Kidnapped

“Is this Route 202 still?” Jennifer asked pretending to be dumb. She hadn’t seen any distinguishable landmarks yet. No one had hung up the phone at the Prosecutor’s Office, yet.

“Yes, Jennifer it is. Now please shut up. I can’t concentrate.”

She was quiet for thirty seconds. “There are people that can help, you know.”

“Shut up.”

“Bill, I know these things weren’t your fault. You can talk to people about it.”

“Shut up,” he said again, but louder.

“Ben, listen to me.” She’d slipped. He didn’t seem to notice, but she did really feel this was Ben, not Bill. “Ben, listen to me.”

“Shut up,” he said and banged the cage between them.

She was so startled that she dropped the phone. It made a noise when it landed.

“What was that?” Ben asked.

“My purse. You startled me.”

“Leave it.”

She leaned down to pick it up, but he rattled the cage again so she sat up. She could only hope that the officers at the other end of the line received enough information to help her.