into the United States. He must have come in from Canada.
There are a lot of abandoned logging roads that cross the Canadian and Maine border.
He is probably either going deep into Northern Maine or possibly back into Canada,” said
John.
“I’ve never heard of a scheme like this before. This is one for the books. A guy
calls and tells you to off yourself. That is beyond brazen. This guy’s got balls of steel.”
said Brett.
John spoke up. “You know how thin the Border Patrol is on the Canadian border.
Maine is in the Houlton Sector. I sit in for the Bureau from time to time at the JTF-N
meetings with the Canadians, that’s the Joint Task Force North.
I’m also on the Integrated Border Enforcement Team, IBET, so I know something about this. There are sensors concealed at many crossover locations.
Granted, moose and deer constantly trip
some of the sensors…albeit not the ferrous metal sensors…and the 20-foot cleared zone
is usually overgrown with weeds and brush.
They don’t respond to every sensor activation, but there is a record of where and when each alarm occurred, but there could be
hundreds of alarms in a 24-hour period,” said John.
“What about aerial reconnaissance?
Might that have picked him up?” asked
Brett.
“Hell, this is a 600 mile, or so, border running through woods and along the rivers. The odds are slim, Brett,” said John. “They recently completed a joint US-Canadian
exercise called Ardent Sentry. Unless you’re looking for something like a tank, the aerial
and satellite stuff is useless.”
“Can you get the alarm records for the past few days?” asked Jared.
“I’m certain I can,” said John.
“At least it might narrow down the area.
Sami is likely to use the same route to
get back into Canada,” said Jared.
“Can’t we get the Canadians to pick him up as he tries to leave?” asked Brett.
“We’re assuming he crossed into Maine on some old logging trail. Couldn’t he have entered through a legal border station using false credentials?” asked Brett.
“That’s possible, but it would be risky for him,” said Jared.
“Well, do I report this Jared?” asked John.
“He didn’t say anything about not
alerting law enforcement.
Anderson probably has you flagged so he will see it right
away.”
“By all means.
I want Anderson to see the report.
He wants me dead. I know
there’s a risk that he will stall the effort to find Jenny before I’ve killed myself, but it’s
worth taking the risk.
After I’m out of the way, he knows that he will be under a lot of
pressure to find the perpetrator. This is an odd enough story that it should get national
coverage, especially if they film me killing myself,” said Jared. “I take it for granted that
the Bureau and the Mass Staties are going to have the area staked out and under heavy
surveillance.”
“You’re freaking me out Jared. You’re not actually thinking of going along with
Zhidov’s demand?” asked Brett.
“You know that they can’t possibly allow you to commit suicide under their watch. They would have complicity.”
“They’ll assume that I won’t really go through with it and that I’m just stalling for
time.
Standing by and allowing a suicide to occur isn’t legally aiding or abetting. You
know as well as I that doctors do this all of the time,” said Jared.
“I didn’t say anything about a criminal act. You’re right, however. Suicide was
decriminalized in the 90s, but law enforcement would still have a liability exposure as a
civil matter in that they would be failing to perform their duty to preserve and protect life.
Your estate could sue,” said Brett.
John began pacing around the kitchen.
“You know he’s going to kill her. He can’t risk allowing her to live and still have
any reasonable chance of getting out of Canada,” said John.
He has to keep her alive and healthy until my death is confirmed, completely confirmed. On the other hand, if he has the slightest suspicion that my death has been
hoaxed, he will kill her and run,” said Jared. “I have to depend on you John.
I can’t
search for Jenny and keep Sami’s tight schedule. Brett, I need you to help coordinate
this…thing…in Boston, especially with the news media so it gets a lot of coverage. And,
I need you both to keep law enforcement off my back. They can’t be meddling in what I
have to do,” said Jared.
John and Brett looked at each.
Neither wanted to say what he was thinking, but
their concern about what Jared might be planning was growing.
Both knew Jared long
enough to have learned that he was to one degree or another, suicidal at times.
The kidnapping might just push him over the edge. Worse, Jenny might just be an excuse.
“Jared, I want to hear you tell me that you’re not actually going to kill yourself,”
said John.
Jared was staring out of the window. He ignored the question.
“You’re the smartest guy I know, Jared.
Can’t you profile Zhidov, you know, at
least give me some kind of framework I can develop?” asked John.
“Ginger, I need you,” said Jared.
Ginger materialized on his laptop.
“Yes, Jared, I have been monitoring the situation. Would you like to hear Sami’s
phone call again?” asked Ginger.
“No.
Summarize what we have surmised on the basis of highest probability. I
have a lot of preparations before I have to leave for Boston in the morning. I need your
help. Get on the Internet and research the key information to locate Sami. Give me printouts.”
“Yes Jared. “
Jared went to the hall closet and pulled a cardboard box from the top shelve. He
brought the box to the kitchen counter, opened it, and took out a Colt .22 Woodsman.
“
This was not good
,” thought John.
A 22 caliber handgun was not going to blow your brains out but it was good
enough to be an excellent assassination weapon in the hands of an expert. They are routinely used for execution killings.
In fact, the CIA had special .22 handguns manufactured for them, such as the High Standard HD. Jared opened a kitchen drawer and found
several boxes of ammo, both shorts and long rifle cartridges.
Ginger reappeared a few minutes later. She was very fast.
“What do you have Ginger?” asked Jared.
John and Brett gathered around the laptop.
“I am not at all comfortable with the probabilities Jared. I also must report that I
was unable to get through the fire walls for most of the air carriers or TSA,” said Ginger.
“It can be done but I will need more time.”
“Understood! What do you have so far?”
The printer started as soon as Ginger began to speak.
“
Point 1
, that he phoned soon after you were talking about him is a coincidence.”
“
Point 2
, he would have attempted to obfuscate as much as possible, realizing
that we would try to track his movements. He did not come directly from Russia. He likely changed flights at one or two intermediate airports. I conclude that the best probability
is that he flew into Montreal, possibly from Heathrow. I am uncertain about that time
frame.”
“
Point 3
, although the Maine-Canadian border is porous, heightened U.S. and
Canadian concerns about infiltration make it unlikely that he would initially cross the
border on trails or back roads. There would be less risk if he used false credentials to enter at an official border crossing. If he is discovered, the worst that can happen is deportation. There are no outstanding warrants. On the other hand, I expect that his escape route
will be on old logging roads and not at official crossings. He knows he will be hunted.”
“
Point 4
, radio is no longer a good source of secondary news and he will not wish
to wait for newspaper accounts. He will wish to have access to television news for an account of Jared’s death. He could not rely on access to commercial television reception in
many northern parts of Maine, even in larger towns. Local motels have very limited television and few, if any, can get Boston television channels. Moreover, motel managers
would remember him. He will not be at a motel. Additionally, that he would take the risk
of moving Jenny into a motel room is unlikely. Consequently, he is using a satellite dish
for reception. He will be tuned to stations WBZ, WHDH, or WCVB.
Maine is very
northern. The satellite dish will have to be at a very high altitude with a good view of the
southern sky in order to see a feeding satellite. He will be on or near high elevation, such
as a mountain.”
“
Point 5
, to use a satellite dish, he is most likely to lease or purchase a recreational vehicle.
Hence, he has a camping spot selected somewhere near the border.
Further,
he needs a large recreational vehicle in order to securely imprison Jenny and to avoid
public scrutiny.”
”
Point 6
, considering travel times, major highways, proximity to Quebec, and
other analytic factors, his entry point could be Fort Kent, Maine.”
“
Point 7
, it is unlikely that he is in the immediate Fort Kent area. Residents will
pay attention to RVs as they are a source of tourist income.”
“
Point 8
, assuming he is in the Boston area now, it will take Sami about 9 hours
to drive to Fort Kent. It is now 14:10. He will have started his trip by now, indicating his
arrival in the Fort Kent area will be by 23:00 this evening or somewhat later if he stops
for fuel and food.”
“
Point 9
, assuming my analysis is correct that he is using a recreational vehicle he
must stay on paved roads as much as possible because back roads could be difficult to
drive. Rain is forecast for this region for the next three days.
He will be close to Route
161, Caribou Road. I speculate, however, that he will be within thirty-three kilometers of
Fort Kent.”
“
Point 10
, he will know that both government law enforcement agencies will be
searching for him.
He will not re-enter Canada through Fort Kent.
He may have rented
or plans to steal a four-wheel drive SUV and, as I already said, he will use logging trails
for his escape. The Canadians are not nearly as concerned about persons entering Canada
from the United States as the United States is about persons entering from Canada.
”
Point 11
, After he returns to Canada, I doubt that he will attempt to leave Trudeau airport in Montréal.
That departure airport has the highest risk of capture.
He is
aware of that risk. He needs a valid entry visa and may not risk an attempt to forge one.
Hand markings are changed frequently. He will be using the same identify as he used to
enter. There are many small airports in that region of Canada but he needs the anonymity
that can only be found at a large and busy airport. I speculate that he will leave from
Pearson Airport in Toronto.”
“
Point 12
, he informed Jared that he is to arrive at the Dolphin Seafood Restaurant in Cambridge at noon and that he is permitted to have an exceptional last meal.
In
that Jared is to die within 30 minutes of his telephone call, the call should come in around
13:15 to 13:45 hours. Sami will wait until the evening news from Boston to learn of his
death. He will not attempt to leave Maine until 19:30 hours at the earliest. I don’t believe
that he will kill Jenny until Jared’s death is confirmed. He will, however, kill Jenny thereafter.
If he plans to listen to the late night news, she is safe until the next morning because it is likely that he won’t…kill her…until he his ready to cross the border and he
won’t attempt to cross the border on old trails in the dark.”
“
Point 13
, someone in the United States is providing him with information. He
has not traveled to the United States before. There is a traitor who knows you.”
“In conclusion, at the moment I can find no on line access to pertinent recreational vehicle rental records, air flight manifests, housing rentals, or immigration data in either Canada or the United States. I can find no photographs of Sami Zhidov. I reviewed
Jared’s discussions about Sami over the past few months and conclude the Sami is very
intelligent, ruthless, and cunning.
He can be assumed to also understand that we will
quickly uncover many of the points that I have made and will have prepared for various
contingencies.
Your overall probability of rescuing Jenny is less than 5%.
Your probability of capturing Sami is less than 40% on the basis of information I have access to.”
“You are amazing Ginger,” said John.
“Even if he is in the Fort Kent area that has to be very rural and rough country.
We are still talking about several hundred square miles to search,” said Brett.
“Listen John, I need your help in gathering more information. Look for air travel
reservations into Canada, especially Montreal, by a Russian.
Check all flights but focus
on Heathrow. See if the Mounties will help you find all RVs rented in the last week or
two. See if any had satellite dishes. Try to find any photographs of Sami Zhidov. Try the
CIA. There can’t be many places to rent a car in that part of Maine. Has anyone rented a
four-wheeled drive vehicle? Look for police reports about stolen SUVs. And, as a backup, have the Canadians check out all of the smaller airports,” said Jared. “Have I missed
anything Ginger?”
“No Jared, that is complete.”
“Jared, why don’t you try your psychic stuff find out where Jenny might be,” said
John.