Chapter Seven
Daniel. The day of the kidnapping.
‘You don’t think calling the police is a bit drastic?’ I ask. ‘It’s only been a few hours.’
Joel is happily watching a cartoon on the TV, and the noise is driving me crazy.
‘She left the gym to go home over three hours ago. You’re supposed to be in the restaurant now. And why isn’t she answering her phone?’ says Gil. ‘And why would she turn off Google tracking? It’s not like her.’
‘Isn’t that what people do when they’re having an affair?’ I say petulantly.
Gil looks shocked. ‘Danny, that’s ridiculous.’
‘Is it?’
Jo and I set up Google tracking years ago. It was just a simple, practical and reassuring thing. If one of us were to be running late, the other could check and stop worrying. We used it all the time. But now… Now she’d turned off tracking at her end, which had to be deliberate. But why?
‘Turning off your Google tracking; isn’t that what someone does when they don’t want you to know where they are?’ I say.
‘If she’s out of signal area, then she wouldn’t be able to get Google tracking, Danny. And, even if there were to be someone else, which I don’t believe for a minute, she would never abandon Joel. She was excited about your dinner tonight.’
‘Sorry, I’m not thinking straight,’ I say. ‘I don’t understand why she would turn it off; she’s never done that before. It’s as if she doesn’t want to be contactable, but that doesn’t make sense.’
‘Jo is the best communicator I know,’ she says, and then hesitates for a second.
‘What is it?’ I ask, sensing there is something she isn’t telling me.
‘It’s just creepy. After our swim, she talked about how anxious she was about something bad happening. It was some superstitious thing, she said, because you have the perfect life.’
I raise my eyebrows. ‘The perfect life?’ I almost laugh. The perfect life? If only. Maybe Jo’s wealthy, polished, untouchable parents fit that fantasy. But us? Hardly.
‘I don’t know, Danny,’ Gil says quietly. ‘She was probably just being superstitious. Still, I think you should call the police.’
I shake my head. I wish she’d stop banging on about the police. ‘It’s too soon. She’ll turn up. There’s got to be a rational explanation.’
And then my phone vibrates on the table. We both freeze.
‘See?’ I say, grabbing it. ‘That’s probably her now.’
‘Oh, please, God,’ Gil whispers.
Jo’s name lights up the screen. Relief slams into me, hot and dizzying.
‘It’s her,’ I say, already answering. Gil drops onto the sofa, relieved.
‘Jo? Where the hell are you? We’ve been going out of our min—’
A man’s voice cuts me off. Cold. Calm. ‘Mr Neal? Or shall I call you Danny?’
The room tips sideways.
‘Who is this?’ I ask. ‘What are you doing with my wife’s phone?’
Gil gasps.
‘She doesn’t need it right now,’ the man replies casually. ‘And don’t bother calling it. It’ll be out of service soon. Now listen carefully, and don’t interrupt. I have your wife. She’s safe for now. She’ll be back home, all nice and cosy, in a few days, but I need something in return.’
I can’t speak. The room shrinks around me. My grip tightens on the phone.
‘Two million,’ he continues. ‘Half by the end of this week. The rest by next. Do that, and everything stays nice and tidy. But if you involve the police… That perfect little life of yours might not stay so perfect.’
Two million. The words spin, useless and unreal, in my mind. ‘You’re insane,’ I manage to croak. ‘I can’t get money like that at such short notice.’
The idea of two million pounds swirls around in my head, and suddenly, my brain feels waterlogged.
‘But her parents can,’ the man says smoothly. ‘It’s your wife. Your call. I’ll be in touch. And Danny – I’ll be watching.’
The line goes dead. I stare at the phone. I feel Gil’s eyes on me. My throat feels like it's closing up. I hurry to the kitchen and fill a glass with water.
‘What the hell is going on?’ Gil asks, following me. ‘Has she been kidnapped?’ Her voice trembles.
I’m numb with shock, so I simply nod.
Her eyes widen in alarm. ‘Oh my God. Who on earth would kidnap Jo?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Did you recognise their voice?’
‘No.’
‘How much do they want?’
‘Two million.’
‘Two million,’ she repeats incredulously.
The TV seems deafening, and I turn the volume down. Joel seems oblivious and carries on watching.
Gil lays a hand on my arm. ‘We need to call the police, Danny.’
‘No,’ I say sharply. ‘He said no police. I need to try to get the money. He’s been researching her. He knows her parents are rich.’
‘The police have specialists who deal with this kind of thing. They have tracking devices and the right equipment. They may be able to identify her most recent location. We could have her back in a few hours, Danny.’
My heart is hammering so hard that it’s difficult to think straight. I can’t make any mistakes.
‘It might not stop at two million. They may get greedy,’ she argues.
‘They?’ I say. ‘Why do you say they?’
‘You don’t know how many there are,’ says Gil, bursting into tears.
‘He says he’s watching me,’ I say. ‘If he finds out we’ve gone to the police…’
Gil grabs some kitchen towel to wipe her eyes. ‘Oh God, what do we do?’
I chew my lip, thinking of Julia and Donald. Surely her parents, with all their millions, will help?
‘No police, Gil. Promise me. I will talk to Julia and Donald. They will pay the ransom. Will you stay with Joel?’
Her expression tells me she isn’t happy with my decision, but she nods. ‘Can I have a cigarette first?’ she asks, pulling a packet from her bag with trembling hands.
‘Don’t phone the police, Gil.’
She frowns but nods her agreement. Thankfully, Joel is unaware of everything and remains absorbed in his programme.
‘Joel, Daddy has to go to see Gramps and Granny. Gil is going to stay with you.’
He turns his eyes towards me. ‘Mummy?’
‘At work. She’ll be home soon.’
I watch Gil on the veranda, smoking her cigarette. She dabs at her eyes frequently. When she returns, I grab my car keys.
‘Promise me you won’t phone the police, Gil. I don’t want anything to happen to Jo.’
‘I won’t,’ she assures me. ‘You’d better go.’