"Listenonce.Listengood.You"llfindatapeinaboxbyyourfrontgate.Do what.i.tsays."Therewasasharpclickfollowedbythedialingtone,andthen Tony,pressingb.u.t.tons,wa.s.speakingtopeoplewhowereevidentlytelephone engineers.
"Didyougettheoriginofthesecondcall?"heasked.Wereadtheansweronhis face."O.K.,"hesaidresignedly."Thanks."ToNerrityhesaid,"Theyneed fifteenseconds.Betterthantheolddays.Troubleis,thecrooksknowittoo."
Nerritywasonhiswaytothefrontdoorandcouldpresentlybeheardcrunching acrosshisgravel.
Alessiawaslookingveryfrailindeed.Iwentdownonmykneesbyherchairand putmyarmsprotectivelyaroundher.
"Youcouldwaitinanotherroom,"Isaid."Watchtelevision.Readabook."
"YouknowIcan"t."
"I"msorryaboutallthis."
Shegavemearapidglance."YoutriedtogetmetogohometoPopsy.It"smy ownfaultI"mhere.I"mallright.Iwon"tbeanuisance,Ipromise."She swallowed."It"sallsoodd...toseeitfromtheotherside."
"You"reagreatgirl,"Isaid."Popsytoldmeso,andshe"sright."
Shelookedasmallshadelessfraughtandrestedherheadbrieflyonmy shoulder."You"remyfoundations,youknow,"shesaid."Withoutyouthewhole thingwouldcollapse."
"I"llbehere,"Isaid."ButseriouslyitwouldbebestifyouandMirandawent intothekitchenandfoundsomefood.Gethertoeat.Eatsomethingyourself.
Carbohydrate.Biscuits,cake...somethinglikethat."
"Fattening,"shesaidautomatically:thejockeytalking.
"Bestforyourbodiesjustnowthough.Carbohydratesareanaturaltranquilizer.
It"swhyunhappypeopleeatandeat."
"Youdoknowthemostextraordinarythings."
"Andalso,"Isaid,"Idon"twantMirandatohearwhat"sonthetape."
"Oh."Hereyeswideneda.s.sheremembered."Pucinelliswitchedoffthattape...so Icouldn"thear."
"Yes.Itwashorrid.Sowillthisbe.Thefirstdemandsarealwaysthemost frightening.Thethreatswillbedesignedtopulverize.TogoadNerrityinto payinganything,everything,veryquickly,tosavehislittleson.Sodearest Alessia,takeMirandaintothekitchenandeatcake."
ShesmiledashadeapprehensivelyandwalkedovertoMiranda,whowa.s.sobbing periodicallyinisolatedgulps,likehiccups,butwhoagreedlistlesslyto makingacupoftea.Thetwowentofftotheirhaven,andNerritycrunchedback withabrowncardboardbox.
Rightsworthimportantlytookchargeofopeningit,tellingeveryoneelseto standback.Tony"seyebrowsweresardonic.Rightsworthproducedapairofclear plasticglovesandmethodicallyputthemonbeforecarefullyslittingwitha penknifetheheavyadhesivetapefasteningthelid.
OpeningtheboxRightsworthfirstpeeredinside,thenputanarminandbrought outthecontents:oneca.s.settetape,inplasticcase,as.e.xpected.
Nerritylookedat.i.tasifitwouldbiteandwavedvaguelyatanornatestretch ofgiltandpaddedwallunit,someofwhosedoorsprovedtobescreeningabank ofexpensivestereo.Rightsworthfoundaslotfortheca.s.sette,whichhehandled carefullywiththeplasticgloves,andNerritypushedtherelevantb.u.t.tons.
Thevoicefilledtheroom,harsh,thunderous,uncompromising.
"Now,you,Nerrity,youlistengood."
Itookthreequickstridesandturneddownthevolume,onthegroundsthat threatsfortissimowouldsoundevenworsethanthreatsshould.Tonynodded appreciatively,butRightsworthwasirritated.Thevoicewenton,moremoderate indecibels,immoderateincontent.
"Wenickedyourkid,Nerrity,andifyouwantyourheirbackinonepieceyoudo whatyou"retoldlikeagoodboy.Otherwisewe"lltakeourknifeout,Nerrity, andslashoffsomethingtopersuadeyou.Nothishair,Nerrity.Afingermaybe.
Orhislittleprivates.Thoseforsure.Understand,Nerrity?Nomessingabout.
Thisisforreal.
"Nowyougotahorse,Nerrity.Worthabit,wereckon.Sixmillion.Seven.Sell it,Nerrity.Likewesaid,wewantfivemillion.Otherwiseyourkidsuffers.
Nicelittlekid,too.Youdon"twanthimscreaming,doyou?He"llscreamwith whatwe"lldotohim.
"Yougetabloodstockagentbusy.We"llwaitaweek.Oneweek,sevendays.Seven daysfromnow,yougetthatmoneyreadyinusednotes,nothingbiggerthan twenty.We"lltellyouwheretoleaveit.Youdowhatwetellyou,orit"sthe castration.We"llsendyouatapeofwhat.i.tsoundslike.Slash.Rip.Scream.
"Andyoukeepawayfromthepolice.Ifwethinkyou"vecalledintheForce,your kid"sfortheplasticbag.Final.Youwon"tgethisbodyback.Nothing.Think about.i.t.
"Right,Nerrity.That"sthemessage."
Thevoicestoppedabruptlyandtherewasanumbminuteofsilencebeforeanyone moved.I"dheardascoreofransomdemands,butalways,everytime,foundthem shocking.Nerrity,likemanyaparentbeforehim,waspoleaxedtohisroots.
"Theycan"t..."hesaid,hismouthdry,thewordsgagging.
"Theycan,"Tonysaidflatly."Butnotifwemanageitright."
"Whatdidtheysaytoyouthisafternoon?"Iasked."What"sdifferent?"
Nerrityswallowed."The...theknife.Thatpart.Before,hejustsaid"five millionforyourkid."AndIsaidIhadn"tgotfivemillion...Hesaid"you"vegot ahorse,sosellit."Thatwasall.Andnopolice,hesaidthattoo.Five million,nopolice,ortheboywoulddie.Hesaidhe"dbegettingintouch.I begantoshoutathim...hejustrangoff."
Rightsworthtooktheca.s.setteoutoftherecorderandput.i.tinitsbox,putting thatinitsturninthecardboardcarton,allwithexaggeratedcareinthe plasticgloves.Hewouldbetakingthetape,hesaid.Theywouldmaintainthe taponMr.Nerrity"stelephone,hesaid.Theywouldbeworkingonthecase,he said.
Nerrity,highlyalarmed,beggedhimtobecareful;andbeggingdidn"tcomeeasy, Ithought,tooneaccustomedtobully.Rightsworthsaidwithsuperioritythat everycarewouldbetaken,andIcouldseeTonythinking,asIwas,that Rightsworthwastreatingthethreatstoopompouslyandwasnot,inconsequence, abrilliantdetective.
Whenhehadgone,Nerrity,hisfirstfearssubsiding,pouredhimselfanother stiffginandtonic,againwithiceandlemon.Hepickedtheiceoutofabucket withapairoftongs.Tonywatchedwithincredulity.
"Drink?"hesaidtousasanafterthought.
Weshookourheads.
"I"mnotpayingthatransom,"hesaiddefensively."Foronething,Ican"t.The horseisduetobesoldinanycase.It"sfouryearsold,andgoingtostud.I don"tneedtogetabloodstockagent,it"sbeinghandledalready.Someofthe shareshavealreadybeensold,butI"llhardlyseeapenny.LikeIsaid,I"ve gotbusinessdebts."Hetookadeepdrink."Youmayaswellknow,thathorseis thedifferencetomebetweenbeingsolventandbankrupt.Biggeststrokeofluck ever,thedayIbought.i.tasayearling."Heswelledslightly,givinghimselfa mentalpatontheback,andwecouldbothseeanechooftheexpansivenesswith whichhemusthavewavedmanyaginandtonicwhileherecountedhisgood fortune.
"Isn"tyourbusiness,"Isaid,"alimitedcompany?Ifyou"llexcusemyasking."
"No,itisn"t."
"Whatisyourbusiness?"Tonyaskedhimcasually.
"Importer.Wholesale.Oneortwowrongdecisions..."Heshrugged."Baddebts.
Firmsgoingbankrupt,owingmemoney.Onmyscaleofoperationsitdoesn"ttake muchofarecessiontodoad.a.m.nedlotofdamage.Ordinandwillclear everything.Setmetorights.Fundmeforfuturetrading.Ordinandisab.l.o.o.d.y miracle."Hemadeafuriouschoppinggesturewithhisfreehand."I"md.a.m.nedif I"mgoingtothrowawaymyentirelifeforthoseb.l.o.o.d.ykidnappers."
He"dsaidit,Ithought.He"dsaidaloudwhathadbeenfesteringinhismind eversinceMiranda"sphonecall.Hedidn"tlovehissonenoughforthe sacrifice.
"HowmuchisOrdinandworth?"Tonysaidunemotionally.
"Theygot.i.tright.Sixmillion,withluck.Fortysharesatahundredandfifty thousandeach."Hedrank,theiceclinking.
"Andhowmuchdoyouneedtostraightenyourbusiness?"
"That"sab.l.o.o.d.ypersonalquestion."
Tonysaidpatiently,"Ifwe"regoingtonegotiateforyou,wehavetoknowjust whatisorisn"tpossible."
Nerrityfrownedathislemonslice,b.u.t.thensaid,"Fourandahalf, thereabouts,willkeepmesolvent.Fivewouldclearalldebts.Sixwillseeme soundlybasedforthefuture."
Tonyglancedabouthimattheoverplushroom."Whataboutthishouse?"
Nerritylookedathimasifhewereafinancialbaby."Everybrickmortgaged,"
hesaidshortly.
"Anyothera.s.sets?"
"IfIhadanyotherb.l.o.o.d.ya.s.setsI"dhavecashedthembynow."
TonyandIexchangedglances,thenTonysaid,"Ireckonwemightgetyourkid backforlessthanhalfamillion.We"llaimlower,ofcourse.Firstoffer,a hundredthousand.Thentakeitfromthere."
"b.u.t.theywon"t...theysaid..."Nerritystopped,floundering.
"Thebestthing,"Isaid,"wouldbetogetyourselfontotheCitypagesofthe newspapers.Gointoprinttellingtheworldthere"snothinglikeaDerbywinner forkeepingthebailiffsout."
"But..."
"Yes,"Iinterrupted."Maybenotinthenormalwaygoodforbusiness.Butyour creditorswillbesurethey"llbepaid,andthekidnapperswillbesurethey won"t.Nexttimetheygetintouch,they"lldemandless.Oncetheyacknowledge tothemselvesthattheproceedswillberelativelysmallcomparedwiththeir firstdemand,that"swhatthey"llsettlefor.Betterthannothing,sortof thing."
"b.u.t.they"llharmDominic..."
Ishookmyhead."It"sprettydoubtful,notifthey"resurethey"llmakea profitintheend.Dominic"stheironlyguaranteeofthatprofit.Dominic,alive andwhole.Theywon"tdestroyordamagetheira.s.setinanywayifthey"re convincedyou"llpaywhatyoucan.Sowhenyoutalktothepress,makesurethey understand-andprint-thatthere"llbeamarginover,whenOrdinandissold.Say thatthehorsewillwipeoutallyourdebtsandthensome."
"But..."hesaidagain.
"IfyouhaveanydifficultyapproachingtheCityeditors,wecandothatfor you,"Isaid.
HelookedfromTonytomewiththeuncertaintyofacommandernolongerin charge.
"Wouldyou?"hesaid.
Wenodded."Straightaway."
"Andrewwilldoit,"Tonysaid."HeknowstheCity.CuthisteethinLloyds,our ladhere."NeitherhenorIexplainedhowlowlymyjobtherehadbeen."Very smooth,ourAndrew,inhiscitysuit,"Tonysaid.
Nerritylookedmeupanddown.Ihadn"treplacedmytie,althoughI"dlong unrolledmytrousers."He"syoung,"hesaiddisparagingly.
Tonysilentlylaughed."Asoldasthepyramids,"hesaid."We"llgetyournipper back,don"tyoufret."
Nerritysaiduncomfortably,"It"snotthatIdon"tliketheboy.OfcourseI do."Hepaused."Idon"tseemuchofhim.Fiveminutesinthemorning.He"sin bedwhenIgethome.Weekends...Iwork,gototheraces,gooutwithbusiness friends.Don"thavemuchtimeforlollingabout."
Notmuchinclination,either,Idiagnosed.
"Mirandadotesonhim,"Nerritysaid,asifthatwerenovirtue."You"dhave thoughtshecouldkeephereyesonhimforfiveminutes,wouldn"tyou?Idon"t seehowshecouldhavebeensob.l.o.o.d.ystupid."
Itriedexplainingaboutthedeterminationofkidnappers,but.i.tseemedtohave noeffect.
"Itwasherideatohavethekidinthefirstplace,"Nerritygrumbled."Itold heritwouldspoilherfigure.Shewentonandonaboutbeinglonely.Sheknew whatmylifewaslikebeforeshemarriedme,didn"tshe?"
Fromtheotherside,Ithought.Fromtheofficeside,wherehislifewasmost intense,whereherswasbusyandfulfilled.
"Anyway,wehadthekid."Hemadeanothersharplyfrustratedgesture."Andnow...
this."
Miranda"smotherarrivedconvenientlyatthatpoint,andshortlyafterwardsI putAlessiainmycarandtalkedtoTonyquietlyinthegarden.
"Thursday,tomorrow,"Isaid."Wittering"saseasideplace.Goodchancethesame peoplewillbeonthebeachtomorrowastoday,wouldn"tyouthink?"
"ThesuperinChichester,wouldhebuythat?"Tonyasked.
"Yes,I"msure."
"Iwouldn"tmindadaymyselfofsittingontheeffingpebbles."
"Thetide"sgoingoutinthemornings,"Isaid."Howaboutifyoutakethestuff downtoEagleronthetrain,andI"lljoinyouforapaddlewhenI"vebuzzedup theCity?"
Henodded."SeeyouattheBreakwaterHotel,then?"
"Yeah.TellthematReceptionthatwe"retakingoverMiranda"sroom.She"s bookedinuntilSat.u.r.day.Tellthemtheboy"sill,she"shadtotakehimhome, we"reherbrothers,we"vecomedowntocollectherclothesandhercar...andpay herbill."
"Idon"tknowthatsittingaroundintheBreakwatertoolongwilldomuchgood."
Igrinnedinthedarkness."Makeachangefromtheswitchboard,though."
"You"reaneffingrogue,Ialwaysknewit."
Hevanishedintotheshadowswithoutnoise,departingonfoottohisdistantly parkedcar,andIclimbedinbesideAlessiaandpointedournosetowards Lambourn.
Iaskedifshewerehungryandwouldliketostopsomewhereforalatedinner, butsheshookherhead."MirandaandIatecornflakesandtoastuntiloureyes crossed.Andyouwereright,sheseemedabitcalmerbythetimeweleft.But oh...whenIthinkofthatlittleboy...soalone,withouthismother...Ican"tbear it."
IspentthenextmorninginFleetStreetswearingvariousbusiness-pageeditors tosecrecyandenlistingtheiraid,andthendrovebacktoWestWittering, reflectingthatI"dspentatleasttwelveofthepastthirtyhourswithmyfeet onthepedals.
ArrivingattheBreakwaterinjeansandsportsshirt,IfoundTonyhadchecked inandleftamessagethathewasoutonthebeach.Iwentdownthereandcame acrosshimsittingonagaudytowel,wearingswimmingtrunksanddisplayinga lotofimpressivekeep-fitmuscle.Idroppeddownbesidehimonatowelofmy ownandwatchedthelifeofthebeachebbandflow.