Part Three: Hostage

Richard

I watch them drive away, taillights receding into the dark.

Depressed beyond measure, I let the curtains fall back, turning to deal with the two women now in my care.

Mitch, calmer than I've seen her for days, returns from the kitchen, tray in hand. She pours peppermint tea for herself, then two more cups. She slides one across the table to Elizabeth, then brings one to me.

“Thank you, Mitch, but I don't really care for it.”

She holds still, hand and cup outstretched. “It will calm you down.”

“I'm perfectly calm, thank you.”

“Is that why you're wearing a hole in the carpet?”

Elizabeth turns her face away, but not before I see the smile she's hiding behind her own cup. Then her smile fades.

“My apologies, Mitch. This goes against the grain for me. It really, really goes against the grain. Charlotte in trouble. James and Michael… Even Lawrence Klempner… of all people… riding to the rescue, while I...” I hold up palms, sick with helplessness and self-disgust.

Mitch’s voice is calm. “James and Michael are both husbands to Charlotte. Larry is her father. Your first responsibility is to Beth. Your pregnant wife.”

“Believe me, Mitch, I know it. Nothing else would have kept me here at a time like this.”

Elizabeth sips at the tea. She's pale. Too pale. I take her by the shoulders, kiss her hair. “My Love, you're tired. Why don't you go to bed for a while? Get some sleep.”

She swallows, blinking hard. “I wouldn't feel right.”

Mitch sits on the chair arm by her. “Nothing's going to happen for the next hour at least. Go upstairs. Snatch a catnap at least. When anything starts to happen, I'll come wake you.”

Elizabeth shakes her head, then stifles a yawn behind her hand.

And I’ve had enough.

You’ll make yourself ill…

“Mitch is right. Let me help you up to bed. We’ll not let you sleep through. But you do need to rest. Your first responsibility is here.” I pat her stomach. Under my palm, something pats back and, startled, I snatch my hand away before, laughing, I rest my hand back on the spot.

Elizabeth dimples. “Looks like I’m outvoted. Even Adam agrees with you.”

“So he does.” I offer my hand, helping her to stand.

We climb the stairs slowly. She leans heavily on me, rubbing at the base of her spine.

“Elizabeth, are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine. I'm just tired, Master.”

“And upset.”

“Of course I’m upset. Seeing Charlotte like that…” Her face drops, eyes squeezing closed.

“If anyone can get her back, can you think of three better people?”

“No, Master.”

I help her undress and put her to bed. Sitting by her, I lean in, kiss her cheek. “Sleep well, my Love.”

*****

James

Klempner drives, and despite the urgency of our journey, does so carefully, steering around iced puddles and the switchback corners of the road descending from our mountain home.

Both he and Michael loaded their gear, a lot of it, into the trunk, but I have very little beyond what I’m wearing. My baggage is waiting for me.

I twist around from my seat in the front, jerking my chin at Michael’s bulging rucksack. Despite being packed tight, when he hefted it, it seemed oddly light. “What’s in the bag?”

He looks grim. “Anything I could think of that Charlotte might need. Warm blankets, towels and a wrap. A ground roll. A flask of soup. Chain cutters. Baby wipes. Antiseptic. Surgical gloves, clamps and scissors.”

“Scissors?”

“To cut the cord if I need to.”

Klempner, I think watching Michael in the rear-view, tightens his grip on the wheel. “You’re well-prepared.”

“Charlotte’s uncomfortable with hospitals and doctors. I’ve thought for months we might have a home delivery. I made sure I was ready for it.”

*****

On the edge of the City, he’s there, waiting as promised: Ross leans back against the car he chauffeurs for Richard, arms folded, staring at the ground. He straightens up as he sees us.

Klempner winds down his window. “You have it?”

Ross jerks his head to the rear seat. “It’s in the back.”

As Klempner, Michael and I exit our own vehicle, Ross opens up his. “Mr Haswell had the cash drawn in large denomination notes, otherwise you’d never be able to carry it.” He hefts a very ordinary-looking sports-bag across to me. “Even so, it’s no lightweight. It’s got to weigh over twenty pounds.”

He fishes in his pockets. “James, I’ve been speaking with Mr Haswell while you were on your way here. I have a couple of other things for you.” He offers something in his hand.

“A phone?”

“It’s my phone. I’ve set up the tracker app and I’ll be watching you on a live feed from the car.” He nods back to where, I now see, is a tablet and dongle. “Keep the phone in your pocket.”

“They’ll likely take it off me as soon as I meet them.”

He nods, looking unhappy. “Yes, but in that case, we’ll at least know where you were last seen. I’ll be relaying it back of course, to Mr Haswell...” His eyes rise to mine. “He’s not very happy at being left behind.”

He rummages again then passes me something else. “There’s this too. It’s the smallest, most discreet one I could find in the time. Keep talking as you’re moving. Keep us up to date with where you’re headed. And anything that happens.”

As I fiddle with the earpiece, fitting it into place, Michael claps me on the shoulder. “Take care. And remember to duck.”

“You too. But get her back.”

“We will.”

Ross’ voice in my ear. “Can you hear me, James?”

“Yes, I can hear you.”

His eyes scouring the dark streets, Klempner produces his hip flask, takes a swig and almost absent-mindedly, offers it to me.

“I told you before, I don’t need Dutch courage.”

“And as I told you before, I prefer Dutch anger.” He wrinkles his nose, rocking the flask in his hand at me, as he did before…

Who would have believed Klempner would be the deliverer of courage and cheer?

He doesn’t believe I’m going to live through this…

I take the flask, tipping it to my mouth, expecting the harsh bite of the rough whiskey he gave me before. Instead, smooth heat flows over my tongue, ripples down my throat and radiates through my belly.

I stare at the bottle, then at Klempner. “You tossed my fifteen-year-old Armagnac into a hip flask?”

He grins, entirely unembarrassed. “It’s a cold night, James. I thought we might as well have the benefit.”

I grin back. “You’re right.” I take another swig, then offer it to Michael.

He accepts it, pasting on a facsimile of a ‘Michael smile’, but it’s not there in his eyes.

“Michael…”

He swallows and takes another sip. “Hmmm?”

“You’ll get her out of there? And Cara?”

“You know I will.”

“If…” My throat tightens… “If… After tonight… You’ll…. You’ll be Cara’s father?”

His smile falters then brightens and now settles on his eyes. “The question doesn’t arise. It was always the deal that I’d be Cara’s official father. Nothing’s changed.” He offers back the flask.

“Tell her… Tell her from me…”

“She knows, James.”

Klempner speaks quietly. “Michael, time’s moving on. You and I have work to do.”

He squats down, takes something from his rucksack, pressing it into my hand. “I know you said you didn’t want to carry one but humour me. It’s a cert that whoever you meet will be carrying and I’ll be happier if you have something you can use to at least make them duck. And it’s not bulky so it won’t slow you down.”

I look at the gun lying in my palm, then stow it into a pocket.

He nods, slaps me on the shoulder and gets into the car. From the driver’s seat, “Take care, James. Remember what I said. That vest will help, but you’re not invulnerable.”

*****