Chapter 5

John smiled and said that he could and would help with that. "I know one of the two men that kidnapped and beat and shot me," he said. "I think that I know a way to get them to admit what they did so that you can arrest them." "Carol can call them on the cell phone again and demand that they both meet them to arrange how they will pay her for her silence." "The only thing is, I can't ask her to put her life in danger for me again," he said. "I think that I can find someone to stand in for Carol," she said Agent Waters, John and Carol discussed in detail what Carol was to say to Alben to get him and his partner to meet her. "Where should I tell them to meet me?" Carol asked. Agent Waters smiled, "There is an insurance company in a free standing building about a block from here." "Let's arrange it for 6 o'clock tonight and I will make sure that the area is clear, we don't want any innocent civilians to get hurt." Carol picked up the cell phone. Agent Waters held up her hand. "You'll have to go outside," she said. " Cell phones won't work inside the building." Carol and Agent Waters walked out of the room to make the call. In a few minutes they returned and Carol was smiling. "I think the jerk fell for it," she said. "I insisted that there was no deal unless both of them came."

By 5 o'clock a young female agent had been hooked to a wire and was sitting in a car in front of the insurance building dressed in casual clothes. Agent Waters had asked John if the FBI could use the van as a command vehicle and he agreed. About 20 minutes before 6 o'clock a car with two men in it pulled into the parking lot and stopped. The men in the car looked around and then pulled out of the lot and drove around the block. They returned to the parking lot a few minutes later. They sat in their car looking for anything suspicious. After several minutes they got out of their car and started to walk to the lone car in the parking lot. The young agent got out of her car and walked toward them. She knew that this would give the FBI Swat Team a better shot at nabbing the two men. Al Alben spoke first, "You looking for us." "Yes," she answered. "I saw you grab the man from the parking lot." "I bet the police would pay plenty to know who did it." "How do you know who the guy was?" Alben asked. "I read the papers, everybody is looking for that Fornos guy." Alben grabbed the agent by the arm. "Honey, you aren't too smart." "I'm do the same to you that we did to him only we're going to have some fun first." Alben started dragging her to his car. Agent waters yelled into the walkie-talkie, "Go we have them." The FBI Swat Team appeared from the bushes and the top of the building and from the trunk of the special; agent's car. In a matter of seconds the two men were on the ground and were hand cuffed. They were thrown into a car and were taken to the Field Office. The whole scenario had taken less than two minutes.

The two men were put into a line up and John identified them as the two that had kidnapped, beaten and shot him. John was taken back to the interrogation room where Greta and Carol waited. Agent Waters walked into the room with a smile on her face. "This case is solved I think, they are singing like birds." Agent Waters got a mischievous grin on her face and asked John to confront them. This would help convince them that it would be futile to lie or hold any information back. John agreed and was taken to the interrogation room that held Al Alben. When John walked into the room Alben went white and started to cry. Agent Waters led John into another room and he confronted the other man. The man paled and immediately started yelling that Alben made him do it and that he was afraid that Alben would kill him if he didn't. John started to reply but Agent Waters pulled him out of the room. "That was the worst guy," John said. "He was the one who shot me even though they thought I was dead." Agent Waters told him that his name was Steve Sandoz and that he was wanted for crimes in other states.

Agent Waters talked to John, Carol and Greta and said that they would move on Susan and Ted in the morning as both of them were at a large affair that was being attended by two congressmen and the Mayor. She was afraid that an innocent bystander would be hurt if they tried to arrest them at the affair. Susan and Ted had the FBI following them all night and the FBI staked out their houses after they went home. "Agent Waters, I wonder if I could make a request?" John asked. "I would like to confront my wife when you arrest her." "You'll have to do exactly as I say and not cause an argument or try to get any revenge," she said. She asked where they were staying and allowed them to go to the motel with the FBI following them. An agent was in a car in front of each motel room and an agent was at the rear of the motel. They all went to bed as soon as the got to the motel. Carol and John lay on the bed and held each other all night.

In the morning Agent Waters put the three of them in an FBI car and drove to the offices of John Fornos, Developers. They sat a half a block away and watched as Susan and Ted got out of their cars. Because there were several people close to the pair Agent Waters decided to arrest them in their offices instead of the parking lot. About a half an hour after the pair walked into the building Six FBI agents and John walked into the building. Agent Waters pulled the receptionist away from the switchboard and told an agent to make sure that she did not make or receive any call until Waters said it was OK. They rest of the agents and John got on the elevator and went up to the floor where Susan and Ted had their offices. As they walked into the waiting room outside of Susan's office an agent pulled the secretary out of her chair and pushed her toward a far wall. Agent Waters flashed her badge, "FBI, if you make any attempt to warn Susan Fornos that we are here, I'll charge you with accessory to conspiracy to commit murder." "Do you understand?" Waters asked. The terrified secretary just nodded her head. "Is Ted Ransom in there?" Waters asked. The secretary nodded again. "Is there anyone else in there?" The secretary shook her head no. Waters and two of the agents opened the door and walked into Susan's office. "FBI," Agent Waters said as she flashed her badge. Susan was getting something out of her desk drawer as they walked into the office. "Agent Waters had her gun drawn and ordered Susan to put her hands in plain sight. Susan put her hands on the top of the desk. "You are both under arrest for kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, felony assault, grand larceny and making false statements to the FBI," Agent Waters said. An agent started toward Ted Ransom to handcuff him and walked in front of Agent Waters. Susan grabbed a revolver from the open desk drawer and put it to her head. All three agents dove toward the gun that Susan had to her head. Susan pulled the trigger before they could reach her. Her blood splattered the desk and the wall behind her.