"I'd advise you not to drop the money off tonight," Stringer warned. "The kidnappers will have no reason to keep in contact with us. If they don't keep contact, your friend may die."
"She may die anyway," Jonny pointed out. "We don't know who's got her or what they've done to her."
"You really should wait until the deadline," said Stringer. "The kidnappers may be more inclined to reveal her location. You'd be placing her in unnecessary danger. You need to relax."
"I can'trelax! You can 'cause it ain'tyour girl they've got!" Random protested, seemingly popping up out of nowhere.
"You and Miss Delvecchio are close?" asked Stringer.
"Of course we're close! I done told you she's my girl!" said Random. "Is there any way I can help?"
"I'm afraid you're too close to the situation," said Stringer, before he exited the diner. "I'll be in touch."
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Back at the loft, Random paced back and forth, rubbing the back of his neck.
"There's gotta be some way we can get the money," he said. "We--we can hock the TV, the sofa, our mattresses. Hell, I'll even hock my studio equipment."
"Take a breath," said Jonny. "You're talkin' a mile a minute."
"God, if only I'd gone with A.J.," Random said, eyes starting to tear. "I coulda protected her."
"Or you could've ended up dead in the gutter," said Jonny.
"Just leave me alone, dawg," Random muttered.
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Meanwhile...
A.J. woke; shefelt battered and bruised.
"They must've hit me while I was out!" she raged. "Damn them! Oh God...I hope they didn't do anything else...Oh, I can't--I can't remember anything."
She leaned her head against the wall, crying again.
Somebody please help me...