Chapter 8 - Case Two:3

Chapter Seven - Case Two:3



Ryan slowly turned the pages of the notebook he and Ryiza compiled of all their cases, including their most recent. Earlier notebooks, bulging with pages and pictures glued or stapled in, lined the floor under their desk.

He frowned as he looked Terryl's picture. This wasn't their first kidnapping case that they had worked on, but every time he felt queasy. Murder was one thing - the victim was already dead. There really was no way to help but bring peace to the family and justice to the murderer. While time did matter, it wasn't quite as essential as a kidnapping. The victim could still be breathing, and every second spent looking was another moment lost. Both the twins understood all too well how important each instant was, Ryan reminded once again as he thought of the mother's crying face.

“When do you think mom will bring us a copy of the ransom note?” Ryiza asked, spinning about in their mother's chair on the second day in a row at her office.

“Soon,” Ryan replied. “She said we can join her when the chemical analyzer gets back with his results, too.”

“We're down to a day,” Ryiza stated, pausing slightly before adding, “Give or take.”

“The stress of being kidnapped could aggravate his condition,” Ryan mumbled.

They both sat in silence again, so Ryiza sighed and turned back to the small television to play the surveillance tape again. Ryan turned to look at the screen also, and they watched as Terryl entered the building again.

“Nobody knew Terryl had to take those pills other than his family. It's for his kidney, right?”

“Yeah…He has to take them or he'll get really, really sick and need to go to the hospital.”

A rewind or two later, a knock came on the door and Ryan spotted his mom through the window. She looked tired yet again as she beckoned them out into the hall. Quickly, both of the twins jumped up and followed her.

“Any news?” Ryiza asked. Amy shook her head, handing her daughter a photocopy of the ransom letter. The demand for several thousand dollars to be left in a bank account had been typed.

“The account?” Ryan suggested.

“Checked it. It's a foreign off-shore account under a name and address that doesn't exist. We're trying to trace it back, but it's taking some time and looks like it's going to be useless.” She motioned to a door in the chemical analyst's room, Ryan and Ryiza matching her step for step. “Ransom letter?” she asked.

The lady working shook her head. “Paper is standard printer paper. You can buy it at several office supply stores, including but not limited to Kinko's, Office Depot, and Staples. The ink is a mix made for Hewlett-Packer, a standard home printer.”

“No fingerprints, no saliva on the envelope or stamp. Person wasn't stupid.” Amy sighed and looked at her kids. “Any ideas, you two?”

Both Ryan and Ryiza shook their heads, at a loss. Amy gave them a weary smile, and nodded. “Well, you two head back to my office, get your jackets, and I'll be there in a few minutes to get us some lunch, alright?”

They solemnly headed back to their mother's small room. Ryiza paused at her mother's desk, looking at the pictures in their little frames. Most were of her and Ryan, one from a camping trip and another they had taken professionally for the Christmas letter two years ago. Taped along the side of the computer monitor were the school pictures from kindergarten forward.

“It's sad, huh,” Ryiza asked. Ryan had made himself comfortable in front of the small television set again.

“What is?”

“The thought that someone would kidnap a person's child.” Ryiza picked up her bookbag, and crammed their notebook in amid various reading material and homework. Some books spilled out, so she bent to pick them up.

“Yeah…” Ryan glanced to his sister, frowning. “Why did you bring all that stuff to the office, anyways?”

“I have to do my homework,” she retorted.

“You can copy mine later.” He waved it aside, and looked back to the screen. “They found his backpack in one of the museum hallways…” he frowned, and rewound the tape back to the beginning of Terryl's entrance into the museum. “Rii, c'mere. Look at this.”

“What?” she joined him in the chair, wedging herself in beside him between the arm rests. He pressed his finger against the screen, pausing as he did.

“Look at Terryl. He's wearing his backpack, right?”

“Yeah…”

“It's bulging.” He looked to his sister. “Something was in there that wasn't when we picked it up.”

“Maybe whoever kidnapped him took whatever it was,” Ryiza suggested. “That could explain why he was kidnapped - maybe he was carrying something somebody wanted.”

“That is a plausible theory…” Ryan scanned the screen as he hit play again. “There's the workers behind the counter…the teacher…the guide…all the kids.” Ryan pulled a face. “None of them have backpacks. Only Terryl.”

“Easy to distinguish the target.”

Ryan made an agreeing noise somewhere in his throat, watching the tape intently. Ryiza joined him, so focused that the door opening made them both jump in surprise.

“C'mon, let's go get lunch,” Amy stated, rubbing at her neck. “How does Burger King sound? It's close.”

“Alright…” Ryiza sighed, standing up and getting her coat. Ryan looked at the screen again as the stream of kids came out.

“We can get lunch later,” he announced, turning to his mom with a grin. “I think you have an arrest to make.”

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