Page 27 of The Debt

Ron entered the study, his eyes falling on the box which Archer was now fumbling to open.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Stay out of this Ron.”

Ron closed the space between them as the lid of the box opened, revealing a small revolver.

“You better not be about to do what I thinking you’re planning.”

“He’s holding her hostage, and I mean for real. He was hurting her.”

Ron snatched the gun from Archer’s hand as soon as he picked it up. “Archer, let the authorities handle this. You’re not this guy. You’ve never even been in a real fight let alone able to face someone like this Vasco Black.”

Archer gently pulled the gun from his friend’s grasp. “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

Ron laughed. “Did you just quote Martin Luther King Jr to me? The quote doesn’t even have anything to do with this.”

“Of course it does, I’ll be truly selfish if I do nothing about a situation I am able to do something about.”

Ron nodded. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“No.”

“Yes. I’m from the hood, a Detroit born and raised ragamuffin. I know men like Vasco Black. I’m coming with you.”

* * *

“So what’s the plan?” Ron enquired as they headed out in his rented car. “Boston is almost a two hour drive. By the time we get there, they’ll be gone.”

“I have a friend with small charter plane. He agreed to take us there. There will be a car waiting for us at the airstrip over there.”

“That was quick, I almost forgot what influence you had over here. By the way, I didn’t get a chance to fill you in. The girl’s father suffered from a life threatening illness. Last year, his insurance ran out, and he had no way of paying for a surgery that would cost around a quarter of a million dollars. His only child Amira Barclay was advised to turn off his life support. Then all of a sudden the bill was paid in full for the surgery and he went through the operation successfully.”

“So where is he now?’

“That’s the weird thing,” Ron said. “Right after the surgery ended, his son-in-law Va…”

“I know, Vasco Black…”

“Yeah, he moved him to a private facility. The hospital administration had no control over this. The man hired private staff to care for his father-in-law and everything seemed legit.”

“So Mira never saw her father again and doesn’t even know whether he’s alive or not.”

“I guess so,” Rona agreed. “I didn’t understand much of anything until David briefed me. I asked him to find Richard Barclay. He might not have moved him to hospice like we thought. He could he in an apartment somewhere. Archer, we need to involve the police if we are going to do this.”

“You’re right, make the call.”

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