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“I wish I’d known,” Mei-li said quietly. “I would never have suspected her of being involved in the kidnapping if I’d known her background.”
Dirk tugged his ball cap a little lower over his eyes. “You weren’t to know,” he said. “But from the minute Linden and Laurel were released from the ICU, Hannah has been like their grandmother, one who lives with them. I take the twins to visit Bree’s parents whenever I can, but it’s not the same as Hannah. That’s why I ruled her out.”
He turned and pretended to take pictures of the night skyline. “So answer a question for me,” he asked quietly, not looking at her.
She turned and moved a little closer. “If I can.”
“What does RMM stand for?”
Mei-li smiled to herself. “‘Right Makes Might.’ RMM. It’s from a quotation by your Abraham—”
“Lincoln,” he finished for her. “Yeah, I know it.” He was silent for a moment. “You said the two times you asked RMM for help they came through. Can you tell me about those times?”
She thought carefully about what she could say. She couldn’t name names, but...
“One was a high-ranking government official kidnapped by a terrorist group who demanded the release of some political prisoners—something the government here couldn’t agree to. Your government wouldn’t have agreed to it, either. Irrespective of the kidnappers’ motives, irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the case where the political prisoners were concerned, governments can’t let themselves be held to ransom that way. The man’s wife knew that. She knew it was hopeless. But she came to me anyway, hoping for a miracle.”
“And the other time?”
“The pregnant wife of a wealthy industrialist.” She knew she’d gone pale. Her cheeks felt cold at the memory, but no one could see. “They threatened to send him his unborn baby in pieces if he didn’t pay the ransom.”
“Why didn’t he pay?” Condemnation was in his voice.
“He couldn’t. He wasn’t as wealthy as the kidnappers thought—he was leveraged up to his eyeballs. He could only raise a third of the amount they demanded in cash—and he had to mortgage his soul to get that much—but no matter how I negotiated, the kidnappers wouldn’t lower the price that far.” She swallowed hard and whispered, “I couldn’t let them kill a baby, Dirk, or the baby’s mother, not if I could help it.” She breathed deeply. “I... I’ve known the man who founded RMM for a long time, and he’s fabulously wealthy. I went to him, asking for a loan. I would have mortgaged my soul at that point, and he agreed to lend me the money...under one condition.”
“Which was?”
“That RMM be allowed to stake out the ransom drop, track the kidnappers and try to rescue the victim. The industrialist didn’t want to do it—he was petrified that would get his wife and unborn son killed. But he didn’t have much choice.”
“You told me before you’ve never lost a kidnap victim...so the outcome must have been successful.”
She nodded, then realized since he wasn’t looking at her he couldn’t see her nod. “Yes.”
“So, somewhere in this crowd is a member of that shadow group. Right?”
“Yes. One or more. But I honestly can’t tell you who.”
He turned to her. “And one of the kidnappers is also here, watching to see what we do.”
She nodded again, then darted a look at her watch. “It’s almost time. Let’s get into place.” She tucked her smartphone into her purse, took a firmer hold on the ransom bag, then followed Dirk toward the Clock Tower a short distance away.
Dirk’s iPhone rang just as they reached the base of the tower.
* * *
They were already walking in the front door of the Peninsula Hotel after successfully leaving the last ransom package where instructed, when Dirk stopped abruptly, turned to Mei-li and said, “I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s late and you need to get home.”
He turned back as if to ask the doorman to get a cab for her, and Mei-li said, “I don’t need a cab. I can take the Metro from here. It’s not far.”
Dirk shook his head. “Not at this time of night. Not alone.” And there was a stubborn set to his jaw that told her he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He passed a bill to the doorman, and when a cab appeared in response to the signal, he held the door for her. But he took her by surprise when he walked around the back of the cab and got in the passenger seat on the other side.
