Episode 10: voleur d'enfant
note: welcome back Stella
Flack had spotted the woman in the black trench coat three blocks ago and who knows how long she had been following him for. Flack would be worried but the sidewalk was packed and he was only a block from home. He slipped in to an alcove when the woman's view of him was blocked. Once the woman walked passed Flack slipped back on to the sidewalk right behind her and when the crowed thinned out he tapped her on the shoulder causing her to scream.
"I am not going to hurt you I just want to know why you are following me." Flack said.
"My name is Petunia Walker. My cousin gave me your card and told me to talk to you."
"Why?"
"My son was kidnapped. I tried going to the precinct close to where I live but they wouldn't listen to me." She said. "And it only because my son's father was an officer there but they don't seem to care much for him either."
"Uh… come with me. I'll take you some where we can help you."
Flack took Petunia walker to Mac Taylor's office. He knew they wouldn't be overheard there. Petunia was nervous.
"Alright what is this about Flack?"
"Mac this is Petunia Walker. Her son was kidnapped and when she tried reporting it at a precinct near her home they wouldn't take her report because the child's father used to work there."
"Does he get visitation?" Mac asked.
"Once a month but it's supervised and I have sole custody because of her anger issues."
"Where would your ex-husband take him?"
"His apartment in some building on 86th. I don't know which one because he recently moved."
"What was your ex's name?"
"Ryan Williams."
Mac waked over to his computer and hit a few keys. Flack knew he was running the guys name.
"Your ex does not look like a nice guy."
"He's not." Petunia said. "But he used to be."
"Flack here is his address. I want you to go there and question him also keep an eye out for the child." Mac said. "Take Lovato with you."
Flack nodded and left the office. Mac stayed with Petunia getting information on her son that could be used to help find him.
Flack arrived at Petunia's ex-husband's place. It was small and dirty and certainly no place for a child to be living.
"Ryan Williams NYPD we need to speak with you."
"What do you want I haven't talked to her since my last visit."
"When was the last visit you had with your son?" Lovato asked.
"A week ago." Ryan replied.
"Have you ever been to your sons school?" Flack asked.
"No. I don't even know where it is." Ryan replied. "Why what's wrong?"
"Your son was kidnapped from his school two days ago and when your ex-wife tried to report it the guys at your old precinct refused to take the report."
"That's because they are trying to get back at me. I turned a captain in for drug abuse among other things and that's when things went down hill with me."
"Any one specific we should worry about?"
"Mark Wheeler. He likes to go down to New Orleans a lot and it's not for the night life." Ryan replied. "He was an okay guy when I started but he started to change when his wife left him about three years ago."
"Don't leave town." Flack said before he and Lovato left.
"I won't leave town unless it's to go get my son." Ryan replied.
Two hours later…
"Mac, it's Stella."
"I'm glad to hear from you but I am guessing this call isn't for fun."
"No it's not. We had a six year old boy attacked down here two weeks ago. We got prints of some of the buttons on his clothes but we also found some DNA. The prints popped in the system."
"Who was it?"
"It was an NYPD officer by the name of Mark Wheeler."
"Stella I think our cases might be connected. Flack called me five minutes before you with news that out kidnapped victim's father had issues with the man you just named."
"I'll update you when I can. There are a few trace items we are working on and the DNA hasn't come back yet."
"I'll keep you posted as well."
Two days later…
"Mac we have Mark in custody." Flack said. "I thought you would want to interview him."
"I'll be there."
Mac hung up the phone and made his way to the parking garage. He just entered the elevator when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when someone walked up next to him. He looked up to see Stella standing there.
"Why are you here?" Mac asked.
"The case. DNA came back as a match to Mark Wheeler. The victim was examined again and his injures where that of abuse but not a heinous nature that I hate even thinking about." Stella said. "I've seen his injuries in adults who were mugged."
"We have Mark Wheeler in custody right now. I was headed over to question him."
"Can I catch a ride with you?"
"Sure."
-(Interrogation room)-
"Mr. Wheeler do you recognize this child?" Mac asked laying a photo of Petunia Walkers son on the table.
"No." He replied.
"What about this one?" Mac asked.
"I'm not a pervert. I didn't do anything to those boys. I have no idea who they are." Mark snapped. "Your are an idiot if you think I did."
"Really because your DNA was found on this one while the first one is the child of a former coworker of yours."
"So a lot of my coworkers have kids but I don't know who they are."
"Your DNA was found on the second boy and when we find Ms. Walker's son I'd be surprised if we don't find your DNA on him."
"I told you I'm not a pervert. I only tried protecting those boys. Their parents didn't care about them but I did. I saved them."
"You are wrong about that. Ms. Walker was planing a move to Colombia Missouri for a better paying job and more time off to spend it with her son." Mac said. "And the second boy his family was well off. They were only in the neighborhood you attacked the boy in to help a needy family."
There was a knock on the door. Stella stood up wand went to see what it was while Mac continued to question the suspect. She took the note read it and handed it over to Mac. Mac read it.
"Well it looks like luck has ran out for you. They just found Petunia walkers son in an abandon building not far from your apartment and he identified you as the one to take him from his school."
-(the walker home)-
"Petunia I just want to say goodnight to my son. Once I do that I'll leave."
"Please be quick doctor said he needs his rest." Petunia said.
Ryan walked to his son's bed room and found him asleep. He set a stuffed bear next to him on the bed and kissed him on the forehead and left the room and the apartment.
Petunia watched as Ryan left the apartment. She could tell that he wasn't going home. She hoped that he would end up at a church or diner instead of a bar.
Ryan didn't end up at a diner or a church but he didn't end up at a bar either. He ended up at the New York City Crime Lab waiting for Mac Taylor. He had been there about an hour when a woman with dark hair walked up to him.
"Hi I'm Jo Danville can I help you?" Jo asked.
"I'm here to see Mac Taylor."
"Oh my he's gone home for the night," Jo said. "But maybe I can help you."
"It's my son I don't know how to help him." Ryan said. "He's gone through this horrible thing and I have no clue how to help him."
"As parents we never do, all I can tell you is to be there for him as much as you can but don't force him to do anything."
"I guess I can try that, thank you Miss. Danville."
