Page 7 of Played

“And you’ve never seen the guy before?”

He coughs and regains his breath again, before speaking. “Dude, if I hung around with rich bastards like that, I wouldn’t have to live in my car.”

Point for him.

“You want me to investigate the car, sir?” Clancy offers.

“Na, it’s probably stolen.” I mutter. “And from the look of it, it won’t last long enough to make it to the cop shop. I’m surprised it’s hung on this long.” I add, noting the fumes coming from the exhaust, and the plume of smoke billowing from the hood. I address Ned. “Where’s your car, lad?”

He tells me. It’s in this park up the street from my office. Known for vagrants hanging around in it. I pull a fifty out of my wallet and hand it to him. “Take a cab back and leave this shit mobile here.” I address Clancy. “Call to have this thing towed away to the cop shop. Have them check the VIN and see if there’s a connection anywhere.” I address Ned again, who is looking at the fifty like it’s gold. If he’s telling the truth, that Higgins gave him five hundred bucks, then he doesn’t need more cash, but I feel bad for the guy. Clancy and Mel likely broke a couple of ribs from the look of him.

“And you, Ned. Don’t get yourself mixed up with scum like that. Chances are this guy is responsible for the kidnapping of my daughter.”

“Look, I told you, man. I don’t know shit about that.”

“I get it, Ned. My point is that you shouldn’t take money from strangers for things.”

“Dude, until you’ve sat on your ass in the freezing cold, with a used coffee cup, begging for spare change, you don’t know shit.” Ned says, and I feel like a fool for thinking that he might be sympathetic. Not to mention the fact that I just condescended my own advice, giving him money, when in fact, I am a stranger to him.

“Fine, Ned. Off with it, then.” I gesture for him to go, just as my phone rings, and I see that it’s Laney. I pick up instantly.

“Caleb, I think I know who took Peg.”

“Well, it definitely wasn’t Ned here, that’s for sure.”

She ignores me. “Remember Gretchen told us about her support group and her sponsors?”

“Aye. What of it.”

“Zen was talking to a lad named Nathan Mackenzie, and he was in the security footage, luring Peg to him. He’s from Scotland, and he claimed that he was visiting family, but we’re pretty sure he was tracking Peg down. I think he might have been one of her sponsors.”

“How do we make a connection between him and Wesley Higgins?” I ask, trying to put two and two together.

“I’m not sure about that yet, but it could be any connection, Caleb. They’re both thugs, clearly.”

“Well, if Gretchen let on to anyone about me supporting her financially, it could mean anyone that knew her may be after us.” I surmise.

“Exactly. So, what do we do now?”

“Well, Higgins gave me the ransom demand, as expected. So, we follow through with that, and see where it leads us.”

“How much?”

“Twelve million.”

A slight pause. “Do we give it to him?”

“We make him think that sure as hell we are, but no. At least, I stipulated that I see Peg before I give him a dime, so we’ll see how that pans out.”

“Your da and my da have been in touch with the police. It looks like it’s in their hands now.”

I pause, thinking about something. “Aye. Except for one thing, Laney.”

“What.”

“My little secret weapon.”

Chapter 3

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