In Broad Daylight by Marie Ferrarella Read Free Book Online

detective to the other. "What if I say the wrong thing? I just couldn't
    live with myself if something happens to that child because of me—"

    Dax did a poor job of hiding his exasperation. The seconds were ticking away fast and the
    phone continued to ring. "Look, lady—"

    Not knowing what else to do, afraid that the moment and the call would slip through their
    fingers, Brenda snatched up the receiver.

    "Tylerresidence," she enunciated in what she prayed was a fair imitation of Martha's
    English accent.

    Surprised, Dax stared at her. In desperation, because the kidnapper might be expecting a
    woman's voice on the other end, he was about to tell Brenda to answer the telephone, but
    she'd anticipated him. The woman had a cool head, he thought.

    Making eye contact, he indicated that she should keep the person on the other end of the
    line talking. If the kidnapper talked, there was a slim chance that a clue, a noise in the
    background, might be picked up, one that would help them locate where Annie Tyler was
    being held.

    Brenda felt as if her stomach was going to revolt and come surging out of her mouth any
    time now. Her morning communes with the porcelain bowl were a thing of the past only by
    two weeks. And this felt much worse than morning sickness.

    Concentrating on the kidnapper, she was still vaguely aware that six sets of eyes were
    trained on her.

    The police technicians and two detectives were gathered in a semicircle around her,
    obviously straining to hear the other side of the conversation. She held on to the receiver
    with both hands, tilting the ear piece slightly so that at least some of the dialogue could
    be made out. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Martha sinking onto the sofa.

    The instant she heard the voice on the other end, Brenda knew she hadn't a prayer of
    trying to recognize it. The kidnapper could have been a man or a woman for all she knew.
    They were using a voice synthesizer. The irritating vibrations sounded like words being
    blown through a harmonica.

    "We have the little girl. We don't want to harm her."

    You bastards.Brenda struggled to keep her feelings from spilling out. "And we do not want
    her harmed," she told the caller, plucking words out of nowhere. Her mind felt as if it was
    completely blank. "What do you want us to do?"

    The voice on the other end of the line paused, as if playing out the moment. Brenda could
    feel the tension rising with every second that passed. "Tell theTylerswe want two million
    dollars and then she'll be returned. That shouldn't be hard for them to manage."

    Dax suddenly grabbed Nathan's jacket and pulled it open. His partner jumped, staring at
    him accusingly. "Hey."

    The protest faded as Dax took out his pad and the pen he kept there and began to quickly
    scribble something down. Done, he held the pad up for her to read as the metallic voice
    droned in her ear.

    She squinted, trying to make out the words he'd written. The detective had alternated
    between printing and using script, both of which were almost illegible.

    Giving him an exasperated look, she filled in the gaps as best as she could.

    "How do we know she's still alive?" Brenda asked. She kept her eyes on Dax. "We want proof." Dax nodded as she got his message right. "A photograph of Annie holding today's newspaper in her hands."

    This time, there was no pause. There was anger. "We're the ones with all the cards here,
    bitch. We make the terms, not you."

    She suppressed the urge to beg the kidnapper not to hurt Annie, to let her go. That would
    only empower him or her. Instead, she reiterated more forcefully, "We need proof."

    When there was no answer, she raised her eyes to Dax for instruction. To her horror, he
    took hold of her wrist and pushed her hand down until the receiver was back in its cradle.

    He'd made her hang up the phone.

    She stared at him, stunned and furious. "What the hell are you doing?"

    "The kidnapper was going to hang up on you."

    She couldn't