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Kidnap 2

Episode 24 written by Janey
Original air date: April 4, 2002

Disclaimer: The characters in the following fan fiction do not belong to me. They belong to CBS and Viacom and other powers that be. I am only using them for the purpose ofwriting this story. No money is being made from this writing it is for entertainment purposes only. And now on with the show...

The next morning Steve was up bright and early a good night's sleep had made him realise what a mistake he had made yesterday in his questioning of Emma Cranston. He had gone storming in giving away information, instead of making her give him the information.

The smell of freshly made coffee seeped down the stairs and Steve followed the smell into his father's kitchen.

He had expected his father to be in a bad mood and start in on him the moment he saw him, but the sight that met Steve's eyes was something different.

His father was humming to himself as he made the breakfast, Steve's favourite breakfast, and actually smiled at his son as he entered the kitchen.

He sat down and absentmindedly fingered the newspaper, automatically turning to the sports pages. After a while he felt someone had to speak.

"Okay Dad, what gives? I was expecting the tough treatment after yesterday?"

"You were going to get it too," his Dad smiled, "but something was bothering me and I realised this morning what it was."

"And that was?" asked Steve.

"How did Emma Cranston know that the Ambleton child was a girl?"

"She read it in the papers," suggested Steve.

Mark shook his head. "None of the papers have stated whether the Ambleton child was a boy or a girl.

"So how did she know?" asked Steve.

"I don't know but I think we should look into it, don't you?"

Steve nodded and father and son quickly finished their breakfast and left for the hospital and police station respectively.

***********************

Mark knocked on the door of room 214.

"Come in," said Emma Cranston.

Mark walked in to find Emma sitting up in bed without her bandage and looking a little brighter after a good night's sleep.

"How are you feeling today?" asked Mark checking her charts.

"Much better," replied Emma smiling at him.

Mark moved to sit beside her on the bed.

"Can you remember any more about how you came to be in the park?" he asked.

Emma shook her head slowly.

"I just went for a walk," she said.

"How did you happen to pick that park?" asked Mark.

"What do you mean?" countered Emma.

"Well it is not the park nearest to your apartment is it?" questioned Mark.

"No I suppose not," stated Emma.

"Is it near to where you work?"

"Sort of, I used to go there every day, I just felt happy there," replied Emma.

"What do you do for a living?" asked Mark.

"I work in child care," replied Emma.

"You're a nanny aren't you?" asked Mark.

Emma nodded.

"You were the nanny to the Ambletons weren't you?"

Emma nodded.

"What happened?" asked Mark.

Emma began to cry.

"I went out with this boy years ago when I was a teenager and he did drugs. I didn't get into drugs but one night he was arrested and I put up the bail money for him so my name was on the release papers. Someone told the family and I was fired. That was one week before the kidnapping."

Emma began to sob.

"If.. only I'd still. been there. I might have been able . . to stop the kidnappers. I used to sleep in the little girl's room." Emma finally broke down and allowed her tears to run freely. Sobs racked her body, but Mark gently rocked her in his arms until she finally fell silent.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed.

"Don't be" said Mark, "I think you have provided some vital information."

Emma looked startled, "I didn't do it," she began to cry again.

"I know you didn't do it," said Mark. "What we have to do is find out who did."

***********************

Steve Sloan sat at his desk reading through the reports that had come to him from the ME's office, the Forensics department and the crime scene unit.

He already knew what was in the ME's report, so he concentrated on the reports from the crime scene unit. The park had not given up any more information despite being thoroughly searched, except that the blood found at the scene belonged to Ms. Cranston

Ms. Cranston's car was nowhere to be found, so an APB had been issued.

Ms. Cranston's purse had been found in the trashcan by the entrance to the Park. Her prints were on it, but no one else's. Why would she throw it away and leave her fingerprints? How did she dispose of her car license? Where was her car?

These questions rolled round and round Steve's head. He rubbed his eyes with the heal of his hands.

The phone rang and Steve grabbed it.

"Hi Dad," he said as he recognised the voice on the other end. He listened.

"Yeah, that's okay, . ."

"Hey, Lieutenant," interrupted an officer.

"Just a minute Dad," said Steve, looking up at the approaching officer.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"They found that car you're looking for out on PCH all busted up," he put the report form on Steve's desk.

Steve picked up and looked at it.

"Dad, sorry got to go, I'll see you for dinner, bye" Steve hung up the phone reach for his jacket and was out of the door before the receiver stopped rocking on the cradle.

***********************

Steve reached the scene of the wreck in record time thanks to the CHP blocking the use of PCH by drivers and sending them on a detour, to avoid the accident.

The scene was definitely a mess. The wreckage was strewn across the carriageway and the car was only identifiable because the number plate was flown off the rear bumper on impact. There had been a fierce fire, which was now under control, and the EMTs were attempting to reach the occupants of the car.

Steve realised he was unable to tell the make or model of the car, he couldn't even guess at the colour, the fire had been so intense.

He approached the CHP officer.

"Lieutenant Sloan LAPD, what happened?"

The officer turned to address the detective, "We spotted the Mustang doing 60. . . 65 miles an hour along PCH. We radioed in and found there was an APB so we hit the lights and sirens and then they gunned it. When they topped 90 miles an hour we were having trouble keeping up, what with all the traffic, so we radioed for the chopper to take over. Just then as we approached a bend we saw the Mustang move out to over take a slower car on the next bend. There was a truck coming in the other direction, the Mustang swerved, lost control then hit the embankment and burst into flames. Fortunately no other vehicles were involved."

Steve nodded his thanks and moved over to join the EMTs who were someway over to the side away from the wreck.

"How are the occupants of the vehicle?" Steve asked showing them his badge.

The first EMT shook her head.

"They had no chance Detective Sloan. Jumping from a vehicle traveling that fast, without protective clothing, no way."

Steve walked closer. "Send the bodies to the ME at Community General," he said.

"Sure thing," said the EMT.

Steve walked past them towards the crash scene investigators.

"I want the report on this accident ASAP," he stated.

"You got it, sir," the young investigator said.

***********************

Steve went back to the station and continued reading his reports.

He tried to concentrate on them but he couldn't and after a couple of hours gave up and went home.

***********************

Dinner was almost ready when Steve returned home. He entered his unit and quickly showered and changed before going up to his Dad's unit.

Amanda and Jesse were already there.

"Hi Steve," they called as he entered the living room.

"Hi" said Steve, "where's Dad?"

"I'm in the kitchen son," replied his father.

Steve went into the kitchen.

"How did you get on today?" asked Mark.

"We found Ms. Cranston's car?"

"You did? Where?"

"Burned to a cinder on PCH," replied Steve expecting his father to be disappointed. Mark didn't look disappointed.

"Hmm," he said.

"What do you mean hmmm'?" asked Steve.

"Let's eat, then we can talk it through," said Mark.

So the four of them sat down to eat and no mention was made of the case until they had finished.

***********************

Once they had eaten Jesse, who was always keen to find out what was happening, asked the first question.

"If Emma didn't kidnap the girl, who did?"

"Let's start with what we know," suggested Mark.

"Well, Ms Cranston was found beside the body of Julia Ambleton. Her prints were on the shovel used to bury the body," began Steve still convinced she was the best suspect.

"But why was she knocked unconscious and why didn't her accomplices kill her if they wanted all the money?" asked Jesse who was convinced of her innocence.

"Let's go back a bit, to the kidnapping itself," requested Mark.

"Julia Ambleton was kidnapped between eleven and midnight, exactly one week after Emma Cranston was fired. She did it for revenge," said Steve defiantly.

Mark peered over his glasses at his son. Steve shrugged.

"Let's see Mr. and Mrs. Ambleton were at a benefit dinner in Washington for two or three days, with hundreds of guests as witnesses," stated Mark.

"They were the guests of honour, so they couldn't slip out even if they wanted to," continued Amanda.

"Anyone else in the house at the time?" asked Mark.

"According to initial reports Mr. Ambleton's sister Valentina had been in the house up to a week before but had flown to Miami for a fortnights holiday.

She likes baseball and was desperate to see the Florida Marlins play that weekend.

She came home early when she was informed of the kidnapping; she'd still got the programme from the game in her luggage," read Steve from the police reports.

"How come she likes baseball so much?" asked Jesse.

"Mr. Ambleton owns a portion of the Florida Marlins, because he grew up there and wanted to keep his connections," continued Mark when he saw Jesse's next question forming.

"Who else was in the house?" asked Amanda.

"The new nanny Isabel Lowell, she had been there two days, but it was her night off, she spent it at home with her parents. The rest of the household have been with the family for years," replied Steve.

"So, if Julia was kidnapped between eleven and midnight, everyone has an alibi," began Amanda.

"All except for Ms. Cranston," stated Steve, "she doesn't have an alibi."

"But why would Emma overdose Julia and then bury her. If she was her Nanny wouldn't she have loved the little girl?" asked Jesse.

"I don't think she did it," began Mark.

"But Dad. ."

"Why Mark?"

"I agree," began Steve, Amanda and Jesse together.

"Look," said Mark, " there were no fingerprints belonging to anyone other than family and Emma."

"That proves my point," declared Steve.

"No," said Mark, "it just proves it was an inside job."

The others stare at Mark.

"But how do we prove who did it?" asked Amanda.

"There are one or two things I still need to check out but I think I know who did it," smiled Mark. "Steve can you get me the report on the car crash and Amanda will you have identified the two people from the car by tomorrow?"

Steve and Amanda both nodded.

"Well that's settled then, washing up I think," and with that he turned and walked into the kitchen.

"Who is it?" asked Jesse.

Steve and Amanda shrugged, they knew Mark would tell them soon enough, but tomorrow would not come soon enough for Jesse.

***********************

By lunchtime the following day Mark had the report on the wreck and the identities of the two men who died, taken from their dental records.

Steve had run their identities through the computer and discovered they were known criminals who were involved in petty theft and small time cons, working out of LA, San Francisco and Florida.

He read through the reports again.

The crime scene . . . no forensic evidence, no forced entry noted in the computer log entries.

The car crash . . . steering tampered with, petrol tank loosened so the car would

explode on impact.

He was reading through the sports pages, when an article caught his eye. It was a report on the game between the Marlins and the Red Sox in Miami.

Mark picked up the phone and called Steve. He asked Steve to meet him at the Ambleton's home within the hour, Steve agreed.

He smiled and picked up the reports and the paper and headed out of his office.

Mark called on Amanda and told her to meet him at the Ambleton's, and then he went to see if Jesse was available.

***********************

An hour later Mark, Jesse, Amanda and Steve were standing at the front door of the Ambleton's home.

They were shown into the drawing room by the butler and asked to wait.

Mr. and Mrs. Ambleton and Valentina Ambleton entered the room.

"What can we do for you Dr. Sloan?" asked Mr. Ambleton.

"Well I'm a consultant with the police department," began Mark.

"That's me," said Steve.

"And I'd like to help you find out who kidnapped your little girl."

Mrs. Ambleton and Valentina began to cry.

"I don't know why you should be of any help, the police have already got the person responsible . . . Ms. Cranston," said Mr. Ambleton.

"Please sir, bear with me. I'd like to ask a few questions first, if I may?"

Mr. Ambleton shrugged his shoulders and nodded. "As long as it doesn't distress my wife needlessly."

Mark turned his attention to Mrs. Ambleton.

"You were in Washington at a benefit dinner?"

Mrs. Ambleton nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"The police have all this information," huffed Mr. Ambleton.

"You were in Miami I understand?" Mark asked Valentina Ambleton.

"Yes, on holiday," she stated, dabbing her eyes.

"You enjoy baseball, I understand?" continued Mark.

Valentina nodded.

"I went to see the Marlins play while I was there."

"Who did they play?" asked Mark.

"Really Dr. Sloan, is this necessary?" asked Mr. Ambleton.

"Chicago," said Valentina.

"Now the night of the kidnapping as we've established none of you were here. But how did the kidnappers get in and out undetected?"

"It was the nanny's night off," said Mrs. Ambleton, "she was out but the rest of the staff were in. The house is coded entry; we don't have locks. Keys can be copied."

"So they must have had the code," said Jesse.

"The communicator line between Julia's room and the housekeepers room had been cut?" continued Mark.

Mrs. Ambleton nodded.

"When Mrs. Larchmont looked in on Julia at midnight she'd gone." Mrs. Ambleton began to cry again.

"Working back from the time of death given by the ME, Julia was dead within three hours of being taken," stated Mark. Amanda nodded.

Mrs. Ambleton asked for a glass of water.

"Is this going to go on much longer? You've almost reached your limit doctor,"

warned Mr. Ambleton.

Mark shook his head. "Almost finished now."

"Do you have a will Mr. Ambleton?" continued Mark.

"Yes, in the event of my death, my estate went to my daughter Julia," he stated.

"And if Julia had predeceased you?"

"The estate was divided equally between my wife and my sister."

Mark turned to Valentina.

When did you get into LA?"

"My brother phoned me at half past twelve and I caught the next flight, so approximately six thirty."

"Did you enjoy the baseball game?"

She nodded.

"What was the score?"

"Really doctor, what has a baseball game got to do with all this?"

"Well you see Mr. Ambleton, Miss Ambleton wasn't on the two am flight. She was booked on the seven pm flight the night before," stated Mark.

"What rubbish, I watched the baseball game, went to the house, and was there when my brother called," protested Miss Ambleton.

"Did you phone using your cell phone Mr. Ambleton?"

"No," began Mr. Ambleton, "but I did dial Valentina's cell phone number to contact her."

"That doesn't prove anything, I could have been anywhere," Miss Ambleton stated.

"Exactly," stated Mark. "You could have been in Miami but you could also have been in LA."

"So far you have proved nothing," said Miss Ambleton.

"You didn't say what the score of the baseball game was Miss Ambleton," said Mark.

"I don't remember, after all, it wasn't very important next to the kidnapping of my niece," retorted Miss Ambleton.

"Have you read today's sports pages?"

"No, not yet," sighed Miss Ambleton.

"You really should, there is a piece in it about the Marlins / Red Sox game.

The replay that took place because of the postponement five nights ago when all the power in the area went out for six hours, so the game was cancelled. You weren't at the game were you Miss Ambleton? You were here in LA arranging the kidnapping and murder of your niece."

Valentina Ambleton finally gave up.

"I had to do it, I didn't want her to get all the money it wouldn't have been fair."

Steve stepped forward.

"I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Julia Ambleton, you do not have to say anything but anything you do say may be held against you in a court of law, . " He continued as he escorted Valentina Ambleton out to the waiting police officers.

Mr. and Mrs. Ambleton comforted each other as Mark, Jesse and Amanda left the house.

***********************

Later that evening on the deck of the beach house,

"I still don't know what made you suspicious?" said Jesse.

"When I read Steve's report about Davis and Latimer working mainly out of Miami, and then the car crash clinched it," answered Mark.

"What about the crash?" asked Amanda.

"Someone had loosened the steering but only after Davis and Latimer stole the car, it was fine when Emma drove it to the park. That meant someone was tying up loose ends or disposing of things to connect them to the kidnap."

"How did Valentina get a programme for the game?" asked Jesse.

"They're printed about 3 to 4 weeks in advance of the game," answered Steve as he returned carrying a jug of coffee, "so all she had to do was collect one from the Marlins' offices at the start of her holiday."

"How did you know it was an inside job?" asked Amanda.

"I was suspicious from the start," said Mark, "but the lack of forensic evidence at the scene and the coded entry system pointed to an inside job."

Steve poured out the coffee.

"How did you know about the Marlins / Red Sox game?" he asked.

"Well that was your fault, Steve, " grinned Mark.

The others looked him.

"I was reading the sports pages of my paper before you commandeered them," he grinned.

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