Rick Mofina - If Angels Fall

“And what are you going to do?”

“Talk to the old man here. Send him on his way.”

Turgeon was uneasy. A few minutes ago, Sydowski washolding Gabrielle Nunn’s traumatized mother, staring into her eyes. She didn’tlike the way his jaw was fixed, the way he regarded Corliss.

“Don’t rough him up, Walt,” she joked.

Sydowski shoved a Tums into his mouth.

Thoren J. Croliss drew himself to his full height,standing nearly eye to eye with Sydowski.

“And who the hell are you?” Corliss snapped.

Sydowski handed him his badge and identification.

“Homicide?” Corliss stared at Sydowski. “What isthis?”

“We’re investigating the recent abduction of a littlegirl, Mr. Corliss. Unfortunately your truck, with yourself, your daughter, andyour dog, fit the description of the suspect’s vehicle.”

“I can’t believe this!”

“I can only offer you our apology. You are free toleave now.”

“I cannot believe this has happened!” Corliss threw uphis hands. “Is this assuring police work? Arresting innocent people?”

He tossed Sydowski’s shield back at him. “I’m notleaving until I speak to my lawyer.”

“Why? You haven’t been charged with anything.”

“I’ve just been arrested. My rights have beenviolated.”

“You have been inconvenienced, sir. That is all.Again, I thank you for your cooperation and understanding of the gravity of thesituation. Please, Mr. Corliss, I suggest you leave.”

“Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you? I’m going to lodgea formal complaint over this matter. I’ll go to the media, and I’ll sue.”

Sydowski said nothing.

“Four police cars pounced on us. My daughter saw herfather forced at gunpoint to step out of our truck with my hands in the air andlie on the ground. Like a low-life criminal. We were publicly humiliated. Therewas a goddamn helicopter hovering over our heads for Christ sake. We’reinnocent people. I’m a law-abiding taxpayer and I won’t stand for this kind ofharassment.”

Sydowski had enough and stepped closer to Corliss,invading his personal space. “I’ve eaten about as much of this as I can stand,sir. A few hours ago a little girl, about the same age as your daughter, waskidnapped from her mother by a man with a beard, like yours, driving a pickuptruck, like yours. He used a dog, like yours, to lure the girl away. A few daysago, a man kidnapped a boy from his father on the subway. These children aregone. Their parents are crazy with fear. The last time this happened, we foundthe child, a two-year-old girl. She was stuffed in a garbage bag.” Sydowskimoved closer to Corliss. “Her throat was cut. I know. I held her corpse.”

Corliss blinked.

“Now, why don’t’ you just trot over there to the pressand tell them how outraged you are. Tell them what a terrible injustice thishas been for you. I’m sure the parents of the kidnapped children will thankyou. And think what a hero you’ll be to everyone who knows you.”

Corliss adam’s apple bobbed as he absorbed Sydowski’sadvice.

They heard a child’s voice and saw Jennifer Corliss.

“Daddy!”

Corliss picked her up in a crushing hug.

“The police said it was a false alarm. We can go now,Dad.”

Corliss studied his daughter’s face, kissed her, thenhe turned to Sydowski. “Then I guess we’ll be on our way.”

Four hours after Gabrielle Nunn was kidnapped, scores of reporters crammed into the Hallof Justice cafeteria, which was serving as a press room. Flanked by a number ofSFPD brass, detectives, and officers from various jurisdictions, the chief tookhis seat and prepared to tell San Franciscans a monster was preying on theirchildren. He sipped some water, cleared his throat, and leaned into themicrophones heaped on the table before him.

“Five-year-old Gabrielle Nunn of San Francisco wasabducted by a man a short time ago while at a birthday party at the Children’sPlayground in Golden Gate Park. The suspect drove away with her in a pickup truck,a battered, dark-colored Ford, late 1970’s, plate beginning with a ‘B’ or ‘E’or ‘8’. We suspect the same man also kidnapped three-year-old Daniel Beckerfrom his father on BART near Balboa Park and are investigating any link to lastyear’s kidnapping and murder of two-year-old Tanita Marie Donner.”

Blazing TV lights accentuated the chief’s green eyes.Speed winders whirred with sporadic camera flashes.

“We have some aspects of Gabrielle Nunn’s abduction wewill make public. A month ago, the Nunns’ blond cocker spaniel pup, Jackson,disappeared from their home in the Sunset. We believe the dog was taken byGabrielle’s kidnapper, who used it today to entice her to go with him.”

“Another vital lead comes from a family who wasvideotaping their outing at Golden Gate Park today when Gabrielle Nunn waslured away. They recorded Gabrielle’s abductor. We’ve enhanced the tape andwill show it to you. We have since produced a composite of the suspect.Everyone will be given copies of the video, the composite, pictures ofGabrielle Nunn, and her dog.”

“We’ve expanded our investigation into these crimes byestablishing a formal task force consisting of the SFPD, FBI, stat, and otheragencies. We have a dedicated tip line for any information on these crimes. Andthe mayor’s office has increased the reward for information leading to anarrest in any or all of the cases to $200,000. Anyone with any informationshould call us.”

The chief nodded to an officer. Suddenly, an enlargedcolor picture of Gabrielle Nunn stared at reporters from the screen overhead.It was one of the Polaroids taken at the party. Gabrielle, eyes bright, andoblivious to the horror looming.

“What a cute child,” said a reporter near Tom Reed.

An angel . That’s whatWilson had called her.

Suddenly the computer enhanced face of Gabrielle’sabductor emerged beside her. A Caucasian, in his late forties, early fifties,bearded, with snakelike strands of blondish hair writhing from under a ballcap. His mouth was like a slit. Large, dark glasses hid his eyes, concealingwhatever force was propelling him to hunt her, take her, and ram another stakeinto San Francisco’s heart.

Seeing his face next to Gabrielle’s was chilling.

Reed examined the composite.

Something was familiar. What was it?

The officers rolled a large monitor and VCR to thefront.

The chief said, “Now, we’ll show you the videotape.The sequence we’ve edited lasts about twenty seconds. We’ve removed the sound,isolated Gabrielle and the suspect with identifying circles.”

It was incredible. A hissing snowstorm filled themonitor before the dark-light strobe revolutions of the carousel appeared andthe abduction of Gabrielle Nunn was carried out, in slow motion.

It was surreal.

Reed took notes.

The footage was blurry, jittery. Gabrielle and herkidnapper were trapped in halos. It was still difficult to discern the manunder the ball cap, glasses, and beard. The tape vibrated, was out of focus.Even in slow motion, his face was indistinct. Then he turned, the cameracaptured his slightly distorted profile. It froze.

The rapid-clicking of the still cameras broke thesilence.

“That’s our best image of Gabrielle’s abductor,” thechief said.

Reed examined the monitor. Something gnawed at him.The screen was glowing with the suspect’s computer composite.

Then the video monitor.

The composite.

The monitor.

He swallowed. Hard.

The man. His beard, his nose, the shape of his head,his build.

Edward Keller.

He resembled Edward Keller, the religious nut from thebereavement group. Reed never forgot the people he clashed with. Keller wasirrational, telling him how he lost his three children in a boating accident.But Reed could not find any news clippings of Keller’s tragedy. Why? Was Kellera liar? An eccentric? Quoting ancient poetry and Scripture, babbling about his“ divine revelation” and his “blessed reunion with his children”.