Negotiating Point Read Free

affirmation and faced Mike. “My God. I’m so sorry. What can I do?”
    Gavin waved her behind the desk. “Take a look at this video. I think they used a cell phone. Can you get me the number and location?”
    She slid around the desk and Mike signaled her to his chair. “Watch the whole thing. We’re gonna need you to work your contacts for info on this group.”
    “While she’s doing that,” Gavin said, “how do you want to handle the request about the story in the Banner? ”
    Mike shook his head. “Roxi would never go for that.”
    “Not a chance.” This from Vic. “She won’t be bullied into a story.”
    “Do the executives at the Banner know about this?” Gavin asked.
    “Only her secretary. Rox was supposed to stop at the office on the way to the lake. When she didn’t show, Mrs. Mackey called me. I had to tell her.”
    Vic straightened. “Let’s wait for the call and tell them we’re sending a reporter. We’ll send one of our guys in. He can report back and we move. Done deal.”
    Again with going tactical. Pain in the ass.
    “No,” Gavin said. “You want to send one of your guys in, fine. I can use the intel for negotiations.”
    “Listen, head-shrinker.” Vic jabbed his finger. “I’m not dicking around with you. We need to get her out of there.”
    Yeah, hello. The head-shrinker thing was starting to piss him off. That would be a fight for later though. “I’m not risking her getting hurt when you knuckle-draggers bust in there and cause panic. We have no idea what we’re dealing with. We don’t know what kind of weapons they have or if they’re capable of using them. Let me get information first.”
    If the knuckle-dragger comment had even dented Vic’s buzz-cut blond head, it didn’t show. Mike once again held his hands to them. “Gavin is right. We need information. Let’s get that and decide on a plan.”
    “Mike!” Vic hollered.
    Mike spun on him and, despite being a few inches shorter than Vic, he had a way of getting large with people. “We’re doing it Gavin’s way. She’s pregnant. I can’t take a chance.”
    And, whoa, everyone stopped moving. Including maybe Gavin’s heart.
    “Holy shit,” Vic said.
    Mike puffed out his cheeks and blew air. “I didn’t want to tell you that way. I found out this morning. We wanted to tell everyone this weekend.”
    * * *
    Janet’s fingers trembled as they flew over the keyboard. What did one say to a man who found out he would be a father on the same day of his wife’s kidnapping?
    Congratulations?
    I’m sorry?
    No idea. But she could keep working this video and hope the owner didn’t turn off the phone’s geotagging function. Geotags would tell them where the video was shot and that was what she needed.
    “Jesus, Mike,” Vic said.
    Janet glanced up at him, hoping he wouldn’t be his typical free-wheeling self and mouth off. She went back to the screen in front of her. Come to Mama. “Got it!”
    “Where?” Vic said.
    “Keep your shorts on, boss, and I’ll get an address.” She went to a map, typed in the long and lat. “Denson, Illinois. By Kankakee. Major farm country there.” She jotted the address.
    Vic snatched the paper from her. “I’ll check it out.”
    “Let’s not do anything stupid,” Mike said. “I’d go with you but the next call will come soon.”
    “I’m good. If I can verify she’s there, we’ll know where to start and head-shrinker here can do his thing.”
    Janet sighed. “You know, that head-shrinker thing is just rude.”
    His response was an out-of-character—at least when it came to her—glare and she curled her toes inside her ballet slipper shoes.
    “Take it easy, girlfriend. We’re all on the same team. Besides, he can take it.”
    With that, Vic walked out leaving Michael shaking his head. “Gavin—”
    “Forget it, Mike. Bigger things to mess with here. Vic and I will work it out. Eventually. Janet, if we confirm her location, we’ll set up a command post and