The Boy from the Woods(63)

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Delia said.

“Then—”

“I just…he works for Rusty Eggers. Like you said. I acted out of an abundance of caution, not because I really suspect he’d take our child.”

Hester turned to Wilde and caught the look on his face. “You have something to add?”

“A few things odd in the ransom email,” Wilde said.

“Go on.”

“First, what do they mean by ‘especially the oldest’ tape?”

“I’m not sure,” Dash said, “but I assume they mean outtakes from season one.”

Wilde waited a beat. Give them a pool of silence. People often dove in. Dash and Delia did not.

After a few more seconds passed, Hester said, “What else, Wilde?”

“If the kidnappers just want the truth out there, why not demand that you release the tapes to the media or post them on a public forum? Why would the kidnappers ask you to send them to their private drop first?”

“I’m not following,” Dash said.

“It could be nothing,” Wilde said. “Or it could be that the kidnappers want to control the information for themselves, not release it.”

The four of them stood there for a few long moments. A lawn mower shattered the silence. Then another.

“But there’s nothing on the tapes,” Dash said. “That’s the key thing. We don’t have any dirt.”

Delia nodded. “At worst, what we have is slightly embarrassing to Rusty. That’s all.”

Wilde listened to them both and reached a simple conclusion.

They were lying.





CHAPTER

TWENTY-FIVE



They had almost six hours until the link was active.

Wilde knew a few basic rules about negotiating with kidnappers. Rule One: Don’t ever agree to the first offer. A life may be at stake, but every negotiation is about power and control. The kidnapper had most of it, but you, the victim’s family, are the only buyer in the market for the particular “product” they are selling. So you have some power too. Open a dialogue. All the other rules—keep emotion out of it, start low, be patient, demand proof of life—flow from this basic premise.

There was only one problem.

Wilde had no way to reach the kidnappers.

There were no emails, no mobile numbers, nothing. Wilde tried hitting reply to the ransom email, but the message bounced back.

The clock was ticking, so they divided up the chores. Dash would prepare the videos in case they decided to upload some or all of them. Delia would contact Crash’s closest friends to see whether any of them saw Crash recently or knew where he might be.

“Keep it low-key,” Hester suggested to Delia. “You’re a nervous mom not sure where your kid spent the night, that’s all.”

Wilde would continue searching for Naomi because the early theory remained the best one: There was a connection between Naomi’s disappearance and Crash’s. In short, if you find Naomi Pine, you most likely find Crash Maynard.

There was yet another matter Wilde had to handle. He spotted Gavin Chambers standing by the tennis court smoking a cigarette.

“I’m surprised you smoke,” Wilde said.

“The bad guy always smokes.” Chambers threw the butt on the ground and stomped it with his heel. “And he litters.” He squinted up at the sun. “Your idea to move the meeting outside?”

Wilde saw no reason to reply.

“The library isn’t bugged. You can have a guy sweep the place.”

“Okay.”

“So you officially throwing me out?”

“No,” Wilde said.

“Then you want to fill me in on what’s going on?”

“As much as I can.”

“Hey, Wilde?”

Wilde looked up at him.

“Don’t insult me with your bullshit, okay? I know Hester isn’t just worried about privilege. I’m viewed as Rusty Eggers’s man.”

“Hmm. Sure you weren’t listening in?”

Gavin liked that one. “Even Captain Obvious could have figured that one out. Rusty was the one who brought me in, so someone feels that’s where my loyalty will be.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Would it do me any good to say no?”

“Probably not.”

“Either way, I just want to find the kid. So what’s the plan?”

“Most of the guards here were employed before you came on board.”

“Right. I brought in three men with me, including Bryce.”

“Bryce?”

“The blond guy you keep tangling with.”

“Okay. So Bryce and the other two are out.”

“Leaving you with Maynard’s untrained rent-a-cops?”

“I’ll bring in a few of my own people,” Wilde said.

“Ah, I see.” Gavin Chambers smiled. “From your old agency?”

He had already called Rola, who was more than game. She was, in fact, on her way with a crew in hand. “Yes.”

“You guys ever handle a kidnapping?” Gavin asked. “Because—no offense—you’ll screw it up.”

“Funny.”