A few minutes later, as the two detectives were about to transport Henry to booking, I couldn’t resist taking a moment to chat with my Estonian friend.
I opened the rear door and kneeled down so I could look in on the handcuffed computer genius. He looked beaten, with his hands secured behind him, sitting in the back of a Crown Vic with a plexiglass shield separating the front seat from the rear.
He surprised me by speaking first. He said, “I underestimated you.”
I said, “And I overestimated you. Let’s call it even.”
“What now?”
“You’ll face a slew of federal charges and then we’ll throw in the attempted murder. Plus all the murders you’ve ordered. So I wouldn’t plan any exotic trips. You’re going to be occupied for a good long time.”
Henry smiled. “I’m glad you feel satisfied. I hope it lasts.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve made a huge mistake. It’s funny that you think I’ll be in prison for a long time. Last I checked, prisons had computers. I still have friends. I have more money than you can comprehend. I won’t be out of circulation long.”
“Should I be scared? I don’t feel it right now.”
“You will. Trust me. No one will keep me locked up for very long.”
I patted him on the shoulder. “You keep those positive thoughts. Frankly, it’s a nice change from the ‘I’m innocent’ excuse I usually hear.”
I shut the door and watched the car pull away.
CHAPTER 104
A COUPLE OF days later, when I walked into the mayor’s office, I still carried a few cuts on my face and a black eye. That’s what was obvious; I also had a cracked rib and a broken finger. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was enough to remind me of what had happened more than once a minute.
Of course, as soon as I confirmed that the mayor’s phone and email had been compromised, the NYPD cybercrime unit had gone into overdrive. Every city phone and computer had to be checked and double-checked. It was as if no one had ever heard of cybercrime, and now that some asshole from Estonia had broken the meager security on the mayor’s phone, the government’s role was to overreact. It felt familiar.
Now, as I sat in an overstuffed leather chair waiting for the mayor to come into his office, the past few weeks seemed to catch up with me all at once. This felt like real closure. With any luck, this would be the last time I ever had to talk to the mayor face-to-face. That was the sincere wish of most NYPD employees.
I heard the mayor before the inner door to his office opened. He wore his usual tailored suit, which did nothing to hide his belly. He greeted me with a big smile and came right to my chair to shake my hand.
He said, “Look, it’s my favorite NYPD detective.” After he shook my hand, he held it for extra, awkward seconds. I guess he was trying to show me how much he appreciated everything I’d done. “You did a great job in Estonia. And the way you figured out that my phone had been hacked was brilliant. Thank you so much for bringing Natalie back to us.”
“How’s she doing? I know she wasn’t very happy about being held in protective custody or whatever we called it.”
The mayor plopped into the plush leather chair behind his wide oak desk. He looked down and was silent for a few moments. When he looked up at me again he said, “I’m sure Natalie told you we have a few issues. She’s not ready to talk to me just yet. I’m trying to be patient. But her mother tells me she’s doing quite well.
“The reason I asked you to visit today was to show my appreciation. I can tell you that officially you’ve been cleared of any wrongdoing in your shooting. In connection to that, I spoke to the esteemed Reverend Franklin Caldwell. He’s agreed to stop his protests directed at you.”
“How did you manage that?”
“The reverend and I have a good working relationship. I assured him that backing off your case will help him in the future. His living depends on getting a cut of all the settlements the city makes on cases he’s involved in. It’s not a great system, but it’s worked in the past.”
I almost asked the mayor why he hadn’t had the reverend stop the protests as soon as the mayor knew my shooting was justified. I figured he’d just have some slick reply like “We have to pick our battles.” And this wasn’t the battle I wanted him to fight.
Now I had the real question, the one that had floated just below the surface since my last chat with the mayor. I said, “Were you able to talk to anyone about my son Brian? That’s all I really care about.”
The mayor patted his belly. “So it comes back to children. Seems like that’s always the case. My daughter brought me to you. Your son motivates you.”
“Did I motivate you enough to make some phone calls?”
The mayor smiled. “I can see why you’re so effective. So I won’t beat around the bush. I did talk to some Department of Corrections people and the attorney general. The responses were not overly optimistic. They don’t want it to look like favoritism by releasing the son of a prominent police officer.”
“So that’s it?”
“I’m still trying. Let’s give it a little time.”
“May I speak freely, Mr. Mayor?”
“I didn’t think you had any other way of speaking. But please say anything you want. It won’t leave this room.”
“I didn’t just try to find your daughter. I did it. I didn’t give up. Now you know what it’s like to have a child returned to you. Please consider that in your efforts to get Brian released. I don’t need you to try to get Brian released. I need you to put as much effort into it as I did in finding your daughter.”
The mayor stared straight ahead silently, nodding his head slowly. “Well said, Detective. Well said.”
CHAPTER 105
MY CELL PHONE rang on the nightstand, waking me from a dream about playing basketball with LeBron James. And I was winning. Startled, I automatically reached out with my left hand and fumbled for the phone before it rang again.
Mary Catherine barely stirred next to me as I said, “Bennett. This better be good.” I managed a quick peek out the window. It was still pitch-black outside. I glanced at my alarm clock and realized it was only five thirty in the morning.
The call was important enough to get me moving quickly.
Mary Catherine called from the bed when she started to stir.
I said, “I want to take a day trip. You guys have been cooped up in the city too long. I’ll get the kids moving. You get dressed.”
Her voice was still scratchy with sleep. “A day trip? Where? Michael, what are you talking about?” Even without me answering, she got up and started to get dressed. That’s trust.
It took a little longer to get the kids in order, but that allowed me to call my grandfather. And even though it was by then after six in the morning, he was still quite annoyed. But he agreed to be ready to go in twenty minutes.
It wasn’t even seven o’clock by the time we were pulling away from Holy Name in the van.
The rapid-fire questions started coming from everyone.