Family Business

The Demand

Thursday May 30th Sternwood Hospitality and Financial Services board room, Jersey City, 1.40am

"We're working with Apple and Lexus, Rosamund; they are aware it's urgent, ourselves and the FBI are working as a team on th-"

The lieutenant's update to Rosamund is interupted by a ping on her cellphone. "Excuse me" she gasps, her hand shakes uncontrollably "What is it?" asks O'Kelly as he recognises the fear in her eyes. "It's It's it's......." the words struggle out of her mouth "Unknown number, Oh my God, they have sent me an email". She feels the colour drain from her face. She opens up her email.

"Anything there?" asks O'Kelly. "No; I'll try my junk mail", she tries her junk mail "Nothing still". She goes into her inbox and gasps. "Open it" up orders O'Kelly.

"I need to sit down" She looks around and takes a black leather boardroom chair. Reluctantly she presses on the first video. She covers her quivering right hand over her mouth "Oh my God, Poor Prudence". Tears stream down her eyes as she watches Prudence, her corpulent frame tightly tied with neck ties, which dig into her designer black suit. "Her face" she cries as she watches the beetroot red chubby face of Prudence gagged, her glasses steamed up from the effort of breathing.

Rosamund massages her tummy, "I feel sick" she looks towards O'Kelly "Please find her and please don't show these to my parents!".

"Of course not, is there any mention of a ransom or anything?"
"No" she replies her voice shaky with fear, her whole body feels cold as she shakes. Eight minutes later her phone pings again "Lieutenant" she screams, an agent rushes out, a few seconds later "O'Kelly comes running in "What is it?" he asks

Rosamund can barely speak "They sent me coordinates or something?"

O'Kelly snatches the phone and forwards the message to his and clicks on the coordinates. It's "Broadway & Canal, we need to get some feet on the ground there.

Rosamunds phone beeps, she jumps, the fear of what it is for makes her stomach churn more. O'Kelly reads it out "be there 15 mins".

"What's happening", her voice quivers as tears roll down her eyes, the image of her sister bound and gagged embedded in her mind.

"It could be the ransom demand. He turns to two male officer's "We need a clear path to Broadway & Canal, get some cars out and clear the route for us".

The officers get straight down to action He turns to Rosamund "I'm sorry to do this but you're going to have to come with me, we don't have much time!"

Thursday May 30th 1.48am, Baxters Gasoline and Service Station Highway 15.
Henry parked the Charger up behind the gasoline station. He sat inside the old office in the dark, watching the count down timer.

Thursday May 30th 1.48am, Downtown Jersey City
Rosamund sits in the back of the speeding Ford Crown Victoria with sirens blazing along with those of the accompanying police cars. Her mothers sobs still ringing in her ears. Lieutenant O'Kelly sits beside her, he is giving her advice but she isn't listening; her mind is faraway. She can't but re-watch the videos of Prudence again despite O'Kelly advising her not too. She places her right hand finger tips over her lips as she watches in horror at Prudence; her corpulent frame in her black suit tied tightly to the wooden chair, her gaspy whines and her beetroot red face with steamed up glasses. For the first time she feels guilty, guilty because it was her sister and not her. She could survive this but she doubted Prudence could. She wonders why it was Prudence and not her, usually someone her size isn't the kidnap victim but why, why now?


Thursday May 30th 2.03am, Baxters Gasoline and Service Station Highway 15.
The timer stops!! Henry stands up and walks out holding a Dark Vader Mask. . He walks to the side of the old service garage where there is an old pay phone. Carefully he puts on a pair of disposable blue surgical gloves puts on the mask and dials the number.

Thursday May 30th Broadway and canal Street Jersey City, 2.05am
O'Kelly and Rosamund stand outside the Crown Victoria, the street corners completely closed off. The far side of the junction two buildings down a public pay phone begins to ring. O'Kelly curses their luck. A female officer places a speaker into Rosamunds ear wired up to a recorder. "Don't worry it's on". The female officer supports Rosamund by her right elbow as they race across to the building along with O'Kelly and two other officers.

Rosamund takes a deep breath to try and compose herself. Her left hand trembles as she picks up the receiver "h-h-hello" her voice struggling with fear to speak. This is followed with deep breathing like someone was breathing in a tank. "We have your sister".

The Dark Vaderesque accent terrifies her, her knees buckle. O'Kelly and the female officer hold her up. After a break spell of breathing Vader continues "We want Two million in Cash, Two million in Bitcoin and Four million wire transferred".

"Oh my......." trembles Rosamund "that will take time, we we we don't have bitcoin" Her lower lip quivers "we we don't have Bitcoin, we we haven't invested in it yet!". Vader then repeats Two million in Cash, Two million in Bitcoin and Four million wire transferred".

Rosamund sniffles as she sobs "We We need to know Prudence is okay, please don't hurt her please, we'll, we'll get you your money but we don't have bitcoin, but we need to know she is okay please please!"

"Get the bitcoin" The line goes dead.

Thursday May 30th 2.07am, Baxters Gasoline and Service Station Highway 15.
Henry removes the mask, his heart is pounding, he looks around, imagining he sees figures in the shadows. He double checks he has not left anything behind, he re-enters the garage and checks he left nothing behind. Hurriedly he gets into the Dodge Charger driving out with the lights off.


Thursday May 30th Broadway and canal Street Jersey City, 2.10am
"You done fantastic" praises O'Kelly, we will get you back not to the office unless you want to go home"
"The office" sobs Rosamund "we're going to have to have an emergency board meeting, can you trace it!", she asks for the third time hoping that she will get a more positive response "We will try!"