The Danger. - LightNovelsOnl.com
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"Listenonce.Listengood.You'llfindatapeinaboxbyyourfrontgate.Do what.i.tsays."Therewasasharpclickfollowedbythedialingtone,andthen Tony,pressingb.u.t.tons,wa.s.speakingtopeoplewhowereevidentlytelephone engineers.
"Didyougettheoriginofthesecondcall?"heasked.Wereadtheansweronhis face."O.K.,"hesaidresignedly."Thanks."ToNerrityhesaid,"Theyneed fifteenseconds.Betterthantheolddays.Troubleis,thecrooksknowittoo."
Nerritywasonhiswaytothefrontdoorandcouldpresentlybeheardcrunching across.h.i.+sgravel.
Alessiawaslookingveryfrailindeed.Iwentdownonmykneesbyherchairand putmyarmsprotectivelyaroundher.
"Youcouldwaitinanotherroom,"Isaid."Watchtelevision.Readabook."
"YouknowIcan't."
"I'msorryaboutallthis."
Shegavemearapidglance."YoutriedtogetmetogohometoPopsy.It'smy ownfaultI'mhere.I'mallright.Iwon'tbeanuisance,Ipromise."She swallowed."It'sallsoodd...toseeitfromtheotherside."
"You'reagreatgirl,"Isaid."Popsytoldmeso,andshe'sright."
Shelookedasmallshadelessfraughtandrestedherheadbrieflyonmy shoulder."You'remyfoundations,youknow,"shesaid."Withoutyouthewhole thingwouldcollapse."
"I'llbehere,"Isaid."ButseriouslyitwouldbebestifyouandMirandawent intothekitchenandfoundsomefood.Gethertoeat.Eatsomethingyourself.
Carbohydrate.Biscuits,cake...somethinglikethat."
"Fattening,"shesaidautomatically:thejockeytalking.
"Bestforyourbodiesjustnowthough.Carbohydratesareanaturaltranquilizer.
It'swhyunhappypeopleeatandeat."
"Youdoknowthemostextraordinarythings."
"Andalso,"Isaid,"Idon'twantMirandatohearwhat'sonthetape."
"Oh."Hereyeswideneda.s.sheremembered."Pucinelliswitchedoffthattape...so Icouldn'thear."
"Yes.Itwashorrid.Sowillthisbe.Thefirstdemandsarealwaysthemost frightening.Thethreatswillbedesignedtopulverize.TogoadNerrityinto payinganything,everything,veryquickly,tosavehislittleson.Sodearest Alessia,takeMirandaintothekitchenandeatcake."
ShesmiledashadeapprehensivelyandwalkedovertoMiranda,whowa.s.sobbing periodicallyinisolatedgulps,likehiccups,butwhoagreedlistlesslyto makingacupoftea.Thetwowentofftotheirhaven,andNerritycrunchedback withabrowncardboardbox.
Rightsworthimportantlytookchargeofopeningit,tellingeveryoneelseto standback.Tony'seyebrowsweresardonic.Rightsworthproducedapairofclear plasticglovesandmethodicallyputthemonbeforecarefullyslittingwitha penknifetheheavyadhesivetapefasteningthelid.
OpeningtheboxRightsworthfirstpeeredinside,thenputanarminandbrought outthecontents:oneca.s.settetape,inplasticcase,as.e.xpected.
Nerritylookedat.i.tasifitwouldbiteandwavedvaguelyatanornatestretch ofgiltandpaddedwallunit,someofwhosedoorsprovedtobescreeningabank ofexpensivestereo.Rightsworthfoundaslotfortheca.s.sette,whichhehandled carefullywiththeplasticgloves,andNerritypushedtherelevantb.u.t.tons.
Thevoicefilledtheroom,harsh,thunderous,uncompromising.
"Now,you,Nerrity,youlistengood."
Itookthreequickstridesandturneddownthevolume,onthegroundsthat threatsfortissimowouldsoundevenworsethanthreatsshould.Tonynodded appreciatively,butRightsworthwasirritated.Thevoicewenton,moremoderate indecibels,immoderateincontent.
"Wenickedyourkid,Nerrity,andifyouwantyourheirbackinonepieceyoudo whatyou'retoldlikeagoodboy.Otherwisewe'lltakeourknifeout,Nerrity, andslashoffsomethingtopersuadeyou.Nothishair,Nerrity.Afingermaybe.
Orhislittleprivates.Thoseforsure.Understand,Nerrity?Nomessingabout.
Thisisforreal.
"Nowyougotahorse,Nerrity.Worthabit,wereckon.Sixmillion.Seven.Sell it,Nerrity.Likewesaid,wewantfivemillion.Otherwiseyourkidsuffers.
Nicelittlekid,too.Youdon'twanthimscreaming,doyou?He'llscreamwith whatwe'lldotohim.
"Yougetabloodstockagentbusy.We'llwaitaweek.Oneweek,sevendays.Seven daysfromnow,yougetthatmoneyreadyinusednotes,nothingbiggerthan twenty.We'lltellyouwheretoleaveit.Youdowhatwetellyou,orit'sthe castration.We'llsendyouatapeofwhat.i.tsoundslike.Slash.Rip.Scream.
"Andyoukeepawayfromthepolice.Ifwethinkyou'vecalledintheForce,your kid'sfortheplasticbag.Final.Youwon'tgethisbodyback.Nothing.Think about.i.t.
"Right,Nerrity.That'sthemessage."
Thevoicestoppedabruptlyandtherewasanumbminuteofsilencebeforeanyone moved.I'dheardascoreofransomdemands,butalways,everytime,foundthem shocking.Nerrity,likemanyaparentbeforehim,waspoleaxedtohisroots.
"Theycan't..."hesaid,hismouthdry,thewordsgagging.
"Theycan,"Tonysaidflatly."Butnotifwemanageitright."
"Whatdidtheysaytoyouthisafternoon?"Iasked."What'sdifferent?"
Nerrityswallowed."The...theknife.Thatpart.Before,hejustsaid'five millionforyourkid.'AndIsaidIhadn'tgotfivemillion...Hesaid'you'vegot ahorse,sosellit.'Thatwasall.Andnopolice,hesaidthattoo.Five million,nopolice,ortheboywoulddie.Hesaidhe'dbegettingintouch.I begantoshoutathim...hejustrangoff."
Rightsworthtooktheca.s.setteoutoftherecorderandput.i.tinitsbox,putting thatinitsturninthecardboardcarton,allwithexaggeratedcareinthe plasticgloves.Hewouldbetakingthetape,hesaid.Theywouldmaintainthe taponMr.Nerrity'stelephone,hesaid.Theywouldbeworkingonthecase,he said.
Nerrity,highlyalarmed,beggedhimtobecareful;andbeggingdidn'tcomeeasy, Ithought,tooneaccustomedtobully.Rightsworthsaidwithsuperioritythat everycarewouldbetaken,andIcouldseeTonythinking,asIwas,that Rightsworthwastreatingthethreatstoopompouslyandwasnot,inconsequence, abrilliantdetective.
Whenhehadgone,Nerrity,hisfirstfearssubsiding,pouredhimselfanother stiffginandtonic,againwithiceandlemon.Hepickedtheiceoutofabucket withapairoftongs.Tonywatchedwithincredulity.
"Drink?"hesaidtousasanafterthought.
Weshookourheads.
"I'mnotpayingthatransom,"hesaiddefensively."Foronething,Ican't.The horseisduetobesoldinanycase.It'sfouryearsold,andgoingtostud.I don'tneedtogetabloodstockagent,it'sbeinghandledalready.Someofthe shareshavealreadybeensold,butI'llhardlyseeapenny.LikeIsaid,I've gotbusinessdebts."Hetookadeepdrink."Youmayaswellknow,thathorseis thedifferencetomebetweenbeingsolventandbankrupt.Biggeststrokeofluck ever,thedayIbought.i.tasayearling."Heswelledslightly,givinghimselfa mentalpatontheback,andwecouldbothseeanechooftheexpansivenesswith whichhemusthavewavedmanyaginandtonicwhileherecountedhisgood fortune.
"Isn'tyourbusiness,"Isaid,"alimitedcompany?Ifyou'llexcusemyasking."
"No,itisn't."
"Whatisyourbusiness?"Tonyaskedhimcasually.
"Importer.Wholesale.Oneortwowrongdecisions..."Heshrugged."Baddebts.
Firmsgoingbankrupt,owingmemoney.Onmyscaleofoperationsitdoesn'ttake muchofarecessiontodoad.a.m.nedlotofdamage.Ordinandwillclear everything.Setmetorights.Fundmeforfuturetrading.Ordinandisab.l.o.o.d.y miracle."Hemadeafuriouschoppinggesturewithhisfreehand."I'md.a.m.nedif I'mgoingtothrowawaymyentirelifeforthoseb.l.o.o.d.ykidnappers."
He'dsaidit,Ithought.He'dsaidaloudwhathadbeenfesteringinhismind eversinceMiranda'sphonecall.Hedidn'tlovehissonenoughforthe sacrifice.
"HowmuchisOrdinandworth?"Tonysaidunemotionally.
"Theygot.i.tright.Sixmillion,withluck.Fortysharesatahundredandfifty thousandeach."Hedrank,theiceclinking.
"Andhowmuchdoyouneedtostraightenyourbusiness?"
"That'sab.l.o.o.d.ypersonalquestion."
Tonysaidpatiently,"Ifwe'regoingtonegotiateforyou,wehavetoknowjust whatisorisn'tpossible."
Nerrityfrownedathislemonslice,b.u.t.thensaid,"Fourandahalf, thereabouts,willkeepmesolvent.Fivewouldclearalldebts.Sixwillseeme soundlybasedforthefuture."
Tonyglancedabouthimattheoverplushroom."Whataboutthishouse?"
Nerritylookedathimasifhewereafinancialbaby."Everybrickmortgaged,"
hesaidshortly.
"Anyothera.s.sets?"
"IfIhadanyotherb.l.o.o.d.ya.s.setsI'dhavecashedthembynow."
TonyandIexchangedglances,thenTonysaid,"Ireckonwemightgetyourkid backforlessthanhalfamillion.We'llaimlower,ofcourse.Firstoffer,a hundredthousand.Thentakeitfromthere."
"b.u.t.theywon't...theysaid..."Nerritystopped,floundering.
"Thebestthing,"Isaid,"wouldbetogetyourselfontotheCitypagesofthe newspapers.Gointoprinttellingtheworldthere'snothinglikeaDerbywinner forkeepingthebailiffsout."
"But..."
"Yes,"Iinterrupted."Maybenotinthenormalwaygoodforbusiness.Butyour creditorswillbesurethey'llbepaid,andthekidnapperswillbesurethey won't.Nexttimetheygetintouch,they'lldemandless.Oncetheyacknowledge tothemselvesthattheproceedswillberelativelysmallcomparedwiththeir firstdemand,that'swhatthey'llsettlefor.Betterthannothing,sortof thing."
"b.u.t.they'llharmDominic..."
Ishookmyhead."It'sprettydoubtful,notifthey'resurethey'llmakea profitintheend.Dominic'stheironlyguaranteeofthatprofit.Dominic,alive andwhole.Theywon'tdestroyordamagetheira.s.setinanywayifthey're convincedyou'llpaywhatyoucan.Sowhenyoutalktothepress,makesurethey understand-andprint-thatthere'llbeamarginover,whenOrdinandissold.Say thatthehorsewillwipeoutallyourdebtsandthensome."
"But..."hesaidagain.
"IfyouhaveanydifficultyapproachingtheCityeditors,wecandothatfor you,"Isaid.
HelookedfromTonytomewiththeuncertaintyofacommandernolongerin charge.
"Wouldyou?"hesaid.
Wenodded."Straightaway."
"Andrewwilldoit,"Tonysaid."HeknowstheCity.CuthisteethinLloyds,our ladhere."NeitherhenorIexplainedhowlowlymyjobtherehadbeen."Very smooth,ourAndrew,inhiscitysuit,"Tonysaid.
Nerritylookedmeupanddown.Ihadn'treplacedmytie,althoughI'dlong unrolledmytrousers."He'syoung,"hesaiddisparagingly.
Tonysilentlylaughed."Asoldasthepyramids,"hesaid."We'llgetyournipper back,don'tyoufret."
Nerritysaiduncomfortably,"It'snotthatIdon'tliketheboy.OfcourseI do."Hepaused."Idon'tseemuchofhim.Fiveminutesinthemorning.He'sin bedwhenIgethome.Weekends...Iwork,gototheraces,gooutwithbusiness friends.Don'thavemuchtimeforlollingabout."
Notmuchinclination,either,Idiagnosed.
"Mirandadotesonhim,"Nerritysaid,asifthatwerenovirtue."You'dhave thoughtshecouldkeephereyesonhimforfiveminutes,wouldn'tyou?Idon't seehowshecouldhavebeensob.l.o.o.d.ystupid."
Itriedexplainingaboutthedeterminationofkidnappers,but.i.tseemedtohave noeffect.
"Itwasherideatohavethekidinthefirstplace,"Nerritygrumbled."Itold heritwouldspoilherfigure.Shewentonandonaboutbeinglonely.Sheknew whatmylifewaslikebeforeshemarriedme,didn'tshe?"
Fromtheotherside,Ithought.Fromtheofficeside,wherehislifewasmost intense,whereherswasbusyandfulfilled.
"Anyway,wehadthekid."Hemadeanothersharplyfrustratedgesture."Andnow...
this."
Miranda'smotherarrivedconvenientlyatthatpoint,andshortlyafterwardsI putAlessiainmycarandtalkedtoTonyquietlyinthegarden.
"Thursday,tomorrow,"Isaid."Wittering'saseasideplace.Goodchancethesame peoplewillbeonthebeachtomorrowastoday,wouldn'tyouthink?"
"ThesuperinChichester,wouldhebuythat?"Tonyasked.
"Yes,I'msure."
"Iwouldn'tmindadaymyselfofsittingontheeffingpebbles."
"Thetide'sgoingoutinthemornings,"Isaid."Howaboutifyoutakethestuff downtoEagleronthetrain,andI'lljoinyouforapaddlewhenI'vebuzzedup theCity?"
Henodded."SeeyouattheBreakwaterHotel,then?"
"Yeah.TellthematReceptionthatwe'retakingoverMiranda'sroom.She's bookedinuntilSat.u.r.day.Tellthemtheboy'sill,she'shadtotakehimhome, we'reherbrothers,we'vecomedowntocollectherclothesandhercar...andpay herbill."
"Idon'tknowthatsittingaroundintheBreakwatertoolongwilldomuchgood."
Igrinnedinthedarkness."Makeachangefromtheswitchboard,though."
"You'reaneffingrogue,Ialwaysknewit."
Hevanishedintotheshadowswithoutnoise,departingonfoottohisdistantly parkedcar,andIclimbedinbesideAlessiaandpointedournosetowards Lambourn.
Iaskedifshewerehungryandwouldliketostopsomewhereforalatedinner, butsheshookherhead."MirandaandIatecornflakesandtoastuntiloureyes crossed.Andyouwereright,sheseemedabitcalmerbythetimeweleft.But oh...whenIthinkofthatlittleboy...soalone,withouthismother...Ican'tbear it."
IspentthenextmorninginFleetStreetswearingvariousbusiness-pageeditors tosecrecyandenlistingtheiraid,andthendrovebacktoWestWittering, reflectingthatI'dspentatleasttwelveofthepastthirtyhourswithmyfeet onthepedals.
ArrivingattheBreakwaterinjeansandsportss.h.i.+rt,IfoundTonyhadchecked inandleftamessagethathewasoutonthebeach.Iwentdownthereandcame across.h.i.+msittingonagaudytowel,wearingswimmingtrunksanddisplayinga lotofimpressivekeep-fitmuscle.Idroppeddownbesidehimonatowelofmy ownandwatchedthelifeofthebeachebbandflow.
