The Love I Lost (Ariadne Silver Romance Mystery #2)

by Morris Fenris

  “But his voice is muffled. It sounds metallic, like a robot. He’s clearly using some software to change his voice to avoid identification.”

  “I know. That’s why I got this laptop with me. It has an application which can restore muffled voices. It may not be perfect, but it can be a great deal of help,” Daryl asserted, with smooth calm. He wanted to reassure Ariadne and her husband. Worrying and panic would only cause harm. He needed them to have their wits about, lest they did anything rash.

  He looked at the two of them. He guessed Ariadne was the stronger one at this point. Lucien was on the verge of a breakdown, holding himself by a thin thread. Daryl could sense Lucien had barely registered everything he said.

  Lucien was mindlessly staring off into space with tears welling regularly. Alternatively, he would start pacing around. It worried Daryl greatly. He hoped Ariadne would be the one to drop of the money, and not Lucien.

  Seven coffees and endless pacing later, the phone rang in the hallway. He looked at the clock – the small hand was on 8, the large on 12. Clearly, the kidnapper had timed the call. But he was ready, nonetheless, to record the conversation.

  “Hello?” Lucien called out into the phone.

  Chapter 3

  I

  “Hello?”

  “It’s me. Listen closely. Drive straight by the visitor center towards the Twin Peaks. On the way, you will see a wooden shack. Drop the money off behind the shack at 11.25. Once you drop off the money, drive towards the mine. You will get your girl there. And remember, it has to be you.”

  To Ariadne, those seconds lasted a whole lifetime. All she could hear was Lucien grunting. She hoped Daryl had managed to record it all.

  The moment Lucien kept the phone, he slumped against the wall. It took him all his energy to not fall on the floor, bawling for his girl.

  Ariadne, meanwhile, had eyes only for Daryl.

  “Did you manage to record it?” she asked, anxiously.

  “Yes. And you were right. It’s mangled alright, his voice.”

  “Can your software redo it?”

  “Yes. Give me a moment.”

  A few seconds later, he managed to replay the conversation. It sounded like a young man, with the hint of a Texas drawl. “His voice has not yet deepened like it does over the years. He could only be in his teens or 20s,” Daryl explained. “That’s all we can find out. At best, we can give this to the authorities once we have your daughter back.”

  “I don’t care about him. All I want is my baby back,” Lucien spoke for the first time in hours.

  Daryl was still not confident about him.

  ***

  “Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Ariadne called out two hours later as Lucien got ready to leave.

  “Oui. It has to be me. That’s what he said,” Lucien replied in a dead voice, unable to meet her eyes. He couldn’t look at her, not with all the negative thoughts in his head. He felt ashamed for thinking those, and tried to concentrate all his focus on being positive.

  He picked up the bag of money and drove off, without one customary glance back at his wife. He was lost in thoughts about Eugenia. It was a long drive to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, about an hour. The idea was to reach ten minutes early, so that Daryl could scout around as much as possible.

  Lucien barely cared. With a heavy heart, he drove on trying his best to not feel bitter towards his wife. “If only I had stayed back in France, no one would have hurt my Eugenia. Who could possibly want to hurt a beautiful angel!? America, blast it! I shouldn’t have come here at all. Somehow, I should have convinced Ariadne to stay in France. The woman is so stubborn, if only she had listened to me,” Lucien thought, with bile and bitterness rising again.

  He had to keep reminding himself that he loved Ariadne. Pain shot through his heart like a dagger every time he thought about Ariadne—part longing, part anger. He hated her for convincing him and Eugenia to shift here. He hated himself more—for moving to the US, for not paying enough attention to Eugenia.

  “It’s my fault. Maybe she wouldn’t have spent all those hours in the library if he had spent quality time with her,” he thought to himself. When was the last time he shared alone with here? He barely saw her anymore, forget knowing her well. All the information he got about Eugenia was through Ariadne.

  Ariadne, she was the best thing he had had after Eugenia. She had tried so hard to fit in France and manage her booming business from there. And she would have continued if not for the better treatment in States. “And the music school, too! Everything had worked perfectly for all three of them here,” he reminded himself.

  It did not help. “What’s the point, though!? My daughter is not safe. And nothing of this sort would’ve happened if only…”

  He stopped himself and stiffened his back. Taking a deep breath, he tried to gather himself. “There’s no point thinking all that. I need to buck up. My baby needs me. It’s all in my hands now to save her from that ghastly man!” Lucien thought.

  He could still picture that moment his baby first smiled at him. He knew all the love and joy in the world at that moment. Within moments, he’d pledged his whole life for that little girl with the angelic smile.

  Lucien almost had tears again. All he wanted was to gather his baby girl into his arms and take her home.

  II

  Ariadne was exceptionally worried—not just for the girl she’d come to love dearly as her own daughter, but also for Lucien. She could make out he was not in the right state of mind and hoped he would be calm enough to not mess up.

  As soon as he drove away, she looked for Daryl to ask him about his plan of action. Just as she stepped onto the porch, he stepped out. Dwarfed by his height, Ariadne looked up to him.

  “I am going after Lucien. Don’t mind me saying this darling, but your husband does not seem up for the job. I’d hoped it was you negotiating and dropping the money…”

  “I won’t tail him, of course. I’ll keep my distance until I know he reaches. Just in case he does not change his mind midway and approach the police. I don’t think he would, but just to be on the safe side.”

  “Okay. What after? What is your plan to nap the kidnapper?”

  “I was just going over the Park’s location plan. I am confused about why he chose that location. It seems like a fairly open plan. Any car going to and fro would be easily noticeable. So, I think this means he is exceptionally prepared, and probably not an amateur. This is a well-thought-out plan. Our only chance is if I get him when he is trying to get the money. I have a camera with me. I’ll get photos.”

  “Mhhmmm,” that’s all Ariadne could say. She nodded to make up for the lack of verbal reply.

  ***

  Ariadne had not slept a wink the whole night, neither had Lucien. Still, when the sun rose, Ariadne was in a better state of mind than Lucien. After the kidnapper’s call, it was she who had the energy to arrange for the money with the bank.

  She called up the Commonwealth Bank of Phoenix and asked for the balances in her and Lucien’s accounts. She had just $800,000 in her account, while Lucien’s bank statement showed he had $700,000 in liquid cash.

  For a moment, her heart sank. Arranging for the $2 million was going to be tougher than she had hoped. Even if they cleaned out their bank accounts, it would only amount to $1.5 million!

  Thankfully, her accountant kept a simplified statement of her assets updated. She could sell some assets off to get the remaining $500,000.

  Ariadne looked at Lucien standing near the window, as if waiting for Eugenia to come through the doors any moment. Automatically, tears welled in her eyes. “I wish she would come back soon. I will make amends for everything that went wrong the last few weeks,” she thought to herself. “But, for that, I need to be controlled and practical. No point breaking down. I need to arrange the money.”

  She walked to her study to search for the papers. Lucien continued to keep his watch at the window. He had barely looked at her since t
he call. She may have as well been absent from the scene.

  Shifting through the pile of work-related papers, she struggled to get hold on the account statement. Finally, she found it on the center-table between the sofas set. It seemed to have been read through quite recently, though for the life of her, she couldn’t remember when she had last looked at her accounts. It did not matter; she pushed the thought back immediately, getting down to the real business.

  $350,000 in Bank Deposits.

  $5,000,000 in Stocks and related investments.

  $250,000 in Eugenia’s College Fund.

  Ariadne revalued her options. Selling the stocks would not take time, but she would only receive the money once the exchange closed in the evening. She had to cash in the Bank Deposits and Eugenia’s College Fund—that was the only way to get cash immediately.

  She tried to the statement back to the living room and ask for Lucien’s opinion. “Look, do whatever you can. I can’t think now, mon ami.”

  Dismayed at his response, Ariadne stifled whatever emotions she felt—fear for their own relationship’s survival. It was not time for such thoughts. She quickly drove to the bank and got the money in a big black bag. Carrying it was a task—$2 million in cash was no joke. Daryl had to help her get the money off her car.

  He immediately stashed the bag away under the seats of Lucien’s sedan. It now sat snugly between the front and back seats.

  “We do not want anyone stealing the money from the car at any stop. This is a small precaution, but in such situations, it is better to be extra careful,” Daryl explained. “It takes more effort and time to grab a bag from between the seats than it does if the bag is in plain view on the passenger seat.”

  “Right.”

  Lucien had still not snapped out of his reverie. Ariadne was positively nervous now. She badly wished she could go. But the kidnapper had made it clear Lucien had to go alone. But a part of her also let out a sigh of relief—in the lonely comforts of her home, Ariadne finally collapsed under the pressure and gave in to the tears that had threatened since the morning call.

  III

  At ten to 11, Lucien neared the Park. He had extra time on hand—time that he wished flew past. He wanted this over. He wanted his daughter. That’s all.

  He stopped a few yards from the Park’s entrance, hands sweating and beads of perspiration coursing down his face. He feels the onset of a panic attack. Lucien tries his best to breathe in and out deeply. He’d read about the wonders of fresh oxygen in clearing negativity and pushing away an attack. He’d been trying to do this since morning.

  A part of him wished he had been home; that the kidnapper ordered for Ariadne to drop the money. She was the stronger of the two. “Maybe the kidnapper knew that! Maybe that’s why he ordered me to come,” Lucien thought with despair streaming in his blood. He truly felt inadequate.

  Resting his head on the steering wheel, Lucien finally let his tears stream. It had taken too much of him to hold them back.

  “Eugenia, I am sorry! I can’t do this. This is too much,” he cried out.

  Immediately, Ariadne’s voice boomed in his mind. “Yes, you can, sweetie. You have to do this for our angel. There’s no other way. You can do it! You are not weak. Only you can get our daughter home,” she called out to him, soothing his mind and inducing strength.

  “Yes, Eugenia would never forgive me if I am selfish at this moment. I need to be strong for my baby. Wallowing in misery at this juncture is not on,” Lucien thought, staring into the distance with unseeing eyes.

  “I need to get a grip on myself and do what’s been asked.”

  He checks his watch. 11.10. It’s time.

  ***

  Daryl followed Lucien’s car at a distance. There were times, when the car slowed down or seemed to be gearing off the road. Every time, Daryl’s heart leaped out to this mouth. He hoped against hope Lucien would not approach the police. It would be the sure death of the girl.

  This was not his first kidnapping-for-ransom case, and he had lost a few children because of their parent’s stubborn belief in the police. In some cases, it had helped, no doubt. But Daryl was sure it wouldn’t in this case. It was clear the kidnapper had done his research about Eugenia, Ariadne and Lucien’s whole life—their timings, habits and even, he guessed, their behavioral tendencies.

  He checked his watch. It was ten minutes to 11. They had reached with plenty of time in hand. He noticed Lucien waiting a few yards away from the Park’s entrance.

  Daryl thought it may be time to go scout the location and find a suitable place to stop and observe. He hoped he could see a car parked away from the drop place and find Eugenia in it.

  He raced his nondescript car, overtaking Lucien’s sedan without stopping like any normal passerby.

  IV

  Lucien drove through the Park entrance nervous but with a better grip on his emotions. Slowly, he continued on towards the shack that the kidnapper had directed him towards. Careful not to miss anything, he drove the car at a crawling speed. If someone had jogged along, they would have easily overtaken Lucien’s car.

  In about ten minutes, he reached the spot. Just to be on the safer side, he drove on for a while. When he only saw an open expanse desert-like filled with cacti, Lucien turned back towards the shack, convinced that it was the designated spot.

  “When you reach the shack, stop the car, but leave the motor running. Step out with the bag and towards the back. You will see a rock with red jagged edges. In the middle, there will be a small split. Drop the bag there and scoot off immediately. I don’t want you lingering anywhere near after you drop the bag or you won’t get your girl back. Don’t think about fooling me. I will know,” the kidnapper had growled menacingly on the phone. Lucien unconsciously shivered. It scared him to think that such a man had her daughter. He prayed to God he wouldn’t harm her physically.

  Lucien got out of the car and did as instructed. He tried to look around on his way to and from the car, but there seemed to be no one—not even a car in sight. But, Lucien was sure the abductor had his eyes on him.

  He couldn’t even see Daryl anywhere. He hoped this was a good sign—that the private detective had hid himself so well that the kidnapper wouldn’t see him too.

  Now that the money was given, all he had to do was go back home and wait. Quickly, he climbed back behind the wheel and drove off with dirt and sand billowing in his wake.

  Chapter 4

  I

  Lucien was right—he was being watched, but not where he expected. Daryl had parked his car a few miles away, and walked towards the place of drop. He’d camouflaged himself amongst some stony hills on the opposite side of the road. Using binoculars, he kept an eye on the whole area. He was quite sure he wouldn’t miss the kidnapper. He noticed Lucien turn back and drive away.

  ***

  Daryl wasn’t the only one watching Lucien. A few miles away from the Park entrance, an old car had broken down. Its driver had opened the bonnet, trying to fix the problem. Only his back, bent over the engines, was visible to anyone passing by, including Lucien.

  But, the moment Lucien’s sedan passed, the guy looked up and immediately hopped into the car. Surprisingly it started without any delay and picked up speed with the accelerator’s help. Soon enough, it carefully entered the Organ Pipe Cactus Park and slowly moved along. Clearly, the driver was looking for something. He took the same road as Lucien, only he kept going along further, until he reached a small fork that led to a dirty road on the left. It could barely even be called a road; it just consisted of tier tracks. On he went, until the land started inclining higher. He drove the car as high as possible, and then stepped out of the car to climb higher over the rocks and stones. Within 15 mins and a forehead covered with sweat later, he reached the top of the small hill. Using the pair of binoculars hanging around his neck, he observed the whole area spread out under him.

  He first located the bag of $2 million—it was directly in front of him, a few meters l
ower than the make-shift peak. Once assured about the money, he then proceeded to notice the all other sides—the shack, the road from one visible end to another, and then the opposite side of the road. Patience was key, or he would miss some hideout.

  He first noticed the brown car a few miles to the left. It stood unmoving. He noticed the dust settled around the car, as if it had been parked for a while. He wasn’t sure if it belonged to one of the rangers or was one of those unmarked police vehicles. He did not want to take any chance, and scouted the area for any people camouflaged in the whole area behind stones and bushes. It was good that he did—he found one on the opposite side of the road, with a binocular of his own. At that moment, thankfully, the binocular was pointed towards the right horizon, in search of any approaching car.

  Hiding behind the stone to his immediate right, he turned around and thought for a moment. He thought of his plan of action.

  II

  Daryl was ready. He wondered why the abductor was taking so long. He kept his eyes on the road, and ears sharp for any sound of a car. Within ten minutes, he saw a white hatchback driving towards him. He tried to look at the person driving the car. It was a red-haired woman with kids in the back, blasting a Disney song through the car. The kids were merrily singing along. He could hear them for a long while after they passed him. He turned his attention back to the road. No other car came by for at least another half an hour, this time from the other direction, speeding so fast, there was a wake of dust surrounding it.

  Daryl checked his watch. It was nearly three-quarters of an hour since Lucien had left. He moved his binoculars to the shack and the bag of money again.

  “Jesus! Where the hell is the bag!” Daryl almost shouted out loud, zooming in and around the bag’s location. It was nowhere to be seen. He decided to get up from his hideout and walk to the shack, to look for footprints. The whole area was too dry, and there had been enough breeze to hide any footprints.