“Fourmonths ago, you doubled your wife’s life insurance policy to two hundred thousand dollars.”
Lee looked at Dupree, then Grace. “We updated our policies when we got one for Dylan.”
“A policy for fifty thousand?”
“That’s right.”
“We understand you recently talked to the bank about a six-figure loan.”
“I made enquiries about qualifying and terms. I’d like to buy the towing business. I discussed it with Maria.”
“When?”
“This morning. What? You think I’d kill my wife and ransom my son to own a towing business?”
“Mr. Colson, we want to eliminate you as a potential suspect as soon as possible and to do that we need your fullest cooperation.”
Lee’s left jaw muscle twitched.
“My fullest cooperation?” He’d already volunteered everything. His fingerprints for a comparison set, should they find evidence. Phone, bank, credit, and online records. The FBI was going through their mail and personal papers. Two agents were doing things to their home computer he’d never seen done before, tracking all of their e-mails and Internet activity. Out back, forensic experts were searching his truck, their cars, going through the garbage; while upstairs more agents were sifting through all of their belongings, probably going through his socks and underwear.
Why aren’t they scouring Seattle for his son?
“I am cooperating, Dupree. What’re you doing?Besides sitting here and asking me if I’m a crook, a liar, or if I’ve cheated on my wife? What the hell are you doing to find my boy? Why aren’t you looking for him?” Lee pointed at the frame showing the partial view of the van frozen on the big TV. “That’s who ran down my wife and took my son. Find them!”
Dupree let a beat pass.
“Mr. Colson, my sworn duty is to effect the safe return of your son and see to the arrest and prosecution of the people who took him and hurt your wife.” Dupree scanned the room. “The alert’s been broadcast to millions of people in the Pacific Northwest and in Canada. It will be replayed continuously all day long. We’ve entered the case data in the National Crime Information Center, to alert police across the country and compare it to similar crimes. Our Evidence Response Team is working with Seattle PD, and a Rapid Response Team has been deployed to help coordinate leads. Now, I could continue detailing every other single thing that we’re doing but that would cost us time. What I will tell you is that we will open every door and follow every lead, without fear and without favor, in order to return Dylan to his home. Every door. Every lead.”
Lee didn’t respond. His anger at Dupree had ebbed. He had nothing to hide and resigned himself to do whatever Dupree wanted just as the phone rang again. The source came up on one of the FBI’s computers. “Another press call, the Seattle Mirror,” an agent said.
“Take it, Foley,” Dupree said.
Foley answered, then put his hand over the mouthpiece.
“They want a statement from Lee Colson.”
“Tell them there will be a news conference in forty-five minutes,” Dupree said. “At the front of the house here in Ballard. Give them the address. Then tell our press office to put out a notice.” Dupree looked at Lee. “We expect Dylan’s abductors will be watching. We’d like you to consider making a plea to them. Use the news conference to talk directly to them, to get a public appeal out.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Lee nodded. “Another thing we’ll need is Dylan’s footprint.”
“His footprint?”
“Babies are too small for fingerprints. We use the footprint the hospital takes as a method of identification.”
“Like with a dead person?”
“We’re watching the airports, bus and train stations, car rentals. If we stop someone with a baby whom we suspect might be Dylan, the footprint will determine identity. We can copy it here and shoot it out instantly. We need it now.”
Lee nodded.
“Maria has it
Lee looked at Dupree, then Grace. “We updated our policies when we got one for Dylan.”
“A policy for fifty thousand?”
“That’s right.”
“We understand you recently talked to the bank about a six-figure loan.”
“I made enquiries about qualifying and terms. I’d like to buy the towing business. I discussed it with Maria.”
“When?”
“This morning. What? You think I’d kill my wife and ransom my son to own a towing business?”
“Mr. Colson, we want to eliminate you as a potential suspect as soon as possible and to do that we need your fullest cooperation.”
Lee’s left jaw muscle twitched.
“My fullest cooperation?” He’d already volunteered everything. His fingerprints for a comparison set, should they find evidence. Phone, bank, credit, and online records. The FBI was going through their mail and personal papers. Two agents were doing things to their home computer he’d never seen done before, tracking all of their e-mails and Internet activity. Out back, forensic experts were searching his truck, their cars, going through the garbage; while upstairs more agents were sifting through all of their belongings, probably going through his socks and underwear.
Why aren’t they scouring Seattle for his son?
“I am cooperating, Dupree. What’re you doing?Besides sitting here and asking me if I’m a crook, a liar, or if I’ve cheated on my wife? What the hell are you doing to find my boy? Why aren’t you looking for him?” Lee pointed at the frame showing the partial view of the van frozen on the big TV. “That’s who ran down my wife and took my son. Find them!”
Dupree let a beat pass.
“Mr. Colson, my sworn duty is to effect the safe return of your son and see to the arrest and prosecution of the people who took him and hurt your wife.” Dupree scanned the room. “The alert’s been broadcast to millions of people in the Pacific Northwest and in Canada. It will be replayed continuously all day long. We’ve entered the case data in the National Crime Information Center, to alert police across the country and compare it to similar crimes. Our Evidence Response Team is working with Seattle PD, and a Rapid Response Team has been deployed to help coordinate leads. Now, I could continue detailing every other single thing that we’re doing but that would cost us time. What I will tell you is that we will open every door and follow every lead, without fear and without favor, in order to return Dylan to his home. Every door. Every lead.”
Lee didn’t respond. His anger at Dupree had ebbed. He had nothing to hide and resigned himself to do whatever Dupree wanted just as the phone rang again. The source came up on one of the FBI’s computers. “Another press call, the Seattle Mirror,” an agent said.
“Take it, Foley,” Dupree said.
Foley answered, then put his hand over the mouthpiece.
“They want a statement from Lee Colson.”
“Tell them there will be a news conference in forty-five minutes,” Dupree said. “At the front of the house here in Ballard. Give them the address. Then tell our press office to put out a notice.” Dupree looked at Lee. “We expect Dylan’s abductors will be watching. We’d like you to consider making a plea to them. Use the news conference to talk directly to them, to get a public appeal out.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Lee nodded. “Another thing we’ll need is Dylan’s footprint.”
“His footprint?”
“Babies are too small for fingerprints. We use the footprint the hospital takes as a method of identification.”
“Like with a dead person?”
“We’re watching the airports, bus and train stations, car rentals. If we stop someone with a baby whom we suspect might be Dylan, the footprint will determine identity. We can copy it here and shoot it out instantly. We need it now.”
Lee nodded.
“Maria has it
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