Saving Amanda
Chapter 6

Copyright© 2018 by JRyter

Louis was on Amanda’s left – I was on her right as we walked into the meeting room. There were at least fifteen men and two women in the room. I’m sure it wasn’t Louis, or me, that made the men jump to their feet when they saw alive and smiling Amanda.

I had met Sheriff Johnson once before, when he flew up to my place with the coroner, the day my dad died. He recognized me about the time I recognized him.

“Rusty?” He walked over to offer his hand.

“It’s me, Charles. I want you to meet my wife...”

When I said that, I noticed everyone in the room except Louis, looking around.

Amanda still had her hand in mine, and I pulled her close to put my arm around her.

“Gentlemen and Ladies, this is my wife, Lee Amanda McCaul. I’m not sure what Mr. Attenburough has told you about her, or about what she’s been through – but from this day forward, you are only permitted to talk to my wife in the presence of Louis Attenburough and myself. Not one or the other – both of us...

“We’re here today for Amanda to give a statement, answer your questions, and help in any way we can to end this threat against my wife once and for all.”

Sheriff Johnson turned toward the others, and with a glance back at me, he smiled before he spoke.

“Rusty, I’m sure that no one in this room knows who you are, or anything about you, other than possibly your wife and Mr. Attenburough. Before we get started, I want to introduce you to them...

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this big guy standing next to me, is a former Combat Medic, and a Registered Nurse with eleven years of combat duty in Afghanistan. He is also the recipient of The Silver Star – for gallantry in action...

“During his service, he didn’t just help patch up our boys – he and another Medic defended them against a twenty-four hour siege by insurgents on a field hospital that started in the middle of the night and ended the next night when help arrived. All the time this was battle going on, the doctors never stopped attending their patients.”

Amanda squeezed my hand and pulled me closer, “Rusty?”

“He’s making it sound bigger than it was ... We’re not here to talk about me, we’re here to find out what, if anything they have discovered about Daniel’s escape and his whereabouts.”

I turned to Louis before any of them could start on me...

“Mr. Attenburough, did you bring that birth certificate you told Amanda and me about?”

“I sure did, Rusty...”

Louis told them, “Gentlemen, whether you are aware of this or not – Daniel Nielsen, as you know him – was born, Arthur Daniel Warren ... I have his original birth certificate here with me.

“Elizabeth Ann Warren, now deceased – was the birth mother of Daniel Warren. She was the sister of Margaret Lee Nielsen...

“Albert Lee Nielsen and his wife, Margaret Lee Nielsen, never adopted Daniel upon his mother’s death, though they raised him in their home ... This was never made public and Mrs. Nielsen personally gave me this birth certificate along with a handwritten letter of explanation, for safe keeping. Not even Lee Amanda, knew of Daniel’s relationship to her, until I informed her just this week.

“Daniel took it upon himself to have his name changed from Warren to Nielsen when he turned eighteen. He is the nephew of Margaret Lee Nielsen...

“There is another matter I wish to disclose about Daniel. It may or may not play a part in your investigation, but Arthur Daniel Warren – Not Nielsen – is listed in Albert and Margaret Neilsen’s wills as inheriting only fifty-thousand dollars from each of them. If you need copies of these documents, we can do that today, but please be aware, until I am ordered by the court to release the originals, I will keep them in my possession.”

“Mr. Attenburough, we will need copies of those documents. I’m sure this information will help determine Mr. Warren’s motives for murdering Albert and Margaret Nielsen,” the DA told him.

Sheriff Johnson turned to me, “Rusty, Mr. Attenburough has informed us that you and your wife have been staying at a motel until you came forward today. We suggest that you and your wife return to her parents’ estate, have the locks changed, with background checks done on the security guards stationed at the main gate. I suggest also that you check the security system of the entire home, and grounds ... just to make sure nothing has been tampered with.

“We will provide twenty-four security on the entire estate until we have Daniel Warren and Marissa Denton in custody.”

I told him, “I’ll need to return the rental vehicle. It’s still at the motel.”

“We’ll get the lease papers and keys from you and have my men return it. In the meantime, we will arrange for transportation to the Nielsen estate for you and your wife.”

“We still have a couple of bags, and a few articles of clothing in the motel room.”

“If you’ll give me the room key, I’ll have my deputies bring those to you at the estate...

“Are there any other questions we need to address at this time?”

“What can you tell us about Daniel’s escape?” I asked.

“Shortly after his friend, Marissa Denton visited him at the jail, Daniel Nielsen became sick and began vomiting violently. We had him checked immediately and the doctor sent him straight to the ER at the hospital down the street. Though the interns were in and out at regular intervals, somehow Daniel was able to dress in green scrubs, from head to toe and escape down a hallway that leads to a rear entrance...

“The security cameras on the parking lot at the hospital show two women exiting that same rear door during the exact timeline, and walking to the bus stop where they caught an eastbound bus. Evidently, they changed clothes on the bus, or removed enough clothing that they have yet to be located on any bus videos.

“Based on preliminary information we’ve gotten from the ER, it seems that Daniel ingested enough emetic tablets to induce vomiting.”

...”Sir, I have one more thing I’d like you to clear up ... When my friend brought my supplies by helicopter, this week, he was telling me that the authorities had Marissa in protective custody because she told you that her friend, Lee Nielsen may have been kidnapped. My friend told me that Marissa and Daniel were supposed to meet at their attorney’s office about their inheritances...

“Has that story been checked out? If so, who was the attorney?”

“We did check her story and found that she was lying about Daniel and Lee Nielsen meeting with their attorney. She backtracked and told us that both Daniel and Lee told her that they had appointments with different attorneys. After discovering she lied about that also, we checked her entire story to find she told numerous other lies, and we felt no further obligation to keep her in protective custody, so we let her go.”

“Sheriff, I have to wonder if her statement wasn’t actually an admission that they had contracted someone to kidnap, Amanda.”

“Mr. McCaul, we’ve been checking leads concerning that possibility. If that was a slip, then someone, somewhere may still attempt to kidnap your wife, now that they know she’s alive, and back in Boulder, having made a public appearance,” the FBI agent in charge told me.

A few minutes later, as the meeting was ending – Amanda, Louis and I were escorted to the roof of the Court House where there was a Nielsen helicopter waiting. I recognized the pilot and co-pilot as soon as I saw them and stepped over to greet them, my left hand holding Amanda’s hand.

“Matt Asner...

...”Randy Anderson – How long have you guys been working for Nielsen?”

“Rusty! Man ... how are you?” Matt Asner spoke as we shook hands. “Last we heard, you were back home on your mountain. We never expected to see you again,” he told me as we shook hands.

Randy Anderson spoke to Amanda, then turned to me, “Rusty, how did you ever meet Ms. Nielsen?”

“We sort of bumped into each other about a month ago ... Just so you guys will know ... Lee Amanda is now my wife.”

We were in the air no more than twenty minutes when Amanda pointed toward a helipad at the edge of a golf course.

There were three sheriff’s deputies waiting beside a white SUV, Sheriff’s patrol vehicle when we stepped off the helicopter.

I carried Louis’ large briefcase as we hurried from beneath the rotor downwash.

Once we were seated in the SUV with two of the deputies up front, I asked Amanda, “How long have those two been employed by Nielsen? They never answered when I asked them.”

“I’m not sure, but I’ve seen them twice before, when I was flown to the airport.”

“Louis, do you have a notepad I could borrow?”

He opened his briefcase to hand me one. I scribbled the two names on the pad and ripped the page off. When the two deputies stopped in front of the garage, I stepped out and handed the driver the note with both names on it, asking them to have those names checked out for security clearance.

“Mr. McCaul, do you have reason to be suspicious of those men, or is this just part of the security check we’ve been told to provide?”

“I have my reasons for requesting a security check on those two. I would like to know personally – as soon as they have been checked out.”

“I’ll phone this in, rather than use dispatch.”

“How many men do you have out here? And has the security at the front gate been verified?”

“There are sixteen of us assigned to this detail. Eight of us will work twelve-hour shifts. We were told that the all guards working the front gate have been here for ten years, and more for some. They work in three, eight-hour shifts and all have been checked by the FBI, for security clearance.”

Once we were inside the house, I called Kyle. I needed some answers from someone I could trust to shoot straight.

Rusty! How’s it going up there on top of the world?”

“Kyle – I have to tell you ... I am definitely on top of the world, but I’m not on the mountain at this time. I called to ask you if we could meet soon ... Have you got an hour or so free today?”

Sure, what’s up?”

“I’d like to meet you somewhere ... Are you flying today?”

I have a charter scheduled an hour from now, and I’m free for a few minutes before ... then I’ll be free the rest of the day, afterward, if that will help.

“I’m about fifteen miles southwest of Boulder on a private estate, would you be able to drop in for an hour or so after your charter ... if I give you directions.”

Sure, if there’s a place to set down safely.”

“There’s a helipad here ... I’m on the Nielsen Estate.”

The Nielsen Estate? Are you really? I suppose you saw where the young Nielsen heiress suddenly appeared?”

“Yes, and I’ll explain the whole story behind that, when I see you.”

I should be there around 1:30 – give or take...”

“We’ll be waiting for you at the helipad when you set down.”

See you then ... and Rusty?”

“Yes?”

I’m glad you came down off your mountain, for whatever reason ... I was getting worried about you.”

“I’m better than ever, Kyle. I’ll tell you all about it, and I’ll introduce you to my wife when you get here.”

YOUR WIFE? Man ... when you come down off that mountain, you really make changes in a hurry! Whatever – Whoever – However ... I’m proud for you, my friend. See you soon and I want to know all the juicy details behind this story...”

“I heard what he told you. Sounds like you and Kyle have been friends for years.”

“He received his Silver Star at the same time I did. We go way back, even before that incident, and he’s always been the one true friend I could count on, since I lost my brother.”

“From what I heard, he feels the same way about you.”

“Like I said, we go way back ... and for a couple of days over there, it seemed like it was Kyle and me against the world ... but we survived by watching each other’s back.”


Amanda helped her cook make three salads and as we ate, we talked.

“Louis, I’d like you to sit with us as we talk to my friend, Kyle. He’ll know more about those two pilots who flew us here. The last time I heard anything about them, they were involved in some shady deals, even accused of flying narcotics out of Mexico to the drug cartel members here in Colorado. I never heard the details of what became of that, but here they are employed by Nielsen – and that worries me.”

“While you and Amanda have the deputies drive you out to meet your friend, I’ll get on the phone and try to find out who hired them and how long they’ve been working for Nielsen. I have dependable sources in the personnel department at Nielsen’s main office.”

“Do you remember their names?”

“Yes, I saw you hand the note to the deputy earlier.”

“Do you need to notify your office and tell them where you are?”

“I’ve already called my secretary on one of my go-phones. I also told her to get us three of those Sat-Phones like you carry. I like the idea of being able to make or receive a call from anywhere.”

Louis was on the phone when Amanda and I walked out of the kitchen. She pulled me aside before we stepped out to meet the deputies.

“I need to tell you ... Louis’ secretary is also his lover. She’s three years older than me and she loves that old goat in there. He spoils her and she spends much of the money he pays her, on him.”

“If they have it worked out and it makes both of them happy, I wish them luck ... Is he married? Are there kids?”

“He was married for five years, he told me once. They never had kids and he divorced his wife about twenty-five years ago when he caught her cheating on him.”

“Do you know his secretary very well?”

“Rusty, you never stop probing, do you? But to answer your question, I know her only when I see her. She lives with Louis in a condo not far from his office... I do know her sister better, and I’ll confess that to you later...”

I turned to look back through the glass of the kitchen door, and saw Louis was off the phone. I stepped back inside the kitchen... “Louis, Amanda just told me that you have a young secretary who is close to you ... I don’t mean to meddle, but I sure wish you would have her brought here immediately.”

“Rusty! Do you think Daniel or one of his friends would stoop so low?”

“I have no idea, but they’re going to try anything they can to make Amanda show her face, in hopes of kidnapping her ... or even murdering her. Whatever their intentions are, we don’t need to make it easy for them.”

“I’ll call Vanessa right away. I’ll call Charles first and have him send a deputy over to bring her here ... and thanks, Rusty, for being concerned for my safety and Vanessa’s too.”

“We’ll be back shortly. I want you with us when we talk to my friend, Kyle. You’ll be able to ask the questions we need answered. If my hunch is right about those two, we’ve got problems. Hopefully, you’ll have a call-back from Nielsen’s Personnel Manager by the time we return.”


We were on our way out to the helipad when I noticed the Nielsen helicopter was gone. I asked the deputy in the passenger seat, “Jamison, can you tell us where the Nielsen chopper was taken?”

“Yes Sir. They use the regional airport north of here as the base for their three helicopters. They told us they had some maintenance to do on that one, and if you needed them, just call and they’d bring another chopper.”

Amanda put her hand on mine to get my attention ... as she asked, “When did they start using the regional airport north of here? We’ve always used the one east of here, since my daddy bought them.”

“I have no idea, Ma’am, but we can have that checked out, if you like.”

I asked him, “Can you have that done without the two pilots being aware?”

 
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