*****
Richard
My mobile rings. I snatch it up. “Yes, Ross?”
“I've lost contact with James. They've made him leave the phone behind when they sent him on the next leg…”
Fuck…
How do we help him now?
“… And the earpiece. And…” Ross’ voice is shaky… “Richard... They… the kidnappers I mean… they spoke to me via the connection. I recorded it all. I'm playing it back to you.”
Klempner. You know who this is.
Just like you to let this tired old bastard run the gauntlet. But that's just you all over isn't it. Letting someone else take the heat.
We'll have the money very shortly. And believe me, it had better be all the money in that bag. But the deal’s not sealed until we have you too. Until then, that darling daughter of yours is going nowhere.
The voice snaps off. There’s a moment’s hiss then Ross speaks again. “Richard, what do you want me to do? Should I call the police?”
“No… don’t do that. If they think the police are involved, they’ll almost certainly murder Charlotte… and her baby… before Michael and Klempner can get to her.”
“What then?”
What indeed?
Should I go?
Leave Mitch to look after Elizabeth?
*****
How do I tell her this?
Wearily, I climb the stairs to find my sleeping wife.
But she’s not sleeping. “Elizabeth… There’s been a development. Ross has…” I stop, mid-sentence. “Elizabeth?”
From the pillow, she stares up at me, wide-eyed. “I’m sorry, Master…”
“Sorry? Elizabeth, what’s wrong?”
still about fifteen minutes apart. I didn’t want to disturb you until I was sure,
Oh, God…
are you going into
so, Master. It’s too early I know,
early? It’s
know, Master. But, I’m
just going to talk
Calm…
Stay calm…
*****
“Hot coffee,” she says. “And I’ve packed sandwiches for you and…” Her
Elizabeth is going into
raises a hand to her mouth. “She’s not due for
Mitch, there’s no
Tell them you’re on your way with her. I’ll bring your car to the front, get the engine
*****
Michael
Baxter exit, and after a cautious moment, Klempner and I enter the
stale, musty with cigarette smoke, the walls and ceiling perhaps once white but now yellowed and draped
Finchby, trying hard not
employed differently,” mutters Klempner. But he regards the hovel of a room,
but he must
the other seat by me, watching the screen with half an eye, the
looks like an entrance lobby, then a dance floor, various corridors...
feed is unresponsive, moving at its own pace. “He’s got plenty of cameras around the
his lower lip. “Nothing from the basement
of couples, triples and
if the clients know
a fingernail at the screen. “Some of the City High and Mighty there. Good blackmail
of barred and padlocked doors. Each door has a small viewing
doors say ‘cells’ to
grunts agreement. “Yes… Finchby tends to keep them either working
to
staring at him, leaning in, intent on
from the screen. “Michael, you know my past. I’m not going to spend every waking moment apologising for it. Now… shall we get on with the
course, he’s
image shifts once
there, in a corner of the screen,
rises. “Oh,
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