“Lots of possibilities here.” Mason looked over at the group. “Suppose I find this man. Then what? I’m not about to storm his house and demand he tell me where my sister is, especially if he is a werewolf.”
“I agree,” Alex said. “He might kill Tawny out of spite.”
For the next hour, while they waited for the sheriff to get back to them about Richardson’s whereabouts and whether or not he was military, they batted around possible approaches to getting Tawny back. Too bad none of the plans set well with Alex. There were just too many unknowns.
Someone knocked on the front door, and Alex actually jumped. “Are we expecting someone?”
“No, but I sense two werewolf signatures,” Liam said as he stepped to the door.
Alex focused, ready to shift, should it be someone they didn’t want to be there. When Liam opened the door, he merely nodded. “Sheriff.”
Alex relaxed.
Both the sheriff and the deputy came in. “Sorry for the intrusion, but I thought it best if we met in person. I have new information, and I’ll need your help”
Liam dragged over two chairs from the dining room table and motioned they have a seat. “What did you learn?”
“I just received a ransom call.” He held up a hand. “The voice was distorted, not that I would know George Richardson's voice if I heard it.”
“Sounds like what happened to Dennis Ackerman,” Benson said.
“Yes. And here’s the kicker. In order to get my daughter back, they are asking for ten thousand dollars. I know that is the same amount of money Ariel’s brother owed Paul Franklin’s deceased brother, so there might be a connection. However, if I’d been them, I would have asked for more. Just saying.”
“Is it just a coincidence that they match, or does this imply Franklin is behind this? If so, I am so sorry,” Ariel said. “My brother’s gambling has caused undue hardship and death of too many people.”
“No one blames you, Ariel,” the sheriff said. “We’ll deal. Getting cash quickly will be a bit tricky, but I’m sure the bank will get it for me.”
“What’s your plan?” Mason asked.
“That’s why Noah and I are here. I have an idea, but I’ll need all of you—well, not Ariel, unless you’re a sharpshooter,” the sheriff said.
She held up a hand. “I’m happy to sit this one out and take care of Tawny when you find her.”
“She’ll appreciate it, I’m sure.”
“Where and when is the money drop, Dad?” Zach asked.
“It’s at the base of the tree where Tawny had her accident. I’m supposed to drop it off at four o’clock tomorrow afternoon. I imagine they picked that location for a few reasons. One is that it’s remote. Secondly, it proves that they have my daughter if they know where she had her accident, and thirdly, if they are werewolves, they can easily escape into the woods.”
“If they shift, I doubt they’ll be able to carry the duffel,” Liam said. “To ensure they can’t, I’d pick a very unwieldy bag. And maybe one that is weighed down.”
Adam Granger nodded. “Good idea.”
“The sheriff and I have come up with a plan, and we want to pass it by you all,” Noah said.
“Tell us.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
For the next two hours,they batted around ideas on how to handle the money drop. In the end, Liam thought the plan was about the best they could come up with.
The sheriff yawned. “Sorry. Okay, one more time. We have to get this right. We can’t have anyone slip through our fingers.” He turned to Seth and Trevor. “Go over again what your role is.”
“Seth will be parked about two miles north of the accident site on Lipscom Road. He’ll be able to see the blue truck drive by—after the money pickup, of course. I’ll be about a mile and a half south of the site on Parsons Avenue. The guy has no choice but to go north or south, so whoever spots him will contact the other. Both of us will follow him but not apprehend him. We are only to learn where he takes the money.”
“Good, but what if they come by the woods instead?” the sheriff asked.
Trevor looked over at Alex. “That’s where the others come in. They will follow him or them.”