Page 77 of Billion-Dollar Ransom
Nicky had anticipated something like this. She knew they would be wary of a ringer package, perhaps counterfeit paper and Hollywood-style costume jewelry that would pass a visual test.
“And we require similar proof,” Nicky said. “We want to see Boo Schraeder alive and well. And Tyler Schraeder. And, most of all, Cal and Finney Schraeder. Otherwise, there will be no ransom delivery.”
“Unacceptable,” the synthesized voice of One said, and he disconnected.
Huh.
After a moment of stunned silence, Mike Hardy exhaled. “Well, that was interesting.”
“What did you people do?”bellowed Randolph Schraeder, who clearly had not been muted by James Haller. “If my familysuffersbecause of yourbungling—”
“This is give-and-take, Mr. Schraeder,” Nicky said calmly. “We need to make it clear that this is a negotiation, not a one-way street. This is for the safety of your family.”
“Are you seriously trying to schoolmeon how to negotiate, Agent Gordon? I’ve been closing multimillion-dollar deals since before you were a gleam in your daddy’s eye. Hell, before your daddy was indiapers.”
Nicky had expected Schraeder to say something like this—to throw his age and so-called experience in her face. She nodded to Hope Alonso, who had the power to mute Randolph Schraeder during any future communication with the kidnappers. The nod meantBe ready. Hope sat with her finger ready to click the mute button on the call software. She had been tasked with managing the communication among the parties if things went south.
“Agent Gordon,” James Haller said, “I hope you’re doing everything in your power to get the mysterious Mr. One back on the line.”
Hope nodded at Nicky, who said: “We’re trying him again right now.”
“You’d better pray he responds,” Schraeder said, “or I swear to God, I will destroy all your careers. You will spend the rest of your miserable lives in courtrooms being deposed.”
Mike Hardy made a gesture with his right hand indicating self-pleasure. Nicky shot him a glare:Funny, but not the right time.
“The kidnappers will respond, Mr. Schraeder,” Nicky said. “They don’t want your family. They want your money.”
“They had better respond, Agent Gordon.”
But Hope shook her head—no response yet. Nicky remembered the long stretches of silence on the two previous tapes and realized they might be in for a long wait. These kidnappers took a sadistic pleasure in keeping their targets twisting in the wind.
“While we wait to reconnect,” Nicky said, “we’re going toneed those photographs of the ransom. Can you forward them to us?”
“My team just sent everything you need.”
And so they had. Hope opened the dozen images and pushed them to the Sandbox’s largest overhead screens.
Sothatwas what a billion dollars looked like.
CHAPTER 87
THE FIRST FEW images from Capital showed four tightly wrapped pallets, each as big as an industrial-size washing machine. The next focused on a much smaller vessel: a black polycarbonate container.
“Whoa,” Mike Hardy said with the awe of a car enthusiast checking out a high-end sports car. “What are we looking at here, Haller?”
“We will forward copies of the itemized lists, along with serial numbers and requisite paperwork, within the hour,” James Haller replied.
“Walk us through it now,” Nicky said. “The more we know about the ransom, the better we’ll understand how the kidnappers might move it.”
Randolph Schraeder said in his gruff voice, “Go on and tell them, Jim.”
“Of course, Mr. Schraeder,” Haller said, sounding as if he’d been smacked on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper.
The pallets were stacks of cash, Haller explained, all in hundred-dollar bills, each pallet containing one hundred million dollars.
“There was no way to make the stacks more compact, since the US government no longer circulates anything larger than a hundred-dollar bill,” he continued. “These four pallets add up to four hundred million, forty percent of the ransom.”
“How much does each pallet weigh?” Nicky asked.
