It was Kimberley's first real time out of the house and away from Vanessa since Richard had come back home from a brief press and promotional tour in the States and while it seemed like a good idea at the time, it wasn't even midday before Richard was seriously regretting his decision to let Kimberley go out on her own, after receiving a call from a panicked Kimberley that was clearly rehearsed; saying that Richard was to pay up a certain amount at a certain place at a certain time or run the risk of raising his daughter without her mother.
The first thing Richard did after calling the police on his mobile phone was get in contact with Stella, letting her know what was going on and she agreed to be the one to break the news to Kimberley's parents, both of who rushed over to Richard's house to be with him and Vanessa as the police looked for clues that could possibly lead them to where Kimberley was held while at the same time making arrangements for faux money to be put into a sports bag to be dropped off at the arranged place.
Sergeant Diana Andrews and Detective Inspector William Evans were the first to arrive at the house in an unmarked police (British CID) car. Sitting with Kimberley's mother on his left and his own mother to his right, Richard recounted to the officers what he had been told to do in that first phone call as a couple of other officers attached a device to the phone that'd catch anything the unidentified person said to him if he ever called again. If it meant being able to get Kimberley back safe, Richard was prepared to do whatever the police asked of him.
While Sgt Andrews and DI Evans were talking further on the matter to his mother, Richard had excused himself and headed towards the kitchen but he didn't get very far before he had a death-like grip on the edge of the counter and his head down, doing his best to fight the tears that were suddenly threatening to overwhelm him. Genevieve was the next one to excuse herself as she headed over to her son-in-law, trying and failing to imagine what he was going through at that point in time, not knowing where the wife he adored and Vanessa's mother was.
"I never should have let her go out in the first place Gen" he said when Kimberley's mother gingerly approached his turned back as he leaned on the outer kitchen counter, his head in his hands as Stella walked the length and breadth of the room with a fussy Vanessa battling to get away from her. "Richard" Stella said, "I think she wants her dad" and with that Richard quickly turned around and gently took his daughter into his arms, her head on his chest and her feet hanging near his stomach, one hand on her bottom for support and the other firmly holding onto her head.
The phone, which had been tapped by the police so the conversations that took place could be recorded, suddenly rang and balancing Vanessa on one side of his body, Richard answered on the fourth ring. "Getting slow there Richard" the voice on the other end said as soon as he answered, "If you've got the money ready bring it to the furthest end of Hyde Park at 3pm and wait with it on that old metal bench" it paused before continuing on in its menacing tone, "That is if you ever want to see your beautiful wife and child's mother again".
As Richard approached the allocated bench, he saw a figure dressed completely in black on one end. He sat down as the person simply pointed to the floor where he was to put the bag that contained UK$50,000 in faux notes, knowing that a van was nearby with a terrified Kimberley inside. The reason why she was terrified was because she had just come face to face for the first time in years with her high school boyfriend and his friend, who was the very same one who had been responsible for putting her in hospital for a couple of days.
"Hello there Kimberley" Bryan said with a pretty smug smirk on his face as the van sat near to the park, "Bet you really didn't expect to see me again did you". She was in such a state of shock when he pulled the ballaclava off his face and head that she was unable to give an answer. "I guess not but I'd be wiling to bet she wasn't expecting to see me after I put her in hospital" his companion replied as he gently ran a finger up from Kimberley's left foot to her knee as they waited on news.
"Right we got the money from that dumbass husband of hers now throw her out and let's get out of here" Bryan told his companion as he headed into the front of the van. Doing as he was told, Kimberley was thrown out of the van, her hands were still tied behind her back, onto the grassy area, a passerby getting the number/rego of the van as it sped off as Richard came running up and pulled her gently into his arms as he helped her stand. "Oh my god Kim thank God you're safe" he whispered, the faintest tears falling.
At the insistence of the two investigating officers, Richard accompanied Kimberley in the car to a nearby hospital where she was checked over by the attending duty doctor while she told Sergeant Andrews what had gone on during the time that she had been taken and that she could identify who it was as Bryan had been stupid enough to remove his mask just as his companion did, and when the DI returned with news that the van had been stopped and its occupants arrested, Kimberley collapsed into Richard's arms, but the first thing she wanted was to see her daughter.
