James

Despite the cold, my heated face streams sweat which soaks down my neck and into my clothes.

Slow down, Man…

You can’t sprint for a mile…

I drop to a trot and my heartbeat decelerates to something more sustainable. The banging behind my ears subsides.

Don’t panic…

The kidnappers may say Don’t be late, but their priority is the money.

Irony slaps me around the cheeks. Here I am, in an area I wouldn’t normally consider walking at night, certainly not alone. And I’m running through it, toting a bag containing a cool million in cash.

The steady rhythm of my jogging sets a metronome ticking in my head, clearing my thoughts.

How fast is a jog?

Six miles an hour?

So, I should cover my mile in the ten minutes I have.

Calm down…

Nonetheless, I find myself counting paces; eating up distance with each one…

They must be watching me…

Where are they watching from?

A parked car?

alley I pass, where they can lurk

Could be anywhere.

me… Waverly Moorings… A series of berths alongside the river. Once an attractive place for pleasure boats and day-trippers; now derelict, the

of the more reputable parts of town. As the name suggests, it consists

the silhouettes of trees, up-lit by floodlights set in grassy lawns. The fountain, also floodlit, dances and sparkles by the central Christmas tree which stands tall, proclaiming

now, I can think of one or two

for a moment I drop, hands resting on knees as

For what?

pace, scanning my

I in the right

“James?”

Ross, but I

the message say,

note, reading aloud. “Corner of

the western side of the square. Perhaps it’s the other

Stupid… Stupid…

I’ll

James. Keep your thinking

He’s right, but I don’t need reminding of

follow the line of houses; handsome red-bricks built on three stories ending in a

Still nothing.

down, my breathing tightens again as I look for whatever the next contact

Doorways…

Store windows…

A mailbox…

Nothing…

make it hard

My watch tells me I’m two minutes over

be

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255