“Nicki is in the bottom corner of the screen,” Pearl said. “Two days ago, I picked her up from school and took her to the mall to do some shopping. While we were outside Neiman’s, I got a call from the hospital where I work, and was momentarily distracted. That’s when it happened.”
The coffee had brought Lancaster around, and he stared at the small screen with a frightening intensity. “Your kid’s wearing the khaki dress?”
“Yes, that’s her school uniform.”
Neiman Marcus was a popular store, and there was heavy foot traffic by the entrance. Two middle-aged white males wearing sweatshirts and ball caps whose rims shaded their faces entered the picture. One of the pair held a metal flask in his right hand, a folded cloth in his left, while his partner pushed a wheelchair.
“What do we have here,” Lancaster said under his breath.
“Do you know them?” Pearl said excitedly.
“Not personally, but I know their type. They’re pros.”
“That’s what the police said as well.”
The kidnappers’ intent was obvious: they planned to knock Nicki out, and wheel her away in front of unsuspecting shoppers too distracted to pay attention to something sinister taking place right beneath their noses. On the video, Pearl ends his call and sees the danger. His paternal instinct kicks in, and he bravely tries to protect his daughter. The kidnappers throw the wheelchair in his path, knocking him down before fleeing.
“Nice job,” Lancaster said. “Have you ever seen these creeps before? Maybe their clothes reminded you of someone, or the way they ran away. Think hard.”
Pearl dredged his memory. “Sorry. They were strangers.”
Lancaster asked Pearl to play the video again. As it ended, Lancaster pointed at the screen. “Our kidnappers used the mango exit for their escape.”
“Is that significant?”
“It bolsters my theory that these guys have done this kind of thing before. The Galleria’s parking garage is color coded: plum for the restaurants, lime for Dillard’s, orange for Macy’s, and mango for Neiman Marcus. Thieves who robbed the mall over the years have used the mango exit to park their getaway cars, since it takes a minute to reach, while a typical 911 call takes six minutes to respond to. Our kidnappers planned ahead. Did the police search the parking garage?”
“They did,” Pearl said. “According to the detective handling the investigation, the officers at the scene conducted a search, and found a flask one of the kidnappers threw in a trash basket. It was filled with chloroform.”
“You got lucky, Dr. Pearl.”
“I know. My wife said I have an angel sitting on my shoulder. I just don’t know how long that angel will keep protecting my child.”
The memory was painful, and Pearl spent a moment collecting himself. Lancaster placed his empty coffee mug on the desk. “Where is your daughter now?”
“Nicki’s outside by the pool,” Pearl said.
“Do you think that’s safe considering what happened?”
“I think she’s very safe. I’ll show you.”
They crossed the study to a window facing the Intracoastal, where his host parted the blinds with a finger. The waterway was an endless parade of expensive watercrafts and Jet Skis and always busy. Nicki sunbathed on a towel by the pool, beside her a black German shepherd the size of a small lion. Nicki was dark-haired and stunningly pretty, but so were many teenage girls in Fort Lauderdale. Why was she being targeted?
“Does Nicki have a boyfriend?” Lancaster asked.
“No,” Pearl said.
“Have you asked her?”
“I’ll rephrase that. Not that I’m aware of. But I’m reasonably certain that there isn’t a young man in her life. She doesn’t have time for one.”
“How about an ex-boyfriend?”
“Same answer. No.”
“Does she hang out with a bad crowd at school, or run with a gang?”
“Of course not.”
“Does she do illegal drugs or peddle them?”
“What are you implying? That my child’s a criminal? To answer your question, my daughter doesn’t do or sell drugs. Nor is she an assassin or a spy.”
“You’re not helping, Dr. Pearl.”
“I don’t see how this line of questioning is helpful.”
“I’m trying to find a motive. Those two bastards in the mall had a good reason for trying to abduct your kid. If I can determine what they wanted, I’ll be one step closer to putting a stop to this. Make sense?”
“Yes. I’m sorry if I sound short. This has been very hard.”
“No need to apologize. Does Nicki chat with strangers on the internet?”
“We monitor Nicki’s internet time. Going onto chat rooms is forbidden.”
Lancaster nodded and moved away from the window. Pearl followed him until they were standing in the center of the study.
“Do you have any enemies, Dr. Pearl?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” his host said.
“Are you being sued?”
“No.”
“Any disagreements with other doctors at your hospital?”
“I don’t think so. Do you think a doctor could be behind this?”
“It’s a possibility. Chloroform is not available on the open market, but most hospitals have some in their pharmacies. That would indicate another doctor.”
“I suggested that to the police. The detective handling the case said criminals can legally buy the chemicals to make chloroform from swimming pool companies, and mix up a batch in their kitchen.”
“They can. The problem comes when a criminal tries to cook a batch and knocks himself out, which is what happens ninety-nine percent of the time.”
“Your reasoning makes perfect sense. However, I only joined Broward General three months ago, which is hardly enough time to turn a colleague against me. I don’t believe another doctor is behind this.”
Lancaster frowned and shook his head.
“Is something wrong?” Pearl said.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to your daughter, see what she knows.”
“My wife and I have already done that. Nicki doesn’t know a thing.”
“You could be wrong. Every teenager has a secret life they don’t reveal to their parents. It’s part of growing up. Maybe she slips out at night, and moonlights as an exotic dancer at a local strip club, and a patron is infatuated with her. Or she’s peddling weed and owes money to her dealer. My gut tells me your kid’s in hot water, but doesn’t want to admit it.”
“You’re out of line, Jon. No, you cannot talk to my daughter.”
“Don’t you want to know the truth? Your daughter’s being targeted for a reason. Maybe she’ll tell us what that reason is.”
“Your gut is wrong. Nicki’s an innocent victim.”
“If you want to hire me, I need access to your kid. If not, sayonara.”
Pearl’s face grew red. “Then I’m afraid I won’t be using your services.”
“You sure about that? You’re in a real jam here.”
“I’m positive. Thank you for your time. I hope things go well with your other case. Let me show you out.”
Pearl led him to the foyer. The house was huge and would have been easy to get lost in. Nearing the front door, Lancaster’s cell phone rang, the ring tone Jimmy Buffett singing, “Why don’t we get drunk and screw?” He pulled the cell phone from his pocket and stared at the screen. “Do you mind? It’s my tracker.”
“By all means,” Pearl said.
He answered the call. “Hey, Shorty, you getting close?”
“I’ve got another two hours in front of me,” Shorty said.
“What’s the holdup?”
“There was a wreck on the turnpike. I’m going to be stuck for a while.”
“Call me when you get there.”