Remembering how she’d thought she was lucky to have dodged her mother’s questions around midnight, she wondered if her mother had even been in the apartment. Right now she’d give anything to see her mother—even if she wanted to know every last detail of her date.
Kristine focused on the note in her shaking hand.
We have your mother. Do not call the police. Your mother will be okay as long as you don’t do anything stupid. We don’t want your money. Just a favor only you can do. Wait for our call.
Had they already called while she was out at the dentist—or flirting with her new boyfriend? Would they think she was being uncooperative, not answering the landline when they called or, worse, doing something “stupid” like having the police set up recording equipment and wiretaps?
“Oh God!” Kristine dropped her head in her hands and began to cry. “I don’t know what to do.”
Suddenly the phone rang. She grabbed the receiver sitting next to her and said a rushed “Hello.”
“Are you alone?” a male voice asked. She suspected the caller was speaking through one of those voice modulators.
“Yes,” she answered.
The voice, sounding like it was coming from underwater, asked, “Have you called anyone? Spoken to anyone?”
“No.”
“Are you sure? The line was busy a few minutes ago.”
“I had to cancel an appointment.”
“So you did talk to someone. You lied.”
“No! I didn’t mean to lie. I just thought it wasn’t important. I didn’t say anything about the note to anybody. I swear.”
The phone call ended abruptly.
Her hand flew to her mouth.What have I done? What if I just caused them to hurt my mother?
She was worried enough already. If she knew Amy Scott, she’d be wailing and throwing herself on the floor. Icy chills traveled down her spine as she realized no kidnappers would put up with that. Her mother must be bound and gagged.
Kristine wanted to wail and throw herself on the floor too. But she had to keep it together.
The phone rang again. She grabbed it.
“Did you learn your lesson?” the odd voice asked.
“You’d better not have hurt my mother!”
“She’s still alive. Not happy at the moment, but alive.”
Dear God. If she’s giving them a lot of drama, Lord knows what they’ll do to her.“Let me talk to her,” Kristine demanded.
“Certainly. After you’ve done what we ask you to do, you can talk to her all you like.”
She wanted to yell “No. Now!” But she took a deep breath and tried to sound logical. “How do I even know you have her?”
“You don’t.”
“Then why should I do…whatever it is you want me to do? What is it, by the way?”
“As a firefighter, you have access to many businesses in the area.”
She had a sinking feeling but didn’t dare lie again. “Yeah…”
“We simply need you to retrieve something from one office building after hours.”
