The judge wiped his sweaty palms down his pant leg then glanced at his Rolex. It was 12:01 AM and he was getting worried. Did he do the right thing by going to the police? Maybe the kidnapper figured out he had gone to the police and got scared and took off already?
Everyone had left the judge's hotel room except for agent Sanders wearing a headset ready to monitor phone calls and another agent almost falling asleep in the corner. The judge was all fixed up and ready to go with the briefcase full of money at his feet. The FBI had done a great job concealing the hidden camera and microphone into his attire. The bulletproof vest he was wearing felt heavy and made him sweat like a pig.
Paul and Carter were already out in the van out front waiting for the show to begin. Undercover agents heavily armed ambled the Chicago streets pretending to read the newspaper. Suddenly the judge's cell phone vibrated sending a tenuous shock wave throughout his body. The judge answered before it had a chance to ring a second time.
" Hello?" Said the judge in a precarious voice. A robotic voice said," Did you go to the police?"
The judge paused before he answered stunned at the question." Of course not. You told me not to."
The sleeping agent in the corner woke up and gave him a thumbs up.
The robotic voice said," Then why is a helicopter circling the sky?"
The judge was quick to respond this time." They're not for you. Helicopters are out all the time. This is Chicago. It's always like this. I can't clear the skies for you."
The robotic voice said," Don't get smart. Do you have the money?"
The judge lifted up the briefcase then set it back down." Yes, it's right here. All two hundred and ten thousand dollars. But first I want to talk to my daughter."
Vinny unclipped the voice synthesizer and handed the cell phone to Tina. Tina sounded like a little kid with mirth in her voice.
"Hi daddy,I'm okay."
A salty tear welted up in the judge's. He wiped it away quickly then stood up from the bed.
"I love you honey."
The same thing happened with Tina but she let the tears run down her cheeks.
"I love you too daddy."
Vinny snatched away the cell phone and re-attached the voice synthesizer." Let's not waste time" He said into the cell phone," Walk out of the hotel and come out the front entrance. Bring the money and stay on the phone."
The judge picked up the briefcase and left the hotel room. Paul and Carter sat dumbfounded in the van shocked at the information they received from agent Sanders. The cell phone the kidnapper was using belonged to an Ohio state Police Officer. Carter scratched his head while flakes of dandruff fell from his curly hair and onto his shoulders." I don't understand," Said Carter," Why would a police officer do something like this?"
Paul looked at him in disgust." You can't be serious. Do you really think a cop would be dumb enough to use his own personal cell phone to make a ransom call?"
Carter turned red in the face realizing his stupid assumption. Paul shook his head and removed a sanitary napkin from his pocket to wipe the computer screen keyboard." The kidnapper probably got stopped on his way to Chicago, killed the police officer, and stole his cell phone."
Carter unbuttoned the cuffs on his sleeves and rolled them up because he couldn't take the heat inside the van." Yeah, I figured that. I was just playing with you." Said Carter. Paul grunted and pushed some buttons on the keyboard. A perfectly angled display showed the judge getting onto the hotel's elevator." He's on the move." Said Paul while cleansing his hands.