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Gil was lying in a bed in the emergency room at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. The doctor had given him an anti-anxiety medication. Within a few minutes, Gil stopped shaking, and it was easier for him to breath. An ECG showed that his heart was okay. A man and a woman approached. “Mr. Novak?” Gil nodded. “I’m Detective Chris Varney and this is Cherise Holmes from the Crime Lab.” Varney showed his badge.
“Lili’s boss.”
“Yes, Gil. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Do you know who took Lili?” asked Varney.
“It’s probably related to the Martha Eames case,” said Gil.
“The woman from Florida?” asked Cherise. Gil nodded. Cherise and Gil told Detective Varney about that case and the related attack in Northampton the month before. Gil also mentioned the related murder of Barbara LeClerc in Portsmouth. Cherise said, “We’ve got Crime Scene techs at Lili’s house.”
Gil suddenly sat up. “Wait! She has a tracker!” He took his phone out of his pocket and fumbled around for a minute. “Look, the app says she’s on I-95 near New Haven!”
“How do I get that on my phone?” asked Varney. Gil showed him what app to install and how to track Lili’s tag, along with his own tag. The detective turned to leave.
“Wait!” called Gil. “One more thing. Call Special Agent Mayet Elsayed from the FBI. This is her case. I have her number here.” The detective took the number and ran out the door.”
“You may have just saved Lili!” said Cherise. “Hopefully she still has it on her,”
“We got them after finding out her house was bugged. We put them in these little useless pockets in our jeans.”
“How are you feeling, Gil?” asked Cherise.
“My muscles are sore all over. They gave me some ibuprofen for that. I couldn’t stop shaking, so they gave me some anti-anxiety medication and it calmed me down. I’m afraid that when it wears off, I’ll be frantic about Lili.”
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SPECIAL AGENT ELSAYED’S helicopter was en route from Boston to New York City, where the FBI were gathering to intercept the kidnappers. Agents from the Bridgeport, Connecticut FBI office were coordinating with the Connecticut State Police to catch up with the car.
Mayet was receiving constant updates through her headset. A State Police helicopter was following a black Tesla sedan from which the tracker signal was being transmitted. Mayet was concerned that the kidnappers could have found the tracker device and placed it into a random car.
Suddenly, an agent out of New York told Bridgeport Police to stand down. The tracking device was a ruse. Mayet demanded to know who had provided that information. She was told that it came out of headquarters in D.C. Mayet told New York and Bridgeport to disregard the directive out of D.C. and to intercept the tracked vehicle. New York argued with her, but she explained that the people behind the kidnapping had reecently infiltrated the Federal Government and shot a US Marshal who had been guarding someone in WITSEC.
Bridgeport reported that the subject vehicle left I-95 at exit 29. State police were in pursuit. Mayet told New York to track down where precisely in D.C. headquarters the direction to stand down originated. The police were still eight minutes out of Bridgeport, but their helicopter had eyes on the tracked car. “The subject vehicle is entering a marina. Steelpointe Marina. Bridgeport Police have been directed to the marina, as well.”
As Mayet’s helicopter approached Bridgeport, the New York office said that D.C. headquarters were adamant that they stand down. “Do not stand down. Continue to apprehend,” directed Mayet. “We are rescuing a kidnapped police officer!”
“The subjects have boarded a dark cigarette boat. We observed two subjects forcing a third onto the boat. The victim tried to jump off the dock, but was thrown onto the boat. There is another subject driving the boat. Police are converging on the scene. The boat has left the marina!”
“Get the Coast Guard on it!” yelled Mayet. She watched as the boat sped out of the harbor. “The boat is turning southwest, heading toward New York City.”
“The Coast Guard has deployed a fast boat out of Easton’s Neck, Long Island,” a voice reported. “They have also deployed a helicopter.”
“The boat has turned around and is now headed northeast! I repeat, the subject boat is now headed northeast!” shouted Mayet. The cigarette boat was faster than the Coast Guard vessel. “The subject boat is passing New Haven harbor!”
“A second Coast Guard boat is being deployed from New Haven.”
Mayet could see a Coast Guard crew running toward their dock. “The subject boat has turned into New Haven harbor, along the east shore!” She said. The boat sped into the harbor, seemingly heading straight toward the second Coast Guard boat which was just pulling away from its dock. Suddenly, the boat veered toward a little bay. She looked at the map on her cellphone. “They’re heading into Morris Cove, toward a dock!” She zoomed in on her map. “They’re heading to the New Haven Yacht Club. I’ll get the police on it.”
Mayet’s helicopter hovered over the yacht club. She saw four people get off the boat, one of them apparently Lili, who was being forced along. She didn’t appear to be injured. A silver van pulled out of a parking spot and intercepted the group from the boat. Lili was shoved into the van and the kidnappers piled in after her. “New Haven police, this is Special Agent Elsayed with the FBI, we are in pursuit of at least four kidnappers and their victim who are in a silver van currently pulling out of the New Haven yacht club. I am observing from an FBI helicopter. The subjects are headed east on Cove Street. You are requested to intercept and apprehend. They should be considered armed and dangerous. The kidnap victim is an agent with the Massachusetts State Police.”
“Subjects have turned north on Lighthouse Road.” Mayet could see two cruisers speeding from the north and one from the south, lights flashing. “Subject vehicle is continuing northeast on the Morris Causeway. Wait, subject vehicle has exited Morris Causeway onto a dirt road. They’re headed toward the fence at Tweed Airport. A fence gate is open! They’re now on airport property near the south end of runway 2. A dark-colored private jet is turning onto runway 2.” The police cruisers changed direction and headed to the airport. The helicopter pilot radioed the airport and directed them to hold all traffic. “The van has rendezvoused with the aircraft and the subjects are entering the cabin now! We’re losing them, people!” Mayet was losing hope.
She called FBI headquarters in New York City and quickly explained the situation. She was told that their only option at this time was to track the jet and intercept them at their destination. The New York office would initiate those actions. The jet powered down the runway, took off, and headed north.
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GIL WAS GETTING READY to leave the hospital when his phone rang. “Hi Gil, this is Special Agent Elsayed. How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. Where is Lili?”
“I’m afraid the kidnappers got away with her. They are on a jet, currently heading north over Quebec.”
Gil collapsed onto the floor. A nurse heard the noise and rushed into the room. The nurse rang the call button and another nurse came in. Mayet was yelling on the phone, “Gil? Gil? Are you there?