Jake was returning home when he saw the cars pulling out of his driveway. He kept going but as one car turned in his direction, he saw Yuri Kolenko, his old KGB friend from school, sitting in the passenger seat and concentrating on a hand-held radio. Jake saw one of the four cars turn around and pull over to park on the wide shoulder. He hoped Sally Ann and Christina were not home yet.

His first step was to get rid of the KGB officer left behind to watch the driveway. He glanced back at Jack in the backseat. “Jack, want to play a game? See how long you can keep your eyes shut with your hands over your ears. Ready, set, go!”

Jake pulled alongside the watcher’s car and motioned to him to roll down the window. With his ball cap and sunglasses the driver wouldn’t recognize him until it was too late. As the watcher started to roll the window down and reach for what Jake guessed must be a weapon, Jake shot him in the head three times. He whipped the car around and drove fast up the driveway and slid to a stop. Leaving Jack in the car, he ran through the house, calling for Sally Ann. He saw the bullet holes in the back door and broken windows.

Running outside, he saw the three dead men and Sally Ann’s bright red coat near the tree line. Racing up, he saw that she had been hit hard. She still had her 9mm in her hand. Pulling her up and holding her he saw that Christina had also been killed. Screaming and crying, he kissed them both.

“I’m so sorry Marie,” he cried. “All I wanted was for a normal life for all of us.” He held her close for another minute. “I have to leave you, I have to save Jack. I promise you both, I will save him and take good care of him. Your deaths will be avenged.” He kissed them both on the cheek and stood up. The wagon was already packed for an escape so he ran back to the car, kissed Jack with tears still streaming down his face, and sped down the driveway in reverse.

Jake used backcountry roads to get to Route 30 East. The road was open and he had to put miles and miles between him and the KGB in Latrobe. The wagon had a range of more than 300 miles on a single tank. He didn’t want to stop until they got to Richmond, Virginia. Jake planned to change cars and names in Richmond. Jake and Jack Webb would become Brandons, Peter and Jack. No more aliases.

April 24, 1975

 

Sally Ann was up feeding and bathing Christina at 6:30 AM. She put Christina back in her crib. She called Jake and said, “Christina and I are going out. You’re the babysitter. I need some things from the pharmacy and while I’m out I’ll pick up some groceries, anything you want?”

“Yes. Look for the good sausage brand we liked in St. Cloud.”

“Okay, I’ll try. Make Jack some scrambled eggs and jelly toast.”

“Drive carefully.”

“No one would dare put a scratch on my new car.”

Sally Ann felt at home in Latrobe. The people are nice. It is much smaller than Ottawa or even St. Cloud, but it has all I need and it is only a few hours to Pittsburgh. It was good to get out for a little private time and who wanted their husband trailing along in the cosmetic section, anyway? She knew Jake was still worried about their safety but she could feel herself relaxing more each day. Surely they could hide in a country as big as the United States.

She found a good parking spot just outside the entrance to the pharmacy she liked, picked up a drowsy Christina, and went through the automatic doors.

Yuri was in the cruising car with the driver. They had just entered the small cluster of shops for a quick drive through and then on to the next shopping area when he saw a black Cadillac Eldorado pull into a parking place practically in front of him. He told the driver to move on and park 20 yards away from the Cadillac. Yuri called the other teams he had and ordered them to join him, but to stay in their cars and be prepared to conduct a three-car surveillance of the Eldorado when it left. “I will direct all movements. Discreet is the word.”

Sally Ann came out of the pharmacy and made a quick look around the way Jake had taught her. There was nothing to be seen. She put Christina in her seat and started up the Eldorado for the mile drive to her favorite grocery store. She never noticed the skillful maneuvers of the three cars tracking her. When she left the grocery store pushing a cart with one hand and holding Christina with the other, the three KGB cars began their surveillance ballet. Again she saw nothing. When she turned into the farm driveway, they all kept going past with no pause.

Yuri left one car in position to watch the driveway while the other two cars moved a quarter-mile farther and pulled off on the shoulder. Yuri called the other car to join them and worked out an assault plan.

Sally Ann beeped the car horn to signal Jake they were home and to get some help carrying in the groceries. When she struggled in with Christina and one load, she saw a note on the kitchen counter.

 

“Took Jack to the Exxon station to fill up the wagon. Back in an hour or so. Lunch date for pizza?

Love, Jake”

 

How could you stay mad at a husband like that? Sally thought. Maybe this idea of arranged marriages has some good points. Neither one of us had any choice. I feel fulfilled and very lucky. Getting out from behind the iron curtain is much better than I ever believed. This is what life is about. Without individual freedom, there is no freedom or justice. I’m ashamed of how my parents live a life of privilege while supporting an oppressive regime.

She was cleaning up in the kitchen when she heard a car coming down the loose gravel driveway. Good, Jake and Jack are home. She ran her fingers through her hair while running to the front door. Instead of Jake’s wagon she saw three other cars coming quickly toward the house. The last car blocked the entrance to the driveway. She knew immediately they were KGB and ran to get her 9mm Browning and Christina. Snatching Christina from her crib, she raced to the back door.

Bursting out on the back porch, she surprised two men who were coming around the house. She shot twice at the nearest man and knocked him down. The second man couldn’t get a clear shot at her and was firing blind. Sally Ann stepped out and emptied her magazine of 11 more rounds at the second man, hitting him several times. Slamming another magazine into the butt of the 9mm, she began to think, We may get away if I can just get to the wood line 30 yards from the porch. She took off running hard to the tree line.

Sally Ann had been 200-meter sprinter in college and could still nearly outrun Jake. Another two men came around from the front of the house armed with assault rifles. Both dropped to one knee and began full automatic fire. Sally Ann was almost in the tree line when the first bullets hit her in the back and legs. She went down and rolled over on her stomach to protect Christina and return fire. Her vision was going but not before she hit another pursuer. Everything went black. She never knew Christina was going with her. Neither had escaped the hail of bullets.

Inside, Yuri and two men were searching the house for Kalin and the stolen money. Yuri quickly realized Kalin wasn’t here or else he would have been in the firefight. A quick search of the house and barn revealed nothing of interest to him. He took a picture of the white Ford pickup, then checked Sally Ann’s and Christina’s bodies. He confirmed their deaths and didn’t bother to search any further.

He had two dead men and one with a bad stomach wound. Without hesitating, he held the man’s hand and shot him twice in the head. They could not take care of any severely wounded and none of his men could be taken alive by the local police. He searched the dead for any identification they might have carried against protocol.

Yuri left the dead where they fell and all his team and cars were out of the driveway on the way back to their motel operations center. They had been on the Kalin property for six minutes. The farm was isolated enough that no one responded to the gunfire. Yuri assumed the local people were used to guns being fired for practice and for hunting.

Maybe we were lucky, Yuri thought. If Kalin had been there, we all might have been killed. As it was the woman carrying a baby killed three of my team, the last one after she was nearly dead. She died fighting and trying to protect her child. I’m through with trying to trap Kalin. I’ll leave one car and one person here to watch the driveway for Kalin. The police may come before he returns. No way we can hang around Latrobe any longer.

Route 30 East, April 1975

 

Two days of checking motels, fast food restaurants, and car dealers turned up nothing. It seemed the Kincaids had vanished. Yuri was getting some pressure from Moscow to move on, expand the search area west of Pittsburgh. He stuck to his operational instincts. Yuri had moved his operating base to a motel in Latrobe, Pa., and was actively participating in the search. He needed to make sure the search wasn’t so intensive and visible it could attract police attention or media coverage. Maybe if they didn’t soon find the trail, he would arrange to get a piece of news into the local papers that might flush Kalin from his rat hole.

On the morning of the third day, Yuri went into the Latrobe Cadillac dealership. When he asked the salesman if he recognized Kalin’s picture, the salesman said, “Sure. I sold him a late model Cadillac for cash. I see the car from time to time. He must still be in the area. Why? Can I interest you in a car?”

“Afraid not. Beyond my bank account. But I would like some information on the man in this picture. I’m a private detective working for a Pittsburgh law firm to find this man and get him to testify in a big civil suit against the company he worked for. If you can give me some identifying information, I’m authorized to pay a small fee. It will be at least $50.”

“I don’t know much about Mr. Webb. I can give you a good description of the car and a copy of the sales contract.”

“You just made $150.”

“Great. Give me a minute and I’ll make a copy of the sales agreement and the trade-in title.”

Ten minutes later Yuri was sitting in the back seat reading the contract. He tapped the driver on the shoulder. “Pull into that parking lot and park.”

Though handwritten and faint, the name Kincaid was clearly on the copy of the car title.

Turning to the other KGB officer in the passenger seat, Yuri said, “Get on the radio and tell everyone to come back to the motel.”

When everyone was present, Yuri started by saying, “Kalin is here is this town. He is using the name Jake Webb.

“They are driving a black, late model Cadillac Eldorado with temporary plates. His wife could be driving, so look for the car. Never mind trying to get a picture. Don’t try to take them. Use very discreet surveillance tactics. Kalin is very good at detecting surveillance. Maybe he trained his wife. So be extra careful. Do not get too close. Switch cars often. Your task is only to find out where the Webbs are living. We need that information soon. Do not attract the attention of the local police. The plan is to stake out major crossroads, particularly monitor traffic going and coming on Route 30 west of Latrobe. One car will cruise the town. Break off the stakeouts at midnight and get some sleep. Back on the sites assigned at 7:00 AM. Switch cars and positions every four or five hours. Keep off the radios unless it is important. You have your assignments. Find this traitor.”

Pittsburgh, March 29, 1975

 

Yuri wasted no time in Pittsburgh. After checking into a hotel, he took a taxi to the scene of the four dead KGB officers and the Mellon Bank. The bank was open and he went inside to visualize how it all went down.

A skilled KGB officer like Kalin could have planned and pulled off the looting of the box and the killing of the four officers. In the scenario I believe is true, Kalin had no choice. Once the KGB watcher inside the bank was tipped off by the paid attendant, he would immediately hurry outside to alert the waiting team. Kalin had seen the parked car with the engine running and had to stop them from getting into action. He must have gained control of the watcher as soon as he left the bank and used him as cover approaching the car with the windows iced or steamed up. The men inside had no chance.

Kalin’s wife, carrying the baby and the loot from the box, would have been out of the bank by then. Kalin’s car, the station wagon, must have been nearby but out of sight from the bank or the parked KGB car. With weather conditions like they were, it would be useless to try to find anyone who had seen the car. I have to put myself inside my old friend’s head. Two kids, probably tired and hungry. Four dead men behind him, as yet undiscovered. He had to get out of the area. So far, everyone believes Kalin headed back to an area of the country he knew. They think he probably has a hiding place there ready for the Kalin family.

But they do not know him. Kalin has one of the best operational minds I have ever come across. He would know how his hunters thought and do just the opposite. He would have gone east to lose himself in the vast populated areas of America’s east coast. New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Richmond, or Miami. He also needed to change cars and aliases again.

There is also another bank with a safety deposit box full of KGB funds in Washington, D.C., but I believe Kalin is done with the banks. He has enough and knows the risk to hit another bank could not be justified. So his main concern now is hiding and breaking whatever chain of clues he believes he left behind. He wouldn’t have traveled more than two or three hours after leaving the bank before changing cars and aliases. They would also need a rest. I’m glad he has two very young kids and a wife with him. Without those burdens we would never catch him. The family gives us a chance.

I’m sure he stopped and changed cars and aliases within three hours east of this bank. If he thought it was safe or necessary, he may still be hiding out in the same area. Tomorrow I’ll assign my teams to go east 35 miles and start showing the pictures at car sales lots, motels, fast food restaurants right along the highway. I’m gambling that he will avoid the turnpike. Too easy to check traffic and limited exits. He would have chosen Route 30 East. There are thousands of places to leave the highway and travel in any direction. Tomorrow or the next day we will find his trail.

Minneapolis, late-March, 1975

 

After 16 days of intensive street work visiting 60 places selling cars and 43 covered parking garages, one of Yuri’s team members finally found a lead. After three visits to a large dealership on the south edge of the city, a part-time salesman recognized Kalin’s picture and remembered selling him a year-old station wagon. He remembered because it was the first cash sale of a nearly new car he had ever made. It wasn’t uncommon but it was his first.

The salesman said, “No, there was no trade-in. Are you cops? Because if you aren’t, I’m not telling you anymore.”

“No, we are not cops but we need to find this man and are willing to pay a $50 fee for any information.”

The salesman said, “We are finished here,” and walked into the show room.

Yuri’s team set up to watch for the salesman leaving after work so they could follow him home, but missed him in the traffic coming and going into the dealership.

At the meeting with Yuri that night, he wasn’t pleased they failed to find out where the salesman lived or his name. Yuri split the team to make two teams each with a member who could identify the salesman going or coming from the Ford dealership.

Yuri told them not to come back without the information and to do whatever it took. After three days of watching, a team saw the salesman leaving the car lot. They followed him to a diner and, when he came out alone, grabbed him just as he was getting in his car. The salesman, whose name was Gary Hoyle, recognized one of the team and said, “I told you I wasn’t going to give you any more information.”

“Look, we’re private detectives who are being paid to find a guy who ran out on his pregnant wife and two little kids. Her dad has retained us to find and serve him. We are authorized to pay you $500 for information about the false name he is now using and the VIN and description of the station wagon. Also we will not make trouble for your dealership selling a car for cash to a person using a false name and fictitious address. The court case over that could take months. Please cooperate. No one, including us, needs that kind of aggravation.”

“Let me see your licenses.”

“Okay,” and one of the team handed both licenses to him.

“Looks good to me. But I don’t have the file with me. I’ll have to get a copy of the sales contract.”

“Can you remember the name?”

“Only the last name and that was Kincaid.”

“Here’s $250. Bring the contract here tomorrow and we’ll give you the rest of the money.”

“Okay. See you here tomorrow at noon. Can I go now?”

“Yes and thank you. You have done a good thing.”

When they reported to Yuri, he left one team member to meet again with the salesman, while he and the other three went directly to Pittsburgh on separate flights.

April 1975

 

The Webbs had been in their rental farmhouse for almost two weeks. Sally Ann and Jake were in love with the privacy and living close to wildlife. Jack loved to slide down the snow-covered slopes just next to the barn.

Jake bought four backpacks and three sleeping bags at a local hunting supply store and a good .30 Winchester rifle with a 10x scope and 200 rounds of ammunition and a 12-gauge Remington pump-action shotgun with 100 rounds of double-ought shells.

All he needed was the cash and to flash his driver’s license. Gun stores were stricter on the sale of handguns but had no requirement to report sales of sporting guns. As soon as Jake got to his small shop in the barn, he unplugged the shotgun so it would hold five shells rather than the limit of three required for hunting small game in Pennsylvania. He also cut thirteen inches off the barrel. It was now an illegal weapon. But better to be illegal than dead, he thought. A sawed-off shotgun was the best defensive weapon for close in targets. If the KGB found him, legal or illegal was not relevant.

He also had a used four-wheel drive white Ford pickup truck and a used Ford station wagon he bought for cash at a small auction in Greensburg. He titled the wagon under the Brandon name using a false address. If they had to flee, he would use the Ford wagon. He had the Ford garage in Somerset check out the station wagon. New tires, belts, wiper blades, fluids, brake check. The wagon passed inspection.

Jake hoped he never would have to use it. He kept it in the barn with the packed backpacks and sleeping bags. Their treasure was hidden under the rear seat. Sally Ann had packed one of the backpacks for each family member and a suitcase full of non-perishable food and water.

Jake was happy. He loved working with his hands and he had a natural skill both with weapons and tools. He was beginning to think they might buy the farm at the end of two months. It was isolated enough that it was hard to approach without being seen. His head was full of plans to improve the house and fix up the barn. Sally Ann wanted some chickens, and maybe a milk cow and a riding horse.

The farm reminded her of her grandmother’s farm in Poland. Jake could see that she was really happy for the first time since leaving Poland. The tension and watchfulness was gone. Jake knew the resources of the KGB could find them. He was not ready to use the Brandon name yet. He had made some mistakes, but had had no choice. They had to change cars and names, but in doing so he had left a trail that could be picked up by skillful hunters. Jake knew he was beginning to relax and lose his edge, partly because Sally Ann was so happy and he didn’t want to make her fearful again. She carried her 9mm Browning everywhere she went. But it is hard to be eternally vigilant. Jake had high respect for the KGB and had no doubt they would find a clue somewhere and begin to close in.

Minneapolis, March 16, 1975

 

Yuri Kolenko and the rest of his four-person KGB team landed in Minneapolis on different flights and times. They were all tourists from Finland, Ireland, Italy, and West Germany. Weapons were delivered to Yuri’s room at the hotel. By the next day everyone had checked in and been briefed on what Yuri wanted done.

He was younger than the others but had been on the fast track for years. This mission could make or break his career. They were all given the same briefing. “When you read the file I’ve given you, read it again,” Yuri told his team. “Ivan Kalin is a very intelligent and dangerous man. Without help he killed four of our best with a .22 pistol without anyone getting off a shot. Three of them had weapons in their hands. Before he killed them he emptied the bank safety deposit box of all its currency, gold, and diamonds. He did the same in two other banks, here in Minneapolis and another in Chicago.

“He made us believe he was going to hit the bank in Cleveland next. He set us up with a clever phone call he knew we would get. Then he drove overnight from Chicago to Pittsburgh through the worst storm of the year. His wife is an accomplice. She is intelligent, can handle a handgun, and like most Poles doesn’t like Russians. We believe she emptied the Pittsburgh safety deposit box while our man inside watched, and she was carrying a baby in her arms. I tell you this because she is also dangerous and will be difficult to capture. So don’t try and don’t get caught by the local authorities.

“Control the kill zone. Don’t give either one a chance. If the children survive, leave them. Someone will care for them and we cannot take them back. Killing infants is not part of our training or mission.

“Kalin has several problems. Running with two young children is difficult. He has to carry the loot with him. Not only is it heavy, he has to watch over it. Without a fixed address he cannot open a bank account, especially since he cannot give a plausible explanation of where the money came from. Then there is the tax problem. So he will be paying cash for everything.

“Kalin has had the same training we have. He probably used his first alias we gave him to use in St. Cloud, a two-hour drive north from here, until he got to the first big metro center. That is here. From here he needed to change cars and to change cars he needed to change aliases. We don’t know what name they are now using. He had to arrange for other aliases without our help once he got to America.

“He has too many problems to last long running and changing cars and names. So he will try to find someplace he can hide and wait us out, while he improves his cover and defenses. He may be in such a place right now. To find him we must find where he changed cars. His need for cars is a big weakness for him.

“What I have told you so far is fact. Now, for some supposition. He would not have gone to a big car dealership. So we leave those for last. He made the purchase maybe weeks before he took off. In that case he had to hold the car somewhere safe. Probably in a pay-for-parking covered garage. Remember, it was bitter cold when he ran. If the car was held outside it would have been covered by snow and ice. With two infants he wasn’t going to risk being stranded by a car that wouldn’t start or if the doors were frozen. He had to transfer baggage and enough supplies to care for two kids on a long road trip.

“So while half of you cover outlying car agencies, the other two will check indoor parking garages. He will have paid cash in advance for parking. I’m sure nobody was in disguise. He also paid cash for the car. Anticipating bad weather, he would have selected a new or late model with 4-wheel drive. With two kids and baggage and with the possibility they might have to sleep in the car, he would not have bought a small sedan, nothing with only two doors. Concentrate on big station wagons or cars. I doubt he would have opted for a van of some type. Few of them are all-wheel drive.

“Okay, you know what to do. Go out and start showing pictures. Show his. Hold hers back for now. Use your P.I. creds. You are looking for a guy who ran out on his wife and young kids. Nothing sensational or spooky and don’t act important. Use small bribes if needed. Nothing over 50 dollars. Check back in here tonight.”

March 17, 1975

 

Sally Ann loved the farm as soon as they drove up the driveway behind the realtor. The house looked like it had seen better times. It needed painting and some repair of wood rot around some of the windows. The hardwood floors could be brought back with a sanding and refinishing. “Look at this kitchen,” Sally Ann said excitedly. “Large, lots of light, and a great view out toward the barn and meadow. I may stand at the sink all day. I like this place.”

“Is it large enough?” Jake asked. “Only two bedrooms and one bath. It also has a well system and septic tank in unknown condition.”

“Trivial. My husband can fix anything.”

“Good. Now make a list of the things we need to live here for a few months at least.”

Nancy Elwood said, “I have to go. If you need anything call me.”

Sally Ann said, “Thank you. We’ll be in touch.”

Moscow, March 5, 1975

 

General Vassili was enjoying his first cup of strong black tea at his desk. Nothing that he knew about should make this a difficult day for the KGB’s Chief of the First Directorate. Still, he would have to cut back on his drinking. Even the best vodka could leave a pounding headache the next morning. Maybe I should also give up cigarettes and spend more time getting back into shape. How hard could it be to also lose 20 kilos if I put my mind to it?

The door opened. He had told his very attractive and sexy office manager to give him 30 minutes of peace and quiet.

He scowled at Maria. “What is it that you didn’t understand about giving me a bit of quiet?”

“General, forgive me, but you must see this right away. The Director will be calling in the next few minutes.”

Stepping forward, she handed him a brief cable from the KGB Residency in Washington. After reading the cable, he slammed his fist on the desk. “Get my operations staff in here immediately.”

As the door closed behind her, he thought, I could lose my job over this. Four KGB senior officers shot dead in front of a bank they were staking out to catch the defector who is stealing from our safety deposit boxes. The men weren’t found until the next day. They were all heavily armed and none of them fired a single shot. The safety deposit box was looted right under our noses. The people who want my job will use this to try and destroy me. My own people are helping them with such stupidity.

He opened his top drawer and took out the file on the defector. An officer on the fast track. Great training record, impeccable family. Father and mother were awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Awards for fighting in Stalingrad against the best units of the German Army. This defector is very, very good, or he is being helped by the CIA. We need to find him in a hurry.

When his team of operational officers were settled in his office, General Vassili stared at them and read the cable from Washington. Then he said, “This defector, Ivan Kalin, must be found and quickly. I want an operational plan on my desk in five hours. Maria, contact our Resident in Iraq. Tell him I’m sending a plane for Yuri Kolenko. No delays are permitted. Yuri must be at the airport when my plane lands. Absolutely no excuses. I don’t care what he is doing or what he has planned. He is to come directly to my office as soon as he lands.”

Turning again to his staff, the General said, “Kolenko and a four-person team will be flying commercial to Minneapolis within 24 hours. All will be flying with business cover aliases and supporting documentation. Get them all the cash and equipment they ask for. Two of the alias sets of documents must include private detective licenses and permits to carry weapons. Yuri can meet with our man in Minneapolis but no one else. Tell our Resident in Washington to cooperate fully with all requests from Yuri. The code name will be Revenge. Yuri will have the authority to cooperate with U.S. authorities only with my case-by-case permission.

“Along with the operational plan that you will finish in five hours will be a plan to get American law and order forces searching for a renegade officer turned bank robber and killer. Also prepare a file for Yuri on both Kalin and his Polish wife, whatever her name is. Take all relatives living in the USSR or Eastern Europe into custody. The charge is crime against the State and treason. Now get out of here and go to work.”