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.”

Jake left Sally Ann and the children in the rather nice motel just outside downtown Latrobe, while he went to trade the wagon in for another car in the Webb alias. He signed and backdated the title to show a sale from Frank Kincaid to Jake Webb. He had to use his next to last social security number. He was saving the last one for the change to the name of his heritage, Peter Brandon.

At the motel he had studied the local paper and saw that there was a Cadillac dealership a mile down Route 30 from their motel. Jake drove into the lot and was met by a salesman before he got to the show room.

“I want to look at the models in the show room. I’m interested in trading my wagon in on a new or late model Cadillac.”

“Good, come with me. I’m sure we can find something you will want. My name is Bill Shipton.”

“Glad to meet you Bill. I’m Jake Webb.”

In less than an hour Jake drove off the lot behind the wheel of a Cadillac Eldorado hardtop with only 20 thousand miles.

It was a good buy and he felt he had been treated fairly. There was some surprise when he paid in cash. Bill told him that in his five years of selling Cadillacs only one other customer had bought one for cash.

Sally Ann loved the new car. “I never thought I would ride in a Cadillac. Now I own one.”

“I paid for it with your handful of diamonds,” Jake winked.

“That means I own it for real.”

“Yes, it is yours. I’ll buy a pickup truck in a few days.”

When the children woke up and Christina was fed, the Webbs went shopping at a nearby mall. Jake found a few off-the-rack suits that with minor alterations fit him. After three pairs of chinos, Levis, a leather jacket, some insulated leather boots, a watch hat, warm socks, and underwear, he was ready to go.

He also bought some new luggage. Sally Ann shopped for the children first and when Jake found her, she turned over the children to him and went shopping. The shops weren’t like Minneapolis or Chicago but she found three outfits she really liked, a stylish coat, a jacket, and other warm clothes, including Levis and boots. A few colorful scarves, sweaters, and pumps with four-inch heels, and she was ready for her new Sally-Ann-Webb-from-Philadelphia role.

It was growing late in the afternoon but Jake called and made an appointment to meet with a realtor in fifteen minutes. Sally told him she would rather go back to the motel. He could then take her car and go see the realtor.

The realtor, Nancy Elwood, turned out to be a woman in her mid-forties who was born and raised in the area. Jake introduced himself then said, “I might buy later but now I’m looking for a short-term furnished rental with some privacy. An old farm would suit us. If we liked the farm and the area, we could end up buying.”

Jake could see he had her attention.

“I have a place like that for sale,” she said. “An empty farm house, barn, fenced pasture, and 30 acres of wooded hills. They are asking $175,000 – could you go that high?”

“Yes, I can manage that much if I want the place after living in it.”

“The place has been on the market for months. Not much moves here in the winter.”

“For immediate occupancy I’ll offer $1,000 a month on a month-by-month lease or agreement. Cash up front and a reasonable security deposit.”

“The owner no longer lives there. The farm is empty now. I’d want to have our clean-up crew go over it before any one moves in. If your offer is accepted, you could move in day after tomorrow. The owner may want to know if you can afford the sale price. She will also want to keep the place on the market.”

“No problem. I’m an investor/builder and have just made a fair amount of money that is in cash.”

“I see your Cadillac is not just a front, then.”

Laughing, Jake said, “No, I can afford it. If you find something a good bit larger while we’re renting, please let me know. I’ll finance any place we buy myself.”

Ms. Elwood called Jake at the motel the next morning and said, “The owner approved. If you could stop by with the first month’s rent plus a $500 security deposit, you could move in tomorrow. There is some furniture in the house you may use.”

“I’ll be there in an hour,” Jake said.

After an hour on Route 30 East, just past the town of Jeannette, Frank had finally settled down enough to tell Alice what had happened outside the bank. “The KGB was waiting for us. The woman attendant you said was nervous was working with them. She signaled a man, who was trying to look busy, that you had asked for the right numbered box. He put on his hat and hurried outside. Before I went in the bank, I saw a car with the engine idling. That made me suspicious and when the man in the bank hurried outside after getting the attendant’s signal, I went out after him, grabbed his arm, put my gun in his ribs, and spoke to him in Russian. He understood perfectly. I walked him up to the car with the idling engine and when he opened the door, pushed him inside. I had to shoot him and the three other armed men in the car.”

“My God, Frank! And I thought I did all the work! Are you okay? What does that mean? Are we in more trouble?”

“The KGB will now be hunting to kill us. I think we were already on the kill list, but now for sure. The men in the backseat were armed with a submachine gun and what looked like a sniper’s rifle. At the slightest resistance they would have been shooting to kill. The KGB will keep some effort going to find us for several years. We must not give them any clues.

“We left some things for them to find, assuming the KGB finds the car with the dead men inside. They will cover their tracks, get rid of the bodies, car, and maybe the safety deposit vault attendant. The only thing the KGB will have are the brass casings of the .22 I used. I couldn’t take the time to find them all. A first-class police forensic lab may be able to pull partial prints from the casings. I loaded the magazine without using gloves. I always try to avoid handling anything but the bullet part of the cartridge but never can be sure. By the time the KGB even gets around to looking at the brass, if ever, they won’t find anything. Hollow points don’t give the ballistic people much to work with.

“A police or FBI lab is very different. If they tie the dead men to the bank or the bank attendant, they will do a first-class forensic job. If they get the attendant, before the KGB they will get a description of you and Christina from her and the bank cameras. They’ll dust the vault for fingerprints but won’t find any because you were wearing gloves. The cameras will also pick me up and will link me to the KGB watcher inside the bank, because I was watching him and left immediately after him. I think that is the worst case, and it is not too bad. So, all in all, I don’t believe we are in any more danger. But we’ll have to watch the evening news for a few days.”

Driving east on Route 30 through western Pennsylvania, Frank and Alice talked over their plan for the next month. “Frank, have you ever killed anyone before?”

“No. I didn’t have time to think. These men were hunting us and intended to kill us, at the bank or somewhere later. There was no ethical problem for me. It was them or us. An easy choice. There was no thrill or remorse. Those men were hardened killers. Without the snowstorm, we would all be dead. I couldn’t take four trained men without the cover of the falling snow and iced-over windows. They had little choice. They couldn’t wait out on the street or in the bank. We would have seen them and so would’ve the bank guard. I’m sure they hated waiting in the car where they were not able to see outside. They didn’t count on such an aggressive move on my part. They didn’t know about my father and grandfather who killed men many times. Maybe it’s in my blood.”

“What do we do now?”

“We need to change cars and identities. We also need to buy more clothing so we can fit into a more affluent society. We won’t have credit cards for a while so we pay cash for everything. We must look like we are used to wealth and just don’t need credit cards.”

“Shopping sounds good. My clothes certainly don’t fit into a richer environment. My wealthy attitude is natural. I grew up in a privileged class in Poland. Just get me the clothes. I can play the role. Besides, you owe me a handful of diamonds.”

“A small handful. Wealth is also a problem for us. We must have 30 to 40 pounds of currency, gold, and diamonds with us now. We can’t keep carrying it around and I’m a bit reluctant to put it all in a number of safety deposit boxes around the country. The use of alias identification gets very complex. My idea is to buy a place and hide most of the money on our own property. The ideal thing would be a remote mountain cabin in good condition. We can hide out there for a while and think about our options. Our trail will get colder over time and the KGB will eventually pull back some of the teams now hunting us.”

“Now that we’re wealthy can we get something to eat, and a place to rest and get cleaned up?”

“Take a look at the map. I believe there is a small town called Greensburg a few miles ahead just before we enter the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains.”

“Yes. It’s about four miles straight ahead.”

“Good. Now look for a motel. I like being able to park the car right outside the door of our unit. I’m going to pull over when I can find a place to stop for ten minutes so we can change identities again. This will be our last name change for a while I hope.”

“I was just getting used to Alice Kincaid.”

“Say good-bye to Alice because you will soon be Sally Ann Webb. Your maiden name was Smythe, pronounced Smith. Your family is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You were married July 24, 1971. You have no brothers or sisters and both parents were killed in a car accident ten years ago. You were educated abroad and speak French. You majored in the history of Eastern Europe and Russia. You met your husband, Jacob Allen Webb, at a wedding of one of your friends. You moved to Chicago where our children were born.

“Your husband made enough money in investments and wanted to try a new lifestyle and raise a family away from big urban areas. You didn’t like Chicago and were glad to move east. Your credentials are in the brown envelope in my overloaded briefcase. Better wait until we stop and I’ll dig them out for you. Call me Jake. You can be Sally or Sally Ann.”

“I’ll be Sally Ann. I like the flare. Now give me my diamonds and buy me some proper clothes.”

“In due time, Sally Ann.”

The next morning it was still snowing but not nearly as heavily as the night before. By ten o’clock they were moving with light traffic past the Mellon Bank. Frank saw a few people dressed for stormy weather going into the bank. He went over the plan again with Alice and gave her chance to ask questions. By the time he found a parking place on the street around the corner and a block from the bank, Alice was ready.

“Give me five minutes then start out for the bank,” Frank said. “We’ll only be gone about 15 minutes. Jack will be fine in the car. He’s all bundled up and half asleep.”

By the time Frank got to the bank, his topcoat and hat were covered with snow. He saw a car a half a block from the bank with the engine idling. A sure indicator someone was in the car waiting for someone in the bank to come out. Something to consider but not enough to abort when we are this close and maybe already under surveillance. As he got closer to the bank, he could see that the car was covered with snow and ice. Only the passenger door on the side he could see had been opened.

When he entered the bank lobby, he was looking for someone acting busy and watching the door. Frank opened his coat, took off his hat, brushed some snow from the brim, and started working on a bank form at a standup desk. From his position he could see the door and spotted a suspected surveillant. When Alice carrying Christina and a briefcase pushed through the revolving door, Frank’s suspect noted her arrival and watched Alice ask the woman at the desk nearest the safety deposit box vault. When Alice was escorted into the vault area, he continued to watch the area with a growing intensity. A few minutes later, the female attendant came out, looked at the man watching, and nodded her head slightly. The man immediately put on his hat and moved quickly toward the exit.

Frank was convinced the man was KGB and followed him closely out the door. Outside, he quickened his pace and caught the man by the left arm, jamming the .22 Hi Standard into his right side, saying in Russian, “Do what I say or you will die here. Don’t look at me or make any signals. I know where your companion is waiting for you. We are going to walk over to your car now.”

The snow squalls picked up, reducing visibility. Frank pushed the barrel of his gun hard into his ribcage and said, “Open the door and get inside. I’ll put a bullet in one of your tires and nobody needs to die. Do exactly as I say or you’re the first to die.”

His captive opened the door and Frank pushed him hard inside into the driver. He shot each man twice in the head and then turned to the two men in the back and shot them both before they could bring their weapons up. He reached over, turned off the engine, and locked the doors. With any luck, it would be hours before anyone found them.

Frank crossed the street to a point where he could see the bank door and their car. Ten minutes later, Alice came out of the bank and began walking to the car, carrying Christina and the heavy briefcase. Frank moved to meet her and relieved her of the heavy bag. Alice took his arm. “It went just like you planned it. Everything is in the bag. The attendant seemed a little nervous. I didn’t see her after she put the box back and returned my key. Did you get cold just standing around while I did all the work?”

“No,” Frank said. “I managed to keep busy.” Back at the car, they found Jack still asleep. “We’re going to take a different route to Washington, D.C. One of the oldest roads and most important roads in the Colonial era of America is Route 30 that runs over the Allegheny Mountains through a number of small agriculture and manufacturing towns. We may stay overnight in one of those towns. By tomorrow all the main roads should be cleared of snow. Our bank robbing days are now over.” He let out a sigh.

Christina soon fell asleep in her mother’s arms and Frank could see that Alice was dropping off. Jack was sitting in his car seat, looking out the window and chewing on a big pretzel.

Frank had been in worse storms in the USSR but not in heavy, fast-moving traffic. Four-wheel drive doesn’t help you stop. He kept moving with traffic but focused on keeping 50 yards between the wagon and the trailer truck in front of him. Some cars were flying by even though the snowfall and winds were picking up, and traffic news was full of warnings not to drive unless absolutely necessary. The farther south they went the worse the storm became. He could feel the gusting winds rocking the wagon’s body. The wipers front and back were keeping up, but he had switched both defrosters on to prevent a buildup of ice.

They passed several accidents. Some of them with the emergency vehicles were blocking a lane of traffic. The frantic lane changes of some drivers and the increasing fury of the storm convinced Frank to pull off at the next exit and wait until the worst of the storm passed even though they were still 100 miles from Pittsburgh. The banks would be closed by now anyway and might be slow in opening tomorrow, he thought. We will need to be well rested for tomorrow.

The storm kept getting worse. Frank saw cars pulling off the turnpike onto the shoulder. He reached across the front seat and gently shook Alice’s shoulder. She was immediately alert and looking around. Frank said, “Just need your help. I’m looking for an exit off the turnpike. It’s too dangerous to continue driving in this storm. The traffic is getting heavier and the storm is getting worse. Here’s where we are on the map. Look for an exit that looks like it may lead to a cluster of motels and fast food restaurants. We’ll check in, get a good night’s sleep, and be ready to get back on the turnpike in the morning if the storm has passed.”

Alice studied the map. “Five miles ahead there is an exit that leads to a string of small towns, Beaver Falls, Elwood City, and a town with an Indian name spelled A-L-I–Q-U-I–P-P-A.”

Frank laughed. “Your Polish tongue isn’t up to Indian names. That’s pronounced ALI-QUIP-PAH. Help me find the exit. It’s hard to read through all the falling and blowing snow.” Ten minutes later Alice said, “Slow down. Signs ahead. This should be our exit.”

“Okay. Hang on in case we slide a bit. I’m following the guardrails. Can’t make out anything else.”

Up ahead, Frank saw a cluster of neon lights and, using them as a guide, pulled into a small strip mall with a motel at either end. He picked the one that looked the best and pulled into the parking lot half-full of snow and ice-encrusted cars.

Frank walked through calf-high snow to get to the office. He took a two-bedroom unit and paid cash in advance. Alice was glad to get inside with the children. “Traveling in style. Imagine rooms with a bath. I’m going to get the kids bathed and in bed as soon as they have been fed. That means you’ll have to go out and bring in something. You know Jack loves cheeseburgers, and I need something to get some energy. I’m really tired. A bottle of beer would be good also. Check on a place to have breakfast tomorrow. If we’re going to get an early start on our bank robbing career, I’ll need breakfast and coffee to go. You’re the provider. Go do your thing.”

“On my way. I hope you didn’t overlook the purpose of the second bedroom.”

“Don’t worry. I always have energy for loving a good law-abiding provider.”

“If you’re a good girl, you can select a diamond from my diamond supply.”

“A handful would be better.”

“Typical Polish girl. You can have a handful after we do the Mellon Bank.”

 

Alice checked the Kincaids out of the motel while Frank loaded the car. They were on the road by 11:00 AM. Fresh coffee from the motel and lunch from McDonald’s would hold them for several hours. The wagon’s large gas tank was full. Frank figured they were getting 17 mpg on the highway. Once on the super highway, it was a straight shot to Pittsburgh. The radio carried frequent weather updates due to impending storm conditions. They passed several plows and salt trucks in position along the throughway to keep traffic flowing. The storm was coming from the southwest at 40 mph. The leading edge of the broad storm front was behind them but the easternmost part of the front would catch them before they passed Cleveland. From there on, the travel would be hazardous.

The east and south bound turnpikes would bring them to Pittsburgh. An eight-or nine-hour drive in good weather. Frank thought, America is a huge country. Not as large as the USSR but the roads here are magnificent. Even better, the windshield wipers on the front and back, along with the heater and defroster, keep the windows clear of ice and snow.

Alice had a good mind and Frank told her about his plan and asked her for her thoughts. “You know you’re risking all our lives for the money in the Pittsburgh bank.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Frank admitted. “It is a short-term risk for our long-term safety.”

“If we’re all dead in the short term, your long term is not so attractive. Tell me the risks you see in taking the contents of the safety deposit box in the Mellon Bank.”

“The KGB could have a few people waiting for us in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Not many. We could probably win a short, quick gunfight, but then the police, as well as the KGB would be after us. The box could be empty but still a surveillance team could be waiting for us. Big no-win for us. No more money and hot pursuit. Not a good thing. Best case, I’m counting on my Cleveland ploy to buy us time and force them to scramble to get enough people in Cleveland during a winter storm to capture us. The KGB has limitations in operating here. Personnel from their big bases in D.C. and New York just can’t pick up and go to Cleveland.

“They need U.S. government approval and would be followed by the FBI. They have few people like us they can use in this kind of a situation. They also may believe the CIA is helping us now or soon will be. Their greatest fear is that we’ll defect to the CIA. That means that they will try to avoid any open violence. Any Russian caught in an act of violence in America will be declared persona non-gratis. For a KGB officer who has trained for years to work in America, it is not a good career move to be sent back to the USSR or cause someone to be sent back. You see the odds are not all on their side.”

“How much money is in the Mellon Bank safety deposit box?” Alice asked.

“The last time I counted the currency, there was two million mostly in large bills. Hundred dollar bills were the smallest. I can’t estimate the value of the gold and diamonds. But the whole thing is larger than both boxes I’ve emptied so far.”

“Can we do this?”

“Remember a few months ago when you signed a few bank cards in that strange name?”

“Yes.”

“Well that gave you access to the deposit box in the Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh and the Riggs Bank in Washington, D.C. The plan I like the best is for you to go in the Mellon Bank carrying Christina and ask the person at the desk controlling access to the safety deposit boxes to please get the box for you. When she or he does, simply empty everything in the box into the briefcase you will carry in. There are two bricks wrapped in a towel in the briefcase, put them into the box and have the attendant put it back. The attendant will return your key and you walk out of the bank and out to the car.

“I’ll go inside the bank before you with Jack. If you see me use my handkerchief to wipe my face, it is clear for you to go empty the box. If you do not get the go-ahead signal, go up to one of the tellers and cash a hundred dollar bill and go back to the car. In either case, I’ll be close. Do not hesitate. Walk without hurrying to the car. It should be snowing hard enough to give us some cover. If anyone wants us, they will have to get close and I’ll be ready. Don’t worry, we have plenty of time to go over the plan in detail. You will know the inside of the bank exactly. I have a sketch for you. Okay?”

“Yes. Of course I can handle that. I would feel better if I were armed. The KGB will never take me or the children alive. You know, I’m quite good with a handgun. Give me the Browning 9mm.”

“It’s yours. I’ll use the silenced Hi Standard .22. A perfect weapon for close work.

“It’s 460 miles from Chicago to Pittsburgh. Should take us eight to ten hours depending on traffic and the weather. Our entire route is on what are called turnpikes here, most are toll roads. I’ll need you to drive if I get too sleepy. Just don’t speed. Move with traffic. Five miles over the speed limit seems safe. Ten miles over can attract the attention of the highway patrol. Our identities might not hold up if the police do a thorough check. I don’t want to kill or injure a cop for any reason. Having the KGB searching for us is enough.”

Alice turned from looking out the window to the southwest and remarked, “Have you noticed how dark the clouds are behind us to the south?”

“Yes, I’ve been watching them constantly. Once we pass the exits to Cleveland and turn south to Pittsburgh we will be driving right into the storm. I’ll stop for gasoline soon after we pass Cleveland. You’ll have time to take care of the children. I’ll help as soon as the car is ready to go. We can get food to go, and you can try to get some sleep. The journey will get much harder when we run into the storm front. They’re predicting upwards of a foot of snow, drifted areas would be much deeper. The farther we get from the Great Lakes region, the better. Snowfall is always heaviest near the big lakes.”

The next morning, Frank picked up breakfast from a nearby fast food restaurant and, after telling Alice the plans for the day, he left to be at the bank when the door opened. Again he parked a block from the bank and watched the area from the car for 20 minutes. He saw nothing unusual on the street. Taking his briefcase from the backseat, Frank walked up to the bank, all senses alert for the slightest anomaly in a normal street scene. Inside the bank, the tellers were taking their first customers. Frank knew the name of the young woman who dealt with customers who wanted to get access to a safety deposit box. He approached her and said, “Susan, I see I beat the crowd. Can you get my box for me? Here is my key and I.D.”

“Sure. Follow me. They changed the forecast last night, did you hear? It looks like a storm is going to hit us this afternoon. Are you traveling anywhere?”

“Yes. Unfortunately I have to drive to Cleveland for a day or so. I’ll still be in the heavy snowfall area. I hope I can beat the storm.”

“You better get started. It’s a good five hours to Cleveland in good weather.”

Using both keys, Susan pulled the large box part way out and said, “You take it from here. That is a heavy box. Must be full of gold.”

“Don’t I wish? Legal documents and ledgers weigh a ton. But if we lost our business records, this off-site storage could save our business.”

Susan nodded, then left Frank with his box. When the door closed, he transferred the bundles of currency, bars of gold, and diamonds to his briefcase. He also took the identity documents and the .22 silenced High Standard automatic and extra magazines. Frank inserted a loaded magazine into the handgun and slipped it under his belt in the small of his back. He transferred the two bricks from his briefcase into the box and called Susan. When she came in he slid the now lighter boxH into its slot and said, “Thank you. Now I have to get on the road to Cleveland.”

“Good luck,” she said with a smile. “See you next time.”

Frank left the bank and walked a pre-planned route to check for any surveillance. When he was sure no one was following him, he slipped into a street phone booth and called the bank in Cleveland. When he was put through to the assistant manager in charge of customer services, he identified himself by the name on the safety box and inquired about bank hours and the weather. “I’m trying to get there before the bank closes. I’m in Chicago now.”

Harry Barnes, the assistant manager said, “We plan to close at five unless the weather is terrible, and then we may close earlier so employees can get home safely. Oh, by the way your partner called to see if you had checked your box today or yesterday. He said he put some documents in the box you should see. He also said he would be in sometime today. Maybe you two could meet here at the bank. I can make a conference room available.”

“No, I probably won’t get there until mid-day tomorrow because of this weather. I’ll try to get him on the phone. Thank you for the offer,” Frank said. He hung up.

I guess I was right about the KGB checking on the boxes when I’ve opened them. I hope they will believe I’m coming to Cleveland and will set up to deal with me there. By tomorrow afternoon, they will be getting nervous about my no show. Bad weather may lead them to wait one day longer. By that time I’ll have emptied the box in the Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh. I’ll never get to the Cleveland or Washington, D.C. boxes, and they will no longer stop at trying to capture me. The effort will be to stop me permanently. A sniper set up in Pittsburgh is probably their best shot. At least I now have a better understanding of how this game is unfolding. They cannot use the bank authorities or the police but they can empty the box. I need the contents of the Pittsburgh safety deposit box. I’ll have to move faster than they can. The coming storm may help me. They won’t drive and if the airlines are delayed or cancelled for several hours, I can beat them. It will be close. It is worth the risk. I’ll need the money to escape and hide. In another two weeks, they will have at least one team hunting me full time.