‘What you and Shelby have already suggested,’ Rick said. ‘I think we should contact the police.’
‘But—’ Annie started.
‘I’m not saying we dial 999,’ Rick interrupted. ‘We need the exchange to go ahead so we can get Madison and Jam back as fast as possible.’ He looked down at his watch. ‘That only gives us just over an hour and a half. Not enough time for a proper police response to the situation. But I’ve got a mate who’s a cop . . . his name’s Cooper Trent. He used to work on kidnap and ransom cases. I should have thought of him earlier. He’ll help. I know he will. If he’s there for back-up then we’ll be able to handle whatever this couple who’ve got Jam and Madison do.’
I felt my shoulders release as he spoke. Looking at Annie and Shelby, it was clear they felt the same. Relief was etched on both their faces.
‘Are you sure, honey?’ Annie said with a sniff.
‘Absolutely.’ Rick gave her a warm smile. ‘Cooper’s the man. If he and I can block the kidnappers off there’s no way they can run off like they did last time.’
I frowned. ‘But how can just two of you block them off? Suppose they pick a place for the exchange with lots of exits.’
‘They’re not picking the place for the exchange,’ Rick said. His voice was stern and completely authoritative.
I gaped at him.
‘We’re telling them where the exchange will take place,’ he went on. ‘And by “we” I mean “I”.’ He paused. ‘I should never have let you take their calls, Lauren. I should have stepped up sooner. But I’m doing it now. When your phone rings, I’m answering. Let them deal with someone their own size.’
I stared at him, impressed.
Annie flew round the table and hurled herself into his arms. ‘Oh, Rick, thank you, thank you,’ she sobbed.
I looked at Shelby, hoping we could share a moment of acknowledgement. Annie might be a flake, but Rick was pretty cool.
But Shelby didn’t meet my gaze. Her expression was unreadable.
16
The Exchange
Half an hour later and it was all sorted. Rick had spoken to his friend, the ex-cop, Cooper Trent, and arranged to meet him on the way to the exchange. Shortly afterwards, the kidnappers rang and Rick took the call.
He was amazing. Completely unflappable and holding firm to everything he’d said earlier.
‘Well, I’m talking to you now,’ he said into the phone. ‘There weren’t any diamonds. Lauren just made that up because she was scared.’
I could feel my face flushing. Though what Rick said was true, I didn’t much like hearing it.
‘If you want your money you’d better listen to me,’ Rick went on. ‘We’ll meet at Chantler’s Cross in thirty minutes. Leave your van by the stile down the track. Bring the kids into the field. We’ll do the exchange there. You get the cash. We get the kids. Deal?’
Annie gripped my arm as we listened.
‘D’you know where that is, Mom?’ Shelby whispered on her other side.
‘Yes, we drove past it when we had that picnic on Sandcove beach last week,’ Annie said.
I nodded. I didn’t remember Chantler’s Cross, but I remembered Annie’s crazy picnic. She’d brought soft rolls (no butter) and a bag of carrots, so I’d made carrot-stick sandwiches for me and Madison. I’d munched away while Madison whispered in my ear a long story about her pocket dolls Tammy and Tilda. It was all made up, just Madison’s imagination firing away like it always did, but she’d spoken about the dolls so passionately it was as if they were real people.
Rick came off the phone to the kidnappers.
‘Did they mind it wasn’t me doing the exchange?’ I asked.
Rick made a face. ‘They still want you there with the money. As you heard, I told them those diamonds you’ve promised them don’t exist.’
‘Were they really OK about that?’ I asked.
Rick shrugged. ‘No, but there isn’t anything they can do, is there?’
I frowned. Would the kidnappers really let it go?
‘Don’t worry about it, Lauren,’ Rick said firmly. ‘You and I need to go to the field now. We’ll hook up with Cooper on the way. Just keep a tight hold of that two million.’
I squirmed in my seat, realising I had something else to admit to now. ‘Er . . . it took about sixty pounds to pay for our train tickets earlier.’
‘You mean the money’s light?’ Rick said. ‘Annie, how much cash do you have on you?’
‘Oh my goodness.’ Annie’s hands fluttered nervously over her purse. ‘There should be enough . . . I brought lots of British money with me . . .’
‘It’ll be fine,’ Rick said firmly.
And it was. Shelby and I checked the money in the backpack and added exactly the right amount we needed from Annie’s purse. As we worked methodically at the table, Annie herself paced around the kitchen. Tears were streaming down her face.
‘I should come with you,’ she wept. ‘I want to be there when we get Madison.’
Rick eyed her. I could tell that, like me, he thought Annie’s presence during the exchange was an extremely bad idea, and felt a surge of pride that he had no such doubts about me.
‘Maybe it would be better for Madison if you stayed at home, sweetheart,’ Rick said. ‘I mean, it’s going to be pretty tense out there and the kidnappers won’t be expecting you, and if you stay here you can have the house all ready for the little one to come back to.’
‘Do you really think so?’ Annie sobbed.
‘Yes,’ Rick said. He looked at me and Shelby. ‘Agreed, girls?’
I nodded.
‘Rick’s right on this, Mom,’ Shelby said. ‘You stay here.’
‘OK,’ Annie sniffed.
‘And I’ll go with Rick and Lauren,’ Shelby said.
What?
‘I don’t know that’s such a great idea,’ I said.
‘That’s so typical of you, Lauren,’ Shelby said bitterly. ‘Why should I be left behind?’
‘You’re not part of the deal,’ I insisted.
‘The kidnappers sent me to the London apartment, same as you,’ Shelby retorted.
I rolled my eyes. Why did Shelby have to make everything such a competition?
Rick sighed. ‘OK, that’s settled then. Annie stays here to make sure everything’s ready for Madison’s return. Shelby and Lauren drive to the exchange site with me. We’ll pick up Cooper on the way.’
Cooper was leaning against a hedge, waiting, as we swung into the lay-by. He looked like a maverick cop from a TV series – tall and well-built, with a shock of straw-coloured hair swept off his face. He was in his thirties, or early forties, I guessed, like Rick. However, he seemed far more macho than Rick, walking with a definite hint of swagger.
We got out of the car and Rick introduced me and Shelby. Cooper said ‘hello’ very seriously, then walked round the outside of the car and checked the tyres.
‘Just making sure we’re good for a getaway,’ he said.
A moment later we set off again. Chantler’s Cross was about three miles away. The ‘cross’ itself was just an ancient stone marker set along a country road surrounded by fields. We took the turning immediately after the cross, a narrow dirt track in the middle of a wooded area. We parked halfway down the track, just before a stile, then climbed over the stile into a large field surrounded on all sides by trees. Most of the field wasn’t visible from the dirt track, let alone the road beyond. A perfect, private location for the exchange.
I followed Rick and Cooper across the field. The earth under the sparse browned grass was hard and dry. The two men talked in low voices. I looked around, feeling nervous, the bag containing the money bumping against my legs. It was 8.15. The kidnappers would be here soon.
What if they didn’t bring Madison or Jam?
What if they got angry that I’d lied about the diamond jewellery?
What if they killed us all?
We reached the centre of the field and waited. Rick and Cooper chatted in low v
oices. Shelby and I didn’t speak to each other at all.
The minutes ticked past. I switched off my phone. I didn’t want to risk it ringing in the middle of the exchange, and after not getting hold of me all day, Mum was bound to call again soon.
It was 8.30 now and the moon shone through the dusk, highlighting the silhouettes of the trees that waved in the twilight sky. I could hear nothing, apart from the occasional swish of distant traffic. Annie phoned Rick. I couldn’t hear what she was saying but, from Rick’s soothing tone, I gathered that she was still in tears.
Rick came off his mobile with a sigh. I set the backpack down at my feet. The kidnappers still weren’t here and it was almost twenty minutes after the time we’d agreed for the exchange.
‘What the hell’s keeping them?’ Cooper muttered.
Rick shrugged.
‘I’m going to take a look over that stile down the track,’ I said. ‘See if there’s any sign of them.’
‘Not on your own, you’re not.’ Rick accompanied me to the stile. Shelby – clearly not wanting to be left out – came too. We peered over the bars. Rick’s car was parked up on the left, a dark shadow at the side of the dirt track. I peered in the other direction. There, in the distance, two small headlamps were coming towards us.
‘That’s got to be them,’ I said.
‘Oh my goodness.’ Shelby’s hands fluttered to her chest in a gesture I recognised from Annie.
‘Come on.’ Rick led us back to the middle of the field, where Cooper waited. The sound of an engine drifted towards us across the night air. The kidnappers were getting closer and closer.
‘Look.’ Cooper pointed towards the dirt track, where the white van from the first exchange attempt was pulling up beside the stile. The lights switched off, but I could still make out Frank’s outline as he got out of the driving seat and walked to the back of the van.
A moment later Frank had bundled Jam and Madison – both blindfolded and with their hands tied behind them – over the stile. My heart raced at the sight of them. They looked so vulnerable. This had to work. Frank marched them towards us across the field. The woman I’d mistaken for Sonia Holtwood strode behind them, her hair tied back in a ponytail. Frank’s gun glinted in her hand.
I shivered, realising how easily she’d fooled me.
‘Here we go,’ Cooper said softly.
Frank and the woman stopped about fifty metres away. Jam and Madison stood beside them. I could see Jam speaking, but was too far away to hear what he said.
‘Bring the money over!’ the woman shouted. She was definitely American.
‘Send the kids first!’ Rick yelled.
The woman turned to Frank. A moment later he was untying the blindfolds round Madison and Jam’s eyes. As soon as she saw me, Madison started to run. Frank grabbed her arm. He said something to her. Again, I was too far away to hear. Madison hung her head.
‘Jam and Madison will walk towards you, Lauren,’ the woman ordered, ‘while you walk towards us with the money.’
Jam reached for Madison’s hand as they made their way slowly across the field. Madison stumbled on the grass. Jam squeezed her hand tighter, but kept his eyes fixed on me.
Rick prodded me in the back. ‘Go on, Lauren,’ he said firmly. ‘Start walking. It’s going to be OK.’
I picked up the backpack full of money and moved forward. My legs were trembling slightly and I had another flashback to the earlier exchange attempt. Somehow this one felt spookier – what with the field and the darkness – and yet safer too. Whatever happened, I knew that Rick and Cooper were right behind me.
I drew closer to Jam and Madison. They were both looking at me intently. As soon as we got near enough to talk without the others hearing, I spoke.
‘Are you OK?’ I asked.
‘We’re fine,’ Jam said.
‘Lauren, I’m scared.’ Madison’s voice was smaller than I could ever remember it.
‘Don’t be scared, sweetheart,’ I said. ‘Mommy’s waiting for you at home. It’s almost over.’
We reached each other. Stopped.
‘Keep coming!’ Frank ordered.
‘See you in a minute,’ Jam said.
I walked on, past them, towards Frank and the woman. The backpack strap felt sweaty in my hand. I was twenty metres away. Ten. Getting closer.
‘Stop there!’ Rick called out behind me. ‘Lauren’s come far enough!’ he yelled to the kidnappers.
I stopped and glanced over my shoulder. Jam and Madison had reached the place where Cooper, Rick and Shelby were waiting. Rick had picked Madison up in his arms. She was clinging to him like a monkey, her face buried in his neck.
‘OK!’ Rick yelled. ‘Lauren’s going to put down the money and walk away. My colleague is going to take the other kids to the car. You’ve got what you wanted. We’re done.’
I put down the backpack and took a step back.
‘Wait.’ The woman pointed her gun at me. ‘Stay there while I check the money.’
I stopped. The woman ran forward and grabbed the bag, then raced back to Frank.
I stood still. The field was completely silent as the woman opened the backpack and reached in her hand. A breeze ruffled my hair, cool against the sweat on my forehead.
I glanced sideways. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Cooper and Shelby helping Jam and Madison over the stile. Their hands were still tied, but I knew Rick had a penknife in his car we could use to cut the rope.
‘What is this?’ The woman’s shrill voice filled the air. ‘Lauren?’
I spun round to face her. What was happening now?
‘Where’s the money?’ The woman levelled her gun directly at me.
It took me a moment to register what she was saying. And then I looked down. The grass at the woman’s feet was littered with newspaper. Most of it was in bundles, clearly resembling the shape and size of the notes we had put in the backpack earlier. A few pieces had come loose and fluttered across the grass, the newsprint highlighted in the moonlight.
I looked up from the bundles of newspaper to the backpack that dangled from the woman’s hand.
And the terrible truth hit me like a fist.
The money was gone.
17
The Choice
I stared, stupidly, at the empty backpack, my brain taking a few seconds to catch up with my eyes.
Where was the money?
Rick ran towards me. His eyes were wide open. Completely shocked. Clearly he had no more idea what was happening than I did.
The woman pointed her gun at him.
‘Stop!’ she demanded. ‘What’s going on?’
‘I don’t know,’ Rick stammered. ‘The money was in there. Someone’s switched the real notes with those bits of newspaper.’
‘Give me that.’ Frank tore the gun out of the woman’s hand and raced across the field to where Cooper had disappeared with Shelby, Jam and Madison.
Oh no, oh no, oh no.
‘I promise you, we thought the money was—’ I started.
‘Shut UP!’ The woman advanced towards me. ‘This is your fault, you little witch!’
Spit flew from her mouth. Her eyes were wild with fury. I backed away.
‘Stand still,’ she ordered, raising her fist.
I turned and ran, my heart thumping against my ribs. If I could just reach the trees at the edge of the field . . . The woman pounded after me, her feet thudding across the dry earth.
‘No!’ Rick shouted.
I prayed he was running after me, trying to catch the woman and stop her. But I didn’t dare look round. Her footsteps sounded close. I reached the trees. Tore through them. Leaves and twigs cracked underfoot. I sped past a bush, desperate for somewhere to hide. It was almost dark, but there was still enough light to see by. If I could just make it into the next field . . .
I darted left, then right, past more trees. I was in the thick of the wood now, with no idea which direction anything was in. I stopped for a second. I could
hear footsteps nearby, but it was impossible to work out exactly where they were coming from.
I looked round, desperate. A sheet of corrugated iron lay propped against a fallen tree trunk. I rushed over and crawled underneath it. I had to curl into a tight ball to fit. I lay motionless, the side of my face pressed into the dry earth.
Footsteps were still crashing around nearby. I kept as still as possible. My left leg was cramped from being tucked up underneath me, but I didn’t dare move.
And then, at last, Rick’s call echoed through the night air.
‘Lauren?’ he said softly, his voice a loud whisper. ‘Lauren, are you here?’
I hesitated a second, then pushed the corrugated iron sheet off me. Rick was just a few metres away, standing by a tree. He walked towards me.
‘Are you all right?’ he said.
I nodded, brushing myself down. ‘Where are they?’ I whispered.
‘The man is still chasing after Cooper and the kids,’ Rick said softly. ‘I just saw the woman going across the field away from us.’ He put his arm round my shoulders and gave my arm a squeeze. ‘Come on, we need to get out of here. I spotted a gap in the trees where we can get out onto the track and back to the others.’
We hurried through the wood. It was darker now and the full moon shone high in the sky.
‘What happened to the money?’ I whispered as we ran.
‘I don’t know . . .’ Rick looked anxious. ‘It was right there in the bag when we left the house. And the bag was with us the whole time.’
We ran on. I powered past a clump of fallen branches. Fear filled my chest, tightening every muscle. What would happen to Jam and Madison if Cooper hadn’t got them away . . . if Frank caught up with them? They were already gagged and bound – completely defenceless.
We raced into a clearing. ‘We have to—’
With a crash, the woman came stumbling through the trees towards us. She saw me. Saw Rick.
For a second I froze. We stared at each other across the clearing.
‘Stop!’ the woman said.
For a second I hesitated. And then I realised that Frank had taken her gun earlier . . . that she had no obvious weapon . . . I spun round.