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couldn’t manage their own lives.
    But seeing my girl safe is my job, Greg thought abruptly. All else is secondary.
    This was the first time Greg had been to Geiler’s office. The place had a nautical touch: a Winslow Homer print over the desk, a model ocean tanker, and a brass telescope overlooking Boston Harbor.
    Geiler was on the phone when they entered, and he smiled genially and waved them to chairs across from his desk. A tall man with dark curly hair and an affable manner, he was known for being a gentleman who got exactly what he wanted at the price he wanted. He put his hand over the mouthpiece and politely asked his secretary to bring them all coffee.
    Greg wondered for a moment if he and Ross were going to be subjected to hearing a one-sided business call, the kind where the goal was to impress the listeners. But Geiler terminated the call quickly, saying only, “We need to discuss this further, Al, but I have an appointment right now. I’ll call you back within the hour.”
    He set the receiver down and reached across the desk to shake each of their hands. Greg noticed Ross seemed a little stiff. Greg felt the same. He and Geiler were both in their early thirties. There had been a time when the two them would’ve been perceived by most people as cut from the same cloth: both vigorous young men with their own businesses, agendas of their own creation. But now when Greg measured himself automatically against Geiler, he felt older and softer. His business was failing, and now he was approaching hat in hand, absolutely desperate. He could imagine how Ross, fresh from prison, must’ve felt even more insecure. Particularly with Allie there.
    Geiler said, “I can see you’re impatient to get started, so let’s get to it.”
    Allie started in. She began on the story that she and Greg had discussed earlier, about how he and Ross needed to sell their inheritance to give Greg’s business an infusion of cash. That they would become full partners. She smiled disarmingly. “Of course, none of this is terribly important from your standpoint, Bob, other than you realize that speed is of the essence for us.” She paused. “We need to close today.”
    Geiler frowned, looked at his watch. “Today? You can’t be serious. I haven’t even seen the place in three months. We need to do a title search. I’ll need to have the house inspected. I’d made the previous offers with the idea of investment, but I also intended to use the place as a vacation home myself.”
    “Do you want the house?” Greg’s voice seemed to come from deep inside him.
    Geiler shrugged. “I did. Probably still do. But this afternoon?” His brow wrinkled. “Greg, you must understand, that’s not how it works.” He began shaking his head. “I’ll be happy to take a hard look at the property, and if all goes well, I very likely would make an offer. But not in this time frame.”
    “Do you have the money?” Ross said abruptly.
    Allie put her hand on his arm. “Ross—”
    “We need to know,” Ross said. “If you get the right price, do you have the kind of cash to move ahead?”
    Geiler smiled. “I’ve swung deals many times this size.”
    “I know you’ve swung deals. I asked if you have the kind of cash we’re talking about in the bank. Today.”
    “One step at a time, Ross,” Allie said. “I’m sorry, Bob.”
    “Don’t apologize for me,” Ross snapped.
    “This is going nowhere fast,” Geiler said.
    Greg put his hands up. “Stop. I’ll tell you what’s going on. But only if you can keep it to yourself, that you don’t go to the police no matter what you decide.”
    “Police?”
    Greg told him about the kidnapping.
    Geiler listened quietly, and when Greg was done, he said, “My God.” He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, then said, “Of course I’ll help. I’m afraid I can’t match the offer I made earlier this year. That money is already invested. But I just sold a small building in Waltham that I’d