Ed handed his phone to Tess and left the room.
“Tess, if it is Tan, you need to keep him talking,” Dot said. “Try to find out where he is. If he wants you to go somewhere, ask who will meet you, that kind of thing. Listen carefully, there might be background noises that will give away where he is.”
“Can you protect my dad?”
Dot sighed. “I’ve rung people, but I don’t know how good their contacts are. Is there somewhere the rest of your family can go in the meantime?”
Was there? No, she couldn’t call her mother back if they were monitoring the calls.
Ed returned with Amy and Georgie. Tess stiffened. She didn’t want an audience, but perhaps they’d hear something she didn’t. “I’ll call the number.”
She put her phone on speaker. Every muscle in her body tensed as she waited for someone to answer. Finally, just as Tess thought the call would go to voice mail, a male answered. “Where are you, Tess?”
Her heart raced. “You don’t need to know, Tan.”
“I disagree.” His tone was calm, as if discussing the weather. “The fate of your father depends on where you are.”
“Where are you?”
He laughed. “Safe. Don’t you worry about me.”
Was that the sound of waves in the background?
“I want you to be in Hyde Park in an hour. Someone will pick you up.”
She glanced at Ed. “I don’t know where that is.”
“It’s just north of the CBD.”
“You know I’m not in the city.”
“You might have returned after your little jaunt.”
He was testing her. She stayed silent. Let him do the talking. It was more opportunity to get the information Dot needed.
“I’m sure wherever you are, I can have someone with you within the hour.”
Her hand trembled. Surely he couldn’t. Unless he already knew where she was. Lee could have told him. “Australia’s a big country.”
“It is, but I know you’re still in the state, and north of the Tropic of Capricorn.”
Could he be tracing her new phone? She hadn’t thought to ask Dot if it was possible. “What will you do if I come to you?”
“I’ll set your father free.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your promise? You might kill us both.”
Tan chuckled, a most unpleasant sound. “I might, but I’ll definitely kill him if you don’t. Tell me where you are.”
Her skin prickled, and her stomach lurched. She couldn’t let that happen. Her family needed her father more than they needed her. Ed shook his head, his eyes wide. She turned away, her heart aching. “I’m in Retribution Bay.”
“How convenient. I know a few people there. I’ll send you a map. Be at that location within the hour.” He hung up.
“Tess—” Ed began.
“No. I can’t let anything happen to my father. I have to go.”
“Dot, did you get anything?” Georgie asked.
