Chapter 572 He is just a desperate father
The miracle did not happen, but the analysts at the operations center made a great contribution this time.
Ten minutes later, just as Jubal was about to make a last-ditch effort to contact Helton in the safe house, and Jack was about to notify the SWAT team still in Yonkers to rush back and prepare for a forced attack, the communication video from the operations center was picked up again. pass.
"At 7:45 that night, a passenger going to Boston made a call to the police. He said he saw a white man having a conflict with a white woman outside the station.
Then we contacted the person who called the police and asked for a piece of driving recorder footage. This was a screenshot after using software to clarify it. "
After Dana Moger finished speaking, she sent a screenshot. The woman who was forcibly tried to be stuffed into the trunk of the car was the Stephanie they were looking for.
The three people at the scene only found it incredible. Jack quickly asked, "How did the analysts do all this in just 15 minutes?"
Dana Moger spread her hands, with an indescribable expression on her face, "We were lucky, the police officer posted this dashcam video on Facebook, using it as evidence to criticize the NYPD's inaction."
"So it's probably the kidnapper who used Stephanie's phone to send that text message to her cousin, forming the final closed loop. It's unbelievable, if it wasn't Helton."
Hannah did not continue what she said, but the implication was clear to everyone. The Helton in that safe house was not a madman, but a father who was driven to panic.
Jubal asked the technician to prepare the screenshot, and immediately picked up the microphone on the table, "Mike, I have new news."
In the safe house, Mike Helton, who was slumped on the floor, raised his head and looked blankly at the computer speaker where the sound was coming from.
Jubal continued, "We found CCTV from the Queens bus station and it showed a man forcing Stephanie into a car, so you're right, and I'm sorry, but that NYPD officer shouldn't have done that. to you.
But now that we have taken over, I promise everything will be different, but can you give us a little more time, after all, Stephanie has been missing for three weeks, which makes the search extremely difficult. "
"No, I know what you are playing." Mike Helton stood up from the floor. "Pretending to be friendly, you still treat me as a madman, don't you? Why should I believe what you say?"
"Look at your monitor, Mike." Jubal motioned to the technician to send the screenshot.
Helton walked towards the computer desk at the door in confusion, and immediately saw the girl being held hostage in the photo. A trace of excitement finally appeared on his dull face.
"That's her, this is my Stephanie." Tears flashed in Helton's eyes, and then he became excited again, "Who is that man? Who kidnapped her?"
"We don't know yet," Jubal said. "We are trying to find out his identity, but as I said before, we need more time. I am trying to prove to you the sincerity of the FBI. I hope you can feel it." get."
"Very good, then keep looking. Since you are indeed doing it, uh, then I will give you three more hours." Helton's expression was still anxious, but it was much calmer than before.
"Mike, I want you to work with us and not put a time limit on it."
Before Jubal finished speaking, Helton suddenly became excited again, "No, I'm not negotiating with you. For the past three weeks, I have been begging the police to intervene, but they just laughed at me.
They laugh at me! They said I was a lunatic and that my daughter did not exist. Even if she existed, she ran away from home because of domestic violence!
You actually think so too, right? I could hear it in your tone before, so I won't waste any more time, not at all, three hours! You only have three hours! "
Jubal wanted to say something else, but Jack touched his arm. When he looked up, he saw him shaking his head slightly and showing the A4 paper in his hand that was full of words.
"OK, we will keep you informed of the progress of our investigation. The FBI does not treat you as a madman. Believe me, I am also a father and understand what you are doing. Like you, we can all do it for our children. anything."
He looked at a passage written by Jack, read it decisively, and then turned off the microphone.
“Doesn’t saying this make us too passive?”
Jack was quite speechless. They were holding hostages and hiding in a safe house. Apart from risking the hostages being harmed and storming, all they had to do was help him find a way for his daughter. What else could they do to be passive?
Although this was the truth, it couldn't be said so directly. He walked directly in front of the monitor, pointed at the little girl sitting on the sofa and said, "Pay attention to Chloe's tied position."
Jubal was very confused and frowned for a long time. The girl's hands were tied at the wrists with plastic ties and she was sitting quietly on the sofa. There was nothing unusual about it.
"The tie on her wrist is very loose, and it's through her sleeves. What does this mean?"
"Ah?" Jubal seemed to understand. "You mean, when he tied up Chloe, he was still worried about hurting her?"
"Yes, Helton's motive for kidnapping Chloe was not hatred of rich people. Although he said that the other person was a child of a rich family, when he tied her up, he was careful not to hurt her, because he was Subconsciously, Chloe is also someone else's daughter and is innocent.
So Helton's purpose was just to borrow the influence of rich people, because in his understanding, the reason his daughter's disappearance was ignored was because they were poor, so he kidnapped a rich man's child and wanted to This attracts attention. "
Of course, this is indeed the case. Less than an hour after Chloe was kidnapped, the FBI arrived at the scene. Chloe's father even directly contacted the deputy director of the FBI.
On the other hand, for Helton, it was just some minor procedural issues, and the NYPD ignored the fact that an underage girl was missing.
But now is not the time to talk about such social issues. If you change the keyboard hero, you may jump out and say that the whole world is the same, and society is so unfair. Let’s take the story of the islanders throwing their bicycles as an example. By the way, Bring some rhythm.
Jubal caught the key point in Jack's words, thought for a moment and nodded to show that he understood, "You mean, Helton has no intention of hurting Chloe subjectively, and we can make a fuss about this?"
"Yes." Jack pointed at Chloe on the screen, who was secretly trying to loosen the plastic tie while Helton wasn't paying attention.
"You have to keep an eye on this girl and don't let her do stupid things. If that doesn't work, we might as well 'betray' her directly to express our goodwill."