They grab the wrong child Learn English through story level 4

chapter one

we want your voting stock doug

outside the window boats sailed up and

down the river harb

in the clear october air orange and gold

leaves screamed their color against the

cold blue sky

the room was full of cigarette smoke

it hung over the five men like the

breath of ghosts

the room was enormous but it was full

now

full of the dirty ashtrays used glasses

and empty bottles

left at the end of a long and difficult

discussion

the men themselves were as exhausted as

the smoky air

tired but determined the men sitting

opposite douglas king hammered out their

argument

king listened to them silently

we’re asking you to think about prophet

doug that’s all george benjamin said

is that a lot to ask

think of shoes yes rudy stone said don’t

forget shoes but think of profit

grainger’s shoe is a business dog a

business profit and loss the black and

the red

and our job benjamin said is to keep

granger in the black

now

take another look at these shoes

a thin man he moved fast and silently to

a glass table which was covered with

women’s shoes

he picked one up from the pile and gave

it to king

what woman wants to buy a shoe like this

he asked

don’t misunderstand us stone said

quickly he was a muscular blonde man who

looked much younger than his 45 years

it’s a good shoe a fine shoe

but we’re thinking of profit now

the red and the black benjamin repeated

he turned to an older man sitting beside

him am i right frank

100

frank blake said in a thick southern

accent

he blew cigarette smoke at the high

ceiling

the american housewife benjamin said

can’t afford this shoe

but even if she could afford it she

wouldn’t want it

mrs america our customer the stupidest

little woman in the world

we’ve got to excite her doug

you’re a married man doug what excites

mrs king

pete cameron king’s assistant was

standing at the bar at the back of the

room

he smiled at king

but king did not smile back

he stared at benjamin

clothes excite a woman stone said

dresses hats jackets bag shoes benjamin

said his voice rising

profit depends on excitement stone said

you can’t excite a woman with these

shoes there’s just no excitement at all

in these shoes

the room was silent for a moment

then douglas king said

what are we selling shoes are a good

time in bed

frank blake rose to his feet

doug is making a joke he said

but it’s my money i’m interested in

not jokes

i hold a lot of stock in this company

and i can see now why granger is almost

in the red

frank is right doug benjamin said this

is nothing to make jokes about

we have to do something fast to save

granger shoe

what do you want from me king asked

softly

now you’re asking the right questions

benjamin said

give us all another drink will you pete

cameron began mixing the drinks

a tall and handsome man of 35 he moved

quickly and watched the others as he

worked

all right doug benjamin said we’re the

top men in granger’s shoe

i’m sales chief your production and rudy

here is fashion and design we’re all on

the board of directors and we all know

what’s wrong with the company

what’s that king asked

the old man

what does he know about women’s tastes

what does he know about women stone said

but

he’s president of granger

year after year he’s president because

he has enough stock to keep it that way

and the company goes down and down

and my stock is worth less and less each

year frank blake said

king watched as benjamin went quickly to

the glass table and picked up a red shoe

look at this he said

this is what i mean by excitement

made up for my own design rudy stone

said proudly take a good look at it doug

women will love it benjamin said

what do women know about quality as long

as the shoe looks good

king turned the shoe over in his big

hands saying nothing

i know what he’s thinking stone said

he’s thinking the old man would never

let grainger make a shoe like that

but the old man won’t have anything to

say about it that’s why we’re here today

oh

is that why we’re here king said smiling

only cameron smiled back at him

the old man’s got 25 percent of the

voting stock benjamin said

the old man’s got 25 percent king said

quietly and you rudy and frank have 21

between you

not enough to fight the old man and win

what’s on your mind

control stone said

control benjamin repeated

we want your voting stock doug

you’ve got 13 percent

come in with us

and we’ll have 34

more than enough to get the old man out

how about it doug with a shoe like this

one we’ll take control of the cheap end

of the market and kill the competition

george is right blake said i don’t care

what kind of shoes we sell as long as we

make money

who will be the new president king asked

there was a short silence

we think george benjamin should be

president stone said

well now king said riley that’s a

surprise

with you as vice president of course

stone said quickly

at a much larger salary than you get now

douglas king rose slowly to his feet

he was tall

with the hard muscle and wide shoulders

of a diver

at 42 years old his hair was turning

gray

but this only added to the strong

character which showed in his face and

his blue eyes

you’ll sell a shoe like this george he

asked

you’ll use the granger name on a cheap

shoe

yes that’s right it’s a good idea isn’t

it

profits will be higher blake said

the old man may have faults king said

but he’s always made an honest shoe

you want to make garbage

now wait just a second doug no you wait

a second

i like granger shoe

i’ve worked for this company since i was

16 i know shoes

good shoes

quality

i won’t put the granger name on a piece

of garbage

with one quick movement of his strong

hands he tore the shoe to pieces

is this what you’re going to sell to

women

blake said angrily if we can’t make

profit with quality we’ve got to who

can’t make profit with quality king

asked

maybe the old man can’t and maybe you

can’t but

doug this is business business

i know it’s business

it’s my business the business i love

shoes are part of my life and if i make

garbage

my life will smell

i can’t continue to hold stock in a

company that’s going downhill blake said

then sell out what the hell do you want

from me

careful doug benjamin said suddenly we

could vote you out of your job

go ahead vote me out king said

if you find yourself out in the street

don’t worry i won’t be out in any street

king threw the pieces of red shoe on the

table and started to walk towards the

door

if you helped me to become president

benjamin said you would get a much

bigger salary you could

he stopped where are you going i’m

talking to you

this is my house king said i’ve had

enough of this meeting and your plans

and i’ve had enough of you

so i’m leaving why don’t you leave too

benjamin’s narrow face was red with

anger

you don’t want me to be president of

granger is that it he shouted

that’s it exactly king said

who the hell do you think should be

president

you just think about it king said and

went out of the room

there was a long silence

then benjamin walked over to pete

cameron who was standing at the bar

what’s he planning pete

i have no idea

don’t play the innocent pete benjamin

said we offered him a plan and he

refused us

he must be feeling strong to do that

what’s he feeling so strong about

why don’t you ask him

don’t get clever with me boy what’s your

salary 20 25 000 you can do better than

that pete

can i

what is it a deal with the old man

i want it smashed and the man who helps

me smash it could find himself taking

king’s job

do you know my home telephone number

pete

no

wesley hill’s 4798 will you remember it

i’ve been doug’s assistant for a long

time cameron said

then it’s time for a change

give me a call

you’re very persuasive pete said it’s a

good thing i’m an honest man

yes it’s a good thing benjamin said

riley

that’s westley hills 47981

stone put on his hat and said

if that bastard king thinks he can

he stopped as diane king came into the

room

the men stared at her

then stone raised his hand and said

politely

mrs king

he went out of the door followed by

benjamin and blake

immediately diane said to cameron

what did they do to doug

[Music]

chapter 2

why would anyone want to steal radio

parts

douglas king’s house lay just within the

87th precinct

it was on the edge of the precinct in

smoke rise the most expensive area of

the city

the river harb lay to the north of smoke

rise

to the south was silver mine road

the home of people who although they

were rich were not rich enough to live

in smoke rise

anyone walking south from silver mine

road came first of all to a noisy area

of brightly lit all-night restaurants

and stores

then to ainsley avenue where it was

still possible to imagine that it had

once been fashionable to live

then came culver avenue

and now it was clear that the walker was

arriving at the poorer parts of the city

after the short burst of color of the

puerto rican area around mason avenue

grover avenue looked gray

dirty

and very poor

the 87th precinct building was on grover

avenue

detective meyer meyer was at his desk on

the second floor

making notes as the man sitting opposite

him spoke

the man was called david peck

he owned a store on culver avenue which

sold radio parts he told meyer

i sell mainly the hams peck said

hams

yeah hams

not like hams you eat

by hams i mean people who build their

own radios as a hobby they use them to

talk to other hams you’d be surprised

how many hams we’ve got in this city

it’s a good business to be in

i guess so mr peck meyer said

so what’s your problem

well peck said

someone busted into my store

when was this

last week

why did you wait until now to report it

it didn’t take much i thought i’d just

forget it

what makes you report it now

the crook came back

when

last night

and this time he stole a lot of

equipment is that right

no no this time he took even less than

last time

meyer meyer breathed out slowly

he was a very patient man

growing up with parents who had given

him that name he had had to learn to be

patient

being the only jewish boy in the area he

had had to learn to fight with his

intelligence not with his hands

patiently now he asked

tell me mr peck

what did the thief steal the first time

you broke into your store

an oscillator peck said

what does an oscillator cost

i sell them for 52.39

and that’s all he took the first time

yes

and what did he steal last night

little things

more bits of equipment batteries the

whole lot isn’t worth more than twenty

five dollars

so why are you reporting it this time

because i’m afraid he’ll come back a

third time and clean out the store

it’s possible you know i know it is mr

peck meyer said

thank you for reporting this to us we’ll

keep a special watch on your store

a crime involving radio equipment worth

seventy five dollars does not appear to

be a very important crime

in the 87th precinct crimes like that

happen every day of the week why get

excited about this one

unless you are a very patient detective

called meyer meyer

who has a very good memory

meyer studied his notes and then walked

over to a desk on the other side of the

room

steve carella was sitting there typing

up a report

steve meyer said i just had a guy in

here who shh

corella said and continued typing until

he had finished the page

then he looked up okay meyer said

tell me

i had a guy in here who owns a radio

parts store on culver avenue it’s been

broken into twice

the first time the thief stole an

oscillator whatever that is

the second time he stole a few other

small radio parts

now i seem to remember

yeah corella said searching through the

piles of paper which covered his desk

where the hell’s that list

the list gave details of five break-ins

at radio parts stores

each time only a few pieces of equipment

had been stolen

think it’s the same thief corella asked

sure as hell looks that way to me meyer

said

anyway it’s not very serious

i suppose not

meyer paused and scratched his head

you don’t think he’s a russian spy

why would anyone want to steal radio

parts

never try to understand crooks corella

said you’ll go crazy if you’re trying to

do that

still meyer said all that equipment

seven break-ins

what does it mean steve

search me corella said and he began

typing again

[Music]

chapter three

jump down an attack take him by surprise

diane king was not what hollywood calls

a beautiful woman

she was however an attractive woman

in fact diane king was an extremely

attractive woman

she stood there in her luxurious house a

woman of 32

wearing narrow black trousers and a

white shirt

she had a towel around her shoulders and

a silver streak in her black hair

again she asked pete cameron

what did they do to doug

nothing cameron said

what did you do to your hair

oh it was liz’s idea diane said

what was all the shouting

about is liz still here cameron asked

with interest in his voice

yes she’s still here

i hate these meetings why did doug rush

upstairs past me he didn’t even see me

he saw me

a voice said and liz baloo came into the

room

diane king was not beautiful

liz baloo was

she had blonde hair blue eyes and a full

mouth

even dressed simply in a skirt and

sweater

she looked like a million dollars

on her left hand she wore an enormous

diamond ring

no man runs past me without saying hello

she said

so hello liz cameron said what have you

done to diane

you mean her hair isn’t it wonderful

i don’t like it i think she’s pretty

enough without it

i’ll wait and see if doug likes it diane

said where is doug what’s he doing up

there

he’s only making a phone call liz said

is he in trouble pete that look on his

face don’t you know that look liz said

my harold wears it all the time it means

he’s about to murder someone

murder diane said

pete what happened

nothing they offered dug a deal and he

turned them down

my herald would have kicked them out of

the house liz said

that’s just what doug did

then prepare yourself for a murder diane

liz said

i’m always prepared diane said with a

troubled look in her green eyes

but they seem to happen so often these

days

well diane cameron said that’s business

dog eat dog

anyway liz said murder can be fun

lie back and enjoy it

she smiled at cameron and he smiled back

at her

the two had been secret lovers for years

surprisingly perhaps this had never

stopped liz from loving her highly

successful husband harold with all her

heart

or pete cameron from spending most of

his time thinking about work

diane poured herself a drink

is doug planning something she asked

cameron

yes i think so

i thought he might might what

doug king asked as he came into the room

did you make your phone call tycoon liz

asked

i couldn’t get through

he kissed diane then looked at her and

said

honey you’ve got egg in your hair

sometimes i wonder why we bother liz

said annoyed

don’t you like it doug diane asked king

spoke carefully

it’s okay i guess

okay

liz said you’ll have to do better than

okay doug

she looked at her watch

i must go i promised my tycoon i’d be

back at four

you’re late already cameron said

have a drink before you go

one for the road

i really shouldn’t liz said

you’ll have to persuade me

i’ll persuade you all right

i know what you like

their eyes met

fortunately at that moment the telephone

rang and diane picked up the receiver

hello she said

then she handed it to doug

it’s your call from boston

looked up from the drinks he was mixing

boston he said

is that you hanley doug asked how’s it

all going

yeah it’s going fine doug we’re getting

there said the voice in boston

listen we’ve got to act fast get the

deal all tied up today

today he wants to keep five percent of

the stock doug i’m doing my best but i

don’t think

i need that five percent as much as i

need the rest hanley doug said

i don’t care how you do it but get that

deal for me today

well i’ll try doug but don’t just try

hadley succeed

i’ll be waiting for your call he put the

phone down and turned to cameron

pete you’re going to boston

i am cameron said handing liz her drink

lucky boy she said i just love the shops

in boston

you’re going to boston with a big fat

check king said

you’re going to help make me the biggest

deal of my life

what’s it all about doug

i’ll tell you later king said not yet

telephone the airport and see when the

next flight leaves

use the phone upstairs i want to keep

this one free for hanley to phone back

cameron smiled at liz as he left the

room

king clapped his hands together sharply

oh boy he said are those guys going to

get a big surprise trying to involve me

in their rotten little plan

can you believe it diane

excuse me mr king a voice said

the man who had come into the room was

only 35

but he looked older

he was charles reynolds the king’s

chauffeur

looking at him you felt that there was

something weak about the man

and also something terribly sad

it was not a surprise to learn that his

wife had died

leaving him to bring up his young son

alone

what is it reynolds king asked a little

impatiently

he was fond of reynolds but not of the

man’s weakness

i only wanted to know sir

is my son

is jeff here sir

that’s a question for mrs king king said

he’s upstairs playing with bobby diane

said

oh fine i i hope i’m not bothering you

but it’s getting a bit cold

if they go outside i think you’ll need a

coat

don’t worry reynolds diane said i’ve

already given jeff one of bobby’s

sweaters

oh thank you ma’am i i never seem to be

able to decide

you’ll probably be driving mr cameron to

the airport later king interrupted yes

sir when will we be leaving sir

with a loud scream bobby king wearing a

blue sweater rushed down the stairs and

burst into the room

closely followed by jeff reynolds who

was wearing a red sweater

both were eight years old both blonde

and at first sight they could have been

mistaken for brothers

taking no notice of the adults they ran

towards the door

hey

king shout out to his son stop there

what is it dad

where are you going

outside to play let us go we’re in a

hurry

why what are you playing we’re playing

cowboys and indians mr king jeff said we

take turns the indian has to hide in the

woods and then the cowboy has to find

him

don’t go too far from the house bobby

diane said

i won’t mom

who is the indian now king asked

i am shouted jeff

quiet son reynold said and take good

care of that nice sweater mrs king lent

you

oh sure jeff said he won’t catch me dad

don’t worry

oh whaty king interrupted you’d better

catch him bobby if you’re a true son of

mine

what’s your plan boy

a plan dad

just chase him and catch him that’s all

never chase the other man son king said

i can see you need help

oh doug just let them go and play before

it gets dark diane said

i will king said smiling but first the

boy needs some professional advice

he whispered to bobby

climb a tree and watch him when you know

what he’s going to do

jump down an attack taken by surprise

we’re not allowed to climb trees in this

game bobby said

do anything you like son as long as you

play to win

doug what are you saying to the boy

diane said

only the facts of life liz answered

why don’t i get any help dad jeff asked

his father

well reynolds said hesitantly you could

hide behind a rock and keep still

then he won’t be able to find you

if you don’t move there’s no game king

said what’s the point of playing

just go and play the way you want to

boys diane said coldly go on now have

fun

with a shout the two boys rushed out of

the house

a madhouse just like my own home liz

said

i’ll have the car ready when mr cameron

needs it sir reynolds said

when are you gone diane said

you shouldn’t have told bobby that doug

what do you want him to grow up to be a

wild animal

yes king said just like his mother with

sharp teeth and doug i’m serious

so is he said liz he’s trying to make

love to you diane

i’m sorry you think this is a joke diane

said i don’t think it’s so funny all

this jumping on people and taking them

by surprise

it’s just what you do in business

it’s what you’re doing with this boston

thing

you’re getting so hard doug so merciless

to other people

king laughed me merciless am i hard and

merciless liz

of course not you’re a darling

just because i get things done diane you

call me hard

honey there are people who sit and

people who do

and if i hadn’t been a doer all these

years you wouldn’t be in this house and

driving that car and wearing that he’s

right diane liz said

waving the hand with the diamond on it

of course i am i just need to make my

wife understand

i’m sure you know just how to do that

liz said have fun

when she had left there was silence for

a moment then king said softly

diane

what

i’m sitting in a tree looking down at

you

and i’m warning you i’m getting ready to

jump down and attack you

he took her suddenly in his arms

let me go she said if you think you can

then he kissed her

you’re beautiful diane did you know that

especially with that new silver streak

in your hair

you should be ashamed of yourself

i know

he kissed her again

after a while she pulled herself free

pete’s still here doug she said shyly

i’ll send him to the airport early give

me a minute

i just have to ring a hanley then i’ll

get rid of pete

and we’ll be alone

he went to the phone and picked up the

receiver

somebody else was on the line

and he recognized the voice as cameron’s

yes george cameron was saying

that’s what i’m trying to tell you well

i thought you’d like to know

king pushed a button on the phone

putting him through to another line

funny he said

what’s the matter diane asked

pete’s on the other line

i got the idea he was talking to

king stopped and then said into the

phone

get me oscar hanley at the hotel

stanhope in boston okay call me back how

about a drink diane before

the door burst open and bobby rushed in

i forgot my gun mom he shouted i’ve got

to get it

jeff’s already hiding in the woods i’ve

got to find a tree to climb dad

still ready to jump down and attack doug

diane said

the man was hidden

waiting to attack

he was dying for a cigarette but he

could not have one

he watched the chauffeur cleaning the

cadillac

he looked at his watch

he looked at the sky

it would be dark soon

good

he wondered if eddie was still with the

car

he wondered if everything was okay at

the house

he wondered if their plan would work

then he began to worry

and he needed a cigarette more than ever

easy now

he told himself just take it easy

then he saw the boy coming towards him

through the woods

hello sonny

he said

it was getting dark in the city

that special october dock that smells of

wood smoke and autumn leaves

it starts to get cold in october

people hurry home wanting their dinner

wanting the companionship of their loved

ones

it will be dark soon

it will be good to get home before it

grows dark

[Music]

chapter 4

we’ve got your son

in the king’s living room the telephone

rang

douglas king picked up the receiver and

said hanley

a voice on the other end said who

oh excuse me king said i was expecting

another call who is this please

all right mac the voice said i’m gonna

make this short and

there’s nobody called mack here king

said you must have the wrong number

he put the receiver down

cameron was standing there watching him

not hanley cameron said

no a wrong number

talking about wrong numbers pete

yeah

were you talking to george benjamin a

little while ago

yes i was

why

to tell him i won’t be at the sales

meeting tomorrow

you didn’t tell him you were going to

boston did you

no should i have told him

hell no

the phone rang again

that will be hanley king said walking

over to the phone

i’d better call bobby and diane said

it’s getting dark wait a minute honey

let me take this call first king said

hello hanley did you get what i wanted

i got it

hanley said in a tired voice exactly

what you wanted

including the five percent of the stock

he wanted to keep

how soon can you get a check to me

i’ll send pete cameron with the check on

the nine o’clock plane can you meet him

at the airport

okay doug

oh and hatley

yes doug

good work boy

king put down the receiver

now we move he said excitedly pete phone

the airline and get a seat on the nine

o’clock plane he pushed a button on the

phone picked up the receiver again and

said reynolds come over here as fast as

you can

is everything fixed cameron said can you

tell me about it now

now it’s all fixed i’d even tell bench

oh no no i guess i wouldn’t tell him

he laughed and then walked quickly to

the bar and poured himself a drink

i’d better get bobby diane said look how

dark it’s getting

wait a minute diane don’t you want to

hear this bobby’s safe enough he’s just

outside his own house

well all right but i really

you heard benjamin say i had 13 of the

voting stock didn’t you pete

right

wrong

he paused i’ve been buying stock for the

last six years i’ve got 28 percent of it

doug that’s wonderful diane said

so why am i going to boston cameron

asked

there’s a guy there who owns some voting

stock i want to buy

hanley’s been working on it for the last

two weeks and now he’s finally ready to

sell it to me

he sat down at a desk and began to write

a check

how much stock is it cameron asked

19 percent

what

add it up

19 and 28 makes 47

enough to make me president of granger

i’ll run the company my way and i’ll

make the shoes i want to make

he tore the check from the book and gave

it to cameron

take a look at this he said

cameron took it and gave a low whistle

750 thousand dollars he said

doug

where did you get diane started to ask

everything we own is tied up in this

deal diane this house everything

the house

doug

i can’t lose diane nothing can stop me

now

who are you buying the stock from

cameron asked

a guy who bought it a few years ago he

who who is he

they stopped talking as reynolds came

into the room ready to drive cameron to

the airport

i must get bobby in diane said she went

to the door and started to call bobby

bobby

the telephone rang

king picked it up hello he said

listen to me king a voice said don’t put

the phone down this time this is no joke

what king said what did you say

we’ve got your son

king my son

what are you talking about

bobby

diane called will you please come in now

your son the voice said we’ve kidnapped

your son

you’ve taken my son

if this is some kind of joke

diane turned from the door

doug

she screamed

what did you say

what’s happened to bobby

king waved a hand at her wanting her to

be silent as the voice went on

now listen and listen hard i’ll only say

this once the kid is safe

he’ll stay safe if you do what i say

get five hundred thousand dollars get it

by tomorrow morning we’ll call you then

and tell you what you have to do

don’t go to the police king do you

understand

yes i understand

desperately he searched for an idea some

way of trapping the caller

okay then the voice said five hundred

thousand dollars in

king put the receiver down cutting off

the call

pete he shouted get on the kitchen phone

call the police

bobby’s been kidnapped and we’ve had a

500 000 ransom demand

no

diane screamed no

then call the phone company tell them i

hung up on the bastard

why did you do that diane shouted she

ran to the door and screamed into the

darkness bobby

bobby

i hung up so that he’ll call back king

said then the phone company may be able

to find out who made the call

he took diana in his arms

we’ll get him back darling he said

please diane try not to worry i’ll give

anything they want a million dollars if

they ask for it

cameron rushed in from the kitchen

the police are on their way he said

the phone companies say you must call

them on another line as soon as he rings

again

okay king said reynolds will you he

stopped suddenly as the front door burst

open

were you calling me mom

bobby king said as he came into the

house

diane ran to him fell to her knees and

threw her arms around him

hey mom he said surprise what’s the

matter

king stared at his son

how on earth

i don’t want to play with jeff anymore

bobby said i climbed a tree like daddy

told me but i couldn’t find jeff

anywhere he won’t play with me

i don’t even know where he is

there was a moment of shock silence the

name was on everyone’s lips

but it was the boy’s father who spoke

jeff

reynolds whispered

jeff

[Music]

chapter five

we’ve got the wrong kid

there were two kinds of cases that steve

carella did not like

he did not like cases which involved

very rich people or cases which involve

children

now sitting in douglas king’s enormous

luxurious living room talking about a

kidnapped child

corella felt bad

he didn’t want to be here

but he had no choice

he sat in king’s room feeling troubled

and asking questions while meyer meyer

stood with his back to them looking out

at the river harb

uh let me get this clear mr king corella

said the boy who was kidnapped is not

your son is that right

that’s right king said

but when the kidnapper asked you for the

ransom money he thought he had your son

yes

has he called you again

no

then he may still believe he has your

son corella said

i don’t know what he believes king said

angrily why do i have to answer all

these questions

i am not the boy’s father and i no but

you spoke to the kidnapper

that’s true mr coretta

corella

i’m sorry

corella was it a man the person who

called

it was a man king said

did he say

i have your son

or we have your son

i don’t remember

and i don’t see why it’s important

somebody has jeff reynolds and all these

stupid questions

exactly mr king carella said

somebody has the boy and we want to know

who that somebody is we want to know who

has the boy so that we can get him back

safely

that’s important to us

i’m sure it’s important to you too

of course it is king said sharply why

don’t you call in your chief somebody

experienced in this kind of case

a boy’s life is in danger local cops

can’t handle this

lieutenant burns is on his way now mr

king gorilla said

he’s boss of the whole 87th precinct

first

we need to know a little more about

excuse me steve meyer said i’d better go

and get a description of the boy i ought

to talk to his father

yeah gorilla said where is mr reynolds

mr king

in his apartment over the garage he’s

taking this badly

do you want me to speak to him meyer

gorilla asked

no no i’ll do it meyer said giving king

a quick look as he turned to leave the

room

i think you have your hands full here

now mr king corella started again

did you notice anything unusual about

the man’s voice an accent or i’m sorry

mr coretta king said i refuse to play

this little game any longer

my name is corella and what game do you

mean

there’s nonsense about how the man spoke

what difference could it possibly make

how will any of this get jeff back to

his father

carella did not look up from the book he

was writing in

he kept telling himself that it would

really not be a good idea for him to hit

mr douglas king in the mouth quietly

politely he asked

what do you do for a living mr king

i run a shoe factory

is this another of your important

questions

yes it is

i don’t know anything about shoes mr

king

they’re just things i put on my feet

i wouldn’t dream of going into your

factory and telling your workers how to

make shoes

i understand what you’re saying king

said dryly

you understand part of what i’m saying

mr king the part that is warning you

warning me warning you to let me get on

with my job

the other part of what i’m telling you

is this

in case you have any doubts about this

let me tell you that i am a good

detective a hell of a good detective

i know my job and if i’m asking you

questions it’s because i have a good

reason to ask you those questions now

do we understand each other mr king

i think we understand each other mr

coretta

my name is carella carla said flatly

did the man have an accent

reynolds sat on his bed making no

attempt to hide the floods of tears that

were running down his face

meyer watched him

and wished he could put his arm around

the man’s shoulders

tell him everything would be all right

he could not do that

he did not know whether the boy was

alive or dead

all he could do is ask his questions

how old is jeff mr reynolds

eight

how tall is he

i i don’t know i i never

i i don’t know maybe a little tall he’s

he’s a handsome boy tall for his age

how much does he weigh

i don’t know

meyer breathed in deeply

is he

fat thin medium

not too fat and not too thin just

normal

is he dark or fair

he has blonde hair

very fair skin is that what you mean

yes thank you

what color are his eyes

will you get him back

reynolds asked suddenly

meyer stopped writing

we’re going to try he said

we’re going to try every way we know mr

reynolds

the description of jeff reynolds was

phoned to the 87th precinct building

and then sent out to the police forces

of 14 states

the message which followed it

immediately was about a gray ford car

it had been stolen

the gray ford bumped along the rough

road which led to the lonely farmhouse

sands spit was not the kind of place

where many visitors chose to spend their

summers

in winter it was freezing and completely

deserted

the ford stopped at the farmhouse and a

young man in his late 20s stepped out

and ran to the door

he knocked three times then waited

eddie a woman’s voice asked

it’s me kathy open the door

the door opened

where’s psy the girl asked

in the car

he’ll be here in a moment

ain’t you got a kiss for me kathy

oh eddie eddie she said and threw

herself into his arms

a woman of 24 with the pretty but hard

face of one whose life has never been

easy

kathy folsom kissed her husband warmly

with a love which came straight from her

heart

are you all right she asked him

did everything go all right i’ve been

worrying so much about this job i just

kept thinking it’s the last one please

don’t let anything go wrong

everything went fine give me a cigarette

honey

she watched him as he lit the cigarette

a tall good-looking man in a white

open-necked shirt

i was listening to the radio she said i

thought they’d say something about the

job i mean a bank

she paused

it went all right didn’t it

there was no trouble

no trouble only kathy you see we didn’t

she kissed him again

you’re back

she whispered that’s all that matters

in here kid a voice said

and jeff reynolds half fell into the

room

the man who had pushed him through the

door sigh

laughed as he said

home sweet home kid it ain’t much but

it’s ours

where’s my gun jeff said as cathy stared

at him not understanding what was

happening

the boy wants his guns i said smiling

kathy kept staring at jeff

who

who the hell she began

psy laughed already look at the surprise

on her face what a girl let me talk to

her psy eddie said

where’s the gun jeff said come on i have

to get home soon

he turned to kathy have you got the gun

what gun who is this kid

where’s your manners miss kathy so i

smiled this boy is our guest and

immediately she turned to her husband

eddie who i don’t think you’ve even got

a gun jeff said

sigh opened the door to one of the

bedrooms

come on kid the gun room is this way he

said

kathy waited until the door closed

behind them

then she said

tell me about it eddie

it’s what it looks like

he could not raise his eyes to look at

her

we’ve kidnapped the boy

have you gone completely crazy she asked

take it easy kathy try and take it easy

she lit a cigarette with fingers that

shook

all right i’m listening

tell me everything

we’ve kidnapped a boy we’re asking for a

ransom of 500 grand

you said it was a bank job kathy said

i was lying we never went near a bank

don’t you know how serious this is eddie

you’re crazy you could go to the

electric chair for this calm down don’t

get excited

who is the kid kathy asked

bobby king

and who’s bobby king

his father is a big guy in granger’s

shoe

you know the company kathy they make

those expensive shoes

yes i know it

she was silent for a moment before she

said softly

why didn’t you tell me what you were

planning

i didn’t think you’d agree to it

of course i won’t agree to it she

shouted get that boy out of here

take him back where you got him his

parents must be going mad with worrying

about him how could you do a thing like

this

shut up and he shouted then he said more

gently cathy we’ll get 500 grand from

this job

we’ll go to mexico just like you said

you wanted to

i don’t want the money

i won’t touch it and i won’t go to

mexico

you said this would be the last job a

bank you said just a bank not taking

somebody’s child not a dirty rotten

kidnapping

we didn’t hurt the kid and he said he’s

fine

is he kathy said what’s psy doing to him

he’s all right so i promised to show him

a real gun that’s how he got him to come

with us

try to understand honey

i don’t want to understand this she said

what the hell gave you the idea

i just got it sy and me worked on the

plan together this is safer than a bank

job we just borrow a kid and get 500

grand when we give him back

borrow a kid eddie

who said that you or psy

i told you we both had this idea

you’re lying eddie

it was psy’s idea wasn’t it

no

well

it was wasn’t it

well it was but it’s a good idea honey

we’ll go to mexico i’ll make something

good of my life there kathy you’ll see

i’ll really be something me eddie folsom

won’t that be great honey

oh eddie eddie

she said looking at him sadly

don’t you even realize what you’ve

done bang jeff shouted as he ran into

the room carrying a gun

sy was just behind him

the kid likes guns he laughed play with

the gun kid get to know it

psy is that gun loaded kathy asked

frightened

would i give a loaded gun to a little

child psy asked innocently what do you

think i am a bad guy

he turned to eddie and said

time to turn on the magic box professor

eddie looked at kathy but she would not

meet his eyes

sure sai he said and pulled a cloth off

a heap of radio equipment which stood on

a table in the corner of the room

watch the professor kid psy said as

eddie turned the huge radio on

pushing buttons and watching needles

move from side to side

you sure found yourself a smart guy

kathy

why don’t you leave my husband alone

cathy said

why did you get him into this rotten

thing

he came willingly sigh said i ain’t

forcing him

a high sound came from the radio

the magic box speaks kid

hey that’s great jeff said where did you

get it

i built it eddie answered

that must be really hard to do

not so hard eddie said trying not to

sound too pleased clever husband you got

yourself kathy psy said

that’s why the little woman loves you so

much eddie and you learnt it all in

reform school didn’t you

stop it sai

kathy said

want to build radios like eddie here and

have all the girls running after you so

i asked jeff

i sure do

okay

this is what you have to do

when you’re 15 years old rob a store

then they’ll send you to reform school

that’s where eddie got his education

me kid i had to get my education in the

rope factory he left is it coming

professor

suddenly voices came from the radio

accident at morrison and north 98. car

303

they were listening to the police

talking on their radios

are you going to take me home now jeff

asked

i’m busy kid so i said car 207 car 207

go to smoke rise

house of douglas king

hey

jeff said excited he said douglas king

do you really expect this plan to

succeed psy kathy said sure i do

and all because of the professor here in

his radio

i love eddie and his radios

i love this job it’s going to do great

things for all of us

tell already tell her all about it

psy she’s not interested eddie said

i’m interested in anything eddie does

kathy said softly

sure you are

the little womans i said

okay here’s what we did

we called king and told him we wanted

500 grand

jeff said

did you say you called shut up kid

we told him to get the money ready by

tomorrow morning then in the morning we

call again

are you talking about jeff started i

said shut up kid before you get hurt

so i shouted angrily

jeff stared at him surprised

and then frowned

the radio broke the silence in the room

all cars all cars here’s the story on

the smoke rise kidnapping the missing

boy is eight years old fair hair wearing

a red sweater the boy’s name is jeffrey

reynolds

what eddie said

that man said my name

jeff said surprised

son of charles reynolds chauffeur to

douglas king

what’s he talking about psy eddie said

his face was white with terror they’re

lions i said it’s some kind of trick

how can it be we’ve got the wrong kid

he ain’t the wrong kid

if he is

kathy said calmly

you’ve done all this for nothing

we’re all in trouble for nothing

this kid is bobby king psy said sure he

is

me

jeff said puzzled

i’m not bobby shut your mouth kid

let him talk cathy said

what’s your name sonny

jeff

he’s lying so i shouted i am not jeff

shouted back at him i don’t like you

i’m going home

he started to walk to the door

psy caught him roughly by the arm and

pulled him back

he stood very close to the boy

and there was no laughter in his voice

as he said

what’s your name your real name

[Music]

chapter six

this little boy is in big trouble

a cold wind blew off the river harb

along the road which led to douglas

king’s house

it froze the fingers of parker hawes and

kronig the three detectives who were

working there

working in the cold in the dark

any detective

any man would rather be at home on a

night like this

at home with a good book

a good woman or a good bottle of whiskey

to be honest about it a bad book a bad

bottle of whiskey even a bad woman would

be better than this cold

but the job had to be done

the marks made by a car a match thrown

in the road a cigarette end

anything could be important in a case

like this

anything could lead to the missing boy

at last they found it

small marks in the frozen mud by the

side of the road

the marks made by the tires of a car

a car that has been turned around in a

hurry

reynolds was watching cassidy the man

from the telephone company as he worked

cassidy was putting an extra telephone

into douglas king’s house for the police

to use

he was putting in a wiretap too

so that it would be possible for the

police to trace the kidnapper’s call

if he called again

i thought we’d hear something by now

reynolds said

don’t worry mister cassidy told him

when they find out they got your kid by

mistake they’ll just leave him in the

street somewhere

the kid’s all right believe me

if they leave him in the street he’ll

get lost reynolds said

he won’t know where to go he turned to

corella who had just been talking on the

phone

did they have any news detective corella

i was talking to auto squad corella said

i’ve asked them to check all stolen cars

in case the kidnappers had stolen the

car they used

he’s worried about the kid cassidy said

i keep telling him it’ll be all right

any minute now the kid could walk in the

door not a hair on his head harmed

do you think so

reynolds asked corella

well

corella started and then the doorbell

rang

it was parker

happy to be in at last from the freezing

cold

we found a tire mark he told corella

kronig’s making a cast of it now

not that it will help anyone it’s all a

waste of time if you ask me the kids

probably did already

carella quickly touched him on the arm

and looked across the room at reynolds

but it seemed that the chauffeur had not

heard parker’s remark

they ought to take all kidnappers out

and shoot them cassidy said the electric

chair is too good for guys that can

steal a man’s kid from him

well i guess i finished here i’ll just

test my phones and go

have you heard anything yet detective

carella king said as he came into the

living room with a coffee cup in his

hand

diane and cameron were directly behind

him

not yet mr king corella said

well what’s the problem are your men

really looking for the boy

do they have a description of him

yes sir they do

do they know he may be somewhere out on

the street

some member of the public may find him

is anybody taking phone calls from the

public

it’s all taken care of sir

all this king said extra phones wiretaps

it all seems a waste of time to me

there’s even a policeman outside my

son’s bedroom door

that’s right corella said

we’re taking no risks we have no idea

what the kidnappers will do next you see

i don’t think they have any choice king

said

they’ll have to let the boy go free

he caught sight of reynolds still

standing miserably on the other side of

the room

go to the kitchen and get something to

eat reynolds

i’m not very hungry mr king

go on man you’ve got to eat

jeffrey will be back before you know it

when reynolds had gone diane said

mr corella

the

know by now that they’ve got the wrong

boy don’t they

they should know mrs king it’s been on

all the radio and tv stations and in all

the newspapers

you don’t think they’ll harm him do you

of course they won’t king said sharply

as far as they’re concerned it’s just a

business deal that’s gone wrong

they may harm him mrs king corella said

calmly

you know that sometimes a thief will

beat up a man for not having any money

to give him

that would be senseless king said i’m

sure they’ll let him go as soon as they

know he’s not my son

these people are not stupid

you don’t have to be smart to be a

kidnapper corella said

you just have to be hard-hearted

we hadn’t thought of that cameron said

they may hurt him before they let him go

it’s a possibility

yes corolla said there’s another

possibility too

my name is jeffrey reynolds the boy said

sorry took him roughly by the arm you’re

lying

i’m not lying hey let go that sweater

will you it doesn’t belong to me

you lying little bastard psy shouted and

pushed jeff hard throwing the boy across

the room

kathy screamed and took a step towards

the boy

what’s your father’s name so i shouted

charles

where do you live

at mr king’s place

don’t call him mr king sorry shout out

you know he’s your father

no jeff said desperately he’s bobby’s

father

shut up psy shouted take off that

sweater

he pulled it over jeff’s head roughly

a slow smile spread over his face

if you’re called jeff

why is the name in your sweater robert

king

that’s bobby’s sweater jeff said mrs

king lent it to me

tell the truth i am telling the truth

psy stood there calmly a small neatly

dressed man who badly needed a shave

then suddenly violently he hit the boy

across the face

eddie stop him kathy shouted as jeff

rushed into her arms crying i am jeff

reynolds i am i am

stop it psy eddie said the kid’s

frightened

let me see the sweater

he looked at the name in it it says

robert king kathy

he says he borrowed it is that so hard

to accept

yeah psy said with 500 grand to lose it

is hard to accept

let’s take the boy home kathy said

softly sure psy said and go straight to

prison he knows us

he could lead the police to us

he turned to eddie

we want that money don’t we

i don’t want it kathy screamed i don’t

need it

well i do

and he said softly i want that money

i wasn’t born and smoke rise with a rich

father

when the hell did anyone ever give me

anything

this is my one chance to have something

i want a place of my own in mexico

a place for you and me kathy

there were tears in his eyes as he spoke

but he’s the wrong boy kathy said

no eddie said no he ain’t

eddie you know he is

when you think about it as i said softly

what difference does it make

maybe we got the wrong kid maybe this is

the chauffeur’s boy

we can still ask king for the money

he won’t pay psy

yet he said

he’ll pay all right psy said because if

he won’t

then this little boy is in big trouble

he paused and smiled at jeff

and i don’t think mr king would want

blood on his hands

[Music]

chapter 7

i want to talk to you about the ransom

lieutenant peter burns was on his way to

smoke rise

a child had been kidnapped

burns had a son of his own and he knew

the pains and pleasures of fatherhood

to him kidnapping a child was the worst

crime in the world

death was the correct punishment for a

kidnapper

seeing a light on the dark road by

king’s house

burns told his driver to stop

he got out of the car

cronig haws how are you boys he said

what have you got there

we’ve got a tire mark cronic said it’s a

good one i’m making a cast of it

fine fine burns said looking around

can you bring that light here a minute

haus

what is it lieutenant

let’s take a look at this rock here

in king’s living room the telephone rang

wait corella shouted as king moved to

answer it

corella picked up the wiretap equipment

mr cameron he said get on the new phone

if this is the kidnapper tell the phone

company to start tracing the call

immediately

okay mr king you can answer it now

king picked up the phone

hello

king

this is mr king

cameron said it to his phone

we’ve got him on the phone now start

tracing the call

alright king the voice said listen

we don’t care whose kid this is

we heard the radio message and we don’t

care

he’s still alive and well and we want

that money

get it tomorrow morning or the kid will

be dead by the end of the day

you want king started but the voice had

gone

hell i was afraid this would happen

corella said

he picked up his coat and hurried out of

the room

diane looked puzzled

is jeff all right she asked her husband

he’s fine

are you sure

of course i’m sure diane

i’ll go and tell reynolds she said

diane

yes

they want me to pay the ransom

they know they’ve got jeff

but they still want me to pay they want

me to

we’ll do whatever they say

thank god jeff’s all right diane said

as she left the room king stared after

her frowning

we’re dealing with professionals cameron

said he knew we would try to trace the

call

that’s why he made it so short

yes

king said

he seemed to be thinking hard

why are they still asking you to pay

hell if you pay them it’s the end of

your boston deal

yes

yes it is

the doorbell rang

it was meyer

i just saw corella he said

he’s gone outside to talk to lieutenant

burns

the kidnappers called again king said

they want me to pay the ransom

what do you mean

do they know they got the wrong kid

yes

and they still want you to pay

meyer shook his head

first time i ever heard this one he said

crazy but whoever said kidnappers have

to be normal human beings

what are our chances of getting the boy

back detective meyer king asked do you

think they are good

i don’t know meyer said he could be dead

already

in your opinion

king said slowly

will paying the ransom help the boy at

all

if he’s alive it will certainly help him

meyer said

if he’s dead nothing can help him

but we could use the dollar bills to

catch the kidnappers

i see

doug the boy still alive cameron said

your money will keep him alive remember

that

diane came into the room from the

kitchen

i think reynolds is in shock she said

he’s just sitting at the table staring

at nothing

she turned a king

doug have you called the bank yet

no not yet

isn’t it time

mommy

they all turned and saw bobby king in

his night clothes standing on the stairs

what is it darling diane said

why is there a policeman outside my room

bobby asked

just to make sure everything is all

right diane said

because of what happened to jeff

yes bobby

daddy

bobby said

are you getting jeff back

what

king said

i’m sorry son i didn’t hear

your daddy’s taking care of everything

diane said

come on let’s get you back into bed

i want daddy

bobby said

doug will you put bobby to bed

sure king said although he was clearly

thinking about something else

come on bobby

poor bobby diane said to cameron

he doesn’t really understand what has

happened

he only knows that his friend is gone

and i think he feels guilty

i feel like that myself

you have no reason to feel guilty

cameron said doug will pay the ransom

and

yes but i do feel guilty diane said

i almost feel that my own son is missing

she paused

detective meyer she said could you come

and talk to reynolds

you could explain to him what the police

are doing to get jeff back

all this is such a terrible shock for

him

sure meyer said

when he was alone in the living room

cameron lit a cigarette

stood listening for a moment

and then quickly went to the telephone

and dialed a number

may i speak to mr benjamin please he

said this is peter cameron

yes i’ll wait but please hurry

at last a voice said

this is george benjamin

pete cameron i have to make this fast do

i still get doug’s job

i offered it to you didn’t i do you want

it in writing

yes i do

the boston thing i told you about it’s a

stock deal

doug’s planning to buy 19 percent of the

voting stock he already owns 28

he’s smarter than you thought he was

george

there was a long silence

then we can’t vote him out what the hell

can we do

the only way to do it is to get the old

man on your side cameron said tell the

old man that doug is trying to do a deal

behind his back

how will that help if he buys that stock

he’ll have 47 percent of it

we can’t get rid of him hell he can get

rid of us

if he buys the stock have you heard the

news on the radio

this kidnapping nonsense benjamin said

what difference can that make the kid

isn’t king’s son

no but they’ve asked him for the ransom

if he pays he can’t afford to buy that

extra 19 of the stock

if he pays the boston deal’s off

will he pay benjamin asked

sure he will

meanwhile i’m trying to find out who

he’s dealing with in boston

good work pete benjamin said

thanks george

take my advice go talk to the old man

i’ll do that and i won’t forget this

i know you won’t

i have to go now george

cameron smiled to himself as he put down

the receiver and lit another cigarette

he was still smiling when the doorbell

rang and he went to answer it

a small man dressed completely in black

was standing there

mr king

the small man said

no i’m mr king’s assistant

i would like to see mr king please you

may tell him that adrian score is here

to see him

on personal business

cameron took score into the living room

and went upstairs to tell king about his

arrival

i don’t know anyone called score king

said

he says it’s personal business

i’ll come down bobby’s gone to sleep

king came into the room where score was

waiting

what do you want he asked

to do business mr king

isn’t it a bit late in the evening for

that

it’s never too late to do business

what kind of business are you talking

about mr score

kidnapping mr king

the room went silent

do you want your son back score asked

my son hasn’t been kidnapped

score laughed

well we can tell the newspapers it’s not

your son but we know the truth don’t we

let me ask you again

do you want the boy back

of course i do

now i know where he is mr king and for a

small fee i can help you to get him back

who has the boy mr score

as one businessman to another mr king i

must ask for a cash payment before

before what score a voice said before

you disappear leaving another unhappy

family behind you

meyer meyer had come quietly into the

room and had heard everything score had

said

mr score and i have met before meyer

went on

now get out of here before i arrest you

for giving false information score

i must protest strongly score said i am

an honest businessman providing a

service out meyer shouted now

i can get your boy back score shouted

but he went all the same

who is he king astmeyer

a rotten crook meyer said and there are

plenty of other sick characters like him

mr king who will try to make money out

of this kidnapping

i don’t know how he got past our manager

gate there’s only one thing i do know mr

king

what’s that

i’m glad i’m not back at the office

answering the telephones right now

lieutenant burns walked into king’s

living room and said

hello steve how’s it going

all right sir corella said mr king this

is lieutenant burns

how do you do sir burns said and he

shook hands with king

how does it look lieutenant king asked

not too bad not too good

i understand they’re asking you to pay

the ransom mr king

that’s bad

but we may have found something good

outside

what’s that

we’re getting a clear cast of a tire

mark and we’ve just found some paint

from the same car on a rock

this car was turned around in a hurry

outside your house

detective corella asked auto squad to

get me a list of stolen cars

i’ve just received the list

and now with a little luck we’ll soon

know which car we’re looking for

how will that help you find the boy king

asked

it would give us something to look for

i know it doesn’t sound like much but we

haven’t got much to help us and anything

is better than nothing

once the money has been delivered we can

note down some of the numbers on the

dollar bills that will help us to trace

them later

and when we get the boy back

perhaps he’ll be able to describe the

kidnappers

unless he’s dead

king said flatly

if he’s dead there wouldn’t be any sense

in continuing wood there mr king

not at all

king said

i want to talk to you about the ransom

mr king burns went on you haven’t called

your bank yet have you

no i haven’t

good i’d like to speak to them when you

do and

i’m afraid i won’t be able to help you

lieutenant king said

burns stared at him puzzled

i don’t understand he said

i won’t be talking to my bank

i’m not going to pay the ransom

you’re

the room went silent

of course it’s your decision mr king

burns said nobody can force you to pay

it

what are you saying mr king corella said

frowning you have to pay the ransom

that boy hasn’t got a chance unless

shut it steve burns said

i don’t have to do anything king said

slowly

i’ll tell you again

i’ll tell the kidnappers and i’ll tell

anyone else who wants to listen

i am not paying the ransom

do you understand

i am not

paying the ransom

[Music]

chapter eight

i’m taking you out of here

jeff reynolds turned over in his sleep

and the blanket which covered him fell

free of his shoulder

kathy folsom went to the bed and covered

him again

eddie folsom lit a cigarette

in the bathroom psy was singing at the

top of his voice

was listening to police calls on the

radio he had built

sigh he called side did you hear that

sy dressed only in his trousers came out

of the bathroom where he was shaving

what’s the matter he asked

the police are blocking all the roads

they’re stopping every car how can we

use the car tomorrow

what are you getting so excited for sigh

said i’ll be driving right

in an ordinary old car right we’ve

changed the number plates nobody will

know it’s a stolen car

if the cop stopped me i’ll tell them i’m

on my way to work

what about after we get the money eddie

said how are we going to leave they’ll

still be watching

we won’t have the kid with us psy said

there’s nothing to worry about

let me finish shaving will you

when he had closed the bathroom door

kathy said eddie

what will happen to the boy after psy

gets the money

we’ll leave him here

we’ll call king to tell him where the

boy is

that sounds so dangerous eddie oh eddie

let’s get out of here now before it’s

too late

stop worrying honey eddie said you’ve

got to believe what psy says kathy he’s

been a good friend to me

a good friend kathy said

i think he wants to kill the boy eddie

oh come on kathy psy doesn’t want to

kill anyone

all he wants is his share of the money

what about you

she asked

what do you want eddie

the same thing the money

and what are you willing to do to get

that money

what the hell are you talking about

eddie said angrily

he looked around for another cigarette

found an empty packet and called a sigh

got any cigarettes psy

in the car sorry shouted from the

bathroom let a guy shave in peace can’t

you

eddie started to walk toward the door

tell me eddie

kathy asked again

what will you do to get that money

is kidnapping okay

then why not murder

will you stop at murder eddie

this is crazy kathy

psy is planning to kill that boy she

said

and i have to know what you think

can’t you just leave me alone

no eddie

i have to know

all right all right eddie said look

cathy i want to have something

be something you know

i want to go to mexico i want to have

money a lot of money

i never had anything kathy i

i don’t want to be poor to be dirt

anymore okay

okay but

honey don’t ask me any more questions

don’t ask me why i’m doing this it’s the

only thing i can do

it isn’t eddie she said

we could leave now we could leave the

boy somewhere and go to mexico just the

two of us

i i don’t know he said

i need a cigarette kathy eddie tell me

leave me alone he shouted i’m getting

out of here

where are you going

to the car for those cigarettes and and

then i’m going for a walk

i’ll go with you

i don’t want you with me leave me alone

the door closed leaving her alone with

the sleeping child

in the bathroom psy began singing again

kathy looked at the bathroom door then

at the boy she had decided what she must

do

quickly she touched jeff on the shoulder

and whispered jeff

wake up jeff

he sat up immediately

what is it he said what what

quiet

she whispered listen to me and do what i

tell you to do

i’m taking you away from here

you’re taking me home jeff said

excitedly keep your voice

down they could hear sighs singing and

the sound of running water i can’t take

you home but i can take you out of here

i’ll have to leave you somewhere someone

will find you you’ll get home but you

have to help me

we have to move fast do you understand

yes jeff whispered are

are they going to kill me

i don’t know we won’t give them the

chance

is eddie your husband

yes

he’s not so smart jeff said

but i don’t think he would hurt me

kathy was silent

you’re pretty jeff said

thank you now come on

put that sweater on it’s very cold

outside

she pulled the sweater over his head

when we get to the road we start running

she said do you understand

yes i’m a good runner

she put on her coat and led him silently

towards the door

slowly she turned the handle

wait jeff said i want my gun

he broke away from her and rushed back

into the room

the gun was on a table

as he picked it up it sent a heavy

ashtray crashing to the ground

the two of them froze unable to move

the bathroom door opened

well well sighs said as he came out

where do you think you’re going

where’s eddie

he went to the car for cigarettes kathy

said

so you thought you’d run off with the

boy did you as i said

he went to the door and locked it

nice trick honey now take off your coat

kathy hesitated

get it off before i tear it off you

sai shouted

she threw the coat onto the bed

sigh walked up to her slowly

reaching into his pocket

suddenly she could see a knife in his

hand

listen to me little lady he said holding

the knife up to her face

try that again and you’re gonna need a

good doctor to put your face together

again understand

and this little bastard will be dead

meat

i’m not afraid of you psy she said

no

you’d better start being nice to me

honey he said

maybe i’ll forget what you tried to do

if you’re real sweet to me

still holding the knife to her throat he

put his free hand on her shoulder

she tried to pull away from him

hey open the door eddie called from

outside

psy put the knife away and kathy

unlocked the door

eddie came into the room

oh it’s a great night he said cold but

clear you can see the stars

that means the weather will be good

tomorrow psy said even the weather is on

our side

he looked at kathy nothing can stop us

now he said

we’re all gonna be rich

he turned to eddie

your wife ain’t too excited by this job

eddie he said

tell her about it

tell her what a beautiful plan we’ve got

do we have to talk about it and he said

let’s just do it

i want her to know how great it is you

see kathy

we’re gonna call king in the morning and

tell him what to do

and the cops won’t be able to stop us or

find us

how does that sound kathy

very smart

she said in a flat voice

yeah

so i said

very smart

nobody will know where we are or what

we’re gonna do

and all because of eddie and his magic

box

he pointed to the radio equipment

why do you think we took the trouble to

rob all those different radio stores to

give eddie something to play with

i thought that you needed it to listen

to police calls kathy said puzzled oh

nose i said there’s more to it than that

this isn’t just a radio receiver look at

those oscillators that transmitter

we’ve got a big surprise for king and

the cops too

once king starts to do what we want

nobody will know what’s happening except

him

and us

once he leaves the house with the money

if he leaves the house

kathy said if he pays the ransom

i’ll tell you a secret sweetheart so i

said he’d better leave the house and

he’d better pay the ransom

he looked at jeff as he put his hand

into his pocket and took out the knife

the boy’s eyes were wide with terror

he’d better pay the ransom

so i said softly

[Music]

chapter 9

if you don’t pay them they’ll kill him

lieutenant sam grossman was the

scientist who ran the police laboratory

it was his job to take the cast of the

tire mark which cronic had made and the

tiny bit of gray paint

and to find out what kind of car they

came from

grossman’s job was not always pleasant

pieces of bodies hair blood and bone

were things he saw every day

however he enjoyed his work

because he knew that he was helping to

send thieves and murderers to prison

sometimes his job was extremely

difficult but today it was easy

in a very short time

he was able to phone meyer meyer and

tell him that the car he was looking for

was a five-year-old gray ford

meyer took the call from grossman in

douglas king’s living room

while the two policemen talked

king sat silently staring into the fire

he did not look up when meyer told him

that he was going to talk to burns

he still did not look up when diane came

into the room and stood between him and

the fire

all right

she said so quietly that he could only

just hear her

pete told me what you’ve decided

you can’t be serious

i am serious diane

i don’t believe you

i’m not paying

start believing it diane i’m not paying

you have to pay diane said

i don’t have to do anything they’re just

crooks why should i play their game

game

it isn’t a game

there’s a little boy involved if you

don’t pay them they’ll kill him

he may be dead already

they told you he was alive diane said

you know they did

they may kill him even if i do pay

and if you don’t pay they will certainly

kill him

king got up from his chair

would you like a drink diane he asked

no i would not

she said

doug how can you play with a child’s

life like this

why should i care about this kid at all

king said what is reynolds doing to help

his son nothing

why should i pay for his son

but he’s just a child

i don’t care he’s nothing to me

do you know diane i don’t even like the

kid why should i be responsible for him

they meant to take bobby diane said that

makes you responsible for him

not at all it just makes him unlucky

king said

in any case i haven’t got the money

they’re asking for

you have got it doug she said don’t lie

to me

i need all the money i’ve got for this

deal i can’t give that away don’t you

understand

yes i understand completely she said

your business deal means more to you

than a child’s life

the business is my life king said it’s

everything i’ve worked for it’s a part

of me diane don’t you realize that

to hell with the business she shouted i

don’t care about granger’s shoe

i don’t care whether you own it or not

listen to me king said angrily let me

tell you what will happen if i pay that

ransom

benjamin and his friends will get

together with the old man and throw me

into the street

i’ll have no job diane i’ll be finished

you could start again

where how could i

we’d lose everything this house the cars

the way we live it would all go why

should i do anything why can’t someone

else pay

you were asked diane said

why me because i’ve got money

i didn’t get it by sitting around

watching the world go by

i’ve worked hard for everything i’ve got

why can’t reynolds pay the ransom for

his own son because he’s never worked as

hard as i have that’s why he sat around

doing nothing and now he wants me to

help him

well i don’t want to help him i don’t

want to help anybody except myself

you don’t mean that diane said you can’t

meme that

what’s happened to you doug what’s

happened to the man i love

i don’t know what you mean

maybe it’s my own fault diane said

all those years i just stood and watched

as you got harder and crueler and did

worse and worse things to people

how could i shut up and listen to me she

shouted you’ve destroyed so many men on

your way to the top doug and i just

watched you want to destroy benjamin too

and the old man and throw them into the

street you don’t care about anyone

that isn’t true diane and you know it

king said haven’t i always given you

what you wanted haven’t i been a good

husband to you and a good father to

bobby

the business has always meant more to

you than we have she said

you’ve given us money a home food

but you’ve never given us anything of

yourself

only the business matters to you

and now you’re ready to murder a little

boy to get what you want

murder no diane it is murder she said

you can call it by other names but it is

murder

and this time i won’t stand by and watch

you do it

what do you mean what are you talking

about

if you don’t pay the ransom i’m leaving

you

leaving

i’m taking bobby and i’m getting out of

this house

come on diane you don’t know what you’re

saying you i know exactly what i’m

saying doug

pay the kidnappers

because i don’t want to be anywhere near

you if you don’t

i won’t live with somebody who’s rotten

and dirty who

honey honey he said reaching out his

hand to her can’t you

get away from me

she screamed don’t touch me doug

this time i’ve had enough

i can’t pay he said you can’t ask me to

i’m not asking she said i’m telling

have the money ready when the kidnappers

call tomorrow morning

i can’t give it to them he said

diane i can’t pay

you can’t ask me to

but she had already walked out of the

room

[Music]

chapter 10

you’re out and i’m

in after a long cold night the sun was

rising washing the house in golden light

in the bedroom diane silently packed

clothes into a bag

while liz baloo drank coffee and watched

her

why are you doing this diane liz asked

by asking doug to pay the ransom you’re

asking him to destroy his life and yours

too it doesn’t make sense

doesn’t it

diane said

what would you do if one of your

children was kidnapped liz

i’d cut off my arm if it would save him

liz said

and what if my boy

bobby was taken and they asked you for

the money

liz drank some coffee

even at this time in the morning she

looked beautiful

darling she said i love you like a

sister but i’m not sure that i would pay

all that money to save somebody else’s

son

i’m surprised diane said

why because i’m a mother

i’m only mother to three children not

the whole world liz said

they were silent for a while

and then diane said

it was good of you to offer me a place

to stay

of course you can stay at my house for

as long as you like diane liz said

but if doug asks me what i think about

all this i’ll tell him that i think

you’re mad

he already thinks i’m mad diane said

he knocked at my bedroom door three

times in the night

the last time i think he was crying

but i wouldn’t let him come in

he has to understand that i’m serious

he has to understand that i’m leaving

him unless he pays the ransom

somebody knocked at the door

who is it

diane asked

me pete

could you go to the door liz

diane asked

good morning mr cameron liz said as she

opened the door did you sleep well

liz cameron said surprised to see her i

didn’t know you got up so early in the

morning

i always wake up early and ready for

action liz said

what brings you to a lady’s bedroom

a problem

i’ve got doug’s check in my pocket diane

what should i do take it to boston or

tear it up

you’ll have to ask doug diane said

i ought to tear it up cameron said he’s

going to pay that ransom i’m sure of it

why are you sure diane said

i don’t understand

look cameron said

let’s say i go to boston and the deal

goes ahead

imagine the story in the newspapers

douglas king they’ll say the man who now

controls granger’s shoe the man who

refused to save a little boy’s life

hell

they’ll tear him to pieces

nobody will ever buy a pair of granger

shoes again

i hadn’t thought of that diane said

but doug will think of it

that’s why he’ll pay

there was a cough

and they all turned towards the door

douglas king stood there

his eyes were red and tired but he had a

determined look on his face

good morning doug cameron said did you

sleep well

no i didn’t sleep well

diane why is liz here

i called her last night doug

i’m taking bobby to liz’s house

i see

he turned to cameron

when are you leaving pete

what well i i don’t know

what do you mean which plane are you on

i didn’t ring the airport i thought

it’s not your job to think

i gave you a check to take to boston

didn’t i

yes but i didn’t know whether you still

wanted me to nothing’s changed

go downstairs and call the airport get a

seat on the next flight to boston

as cameron left the room diane said

i guess i’d better finish packing liz

king stared at her for a moment and then

went downstairs

cameron was already talking on the

telephone

the 12 o’clock flight he said fine the

name is peter cameron all right thank

you

he put the receiver down

okay

he said to king we just put a bullet in

jeffrey reynolds head

stop it pete

it’s true i think this is murder cameron

said

dog listen to me

please doug let the deal go and save the

kid he’s an innocent child and

when did you start loving innocent

children so much

everyone loves kids doug cameron said

especially pete cameron huh

don’t you know that the boston deal will

help you as well as me

is jeffrey reynolds really more

important to you than your own success i

find that very interesting pete

a child’s life is important more

important than this deal right

no but

more important or less important which

well i

if i pay the ransom the deal is off

is that what you want pete

do you want this deal to fail

king looked at cameron coldly

i don’t believe you care if jeff

reynolds lives or dies

what’s really going on here

have you got plans of your own

doug don’t be silly

why did you call benjamin yesterday

and don’t tell me that lie about a sales

meeting what are you planning with him

nothing

cameron gave a week laugh i’m not

planning anything with anybody

did you tell him about this boston deal

boston no of course i didn’t

king stared at him for a moment

then he picked up the telephone

what are you doing doug cameron asked

king did not answer

get me mr benjamin he said unto the

receiver then

hello george this is doug

how are you george

i’m fine isn’t it a little early in the

morning for

george i’ve been thinking king went on

that deal you offered me yesterday i

turned it down

maybe that was a mistake

i think i’d like to accept your offer

george

you’re too late doug benjamin said

you see i know all about your deal in

boston

and i know that your deal is off because

of this kidnapping

you’ve lost your deal mr king and now

you’re going to lose your job

too see king said softly

well george i guess i know when i’m

beaten but i hope you won’t punish pete

for my mistake he knew nothing about my

plans he’s a good worker george and

benjamin gave a loud laugh don’t worry

about pete we’ll take care of him

pete will be okay with us doug

now i really must go i’m meeting someone

for a game of golf

king put the phone down slowly

you

bastard he said to cameron

you told him about boston you told him

everything

yes

everything

you bastard

yes cameron said i told him everything

and now you’re out mr king out

you’re out and i’m in

tomorrow you’re out on the street

not if the boston deal goes through

you can’t do it you haven’t got the guts

to kill that kid

haven’t i king said

but you have pete is that right

then we’re both bastards aren’t we both

the same

suddenly he put his hands on cameron’s

shoulders and threw him across the room

get out of my house he shouted

with pleasure cameron said

he took the check out of his pocket and

tore it into pieces

get out king screamed get out get out

get out

even after cameron had left the house he

was still shouting get out get out

[Music]

chapter 11

the boy needs a hot drink

the boy was cold

kathy had given him her coat but he

still felt cold

he wanted a hot drink hot chocolate he

said but there was no milk in the

farmhouse and no chocolate

kathy sat with her arms around the

trembling child wondering how eddie

folsom the man she loved could possibly

be a part of a crime like this

she knew that he was a thief

to kathy robbing a bank was not really a

crime at all

but kidnapping a child

how could eddie a man who had so much

good in him do a terrible thing like

that

and what exactly were they planning to

do eddie and psy

kathy had seen maps and knew that they

were going to use the radio equipment

they were going to telephone king and

give him some instructions

she could not understand what all this

meant

eddie she said

the boy needs a hot drink

he’s cold

would you go out and get him something

eddie

never try to understand women sigh said

the roads are full of cops and you want

to send eddie out for a hot drink that

really takes the prize kathy

one of you has to go out to make the

phone call kathy said

you’ll have to make the call from a

store won’t it look more normal if you

buy some things too

she’s right psy said

good idea kathy

he said to eddie

when you make the call get the kid what

he needs

am i going to make the call eddie said

why not

no reason okay i’ll go

do you know what to do

so i asked

make sure he’s got the money first

tell him to leave the house at 10

o’clock sharp

tell him to go straight to his car it

must be the cadillac

be certain to tell him that eddie we

don’t want him to use the wrong car

tell him it has to be the caddy

all right eddie said

tell him to start driving away from

smoke rise

say you’ll be met by someone with

further instructions

make sure you say he’ll be met

who’s going to meet him kathy asked

you

nobody psy said and he laughed

tell him he’ll be watched all the time

and if the police are following him

we’ll kill the boy

okay eddie said

what do you want me to buy kathy

a packet of hot chocolate and some milk

get some cookies too

he kissed her and said

i’ll be back soon

be careful eddie

good luck kid so i said

here’s the phone number

he gave eddie a piece of paper

eddie went out and got into the car

psy listened as he drove off down the

road

then he locked the door

alone at last he said to kathy

and he laughed

every policeman sees some horrible

sights

and steve carella too had some bad

memories

as soon as he saw charles reynolds come

into the room

he knew that he would never be able to

forget what was about to happen

he wanted to close his eyes

but he could not

reynolds looked lifeless a defeated man

he stood there patiently and waited for

douglas king his employer to notice him

at last king looked up

what is it what do you want reynolds

he said

reynolds took a step towards king

i want to ask you to pay the ransom for

my son mr king

he said don’t ask me

king said and he turned away

i have to ask you mr king

reynolds said don’t you see that

i’ve never begged in my life but i’m

begging you now

please mr king

i’m talking to you as one father to

another please save my son

i can’t help you

i can’t help jeff

i don’t believe that mr king you can

save him who else can i ask

you’re asking me to destroy my own life

king said do you understand that i can’t

do it

what do you want me to do reynolds said

i’ll do anything i’ll work for the rest

of my life for nothing

don’t talk nonsense how can

do you want me to get down on my knees

mr king

shall i get down on my knees and beg you

to save jeff

he fell to his knees

corella had to look away

king was trembling

get up man he said

i’m on my hands and knees reynolds said

begging you mr king begging you please

please save my son

corella saw king’s eyes close for a

moment

then he said

please get up reynolds could you please

leave me alone could you do that please

reynolds got quietly to his feet he

turned and walked slowly out of the room

douglas king stared after him

do you feel rotten mr king corella asked

because that’s what you are a rotten

bastard

look here corella i don’t want to listen

to that oh go to hell mr king corella

said angrily what’s the matter with you

steve burns said coming into the room

stop that now

yes sir

i’ve just been on the telephone burns

said checking our list of stolen cars

and sure enough there it was

a five-year-old gray ford

they’ll have changed the number plates

though

he stopped as liz baloo came down the

stairs she was carrying a bag and

holding bobby king by the hand

good morning she said any news yet

i’m afraid not man burns said

daddy bobby said is jeff back yet

no sonny isn’t

i thought you were getting him back

bobby said

there was a long uncomfortable silence

corella hoped that he would never see

the look that was on bobby king’s face

on the face of his own son

come on bobby liz said

she said to king

he’s coming over to my house doug

where’s diane did you talk to her

yes but it’s no good

give her time doug just be patient

why aren’t you getting jeff back dad

bobby asked

but liz pulled him towards the door and

then they were gone

i think i should explain king said i

know that my refusal looks

the telephone rang

king stopped speaking and corella rushed

to the wiretap equipment

answer it mr king he said keep him

talking for as long as you can

burns picked up the other phone

what what shall i tell him king said

tell him you’ve got the money burns said

it’s our only chance

answer it answer it corella shouted

hello

king said

the voice that replied was not the same

one he had heard before

have you got the money mr king

keep him talking burns whispered

well yes i i mean i have most of it what

do you mean most of it we told you

the rest of it will be here soon

five hundred thousand dollars is a lot

of money you know and i didn’t have much

time to get it

they’re bringing the rest from the bank

it should arrive in half an hour

all right fine now listen

i’m only going to say this once

you will leave the house at 10 o’clock

sharp

carry the money in a plain box

go to the garage and get into the black

cadillac it must be the black cadillac

do you understand

yes i understand king said

hurry hurry

burns whispered into the other phone

you will drive away from the house and

away from smoke rise

you will be watched don’t take anyone in

the car with you and don’t allow the

police to follow you if you are followed

we will kill the boy do you understand

that

yes

you will continue driving until someone

meets you with instructions

that is all you have to know goodbye

mister wait

keep him talking burns said they’ve

traced the call to sans spit

what do you want mr king

when do we get the boy back

how do we know he’s still alive he’s

still alive

can i talk to him

no

goodbye mr king

wait you

he’s gone corella said

his voice sounded different this time

i don’t think it was the same guy that

called before

good work mr king

thank you

king said dully

eddie folsom had finished his telephone

call

now he had some shopping to do

give me a packet of hot chocolate and a

bottle of milk he said

and a box of those cookies there

[Music]

chapter 12

that 500 grand has got to be ours

kathy was worried

she walked up and down the room looking

out of the window and lighting one

cigarette after another

where is eddie she said

shouldn’t he be back by now

he’ll be back psy said

remember you told him to get chocolate

for the kid as well as make the call

when he gets back kathy said

what are you going to do

nothing not until just before 10 o’clock

and what will you do then

don’t worry about it

everything will be fine and we’ll all be

rich as hell you know why because psy

bernard is planning this

not some small time punk like you’re

eddie

he’s not a small time punk

no psy said

so

he’s a real big shot how did you meet

such a big shot

we just met

kathy said that’s all

but you knew he was a crook

yes she said but it didn’t matter to me

he’s a good man

he only does this because it’s the only

thing he knows

i know he’s a good man really

why did you marry him

i love him kathy said

when are you going to let me go jeff

asked

he was lying on the bed with kathy’s

coat over him

shut up kid psy said

he turned to kathy

why worry about eddie this other fish in

the sea

bigger smarter fish than eddie

he’s my husband i love him

love

that’s just for teenagers there’s no

such thing

you’re mistaken you just don’t know

kathy said

one thing i do know you’re ready is just

a cheap crook and he’ll never change

it’s too late now for that

it’s not too late once this is over once

this is over there’ll be another job and

another

he paused and looked at her listen let’s

have a drink

no thanks

what’s the matter don’t you drink

i don’t want any

where’s eddie

so i picked up a bottle and drank from

it

you know what your trouble is he asked

her

you worry too much

you don’t know how to live

come on have a drink

oh leave me alone she said i don’t want

a drink

okay so i said stand here and worry if

that’s what you want to do

i can think of better ways to kill in

time

he walked closer to her

his eyes on her sweater

and he ought to buy you some new clothes

a girl like you needs nice things not

this old sweater

thanks kathy said riley

know what i think so i went on you’re

wasting your time with a punk like eddie

a pretty little thing like you need

someone who knows a bit about the world

someone who shut up psy she said

aren’t you hoping the cops will catch

eddie

you never wanted to do this job did you

all you do is worry about whether the

kid’s okay

whether we’re gonna hurt him shut up

shut up

sorry look to jeff

you’re the lucky one kid he said

the lady really cares about you

and she cares about eddie

but not old side that’s for sure

he raised the bottle

i’m drinking to you kid he said

how about that you little bastard

jeff said nothing he was trembling from

cold and fear

answer me psy said

ain’t you got no manners boy come on

talk

the cops are out there looking for me

all over the roads because of you

i want to know what you think about that

i

i don’t know

jeff said

you don’t know a smart little bastard

like you must have some ideas

do you want me to go to the electric

chair is that what you want

stop it psy kathy said leave the boy

alone

come on kid yes or no

do you want me to get the electric chair

yes

i mean

what you little bastard

sigh you’re frightening the boy to death

suddenly jeff rushed to kathy and threw

his arms around her

he buried his head in her sweater

get your hands off her side shouted

kathy pulled the boy closer

that’s enough sy

what the hell are you saying

no woman tells me what i can do

he pulled jeff roughly from her throwing

the boy across the room

there he said how about that

kathy hit him as hard as she could

across the face

slowly psy took out his knife

okay baby he said you’re finally ready

to play sight don’t don’t what baby

don’t worry i won’t cut you

carefully he ran the knife up her body

tearing the sweater to pieces

kathy moved her hands to try to cover

herself

sai laughed get your hands out of the

way

i’d ain’t like elder hurt you

now

let’s see

the boy seemed to come from nowhere he

landed on psy’s back like a wild cat

hitting kicking pulling sighs hair

surprised sy turned

tore the boy off him and threw him to

the floor

kathy was at the door trying to unlock

it

so i caught her by the arm and pulled

her to him

maybe you’d better take it easy baby he

said

maybe you’ll like it better that

there was a knock at the door

eddie

kathy whispered

si let go of her immediately

put your coat on he said hurry

quickly she obeyed him

one word of this to eddie sai said

and the kid is dead

psy sat down next to the boy

open the door he said to kathy

welcome home sigh said as eddie came

into the house

did you get the milk

yeah

seeing the look on kathy’s face eddie

asked

what’s the matter here

nothing cathy said

kathy and i just had a little difference

of opinions i said

i got a bit excited i guess

i’m sorry eddie

what was it about

why are you wearing your coat eddie

asked his wife

it got a bit cold in here

are you okay were there any police about

i didn’t see a single cop eddie said

listen this is no time for fighting

among ourselves

i said i was sorry psy said get the

magic box working eddie i want to know

what the cops are doing i’ll make you

some hot chocolate kathy said to jeff

the radio suddenly came to life

carr used in the jeff reynolds

kidnapping gray ford five years old

number possibly rn 6210

they know the car eddie shouted we

changed the number plate but they still

know it how can we use it now

waits i said calm down eddie i’ll be

driving the car not you listen you said

you didn’t see any cops when you went to

the store okay

we’re going to use this radio to find

out exactly where they are

he looked at his watch

we’ve got half an hour

let’s hope that the cops send a lot of

messages in that time

we can’t lose that money now

that 500 grand has got to be ours

[Music]

chapter 13

lock him up

at 10 o’clock in the morning the front

door of douglas king’s house opened and

king came out

he was carrying a plane box filled with

old newspapers

he went to his garage got into the black

cadillac and drove out onto the road

he seemed to be alone

no police car was behind him

he seemed to be following the

kidnapper’s instructions exactly

nobody who was watching him could know

that detective steve carella was hidden

in the back of the car

lying on the floor

do you see anything

carella asked king

is anyone waving to you from another car

is there a helicopter overhead

no

nothing how the hell are they going to

contact you corella said

at 10 o’clock in the morning

eddie folsom turned on his radio

equipment

psy had left earlier after he had heard

enough to know where the police were

blocking the roads

eddie looked at his radio equipment and

his maps

then he looked at his watch

it was 10-3

he would give king another seven minutes

at 10 10

it would start

can you see anything yet corella asked

no

what time is it

10-5

why did you come mr king corella asked a

detective could have taken your place

i know

king paused for a moment and then asked

are you married mr corella

yes

do you love your wife

yes

i love mine she left me this morning

after all these years

she left me

do you know why

i think so

because i won’t pay the ransom for jeff

reynolds

you think i’m rotten i know

but i can’t do it i can’t lose granger’s

shoe now

it’s all i want

if it’s all you want you shouldn’t care

that your wife has left you

i guess not i shouldn’t care about diane

or bobby or anybody should i

no

then why am i here

what am i doing

i don’t understand it myself mr corella

i only know i can’t pay the ransom for

that boy

it would destroy my life

i’d be poor again

diane was always rich mr corella she

doesn’t know what it means to be poor

i know

i was a poor kid and i worked hard i

fought to get what i wanted

now i’ll fight these kidnappers by being

here by doing something

but i’ll never pay their ransom

if that means i’m rotten then i’m rotten

but i won’t be poor again

i want my house and my servants and my

big car with a telephone

at that moment the telephone in the car

began to ring

what’s that corella said from the back

seat the telephone said king the

telephone’s ringing

my god that’s how corella said go on

answer it

king lifted the receiver

hello

he

said listen mr king

yeti’s voice said listen carefully i’m

going to give you your instructions

don’t put the phone down

nobody can trace this call

i’m using radio not a telephone don’t

try to contact anyone just do what i

tell you to

no tricks please do you understand

i understand

corella climbed over into the front seat

and took the phone from king

he knew the voice the kidnapper could

hear over the car phone would not be

clear

he hoped that his voice would not sound

different from kings

it was a risk worth taking

where are you eddie asked coming up to

north 39th where it crosses culver

corella said

it seemed that eddie had not noticed the

different voice

calmly he said

turn left on north 40th

go south until you reach grover avenue

then turn left again

when you reach hall avenue let me know

have you got that

yes

gorilla put his hand over the mouthpiece

and said to king

he’s telling us where to go little by

little so that we can’t let the cops

know what we’re doing

these people are smart mr king i wish i

knew how to stop them i just wish i knew

sai bernard sat in his car and waited he

was smoking his tenth cigarette in half

an hour

anxiously he looked at his watch

then at the road again

he felt strangely worried that the plan

would go wrong

but how could it

his car was parked in the woods

completely hidden from the road by trees

the place was just past a bend in the

road

eddie would tell king to throw the box

of money out of the car window

and then to drive quickly on

still following eddie’s instructions

if the police were following they would

have to stay a safe distance behind king

so they would not see when the drop was

made

by the time they drove around the bend

king would already have driven away

they would continue to follow

not even knowing that the drop had

happened

because king had no way of telling them

eddie would continue talking to king

leading him and the police further and

further away

until psy had picked up the money and

driven back to the farmhouse

when psy stepped through the door eddie

would stop transmitting

the plan was beautiful

why did he feel so worried

you’re going to cross a bridge eddie

said his eyes on the map

you have to pay

get the money ready don’t say anything

and don’t try any tricks

if you do

we’ll kill the boy

kathy listened as her husband said it

we’ll kill the boy

kill the boy

my husband said those words she thought

how could he say that

you’re coming off the bridge right yeah

he said

now turn left onto the highway and keep

driving

let me know when you pass

exit 16.

kathy looked closely at the map

the farmhouse was clearly marked on it

and king’s house

the red line must be the route eddie was

leading king along

what was the meaning of that blue star

then

of course the place where psy was hiding

waiting for king to drop his money

then eddie would keep king driving

to get him away from the place and to

confuse any followers

so that was where psy was

tantamount rode just around the bend in

route 127.

eddie

she said

not now

he shouted his hand over the microphone

eddie let’s stop this now please please

no he said

psy looked at his watch

come on eddie he thought hurry let king

get here with the money

let me get back to the farmhouse safely

please

please eddie kathy said if you love me

i’m asking you to i have to do this

kathy i have to eddie said angrily

all right we just passed exit 16.

corella said

fine turn off at exit 17 and start to

drive north eddie said

let me know when you get to

the boy is in a farmhouse on fair lane

road half a mile from stanbury kathy

suddenly shouted into the open

microphone

what the hell and he turned to stop her

but he was too late the words were

pouring out of her mouth

sai bernard is waiting in a car kathy

stop it are you crazy on tatam out road

just around the bend in route 127.

did you hear that corella shouted i

heard it king said

get there as fast as you can

corella had cut the connection and was

already making another call

this is a police officer get me

headquarters immediately

sai bernard was smoking his 15th

cigarette as the black cadillac came

round the bend in the road

this is it he thought this is it

the car slowed down

he expected to see a box full of money

drop out of the window to the ground

instead of that the door opened and a

man with a gun in his hand jumped out

psy started the engine and drove the car

at him but the man fired

hitting one of the tires and breaking

two windows

side drove passed him onto the road then

left the car and began running into the

woods

the man was reloading his gun

another man a big man

jumped out of the cadillac and began

running after psy

psy fired at him twice missing him both

times

stop the man shouted we know where your

friends are

go to hell psy shouted

he fired several more times and then the

gun was empty and he threw it away and

took out his knife

as the big man came through the trees

psy held out the knife and said softly

stop there

like hell

douglas king said and he threw himself

on sigh with all the force in his body

the knife tore upwards through king’s

coat

running a thin line of blood across his

skin

but his hands

strong hands which had once cut leather

were around size throat

and he held him more and more tightly

he did not let go until the knife fell

from psy’s hand to the ground

and corella came to help him

and then

it was all over

the two policemen found the boy sitting

on a bed in the farmhouse with a blanket

around his shoulders

jeff

one of the man said

yes

are you okay

yes

where did they go the other man asked

who

the people who were keeping you here

jeff hesitated for a long time

then he said

there wasn’t anybody

only psy

i’ve been all alone here since i left

he must be in shock one policeman said

to the other

jeff refused to change his story

more surprisingly

sy bernard’s story was exactly the same

as jeff’s he had worked alone he said

he knew nobody called kathy he did not

know what the police were talking about

we know you’re lying bernard carella

told him and i don’t understand why

why are you trying to save kathy

she’s the one who told us where to find

you

you’re not helping yourself

and you’re not helping your friends

either

we’ll get them

all you’re giving them is a little more

time

maybe time is all they need

psy said

suddenly there was a sadness in his

voice

maybe a little time is all anybody ever

needs

lock him up burns said

[Music]

chapter 14

the case is closed now but

back at the 87th precinct building one

cold day at the end of november

steve carello was typing up his final

report on the jeffrey reynolds

kidnapping

he pulled the paper out of the

typewriter turned to meyer meyer and

said happily

finished

is it though

meyer said

cyber nard is in prison

but what about the mysterious kathy and

the man who shouted her name

where are they now

out of the country i guess corella said

i wish them luck

what the hell for they’re kidnappers

jeff reynolds refused to talk about them

corella said

i guess that means they were kind to him

bernard won’t talk either

he paused

kathy

it’s a nice name

she’s a sweet girl meyer said she only

kidnaps children

who should we say some nice things about

next douglas king

he had some bad moments corella said

he asked for them

you know what he was most pleased about

when it was all over

the fact that his deal in boston went

through and he’s going to be president

of granger’s shoe

why do the bastards of this world always

come out on top

he didn’t have to run after bernard the

way he did

just because a man is brave enough to

face a knife it doesn’t mean he can face

himself meyer said

give him time

he says he can’t change

i think he has to change

his wife went back to him remember

she must think change is possible for

him

she isn’t the kind of woman to pick a

loser

one day

he’ll have to pay it you know

he’ll have to pay what

his own ransom corella said the case is

closed now but somehow i feel that it’s

still open

for a lot of people meyer

this case is still open

outside in the cold the city waited

[Music]

you