Chapter 5

I was at the bar before Richard Taylor arrived. I don't know why it is, but human nature seems to be that people are suspicious of those who arrive after them, not those who are already there.

I had peeked in a few times before and seen Taylor sitting at the bar in the same spot. I had also done research on his family. My plan was to be as scary as possible.

He sat down at around ten minutes to six and asked me to pass the nuts. I had moved them when I sat down so he would have to ask me for them. He thanked me.

"No problem, brotherhood of the bar nuts," I said.

He chuckled. "Beer," he called out to the bartender. He was a regular. There was no need to specify any further.

The lead-in to the six o'clock news mentioned a story about Kim Basinger.

"If only I wasn't married," he said. "She was just in Nine 1/2 Weeks. I damn near melted."

"I prefer Michele Pfeiffer."

"I'd take her as a second choice," he said.

"I'm single, but somehow I don't think my chances are very good."

"Women," he said.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't be much fun without them."

He nodded agreement with delight in his eyes. "I love the old ball and chain."

"Kids?" I asked.

"Three."

"That's nice. Kids are a great thing. They bring life into perspective. All those great plans you had for yourself when you were young, you'd gladly give them all up in exchange for having happy, healthy kids."

"That's the truth," he said.

"I bet you'd give anything to keep something from happening to Teddy, Lois and Jeffrey. Louise too for that matter."

I said it as casually as I would mention it was getting dark outside.

His head jerked in my direction. His pale, white face turned paler.

"Perhaps you should follow me out in five minutes so I can explain," I said. "I'll be on the corner."

I finished my Diet Pepsi with a lemon slice to hide the fact it wasn't Coke, put down two bucks for the bartender and left.

He came out exactly five minutes later.

"Your family is fine," I said. "It would really upset me to have to do anything to them. I just need a little cooperation from you."

"What do you want?"

"You're driving a load next Wednesday. Some dangerous men plan to hijack it. They were just going to shoot you, but I convinced them your family needed you."

I took out a small, hand-drawn map.

"Stop here to use the bathroom. I'll tie you up loosely enough for you to work your way out and call in the hijacking. That's all you have to do. Tell the police we surprised you. We were wearing masks so you can't identify anyone."

He didn't respond.

"If you're thinking about not stopping: Don't. We won't hurt you. You just won't have a family to support.

"If you set us up with the police, you won't have a family to support.

"If you hide your family away, we'll kill you. Then we'll find them and kill them."

I rubbed my chin and raised my eyes in an imitation of thinking.

"Did I leave anything out? I don't think so. To review: you cooperate, everything is fine. You don't cooperate, well, I don't even want to think about it. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes."