Blindside(66)

I knew how uncovering an operation like Henry’s would lead to speculation about corruption, and that sometimes affects an investigation, because no one is sure who to trust.

Besides all the damage to the concrete columns, they’d found only a couple of casings and some blood in the warehouse room where the big shoot-out took place. I wasn’t much help finding the second office. Natalie was able to point them to where it was located, but Henry and his crew had cleaned the place out by the time the cops showed up.

As I sat in a comfortable cushioned chair, I muttered, “This is a lot of protection.”

Matt Miller, who sat next to me, said, “There’s no way the Estonians want to explain how a cybercriminal like Henry whacked you at the airport. They’re going to cover you like Secret Service agents around the president.”

I smiled and checked my watch. It was seven o’clock in the morning in New York, and I made the call I’d been avoiding. Telling your fiancée that you were almost killed is never fun. I figured I would gloss over a lot of the trip.

As soon as I heard Mary Catherine’s voice, any concerns I had vanished. All I wanted to do was get home. She had a million questions.

She quickly spit out, “Are you okay? How can I help? What’s Estonia like?”

“I’m fine. Don’t need anything. Estonia is nice.”

Before I could ask about the kids, she said, “Did you find the mayor’s daughter?”

“Yes. She’s coming home with me.”

Mary Catherine let out a squeal. “When will you be home?”

“This evening.” I gave her the flight information.

“Did you have any trouble? Was the mayor’s daughter really in danger?”

I thought about saying we had a bad connection. Instead, I deferred answers until I got back. I spent about a minute talking with each kid. Everyone said they were looking forward to me coming home. So was I.

At the first boarding call for the flight, Agent Miller gave me a quick rundown of what he knew. He said, “I was waiting to catch you up in case I heard something new. The Estonian authorities are chasing down a ton of leads.”

“They seem like they’re squared away.”

“The local cops are very impressed by you. They’re saying the guy you caught, the Dutchman, is a really big deal. He’s not talking except to say how much he hates you. Kind of the same thing Bill Fiore was saying for a while.”

We both had to laugh at that.

I said, “What about Christoph’s partner, Ollie, the sloppy guy I told you all about?”

“He’s in the wind. We’ve got no idea who he is or where he went. Based on some of the details about Christoph, we’re in touch with the Amsterdam police. They might have something on him.”

The flight itself was uneventful. I noticed that Natalie, wedged into the seat next to me, didn’t want to venture too far on any topic. After everything she’d gone through, I could understand her feelings.

She asked me why I really had started looking for her. My natural inclination is to always tell the truth, but this was a family issue, and I wasn’t sure what was best for that family. Finally I explained, “I had a few problems on the job. I was in a shooting. Your dad thought it was best if I stayed off the streets of New York for a little while. He was worried about you, so I started looking. Not much more to tell.”

“What about your shooting? Is it resolved?”

“I don’t know about officially, but there was plenty of video. I’ve been told I’m going to be cleared officially.”

She asked for the details.

I said, “I was up in the Bronx working at the site of the homicide of a nurse and her young daughter. It was horrific. I stepped outside to grab a Gatorade and two men confronted me with a gun. I shot one. The other, a guy called Tight, ran away. After looking at it more, we now think he might have been involved in the homicide of the nurse and her daughter.”

“That sounds traumatic all around. That would keep me up at night the rest of my life.”

“The thing that bothers me most is that Tight is still running free. I’d do anything to lay my hands on that guy.”

Natalie said, “It’s sad to say, but I don’t know much about police work other than what I’ve seen on Law and Order. After watching you firsthand, I can tell you I could never be a cop.”

I laughed and said, “That is the exact opposite of what most people think. The public believes they understand what a cop goes through, and everyone seems to have advice on how to do police work. I appreciate you admitting a blind spot.”

“Trust me, it’s not a blind spot anymore. I’ll never forget what you did for me.” She placed her hand on top of mine. It was one of the most sincere thank-yous I had ever heard.





CHAPTER 94


I WATCHED THE Manhattan skyline as the Lufthansa 747 landed at JFK. It was always good to get home.

Twenty minutes later, Natalie and I hurried down the Jetway to the main terminal. I’m sure she never would’ve admitted it, but I could tell the young computer genius was excited about seeing her parents. I was just as excited to see my family.

I noticed a group of official-looking people not far from the gate. They had a uniformed NYPD officer with them, probably to help them slip through security. Before we had even cleared the gate, an attractive woman in a smart pantsuit rushed forward and embraced Natalie.