Detective Harriet Brown Three Kidnapped

By Christopher Charles

Harriet’s detective agency sets off to rescue a young lady kidnaped in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. The rescue is successful, but Harriet is left stranded with no money, phone, or passport. She has a price on her head because she was responsible for the previous drug cartel demise. The police department is tainted, where can she go?
Excerpt:
She had 300 thousand in her briefcase, the compliments of Senor Gutierrez. He could be generous after completing a four million drug deal. She had a plane. She was flying home after she dropped him off at the Rafael Nung airport in Cartagena Columbia.
She brought the plane to a stop five-hundred-feet from his black limousine. Senor Gutierrez stepped out of the plane, walked towards the limo, stopped, turned, tip his hat, when four men stepped out of the limousine with automatic weapons. He took ten bullets before he replaced his hat.
Startled, Harriet could not move until they pointed their weapons towards her. Closing the door, she ran to the cockpit taking a bullet in the leg and arm as the windows shattered from the bullets. She pushed the left throttle turning the plane as one of the assassins ran towards the cockpit spraying it with bullets. She took one bullet across her forehead, rendering her slightly dizzy as the left propeller caught the assassin. She felt the thump as his body passed through the moving propeller leaving him scattered over the wing. Concentrating, blood flowing over her eye, she starts the remaining engine. The plane picks up speed towards the runway as the limousine continues to pepper the plane with bullets. The plane reaches the runway finally leaving the limousine behind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Charles
• Release date: Jul 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781950901081

Book preview

Prologue

Harriet fell in love with Raul Morales, but he is in hiding to avoid being captured and taken to Gitmo, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for the kidnapping of a cruise ship and the murders of the innocent Paniagua family, and many others. Of course, he was not involved directly, but his family was involved in the multi-murders. He had jumped out of a helicopter taking him to Gitmo, survived, and made his way to his grandfather’s ranchero in Guatemala. He was presumed dead by the American authorities, but they would be watching Harriet very closely to lead them to him.

1 Contracts

Harriet Brown, five-foot four, trim, blond hair, young lady, entered her detective office in Pasadena to find a young slim man in his mid-twenties, wearing a tight suit waiting for her. He stood when she entered.

She looked at Rose, her secretary. Rose shook her head. Then she turned to the young man, Who do we have here?

My name is Brad Cooper, the young man said shaking her limp hand. I am from The New York Life Insurance Company. Can we talk in private?

Yes, my office, Harriet said. The young man was cute in a boyish way. She led him into her office and pointed to a chair in front of her desk.

He entered, closed the door, and took the chair quickly.

Harriet looked at him from across her desk, What’s so secretive?

I have a very delicate matter to discuss, that must remain confidential. A life may depend on it.

I think we are as secure as we can be. We scan the office every day for bugs and check the poles around us.

Yes, of course, I know your reputation. Our company has insured a particular person against being kidnapped for four million dollars. The person has been kidnapped. We are now obligated to pay the ransom unless we can locate this individual.

It sounds like you walked into this, Harriet said. Were there any conditions?

She had to be missing for more than ten days, and the police or FBI had to close the case, then we would pay the ransom up to four million dollars.

All of this has taken place?

The young lady has been missing for two weeks.

Has there been a ransom note?

There was a call, The young lady’s father said, He called in the FBI, but there have been no further calls. The FBI suspects the young lady is dead. Her father wants the four million dollars.

What do you want us to do?

Find the young lady, and prove she is alive.

It sounds like you suspect the father is taking advantage of your company.

He deals with some very unscrupulous people, Cooper said. We cannot come right out and accuse him of faking his daughter’s kidnapping. We need proof.

That’s where we come in?

Exactly, the Assistant Director of the FBI recommended your company if we wanted to probe deeper. He said, they have gone as far as they can.

We would require ten percent and expenses, Harriet said.

That would be satisfactory. Is there anything else?

You are not to inform your client we are investigating the case. If that should happen, we will cease our efforts and you will still pay the ten percent. Is that agreeable?

Yes, that is satisfactory.

Good, do you have a card?

Yes, he handed Harriet his card."

I will give this to my attorney. He will draw up the contract. If you will give me the details, we will get started. The names first, please.

Miss Deborah Anderson is the victim. She is twenty-two years old and recently graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

What does she look like?

You could probably pass for her double, but here is a picture of her. He pulled a picture from his pocket.

Address and father’s name?

Randoff Anderson, he lives in Brentwood. I believe he lives very close to you. He wrote down the address.

I may want to use your company to gain access. You will back this up?

Yes, just give us the name you want to use.

I’ll have my secretary, Rose, give you that information when we need it. Is there someone in your company that can vouch for you, Mr. Cooper?

Yes, of course, Mr. Cooper said, and handed her another card. Just call the number there to verify all of the information. They are aware you will be handling the case.

What kind of work does Mr. Anderson do?

He owns ten dental offices.

What is he in to?

He likes Vegas, and he plays golf.

Is there anything else I should know that may be important to the case?

Not that I can think of?

Is there any reason for someone to want to kidnap his daughter, say a business partner, or someone in Vegas?

The FBI checked all the possibilities out, but like I said, they believe he is faking the kidnapping to collect the four million from us.

We will need more information, but this will get us started, Harriet said.

When can I expect a call from you on the progress of the case?

That is hard to say at the moment, Mr. Cooper, but we will keep you updated. You can expect the contracts by tomorrow morning. Looking at his card, and standing, she said, Mr. Godfrey, my attorney will E-mail them to you.

Mr. Cooper stood, shaking her hand, Thank you.

She could see the immediate relief in the man’s face, How many other agencies did you try before coming here?

It is best I do not say.

I am curious because, how many people know of the kidnapping?

You are the tenth, madam, but I only gave out the name twice.

You are making this more difficult all the time, Mr. Cooper, Harriet said, Please, let’s not tell anymore people.

Yes madam. I will remain your contact with my company, if that is satisfactory?

If you can keep the information I give you to yourself, Harriet said.

Yes madam, Mr. Cooper said stepping out the door. He finally found someone who would take the case. Two weeks on a kidnapping is a very cold trail. He walked past Rose and left the building.

Harriet walked out of her office, cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention to her, I have some good news maybe.

They all began gathering around. The large muscular black man, Tim Mc Craw dropped his newspaper, Are we working?

Rose, the sixty-year-old plus wiry lady asked, We have a job.

Harriet nodded, continuing, Yes, we have a case. This time we will have our fee in writing. We will be receiving ten percent of four million dollars if we can find a Miss Deborah Anderson. She has been kidnapped, but the insurance company believes she may only be missing for a period of time.

Mc Craw interrupting, What if she is found dead? Do we still get paid?

I’ll make sure we do. Turning to Rose, Be sure Mr. Godfrey has that in the contract.

Rose nodded.

The name of our client is the New York Life Insurance Company. Rose be sure our attorney, Mr. Godfrey, verifies this. I don’t want to be locating the young lady for someone else.

Rose nodded, I’ll make sure.

Her father, Mr. or Doctor Randoff Anderson, owns ten dental offices. He likes Vegas and the golf courses. We need to see if he is into anybody in either place that could give us a motive. Looking back at Rose, We need a background check on our Doctor Anderson.

Then turning to Youngsu, her Korean chaffier, she said, We need to place some spyware at the Anderson’s residence and his main office. The one he manages out of. Taking a breath, she continued, I am off to see the Assistant Director of the FBI. Mr. Mc Craw, you will be driving me this time.

Mc Craw took her to the Los Angeles FBI building. He pulled up to the curb and opened the door for her.

Thank you, Timothy, I will buzz your phone when I am ready to leave.

Mc Craw was not used to this chauffeur work. He was a man of action, but he put on a big smile, Yes madam.

They had not taken out their spyware on the FBI building. They were lucky in not being detected placing it but taking it down was another matter. Someone would have to physically climb the light poles to remove the transmitters. There was no good way of doing this without being seen, but they had not been using it.

Harriet walked into the building, went through the security, and took the elevator to the seventh floor. She walked up to the secretary, I am here to see the Assistant Director of the FBI, James Clark.

Is he expecting you? The secretary asked.

Just tell him Miss Harriet Brown is here.

The secretary looked at her like that was going to help and pushed her intercom. A Miss Harriet Brown is here to see you, sir.

Send her right in and have Special Agent Brook join us.

Yes sir, the secretary said. She turned to Harriet, You heard him, go right in, evidently he was expecting you.

Thank you, Harriet said. A moment later she entered the Assistant Director’s office.

Clark, wavy brown hair big shoulder man met her as she entered. He gave her a hug, Very nice to see you again.

I think you know why I am here.

Yes, the Anderson case, come on in, Clark said leading her to his desk.

I don’t know if I should thank you or not yet, Harriet said. I was told your office has given up on the case. She took the chair offered.

Special Agent Brook will be here in a moment. This is his case, Clark said, But how have you been?

I am no longer rich beyond my wildest dreams. The Norsewegian Cruise Lines did not honor our contract.

Sorry to hear that, but you are way too young to retire, Clark said with a smile.

Special Agent Ted Brook, small man wearing glasses, entered the office. He saw Harriet and walked slightly away from her as he found his chair next to her.

Are you afraid I am going to harm you? Harriet asked.

No, I am afraid you are going to plant a bug on me, Brook said.

I cannot see where that will benefit me, Mr. Brook, she said, and smiled.

Okay, now that we are all here, I assume you are taking the Anderson case, Clark said.

Yes sir, but the insurance company’s agent, Mr. Cooper, does not believe there was a kidnapping, rather a scheme to secure four million dollars.

We believe that to be the case as well, Brook said, That is why we pulled our people off the case.

I assume Deborah Anderson has not surfaced yet, Harriet said.

No, but she may never surface, Brook said. It is very hard to find someone who doesn’t want to be found.

Are there other people looking for her, meaning our Doctor Anderson may have another reason to hide her?

We are not aware of anyone else, Brook said. It’s a cold case. It has been two weeks and we have not heard again from the kidnappers. That means she is free somewhere hiding, or she is dead, but we have no more leads to go on.

Then I have a free hand here?

Yes, we would like you to keep us in the loop.

Yes, is it possible to have a copy of your file, Harriet said. It will save us time and allow us to retain our cover longer.

Yes, I’ll have my secretary make you a copy, Clarks said pressing his intercom. Give Miss Brown a copy of the Anderson file. Releasing the button, he said, She will have a copy made up for you. Please remember it is all confidential.

Yes sir, it will not leave my office, Harriet said standing.

Clark walked her to the door, Do you think you will have time for lunch?

Not today, James, I need to get this investigation started. That young lady’s life may be measured in minutes.

Yes, I understand, but I am going to hold you to a lunch when this investigation is finished.

Harriet smiled, I would appreciate that. She left the office and walked to the secretary’s desk. She waited a moment as the copier was working. When it was finished, the secretary handed her the file. Harriet pressed her speed dial to Mc Craw. He was waiting for her when she left the building.

Youngsu was off to place spyware at the two locations, Doctor Anderson’s office and home. He took Rose’s car and placed his bag into her trunk. When he reached Doctor Anderson’s home, he parked outside the estate. He took his bag, worked his way over the fence, and headed for the house.

He remained in the bushes coming up to the house. He noticed there was a path leading to the house where the cameras had been shifted slightly. Someone had been here before. When he reached the house, he looked for a place for his transmitter. He saw a tree near the window and moved that direction. Then twenty feet up the tree, he saw a small dish and transmitter. He dialed the office:

Phone:

Rose answered, What is it Youngsu?

Doctor’s house already has spyware. Dish points into house.

Put a beeper on it until I find the frequency, Rose said.

Youngsu took out a beeper that emitted a bird chirping and placed in front of the dish.

Rose quickly worked through her frequencies until she heard the chirping and locked it in. She sent a text to Youngsu stating she had it.

Harriet walked in with Mc Craw as Youngsu acknowledge he received it.

Rose turned to Harriet, Youngsu found Spyware at Doctor Anderson’s home.

Can we trace it back to whom is receiving it?

They transmit on a frequency, Rose said. Anyone can receive the frequency, if they have the correct one, but you cannot detect who is receiving.

Then there is no way to detect who is at the other end of the spyware?

No, but I have found what frequency they are using. We are picking up the same information.

If we stop their reception, they would have to come back out to fix it, correct?

Yes.

Then have Youngsu disable it, but make it seem accidental. When they come out to fix it, we can bug their car and locate where they are receiving the information.

Rose called Youngsu back relaying the message.

Youngsu climbed up into the tree, broke a branch and smashed it into the dish forcing it to come disconnected and face down. He quickly climbed over the fence and back out to the street. He moved his car a block away from the house and came back to wait in the bushes.

An hour later a car pulled up outside the gate to the house and found a place in the bushes to park. A slim young woman in her early thirties was up over the fence. She quickly disappeared into the bushes.

Youngsu came out of the bushes he was hiding in. He approached the car. It was unlocked. He opened the door and placed a golf ball size transmitter and bug up under the dash. This would give location and voice. He also placed a bug on the floor mat that worked off the small transmitter under the dash.

Rose and Harriet were at the office listening on the dish frequency when they heard the woman speak.

It was a branch. I have it fixed now, coming back. She quickly made her way down the tree and back to her car. When she stepped into the car, her foot stepped on the bug. It imbedded itself into her shoe.

Youngsu called Rose, Bug in place. He gave her the make and license number of the car. He had his car following at some distance relying on Rose to direct him.

Rose tuned in the frequency directing him to a downtown Los Angeles building. It was a seventeen-floor office building. He parked his car next to hers in the underground parking facility allowing Rose to guide him through building with his cell phone.

Rose already had the address from the car license number. It belonged to the Reliable Detective Agency. She knew where he was going. The agency was large. It had the whole seventeenth floor. Youngsu took the elevator to the top floor and took the stairs to the roof. He placed his piece of paper on the lock and quickly moved out on the roof. He had a meter in his hand showing him where the bug in the young lady’s shoe was going. When it stopped, he placed a small dish facing into the building and secured it with push in nails. It was picking up the conversation three feet below it.

Harriet and Rose were listening and recording the conversation at the office while Youngsu made his way off the roof and out of the building.

The young lady entered the office, Is it working now?

Mr. Russo, short thin man wearing a black suit, and glasses, was sitting at his desk. He picked up the phone and asked the monitoring section, Are you picking up the signal now? He waited a few minutes and hung up the phone. Turned to the slim woman, Seems to be working fine. Miss Anderson should be calling in anytime now.

We’re done after that?

When they find her, we are done, Mr. Russo said."

Are you going to tell them where she is then?

We have no choice,

They’re going to kill her, sir.

We don’t know that. It could be they want to make sure she stays hidden.

There’s only one way to make sure of that, sir.

What would you have me do, Julian? They own this company. If you want to keep your job, you will go along with what they want.

Are you going to have me killed too, Mr. Russo?

If you behave, there will be no reason. The man said with a threatening voice. He knew his own existence depended on this young lady. He could already feel she was wavering. She will probably have an accident soon.

I can behave, sir, but I don’t have to like it, she said standing.

He watched her leave and yelled out after her, Just find out where that girl is hiding, then your job is done.

When she was gone, he placed a call. The dish could pick up both sides of the conversation on the phone even though the voice on the other end was faint. Rose enhanced the volume.

Sir, this is Mr. Russo. The spyware is in place. We will know where she is, when she calls.

Good, I have a team ready. The voice at the other end said.

Sir, my assistant, Julian Roberts, thinks you are going to kill the young lady.

I don’t think that is of your concern, Mr. Russo, The voice said.

Yes sir, Mr. Mancini. Just that my assistant was concerned.

Do we need an accident?

I will let you know, sir.

The phone hung up. The line went silent.

Harriet turned to Rose, You better have Youngsu check for spyware at the doctor’s business office. She picked up the fake business card showing she worked for the New York Life insurance company. She waved to Mc Craw, Let’s go, I have a dental appointment to keep.

Rose began checking who owned the Reliable Detective Agency. It was owned by the Westside Hotel in Las Vegas. It seems they use the agency to retrieve debts owed the hotel casino. They also had contracts with other casinos to hunt down people who owed money.

She checked further and managed to work her way into the hotel’s computers. She found a note Doctor Anderson had signed for four million dollars. The life insurance was the collateral for the loan.

Youngsu arrived at Doctor Anderson’s office. He spotted the spyware almost immediately coming off the telephone pole opposite the office. He quickly climbed the pole and called Rose, Set to beeper. He chirped the bird again giving twenty seconds between the sounds until Rose had the frequency.

She found the Reliable Detective Agency had set up spyware inside the office. She even found a bug inside the office computers. This made it easy allowing her to download the computer information onto a disc at the office.

She found Doctor Anderson was not making a profit. His overhead was higher than the money he was bringing in. He had used the money to buy two practices and bail out his other practices. It seems he paid too much for them. They were not making overhead even though the ten practices were producing over a million a month.

Rose did a background check on Mr. Mancini. He was connected to the Chicago mob that had three hotels in Vegas. He managed the Westside.

Harriet was fed all of this information on the way to Doctor Anderson’s office in Glendale. Leaving Mc Craw with the limousine, she entered the office. She handed the receptionist her New York Life card, I would like to speak with Dr. Anderson.

The receptionist looked up at her, I will see if Doctor Anderson has time today being you do not have an appointment.

Harriet took a chair in the waiting room as she watched the receptionist disappear from her desk. A few minutes later Doctor Anderson walked out into the waiting room. Harriet stood, shook his hand, You are Doctor Anderson?

Yes, do you have any news?

She saw her card in his hand, pointed towards the door, as she walked outside.

Doctor Anderson followed her after he looked back at his receptionist. He was not sure of the situation.

When she is outside, Harriet said, We will be taking a ride, Doctor Anderson.

But I have patients inside.

It will only take a moment, Harriet said stepping into the waiting limousine.

Doctor Anderson looked around quickly. He was not sure he trusted the situation, but he entered the limousine when Mc Craw helped him inside.

Mc Craw closed the door and went on around to the driver’s side.

Harriet sat back, looked at Doctor Anderson a moment, then she said, Your office is bugged by the Reliable Detective Agency owned by one Mr. Mancini. Does that ring a bell, Doctor?

Doctor Anderson looked at her a moment. Then recovering from the information, he asked, How did you know it was bugged?

It is more severe than that, Doctor. Your computers are tainted too.

Who are you?

I am Harriet Brown with the Brown Detective Agency hired by the New York Insurance Company to find your daughter alive.

Doctor Anderson shook his head, Do you know I owe Mancini four million dollars?

Yes, Harriet said.

Do you have it? Doctor Anderson said. I need to pay them.

And your daughter? Harriet asked. Do you want her killed?

I don’t know what you mean?

Harriet dialed her phone, Rose play the recent recording for Doctor Anderson. She handed the phone to him, "We just picked up this information a few minutes ago. This is the Detective Agency talking to a Mr. Mancini. I think you know his voice.

Doctor Anderson listen to the phone recording of Mr. Russo talking with Mr. Mancini. When it was finished, he looked at Harriet, What do you want me to do?

I think you are going to have to make a decision here. It is your dental offices or your daughter.

I said she has been kidnapped, Doctor Anderson said, Mr. Mancini knows this.

Yes, that is what you keep saying, but you heard your Mr. Mancini is trying to find and kill her. He wants his money back and not your dental offices.

I am not sure what you want me to do?

We need to find her first, if she is to be saved. You obviously know where she is hiding.

I don’t know where she is. She is going to call me.

Why don’t you take a loan from another source and pay Mr. Mancini back. Your credit is not all that bad at the moment.

It takes time which I don’t have. Banks need appraisals, and approvals. This all takes months.

How did you get yourself into this situation?

I had a running tab with the Westside hotel for two hundred thousand dollars. It would go up at times to three or four hundred thousand, but there was never a problem. I had a chance to buy these two practices for two million dollars, but I had to move fast. Seeing I had been very faithful in paying my two hundred thousand dollars, they loaned me the money. The practices began sucking up money. They were not producing enough. I found I needed more money. They loaned me another two million dollars making the two hundred thousand part of it. I was able to bail out the practices, but now they wanted payment. They began taking a hundred thousand out of my bank account every month. They called it interest and still demanded the four million.

That’s when you came up with the insurance scam?

At first, I hid her to keep her safe, but your company was willing to give me a kidnapping policy. I had to take advantage of it. It was going to save the day.

Your friends want the insurance money, Doctor. They see that as the only way you are going to be able to pay them.

What do you want me to do?

I think first we need to find your daughter and make sure she stays safe. Mr. Mancini is ready to send a hit team as soon as he finds a location. She placed a call to Rose, Where is Youngsu?

He’s still at the doctor’s office.

Have him come to the limousine, Harriet said.

A moment later Youngsu knocked on the window and climbed inside.

Harriet turned to Doctor Anderson, Give me your phone.

Timidly he handed Harriet his phone. She gave it to Youngsu, Fix it!

Youngsu quickly opened it, looked inside, Clean!

Place a bug, Harriet said.

Youngsu took a bug from his pocket and placed it in the phone. Closing it, he handed it back to Harriet.

Now his body!

Youngsu placed a bug in the Doctor’s shoe and attached one to the inside of his belt and another in his coat pocket.

Okay, this will allow us to track you. Do not take the call from your daughter at your home or office. They are both bugged.

I really don’t care about my practice. My daughter is all I have left in the world. Her mother died when she was very young. It has only been us up until now. I haven’t given her much attention lately. She decided to take a trip to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala a few weeks ago. I didn’t discourage her knowing how things were going here. She’s staying at some hotel down there.

When was the last time you heard from her?

I told her not to call. That was three weeks ago.

Give her a call please. Then allow me to talk with her.

Doctor Anderson apprehensively punched in the numbers to her phone, Hello honey,

I want to come home daddy. Please! Deborah said.

I need you to talk to someone first, dear, Doctor Anderson said handing the phone to Harriet.

My name is Harriet Brown; your father has made some serious errors dealing with a crime boss in Las Vegas. Your life is in danger.

Why would someone want to kill me?

I’ll let your father tell you, but do not move from where you are for the moment. You are not to ever call your father. His office and home are being bugged. He or myself will call you. I should be down there tomorrow to pick you up. Now tell me what hotel you are staying at.

Harriet wrote down Casa Santa Domingo Hotel, Now your phone number? When she was finished, she said, Thank you, I’ll hand you back to your father. She gave the phone to Doctor Anderson, Tell her she will be alright, and I’m coming to pick her up.

Doctor Anderson could hear her crying. I’m sorry dear, I made some really big mistakes. A Miss Harriet Brown is coming to pick you up. Do what she says. There are some bad men looking for you too, so be careful.

Daddy, all I want is to come home.

Tomorrow, dear, Doctor Anderson said. She should be there by then.

Thinking, Harriet said, "Have her throw away her phone. If she has a satellite phone