Blood Runs Deep

Chapter 8: Knocked Down

Chapter 8: Knocked Down

Samantha's Point of View

The Intelligence Unit arrived on the scene within ten minutes of getting the call that Antonio's son Diego had been kidnapped. Because it was Antonio's son Voight went ahead and got the Amber Alert going city wide seeing as the first few hours after a child goes missing are the most crucial. Chaos, best described the scene outside of Antonio's family bakery. Chicago Police cruisers had blocked off the two ends of the street in front of the bakery, only allowing police personnel onto the block. Uniformed men and women canvased the area relentlessly looking for someone who might have seen or heard something when Diego was taken.

So far, one lady gave us a white van, but no license plate number, no driver description, nothing else really useful. Detectives are rolling; squads are canvassing the area and knocking on doors, checking for cameras.

According to Antonio's wife Laura, Diego had been taking out the trash. When she realized he'd been gone for quite a while, she walked out back into the alley way where the garbage cans are and found him nowhere in sight. Bags of garbage strewn about the alleyway. Seemingly signs of a struggle.

It was hard to imagine the kind of pain Antonio and his wife must be feeling right now. That's their child, and now he's missing. Whoever harms a child in my book should be shot on the scene, no questions asked. My stomach has been in knots since Jules was shot this morning and now this. Why would they take a child? It's barbaric. The cartel just wants to prove a point, that they're in charge around here. Pulpo is the ring leader and unless we release Pulpo back out onto the streets we won't get Diego back alive.

At least that's what Antonio said when he had a little chat with Pulpo this morning. The kidnappers left a note at the scene saying, "Pulpo free by midnight, or your son dies." I stared down at the tattered and torn piece of paper rereading the chicken scratch handwriting in Spanish. Looking up from the piece of paper and my desk I noticed Lindsay had returned from notifying Jules family that she had been killed in the line of duty. Jay was scouring the database looking for any information he could find that would help us.

"They took Antonio's son. As far as I am concerned they took my own. Nothing else matters till we get Diego back. Nothing." Voight announced looking at every single one of us. I knew if anything ever happened to me my brothers and father would be saying the same thing. They die looking for me. It's what you do for people you love. You never stop. You never give up.

Antonio was beside himself, pacing the floors back and forth unaware of whether his son was alive or dead already. The first 48 hours were crucial during a missing persons case, especially crucial when a tender age child is involved.

When something like this happens it really puts things into perspective.

"Sarge, so this all started with Rev and Coop getting their heads chopped off. And both did essentially the same job for Pulpo, mid-level distribution, right? So we know Pulpo's cleaning house. And what do you do when you get rid of old furniture? You got to bring in something new. This guy stood out. It's Ernesto Milpas." Jay spoke as I got up from my desk and walked towards the center of the room crossing my arms over my chest.

Jay handed Voight a mugshot of the guy. He had jet black hair and a scruffy face, like he hadn't shaved for a week or two when the image was taken.

"He was running 15 corners between 22nd and Kenzie when CPD pinched him in '09." Jay continued as Voight passed the mug shot around for everyone to get a good look at.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was on that bust with Jules." Antonio said, as the photo landed in his hands. I watched as he stiffened at the sight of the animal that may have taken his son. His jaw clenched tight as thoughts raced through his mind.