Missing in Flight

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN TINA

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

T INA

Tina reads over the ticket information provided by the airline for the female passenger seated a few rows behind Makayla: Jemma Neilson. She leans forward, reading that the name on the credit card used to purchase Jemma Neilson’s ticket was “Gift Card,” meaning it was likely a prepaid Visa. Tina brings a hand to her chin, seeing the ticket was purchased alone two months ago.

She pulls up the seat map and checks the name of the passenger seated beside Jemma. Chad Wickham. She drums her pen against her desk, looking at the sparsely filled plane. Why would you choose to sit next to an occupied seat on a plane that is practically empty? And if Jemma Neilson and Chad Wickham are traveling together, why book their tickets separately?

Tina glances over her shoulder to tell Pratt but remembers he left for Jack Rossi’s condo. She quickly enters Jemma’s full name into her database. Jemma’s Long Island address matches what she gave the airline. A registered nurse license number for New York state appears below her name. She has no criminal history.

Tina retrieves the airline’s ticket information on Chad Wickham. Her pulse quickens when she sees he purchased his ticket with cash—only one day after Jemma Neilson bought hers.

She copies his name into the bureau’s public record database. When the results appear, Tina goes still. A red D pops up over his demographic information, meaning that Chad Wickham is deceased.

Tina jumps from her chair, knocking over her empty coffee mug, and looks around the mostly empty office. “Ruiz!”

Ruiz stands from her cubicle. “Yeah?” she says.

“I found something,” Tina yells. She points to Castillo’s office. “Get Castillo!”

Castillo emerges from his office. “What is it?”

“Me too.” Ruiz lifts her phone in the air. “The Anchorage gate agent just called,” she announces loud enough for both Tina and their supervisor to hear. “She went to her boyfriend’s place after getting off work. And she confirmed seeing Liam inside Makayla’s baby wrap when she boarded.”

He’s really on that plane. “I need you both to come see this.” Stunned, Tina sits back down as Ruiz and Castillo stride toward her. When the agents reach her cubicle, her heart is still racing. Castillo comes to a stop beside her, leaning over her shoulder to look at her screen. Ruiz stands on the other side of Tina, folding her arms.

Tina gestures to her screen. “The passenger in seat 15H is deceased.”

“What?” Castillo says from behind her.

“He had to have boarded with this guy’s stolen ID. He died three days ago. The death probably hasn’t been officially recorded yet, which is why it didn’t get flagged by TSA when he went through security.”

Castillo stands up straight. “Shit.”

Tina swivels in her chair. “This passenger paid cash for his ticket two months ago. There’s a woman seated next to him, Jemma Neilson.” Tina pulls up the pretty, dark-haired woman’s New York driver’s license. “They purchased their tickets separately only one day apart. She used a prepaid credit card. And they selected seats beside each other despite it being a practically empty flight.”

Ruiz places her hands on her hips. “She could have used a stolen ID too. I’ll send a Long Island patrol unit to her address.”

Castillo pulls out his phone. “Where’s Pratt?”

Ruiz looks at Tina, waiting for her response before making the call.

Tina turns in her chair. “He went back to Jack Rossi’s condo to interview him again. Rossi and Lionel Rothman both accused each other of fraud, and Pratt was worried that Rossi might’ve staged his son’s kidnapping. Jack Rossi has a $20 million kidnap-and-ransom insurance policy that he failed to mention when we spoke with him earlier.”

“I need to contact the flight,” Castillo says. “Can you call Pratt and give him an update?”

“Yes,” Tina says. “Jack Rossi called Pratt before he left and said Makayla didn’t think the crew searched those two’s luggage that thoroughly. They also have a pet carrier. We should make sure that gets checked too.”

Castillo nods. “Thanks.”

Tina’s phone rings atop her desk. “It’s the forensic accountant,” she announces before the two agents leave her cubicle. “Analyst Farrar.”

“Hey, it’s Corban. Two outgoing transfers have just been initiated from a couple of Jack Rossi’s accounts. Each for ten million. It looks like the money is headed to a foreign account, which I’m still tracking. But I wanted to let you know the transfers have been made.”

“Thanks.” She turns to Castillo after hanging up. “Jack Rossi has made two transfers for ten million out of his client accounts.” A sinking feeling forms in her gut. “When we were in Rossi’s condo earlier, Pratt heard a noise. Rossi tried to blame it on a remodel project in a neighboring unit until I reminded him it was the middle of the night.”

Castillo holds her gaze, thinking about the danger Pratt might be walking into. “And Pratt went alone?”

“Yes. I’m calling him now.”

She returns the phone to her ear. Pratt’s cell rings four times before going to voicemail. “He’s not answering.” She lowers her phone, estimating how long it’s been since Pratt left the office. “He must already be at Rossi’s condo.”

“I’m calling SWAT,” Castillo says. “If this was a well-planned kidnapping, we have no idea what Pratt could be walking into. And it sounds like one of the abductors could have already been inside Rossi’s condo when you were there.”

“They won’t get there in time.” Ruiz strides out of the cubicle. “I’m heading there now. I’ll send a unit from NYPD there to meet me. Can you call Long Island PD and send someone to Jemma Neilson’s address?”

“All right—be careful,” Castillo calls. “I’ll still send a SWAT team to get there as soon as they can.”

He turns to Tina. “How long ago did Pratt leave for Rossi’s condo?”

She glances at the time on her laptop. “A little over fifteen minutes ago.”

“Ruiz is right,” he mumbles loud enough for Tina to hear when he pulls out his phone. “If there is someone in Rossi’s condo, we’re already way too late.”