“What story?What girl?”
“Does the name Amy Manning ring a bell?”
“No,” I lied easily.
“Really?”Max chuckled, but there was no humor in it.“Maybe you know her as Jane Doe.”
I was working hard to conceal my reaction, but I got the feeling Max could see right through me.Knowing this would move along faster if I would just own up to whatever it was Max thought he knew, I decided to change the direction of the questioning.
“What does she have to do with you?”
“Everything,” Max stated easily.“Everygoddamnthing.”
There was a knock on the door and Max pivoted around to open it.Someone passed something to him and then he was turning back toward me, holding … a pen and paper, plus a cell phone.
Okay, so the latter gave me hope.
Max laid the items on the table in front of me.“I’m gonna give you two options here.”
I sat back, prepared to argue, but Max held up a hand.
“Let me finish.”
I nodded.
“Your first option is to make a list of your transgressions, including the kidnapping and torture of Amy Manning, as well as your part in the deaths of your first wife, your second wife, Amy Manning’s aunt and uncle, as well as Detective Tannenbaum.Oh, and while you’re at it, you can confess to the attempted murder of Amy Manning.”
“Fuck you,” I spat.
Max continued as though I had said nothing.“Once that’s done, I’ll need you to sign and date the suicide note, as well.”
“Thewhat?”I sat up straight, fear lancing through my bones.Okay, drastic times call for drastic measures.“Wait.I’ve got money.I can pay you.Then you can let me go and no one’ll be the wiser.”
“Pay me, huh?”
Yeah, I knew money would appeal to a man like Max.
“Absolutely.”
“That’s somethin’ to consider.”
I nodded toward the cell phone.“I can wire the money to your account right now.”
Max seemed to consider this for a moment.“I’m listening.”
“One hundred thousand dollars,” I offered.
One dark eyebrow lifted, signaling that Max wasn’t impressed.
Shit.
“One hundred fifty,” I said.
“Five hundred thousand,” Max countered.
“Fine.”
Before I knew what was happening, Max touched the screen on the phone, bringing it to life, then typed in the numbers.
