Chapter 4

Carol and John got up and showered together and after they dressed Carol knocked on Greta's door and told her that she would pick up breakfast at McDonalds. Carol went to the McDonalds that was about two blocks from the motel and got coffee and breakfast for the three of them. They ate and made plans how they were going to get the information that they needed. John questioned Greta some more and found out that Susan had delayed the annual audit of the company books. She had used the excuse that because of John's death the company needed time to sift through the books and make sure that they were in order. This worried John. "She is either trying to pull money out of the company or trying to hid some of her sins," he said. "Do you know of any big purchases since I have been gone," he asked Greta. Greta thought for a minute and said that they had purchased new Lincoln Navigator SUVs for both of them. John just shook his head, $54,000 company cars. "They justified it because they would have to be traveling to Los Angles for that big contract," Greta said. John looked at her, "What big contract?" "The water treatment plant that you were working on before you disappeared" she answered. "You mean we got that?" he asked. "It was signed the day before you disappeared," Greta replied, "Didn't you know about it?" John shook his head. Things were falling into place. The project was huge and the profit potential was large and John had found several places where the engineering was flawed and therefore would result in big change orders. John had called them to the attention of the engineers but they didn't want to go back to the city for more money for the base contract. The agency that was overseeing the contract knew that the city would approve change orders but they would balk at approving an increase in the base contract price. "Let's start playing some games," he said.

They left the motel and Greta insisted on going with them. Carol and John had tried to talk her out of it but she insisted on going with them. Carol stopped at Staples and bought the prepaid cellular phone. They staked out John's offices and watched as Susan and Ted pulled into the parking lot in separate cars. Susan walked over to Ted and was talking to him in an agitated manner. John wished that he knew what they had said to each other. After they were sure that Susan and Ted were in the office for the day Carol drove them to the local newspaper office. John and Greta stayed in the back of the van out of sight while Carol searched the newspaper archives for any clue to what Susan and Ted were up to.

While Carol was gone Greta looked at John. "Carol seems like a very nice person," she started. "You to seem to have something going on between you, or am I wrong?" she asked. John looked at Greta, "Carol saved my life." "I guess things have progressed beyond what either of us expected." "How did you figure us out?" he asked. Greta grinned, "The walls in that motel are not exactly soundproof and you kept me awake." John started to stammer and blushing. Greta took his hand, "John, I am happy for you." "Susan knew that I never liked her for you and I was afraid that you would sense my mistrust of her." "I didn't feel that I should interfere in your personal life although now I wish that I had interfered," she said. "I wish that you had butted in," he said. "Carol is the type of woman that you need, John," Greta said quietly. John took Greta's hand again, "Greta, I have to ask you something personal." "I always thought that there was something going on between my father and you." "Was I right?" he asked. Greta started to cry and John put his arm around her shoulders. Greta looked at him; "Your father and I were lovers for years after your mother died." "We had discussed marriage just before they found out that he had cancer." "He wouldn't marry me after he got sick because he didn't want to be a burden to me and he had to make sure that the business was on a sound footing for you to take over." "Why didn't you get married before he got sick?" he asked. "He was afraid that you would feel that he was dishonoring your mother's memory, she said quietly. "Nonsense," John retorted. "You been a mother to me ever since my mother died and I loved you like I loved my mother." John began to get angry; "All he did was throw away years of happiness for the two of you." "I know, don't let that happen to you," Greta said. "Don't let Carol get away or you will have to worry about me killing you, Susan will be the least of your worries," she said with a smile.

Carol got back into the van. Greta and John stayed in the back of the van out of sight. "Interesting," she said. "The FAA, the NTSB and the FBI are all investigating the plane crash." "Why the FBI?" John asked. "They don't usually get involved in something like this." Carol shrugged her shoulders. "The newspapers didn't have much to say about the plane crash that we don't already know." "The main thing the newspapers are writing about is the reorganization of the company and the sell-off of certain divisions." John started to blow up, "Get this van back to the office, I want to see what happens this afternoon." "There is no reason to reorganize any part of the company." "Sell off what divisions?" he asked, "Why sell off anything." John was so mad that Carol and Greta had trouble calming him down. Carol parked the van a safe distance from the parking lot and they waited for the office to close. About six o'clock Susan and Ted came out of the office, paused next to Susan's car and then started out of the lot. Carol followed for several blocks until it became obvious that they were going somewhere together. John told Carol to stop following them and to park the van for a while. "They are either going to my house or Ted's," he said. "I know where I live and Ted lives." Carol could see that he was too mad to talk to. She pulled into a Burger King and ordered from the drive in window. She pulled forward and they ate in the van.

John ate his dinner in about three minutes and he fumed about Susan destroying the company. Carol and Greta let him vent his anger and ate in silence. When he had calmed down enough to talk to, Carol asked what he thought they should do. "Let's play games," he snapped. "I think that it's time to use that cell phone." He told her that they had to find out which house Susan and Ted were at. He showed Carol how to get to his house. Both SUV's were in the driveway front of John's house and he told Carol told drive past the house and park about 5 blocks away. Carol pulled over to the curb as John had directed and they could not be seen from John's house. Carol and John agreed that Carol would not mention that John was alive or that they knew where John's body was. John was afraid that if something went wrong someone would go to Carol's ranch and see if she was the one who was blackmailing them. Lets make a phone call," John said with a smile. Carol picked up the cell phone and dialed the number that John gave her. In a few seconds Susan answered the phone. "Hello?" "Susan, good to catch you at home," Carol said. "Who is this?" Susan snapped into the phone. Carol went on barely able to keep from laughing. "I heard you might be interested in buying some pictures and tapes of some very interesting phone taps." Susan paused before answering, "Ted told me that you want 5 million dollars, we might be able to raise that if the information is worth that." "Oh no, Carol replied, "that's Ted's share, yours is 5 million too." Greta and John could hear Susan screaming into the phone, "I can't raise that kind of money." Carol was enjoying the misery that she was inflicting on Susan. "Let's see, kidnapping, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, battery and I'm sure that the police can think of a few more," she said into the phone. Carol heard footsteps and she knew that since they could not get the number from the caller ID that they were looking up and down the street for a car and someone using a cell phone. "That ought to be good for about 50 years in prison, maybe even life," she told Susan. Before Susan had a chance to answer, Carol said, "I'll contact you tomorrow and tell you where to deliver the money." "Tell your secretary to accept any phone call from Betty." Carol hung up the phone with Susan screaming her lungs out. Carol turned to John and he was grinning and nudging Greta. "I would never want you as an enemy," he chuckled.

John told Carol to drive back to the motel. Both of the women were thoroughly enjoying themselves. John asked Greta if she remembered the names of the two men she had fired for failing the drug test. He described them to her, as there had been several whom he had fired for the same reason. Greta gave him the name of the only one who's name she could remember, Al Alben. John started to lay out the plans for the next day. "Carol, I'm going to have you call Mr. Alben tomorrow and tell him you saw him kidnap me and that you will keep quiet for 10,000 dollars." "We'll have to figure a way to find out the name of his partner in crime." Carol pulled into the parking spot in front of their motel room and they all went into the room. They went over the day's events and tried to make sure that they hadn't made any mistakes. "I think that after we are sure that Al Alben is the man we are after tomorrow, we should go to the FBI." "I am sure that this is in their jurisdiction," he added. "This involves kidnapping and interstate crime." Greta stood up. "I think that I am going to turn in and try to get some sleep," she said smiling. She turned down Carol's offer to go out and get dinner and went to her room. Carol and John decided to forgo dinner and went to bed and made love.

The three of them were too keyed up to eat breakfast and left the motel to make the phone call to Al Alben. John had looked in the phone book for his phone number and address and was relieved that Alben had a listed number. John directed Carol to the street where Alben lived. The house was in a neighborhood that had seen better days. Carol parked about a half a block away and made sure that John could still see Alben's face. Carol picked up the cell phone and dialed the number that John gave her. "Yeh," the voice said. Carol said, "Mr. Alben this is Karen Hughes. "My son just came home and said that he backed into your car." "He was scared so he came home and told me." "If it's OK with you I'll stop over this afternoon and give you my insurance information." Alben started to say something and Carol said, "OK, I'll see you this afternoon, Bye." They watched the house hoping that Alben would buy the story as weak as it was and come out to check his car. In a few minutes a man came out of the house in a pair of dungarees and a t-shirt. He was bare-foot. "That's him," John said. "We're rolling now." Alben walked around his car looking for any damage. They saw him muttering to himself as he walked back into the house. John put his hand on Carol's back. "I think that we should go see the FBI," he said. He had put the phone book from the motel in the van when they left that morning and he found the address of the FBI Regional Field Office. John gave her directions and they arrived at the building housing the FBI in about 20 minutes.

The three of them walked into the office and walked up to the receptionist. John could not figure out how to start the conversation so he just said the first thing that came into his head. "My name is John Fornos and I'm supposed to be dead." Carol laughed at his attempt to inform the receptionist why he was here. The receptionist blinked and reached for the phone and asked to see Agent Howard at the desk as Mr. John Fornos was in the building. A young man came into the reception area and stared at John for a few seconds. "My god, it is you, wait here," he said as he ducked back into the secure area. He came back about 20 seconds later with a female special agent. "Mr. Fornos," she extending her hand. " Come on back into the office." John heard a noise behind him and saw that two other agents had materialized out of nowhere. They were between him and the door as if he would try to run. "I think you will want to talk to these two also," John said indicating Carol and Greta. They were all led back to an interrogation room and the agent asked if they would like anything to drink. When they indicated that they were fine the agent asked them to sit down. The agent introduced herself as special agent Karen Waters and reintroduced special agent Howard. The two agents who had materialized in the reception area were not introduced and remained on guard behind Carol, Greta and John. "Mr. Fornos where have you been," Agent Waters started. John related the facts of his kidnapping and the events up to and including today. Carol gave additional information about his injuries and how she had found him and treated him. "Then you are a doctor?" Agent waters asked. "No, I'm a veterinarian," Carol answered. "There was a blizzard and I couldn't get him to a doctor," she added. All of the agents smiled at Carol's answer. Agent Waters leaned over to Agent Howard and whispered something in his ear. Agent Howard left the room. Agent Waters continued questioning John, asking some of the questions over and over. Agent Howard walked back into the room and nodded to Agent Waters. "Mr. Fornos will you please come with me," Agent Waters asked. John got up and followed Agent Waters to another room. As he left the interrogation room he heard Agent Howard start to question Carol and Greta again. John was met by a doctor and was asked to strip to his underwear shorts. Agent Waters asked if he minded her staying for the doctor's examination. John told her that he did not mind. John's wounds were examined and pictures were taken of his scars. John was allowed to get dressed and was led back to the interrogation room. Agent Howard was still questioning Carol and Greta. The phone in the room rang and agent Waters listened as someone spoke to her. She hung up the phone without comment.

"Mr. Fornos, I'm sorry to put you through all of this, but we had to make sure that your wounds were not self-inflicted." We've been trying to find you since your disappearance." "I have been assigned to your case and have been wondering where you were." John looked at her, "How did you know that I was not dead?" he asked. "We suspected that either you wanted to be missing or that someone had killed you and hid the body." "We were leaning toward the former." "Now, I believe your story and I feel that we can wrap this case up." John asked her why she didn't believe that he died in the plane crash. "You would surely have died if you were in the plane when it hit the ground," Agent Waters said. "But no body parts were found and animals don't normally carry off every bone including the skull." Second, we checked, and you are too experienced a pilot to fly into a major snow storm or to fly in the wrong direction." "Also no experienced pilot would take off without telling his mechanic even if he felt the plane was air-worthy." Lastly, your wife has been contacting everyone possible to have you declared dead in the crash." "Normally a spouse would wait a little longer to have someone declared dead." "The grieving period is longer than that." "Now we have to figure a way to bring the persons responsible for what happened to you to justice."

Chapter 5