The Price of Love

◆ 20 ◆

"The body of a 24 year old unidentified male was found in Berkeley Woods, Portland last night. Police were called in to investigate a disturbance-"

Frank flipped the tv off, sighing. After three days, it was expected that the intensity of his daughter's abduction was lessening, but the missing heiress should have been on the frontlines of all media outlets, not of some poor old sod whose name no one would ever remember.

"Is it ready?"

"Yes, sir."

Frank pressed his lips together and motioned towards the leather suitcase on the desk. One of the officers unlatched the clasps and threw back the lid, revealing a neat stack of hundred dollar bills in a row of six. The cash, withdrawn half and half by both Frank and Beck's bank accounts, was only three layers deep. A thin layer of material separated the second compartment below, filled to the brim with raw cut diamonds and jewels from Melanie's personal holdings. The monetary value on the rare crystals brought the grand total to the requested ten million. She was only too happy to give her all as long as her daughter was returned safe and alive. Frank, on the other hand, was more than a little disgruntled.

After a sleepless night in which every second of Daphne's ransom video was paused and inspected, both the investigators and the Evers family were filled with exhaustion. 

The blank background proved to be useless in pinpointing a location, and the voice disguiser made it hard to identify the speaker. There was absolutely no fingerprints on the package the video had arrived in, and the security cameras on the veranda had been shut off so the delivery and the deliverer remained a mystery. Raising the background pitch and noise revealed muffled laughter, but other than that, no identifying aspect could be found. Only the chilling demands of Daphne's kidnappers and the newspaper in her hands gave any clue to the intentions of the criminals.

Melanie was distraught upon seeing the state of her daughter, but Frank remained expressionless. It was impossible to tell the inner turmoil he surely must have felt, but Frank preferred to stay professional. His brother's presence certainly helped, and after a private talk with Beck, Frank decided to pay the ransom. Ten million wasn't too much to ask for, not really, but the fact that it was going to the hands of lowlife criminals was almost more than Frank could bear. 

But as Beck had said, Daphne's death would bring so much more attention to the family. It was better to pay the money and get Daphne back. 

"Call Richard," Beck spoke up, knowing full well how much of a lie that name was. "Tell him we're ready to make the drop."

Frank nodded, pulling out his phone and turning away. Melanie was still standing against the windows, looking out in the woods surrounding their home. She hadn't moved since Beck arrived, in mute silence with red eyes and bright cheeks. 

Melanie knew how upset Frank was. 

She also knew that it had nothing to do with Daphne's abduction. His earlier words in their bedroom proved that.

And Beck never cared for Daphne's wellbeing either, so he had no purpose of being here other than to show the public how much of a caring uncle he apparently was. Despite these shortcomings, however, Melanie knew deep in her heart that she still loved Frank. And Daphne even more, as her only child. 

Melanie tried to raise her daughter with her morals, not Frank's, but she could only give so much love in such a cruel world. Daphne was strong, she believed, and she'd save herself if her father couldn't. He couldn't.

The truth was, Daphne was the only good thing that ever came out of their marriage. She was their retribution for such sins, and if she couldn't have a mortal father, she would at least have a heavenly one. Wealth didn't come from air, it came from blood, and deceit, and lies. Murder of the youth of America, creating wars to create prosperity. Every bullet of Evers Corp was another whipping lash of judgement. Melanie knew how damned they were, but God forbid Daphne go down the same path. She had tried to protect Daphne from the brutal reality of their world, but Daphne was innocence walking, and Melanie knew very well how cruel the world could be. 

A mother's intuition is almost always correct.  

"Richard said he will get his guys ready at the drop location," Frank strode back to the circle of officers. "They're setting up now, so we should be heading out soon. They want the woods surrounded, but it's an open area, so hiding out will be tough. But I have faith in these guys, so let's not waste any more time."

Just to throw the devil a bone, Beck put on a concerned expression. "This Richard guy...did you check his credentials and everything, Frank? We don't want Daphne's life to be in the hands of some bluffer of an agent."

"Oh course," Frank waved him off casually. "Cleared out. One of the best in the country."

Beck smiled.

"If there's nothing more to do, then let's get going." Frank grabbed the suitcase and headed for the door. The sooner this whole thing blows over, thought Frank, the sooner I can get back to doing what really matters.