Скачать книгу

was so determined, so twisted, that they were going to get to their kids one way or another, come what may.

      ‘Ask for proof they’re alive,’ she said. ‘I need to know my babies are OK.’

      He typed a message and showed it to her.

      Please send proof the children are well.

      The reply was immediate.

      Later. First, I tell you what I want.

      ‘This is it,’ Matt said. ‘This is when whoever this is asks for something we don’t have and we have to try and sort this mess out.’

      ‘You still think it’s money?’

      ‘It’s always money. What else could it be? We’ll do whatever we have to, Annabelle. Sell the house. Ask my sister. Your brother. They can have everything we own.’

      She closed her eyes. ‘What if it’s not enough? What if we’re nowhere near having what they want?’

      ‘We’ll offer what we can,’ Matt said.

      ‘And if that’s not enough?’ Annabelle said. ‘If they think it’s too risky to be worth it to them and we never hear from them again?’

      ‘We’ll take the risk anyway. Beg them to return the kids. We’ll promise not to pursue them if they do. We’ll promise not to tell anyone. They can have everything and walk away.’ He got to his feet. ‘But we can cross that bridge later.’ He held out her hand for the phone and typed a message.

      What do you want?

      They stared at the screen, waiting. The silence seemed to stretch forever, then the reply came.

      The ransom is Annabelle. If you want to see your children again, you will exchange them for her.

      The silence stretched on.

      ‘No,’ Annabelle said eventually. ‘No, not this. That’s crazy. It’s impossible.’

      ‘I’m going to call the number,’ Matt said. ‘Talk to them. This is madness.’

      Before he could call, another message arrived.

      You have my demand. It is simple and non-negotiable. Further instructions will come tomorrow morning. You will have one chance to agree. If you accept my terms, your children will be returned to you unharmed. If not, you will never see them alive again.

      Matt pressed call. She watched as his face contorted in agony.

      ‘Shit!’ he said. ‘Too late. Just a message saying there’s no voicemail. The phone’s dead. It’s been switched off, or destroyed.’

      Annabelle barely heard the words. She folded her arms tightly.

      ‘Matt,’ she said. ‘It’s me. I’m the ransom.’

      ‘No. That’s not going to happen. It’s ludicrous.’

      ‘Maybe,’ Annabelle said. ‘But it’s happening. This is real, Matt.’

      ‘There’s a way out of this,’ he said. ‘There has to be.’

      ‘Then what is it?’ she said. ‘What the hell are we going to do?’

PART TWO

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAABQAAD/4QN1aHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjAtYzA2MSA2NC4xNDA5NDksIDIwMTAvMTIvMDctMTA6 NTc6MDEgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0i aHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1w PSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bXBNTTpPcmlnaW5hbERvY3VtZW50SUQ9 InhtcC5kaWQ6NDFiNzNiZGQtMWM0Zi00ZDMyLWE0ZGQtYzc1M2VkODZkZTk1IiB4bXBNTTpEb2N1 bWVudElEPSJ4bXAuZGlkOjgyRDBEMDBFQjQ4OTExRUE5MTNFRDczOEY5RjA1NUU1IiB4bXBNTTpJ bnN0YW5jZUlEPSJ4bXAuaWlkOjgyRDBEMDBEQjQ4OTExRUE5MTNFRDczOEY5RjA1NUU1IiB4bXA6 Q3JlYXRvclRvb2w9IkFkb2JlIFBob3Rvc2hvcCBDUzUuMSBNYWNpbnRvc2giPiA8eG1wTU06RGVy aXZlZEZyb20gc3RSZWY6aW5zdGFuY2VJRD0ieG1wLmlpZDo3OTNDRkMxNjU1MjE2ODExOTlEOEUw Qzc5MTU3RjBGQSIgc3RSZWY6ZG9jdW1lbnRJRD0ieG1wLmRpZDoxREQ0OTYwOTU0MjE2ODExOTlE OEUwQzc5MTU3RjBGQSIvPiA8L3JkZjpEZXNjcmlwdGlvbj4gPC9yZGY6UkRGPiA8L3g6eG1wbWV0 YT4gPD94cGFja2V0IGVuZD0iciI/Pv/iDFhJQ0NfUFJPRklMRQABAQAADEhMaW5vAhAAAG1udHJS R0IgWFlaIAfOAAIACQAGADEAAGFjc3BNU0ZUAAAAAElFQyBzUkdCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAD21gAB AAAAANMtSFAgIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA EWNwcnQAAAFQAAAAM2Rlc2MAAAGEAAAAbHd0cHQAAAHwAAAAFGJrcHQAAAIEAAAAFHJYWVoAAAIY AAAAFGdYWVoAAAIsAAAAFGJYWVoAAAJAAAAAFGRtbmQAAAJUAAAAcGRtZGQAAALEAAAAiHZ1ZWQA AANMAAAAhnZpZXcAAAPUAAAAJGx1bWkAAAP

Скачать книгу