Marvin lunged towards the stand upon which sat an old, analog phone. He almost made it. Melinda tackled him from behind and they fell, hard, onto the wood floor. The phone kept ringing, its strident cry begging someone to answer. Marvin kicked back at Melinda but she evaded his foot and bit his ankle. Marvin howled and turned back to try and disentangle his leg from her grasp. As soon as he turned, Melinda sprang up from the floor and jumped towards the phone, kicking Marvin in the head as she passed. His head hit the floor with a dull thud from the impact. Triumphant, Melinda picked up the receiver and waited, breathless, for a the speaker to talk.
"Congratulations. Now, the drop-off will be at ten o'clock tonight at the old train station. Come alone. Any cops and...well you know." The phone clicked off and Melinda sobbed in frustrated relief. Marvin, coming to his senses, stood up and glared at her.
"He's dead anyway." Marvin said. His words fell on her like stones, cutting her shredded emotions further. She turned back to him.
"How could you say that about your own son? If there is a chance we will take it. Threatening his kidnappers was not the solution." Melinda placed the receiver back in its cradle and turned to her husband. "I'm going alone, with the cash, to get MY son back."