moments he could get before it came to that.
The voices of the police and FBI murmured from the dining room. He followed the sound and found six or seven people dismantling the electronics the FBI had used for tracking and following the ransom calls. When he stepped through the big arch, his mom flew across the room and hugged him. “Are you feeling better, my baby?”
“Yes, dear. No worries. Those bad guys weren’t even all that scary.” That was kind of true.
Seth stepped up to his other side and gently touched his hand. So sweet. Could he just enjoy having Seth here and not worry about the future? How he wished.
Partridge, the FBI guy, motioned to him. “Let’s go in your living room so we can take your statement.”
Lindsey led the way into the room. Pop-Pop got up from one of the upholstered chairs to meet him and give him a hug. “I’d like to be here for this as well, please.”
It was clear that Partridge wanted to say no, but Casper Vanessen had a law degree among his accomplishments, and few people said no to the old man and made it stick.
Lindsey sat on the couch between Pop-Pop and his mom. Seth and Partridge took the chairs. He’d have liked to sit near Seth, but he didn’t want to make the man seem like a personal friend rather than a cop.
Partridge held a tablet on his lap. “Can you describe what occurred in your own words, Mr. Vanessen?”
“I went to that godforsaken picnic area with Bruce Westerberg and got grabbed. How is Bruce? Have you found him?”
“Yes, he’s been returned to his family.”
Lindsey frowned. “How? Did they pay the ransom?”
“Yes, I believe so. Someone else is in charge of that case.”
“That was fast.”
“Yes. He was home before you even called Seth.”
Strange. “Anyway, I was at the country club. The doorman recommended Rain Rocks to both me and Bruce, so I suggest you find the doorman right away. It’s too much of a coincidence.”
Partridge frowned. “Odd. Westerberg didn’t mention that.”
“It seems important to me, but Bruce was pretty upset. He may not remember. Anyway, we walked in on this broken path for a ways. It was too primitive for my taste, but Bruce seemed to think it was peaceful. We sat under a tree near some woods.”
Seth leaned forward. “Who picked the spot to sit?”
“I did. Or rather, I picked the clearing because I didn’t want to walk any farther. He suggested the tree.”
“The tree by the forest?”
“Yes.” Lindsey raised an eyebrow. “But he had no way of knowing I would choose that location.”
Partridge was busy taking notes on the tablet. “What happened when you got there?”
He glanced at Seth. Time to skip a few details. “We were eating when someone threw a bag over my head, and I think three men grabbed me.”
Partridge gave a small smile. “It was likely just one or two but felt like three at the time.”
Lindsey sighed softly. “No, it was three. I’m a black belt in karate and not easy to subdue; therefore it required some muscle, and I felt six hands.”
Partridge nodded. “Yes, I see. Where was Westerberg?”
“I could hear Bruce yelling, so there had to be some men on him too. That meant there must have been four or five people who snatched us. They put ether over my nose and mouth through the bag, so I blacked out and woke up in the warehouse. While I was there, I was never aware of more than the two men whom I subdued.”
“Yes, and exactly how did that happen?”
Be convincing. “One of the guards had just taken me to the bathroom when the other called him in to see something on television. The guard tied me, but not very tight, because he was distracted, I suppose. He left the room, and I wiggled out of my bonds. I sneaked up on them in the small room where the television was, kicked one man and punched the other. I was successful in grabbing one of the guns and getting them tied up.”
“The gunshot to the man’s thigh?”
Lindsey stared at him levelly. “He tried to get my gun and I shot him.”
“Your clothes?”
“They took them off and ripped them up, I suppose to make me feel more vulnerable.”
“They haven’t done that to any of the other victims.”
Lindsey stared at Partridge levelly. “I’m unique.”
Seth laughed. “You certainly are.”
“Lindsey!” The voice burst out from the hall. Lindsey looked up to see Jazz racing in from the