The Evening News (25 page)

"Thank you, Mr. President
,”
Sloane said
.”
That means a lot
.”

"I've given orders to the Justice Department
,”
the President said, "that
the FBI's search for your family is to have priority, and any other
resources of government that are needed will be used
.”

Sloane repeated his thanks
.
The substance of the President's call was immediately made public by a
White House spokesman, adding to the growing flow of information which
clearly would dominate the evening news broadcasts of all networks
.
TV camera crews from New York stations and the networks reached Larchmont
shortly after the initial bulletins, and interviewed-as an observer put
it-"almost every breathing body in sight
,”
including some with only a
tenuous connection to the case. The ex-schoolteacher, Priscilla Rhea
,
blossoming under all the attention, proved to be the favorite
interviewee, with the Larchmont police chief a close second
.
A startling new development emerged when several people living near the
Sloanes came forward with information that the Sloane house had
apparently been under observation for several weeks, perhaps a month. A
succession of different cars, and several times a truck, had been seen
to arrive. They remained parked near the house for long periods, with
whoever came in the vehicles remaining inconspicuously inside. Some makes
of cars were mentioned, though detailed information was sketchy.
There was agreement among the observers that sometimes the cars had New York license plates, at other times New Jersey's. No one, though, remembered numbers
.
One of the cars described by a neighbor matched the description of that
seen by the Sloanes' maid, Florence-the same car that followed Jessica
Sloane's Volvo when Jessica, Nicky and Angus left to do the household
shopping
.
Press and TV interviewers asked the obvious question: Why had no one
reported the apparent surveillance to the police?
In each case the answer was the same. It was assumed that some kind of
security protection was being provided for the famous Mr. Crawford
Sloane, and why would neighbors interfere with that?
Now, belatedly, information about the various vehicles was being sought
by police
.
Overseas media, too, were showing keen interest in the kidnap story
.
While the face and voice of Crawford Sloane were not as familiar to
foreigners as to North Americans, the involvement of a major TV
personality seemed of international consequence in itself
.
This overwhelming reaction was proof that the modem network
anchorman-species Homo promulgare ancora, as the next day's Wall Street
Journal would dub it-had become a special breed, ranking in public
idolization with kings and queens, movie and rock stars, popes
,
presidents and princes.

Crawford Sloane's mind was a turmoil of emotions
.
He moved through the next several hours partly in a daze, half-expecting
to learn at any moment that the entire episode was a misunderstanding
,
a readily explained mistake. But as time went by, with Jessica's Volvo
still standing unclaimed in the Larchmont supermarket parking lot, this
seemed increasingly less likely
.
What troubled Sloane greatly was the memory of his conversation the
preceding evening with Jessica. It was he who had brought up the
possibility of kidnap, and it was not the coincidence which exercised
him-he knew from long experience that real life and real news were full
of coincidences, sometimes
incredible ones. But, as he saw it at this moment, his own selfishness and self-importance made him assume that only he could be a kidnap victim. Jessica had even asked, ""at about families? Could they be targets too
?
”

But he had dismissed the idea, not believing it could happen or that Jessica and Nicky should be protected. Now, blaming himself for indifference and neglect, his sense of guilt was overwhelming
.
He was greatly concerned, of course, about his father, though clearly
Angus's inclusion in today's events was accidental. He had arrived
unexpectedly and, unhappily, had been caught in the kidnappers' net
.
At other moments during the day Sloane fretted impatiently, wanting to
take some action, any action, yet knowing there was little he could do
.
He considered going to Larchmont, then realized he would gain nothing and
would be out of touch if any fresh news broke. Another reason for staying
put was the arrival of three FBI field agents who began a flurry of
activity centering around Sloane
.
Special Agent Otis Havelock, who was senior in the trio, at once
demonstrated himself to be, in the words of an observing Horseshoe
producer, "a take-charge guy
.”

He insisted on being conducted directly
to Crawford Sloane's office and there, after introducing himself to
Sloane, demanded from his escort the presence of the head of the
network's security force. Next, the FBI agent used a telephone to summon
help from the New York City Police Department
.
Havelock-small, dapper and balding-had deep-set green eyes and a direct
gaze which seldom shifted from the person with whom he was conversing
.
His permanently suspicious expression appeared to say, I've seen and
heard it all before. Later, Sloane and others would learn that the
unspoken assertion was the truth. A twenty-year FBI veteran, Otis
Havelock had spent the greater part of his life dealing with the worst
of human infamies
.
CBA's security chief, a grizzled retired New York police detective
,
arrived speedily. Havelock told him, "I want this entire floor secured
immediately. The people who've taken Mr. Sloane's family may make an
attempt on Mr. Sloane himself
Station two of your security guards at the elevators and post other guards at any stairways. They're to check, carefully check, the identity of all persons entering or leaving the floor. As soon as that's done, begin a thorough check of everyone who is on this floor already. Is that clear
?
”

The older man protested, "Sure it's clear, and we're all concerned for
Mr. Sloane. But I don't have unlimited people and what you're asking is
excessive. I have other security responsibilities I can't neglect
.”

"You've neglected them already
,”
Havelock snapped. He produced a plastic
identity card
.”
Look at this! I used it to get in this building. Just
showed it to the guard downstairs and he waved me past
.”

The security head peered at the card on which was a photo of a man in
uniform
.”
Whose picture is that
?
”

"Ask Mr. Sloane
.”

Havelock handed Crawford Sloane the card
.
As Sloane glanced at it, despite his anxieties he burst out laughing
.”
It's Colonel Qaddafi
.”

"I had it specially made
,”
the FBI man said
.”
I use it sometimes to prove
to companies like this how lousy their security is
.”

He told the
crestfallen security chief, "Now get on with what I said. Secure this
floor and tell your people to look at ID cards carefully, including
pictures
.”

When the other man had gone, Havelock told Sloane, "The reason security's
bad in most big companies is because security's not a revenue-producing
department; therefore budget people cut it to the bone. If you'd had
proper security here, it would have included protection for you and your
family at home
.”

Sloane said ruefully, "I wish you'd been around to suggest it.-
A few minutes earlier, when Havelock phoned the New York Police
Department, he had spoken with the chief of detectives, explaining that
a kidnapping had taken place and asking for police protection of Crawford
Sloane. Now, from outside, the sound of several rapidly approaching
sirens grew louder,
then stopped. Minutes later a uniformed police lieutenant and a sergeant marched in
.”
What I'd like you to do
,”
Havelock told the lieutenant after
introductions, "is keep a couple of radio cars outside to advertise
police presence, also post an officer at every outside entrance, with one
inside the main lobby. Tell your men to stop and question anyone
suspicious
.”

The police lieutenant said, "Will do
.”

To Crawford Sloane, he added
almost reverently, "We'll take good care of you, sir. Whenever I'm home
,
my wife and I always watch you on the news. We like the way you do it
.”

Sloane nodded
.”
Thank you
.”

The policemen, looking around them, seemed inclined to linger, but
Havelock had other ideas
.”
You can do a perimeter check by sending
someone up to the roof. Take a look at the building from above. Make sure
all exits are covered
.”

With assurances that everything possible would be done, the lieutenant
and the sergeant left
.”
You'll be seeing a lot of me, I'm afraid, Mr. Sloane
,”
the special agent
said when they were alone
.”
I've been ordered to stay close to you. You
heard me say that we think you could be a kidnap target too
.”

"I've sometimes thought I might be
,”
Sloane said. Then, expressing the
guilt that had been building in him, "It never occurred to me that my
family could be in danger
.”

"That's because you were thinking rationally. But clever criminals are
unpredictable
.”

Sloane asked nervously, "You think that's the kind of people we may be
dealing with
?
”

The FBI man's expression did not change; he seldom wasted time with words
of comfort
.”
We don't know yet what kind they are. But I've found it
useful never to underestimate the enemy. Then if it turns out later that
I overrated him, that's to my advantage
.”

Havelock continued, "Some more of our people will be moving in soon, here
and at your home, with electronic gadgetry. We'll want to monitor your
incoming phone calls, so while in this building you should take all calls
on your regular
line
.”

He motioned to Sloane's desk
.”
If there's a call from the kidnappers, do the obvious thing-keep talking as long as possible, though nowadays calls can be traced much faster than they used to be, and criminals know that too
.”

"You realize our phones at home have unlisted numbers
?
”

"Yes, but I'm assuming the kidnappers have those numbers. Quite a few
people are bound to know them
.”

Havelock produced a notebook
.”
Now, Mr
.
Sloane, I need answers to some questions
.”

"Go ahead
.”

"Have you, or members of your family, received any threats that you
remember? Think carefully, please
.”

"I'm not aware of any
.”

"Is there anything you might have reported on the news which could have
caused special antagonism on the part of someone, or some group
?
”

Sloane threw up his hands
.”
Once a day, at least
.”