Who kidnapped the Athletes?
Sparrow Scarletti!
His plan was to prevent the three Athletes from competing in the International Winter Championship, period. That way, the frontrunners on the U.S. team would win the gold. And, by keeping the three athletes off the U.S. team, his daughter would not be cut. His plan to frame Keenan was to prevent him from marrying his daughter.
Clues:
Why Sparrow:
- He was in Sarajevo for the 1984 International Winter Championship, which is in Bosnia, the location of the numbered bank account and the approximate timing of when the account was opened.
- In 1984, he was rich and mature enough to open a numbered account.
- He was determined to fulfill his wife’s dream that Amanda be on the U.S. team.
- As an influential lobbyist with strong Washington connections in many places, he had access to information others did not, like plans for the defection of athletes from countries we did not have diplomatic relations with.
- He has two thugs on his payroll who, among other things, keeps an eye on Amanda. They would have informed The Influencer of her relationship with Keenan.
- He was determined to prevent Amanda from marrying Keenan.
- To remain influential in Washington, he needs to replenish his tool chest of money and deceit.
Why not Trevor:
- Although he was also in Sarajevo in 1984, he would have been too young and poor to open a numbered account.
- He is totally obsessed with redeeming himself by coaching the U.S. women’s ski team to a record number of gold medals. Without the kidnapped athletes, his chance of winning would decrease.
- Keenan corroborated his account of the defection.
Why not Keenan:
- Keenan had bet against the U.S. team. The kidnapping of the three athletes would assure a U.S. victory, and would result in a major gambling loss for him.
- Keenan was too young to have been in Bosnia at the time the numbered account was opened.
How it happened:
Sparrow was determined to fulfill his wife’s dream of Amanda becoming a member of a U.S. gold medal team. As a generous financial supporter, and well-connected Washington lobbyist, he could keep tabs on all aspects of the team’s plans and any role the U.S. government might play. When he learned of the plan to help the three athletes defect, he knew he had to interfere. He knew that if the defection was successful, the three athletes would join the U.S. team and his Amanda would be removed from the squad. His hired thugs had already informed him of Amanda’s engagement to Keenan. His plan was to eliminate both problems by kidnapping the three athletes and framing Keenan.
Knowing the details of the plan, Sparrow had one of his thugs call Keenan, pretending to be Trevor, and tell him the defection was canceled. The thugs took Keenan’s place and picked up the three athletes in the car Trevor had rented. The athletes became suspicious when they arrived at a location other than the U.S. Embassy. Realizing it was an abandoned warehouse, one athlete tucked Amanda’s note into the car seat, hoping that it might provide a clue.