Home Is Where The Heart Is (Revenge)

Premonition

Grayson Manor, Hamptons

The next morning

"Oh my God!" Shocked, Daniel stared at the letter in his hand, which was pieced together of scraps of newspaper.

'We have Victoria Grayson under our control! For a fair amount of ransom money we are willing to set her free. Further information on the amount and transfer of the ransom will be given at a later date. Warning! No police! Otherwise we won't hesitate to kill the victim!'

With a trembling hand, he took the envelope in which the blackmailing letter had been found and turned it back and forth. Nothing. No sender, no stamp. Only a simple brown envelope. Apparently the letter had been thrown directly into the mailbox in front of the house. Daniel rubbed his hands over his face and groaned softly. His mother had been kidnapped! That was the reason she had disappeared. He was relieved that she was alive but was concerned at the same time that he didn't know what the kidnappers had done to her. The threat of killing her clearly showed that they were capable of anything. Slowly he rose, took the letter and left the study to go to the dining room, where Emily and Charlotte were sitting at the breakfast table.

"Mom's been kidnapped!" He came straight to the point and put the letter on the table, for everybody visible.

Charlotte dropped her croissant and looked at him incredulously. "Kidnapped?" She stammered.

Emily took the letter and read the lines. "The good thing is that we know now she didn't crash with the jet," she began hesitantly. "The police in Cleveland can stop the search. We have to go to the NY Police and show them the letter."

Daniel shook his head. "Didn't you read it? No police! I certainly don't risk my mother's life by asking for help from the authorities." He took a deep breath. "I'll take care of it myself."

"These are criminals, Daniel!" Emily said warningly. "It's far too dangerous to go against them alone."

"They haven't even mentioned the amount of money," Charlotte said, frowning. "And what does it mean 'at a later date'? How long do they plan to hold Mom captive?"

"I don't know." Daniel sighed and ran with one hand through his hair. "I only know that nobody can know about it, except us."

"I could ask Nolan if he could help us. He has certain contacts..."

"I said nobody!" He interrupted her harshly. "Not even Ava or Jack, the press or whoever. Did you get that?"

Charlotte nodded intimidated. "I won't do anything to endanger Mom's life."

"So we just wait for the kidnappers to report back to us?" Emily asked frowning.

"We have no other choice."

"We don't even know who the kidnappers are," Charlotte said desperately. "And who tells us that they really will set Mom free when they got the money?"

Daniel exchanged a look with Emily. But she just shook her head. "I have to go to the airport later," he suddenly changed the subject. "They called earlier that the plane, with Dad's casket on board, will arrive in the next hour. I would like to be there when they take him to the undertaker. Then I will talk to the priest immediately and set a date for the funeral service."

"I'll take care of the invitations to the funeral if you don't mind," Emily offered.

Daniel nodded. "And don't forget what I said... nobody can know about the abduction!"

"They'll all wonder where Victoria is," Emily said. "Especially since they stated in the news that she was with him when the jet crashed."

"We just make up something." He gestured with his hands. "What about this? She wasn't feeling well that she couldn't accompany him. And she's still too sick to attend the funeral."