O’Donnell hung up and quickly worked his way through ten more calls. He assigned seven to team number one, the team that dealt with obvious cranks, and three to the second team, though he knew that none of the callers represented the real captors of Elizabeth Halton. He was about pick up another call when his private line rang. He answered that line instead and heard the voice of the switchboard operator.

“I think I’ve got the call you’re looking for.”

“Voice modifier?”

“Yep.”

“Send him down on this line after I hang up.”

“Got it.”

O’Donnell hung up the phone. When it rang ten seconds later, he brought the receiver swiftly to his ear.

“This is John O’Donnell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. How can I help you?”

“I’ve been trying to get through to you for a half hour,” said the electronically modified voice.

“We’re doing the best we can, but when twenty million is on the table, the nutcases tend to come out of the woodwork.”

“I’m not a nutcase. I’m the one you want to talk to.”

“Prove it to me. Tell me where you left the DVD of Elizabeth Halton.”

“We left it under the rowboat on the beach at Beacon Point.”

O’Donnell covered the mouthpiece of the receiver and pleaded for quiet. Then he looked at Kevin Barnett of the CIA and motioned for him to pick up the extension.

“I take it you’re interested in taking the deal,” O’Donnell said to the caller.

“I wouldn’t be calling otherwise.”

“You have our girl?”

“We have her.”

“I’m going to need proof.”

“There isn’t time.”

“So we’ll have to make some time. Just answer one question for me. It will just take a minute.”

Silence, then: “Give me the question.”

“When Elizabeth was a little girl, she had a favorite stuffed animal. I need you to tell me what kind of animal it was and what she called it. I’m going to give you a separate number. You call me back when you’ve got the answer. Then we’ll discuss how to make the exchange.”

“Make sure you pick up the phone. Otherwise, your girl dies.”

The line went dead. O’Donnell hung up the phone and looked at Barnett.

“I’m almost certain that was our boy.”

“Thank God,” said Barnett. “Let’s just hope he has our girl.”