drove deeper into the darkened woods, "for $250,000, I'd

ghter, my knuckles whi

"It's like a badly written thriller. You, the desperate ex-Marine with a heart o

face flashed in my mind. The

t a game,"

d. "Everything's a game, Leo.

e barely visible through the overgrown trees. It was

urmured as I roughl

and smelled of mi

o a rickety chai

ransom email to her

own cheap laptop, the s

clumsy. I have you're daughter. I want $250,000 f

e account details were for a savings account I'd barely managed

air. I hadn't even tied her up properly; the rope

e of Lily, small and frail in her hospit

ight have been amusement. "I'm worth at least a million. Probably five, if you fac

at her, d

Really? He'll think he's dealing with an illitera

ng away. I tensed, but she just wal

I could react, she nudged me

s the keyboard, deleti

And we need to make it sound like you're actually dangerous,

afted a message that was concise,

being is $5,000,000. Non-negotiable. Instructions for a secure, untraceable transfer will follow.

lion?" I

playing on her lips. "Go big or go h

e crypto wallet address I didn'

captive was now directing

ly noticing the sleek device peeking from her de

g it. "Of course. You did

. "Don't worry. I haven't called anyone. Yet. Thi

lly laid, desperate plan

I pictured Lily aga

of Lily' s doctor shaking his head, the experimental treat