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IT WAS 9:30 IN THE evening. As I walked into the lobby of the hotel after having had dinner, my mobile rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. The call was from Douglas Shaw. I answered it.
"The kidnappers called," Shaw said.
"What instructions did they give you?" I said.
"They didn't," Shaw said. "They called to make certain I had the money ready, then they asked who would deliver it. The guy said he would phone tomorrow morning with the instructions."
"Bugger," I said. "We will get the instructions last minute I expect, and there won't be time for reconnaissance."
"Will that negate your plan?"
"No, I will work around it," I said. "What did you tell them when they asked who would deliver the money?"
"Only that a woman who works for me would make the drop," Shaw said. "The guy didn't ask for a name, and I didn't offer one."
"It doesn't matter," I said. "They will know who I am soon enough."
"So, what is the plan?" Shaw said. "Do you have it worked out?"
"Yes, it's sorted as best it can be without knowing the when and where of the drop," I said.
"Then tell me why we're giving them more money than they demanded."
"The individual who comes to collect the ransom will know the amount of money they demanded," I said. "I'll make certain the person knows we're delivering a good bit more than that, and then greed should take its course."
"How do you mean?" Shaw said.
"I reckon the person who comes to the drop will decide to keep the extra $250,000," I said. "In my experience, it's true that there is no honor among thieves. He or she will hide the extra $250,000 and then meet his or her accomplices with only the $750,000 demanded."
"And that helps us how?" Shaw said.
"I expect there will be an observer nearby watching while one of them is collecting the money," I said. "That means the person who collects the ransom won't have a lot of time to stash the extra money. I expect he or she will hide it somewhere at the drop site and then will return for it later. When that happens, I will be waiting. I'll confront the person and find out where Allison is being held."
"Clever," Shaw said, "that might work if you can get the person to talk."
"No worries," I said. "They will talk."
"You're very confident aren't you," Shaw said. "I like that in a woman."
"I'm good at what I do, Mr. Shaw," I said.
"No need for such formality," Shaw said, "please call me Doug."
"If you don't mind, I'm all good with Mr. Shaw," I said. "You're a client, and I prefer to keep business on a business level."
"But once we conclude our business, there isn't any reason things can't become a little more intimate," Shaw said. "Frankly, I find you very attractive and hope to get better acquainted."
"Let me be clear," I said. "You are paying me to get your daughter back. That's the extent of our acquaintance. That's not going to change, Mr. Shaw."
"You can play hard to get all you want, but I'm persistent and accustomed to getting what I want," Shaw said. "I'll win you over in the end."
"No, you won't actually," I said. "Ring me when you get the instructions for the drop from the kidnappers. Goodnight, Mr. Shaw." I disconnected the call. What a prick.
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THE ALARM ON MY PHONE awakened me at seven the next morning. I turned it off with a groan. It seemed like I'd only fallen asleep minutes before. I had been packing a sad when I'd gone to bed the night before. I'd been thinking about my late husband, David. We were meant to holiday in Hawaii when he returned from his last assignment in Afghanistan. Only David didn't return as expected. He came home on a military cargo plane in an aluminum, flag-draped "transfer case." David died in a Kabul hotel bombing engineered by the Taliban.
I walked to the shower rubbing the sleep from my eyes. After showering, I got dressed for the day. I didn't know when a call from the kidnappers would set things in motion. But I knew it could all be on with only a moments notice.
First, I put on the yellow bikini I'd bought for the trip. I put on a pair of navy board shorts and a gray singlet over the togs. I chose socks and athletic trainers for footwear. It seemed more appropriate than the comfortable jandals I'd have preferred wearing. I might have to move fast.
I grabbed my canvas beach bag. After tossing in my sarong cover-up, a pair of sunnies, and a Dodger's baseball cap Malone had given me I added two more items. I put my Colt Detective Special short-barreled revolver into the bag along with a Leupold Mark 4 spotting scope. Satisfied I was ready, I went downstairs to the hotel restaurant and had breakfast.
At eight-twenty, Shaw rang me. He told me that he had received the instructions from the kidnappers. I was meant to make the drop at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve at eleven o'clock. Shaw said that he and his driver Ken would pick me up in front of my hotel within the hour. He told me the caller had given instructions for me to bring some specific items to the drop. Shaw said he'd pick them up from Ala Moana Center on the way. He said he would give me the details when he saw me and disconnected without explaining what the items were.
With almost an hour to kill, I took the opportunity to do a quick Internet reconnaissance of the drop site. I'd seen a brochure on Hanauma Bay in the hotel lobby and recalled it was a popular Oahu snorkeling venue. I typed the name into the search bar on the browser on my phone and found the link.
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, or Hanauma Bay State Park was a bay within an ancient volcanic cone. Located on Kalanianaole Highway in east Honolulu, the park was open most days from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 in the evening. According to the website, the park saw an average of 3000 visitors a day. It was surprising to me that the kidnappers had chosen such a crowded public area for the drop. But that would bode well for my plan.
There was an aerial photograph of the Hanauma Bay on the website. There was a carpark and facilities built on a cliffside near the entrance. A steep paved road connected the top level with the beach level where the snorkeling took place. A tram service provided transport for visitors between the upper and the lower level.
Of particular interest to me was that coin-operated lockers were available at beach level for guests to store valuables. If the person assigned to collect the ransom decided to keep the extra $250,000 I was certain they would stash it in one of those lockers. All in all, I couldn't imagine a more perfect venue for my plan.
Satisfied with my reconnaissance, I grabbed my beach bag and left the hotel restaurant. I found a bench on the sidewalk in front of the hotel and sat down to wait for Shaw to arrive. I took the ball cap and sunnies out of the bag, put them on, and settled in to wait.
At 9:25, the Shaw's limo pulled to the curb in front of the hotel. Ken was driving, and Shaw was sitting in the back. The rear door opened and I got inside. As the car pulled away from the curb, Shaw smiled at me and placed a hand on top of my left thigh. "You're so attractive," he said.
I didn't return the smile. I shoved his hand off my thigh. "If you want to keep your nuts, you need to stop what you're doing right now," I said. "Tell me the details about the drop."
Shaw's mood immediately changed. The big smile disappeared. Finally, he spoke. "Once you enter the gate, you are to go directly to the tram stop and board the first one available for transport to the beach level. The person sent to collect the ransom will contact you."
Shaw reached into a shopping bag and pulled out a green felt floppy hat with an absurd looking floral stitching on it. "You're to wear this hat," Shaw said. "That's how the person will recognize you."
"That should do it," I said. "It's the most hideous looking hat I've ever seen, and I'm certain no one else will be wearing one besides me."
Shaw nodded. He lifted a bright blue backpack covered in colorful pink Hibiscus flowers from the floorboard. "The guy who called also instructed me to buy this specific day pack to put the money in," Shaw said.
He dropped the bag back onto the floorboard and picked up a smaller black nylon bag. It was a promotional drawstring backpack with a store logo on it. "I put the extra $250,000 in this bag like you said."
"Awesome," I said. "We need to make it easy for greed to take its course. That's why I wanted a separate bag for the extra money."
We left Waikiki and drove north on a motorway which I assumed was Kalanianaole Highway. "I really like you, T. J.," Shaw said, "but, you need to stop acting like such a bitch."
I glared at him. "Please, mind your language," I said. "I won't have to act like such a bitch if you agree to stop acting like a prick, will I?"
Nothing more was said until we drove into the parking lot at Hanauma Bay. Ken stopped the limo in the area where taxis discharged their passengers.
"Should we wait for you in the parking lot?" Shaw said.
"No, they may have a lookout," I said. "I don't want to arouse any suspicion. Once I've made the drop I'll blend in with the crowd and wait for the person who makes the pick up to return to retrieve the extra $250,000. I'll ring you with an update when I can."
"You sure this is going to work?" Shaw said.
"No reason it shouldn't," I said. "Greed is a common affliction among our race."
I took off the ball cap and sunnies and put them back in my beach bag. I put on the hideous floppy hat and got out of the limo. Shaw handed me the backpack, and I put it on my back. I grabbed my beach bag off the seat and put the straps over my shoulder. Shaw handed me the drawstring pack. I closed the door and headed toward the entrance carrying the drawstring pack. The game was afoot.
