***Chapter 6***
***Jennifer***
"I am not the one who ordered you kidnapped. However, I can tell you that it's all about your husband and a business deal he made years ago that was against someone else and now that person is getting back at him."
"By kidnapping me?"
"Among other things".
"What other things?"
"I cannot say too much because I didn't overhear a whole lot. But they want to make him pay as much as possible for a company that isn't worth a lot so that he will lose money when he sells it. And they want him to sell off some companies and other assets of Hart Industries, or trade them. I do know they don't plan on hurting you, but they aren't going to let you go until their demands are met".
Jennifer sighed.
"Can I at least talk to him? I am going crazy in here".
"I will see what I can do. My name is Corrinne, by the way. And I meant to tell you yesterday, there is a TV in that cabinet, and books in that one, if you want to watch TV or read."
She handed her the remote and opened the cabinet. Jennifer went over and picked out some books and took them back to the chair. At least the chair was padded and comfortable.
"They would get mad at me if they knew I was asking you this, but I am the one making all your food. Are you allergic to anything?"
"No. I try to eat as healthy as possible, though."
"Got it. I tell you what, I am not going to tie you to the chair. I am going to attach this chain to your ankle and then you can roam the whole room and you can go to the bathroom as you need to, without having to ask".
"Thank you".
Corrinne nodded, and then left.
Jennifer walked around a bit, exploring the room. She looked out the window. All she could see were bricks. She found a telephone in the drawer of the cabinet but she couldn't find a phone jack anywhere. She was stuck. She sat down and turned on the TV for company. She tried to read but didn't really care about any of it.
She just wanted to go home.
She got up and went to the bathroom, and was looking in the drawers for a washcloth.
She found a sewing kit and a manicure kit at the back of the drawer. She began to devise a plan….
***Jonathan***
Jonathan was sitting on the couch with a scotch in his hand.
He was waiting by the phone for it to ring. He had told Stanley to come by after work tonight, he wanted him to be there when the call came in, in case it was more business related.
After what seemed like forever, it was finally 9 p.m. Jonathan was staring at the phone.
Stanley was working on paperwork on the other couch.
The phone rang, and Jonathan picked it up. Stanley hit record on the machine attached to the phone.
"Hello?"
"I trust that you were able to get the diamonds".
"Yes, and the emeralds. Where is my wife?"
"She's fine. I assure you, she is being well taken care of. "
"Tell me what you want so I can get her back. Enough with the cat and mouse games".
"I want you to buy Freemont Corporation outright. And I want those diamonds and emeralds."
"Fine. Whatever it takes, I will do it. My offer is the same as last time-20 million. 20 million and the jewels".
"Deal."
"Tell me where to meet you, tonight".
"Hart Industries. Your office. One hour".
"See you then".
He hung up the phone.
He and Stanley went to Hart Industries.
***Hart Industries***
Stanley and Jonathan walked into his office. Jonathan wrote out a company check for the amount of the company, and had the jewels ready to turn over.
"Mr. Hart, I think this is a mistake. Freemont is barely worth 5 million, much less 20 million."
"I understand that. But this is about getting my wife back, not the business deal. I built this company from the ground up, I can restructure that one and make it successful as well".
"That's a good point".
They were in the office waiting when they heard the elevator doors open.
Show time.
***Jennifer***
Jennifer had planned on trying to unlock the chain from her ankle with the nail file. It didn't work. The rest of her plan fell apart when she realized she couldn't get the chain off.
Defeated, she sat down on the chaise and put her head in her hands. Eventually, and only from exhaustion, she fell asleep.
She was awoken sometime later by Corrine.
"Mrs. Hart-you need to wake up. You are being taken somewhere".
"I don't want to go anywhere with you".
"I'm sorry, it's not optional".
Corinne took the chain off her ankle, and led her to the car.
***Jonathan***
Jonathan had called Lt. Grey and informed him of what was happening.
"I will have my officers pose as janitors. They will be wired. Don't worry, we won't let whomever this is get away".
The janitors got there and were cleaning the hallways outside the office. Jonathan had also set up a hidden recording system in the office and had it going as well.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Jonathan recognized Grant Matthews. He was walking down the hall, with two of his men, plus a lady who was holding on to Jennifer.
They all came in to the office.
"Darling, are you all right?"
She nodded.
"Now Jonathan, there will be time for that later. Let's get down to business, shall we?"
Jonathan placed the check on the edge of the desk and then opened the box of jewels to show him they were all there.
"Here are the receipts to show the value".
"Nice, very nice".
"I drew up a contract-it's very basic. States that I am buying your company, lock, stock and barrel. All employees, equipment, property, capital, and funds attached wherein. You agree to sign over all rights to everything except presently ongoing legal battles, to me".
"No, no Jonathan. You only get the name of the company. If you want the actual equipment and employees and paperwork and funds, you will have to pay another 20 million".
"I won't do it."
"Then you don't get your wife back".
"Jonathan!"
"Jennifer, stay out of this". He turned his gaze back to Matthews.
"Why take my wife to get me to buy your company if you aren't willing to part with it?"
"I can change my mind on the terms at anytime Jonathan, it's my company".
"Then take my check and give me my wife back till we can hammer out a deal".
"No, I'm afraid I can't do that. The price for Jennifer is another 20 million".
"No, Matthews. You aren't getting another cent out of me".
Jennifer was extremely hurt. What happened to doing anything for her, protecting her at all costs? Hell, Jonathan could make that much money in a day or two, it wouldn't be that big of a loss.
Jonathan was stalling for time, but he couldn't show that. Where were the janitors? He buzzed for security, but nobody came.
He wrote a note to Stanley. "Go find the janitors, or call Lt. Grey".
He folded it up, and handed it to him.
"Take this to your office and see if you can find the file on the expansion figures".
"Right away Mr. Hart".
Grant Matthews stopped him.
"Stanley was it? If you are going to call someone on the phone, don't bother. I cut the phone lines before I came in here. Security is gone too".
Stanley ignored him and kept walking.
Grant Matthews turned to Corrine.
"Take her to the car".
Jennifer shot Jonathan an icy glare as they left the room.
After they were gone, Grant looked at Jonathan.
"Final offer-10 million more."
"No. I told you, not another cent. I am being more than generous by agreeing to 20 million. Your company is barely worth 5 million as it is."
"Your loss, Hart".
He turned to walk out of the office. Jonathan ran after him and tackled him and got a few punches in, but he hit Jonathan square in the mouth and knocked him out long enough to get away.
Stanley came and found Jonathan on the ground and helped him up.
"Did you find the janitors?"
"Yes. Mr. Matthews overpowered them and locked them in a closet, and stripped them of their wires".
"Go find Jennifer".
Stanley took the elevator downstairs.
As he got off the elevator, he heard Corrinne and Grant arguing.
"What do you mean, she got away?"
"She pushed me to the ground, did some fancy self defense moves and then ran off".
"Damn it!"
They got in the car and sped away.
***Jennifer***
Jennifer was hiding in the parking garage under a car. She heard everything. She heard Grant and Corrine drive away, so that's when she climbed out.
She walked out to the street and flagged down a taxi.
"My husband owns Hart Industries, if you send him the bill for this, he will pay double".
"It's 10 p.m. at night. This one is on the house".
"Thanks". She gave him the address of the beach house.
She was quiet and upset. She couldn't believe he wouldn't pay whatever for her and then work out the details later. She had always thought she was the most important thing to him, but he had shown her tonight that she obviously was not.
The cab pulled up to the beach house. She thanked him, and put the code in for the garage, and went inside.
She wanted to shower and sleep, and she would work out the rest later.
She didn't know how she was going to face Jonathan, but she knew she would have to at some point. Like ripping off a band-aid.
She took a long hot shower, called Marcia to explain things and then went to bed.
***Jonathan***
Stanley came back upstairs.
"Mr. Hart, I couldn't find her. But when I got off the elevator, I heard Grant and Corrine talking and they said she got away from them and ran off."
"Let's look for her".
He and Stanley walked all around the property and all through the parking garage and didn't find her.
Jonathan figured she would make her way home, so he and Stanley headed back to Willow Pond.
Stanley got in his car and drove off, and Jonathan went inside.
"Jennifer? Darling, are you home?"
Silence.
"Red, where are you?"
It suddenly occurred to him that Grant and Corrine might have been playing a trick on Stanley. They probably had her all along and just said she got away.
He called Lt. Grey.
"Where the hell were you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Grant Matthews had my wife, and he came to Hart Industries to trade her for jewels and money. You were supposed to send two officers to pose as janitors, but they never came in there. Matthews had overpowered them, stripped them of their wires and stuffed them in a closet. I would have thought you would have been listening and would have come in to see what happened. And now, my wife is missing again".
"Jonathan, I'm sorry. We just didn't have the manpower tonight."
"Not good enough".
He slammed the phone down.
He went to the bar and poured himself a tall glass of scotch, and knocked it back.
He knocked back about 4 in a row, and then stumbled over to the couch.
He sat there, in his drunken stupor, all night long.
***The next day***
Jonathan dragged himself to the office. He wanted to show everyone that it was business as usual.
He perked up after some coffee and Tylenol. He wasn't in the greatest of moods, though.
He was pissed at Lt. Grey for not backing him up. He was pissed at Grant Matthews for trying to fleece him. He was pissed at the world for Jennifer being gone.
Around 10 a.m., there was a phone call to his secretary, Kelly.
"Hi Kelly, it's Jennifer Hart."
"Hi, would you like me to put you through to Jonathan?"
"No, no. I called to talk to you".
"I don't understand".
"I need some clothes and some things from our house. I want you to get the keys from Mr. Hart and go to our house and pack me a bag. You can call me from our bedroom when you get there. I know he is going to ask you lots of questions, but all I want you to tell him is that I am ok".
"Yes, Mrs. Hart".
"Thank you Kelly." She gave her the number of the beach house, and then hung up.
Kelly got up and went in to Mr. Hart's office.
"Mr. Hart, Mrs. Hart just called. She has asked me to tell you that she is ok, and she wants me to go to your house and pack her a bag and bring it to her. So, she said that you would give me the key to the house".
"Kelly, I will take care of that. Thank you. Did she say where she was?"
"No, but she gave me a phone number".
She handed him the phone number and he recognized it as the number to the beach house.
"I am going to be gone the rest of the day. I will let you know about tomorrow. Stanley and Harold can handle anything that comes up. If Grant Matthews calls or sends anything, call me at the beach house or at Willow Pond right away".
"Yes, Mr. Hart".
He left immediately.
He ran home to Willow Pond, packed her a fresh bag and headed to the beach house.
