Nothing Is Negotiable

by Mark Bentsen

  Jack looked from Bonnie back to Christina and her eyes bore into his, until he seemed to understand. He nodded slowly, and then smiled at Bonnie and Lauren.

  Christina added, “Your next appointment’s not until four.”

  “It won’t take long,” Bonnie said.

  With an uneasy chuckle, he glanced from Christina to Bonnie, avoiding his wife’s confused expression. “Well, sure. Let’s go down to my office,” he said, motioning to a hallway.

  As they started down the hall, Bonnie saw Mrs. Rosenthal’s smile dissolve as she marched toward Christina.

  Jack ushered them into his office. Bonnie and Lauren sat in plush leather chairs as Jack closed the door. Jack went around the huge rosewood desk that had only a yellow legal pad atop a blotter. Jack settled into his chair, crossed his legs, propped his elbows on the armrests, and steepled his fingers in front of him.

  Without commenting about the Buffalo Café cover-up, he said, “The last time I spoke with your husband, he was quite concerned about you. He said you had disappeared.”

  “I did, but everything’s okay now,” she said smiling.

  With an air of caution, he said, “I’m glad to hear it all worked out.” His eyes shifted to Lauren. Without standing or extending a hand, he said, “I don’t think we’ve met.”

  “I’m Lauren.” She tilted her head toward Bonnie, “We’re cousins.”

  “I see,” he said without interest. He swiveled in his chair to face Bonnie. “It’s quite a surprise to see you here. How did you find me?”

  “You said you were from Kalispell and yellow Hummers with vanity plates are quite memorable in small towns.”

  “Yes, I guess they are,” the corners of his mouth showing the hint of a grin. “So, what can I do for you?”

  Bonnie cleared her throat. “You showed Luke a gun you wanted to sell.”

  He appeared surprised, but did not let down his guard. “I did. He said it was out of his price range.”

  “I know, but his birthday is next month, and I know he really liked it. So, I thought, what the heck.”

  He relaxed a bit and said, “I wish I’d known sooner. I sold it to a judge from Missoula two days ago.” He looked at his watch and said, “And he’s going to be here in about fifteen minutes to pick it up.”

  Bonnie’s heart sank. “Oh heck, I really wanted to get it for Luke for his birthday. Could I look at it again?”

  He stood and walked over to a credenza and pulled out a wooden case. He carried it over and laid it on his desk, unlocked the gold latches, and opened it.

  Inside they saw a beautiful pistol with pearly ivory grips.

  “It’s beautiful,” Lauren said leaning over to get a closer look. Her reaction reminded Bonnie of Luke’s initial reaction when he saw it.

  “It’s a Colt .38. They call it a ‘Super Match’. It was made in 1935 and has never been fired. Book value is twenty-five thousand, but I sold it for twenty,” he said with a look of satisfaction. “It’s going to go a long way when I have to be in the judge’s court.”

  “That’s a heck of a deal,” Lauren said. She looked at Bonnie and said, “You really should get this for Luke.”

  “I’ll give you full price, twenty-five thousand,” Bonnie said.

  Jack smiled and closed the display case. “I wish I could, but the judge has already wired me the money.”

  Bonnie opened the case back up. She lifted her head and gave Jack a piercing stare. “Wire it back. I want this gun and I’m not leaving without it.”

  Jack leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. I already have the man’s money and if I don’t deliver it would be disastrous for my reputation in the legal community.”

  “Okay. I’ll give you thirty,” Bonnie said, leaning back. “And, since when did a lawyer worry about his reputation?”

  Jack cleared his throat and ignored the insult. “I can’t do that.”

  “Jack, I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to this, but it looks like you are going to have to decide which is more important: your reputation or your marriage.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I have a number of pictures on my camera from the Red Eagle Lodge in St. Mary. Quite a few of them are of you and Christina. In some you’re holding hands; in others you’re playing kissy-face.”

  Jack’s eyes went to his desk as he gritted his teeth. He knew he was screwed.

  “We’re not leaving without the gun,” Lauren said.

  Bonnie saw his face redden as he tugged at his collar, which suddenly appeared to be too tight. His chest swelled as he took in a deep breath. He jutted his chin out and said, “Blackmail is against the law in Montana, just the same as it is in Texas.”

  “Who said anything about blackmail? I just want to buy that gun and I’m willing to pay market price for it.”

  “You can’t do this to me,” he said, an octave higher.

  “Yes I can, Jack.”

  He was silent for a while, and then said, “If I sell you that gun, then what?”

  “I’ll destroy the pictures and you’ll never see us again. You have my word.”

  “You expect me to take your word?” he sneered. “You won’t get the gun unless I get the pictures.”

  “Get serious,” Bonnie scoffed. “Every third-grader in America knows that even if I give you the pictures, I can still have them downloaded on my computer, or to a website on the Internet. So you’re going to have to trust me.”

  “Why should I trust you?”

  “Because you don’t have any other choice.”

  He tugged at his collar again and then used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat that had formed on his forehead. “Okay,” he scowled, “but I want my fucking money—and I want it now. Thirty thousand.”

  Bonnie cleared her throat again, “Well, that’s another thing. I don’t have a check with me, so I want you to just bill me for it.”

  “The hell you say. No way I’m going to let you walk out of here with that gun unless I get my money.”

  “I’m afraid you’re in no position to make demands. If Elizabeth finds out about the weekend you spent with Christina, thirty grand is going to be chicken feed compared to what your divorce is going to cost you.”

  “I’m really getting screwed here.”

  Bonnie shook her head. “No, Jack, that was last weekend.”

  Chapter 43

  Dr. Tammy Owens had been in the conference room on the first floor of the hospital since the kidnapping. She had given the details to the first police officers on the scene and now was repeating the story to the detectives who had shown up forty-five minutes later.

  The detective in charge was a black man named Percy Albright. He was big, about fifty, over six feet with wide shoulders and a waist just as big. He tapped his pen on the table as he fired questions. “Do you ordinarily leave the child alone during her treatments?”

  “I usually go across the street to the health club while Olivia’s in treatment.”

  The other detective, Marion Pearl, a white woman in her mid-thirties with curly black hair, spoke. “They had your routine down. Did you make any new friends over there?”

  “Not really. I know a few people who work there. It’s usually pretty dead during the time of day I’m there. It gets busy after people get off work.”

  Albright turned to the uniformed officers who stood near the door. “O’Dell, you and Eckley go to the health club. Get a list of new members, new employees, guests, and all service companies that have been in the club for the past month. Go.”

  The two officers left immediately.

  “Let’s go over it one more time. Start with when you left the health club,” Albright said.

  “I left the club and came back in the hospital through the employees’ entrance in the basement.”

  “Is that the way you always come back?”

  “It’s the easiest way, so yes, I always go that way. Anyway, I was almost to the elevat
or when something hit me. Maybe they used a stun gun or something like that because the next thing I knew I was on the ground unable to move.”

  “Did you see anyone?”

  “No, it all happened real fast. As soon as I hit the ground something was pulled over my head and I could’t see a thing. A man said not to make any noise or he’d kill me. Then he dragged me somewhere and shocked me again. I couldn’t move a muscle and while I was laying there he pulled off my blouse. I just knew I was going to be raped, but then he tied me up and wrapped tape around my mouth so I could’t make any noise. And, then he took all my jewelry.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “I guess he left because it got real quiet. About fifteen or twenty minutes later, Carlos found me.”

  “Who’s Carlos?”

  “He’s the custodian.”

  “Where were you?”

  “In the storage closet around the corner from the elevator. Duct tape was wrapped around my mouth and my arms and legs. Carlos helped me get the tape off and found a smock for me to wear.” She rubbed her wrists and continuted. “I was totally confused. At first I thought it was a rape, but when he took my jewelry, I thought it was just a robbery. But, our security guys have always warned us that Olivia was a prime candidate for kidnapping, so that’s when I started to worry about Olivia.”

  “Don’t you usually travel with a security detail?”

  “Not really, just DeWayne, my driver. He usually stays in the hospital with Olivia when I’m gone. As soon as I come back he goes out and brings the car up to the front entrance. We’ve never worried about security in the hospital because they always follow procedure to the letter. Even though they know me, they always check my ID bracelet before they release Olivia to me.”

  “Can you tell us anything about the person who grabbed you?”

  “Nothing more than it was a man. And when he spoke it was a low, gruff voice, and just above a whisper.”

  “Do you remember seeing anyone in the hall before you got zapped?”

  She tried to remember the minutes leading up to the attack, but nothing out of the ordinary came to mind. Her week had been chaotic. The dedication of the Children’s Center and the fundraiser were just two of the events this week. Though she was Olivia’s doctor, nanny, and babysitter, she had also become Kim’s personal secretary, social liaison, and best friend. Anytime Kim needed help or advice or anything for that matter, Tammy got the call. Today when she came back to the hospital, she remembered her mind was on the layout of the emergency room at the children’s center. She could have passed someone in the corridor and not even realized it.

  “I can’t remember seeing anyone.”

  “Did he say anything before he grabbed you?”

  “I can’t remember hearing anything.”

  “Okay, continue.”

  “I put on the smock and took the elevator to the third floor.” Her eyes narrowed and she looked a bit confused. “When I got out of the elevator I started toward the Dialysis Unit, but remember seeing a woman in the other elevator looking back at me. I saw her for just a fraction of a second, but I know she looked familiar. At the time, I was in a panic and it didn’t sink in.”

  “Have you ever seen this woman before?”

  “No, never.”

  “You said she looked familiar.”

  “Yes, she looked like me.”

  “Have you ever seen anyone who looks like you before?”

  “Never.”

  “Do you have a sister or a cousin who looks like you?”

  “No, I’m an only child. I really don’t have any family.”

  “Okay, continue.”

  “I ran down the hall to Dialysis and when I saw Rosemary I asked her where Olivia was. She looked at me like I was crazy and said that she had given her to me a few minutes earlier. I told her I didn’t pick up Olivia, but she didn’t take me seriously.”

  Behind Dr. Owens, Kim paced back and forth. Her BlackBerry buzzed, and automatically she pulled it out of her purse and pressed a few buttons. She began reading and within seconds, Dr. Owens heard her breathlessly say, “Lord, have mercy.”

  Everyone turned and Dr. Owens said, “What is it, Kim?”

  Kim’s attention remained fixed on the Blackberry. Dr. Owens stood and walked over to her. Kim handed her the device and stood motionless while she and the detective read the message.

  Dr. Owens read the subject line of the email. “I HAVE OLIVIA”. It was sent by: MS. RICH.

  Dr. Owens clicked on it, and the next screen popped up, showing the message:

  If you want to see Olivia again, you must do as I say. My demands are very simple. She will need medication and treatment soon, so don’t waste time. Comply with my demands and you’ll get her back in time to save her life.

  –First: Get rid of the police.

  –Second: When the FBI show up, get rid of them.

  –Third: When this is done, go to Olivia’s Blog and post a message and include this line: Olivia is more important than any amount of money.

  When I am convinced you have complied with my demands, you’ll hear from me.

  ***

  Back in the motel room, Bonnie perched on the end of the bed and watched as Lauren held the pistol and inserted the clip.

  “What’s that noise?” Bonnie asked glancing around the room, trying to find the source of strange buzzing sound. She picked up Dr. Owens’s purse and located a pocket on the outside with a zipper. “It’s coming from in here.”

  She unzipped the pocket and pulled out a BlackBerry.

  “Look what I found,” she said, holding the phone so Lauren could see it. “Do you know how to use one of these?”

  “I had one before I got my iPhone. That buzzing probably means she just got an e-mail or text.” Lauren took the phone from Bonnie, punched a few buttons and an e-mail with the subject line I Have Olivia.

  “Oh, shit,” they said in unison. Lauren clicked on it so they could read the message.

  “Do you know what blog they’re referring to?” Lauren asked.

  “Yeah, there was something about it in the stuff I had to study. After Olivia’s illness was diagnosed and Kim donated all the money to the Kalispell hospital, it caught the media’s attention and Olivia gained celebrity status overnight. Phones at the hospital rang constantly with concerned men, women and children offering to help however they could. Kim created ‘Olivia’s Blog’ to keep the public informed and to channel offers of help into financial donations or other contributions toward the children’s center.

  “Whenever a new entry is made on the blog, an e-mail is sent to all subscribers, giving them an update. At last count, there were over thirty thousand subscribers.”

  Bonnie stood up and walked over to the window. “This is the cruelest thing anyone could ever do. How in the hell did I get in the middle of this?”

  “You did what you had to,” Lauren said. “I would have done the same thing.”

  “What else is in here?” Lauren said opening the purse.

  She pulled out an organizer and a plastic pouch full of makeup. Deeper down she found a wallet. She opened it and saw her driver’s license behind a little plastic window. She pulled it out and gave it a hard look.

  “It’s spooky how much you two look alike,” Lauren said.

  “We’re not twins, so don’t go there.”

  “Is your birthday August 3, 1970?”

  Bonnie saw Lauren holding up Dr. Owens’s driver’s license. “Oh my God,” she said in a whisper.

  Looking up, Lauren said, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Chapter 44

  “Is there any way you could have been separated at birth?” Lauren asked, handing Dr. Owens’s driver’s license to Bonnie.

  “I don’t see how. My father told me I was an only child. He said my mother died from breast cancer.” Bonnie took the license and studied Tammy Camille Owens from top to bottom. Dr. Owens’s birthday, height, and weight matched her own. The typical
imperfect license photo sent a chill down her spine as she looked into the green eyes of Tammy Camille Owens.

  “Check it out. Her eyes are green—the same as mine. I guess she does wear tinted contacts.”

  Lauren gave Bonnie a sympathetic look. “I think you need to have a talk with your dad when you get home.”

  “I wish I could,” Bonnie said sadly. “He died last August.”

  “Then, when this is all over, you and this doctor will need to have a long talk.”

  “We will if I live through it.”

  “Give me that,” Lauren said, reaching for the BlackBerry. “We’d better turn that thing off. They can determine our location by triangulating cell phone towers.”

  “Excuse me?” Beyond Photoshop and email, Bonnie was pretty much low-tech.

  “It means if we leave this phone on, the police can call or send a text to it and they can tell where we are. Even if it’s turned off, the police have the ability to turn the power on and track you. So, the best way to get around that is to remove the battery,” Lauren said prying out the blue battery.

  “If that’s the case, I think we should get the hell out of here as soon as we can.”

  “I’m with you there,” Lauren said as she started stuffing clothes into the duffel. Less than three minutes later, they were in the Suburban and driving toward the exit of the parking lot.

  Bonnie liked Lauren’s idea of meeting at the mall, but they needed to check it out before they talked to Coley again. It was only a few miles away and when they got there they drove around the perimeter, checking the entrances. They parked and Lauren ran inside for a few minutes to see the layout. It was smaller than any mall either of them had seen, but they thought that would work to their advantage.

  Forty minutes later they were in the parking lot of a grocery store when the cell phone rang. It was Coley. “We’re about ten minutes from the mall.”

  Bonnie said, “There’s a Radio Shack about in the middle of the mall. Send Luke in and tell him to stand out in front of it.”