Deadly Infatuation

27 - Two Hundred Thousand

Karen's POV

I'm sitting on one of the kitchen stools, just after I've put David to bed for his afternoon nap. It has been a hard four weeks since I last saw Tameron.

I sit motionlessly as I hold my daughter's favourite fleece jersey in my hands, desperate to cling to anything of hers that has her familiar scent. I'm wallowing in depression and I hate that even David can see that I'm not alright.

My mind wanders to a distant memory that I've been trying make peace with all my life. I remember when I was pregnant for the very first time, before Tameron was born two years later.

Having only been married for less than a year, my doctor had confirmed that I was pregnant with a girl. Who would've been Tameron's older sister. I was ecstatic as I watched my child grown within me. Sadly, at around seven months of pregnancy, I experienced sharp pains one night.

I remember how numb I was at the sight of the blood on the bed. There was so much blood. Edward did everything he could to get me to the nearest hospital, but by the time we got there, I already knew, even before the doctor gave me a sad look when telling me that I lost the baby.

Even my miscarriage didn't surpass the pain I felt now. The police were trying but the kidnapper had been meticulous with how he or she had taken the three school kids, although it happened in broad daylight, no one really got a clear look as to how it happened or what the kidnappers looked like.

And still, nothing pertaining to Tameron's whereabouts. I'm interrupted from my thoughts when I hear my husband's car enter through the the gate. What is he doing home so early? I quickly get up to open the front door for him and gasp in surprise when he runs in. "What's wrong? Why are you home this early?" I ask him.

Edward gives me a pained look before gesturing to the white envelope in his hands. "I had to come here as soon as I had received and read this," Edward says. "What is it?" I ask. Edward hands it to me and I start opening it. "Karen, it's about Tameron," He whispers. I stare at him, wide eyed before I read through it. What could it be? I frown when I notice the bright magazine cut outs that were made to write it.

"Mr and Mrs Cummings," I begin in dread.
'To whom it may concern. If you want to see your daughter again, alive and well, I suggest you pay attention. I expect two hundred thousand dollars in cash delivered to the pick off point I will tell you of. No cops, just one parent. If you try and act sneaky by involving the cops, things will get messy. I expect this amount to be paid in full before the end of this month, which is in seven days time. There shall be no negotiations of any sort. If I don't receive this money within the stipulated time, I will send you bits and pieces of your daughter until you learn to obey.' "

I can't help but cry as I fold the letter. Whoever has my daughter is demanding ransom. And the amount they want is totally unreasonable. My brain lingers on the last line of note, which has a threat in it. Edwards holds me to him. "Karen, what are we going to do, we don't have that kind of money on hand," He says in despair. "I don't know, if we don't comply, they'll hurt her," I sob loudly.

What kind of a monster puts a parent through this kind of torture?

"Should we tell Lopez?" Edwards asks me. "I don't know, what if we jeapordise Tameron's safety by doing that? It's a risk we can't afford."
"The note only said not to involve the cops at the pick off point," Edward points out. I bite my lip in fear. "Okay," I say hesitantly and my husband picks up his phone.

As Edward talks to Officer Lopez, I wonder if we're doing the right thing or not. And how the hell are we going to come up with two hundred thousand dollars in less than a week?