My mother came rushing in the door, followed by the sound of a car slamming on their breaks in my gravel driveway. My little mother came rushing over to me, grabbing my hand, while Aunt Karen and Sheriff John followed in. “Colt, tell me everything you told your mother. Don’t leave anything out. We need all the details that we get.”
“I hadn’t talked to Savanna all day and when I got home she wasn’t here. After locatin’ my phone, I had a missed call from an unknown number and one message statin’ that they had Savanna and if I didn’t give them fifty grand, I wouldn’t see her again.” I really started to panic. “She is pregnant John. We have to get that money and do whatever it takes to get her home safe. She can’t handle stress John. Please tell me what to do.”
He held his hands up, telling me to calm down; even though I knew it was an impossible gesture. “They never said where to meet?”
“It said they would call back.” My mother rubbed my shoulders.
Aunt Karen walked over to John and grabbed his hand, getting her attention. “John, we can’t just assume the best here. We need to figure out how to get her and that baby back in one piece.
“The money isn’t a problem.” My mother interrupted.
John put his hands up again. He was obviously accustomed to trying to calm seriously frustrated victims and criminals down. “Now let’s not jump to conclusions. The next time they call, you will ask to speak to Savanna, for proof of life.”
“Proof of life? Heavens to Betsy, this can’t be happening right now.” My mother buried her hands into her face.
I was trying so hard to remain calm and focused on just getting my wife home safely, but we had nothing to go on. To make matters worse, the banks were all closed and I had no idea how we were going to get fifty grand at six o’clock at night. “What happens if they need the money tonight? We can’t get that kind of money tonight.” I stood up and started pacing around the living room.
“Colt, listen here Son, if they are in it for the money, they will expect to have to provide proof of life. We have no reason to believe they have harmed her in any way,” John explained.
“Can we trace the call? Is there a way to trace a blocked number?” I asked.
He shook his head and sat down on the couch, finally looking up at me after rubbing his hands together. My Aunt Karen sat down beside my mother and grabbed her hand. “It’s not that simple. In most cases the phone used is called a burner phone. You can pick one up at any gas station or grocery store. The phones are untraceable, especially without knowing the number. I’m afraid we are going to have to wait it out.”
That was not what I wanted to hear coming from the sheriff himself. I guess I expected he would just be able to bring her home to me immediately. I realize that it was stupid to assume, but the thought of my Savanna out there somewhere scared, and God only knows what else, made me cringe. I needed to find her, to save her, and to bring her home. I couldn’t live with myself if anything ever happened to her over my parent’s wealth. It wasn’t fair. She never asked for this life. In fact, she came here because of me.
Guilt washed over me and the pain of realization.
My wife had been kidnapped.
For the next hour, the four of us brainstormed different scenarios back and forth. I don’t know how she did it, but my mother left and came back about thirty minutes later with a suit case full of cash. For some reason, I knew I wasn’t meant to ask questions. My parents were loaded, but who the Hell keeps fifty grand at their house? It’s like having a sign on your front door saying ‘rob me’.
I never snooped around my house, but I assumed they probably had some hidden safe somewhere. My mother was a smart woman and my father even wiser. It wasn’t hard to admit that they always had a rainy day stash lying around. My mother saw me giving her the curious eye. She came over toward me and reached for my hand. “It’s our emergency fund. Your dad started it when you were in high school. He was afraid he might have to bail you out of some trouble,” she whispered.
“That’s crazy. I wasn’t that bad.”
She cocked an eyebrow and gave me a snarky look. “I beg to differ, Colton.”
I pulled her into my arms. “Thank you for this, Mom.”
My cell phone started ringing from across the room, grabbing our immediate attention. Before opening it, John gave me certain instructions. I wasn’t to plea with them at all. I had to stick with one simple question.
“Hello?”
“Colt Mitchell?” The voice was distorted.
“Yeah.”