carefully enunciating each word as though I were deaf. I flung out a hand, groping for the chair which Pam kept by the telephone table. It slewed sideways as I struggled to manoeuvre it into position and sat heavily.
‘Yes, kidnapped.’ His voice was flat and cold. ‘Three million dollars. I’ve two days to find the first instalment.’
I was momentarily speechless and then asked, ‘How do you know they’ve got her?’
‘I received an envelope this morning, with a hank of bloodied red hair. So we need—’
The room went dark; spots danced in front of my eyes. A roaring in my head sounded like the ocean and drowned out his voice. With an enormous effort, I sucked in air and pulled myself out of it.
‘Wait, James. Wait a moment. Tell me again. What exactly did they send?’
He took a deep breath and recounted the receipt of a hand-delivered package a few minutes previously. My mind gradually cleared as I took in what he had to say. Molten rage surged through me, rising up my throat to choke me. How dare someone take my child and threaten her life! There was only one course open to us.
‘James, we have to tell the police. They’ll know what to do.’
‘No. No, Eloise, we can’t. He said they had plenty of places to dump her body. Somehow I have to find three million dollars and I only hope it’s worth it.’
I went cold all over. ‘What do you mean, you only hope it’s worth it?’
A short silence followed. ‘I didn’t mean that the way it sounded … I’m sorry, Eloise.’ His voice softened. ‘It’s a bloody nightmare. I meant I hope paying three million means Ally is safe. I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that I actually have a daughter. And if they don’t get the money, a young wo—my child, my flesh and blood—is going to die.’
I understood his terror only too well. Part of me bled for him, but the rest of me could have strangled him with my bare hands. How did he think I felt? I’m her mother, for God’s sake.
‘But James, do you have three million dollars?’
‘Yes, but not even I can get it just like that, in cash. They—he—warned me if I tell the police …his exact words were, ‘do and she’ll die.’ There’ll be another phone call in 48 hours with instructions on where to leave the money.’
I choked back tears, blew my nose and pulled some more tissues out of the box. They came in a rush, most of them scattering into a snowdrift around my feet.
‘Eloise, who knows I’m Ally’s father?’
I caught up with his train of thought. ‘Only two people know. Pam’s mother Rosalind Miller, and my friend Georgie Hird. But I can’t imagine either of them telling anyone. Neither of those women would even think of getting involved in this. I’d stake my life on it.’
There was a short silence on the other end of the telephone before he spoke with deep conviction. ‘You may have already staked Ally’s life on it. One of them has betrayed your confidence.’
A chill settled deep in my stomach. ‘Surely not?’
‘If only two people know then one of them has definitely told someone, perhaps quite innocently. Think about it. Now, I’ve got to get to the city and start working on organising the money.’ He sucked in a deep breath. ‘What are you doing now?’
‘I’m waiting for the police to come and interview me—’
He cut in. ‘Eloise, whatever you do, don’t tell them about this. I’ll take care of it. Look, ring me on my mobile as soon as they’ve gone. We’ll meet somewhere after I’ve been to the city, but we’re going to have to be careful. If the police get wind of this, they’ll take over and it could be disastrous. We must do it the kidnapper’s way, at least for the time being.’
Reluctantly, I agreed to keep quiet and promised to ring him when the police left. It was only after he hung up, I realised someone was knocking on the front door, but for how long I couldn’t say. I gave my eyes a final wipe, bent down, gathered
‘Yes, kidnapped.’ His voice was flat and cold. ‘Three million dollars. I’ve two days to find the first instalment.’
I was momentarily speechless and then asked, ‘How do you know they’ve got her?’
‘I received an envelope this morning, with a hank of bloodied red hair. So we need—’
The room went dark; spots danced in front of my eyes. A roaring in my head sounded like the ocean and drowned out his voice. With an enormous effort, I sucked in air and pulled myself out of it.
‘Wait, James. Wait a moment. Tell me again. What exactly did they send?’
He took a deep breath and recounted the receipt of a hand-delivered package a few minutes previously. My mind gradually cleared as I took in what he had to say. Molten rage surged through me, rising up my throat to choke me. How dare someone take my child and threaten her life! There was only one course open to us.
‘James, we have to tell the police. They’ll know what to do.’
‘No. No, Eloise, we can’t. He said they had plenty of places to dump her body. Somehow I have to find three million dollars and I only hope it’s worth it.’
I went cold all over. ‘What do you mean, you only hope it’s worth it?’
A short silence followed. ‘I didn’t mean that the way it sounded … I’m sorry, Eloise.’ His voice softened. ‘It’s a bloody nightmare. I meant I hope paying three million means Ally is safe. I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that I actually have a daughter. And if they don’t get the money, a young wo—my child, my flesh and blood—is going to die.’
I understood his terror only too well. Part of me bled for him, but the rest of me could have strangled him with my bare hands. How did he think I felt? I’m her mother, for God’s sake.
‘But James, do you have three million dollars?’
‘Yes, but not even I can get it just like that, in cash. They—he—warned me if I tell the police …his exact words were, ‘do and she’ll die.’ There’ll be another phone call in 48 hours with instructions on where to leave the money.’
I choked back tears, blew my nose and pulled some more tissues out of the box. They came in a rush, most of them scattering into a snowdrift around my feet.
‘Eloise, who knows I’m Ally’s father?’
I caught up with his train of thought. ‘Only two people know. Pam’s mother Rosalind Miller, and my friend Georgie Hird. But I can’t imagine either of them telling anyone. Neither of those women would even think of getting involved in this. I’d stake my life on it.’
There was a short silence on the other end of the telephone before he spoke with deep conviction. ‘You may have already staked Ally’s life on it. One of them has betrayed your confidence.’
A chill settled deep in my stomach. ‘Surely not?’
‘If only two people know then one of them has definitely told someone, perhaps quite innocently. Think about it. Now, I’ve got to get to the city and start working on organising the money.’ He sucked in a deep breath. ‘What are you doing now?’
‘I’m waiting for the police to come and interview me—’
He cut in. ‘Eloise, whatever you do, don’t tell them about this. I’ll take care of it. Look, ring me on my mobile as soon as they’ve gone. We’ll meet somewhere after I’ve been to the city, but we’re going to have to be careful. If the police get wind of this, they’ll take over and it could be disastrous. We must do it the kidnapper’s way, at least for the time being.’
Reluctantly, I agreed to keep quiet and promised to ring him when the police left. It was only after he hung up, I realised someone was knocking on the front door, but for how long I couldn’t say. I gave my eyes a final wipe, bent down, gathered
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