“Hey. I’ll blow the bastard if he gets the kid back,” Vicki said.

The seconds ticked. Their brains played like accordions. Time compressed and then dragged by. David remained silent, as per instructions. Finally, the phone rang. He picked it up.

“Hello?”

A modulated voice. “Look under the phone, follow the instructions.”

The guy hung up. Kelly heard unfolding paper. She spoke into the mike.

“Read it aloud like you’re reading it to yourself,” she said.

He paused, then read. “‘David, at the corner of Harbor and Chapman, in Santa Ana, you’ll see an old two-story office building. Go to the back, suite one-oh-nine. Go inside, and you’ll receive further instructions. Hurry.’”

“Do it,” Kelly said.

“But …” David began.

“You don’t need to talk, do it,” Kelly snapped. They had supplied him with a map. He could not get lost. Nevertheless, Charlie looked over at her as she cut David off.

“I know, I need to keep him calm,” she apologized.

“No, you were fine,” Charlie said. “He has to be strong, not calm.”

They followed David to Santa Ana. Pulling into a Burger King parking lot across the street from the drab olive office building—which looked like it had been pissed on by the Jolly Green Giant—they were able to watch as David parked and climbed out of his car. Kelly wanted to sit and observe but Charlie was wary.

“Let’s go inside and watch from there,” he said.

She spoke into the mike. “If there’s another note, David, read it aloud.”

The interior of the Burger King was deserted. Charlie stepped to the counter to order, either hungry or acting like it. Kelly took a seat by the window and watched David knock on suite 109. He got no answer, so he went inside. Kelly waited for a gunshot, a scream, blood on the window and subsequently on her hands.

But nothing that dramatic happened.

“A video camera,” David muttered.

Kelly reacted quickly. “If there’s a camera, don’t talk. Look for another note and speak only when you have it in your hands. All your speech has to appear natural.”

She heard David’s steps. Paper crackled in his hands. He read aloud.