{"id":2537,"date":"2023-11-30T01:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T01:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/?p=2537"},"modified":"2023-10-17T11:25:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T11:25:55","slug":"epilog-in-9-parts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/?p=2537","title":{"rendered":"***EPILOG*** (In 9 Parts)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1.Did the bombs go off?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     By 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, Dec. 23, everybody on the east coast (Phyllis too) was assembled in Westport in various states of amazement at the successes, both in Vancouver and at the meeting with the District Attorney, and plans were made for Christmas Eve Day, suspected to be the day of the twin bombings.  Skip said the FBI wanted him at Bureau Chief Stover\u2019s side by 3 p.m.  Stover had called earlier.  Stover also told Skip that Gordy had agreed to voluntarily turn himself into the U.S. Marshalls and was in a plane winging towards New York.  For a fleeting moment, Skip imagined Susie would also be winging her way east \u2013 he was surprised that this thought was accompanied by the tiniest of tugs at his heart string.  Skip also reported that Stover wanted \u201cthe Rumpkins\u201d to stay put in Westport \u2013 not come into the City tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cBut what about the deal you made that we\u2019re part of the press conference?\u201d Patty asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cYeah, I know,\u201d Skip said, \u201cbut Stover basically told me it was more a request than a command.  So long as I can tell him precisely where you are at all times, the Fibbie, who would be tailing you, would just follow, but not stop you from coming to attend any press conference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cWait,\u201d Rocky said, \u201cwe need three vehicles in the City: The Land Yacht, Huck\u2019s rental, and Phyllis\u2019 \u2013 keep our options open.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cWhy would we need any options?\u201d Sally asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Patty jumped in: \u201cWe\u2019ve only got one thing to do tomorrow.  We don\u2019t have to be sleuths or cops or informants or rescuers or anything.  We just have to make sure we come<\/em> out<\/em> the<\/em> heroes<\/em>!  Be in the vicinity, so we can make the media conference \u2013 if there is one.  Who knows what\u2019s going to happen tomorrow.  Here\u2019s what I\u2019ve got outlined for Rumpkins Guerilla Theatre Skit Three  . . . \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

____________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     At 3 p.m., on Christmas Eve, the Rumpkins headed into the City.  Skip and Steve had already left in Huck\u2019s rental car to meet up with Stover.  The Land Yacht left with Max, Huck and Patty.  Sure enough, the FBI agent followed the Yacht and didn\u2019t notice Phyllis\u2019s car when it left a few minutes later with Rocky and Phyllis at the wheel.  Sally had decided to stay back: \u201cMy Patty Hearst days are behind me,\u201d Sally said.  \u201cI\u2019ll be here at \u2018headquarters\u2019 in case you guys get split up or need help \u2013 just call in \u2013 and keep me posted.\u201d  Skip said he\u2019d call Sally as soon as he knew the media conference details and then Sally could text everybody.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     At precisely 3 p.m. on December 24, Skip arrived at FBI headquarters wearing a new hat \u201cKeep America Going FORWARD.\u201d   Gordy Ettinger was already there.  Skip said to Gordy, \u201cGood to see you, sir.  You are doing a great service for your country,\u201d making sure Stover and his army of special agents could hear.  \u201cThanks to you, Mr. Ettinger, tonight we\u2019re stopping a terrorist attack, and cracking a sex trafficking ring \u2013 Time magazine should have waited before picking Man of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Indeed, Gordy was<\/em> looking good.  Skip remembered him from three months earlier as a bit shaggy, but he\u2019d cleaned up and was wearing a sports coat.  Skip noticed, however, he couldn\u2019t quite shed that rough, creased look that comes from too much brooding, too many cigarettes, not to mention time in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     When lo and behold!  In walked Susie! . . . and Joey . . . and another surprise – Shadya Warsame was brought in, in the custody of U.S. and Canadian Marshalls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Skip gave Susie a big hug.  She felt that certain chemistry and wanted to kiss him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cThanks for getting me that lawyer,\u201d Shadya said.  \u201cYou know I had no idea these guys were into mass murder.  Killing Abdul maybe, but . . . well, I\u2019m glad to be of some help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cOkay,\u201d Stover said, \u201cenough chit chat.  We\u2019ve got surveillance cameras trained on every car entering Manhattan on the bridges or through the tunnels.  The subways are posted with cops and as many facial recognition cameras we could muster in 24 hours.  You guys keep your eyes peeled for Jane and for Dougherty, aka Rafferty.  Especially you Gordy, you know what they both look like, and we don\u2019t have a mug shot of Jane.  Susie, you went on a date with Dougherty, I hear.  Joey, I know you don\u2019t think you\u2019ve ever met him, but maybe you\u2019ve seen him without being introduced.  You keep your eyes peeled too.  We\u2019ve had an APB since noon yesterday, but no sightings.  We\u2019ve got every bomb sniffing dog in the States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut going through warehouses in Brooklyn, but we\u2019re moving the dogs to the perimeters around St. Pat\u2019s and Rockefeller Center.  Gordy, God damn it, you better be right about this.  No last word from your mole?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cThe person I flipped has been straight with me on everything so far.  Nothing\u2019s for sure, but it\u2019s all we\u2019ve got,\u201d Gordy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cOkay.  For the rest of you, here are the best photos and sketches we\u2019ve got.  Dougherty\u2019s old mug shots from the \u201870s \u2013 and here\u2019s an artist rendition of how Susie says he looks now.  Aged quite a bit, hasn\u2019t he?  In case Furbush is around, here\u2019s his mug shot \u2013 from that trial.  Wish to hell you guys had some way of tracking these suckers.  None of those numbers from your cell led to anything, Gordy.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cAnd we\u2019ve got monitors over here,\u201d Stover continued, pointing to another wall in the war room.  \u201cNobody\u2019s getting within 50 feet of our two perimeters without showing up on one of those cameras.  Glue your eyes on that wall as we get closer to 5:30.   At 5:30 we go into immediate evacuation mode \u2013 both places \u2013 and seal off this entire damn island.  Nobody\u2019s leaving without going through a security check.  If they make it here, they won\u2019t make it out.  We\u2019ve got better border security here than we have, should I say? –  at our northern<\/em> border.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Skip interrupted, \u201cThe Rumpkins have flown the coop!  . . . just kidding Chief.  But the Land Yacht is heading to Columbus Circle and parking, until I let them know where to proceed for the press conference.  And, apparently, they outsmarted your guy, who was supposed to tail us.  We\u2019ve got two in a 2014 Toyota Corolla, PA license plate BGD 911 (no kidding), just cruising around Times Square, until I say otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

______________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Killing time, driving around midtown Manhattan, four o\u2019clock, five o\u2019clock, trying to keep the mood light, Rocky was in Phyllis\u2019 car regaling Phyllis with some of his favorite stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cTo heck with all these old stories, Phyllis,\u201d Rocky said, looking at his watch.  \u201cWe\u2019ve got the biggest mother-fuckin’-thing any of us have ever been part of going down in what, 20 minutes, and half of New York could be blown to smithereens, and here I am telling stories about my past . . .\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Seconds later, Sally called, breathless with the news: \u201cA bomb has exploded somewhere up by Yankee Stadium, near a water treatment plant!  Skip says no one knows if it\u2019s connected or not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     At that very moment, Rocky points to a car with Montana license plates pulling over to the curb and exclaims, \u201cGod-damn it!  That\u2019s him!  That\u2019s Furbush driving!  I recognize him from his trial!  Let me out! Phyllis!  Tell them I\u2019m on foot heading west on 42nd<\/sup> just a block east of Times Square following some guy who looks like Dougherty!  You stay put.  Follow Furbush if he takes off!\u201d  And indeed, Furbush (if it was Furbush) stayed in park while the other male (maybe Dougherty) started out towards Times Square, with a heavy backpack on his back and a furtive look.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cOh my God,\u201d Phyllis said, \u201cI\u2019m calling the cops!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     \u201cNo,\u201d Rocky said, \u201cwe\u2019ve still got 16 . . . 15 . . . minutes \u2018til it\u2019s supposed to blast.  We don\u2019t want to startle these guys yet.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     And that turned out to be the right move because right at Broadway, just under the three-story red Target sign, whoever it was set the backpack down on a chair and continued walking, picking up his pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Meanwhile, back at the war room, things hadn\u2019t proceeded quite as planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Nobody had spotted the suspects entering the borough of Manhattan or in<\/em> the borough of Manhattan.  It was just about the time to put the evacuation plan into effect, when someone shouts, \u201cThere he is!  In the Muslim robe and Kufi hat!  Where are those bomb-sniffing dogs!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     And sure enough, looking at one of the monitors, this guy approaches the big Rockefeller Center Christmas tree with something wrapped as a present, and, just as quickly, a swat team has him on the ground, ready to shoot, but one of the cops radios, \u201cThere\u2019s nothing in this package!  It\u2019s empty!  It\u2019s a ruse!  Look out for somewhere else!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Already half the team had raced off to the Bronx by the treatment plant, actually Randall\u2019s Island, and now another squad was racing to the door, when Stover, with sweat beads pouring down his face yells, \u201cLook Mother Fuckers \u2013 he\u2019s right \u2013 it\u2019s a diversionary tactic . . . stick to your stations!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     And just exactly then, Phyllis calls Skip: \u201cDougherty has been spotted!  Rocky is following him on foot!\u201d and Skip yells, \u201cStover, it\u2019s gong to be Times Square!  Clear that area!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Back at Times Square, Rocky is racing for the chair where the back pack was placed screaming, \u201cThere\u2019s a bomb!  There\u2019s a bomb!  Call 9-1-1!\u201d and people started scattering fast.  But Phyllis, acting on impulse \u2013 had already called the cops and all sorts of cops were in the area immediately.  \u201cThere he goes!\u201d Rocky shouted to the first cop he saw, pointing to the end of the block, \u201cThe bomber!  That guy running fast!  He\u2019s getting away!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Only then Rocky realized the bomb he was holding in his hand was vibrating, ticking he thought!  But again, almost immediately, a bomb squad was on the scene, and a guy leans out the bomb squad window saying, \u201cEasy does it partner.  Just hold steady, we got a robot arm coming out the door here . . . Just stay steady . . .  We\u2019ll take it out of your hands and get it inside the detonation chamber in no time . . . juuuustt  . . . a . . . second now.\u201d  And they did.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     There was hardly any citizenry left around Times Square for the cops to clear.  Just Rocky, the cops, and, a few minutes later, in hand-cuffs, a person later positively identified by Susie as our \u201cJohn Dougherty.\u201d  (Really \u201cJamie Rafferty,\u201d Gordy said when identifying him, \u201cmy old cellmate.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Meanwhile, Phyllis, even as she was calling the cops with one hand, was steering with the other, as Furbush (not yet identified as Furbush) pulled away from the curb.  Her adrenalin pumping, she was in contact with Skip:  \u201cThe Montana car is speeding away, heading to FDR Drive . . . (pause) . . .  OK, the cops are after him . . . (pause)  . . . I see they\u2019ve set up a roadblock . . . (pause) . . . Oh My God!  He\u2019s turned the wrong way onto an exit ramp!  Holy Christ, he\u2019s crashed into the wall . . . (pause) . . .  They\u2019ve got him.\u201d       \u201cHim\u201d was positively identified later as Furbush by Susie and Joey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1.Did the bombs go off?     No.       By 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, Dec. 23, everybody on the east coast (Phyllis too) was assembled in Westport in various states of amazement at the successes, both in Vancouver and at the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[22],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2537"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2831,"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2537\/revisions\/2831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}