BY WOODY PAUL GREY
CHAPTER FIVE. J O A N N A
A 32 year Joanna has been a fashion model for years before she becomes the owner of the prestigious model agency “Fabulous Beauty”. Married to the most handsome man in New York and a world-famous computer genius Robert Moor who loves her so much, not to mention their daughter Roxana, a real beauty as for her age and an infant prodigy, Joanna is a happy woman indeed. Life around her seems so beautiful.
Her office is located on the 5-th Avenue beside the Empire State building. She enters the hall of the complex, takes an elevator and in a little while the young woman is already there in her Magic Empire of Beauty, as she calls it. Everything one could see in this huge light incredible building was designed personally by her. She did not let anyone to give her a mere piece of advice as to how to do this or that. It took her hours and hours of time to make it look completely perfect. So, this is why every time when Joanna enters her saloon still it takes her breath.
Sometime later the telephone rang. The young woman at the desk takes up the receiver:
- Hello! “Fabulous Beauty”. What can I do for you? - asks a young beautiful lady fabulously dressed according to the newest modern trends.
- This is NY police department. Can I talk to Mrs. Moor? - the confident male voice sounds quite politely.
- Hold on a second! - the young woman takes off the receiver from her right ear takes another one.
- Mrs. Moor, this is for you! Police department … she waits a while until her boss answers the telephone call and only after that she puts down both of them.
Joanna takes the receiver with a slight feeling of confusion.
- Hello! I` m Joanna Moor. What can I do for you? - she questions courteously.
- Hello, Mrs. Moor! Lieutenant Harry Wilson is talking. Unfortunately I have got bad news for you. - the police officer tries to speaks as calmly as possible though one can notice a bit of excitement in his voice.
- Roxana? What`s up with her? - inquires the young lady with a deep sense of anxiety.
- No. It`s not about your daughter. Well, it`s your husband. - after all the man overcame his embarrassment and spoke with a steady quiet sound.
- What` s up with Robert? Is he hurt? - now it was clear for the woman that something really happened.
- Kidnapping. No further details on the phone. Can you come to the police office in a quarter of an hour. - the officer talked shortly, but precisely.
- Sure! I` m on my way. - the woman dropped the receiver in a hurry and headed to the doorway.
- Cancel all my meetings for today, Annie! O.K.? - ordered she from behind the door.
- All right! Don`t worry! It`ll be fine, Mrs. Moor. - answered the lady realizing that her boss couldn`t hear her any more.
P O L I C E I N V E S T I G A T I O N
Soon after the attackers left the Empire State Building the overall picture changes profoundly. Police vehicles with the flashing blue and red lights, loud and noisy sirens wailing start to arrive one after another alongside with the emergency services making their way to the main entrance. The nearby territory is immediately declared a restricted area and in minutes gets overcrowded by the police officers, FBI and CIA agents dressed in civies, not to mention various news agencies, cable TV with satellite dishes, reporters equipped with microphones and cameramen holding heavy photo and video cameras and getting ready to work just in seconds occupying the best possible positions to start immediately broadcasting the breaking news. Then comes a special police regiment wearing riot gear. The men noisily enter the lobby of the ill-stared building and hurriedly ascend the necessary floor, where the kidnapping occurred. First of all they check the safety conditions of the location, before the medical personal arrives to help the hostages to regain after the use of tear gas, as well as, to overcome the state of psychological stress.
Luckily no one of the company workers is seriously hurt, but some of them really need special psychiatric treatment. According to their words Mr. Robert Moor, the head of the company, has been apparently kidnapped by the group of unidentified men in masks, who then disappear without trace.
Harry Wilson, a 32 year old police officer, a lieutenant of the Manhattan Police Department starts the investigation. Whilst interviewing the hostages, he realizes at once, that no one of them has seen the attackers face to face, without balaclavas. So, evidently they can not tell him much on the point, except for the brutal conversation they have heard during the abrupt invasion. Actually, as a professional, he is always ready to be challenged, especially at the beginning of his investigation, and it` s the most thrilling point about his job urging him to work more effectively, forecast the development of the forthcoming events oftentimes without fail, act appropriately and take the right decision.
In the situation of this kind, though, the man faces one and the same unpleasant moment which Harry can not delay or avoid – invite and tell the relatives of the victims what has happened to their loved ones and every time it` s like for the first time he has to overcome his emotions witnessing the heartbreaking procedure, trying to find the necessary words to calm down and support them. Today he will have to pass it once again, this time with Joanne Moor, whose husband got into trouble an hour ago. Moreover, the members of his team provide him one more disappointing news: no witnesses have been found , no shred of evidence appeared in connection with the kidnapping. None whatsoever! As a matter of fact, it is part of his job and he does not have to be frustrated every time, when something goes wrong. It is an ordinary routine which he has to perform and take it for granted. Wilson dials the necessary number and appoints the meeting with Mr. Moor` s wife. After he gives some precise orders to his staff, leaves the place of the crime, gets into his car and drives off to the police department.
The stunned woman arrives in a couple of minutes.
She` s in her early forties fairly tall, and unexpectedly so slim with straight long blond hair well set, stylishly dressed in green from top to toe, including high – heeled shoes, holding firmly her green leather purse in one hand and a sumptuous paper carrier with a terrific evening dress designed specifically for her by the fashionable designer on the eve of the forthcoming banquet. It looks like she has just come from the New York fashion week. The man is absolutely fascinated.
- Hello, Mrs. Moor! I` m lieutenant Harry Wilson, detective chief – inspector of Manhattan Police Department – says the young officer, a little bit confused by her beauty. Frankly speaking he does not come across women of her type so often. Nevertheless in a moment the man calms down.
-Hello, Mr. Wilson! I do not understand what` s going on! My husband has been kidnapped at midday in the heart of New Yourk out of his office and the attackers manage to escape easily without any trace. How can it possibly happen nowadays? Do not you work any more here, guys? Why he? What did he do wrong? What do I and my daughter have to do now? What measures are you going to undertake to find my spouse? It` s just outrageous! - the young woman is furiously angry realizing that she never talks the way she does now, but she simply can not help doing it.
- Mrs. Moor! Calm down, please! I can imagine how difficult it` s for you and your daughter to face the brutal reality. Believe me or not, but we indeed try to do our utmost. And now I need your personal assistance significantly. You have to provide us with all the necessary information which, after all, will help in the ongoing police investigation. First and foremost you should trust the police and fully cooperate and then we` ll do everything possible and even impossible to find and rescue your husband – the man speaks politely and tolerantly.
- Excuse me, lieutenant! I just do not know what to think in connection with this terrible happening. - Joanna really feels sorry for the uncontrolled burst of her emotions.
-That` s O.K. Have a seat, please! Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee or water? - suggests the officer respectfully giving her some time to chill out.
-Water, please! - asks the woman quietly.
- Just a minute! - the man grabs a plastic bottle of mineral water, he bought on the way to his office this morning and passes it to the young lady.
- Here you are, Joanna! Now, what can you tell me about your husband? Maybe there` s something disturbing him lately? Some weird meetings, frustrated or annoying telephone calls? Whatever? - queries the lieutenant.
- Well, actually, I do not think there` s something of the kind within the last days, weeks, or, even months. There are no secrets, you know, between us. So, accordingly, I` m fully aware of all his plans, connferences, business projects, not to mention friends, associates, business partners, etc. And I can assure you that there` s not anything disturbing or disappointing Robert. Basically my husband is a workaholic and is always busy, but he` s a very considerate and loving as a man and a father – she answers quite calmly.
- O.K. There` s one more urgently important point. Usually after the act of abduction the attackers call to declare their demands. So, maybe we` ll meet at your apartment and wait together for the forthcoming telephone call – the policeman is glad that Joanna manages to cope, after all, with her feelings and reacts now more reasonably.
- Absolutely! I just need some time to fetch my daughter after schooling and after we can meet at our house let` s say at 14:00 hours. Here` s our address! - the woman passes him her business card. - Joanna looks better now and tries harder to control her feelings and emotions as she usually does.
- Great! See you then, Mrs. Moor! - replies Harry Wilson, picking up the receiver to give all the necessary orders and commands.
- You may call me Joanna, please! – asks the young woman and this time she can not hide some sort of a smile on her beautifully shaped face that makes her especially attractive.
- Sure, Mrs., excuse me, Joanna. And you may also use my first name, Harry – now it looks as though they discuss something very ordinary.
- Fine, Harry! I` ll see you later! – finally says the woman and hurriedly leaves the office.
Bobby has no doubts that she` the one. No matter that so many people enter and leave the police office the man still managers to distinguish Joanna from dozen others leaving the building. First of all she` s so awesomely beautiful, that one can think she` s just step down from the front page of some fashion magazine. Then she` s got something in common with her husband. Maybe they are of the same age, or, at least, they look like. But this is not the main point. That` s a question of fashionable clothes they both wear and also the way they do it. Definitely, they hang around in high society. The better for him! Actually, he never talked to people of this kind, at least, for the time being. Never mind! He` ll have to do his job, no matter, whom is he dealing with!
Joanna dashes to her car, gets in, starts the engine and drives away heading to the school, where her daughter studies. Surely she does not notice, that a man follows her on the motorcycle. Soon after she gets onto a huge school parking in front of the five - storied building.
Roxana is already there awaiting for her. Hopefully, the girl does not know what has happened. And now her task is to tell her the bad news, the way it will not harm her. But how to do it? How to say, that her adorable daddy has been seized by the kidnappers just an hour ago and taken to an unknown destination.
Joanna opens the right front door to let Roxana in.
- Hey, mum! How is it going? - asks the jolly girl, brightly smiling. - the teenager looks fantastic.
The young woman tries to look casual, but most likely she fails, as her daughter feels exactly, that something is wrong.
- Mum! What` s going on? You look weird! Tell me now what` s up? Is there something wrong with my dad? - the young girl looks frightened.
- Roxana, dear! First of all, I want you to calm down before I`ll tell you what`s actually going on. You know, sweetheart, some bad guys have taken him away from his office and somehow they manage to escape from the city – says Joanna feeling how difficult it` s for them both to overcome their feelings and emotions in this horrible situation.
- What? I don` t believe you! Tell me the truth! Do you want to divorce? - asks the poor girl, as though she does not hear, what her mother says.
- Of course not, dear. What are you talking about? We love each other so much that it` s out of the question. The problem is that our beloved dad really has escaped in the middle of the day together with the kidnappers. But do not worry, honey, everything will be O.K. The police will find and rescue him very soon, I promise! - Joanna is on the edge of bursting into tears together with her daughter, but still she makes an effort not to do it in front of her daughter.
- Why? What do they want of him? - the girl stands in front of the opened door, her body slightly shivering, her eyes wide open and full of tears.
- I do not know, baby. Come here, get into the car! - the woman talks quietly and pleadingly.
- Leave me alone! I need my dad! I love him so much! What about the police? Why do not they look for him? - asks the girl and finally burst into tears.
The young woman get` s out of the vehicle, goes around it and slowly approaches Roxana. She tenderly hugs and kisses her daughter. They keep staying this way for a while, until the baby calms down completely and stops sobbing. Then the woman helps her to get into the car. Next she rushes to her seat and soon they are driving back home.
At this very moment Bobby, the beggar, witnesses the dramatic meeting of the mother and her daughter from another side of the parking lot. He can not hear the words of their conversation, but he, strange as it may seem, understands everything and, moreover, can imagine how do they feel. Eventually, the young man exercises a deep feeling of pity for the girl.
Harry Wilson is already waiting for their arrival. The police officer has come some time earlier and has been enjoying the fresh air, beautiful nature and the absolute quietness, apart from the birds singing and the light wind blowing.
- Here you are! Great! I relaxed a bit and now I` m ready again to work. Fabulous spot! It would be fine after the retirement to own something of the kind to live in peace and solitude surrounded by the extraordinary nature, breathe the fresh air, forget about all the troubles of big and small cities and just enjoy every minute of life.- declares the police officer in this way trying to drag away the attention from what is going on indeed.
- Oh, that` s really an incredible place! We call it “our paradise” and you can easily guess why.- the woman most likely managed to suppress her true feelings.
- O. K. Come on in, Harry! By the way, this` s our pretty daughter Roxana, the best kid in the entire world. - pronounces the woman with a sincere feeling of proud towards her kid.
- How do you do, Roxana! You are really very beautiful! - the man tries to help Joanna to make her daughter forget about the big trouble with her dad.
- Thank you, Harry! Do not you mind me calling you by the name? - in front of a stranger she forgets for a while about the news, that has shocked her so much just a while ago.
- Oh, that` s all right. Do not worry, Roxana, may be for some time I` ll forget who I` m indeed. - the man feels really sorry, that such a lovely kid maybe for the first time faces the dark reality of life.
They take the lift, which brings them in seconds to the Moor` s apartments.
The woman and a girl leave the man alone in a huge living room for a couple of minutes to change the dresses and prepare fresh drinks and some fruits.
Harry Wilson is walking around the room studying first of all the family photos. It`s really a very handsome household, loving and taking care genuinely about each other. Here are, most likely, some of their relatives, friends, neighbors, associates,etc. The man is wondering, whether some of them can be involved into the kidnapping. Who knows? Some people can be rather freaky nowadays.
-Hey, Harry! How you` re doing here? - comes in Joanna with noiseless steps graciously carrying a plastic tray with orange drinks, apples and a bunch of bananas. The woman is smartly dressed in pink clothes and is followed by her daughter, who also changed her dresses.
- Well, I` m , actually, enjoying the fine company of your relatives and friends. You`ve got a lot of them.- the lieutenant feels comfortable in this nice house.
- Have a seat and help yourself to drinks and fruits and I` ll bring some other photos! - the young woman puts the tray on a round glass table in front of the soft leather sofa with a couple of silk pillows on it. She then dashes to the one of the shelves on the other side of a big room. In a second she comes back holding a thick hardback volume full of pictures. She takes a seat next to the policeman. Harry is holding a glass of orange juice.
- Drink first, Harry and then we` ll have a look at some of our family photos! - the woman also takes a glass and makes a few tiny gulps. Now the man drinks his fresh in one gulp.
- Thanks for so much! Basically I am very thirsty and it` s my first drink since morning. I mean, soft drink, of course. In fact I do not drink alcohol at all. - says the man blushing with embarrassment.
- Harry, let me tell you, that you do not look like an ordinary policeman. And I do not only mean your position of a lieutenant. Sometimes it does not matter at all. What I mean, is a human nature. Just some people from early birth are rude, bold, tough. Others on the contrary are calm, romantic and elegant, like you. As to me you` d rather be a writer or somebody sort of. - this time Joanna feels a little bit confused.
- You are very kind Joanna! As a matter of fact, I have lost my young wife not so long ago. And it` s my fault. She repeatedly pleaded me not to drink and drive and then one night it all happened. Our car collided with a heavy truck. She died immediately. And it happened because at my job I sometimes needed a stiff drink. So, as you can understand it all occured because of an excess of alcohol. Since then I never drink it. - now when he finished he looked differently. Having said something very personal, what he has been keeping deep on the bottom of his heart for long made him feel more confident as a man.
- Oh, I` m sorry, Harry! My deep condolences! Excuse me, if this or that way I caused you to make this confession- the woman puts her hand on the man` s shoulder. Strange as it may seem, but it looks like now he needs more support and sympathy than Joanna herself.
- No, that` s O.K. I just had to tell it to someone. It`s too hard to keep things like this inside. Maybe I just need someone, whom I can trust and eventually reveal my secret. And now it` s your turn to disclose your family one. - he is ready now to fulfill his job.
All of a sudden, they hear the telephone call. Joanna first rushes to the telephone. But it is dead. Then they hear it once more, but this time they understand that it` s a door bell. Joanna dashes to the window and looks out. There is a young man there whom she has never seen before.
- Harry, there` s some young man outside. I do not know him. What do I have to do? Shall I open the door? - asks Joanna curiously, but feeling more confident at the presence of the police officer in her apartment.
- Sure! He may be involved. Go and open the front door! I` ll be next to you. Do not worry! - says Harry taking off the gun and getting ready to the possible forthcoming events.
- Hello! What I can do for you? - asks Mrs. Moor opening the door widely. Harry Willson is right behind her back.
- Hi! Excuse me, are you the woman whose husband has been kidnapped today? - asks the young man politely.
- Hi! My name`s Joanna Moor. And my husband really escaped today from his office. And who are you? Are you involved in kidnapping? Or maybe do you know something about it? Won`t you come in, please? - she invites the young man inside.
- Well, first of all I want to know whether you` ll pay me for the information. Joanna glanced on the left. With the help of gestures Harry tried to explain that she should have invited him first in.
- Would you come in, please! - the young woman steps back letting the man in.
As soon as Bob enters inside, the lieutenant rushes to him, grasps his hands tight behind his back and in seconds they are in cuffs.
- Hush, young man and come along! First of al,l tell us whether you came here alone or there` s somebody waiting outside?
- Of course, I` m alone, dude. Don`t you see it? Do I look like a gangster? - the young man comes in and overcomes the first feeling of confusion and embarrassment. He has to stick to his plan no matter what is going on.
- Now tell me kid, but do not lie to me, are you involved? - the police officer` s behavior changes profoundly. - now he looks like a cop.
- Of course I` m not. I just wanted to tell her a fragment of information and get some cash. That` s all. I indeed have seen the bullies for the first time. - Bobby looks a bit scared, but nevertheless he still hopes, that there`s still a chance to get some money. Frankly, he didn`t expect the police would come so quickly. It looks like the cops are working hard. It doesn`t matter. He has to win.
-Joanna, can he sit on the sofa? I need to ask him some questions. - the officer has calmed down after the intruder has been cuffed.
-Sure, lieutenant. Feel yourself comfortable. Shall we leave you alone? - asks the young woman looking more confident and actually safe after the quick and professional reaction of the officer.
-Oh, I would appreciate it. Thanks! - now his all attention is on the boy.
As soon as the door closes behind the woman and the girl, the man follows the boy to the sofa.
-Have a seat! First tell me who you are, but do not you dare to cheat me – the man`s voice now sounds strict and clear.
- O.K. I` ll tell you everything you need. So, I` m a homeless, a beggar and a pickpocket. Today in the afternoon, at 12:00 pm a bunch of crazy man got into that big building. - answers the young man.
- Empire State Building, you mean? - the police officer switches on the dictaphone placing it on the coffee table in front of the boy. He also takes off a small notebook out of his inner pocket of his jacket and of course the pen ready to put down all the necessary information.
- Oh, yeah. That` s it! Exactly!
- And?
-They`ve put the masks on their heads and I also saw the weapons.
- Did you call the police?
- No!
- Why?
I just thought...
-O.K. Go on! At 12.15 p.m. they`ve left in a white van. I followed them on my bike, stuck the GPS on their vehicle and then drove ahead of them. So, they came to the old military airport. There I saw a man, who was taken by the hands. I do not think he was glad to follow them.
- Could you recognize him?
- I do not think so. I saw only his back. He was tall, well dressed. I did not see his face, even for a second.
- Did you see some identification numbers on the plane?
- Not only. I have put them down on the paper. It` s in my pocket. Mr. Lieutenant, can you release my hands off your hand cliffs?I promise I will not run away!
- Promise?
- Cross my heart! My hands ache. I never had something of the kind on my hands.
- O.K. I trust you. Besides you provided a good piece of information. And it` s worth releasing you from the cliffs for the time being. But behave yourself nicely, young man! Still you do not have the right to leave this house.
- Thank you! - said the boy, when his hands were freed from the metal chains.
- Can I have something to drink and eat, please? I` m very hungry and thirsty.
-Hold on a minute, man!
- Joanna and her daughter ran into the room. They saw that Harry released the boy. So, he was not one of them.
Wilson told them the information he had just received.
- Joanna, can the boy... he did not finish as Joanna understood everything without words.
- Yes, of course. Help yourself! By the way, my name` s Joanna Moor. It` s my husband Robert Moor was kidnapped today. And this is my daughter Roxana. And this of course is Mr. Harry Wilson, he` s carrying out the investigation.
Harry Wilson was talking on the phone giving orders and instructions. Suddenly he was done.
- Joanna and Roxana I have to leave you! The attackers will not call. They have got another plans. So, we have to be in a hurry to trace them down, as quickly as possible. I` m afraid we have lost a lot of time. At least, now, thanks to Bobby we know what to do. Now what concerns him. Would you like me to take him back to the city?
- No, not in the least. We are going to have a real dinner in a while. And besides he is not in a great hurry.
- Are you sure, Joanna?
- Absolutely!
- By the way, in a couple of minutes a police car will arrive with two policemen. They` ll stay in guard within the whole night.
- Oh, here they are. So, do not worry, everything will be O.K., as I promised.
-Good bye, Roxana! Do not worry! It` ll be O.K.
- Joanna, we` ll continue our conversation next time, I guess when your husband will return home. Thanks for the drinks and for being so kind to me!
-I` ll keep in touch!
To be continued...
àäðåñà: https://www.poetryclub.com.ua/getpoem.php?id=778695
Ðóáðèêà: ˳ðèêà êîõàííÿ
äàòà íàäõîäæåííÿ 23.02.2018
àâòîð: Woody Paul Grey