Where's Ellen? (Mystery) (MPP A JOE MCFARLAND / GINNY HARRIS MYSTERY Book 1) by Stuart Safft Page B
Authors: Stuart Safft
Ads: Link
and he urged Joe to ensure that Steve did nothing until then.
In their Cincinnati office, Martin complained to Florio that Sanders had called the local police, not the FBI. But since the police quickly called the FBI and brought them up to speed, he had decided that he wouldn’t raise the issue with Sanders or with the two cops. Martin and Florio chuckled about the fact that neither Steve nor the local-yokel police seemed to have realized that the FBI would have already been aware of Steve’s call to the police through the taps that the FBI had placed on all of Steve’s phones.
An hour later, the two detectives, the two FBI agents and Steve were vigorously debating how to proceed. Steve wanted to start getting the $5 million together so he’d be ready when the kidnappers contacted him again. The two FBI agents wanted Steve to try to negotiate the amount of the ransom if the kidnappers contacted him by phone or e-mail. This stalling tactic would provide the FBI with more time to try to trace where the kidnappers were and who they were. And, while not saying so out loud, Joe wanted to aggressively interrogate Steve to determine whether he was involved in this real or fake kidnapping. In the end, all agreed that Steve should proceed to gather the funds. Neither the detectives nor the agents had altered their opinions, but they concluded that getting the funds ready would provide them the most flexibility without yet committing to any specific course of action.
Steve picked up his cell phone and dialed the cell phone number of Ellen’s boss, using the speaker on the phone so that the detectives and FBI agents could hear both sides of the conversation. Ellen’s boss answered on the third ring. Reception was only mediocre as he was in a fancy restaurant in New York City, where he was spending the weekend with his wife.
“Hello, Ken Symington.”
“Hello, Mr. Symington. This is Steve Sanders, Ellen’s husband. Sorry to be calling you over the weekend.”
“No, no. Not a problem. Have you heard from Ellen? Hold on a minute, let me walk outside where I can hear you more clearly.” And a minute later, “OK. That’s better. Is Ellen OK? Did you hear from her?”
“Well, not exactly. But we…”
“What do you mean ‘not exactly’?” interrupted Symington.
“We, or rather I, received a ransom note from her kidnappers. I’m here now with the local police and the FBI.”
“Oh my god!” Steve heard a deep breath on the other end. “But that must mean she’s alive — doesn’t it?”
“Maybe. We think so, but we really don’t know anything at this point. We’re trying to figure things out,” answered Steve.
“Well, thanks for keeping me informed. Please be sure to let me know if we can do anything to help. We’re all very fond of Ellen.”
“Thank you, sir. In fact, there is some help I do need. The ransom note demanded $5 million, but on a very short-term basis, I can only raise part of that. I know that Tycon has a confidential insurance policy in case any of its senior executives are kidnapped and that may be our only hope if we need the funds quickly.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. We do have such a policy, but I really don’t know much about how it works. Fortunately, we’ve never had to use it. Up until now. Let me call Charlie Hawkins, our chief financial officer. He and his staff handle all of our insurance matters. I’ll have him call you right back. Is this the phone number he should call you on?”
“Yes, this number is fine. And thank you very much, Mr. Symington.”
“Please. Don’t mention it, Steve. I’m glad you reached out to me. Please keep me informed. We’ll be thinking of you and praying for Ellen’s safe return.”
Five minutes later, Charlie Hawkins called. After a quick update from Steve and confirmation from the FBI agents that it looked like it could be a real kidnapping, Hawkins promised to get the kidnap insurance policy activated immediately and to be back in
In their Cincinnati office, Martin complained to Florio that Sanders had called the local police, not the FBI. But since the police quickly called the FBI and brought them up to speed, he had decided that he wouldn’t raise the issue with Sanders or with the two cops. Martin and Florio chuckled about the fact that neither Steve nor the local-yokel police seemed to have realized that the FBI would have already been aware of Steve’s call to the police through the taps that the FBI had placed on all of Steve’s phones.
An hour later, the two detectives, the two FBI agents and Steve were vigorously debating how to proceed. Steve wanted to start getting the $5 million together so he’d be ready when the kidnappers contacted him again. The two FBI agents wanted Steve to try to negotiate the amount of the ransom if the kidnappers contacted him by phone or e-mail. This stalling tactic would provide the FBI with more time to try to trace where the kidnappers were and who they were. And, while not saying so out loud, Joe wanted to aggressively interrogate Steve to determine whether he was involved in this real or fake kidnapping. In the end, all agreed that Steve should proceed to gather the funds. Neither the detectives nor the agents had altered their opinions, but they concluded that getting the funds ready would provide them the most flexibility without yet committing to any specific course of action.
Steve picked up his cell phone and dialed the cell phone number of Ellen’s boss, using the speaker on the phone so that the detectives and FBI agents could hear both sides of the conversation. Ellen’s boss answered on the third ring. Reception was only mediocre as he was in a fancy restaurant in New York City, where he was spending the weekend with his wife.
“Hello, Ken Symington.”
“Hello, Mr. Symington. This is Steve Sanders, Ellen’s husband. Sorry to be calling you over the weekend.”
“No, no. Not a problem. Have you heard from Ellen? Hold on a minute, let me walk outside where I can hear you more clearly.” And a minute later, “OK. That’s better. Is Ellen OK? Did you hear from her?”
“Well, not exactly. But we…”
“What do you mean ‘not exactly’?” interrupted Symington.
“We, or rather I, received a ransom note from her kidnappers. I’m here now with the local police and the FBI.”
“Oh my god!” Steve heard a deep breath on the other end. “But that must mean she’s alive — doesn’t it?”
“Maybe. We think so, but we really don’t know anything at this point. We’re trying to figure things out,” answered Steve.
“Well, thanks for keeping me informed. Please be sure to let me know if we can do anything to help. We’re all very fond of Ellen.”
“Thank you, sir. In fact, there is some help I do need. The ransom note demanded $5 million, but on a very short-term basis, I can only raise part of that. I know that Tycon has a confidential insurance policy in case any of its senior executives are kidnapped and that may be our only hope if we need the funds quickly.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. We do have such a policy, but I really don’t know much about how it works. Fortunately, we’ve never had to use it. Up until now. Let me call Charlie Hawkins, our chief financial officer. He and his staff handle all of our insurance matters. I’ll have him call you right back. Is this the phone number he should call you on?”
“Yes, this number is fine. And thank you very much, Mr. Symington.”
“Please. Don’t mention it, Steve. I’m glad you reached out to me. Please keep me informed. We’ll be thinking of you and praying for Ellen’s safe return.”
Five minutes later, Charlie Hawkins called. After a quick update from Steve and confirmation from the FBI agents that it looked like it could be a real kidnapping, Hawkins promised to get the kidnap insurance policy activated immediately and to be back in
Similar Books
