THREAT

It had been a very long day or district attorney Jack McCoy. Hours after the case had been suspended till the next date Jack still sat in his office. He didn’t like it at all that he didn’t understand one thing of the case which had his attention. Because he was alone he could sit like he wanted and so he did that too.

After a pot of quite strong coffee and reading the file at least three times Jack still didn’t understand it. He was intelligent enough to understand something right away so that wasn’t the problem this time. Finally the DA decided to leave his office temporarily and to eat in a restaurant.

In the restaurant Jack suddenly got a table partner. He looked up from the visitor.

“Mr. McCoy? I have something for you where you are looking for”, said the young woman.

She spoke with a heavy Swedish accent.

“And what might that be?”, Jack asked amazed.

“I am Inger and I had to give you this envelope”, Inger said while she gave an envelope to the DA.

While Jack opened the envelope Inger had disappeared as quickly a she had appeared. He found a letter and feared the worst.

Then he went to read it:

The letter wasn’t signed but Jack knew from experience that this was no April 1 joke. He paid the bill and went straight to the 27^th precinct. By coincidence lieutenant Anita van Buren and the detectives Lennie Briscoe and Ed Green were there yet.

“Hello Jack, still late on the move?”, asked Lennie.

“Unfortunately yes. I am already busy weeks if not months with a serious case. I don’t understand one thing and when I was having supper in a restaurant I got from a young lady named Inger this letter. She spoke with a heavy Swedish accent. In the letter it is written that I must stop with the case at once because else Cody Fisher gets murdered”, answered Jack.

He gave the letter to Lennie who read it.

“And who is Cody Fisher?”, asked Anita.

“My fourteen year old godson. His parents and I knew each other a long time and when he was born they asked if I wanted to become is godfather. Apparently he is being kidnapped because I haven’t spoken to him by phone or email”, Jack explained.

“We let the letter and envelope examine on finger prints and will start a research”, said Ed.

“Remember that my finger prints are also on it”, said Jack.

“We shall say it”, Lennie said smiling.

Back in his office in Center Street Jack decided to read the evidence through again. Suddenly the telephone rang.

“McCoy”, said Jack.

“Listen well McCoy and do the following: you stop at once with the case you are working on and you pay a million dollars for your godson. Do the amount in a white sports bag and bring it tomorrow evening to the bus station. Leave the money behind at the bus stop for the bus to Boston. The money must be delivered at 21.30 hours”, a voice said.

“Let me talk to Cody”, said Jack.

But on the other end the phone got put down. Jack sighed deep and called via a different telephone the police. Anita, Lennie and Ed came right away.

“The kidnappers have just called . I must pay a million dollars and put that money in a white sport bag and tomorrow evening deliver it at 21.30 hours at the bus station at the stop to Boston”, said Jack.

“The one to Boston?”, asked Ed.

The DA nodded.

“Then we can trap them. Jack, you take care of the money and then we do the rest”, said Anita.

Even though Jack knew that he could trust them the kidnapping was bothering him. The others noticed that.

“Jack, we will find Cody and his kidnappers too. Then they will face the judge anyway”, said Lennie.

“Have you been I touch with his parents already?”, asked Anita.

“I already have tried a few times to call them but I only get their answering machine”, answered Jack.

“Can you not write out a search warrant? Maybe we can find something then”, Ed suggested.

“Gee Ed, you are getting smart at your old age”, Lennie remarked teasing.

“Maybe I get smarter than you one day”, reacted Ed.

Meanwhile Jack wrote out a search warrant where after they went to the house of the Fisher family. For the security Jack also had written out two arrest warrants.

Everything was dark but Jack had a key so they could get in anyway. The police looked around and searched in every room and cupboard draw. Suddenly they called into the working room by Ed.

“That letter is written on the same paper as what lies here.

Jack, it can be that his parents have something to do with the case and kidnapping. What are his parents doing for a living actually?”, asked Ed.

“Kevin Fisher is a business man and his wife Laura is his partner in business and marriage. But they have never really told me in what sort of business they are”, answered Jack.

Downstairs they heard the front door going open. Everyone looked at each other. Jack and Ed went downstairs where by coincidence Kevin and Laura stood.

“Jack, what are you and that gentleman doing here?”, Laura asked amazed.

“Cody has been kidnapped and I must pay the ransom for him. This detective is from the 27^th precinct. They have a search warrant”, said the DA.

“Cody kidnapped? By whom?”, Kevin asked ice cold.

“We don’t know that but the kidnappers want to have the money tomorrow evening”, said Jack.

Kevin and Laura kept silent but both Jack and Ed suspected that they did have to do with it.

Meanwhile Lennie did a very interesting discovery in the working room. On the desk laid the latest bank statement on which the balance was printed.

“They are more than bankrupt”, Lennie said to himself.

He made clear that the bank statement had to be taken along. Under the bank statement laid also a yellow envelope with only written on ‘Center Street, NY’..

“Let McCoy come over here for a second”, said Lennie.

A police man went to get the DA.

“Does this address mean anything to you?”, asked Lennie.

“That is the address of my office. What’s in it?”, Jack asked Jack on his turn.

Lennie opened the envelope and showed a file. Jack looked at it and knew enough.

“I was looking for this all those months. Arrest Kevin and Laura”, said Jack.

“Are you sure?”, Lennie asked for the security.

Jack nodded.

Lennie went downstairs and asked his partner, “Ed, guess three times who goes along with us to our working spot?”

“They are?”, Ed asked pointing at Kevin and Laura.

Lennie nodded and said, “Mr and Mrs Fisher, you are both under arrest for kidnapping and embezzling of evidence. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford one, one will be provided to you. Everything you say can and will be used against you in court.”

“We have nothing to do with those charges”, Laura said poisoning.

Jack came downstairs and asked, “Where is Cody then?”

“He stays with a friend. They would go to a baseball game at Yankee Stadium”, lied Kevin.

“It is March so there are no games yet in the stadium and neither in that of the Mets”, reacted Ed.

The arrests got dragged away and Jack went with them taking the evidence they had found along. His assistant Serena Southerlyn got called up to come also to the 27^th precinct.

At the precinct Kevin and Laura got put in a separate interrogation room. Laura got questioned by Lennie and Serena. Jack and Ed gave Kevin a treatment.

“McCoy, You can say what you like but we really have nothing to do with the disappearing of Cody. Why would we kidnap our own son? He means everything to us”, said Kevin.

“We found your latest bank statement and that says that you are bankrupt. So what is then easier to get money again? You kidnap your son and let his godfather who happens to be a DA pay the ransom for it”, answered Ed.

“Alright, I admit that we are bankrupt. But I deny that we have kidnapped Cody”, Kevin said angry.

“Cody said to me last week that you have given him a nanny. She came from Sweden. Is she involved as well?”, asked Jack.

“I say nothing more un till my lawyer is here”, said Kevin.

Laura was more helpful than her husband.

“Cody kept on nagging more and more for everything his friends had too. To be released of that nagging we decided to teach him a lesson. Our nanny Inger was prepared to help in exchange for a residence permit. She is illegal in America. If I say where he is do I get a walk then?”, she asked.

Lennie and Serena looked at each other amazed.

“Tell everything. Then I see what I can do”, said Serena.

Laura looked at her angry and said, “My husband and I do everything for Cody but he disapproves everything. He can go to the dearest schools but he rather goes to the local school.”

“What is wrong with going to a local school?”, asked Lennie.

“My husband and I have been to the most expensive and best schools but those are not good enough according to our son. He prefers to go to a normal school with poor”, answered Laura.

She stopped for a second and sighed.

“Cody is being hold in a white shed on Pier 84. Inger is now with him. Kevin and I have hired that shed. It was his idea”, she confessed.

“Let them both stay overnight in the cell. Then they can get used to it when they stay at Riker’s”, said Serena.

She went away and walked to the other interrogation room. She knocked at the door and looking at her face Jack saw that she knew more.

“Your wife has just confessed everything and also where Cody is. Was it your idea to kidnap the boy?”, asked Serena.

“The bitch. It was her idea to kidnap him and we would flee the country with our stolen diamonds”, said Kevin.

“Ed, just lock them up. In separate cells”, said Jack.

Ed dragged Kevin away.

When Lennie and Ed were back with them again Serena said, “Cody is being held in a shed on Pier 84.”

“I want to be there”, Jack said worried about the condition of his godson.

They went to Pier 84 and found the shed which Laura had described. Ed broke the lock open and with pulled revolvers the police went inside. Jack and Serena waited by the cars.

“Don’t shoot because I am innocent”, Lennie and Ed heard a woman’s voice saying.

“Hands up”, Ed said fierce.

Inger directly put her hands up and she got handcuffed.

“Where is Cody Fisher? His parents said that he was being held here”, asked Lennie.

“In that corner”, Inger said Inger pointing at a corner at her right hand.

A policeman got a torch and they found the boy lying under a few gunny bags. Lennie kneeled down and took the bags away.

“Are you Cody Fisher?”, he asked.

“Yes and who are you?”, the boy asked hoarse.

“Detective Briscoe of the 27^th precinct. Outside someone is waiting who has missed you very much”, answered Lennie.

“That won’t be my parents for sure because they had brought me here with the support of Inger”, Cody said while he got loose.

“Are you alright?”, asked Ed.

“My father has kicked my left ankle to pieces”, said the boy.

With their support Cody got up and limped he went outside.

“Cody”, Jack said smiling.

“Uncle Jack. What are you doing here?”, Cody asked amazed.

The DA went to him and took him into his arms.

“Your parents are arrested for kidnapping and embezzling of evidence. Your mother confessed that you were being held here”, said Jack.

“Pa kicked me against my left ankle all the time when he was here”, said the boy.

“First we are going to take you to the hospital and then you can stay at my place for the time being”, said Jack.

Inger also got dragged away and Jack went with Cody to the hospital.

At the precinct Inger got put through her paces by the detectives.

“I had to keep the boy hostage and in exchange for I got from his parents a residence permit. I also had to give a letter to Mr McCoy”, said Inger.

“About the ransom?”, asked Ed.

“I know not what was in the letter but I did have to take the diamonds along”, she said.

“Lock her up too. Then they may fight it out in front of the judge”, said Lennie.

The next morning Jack came to work again where his boss Arthur Branch summoned him in his office.

“I heard from Serena that there is a breakthrough in that diamond theft”, said Arthur.

“That’s right. It seems that Kevin and Laura Fisher are behind it together with the nanny Inger. Besides they had kidnapped their son Cody in exchange for a ransom of one million dollars. Last night in a restaurant I got that letter with the demand to stop with the case because else Cody Fisher got killed. Detectives Briscoe and Green have rolled up the gang and freed Cody. He is still at the hospital for observation”, told Jack.

“What is the relationship between Cody and you?”, asked Arthur.

“He is my godson”, answered Jack.

“Then it is for the best if I take you off this case because you are involved too personally. Serena will handle it off further. Keep in account that you might be called up to testify. And Cody shall have to testify too”, said Arthur.

Jack nodded.

“Take a few days off to receive the boy”, his boss advised.

Jack decided to do that.

April 2 in the court house.

“Mr Fisher, on March 12 your son Cody was being kidnapped by you and your wife. Whose idea was it to kidnap him?”, asked Serena.

“My wife’s. She knew that we were bankrupt and to make easy money she got the idea to kidnap someone. So that was our son”, answered Kevin.

“Using an underage kid to earn money and then your own flesh and blood. Isn’t that a bit low?”, asked Serena.

“He costs us a lot of money so now he could pay us back. I find it a brilliant plan”, Kevin said laughing sheepish.

“Why did Inger Swenson got involved?”, asked Serena.

“Because she wanted to stay in America eagerly but didn’t want to go through the whole bureaucrat. That’s why we offered her a residence permit in exchange for her role in the kidnapping and the diamond theft. She shot the jeweler at our request”, said Kevin.

“No further questions”, said Serena.

The questioning of Laura went so dramatic that she broke down and had to be taken away. Also when Inger got questioned they didn’t come much further.

The only thing she said was, “I do not understand the question because my English is bad.”

Jack also called up to testify whereby he partly made sure that the threesome got pushed into the guilty corner.

“How did you find out about the kidnapping?”, asked Peter Baker, the lawyer of the Fisher family.

“First I received a letter which said that I had to stop with the current case or otherwise Cody Fisher got killed. Later that evening I got a phone call about the delivery of the ransom. Via a search warrant we discovered that his parents were behind the kidnapping”, answered Jack.

“Who wrote out that search warrant?”, asked Peter.

“I did”, answered Jack.

“Even though you knew that Cody Fisher was involved?”, was the following question.

“Yes, but I didn’t know then yet that his parents were behind it. I found that out with the home search”, was his answer.

But by the testimony of Cody their freedom was over for good.

He said, “On the afternoon of March 12 my mother and Inger came home with a suitcase with diamonds. I was doing my homework and heard so how everything had happened because they told my father in detail. Inger saw that I heard it and gave me away. That evening I got stunned and brought to a shed. When I had woken up Inger made sure that I kept quiet. But when I tried to get away my father kicked my left ankle to pieces.”

When the jury was discussing the verdict Jack and Cody waited by Serena in the hall.

“The jury won’t give them a walk, will they?”, Cody asked worried.

“I hope not because they have killed a jeweler, robbed him, embezzled evidence and kidnapped and mistreated you”, answered Jack.

Then they got the word that the jury was out.

After jury council the judge asked, “Have you reached an joint verdict?”

“We declare the suspects Kevin Fisher, Laura Fisher and Inger Swenson guilty at all charges”, said the foreman of the jury.

“Here by I convict all three to a life sentence in jail and Miss Swenson will be deported and must sit out her punishment in the country of her birth. Besides Mr and Mrs Fisher lose the custody over their underage son. Case closed”, said judge Burns.

The suspects got dragged away again and Jack and Serena took Cody to their office where Arthur waited for them.

“Cody, A foster family will be searched for you because your parents will never be out and so they can’t look after you either”, said Arthur.

“I can also live with the parents of my mother. Gran said to me that I always could live with them because my parents never wanted me”, said Cody.

“Then we are going to arrange that. And if you might ever get into trouble you can always come here. Your parents may be behind bars but I am and will remain your godfather”, promised Jack.

Cody knew that and he would remember that too. They also toasted at the good ending.