Another rolling flex.
'We got to be friends-more like brothers. And then-you know what he did?'
Sally worked her mouth, managed to say, 'What?'
'He sprung me from the slam. I was doing ten to fifteen, aggravated manslaughter, but he vouched for me at my hearing, gave me money and a job. So when he asked me for a favor, I wasn't in a position to refuse. You know what that favor was?'
'No.'
'To get that notebook.'
She swallowed again, fought against a fresh wave of fear. He would never be telling her this unless he planned to kill her.
He stopped flexing, turned back around, picked up his shirt, pulled it on. 'You see now why I'm going to so much trouble? But I've got to go make a phone call. I'll be back.'
Then he turned and walked out of her little prison-room.
19
AS THE CAR neared Tucson, Tom tried his cell phone again and found there was finally coverage. He checked his watch. Half past five. He'd been with Dearborn longer than he thought. He was going to have to hustle to make his six-thirty flight.
He dialed his home number to check in on Sally. The phone rang a few times and the answering machine kicked on. 'Hi, this is Tom and Sally. Tom's away on business and I'm out of town unexpectedly, so we won't be able to get back to you right away. Sorry about the missed lessons, I'll get back to everyone later. Leave a message, thanks.'
The beep followed and Tom hung up the phone, surprised and suddenly concerned. What was this about being out of town unexpectedly? Why hadn't she called him? Maybe she did call-his cell phone was out of range at Dearborn's place. He quickly checked his phone but it had registered no missed calls.
With a growing sense of unease he dialed his home number again, listened to the message more carefully. She didn't sound normal at all. He pulled over to the side of the road and redialed this time listening very closely. Something was terribly wrong. Tom felt his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. He pulled back on the interstate with a screech of rubber. As he accelerated, he dialed the Santa Fe Police and asked for Detective Wilier. A frustrating two transfers later the familiar stolid voice answered.
'It's Tom Broadbent.'
'Yeah?'
'I'm out of town and I just called home. Something's not right at my house. My wife should be there but she's not, and she left a message on the answering
machine that makes no sense. I think she was forced to leave that message. Something's happened.'
A silence, and then Wilier said, 'I'll go out there right now and take a look.'
'I want you to do more than that. I want you to pull out all the stops and find her.'
'You think she's been kidnapped?'
Tom hesitated. 'I don't know.'
A pause. 'Anything else we should know?'
'I've told you what I know. Just get out there as quickly as possible.'
'I'll take care of it personally. Do we have permission to break in, if the door's locked?'
'Yes, of course.'
'When are you getting back to town?'
'My flight from Tucson's landing at seven-thirty.'
'Give me your number, I'll call you from the house.'
Tom gave his cell phone number and hung up. A feeling of powerlessness and self-reproach washed over him. What a fool he'd been, leaving Sally by herself.
He accelerated, laying the pedal to the metal, blasting down the asphalt at over hundred. No way could he miss this flight.
Fifteen minutes later his cell phone rang.
'Am I speaking to Tom Broadbent?'
It wasn't Wilier. 'Look, I'm waiting for an important-'
'Shut up, Tommy boy, and listen.'
'Who the hell is-?'
'I said shut up.'
A pause.
'I got your little lady. Sally. She's safe-for now. All I want is the notebook. You follow? Just answer yes or no.'
Tom gripped the phone so hard as if to crush it. 'Yes,' he finally managed to say.
'When I get the notebook, you get Sally back.'
'Listen, if you even so much as-'
'I'm not going to say it again. Shut the hell up.'
Tom heard the man breathing heavily into the other end of the phone.
The voice said, 'Where are you?'
'I'm in Arizona-'
'When do you get back?'
'Seven-thirty. Listen to me-'
'I want you to listen to me. Very carefully. Can you do that?'
'Yes.'
'After your flight lands, get in your car and drive to Abiquiu. Go through town and get on Highway 84 north of the dam. Don't stop for anything. You should be there at around nine o'clock. You've got the notebook on you?'
'Yes.'
'Good. I want you to take the notebook, put it in a Ziploc bag, and pack it full of trash to make it look like garbage. The trash has to be yellow. You get it? Bright yellow. Drive back and forth on Highway 84 between the dam turnoff and the Ghost Ranch turnoff. Drive at exactly sixty miles an hour with your cell phone on. Coverage is pretty good, only a few dead spots. I'll call you then with more instructions. Understand?'
'Yes.'
'What's your flight number?'
'Southwest Airlines 662.'
'Good. I'm going to check and find out when you actually land, and I'll expect you up by Ghost Ranch one hour and twenty-five minutes later. Don't stop at home, don't do anything but drive straight up to Abiquiu. You understand? Just go back and forth between the dam and Ghost Ranch until you get my call. Keep it at sixty.'
'Yes. But if you hurt her-'
'Hurt Sally? She's going to be taken care of real good, provided you do everything I say in exactly the way I say it. And Tom? No cops. Let me tell you why. No kidnapping ever succeeded after the police were called in. You ever hear that statistic? When the cops are called in, the kidnapping fails and the victim usually dies. You call the police and I'm screwed. The cops'll take over, they'll do their own thing, and they won't pay any attention to you or your concerns. You'll lose control, I'll lose control, and Sally will die. You understand what I'm saying? You call the cops, and you'll be kissing your wife good-bye on a stainless-steel gurney in the basement of 1100 WestAirport. Clear?'
Silence.
'Have I made myself clear?'
'Yes.'
'Good. It'll just be you and me, in total control at all times. I get the notebook, you get your wife. Total control. Understand?'
'Yes.'
'I've got a police band radio here and I've got other ways of knowing if you call the cops. And I've got a partner, too.'
