CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE RANSOM
423 Words
The mansion erupted into chaos.
Security guards raced through the halls while servants huddled together in fear.
Adrian grabbed the head of security by the collar.
"How could someone kidnap my grandfather from a house surrounded by guards?"
The man lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, sir. The power outage disabled the security system for three minutes."
"Three minutes was all they needed."
Adrian released him and took a deep breath.
"Lock every entrance. No one leaves the estate."
---
Amara searched the chairman's room.
The bed was unmade. His walking cane lay on the floor beside a broken lamp.
There were signs of a struggle.
She knelt to pick up the cane when something white caught her eye beneath the bed.
It was an envelope.
"Adrian," she called.
He hurried into the room.
"What is it?"
She handed him the envelope.
On the front, written in black ink, were the words:
For Adrian Kingsley Only.
He opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
«If you want to see your grandfather alive again, come alone.
Bring the original contract.
Midnight.
Old Blackwood Warehouse.
Tell the police, and you lose him forever.»
Adrian clenched the letter in his fist.
"They think I still have the contract."
"But it was stolen," Amara said.
"Exactly."
---
Raymond entered the room moments later.
"We traced the chairman's phone."
"Where?"
"It was switched on for less than thirty seconds near the abandoned docks."
Adrian looked at the map.
"They're trying to mislead us."
Before anyone could speak, Amara noticed something unusual.
"Wait."
She pointed at the ransom letter.
"The kidnapper said to bring the original contract."
Adrian nodded.
"So?"
"If they stole it... why are they asking you to bring it?"
The room fell silent.
Mr. Bennett adjusted his glasses.
"Which means only one thing."
"The person who stole the contract..."
"...isn't the same person who kidnapped the chairman."
A second enemy had entered the game.
---
Late that night, as Adrian prepared to leave for the warehouse, Amara stepped in front of him.
"You're not going alone."
"I have to."
"No."
She met his eyes.
"If this is a trap, you'll need someone you can trust."
Before Adrian could answer, his phone buzzed.
A video message appeared on the screen.
He pressed play.
The Chairman was tied to a chair in a dark room, looking tired but unharmed.
A masked figure stepped into view.
"You have one hour, Adrian."
The screen went black.
Then one final message appeared.
Come alone... or your contract wife dies first.
- Writer
