Kidnap and Ransom. Michelle Gagnon

>

      Praise for the novels of

       MICHELLE GAGNON

      THE GATEKEEPER

      “High stakes, tension, excitement—I loved The Gatekeeper.”

      —New York Times bestselling author Lee Child

      BONEYARD

      “I defy anyone to read the first chapter of Boneyard and put the book down. Pure reading pleasure—creepy, terrifying, and utterly believable.”

      —New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston

      “A compelling page-turner that pays due attention to the human heart. It’ll keep you up all night.”

      —New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver

      THE TUNNELS

      “A stellar work of mounting suspense and terror…. Not to be missed!”

      —New York Times bestselling author James Rollins

      “Michelle Gagnon is a fresh and confident new voice in crime fiction.”

      —New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart

      “Michelle Gagnon’s stellar debut is an edge-of-your-seat story of suspense and intrigue. Highly recommended.”

      —New York Times bestselling author Sheldon Siegel

      “A brisk pace and likable leads…. Gagnon’s characters hold promise for an enjoyable series.”

      —Publishers Weekly

      MICHELLE GAGNON

      KIDNAP & RANSOM

      For Taegan

      Contents

      DECEMBER 15

      Chapter One

      JANUARY 25

      Chapter Two

      JANUARY 29

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      JANUARY 30

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      JANUARY 31

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      FEBRUARY 1

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Chapter Twenty-One

      Chapter Twenty-Two

      Chapter Twenty-Three

      Chapter Twenty-Four

      Chapter Twenty-Five

      Chapter Twenty-Six

      Chapter Twenty-Seven

      Chapter Twenty-Eight

      Chapter Twenty-Nine

      Chapter Thirty

      Chapter Thirty-One

      Chapter Thirty-Two

      Chapter Thirty-Three

      Chapter Thirty-Four

      Chapter Thirty-Five

      Chapter Thirty-Six

      FEBRUARY 2

      Chapter Thirty-Seven

      Chapter Thirty-Eight

      Chapter Thirty-Nine

      Chapter Forty

      Chapter Forty-One

      Chapter Forty-Two

      Chapter Forty-Three

      Chapter Forty-Four

      Chapter Forty-Five

      Chapter Forty-Six

      Chapter Forty-Seven

      MARCH 15

      Chapter Forty-Eight

      Author’s Note

DECEMBER 15

      One

      Cesar Calderon stepped outside to light a cigarette. It was a gorgeous night, unseasonably warm for December, even in Mexico. He took a deep drag and tilted his head back, aiming the smoke toward a waning moon.

      “Quieres?” he asked, turning to his bodyguard. Moreno had stationed himself a few feet back, just outside the restaurant door. For this trip Cesar had selected one of his less imposing employees, determined to maintain a low profile despite the circumstances.

      “No, gracias,” Moreno said.

      Calderon nodded, then inhaled. Thalia would be apoplectic if she knew he’d taken up smoking again—even if it was only socially, on business trips like this one. Before returning home he’d have to make sure his clothes were laundered or he’d catch hell for it. Out of habit, he kept a close monitor on the surrounding area. The dinner was being held around the corner from their hotel in the Zona Rosa. It was one of the most exclusive sections of Mexico City, although in his opinion these past few years it had slid into tackiness, upscale antique stores ceding to kitschy tourist traps. Shame that they had booked the St. Regis instead of the Four Seasons.

      A couple strolled arm in arm, the woman tilting her head back to release a giggle as her companion guided her into a bar down the street. A few storefronts away, a pair of feet jutted out of a doorway. Cesar’s eyes narrowed at the sight of them. He turned back to Moreno and raised an eyebrow. Taking the cue, Moreno went to investigate. Grumbles from the doorway, a tirade delivered with the slurred speech of an addict.

      “It’s nothing, sir,” Moreno said in a low voice before falling back into position.

      Heroin, Calderon thought, shaking his head. It used to be that the drug only passed through Mexico, but in recent years addiction levels had spiked. The latest law decriminalizing small amounts of heroin and cocaine hadn’t helped matters, in his opinion. An already poor country was now being ravaged by the same disease as its wealthier neighbor to the north. A decade ago, the sight of a stoned man collapsed in a Mexico City doorway would have been an oddity. Today it was rapidly becoming the norm.

      Back inside the restaurant, someone laughed loudly—probably Leonard. Bastard always got drunk and inappropriate at these conferences. The other night he’d actually asked Cesar to share a hooker; he shuddered at the memory. The sad truth was that his field attracted people from a wide range of backgrounds, some shadier than others. After recent events, Calderon had decided this was the last time he’d appear as the public face of the company. These business trips were draining, dangerous and put too much of a strain on his already fragile marriage. From here on out he’d leave the heavy lifting to Linus.

      Calderon turned at the sound of screeching tires. A white van careened toward him. He frowned and automatically panned right, to the opposite end of the street…where he discovered a garbage truck blocking the intersection. Calderon’s eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. He spun on his heels, braced to dash into the restaurant. Saw Moreno’s head tilted back at an odd angle, hands clutching his throat as blood jetted from between his fingers. The addict stood behind him, brandishing a knife.

      Clearly