Part 4
The voice on the phone was completely devoid of emotion, operating with a terrifying, calm certainty that made Laura's grip tighten on the receiver until her knuckles turned white. She looked over at Caleb, who was watching her intently, sensing the sudden shift in the room's energy.
"I don't know who you are," Laura lied, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to sound authoritative. "And I don't have anything belonging to you. This is a secure bank line, and the police are already on their way."
A low, mocking laugh echoed through the speaker.
"Don't play dumb, Manager Bennett. It doesn't suit a woman of your professional standing," Vincent said, his tone dripping with malice. "The useless idiot I sent to your lobby just called me before the police put him in the back of their cruiser. He told me the boy is with you. And if the boy is with you, then the jar is with you."
Laura’s breath hitched. She instinctively shifted her body to block Caleb’s view of the desk, shielding the spilled coins, the key, and the storage receipt from any potential eyes watching through the office windows.
"The boy is safe, and he is staying here," Laura said fiercely, finding a sudden surge of courage. "You can't touch him."
"I don't need to touch him yet," Vincent replied smoothly. "Because I have his mother. She's sitting right across from me. She’s a bit bruised, a bit tired, but still breathing. For now."
Laura felt the air leave her lungs. She looked at Caleb, whose eyes were filled with an agonizing, silent question. Is Mommy okay? Laura couldn't bear to look at him.
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"What do you want?" Laura whispered into the phone, her voice dropping so Caleb wouldn't hear the terrifying reality of the situation.
"I want the silver key inside that jar, and I want the files that my lovely wife stole from my safe," Vincent said. "You're going to bring them to me. If I see a single police car, if I even smell a detective within a mile of our meeting place, the boy becomes an orphan. Do you understand me, Laura?"
