Dead Man's Gift and Other Stories

by Simon Kernick

  After what seemed like a long time, he said the word ‘Understood’ and placed the cell back on the kitchen top.

  ‘What is it?’ she asked him. ‘What did they say?’

  Logan took a deep breath. ‘It was a man. He says they want two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for Paige’s safe return.’ He paused, steadying himself on the worktop. ‘We’ve got until tomorrow night at ten p.m. to get it. We’ll hear from them again then. Something else.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘They knew it was me before I even picked up the phone. They’ve got cameras everywhere. They’re watching us.’ He looked round the room, his expression that of a hunted animal, before fixing his gaze on Brook. ‘I haven’t got that kind of money. Can you get two hundred and fifty thousand dollars by tomorrow?’

  But alarm bells were already sounding for Brook. She couldn’t believe the kidnappers had only asked for such a relatively small sum of money. They’d mutilated Rosa, and probably couldn’t afford to let her go now, meaning she was probably dead. Surely they wouldn’t murder a woman, kidnap a child, and risk ending up on death row, all for a quarter of a million dollars. Potentially split more than one way.

  It didn’t make sense. None of this made sense.

  But for the benefit of any camera that might be in the room, she nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I can get the money by tomorrow.’

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  Epub ISBN: 9781473552692

  Version 1.0

  Published by Century in 2018

  1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

  This omnibus edition is copyright © Simon Kernick 2018

  Jacket montage © Arcangel

  Simon Kernick has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  This collection was first published in 2018 by Century

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  The Penguin Random House Group Limited

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  Century is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 9781780898292

  ISBN 9781780898544 (export)