She stared at the phone, breathless and unblinking. The display gradually darkened, then went black. They had started making their demands before she even said hello. Then they put him on the line - a tiny voice hoarse from crying – and through wet sobs he begged her to come get him. It was the last thing she heard, and it echoed in her head. In her heart.

 

The money wasn't the problem. She had twice that much available. Transferring such a huge sum might raise a few questions, but she had time to think that through. They had given her three days.

 

Finding him afterward wasn't the problem, either. She punched the location into Google and breathed a sigh of relief. It would take a short flight, but again, she had time.

 

They would kill him if she failed. Of that she had no doubt. The problem was, she didn't have a son. 

 

Copyright (c) 2015 Robert Esckelson