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Back The Double Save as PDF
Chapters (63)
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  40. 40
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  63. Acknowledgements

What? He was being made a fool of. Everyone in on the joke, laughing at his gullibility. But once he’d broken the chains of his captivity, they wouldn’t be laughing anymore.

‘Hélène. I’ve taken her hostage.’ He could hear Gessen’s breath down the phone line. ‘These are my demands,’ he continued, pushing gamely on. ‘A signed letter from you that I was not of sound mind when I attacked that man in Copenhagen. Certification that I am fit to resume my position at Cambridge, and full passage back to the UK. Today. I will not spend another night here.’

‘Put Hélène on the phone, so I know she’s all right.’

‘She’s perfectly fine. I won’t hurt her. As long as you give me what I want.’

The phone went quiet for a moment, though Vidor could hear a faint buzz on the line. ‘I won’t give you anything,’ Gessen said, ‘until I’ve spoken to her myself.’

Vidor cupped his hand over the phone and turned to Hélène. ‘No funny business.’ He sounded like a gangster. When had he ever in his life been violent? ‘Please, Hélène.’ He sought her eyes. ‘You’re my only hope.’ He put the phone on speaker before passing it to her.

‘I’m fine, Anton,’ she said. ‘But I think you’d better do what he says.’ She met Vidor’s gaze as she spoke. If she was trying to transmit a message, he didn’t know what it was. He only felt relief that she seemed to be on his side.

‘I’d like to speak with Vidor,’ Gessen said.

After Hélène handed him the phone, he switched off the speaker and pressed the receiver to his ear. In the silence, Gessen’s breathing made a shushing sound, like snow sliding off a cliff.

‘Vidor? There’s no need for you to take such drastic measures. Why not let Hélène get on with her day? We can meet in my office to talk things over.’

‘No more talking. I’ve told you what I want. As long as you give me the letter and plane ticket, Hélène will come to no harm. If you don’t…’ Vidor sucked in his breath. ‘Surely, you know I’m a desperate man. And since you believe my true nature is that of a killer, I wouldn’t take any chances. What would it do to your reputation if an innocent woman died at the hands of a madman? A monster you unleashed.’

Hélène had lost the colour in her face. Was she afraid of him? Good. That would make his position all the stronger.

‘Tell me what you want.’