[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

"Cleverly. We're obviously dealing with people who are not to be taken for granted."
"So, in a nutshell, with all of your electronic, digital and scientific methods, you are no closer to
finding my daughter than you were yesterday afternoon, when you had no information at all."
"Mr. Wainwright, you need to give us a chance to dissect the data we just received so that we
have a better idea -"
"I don't want you to have an idea! I want you to know! I want my daughter back! Alive!"
"Yes, Sir, I understand that but -"
"But nothing! You're advising me not to pay a ransom and right now, that's the only resolution
that I see. I will call my lawyer and financial advisor and have them start getting the money
together."
"Mr. Wainwright, again I must highly advise against that."
Outraged, John Wainwright put his face close to Walt Sanborn's. "Then find her, Goddamn it,
find her before tomorrow's phone call or you won't be running the show!"
Special Agent Sanborn stood there, watching the irrational billionaire walk away from him. He
wasn't sure who was turning out to be more difficult to deal with - the emotional, illogical
Wainwright or his detached, shrew of a wife. At least the heiress' husband was willing to listen to
reason. Letting out a long, exasperated breath, he turned and walked back to the command center
to talk to his team.
*****************
Tia had found some vanilla yogurt and toasted a bagel which she brought to her captive. The
more she saw the heiress, the guiltier she was feeling. She had decided that, right now, she
needed to spend as little time as possible with Jody as her senses were quickly approaching
overload, torn between her desire to stay sober and really work on a plan to get them out of this
mess or to get rip-roaring drunk and fuck her captive senseless. So, as not to tempt herself, she
stayed in the master berth only long enough to deliver the tray and then she left, returning to the
salon to pace and think.
She knew she had to call Bruce back, had to find out how deep he was in this thing and what, if
anything, he was willing to do to get out of it. The problem was, if Bruce was lacking as many
scruples as Montgomery, she could be opening a whole knew can of worms by trying to enlist
his help. He could tip off Montgomery that she was fishing for a way out behind his back,
searching for something, anything, she could get on the bastard to use as collateral.
On the other hand, Montgomery did not seem the type to want to share anything equally and that
included responsibility. She bet that Bruce was in similar circumstances as she, the details of
which could be anything. If he was being threatened by Jody's husband to 'do this or else,' he
might be more than willing to work with her against Montgomery. After all, there was strength in
numbers, even if the total only was two. Or he could be a coward and refuse to betray this
monster, thinking he really would get a reward. Was she ready to take that chance?
God, she wanted a drink. But she needed a clear head to think this through.
****************
It had not taken Jody long to finish her breakfast, Tia's brief appearance leaving her perplexed
while she ate. Her captor was so hot and cold, mostly the latter, and she never knew what to
expect when Tia entered the room.
Oddly enough, she found herself actually looking forward to the tall woman's visits. Jody tried to
convince herself that was due to feeling isolated and any company was better than nothing.
Realistically, she knew it was more than that. Tia aroused her curiosity in the most engaging way
with her daunting yet...protective...demeanor. Jody realized that although her captor frightened
her, she also fascinated her.
Jody was discovering that she wanted to know what made Tia tick for more than just using the
information for her survival. Yet she couldn't define exactly why she wanted to know.
Something changed when Tia alluded to her lesbianism, something that made Jody want to
practically interrogate Tia about her orientation and how and when she knew. There were so
many questions the heiress had about herself and even though the woman holding her hostage
probably wasn't the best source, she was the first person Jody had met that she didn't feel would
judge, criticize or demean her for her curiosity.
When Tia came back for her breakfast dishes, Jody was disappointed when her captor picked up
the tray, advised her she would be back with her lunch in a few hours and exited the room
without further conversation. Common sense told her she should be grateful for the limited
contact but, instead, she felt neglected and very, very alone.
The solitude gave her too much time to think about her immediate future, wondering if she even
had one.
*******************
Montgomery had returned downstairs to all the activity with the knowledge that he had passed
his polygraph, not that there was ever any doubt. Wainwright was now in the upstairs study
behind closed doors, where the lie detector had been set up, being grilled by the forensic
psychophysiologist and after him, it was Sondra's turn.
He sought out Agent Marciano to find out what he had missed during his morning in the box.
The young fed filled him in on the ransom call and what they had determined from it. It didn't
bother Montgomery that they had figured out so soon that the voice setting up the terms of the
abduction was synthetic, nor did it faze him that they realized quickly the call didn't really
originate from Asia. They were still no closer to finding his wife and by the time they had [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]