Beyond Ransom (The Ransom Series) by A.T. Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

with purpose.  He’s back to being the man on a mission, not the emotional
and honest grieving father and husband who made a short appearance earlier.  I
worry what’s about to happen to me next.
    “It’s time to give daddy a call for an
update,” Mark says cheerfully in a glance toward me as he picks up his cell phone. 
Once the call is connected, he places the phone down on the table on
speakerphone.  The room silences around us except for the rapid beating of my
heart within my chest.  I swear they must be able to hear it all the way across
the room.
    “Mark,” my dad’s voice says over the
call.  In that one simple word I can tell he’s exhausted.  I also hear
something else, and it absolutely crushes me.
    He sounds hopeless.  Completely and
utterly hopeless.
    “So wonderful to speak to you again,
old friend,” Mark replies in a jovial tone.  “What news of the six million dollars
you owe me?”
    There’s a long pause on the other end
of the line.  “I don’t have it yet.  I’m working on getting it together as fast
as I can.”
    The desperation in Dad’s voice is
evident.  He’s not even trying to hide it, that’s how bad the situation really
is.  This tells me two important things: he doesn’t have the money to give
Mark, and he doesn’t have a clue where I am or how to find me.
    It truly is hopeless.
    Mark doesn’t seem fazed.  He’s
radiating a smile toward me, practically beaming.  “I’m so sorry to hear that,
Robert.  I had hoped to save your daughter from an extended stay, but it
appears she might as well make herself comfortable here.”
    I can’t look at him anymore.  The
thought of spending another hour here, let alone days or weeks or months,
absolutely destroys me inside.  How long will it take for Mark to give up on my
parents ever pulling together enough money to pay the ransom?  How long will it
take for him to use and abuse me until I’m spent and then kill me?
    “Please.”  My dad’s voice is
trembling.  “Please don’t hurt her.  Give me time.  I’ll do as you ask.  I’ll
get your money.  Just don’t hurt my girl any more than you already have.”
    My heart breaks for him.  I want to
speak up and comfort him, to let him know that I’m hanging in t here and surviving and that I’ll wait as long as it takes for him
to save me.  I don’t want him to be hopeless.
    Mark’s expression hardens.  “I’ll do
what I want with her, when I want to.  The longer you take to get my money, the
greater the chance that she’ll come back to you in more pieces than what I took
from you.”
    “Will you let me talk to her?  Can I
see her?”  Dad’s voice is becoming desperate.
    “You’ve asked for two things.  You’re
only getting one of them.”
    The more I hear Mark speak to my dad,
the more I realize just how in command of the situation he is.  Mark holds all
the cards.  I barely recognize this version of my dad on the phone.  The
hard-ass detective with the tough exterior is nowhere to be found in this
battle.  I feel like Mark is winning without even trying.
    “I want to see her,” Dad decides.
    Mark looks at me and puts a finger to
his lips , motioning for me to remain quiet.  I comply
without question.  I have no intention of making a crazy outburst of useless information
on the call this time.
    Mark fiddles with his phone for a few
moments then faces it toward me.  The screen is small from the distance Mark is
away from me, but I can make out the blurry outline of my dad’s face.  It warms
my heart a thousand degrees to see him and even more when my mom’s dark brown hair
and red face enter the picture.
    “We’re going to get you home,
sweetheart,” Mom says between sobs.  Dad seems at a loss for words with his
hand over his mouth.
    Hearing their voices hits me
particularly hard, but seeing their faces is too much.  Tears instantly pool
behind my eyes and race down my cheek s .  I wish they
could reach through the phone