"You want one million dollars?" said Mark incredulously. "I mean really! That's not very practical is it?"
"Dad," said Steve, trying to warn Mark to keep quiet.
"I mean even if this house was worth one million dollars, which by the way it's not, we could never give you the money straight away. We would have to have it put on the market, find a seller and go through estate agency fees."
"Dad!" said Steve again.
"Or are you proposing we take a trip down to the bank and make a withdrawal?" Steve put his head in his hands. "Because I don't know about you but my overdraft is not that large."
There was a stunned silence for a moment then Mitch kicked the coffee table in anger. It toppled over onto its side and the vase of flowers on top of it shattered as it hit the floor, sending shards of glass flying in all directions and making them all jump. "You think this is funny?" shouted Mitch. "You think we don't mean what we say?"
"No, I think you're quite serious," said Mark, keeping his voice calm.
"Serious. Huh, he thinks we're serious," Mitch said grinning cynically round at Scarlett. "Let's just show him how serious we can be eh? Finn, shoot the Shrimp!"
Jesse paled and tried to duck, but the hold on his neck was too strong. Amanda gave a cry and made an impulsive movement with her arm while Steve, with a yell of "No!", leapt up from his chair and made to dive at Mitch. Mitch and Scarlett brought their guns round and Mitch pressed his into Steve's chest.
"No? You don't want me to kill shrimpy boy here? Ok, you can choose. How about dear old dad or your pretty friend here?" He pushed Steve back into his chair and Scarlett covered him. Then Mitch pointed the gun at Amanda. "Anthia isn't it?"
"It's Amanda," said Amanda, glaring up at Mitch.
"Oh yes." He went and sat on the arm of her chair and put his arm around her shoulders. She tried to shrink away. "So Steven, what's it going to be?"
Steve looked round at the scared faces looking back at him. They were all trusting him to make the right move and get them out of this mess. It was him who had put Mitch's brother away. It was him who was the main target. How dare these people come in and threaten his friends and family in this way. He felt rage surge through him. Then, looking up at Jesse and Amanda and seeing how frightened they were he suppressed his rage and felt his hostage negotiation training kick in.
"Okay, don't shoot anyone," said Steve. "We can talk about getting you your one million, but you have to realise it's going to take some time."
"What do you propose?" asked Mitch. "We schedule a meeting and come back another time and talk about it over coffee?"
"How do you suppose we get this money for you? Surely you knew it would take some time."
"I reckon we should take shorty over there hostage," said Scarlett.
"Yeah, and her," said Finn, looking Amanda up and down. "We could have some fun."
"Hey, enough of the shrimpy and shorty," said Jesse suddenly feeling braver. "I'm called Jesse. And I'd appreciate it if you weren't quite so friendly," he added to Finn who still had his gun pressed against his neck.
Mark tried very hard to hide his grin. He knew Jesse would be fine once he had got over his first shock. All the same, he didn't like the look of the situation at all.
"No, no one is leaving this house, yet," said Mitch. "Although I do like the talk of coffee. You, Amanda, you go make us some coffee….. Now!" he added and pulled her to her feet. "Scarlett you go with her." Amanda slowly headed off towards the kitchen and there came the sound of the kettle being filled.
"So tell us Mitch… Finn, just how do you expect us to come up with such a large amount of money?"
"Well…" Just then there was the sound of cup breaking and a couple of seconds later Scarlett appeared at the door.
"She's fainted," she said. Jesse stood up so quickly that he dislodged Finn from his neck. Finn made to grab him again.
"I'm a doctor, let me take a look at her," he said. "She might have gone into post-traumatic shock," he added as an after thought.
"Let him go," said Mitch and Jesse walked off to the kitchen guarded by Scarlett, glad to finally be away from Finn. Mark made to follow but Mitch shook his head. "They only need one doctor in there. Besides, now it's just father and son."
X X X
In the kitchen Amanda was sprawled on the floor, a broken coffee cup beside her. Jesse bent anxiously over to examine her. He could tell almost instantly that she was faking it and felt relieved. He glanced up at Scarlett who was watching him closely and put on a grim face.
"She's in a bad way, it's definitely post-traumatic shock. Quick, get me the hand towel from over there, a tea towel from the drawer by the sink and some ice from the freezer." Scarlett gave him a look. "Go on. I need to cool her down. Her body temperature is way up!" Scarlett cautiously went to get the things from the other side of the kitchen. Jesse pretended to check her pulse and vital signs while he whispered in her ear.
"What do you want me to do?" He leant closer as Amanda gave the smallest whisper back.
"Upstairs."
Suddenly Jesse understood. This was an excuse for getting upstairs where there was a medicine cabinet full of all sorts of drugs, a phone and the possibility of escape. Scarlett was back within a few seconds and handed Jesse the requested items while looking at him suspiciously. Jesse put the hand towel under Amanda's head and the ice in the tea towel. He then pressed this to her head and pretended to examine her again.
"It's no good," he said putting on a worried expression. "We need to take her upstairs where I can get her more comfortable, this hard floor isn't helping her circulation." Scarlett just looked at him. She doesn't say much, thought Jesse. "Please," he said in a desperate voice. "Don't let my friend die. She's got a little boy and his daddy's run off." He added a little sob for good effect and looked up imploringly. Jesse could have been mistaken but he thought he saw her expression soften a little. He also suddenly remembered that it was she who had the key to the front door.
Thanks for the reviews! Hope you liked the second part.