“From his voice,” said Detective Lynch, unfazed by Durch’s tirade. “Sometimes, not often, but occasionally you can get an idea what the guy looks like from the way he sounds. If he’s a heavy, big guy with a strong, loud voice or a small guy with a squeaky, thin voice. And if there’s more than one involved. Like maybe hearing someone in the background who accidentally says something. Sometimes you can tell if the kidnapper sounds young or old. Or smart or stupid, or—”

“It was just a voice, Detective. It wasn’t a videophone or something like—”

“Why did the kidnappers pick your wife?” asked Detective Murphy, changing the subject. “What I’m trying to say is, how did they know you could afford such a large sum of money?”

“My mother, Edna Durch, was one of the richest women in New York. When she died, it made all the newspapers. Even the wire services. I was the sole beneficiary in her will. That also made all the newspapers and wire services.”

“I see. So what did you say when the kidnapper demanded five million dollars?”

“At first I didn’t know what to say.”

“Did you say anything at all, anything that might be helpful to us?” asked Detective Lynch.

“No.” Durch didn’t like Detective Lynch.

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“You mean you didn’t say anything for the rest of the time you were on the phone?” asked Detective Murphy, annoyed.

“I said a few more things,” Durch said petulantly.

“We’re here to help you, Mr. Durch,” said Lieutenant Murphy. “We want to get you your wife back unharmed. So if you can just cooperate a little and tell us—”

“Well, I said…let me see…I said…”

“What did you tell the kidnapper after he demanded the five million dollars?” asked Detective Murphy.

“I told him for one thing I didn’t have five million dollars. I told him I did have that much at one time. Way more than that. But I don’t have it anymore. We spent it on expensive homes in East Hampton; South Beach, Florida; and Umbria in Italy. We bought a yacht and had it anchored in Saint Tropez. We got fancy cars. A Rolls for my wife and a Bentley for me. Evie bought out most of the stores in Manhattan. You’d be surprised how fast you can spend a lot of money.”

“What did the kidnapper say when you told him you didn’t have the money?” asked Detective Murphy.

“He said he didn’t believe me. He said sell one of the houses. I told him it takes time to sell a house. He called me an asshole and changed the ransom to ten million dollars and said he’d give me a week to get it together.”

“Did they let you talk to your wife?” asked Detective Murphy.

“Yes. They put her on the phone. She never said a word. She just cried. All she did was cry. Even the kidnapper asked me if there was any way to shut her up. He asked if she cried all the time at home.”