The Heart of the Jungle, стр. 51
When he was certain the call had been connected, he asked, in as casual a tone as he could muster under the circumstances, "Where are you taking us?"
"Shut up," Brunner replied.
"We're headed north, aren't we?" Chris pressed. "What's north?"
"I said shut up," Brunner instructed. "I'm not in the mood for small talk."
"I sure wish you would tell me what all of this is about. Why me? I write restaurant reviews. I have nothing."
"This game is growing wearisome."
"For the last time, Brunner, I have no idea what it is you think I have. The Heart of the Jungle, you said. I haven't got a clue where that is."
Brunner chuckled. "You know, this is almost a convincing charade you have going here, but I can understand why you would want to protect it. It is absolutely unique, valuable beyond the dreams of avarice."
Chris was stunned to discover the Heart of the Jungle wasn't a place at all. "I... I swear to you, I have no idea what you're talking about."
Brunner's eyes in the rearview mirror were skeptical, but Chris could tell he was beginning to doubt.
"I'll give you whatever it is you want---only, I need to know what that is."
Chris saw Brunner's eyes drift to Brianna, who was lying asleep in his arms. "I didn't rescue your daughter out of the goodness of my heart, little man. Consider her welfare. Perhaps that will jog your memory."
This was getting dire. He just couldn't seem to make Brunner believe him. "I can't help you if I don't know what you---"
"Enough," Brunner snapped, cutting him off. "You're going to hand over that diamond, and provided you don't cause me any trouble, you and your daughter might just walk away unharmed. I actually don't like killing. I don't want to hurt you."
Diamond? The Heart of the Jungle was a diamond ? What made Brunner think he had a diamond? He thought about asking for more details, but something made him hold his tongue. His best hope for escape was to play along for as long as possible, all the while searching for an opening in Brunner's defenses. He dearly hoped that would happen before he was forced to pony up some diamond he knew nothing about.
If Jason was on the other end of the line and listening, maybe it wouldn't come to that.
"I suppose I do owe you for giving my daughter back to me safe and sound," he said pointedly---a message to Jason that Brianna was with him and in one piece.
"Keep that in mind," Brunner warned.
He clung tightly to the little girl and smoothed a damp curl away from her forehead. She slept on in his arms, content and at peace. Her little mouth turned up in a tiny smile of happiness.
IN THE passenger seat of Frank's government issue sedan, Jason held his phone close to his ear. He listened intently---so intently that his hand was shaking. They were alive. They were all right---for the moment.
Because of the torrents of rain pouring down, traffic on the strip was snarled. They had been sitting in the same spot for more than twenty minutes. Frank hammered on the horn in reproach as Jason strained to hear and scribbled notes on an envelope he had fished out of the glove compartment. He heard Chris say, "I suppose I do owe you for giving my daughter back to me safe---" before the line went dead.
"The Heart of the Jungle isn't a place," Jason said, tossing the cell phone. "I'll be damned." Frank cast him a sidelong glance, obviously confused. "They're alive," Jason told him. "Sounds like they're on the road. They're headed north."
Frank kept his eyes on the road. "I'd call in an APB, but we don't have a clue what kind of vehicle we're looking for. Smart move of your client to answer the phone like that. It was risky, but smart."
"What's north?" Jason asked.
"Desert, hundreds of miles. They could be headed anywhere."
Jason worked a muscle in his jaw. "It's getting late in the day, and they'll have to stop for the night. Let's get back to the field office and project possible routes and waypoints. It might help us to put in a call to hotels or motels along the way, fax over some photos and put them on alert."
"That'll work if they stop," Frank said, hammering the horn again.
"Could be your guy Brunner will just keep on driving."
"He'll have to stop. Cars need gas. People need food... and sleep."
"True, but they're traveling through some pretty remote territory. Getting word out is going to be tricky. What's this Heart of the Jungle thing you were going on about?"
"It's a diamond. Brunner said it was unique and extremely valuable. He thinks Chris has it."
"Hmm," Frank intoned. "That's a good piece of intel. I'll have someone look into it."
"Chris doesn't seem to know anything about it, but Brunner is expecting him to hand it over. He's deadly serious."
"You're positive Chris James doesn't know anything about this diamond? That he's not trying to avoid handing it over for some reason?"
Jason frowned and considered. He shook his head. Chris wouldn't have deceived him. He wouldn't have put the daughter he'd risked everything for in jeopardy by withholding something, no matter how valuable it was. "No way. You don't know Chris. He would hand over that diamond in a heartbeat to save Brianna."
Traffic started moving, and Frank eased the car forward. He heaved a sigh. "It really must be one hell of a rock. What I want to know is, if even Chris James doesn't know he has it, how does Brunner? How is he so sure?"
Jason thought about this. "Michael. Had to have been Michael. God knows how he found out about it, but he must've been the one to tell Brunner."
"This thing is just weird. In all my years as a federal investigator, I've never