Mitch Rafferty, the proprietor of a small landscaping company, receives a phone call from someone claiming to be the abductor of his wife Holly. The caller threatens that Mitch pay $200,000 or Holly will be killed, and if he contacts the authorities, Holly will be tortured and left to die. When Mitch complains that he lacks the funds, the caller assures him that if he loves his wife enough, he will find a way. He is directed to look across the street, where he sees a man walking his dog being shot in the head. The murder is intended to make Mitch believe that the kidnappers are serious and not somebody he should defy. Mitch also becomes aware that he is being watched and thus cannot report Holly's kidnapping to the police.
When the cops arrive to investigate the murder, Mitch is interrogated by a detective named Sandy Taggart. Mitch does not inform Taggart of the kidnapping, and the detective suspects he is withholding information. Mitch, on the other hand, is not arrested and quits when Taggart finally dismisses him.
Mitch returns home to discover his house prepared to appear as if he had murdered his wife. He discovers blood splattered on the kitchen walls and smeared over his clothes in the closet. When the phone rings, the kidnapper confirms Mitch's theories about the setup. He warns Mitch that they have also placed further evidence that will be difficult for Mitch to detect and remove but will be easy for police dogs to identify. The kidnapper then plays a tape of Mitch's session with Taggart, confirming his initial suspicion that the kidnappers are watching him. Mitch is then instructed to keep his mobile phone turned on and to be available for more instructions later that evening.
Mitch, unsure if Taggart can be trusted, lies to the investigator when he comes by; stating Holly had a migraine and was asleep. Taggart informs Mitch that the victim has been identified as Jason Osteen, Mitch's former college roommate with whom he has not talked in several years. Mitch steals a lug wrench from the garage to use as a weapon after Taggart leaves. He discovers some high-tech spying devices in the garage. Just after this revelation, he is confronted with a gun by one of Holly's kidnappers and instructed to drop the wrench. As the shooter tells Mitch to go, the lug wrench the captor had picked up becomes entangled in a stack of Halloween decorations, which then falls on the gunman. During the fall, the gunman collides with a wheelbarrow, crushing his trachea and breaking his neck before accidentally shooting himself in the chest. Mitch removes the revolver and another concealed gun from the man's ankle holster, loads the corpse into his wife's car, and drives to his parents' house.
Mitch arrives at his parents' house, realizing that things are about to become worse. He has no intention of disclosing any information regarding Holly's kidnapping, but he wants to relieve his mind with what may be his final visit and go on good terms with his parents. His connection with his parents is strained because of their severe and unusual parenting methods, which include the "learning room," a sensory deprivation chamber. Mitch chats briefly with his father, learns that his mother is out for the evening, and leaves the visit dejected.
The kidnappers' next phone call arrives at 6:00 p.m. Mitch visits his brother Anson without notifying him of Holly's captivity, as directed. Anson receives a call from the kidnappers during this time and becomes aware of the situation. Anson, who had helped his brothers cope with their parents throughout their upbringing, offers to pay Mitch the two million dollar ransom. Mitch is shocked that Anson can afford to give this. Anson informs Mitch about a friend, ex-FBI agent Julian Campbell, and takes him to Julian's house, indicating that Julian may be able to offer advice learned during his FBI tenure. Anson pulls a pistol on Mitch after arriving at Julian's massive house and declares that he would not offer his money to save Mitch, let alone Holly. Mitch discovers Anson collaborated with the individuals responsible for Holly's kidnapping and shorted them on their last illegal venture. The kidnappers now believe Anson will do everything to assist Mitch to save Holly. Julian tells Mitch that he has never worked for the FBI and has made his fortune in the "entertainment sector." Julian orders his two henchmen to disarm Mitch and transport him outside the city to be executed. Mitch kills his executioners with the neglected revolver in the ankle holster and comes home to discover his parents dead. Again, the situation is set up as though Mitch murdered his parents, but this time Mitch suspects Anson is behind it.
Mitch approaches Anson, tasers him, and binds him to a chair in the laundry room. He does not divulge that he knows Anson murdered his parents and promises to free Anson in exchange for the two million dollars. Anson ultimately gives him the code to a hidden safe in the kitchen, where he discovers 1.4 million dollars in bearer bonds and cash. Mitch, recalling an earlier talk with his brother, questions Anson on how he made so much money. Anson informs him of Julian Campbell's unlawful Internet enterprise, which downloads untraceable adult and child pornography. Anson enjoys telling Mitch this because he wants Mitch to know that Holly's ransom money is filthy and understands Mitch will be reminded of it for the rest of his life with Holly. Mitch is outraged after hearing the account and instead of releasing him as promised, leaves him in the dark laundry room, knowing that Anson dislikes the dark and would be reminded of their parents' learning room.
Meanwhile, Holly is being held hostage in an attic, trying to pull a nail from the floorboards covertly. She sees the nail as a pitiful weapon, and she works on it at first only to have something to focus on. She eventually pries the nail free and conceals it, unsure how she would utilize such a little instrument efficiently against professional murderers.
Holly has also discovered that one of the kidnappers, Jimmy Null, became suspicious of the others and murdered them. He tells Holly how they had all grown suspicious of one other and had taken precautions not to harm him. He intends to retain the entire sum for himself.
During this time, she gains the surviving kidnapper's trust by listening to his vision stories, fabricating her own vision, and suggesting she journey with him to New Mexico, where their visions take place. Jimmy Null then phones Mitch again, this time with a new voice, and accepts the 1.4 million in cash. Mitch is told to meet them at the Turnbridge House, a massive estate whose building has been suspended. Taggart comes before Mitch can depart with the news that Anson's name appears in Jason Osteen's phone book. Taggert also highlights contradictions in Mitch's previous account to him. Mitch first maintains his brother is gone but eventually admits to Taggart the sequence of events. Mitch tasers Taggart and flees as they approach Anson in the laundry area. He tells Taggart before escaping that he cannot trust anybody else to help Holly because he loves her too much and time is running out. The cops pursue Mitch on foot from the gun store after he purchases bullets for a pistol he stole from one of the executioners. He borrows an SUV from a petrol station and drives to the Turnbridge mansion to meet his adversary. The kidnapper informs Mitch that Holly's moment of choosing has arrived, and Holly is able to distract the kidnapper by seeming to have stigmata, which he feels is proof of her visions and dedication. Holly's wounds are really self-inflicted by the nail. Mitch uses the diversion to shoot the kidnapper, who is originally shielded by a bullet-proof vest. Null then follows Mitch and Holly on his motorbike, but Mitch finally kills him by shooting at his head.
An epilogue concludes the novel. Mitch is celebrating his 32nd birthday. We discover that Campbell was murdered in jail and that Anson is presently on death row. Mitch and Holly have two children and are expecting a third, Mitch's business is thriving, and Detective Taggart has become a family friend.
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