Page 53 of King’s Ransom

Whack!

I heard it before I felt it.

A second whip crack outside.

The sound of another strap detaching from its tie-down stud.

And the chopper—with us inside it—jolted sickeningly, dropping another two feet over the edge.

Metal squealed against concrete as the aircraft shunted downward.

‘Shit . . .’ I said.

My phone buzzed. It was Audrey. I hit speaker.

‘Yeah?’ I said quickly.

I was scanning Mrs King’s bonds: her hands were flex-cuffed behind her back and a small black device was attached to the buckle of her four-way seatbelt: the remote that opened it.

I hesitated.

This guy had used small explosives several times already.

I was worried this device might be booby-trapped with more.

Audrey said, ‘Are you out of your mind, Sam!? You jumped in there!? You’ve got forty seconds . . .’

My phone double-beeped.

A second call was coming through: unknown caller.

Him.

‘Audrey, he’s on the other line. Gotta go.’

(At least I hoped he was. It’d be a terrible time to get a scam call. I mean, God, I was already inside a helicopter dangling off the edge of a building and now I was juggling two phone calls.)

I switched calls.

‘Dr Speedman. My, my, you are determined. Be careful in there, if you tamper with my remote on her belt buckle, you might set off the charges attached to the last two straps holding up the chopper.’

He ended the call.

I had to do this another way.

My eyes found the co-pilot’s seat.

I swallowed.

I mean, hey, I’d done 37 hours of simulated helicopter flying . . .

No time, Sam. Do it!

I lunged forward, sliding once again into the co-pilot’s seat.

I scanned the myriad switches and dials on the dash while mentally going through my helicopter start-up checklist.

‘Sam! Twenty seconds . . .’ Audrey’s voice was back on the phone. The call had reverted to her.