Family Business

Upping the Ante

Thursday May 30th Lake Mohawk, Sparta, New Jersey 1pm
Prudence for the one hundredth time got up waddled up and down the room a few times sat back down, she feels helpless towards her own plight, yet again cursing her poor physique, zero chance of escape. The musty smell sticks in her lungs like glue, the wooden chair continues to creak beneath her, she looks in the mirror the colour completely drained from her plump face. She hears footsteps up the stairs and silence. Her stomach begins to knot, she hopes it isn't Gretchen. The key turns in the door she begins to pant, she runs the short distance to the ensuite, the short run almost winding her and stands inside, if its Gretchen she is locking herself in. Her heart pounds, the door opens, in walks Richie with a tray holding a Bacon Lettuce and tomato sandwich, some cookies and a mug of coffee. Prudence lets out a slow shallow breath "Are you hiding on us Prudence, not many places a fat businesswoman" can hide in here he jokes.

Prudence slowly exits the ensuite "I didn't want another confrontation from the psychopath, I want a television at the very least a radio!"

Richie laughs "Shut up and eat your food!"

Prudence takes a few steps towards him "Surely you can give me something, it's nothing short of cruelty having me sitting here!"

He walks towards the door and turns to her again "Roly-Poly your getting nothing, if Gretchen had her way you wouldn't even be getting food so count yourself lucky, now eat".

The hairs rise on the back of Prudences neck at hearing Roly-Poly again "All the positives I have, my business acumen, my charity, the people i keep in jobs, the businesses I support and the one thing you lot constantly pick on is my weight, it shows how pathetic you all are!"

Richie laughs "c'mon eat your sandwich, it's the only thing that arouses you sexually"

Prudence purses her lips in anger at the cruel comment "I have conditions that almost feels like I look at a piece of cake and I gain weight." Her voice trembles in anger "I have tried every diet just to discover as soon as I stop I put it back on. I work long hard hours, eventually I gave up but of course you lot bask in that".

Richie feels guilt at the emotion in her voice and facial expression but he doesn't want to show emotion "ever tried exercise"

He turns and locks the door behind him. Prudence composes herself, she decides not to put up witj the name calling anymore, she pulls up her chair towards the chest of drawers, she still had no appetite but she had to eat something. She crunches her face in disgust at the cheap meat and bread, such quality her palate was not used to.

Richie joins the others in the kitchen sitting around a circular table with sandwiches paper and pens.

"How's fatso?" asks Gretchen with distain "Her majesty would like a tv or radio!" states Richie in his best English accent

"Fuck her!" grunts Gretchen.
"Surely, we can give her something!" Florence's conscience still bothering her
"Forget her Florence" states Henry "we're in control, let the fat bitch have nothing for once"

Richie pours himself out a coffee. "SO are we sorted he asked!"

"Yes, lets eat and make those recordings"

Florence sighs "You know its a lot of cash maybe they need more time, Saturday isn't long".

"Whose side are you on Florence" asks Henry "Fuck them, think of us, stop having sympathy for those rich bastards and Roly-Poly upstairs".

Florence bites her lower lip in frustration "Well being nasty isn't second nature to me!"

Richie smiles across at Florence "look upon this as a business transaction, they have a commodity we want; cash and we have a commodity they want returned, Prudence, so if they want Prudence they will want her sooner ".


Henry bends down and opens up a backpack from the floor he opens it up to double check that the dark vadar mask is there. "You're sure you know where you've to go!" asks Henry

"I do!", he stands up, grabs the keys of the charger, he drives out, slowly and carefully not trying to draw attention to himself. Eventually after 20 minutes driving he reaches a small laneway half a mile outside Andover township. He drives up the laneway where there is a small three bedroom home painted in light blue. The home belonged to a Mrs Nancy Spuller, Nancy a recent widow was away in Chicago spending time with her sister. The home sat on its own. He parked the car at the side. He went around the back, knocked on the door, and waited no answer as expected. He places a pair of blue latex gloves on his hands and picks the lock and enters, there is no alarm as expected. He quickly checks the house that no one is in, there isn't as expected. He enters a hallway, with dated carpet and flowery wallpaper right out of the seventies. On the walls are some photo's, he has no time to examine them.

He places the mask on his face and practises his voice

Thursday May 30th Connies Corner Cafe, Exchange Place Jersey City 2.15pm
Ralph hands the customer her latte as the phone rings. His colleague is busy taking orders at the till, the phone continues to ring, he makes one more order or two regular Americano's. The phone continues to ring, he has a slight break in orders, he sighs, the phone is annoying him, he picks up "Hello Connies Corner Cafe".

There is silence, the sound of heavy breathing "hello!" he repeats impatiently. Then he hears it "Go next door to Sternwood financial service. Leave this message for Rosamund Sternwood, are you listening!?"

Ralph froze, the Dark Vader voice gave him the shivers down his spine "ye - yes!"

There is more heavy breathing "Tell her to go to her favourite bar across the road called The Financial Crimes. She has five minutes and if she isn't there in time she can say goodbye to Prudence". The line goes dead. Ralph throws off his apron and turns to his colleague "I'll be back in two minutes.

He nearly knocks a customer entering as he storms out, he sprints into the front reception, the receptionist is on the phone and at the security guard desk the security guard is looking at a screen he rushes to the guard "Get Rosamund, someone wants to speak to her at The Financial Crimes bar". The security guard stares at the breathless cafe worker. The guard picks up the phone "There is a young man here wanting to speak with Rosamund!".
Ralph snatches the phone off the guard "Listen to me, some weirdo rang in the cafe, she has to get to the Financial Crimes Bar, within five minutes or her sister gets it, please hurry!".

Lieutenant O'Kelly sat in the boardroom with Rosamund and her parents updating them on what they know so far he was showing a map on his laptop "We believe they are in this district here, we have law enforcement on the look out, and a hit squad later for the cash drop. We have to wait on a burst on the breakers yard also-"
Rosamunds personal assistant Marcus storms in "I'm sorry, a call was made to Connies Cafe, you need to get to the Financial Crimes now, you've five minutes".

O'Kelly looks at Rosamund greatful she was in better physcial condition than Prudence. "Let's run".
They storm out "O'Kelly points at two officers "Come with me", he points to another "Tell Shipley to meet us in the Financial Crimes bar.

Rosamunds heart is racing, the elevator seems to take for ever, they jump in and hit for the ground floor. They reach reception. "Run ahead and stop traffic" he orders the two officers. They run out the two officers have stopped traffic, himself and Rosamund sprint into the bar, breathless, they look around, no one is there "Is there someone here!" gasps Rosamund trying to catch her breath. A barman looks across at them puzzled. O'Kelly shows his badge "is there somebody here looking for Rosa_"

The phone rings another barmaid appears and picks up, she looks confused "I'll check, one second!" She turns to O'Kelly and Rosmund "Are one of you Rosamund?" she asks Rosamund heads towards the phone "It's me!". Her hand trembles "Yes!" she replies

There is silence, just the heavy breathing, then comes Dark Vader "We will collect the money tomorrow!"

Rosamund feels the colour drain from her face "plea please, I need to speak with Prudence that she's alive!"

"We gave you a video showing she's alive!".

The colour drains from Rosamunds face "Please, let us speak with her, you'll get your money we need more time!"

"THERE IS NO MORE TIME, YOU WILL GET THE INSTRUCTIONS LATER BY EMAIL FOR WIRE TRANSFERS AND BITCOIN, YOU WILL BE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS ON THE MONEY DROP OFF AND YOU ALONE CAN ONLY MAKE IT!"

Rosamunds voice quivers "Look please, Bitcoin is diffi_"

"SHUT UP" shouts the voice "DON'T FUCK WITH US OR YOUR SISTER WILL PAY". The line goes dead.

O'Kelly dials a number on his phone, he turns to an officer "We need a trace on that call now!!"