Scott Fleetwood is a news reporter with a past connected to
the Piper, a person who kidnapped children, made heavy
demands and always received payment for returning the
child -- except for the last one, whom he killed. The FBI
held Scott partially responsible for the death of the boy,
since The Piper spoke to the world through Scott's column.
At least, Scott thought that the man was the Piper. While
Scott sat on information the FBI could have used to locate
the kidnapper, all eyes focused on the man pretending to be
the Piper. Then the real kidnapper became angry and
punished them all with the death of the child.
Years later, the Piper is back. And he has made a personal
statement by taking one of Scott's twin boys. FBI agent Tom
Sheils made the Piper case a personal commitment, so the
Fleetwood case is his assignment. Still harboring ill
feelings toward Scott, the two go at it until Scott's wife
demands they put personal feelings aside for the child's
sake.
Scott frantically tries to compile the ransom. The father
of the little boy killed by the Piper all those years ago
comes to his rescue with financial help. The FBI set up
camp in Scott's home, but Scott has a gut feeling that the
Piper isn't going to let his son go free. This is a
personal vendetta for Scott's role in the past. Even while
Scott is under FBI protection, the Piper manages to slip
him a cell phone. The Piper demands Scott keep their
conversations secret if he wants to see his child alive.
When the scheduled drop off goes awry, the Piper kidnaps
Scott's other son as additional punishment. Frantic to save
his sons, Scott agrees to any terms laid out by the Piper.
He's devastated as each plan the FBI forms is foiled. No
one can outsmart the Piper, but Scott is going to try. He
has to in order to make up for the past and get his
children back alive. Scott Fleetwood is not a perfect man,
but he's a perfect example of a father who will do anything
for his children.
Simon Wood continues to excite readers with his
second thriller's suspenseful twists and turns. Full of
angst and anticipation, PAYING THE PIPER is another fine
example of a story you won't be able to put down until
you've read the last page.
He was known as the Piper—a coldhearted kidnapper who
terrified the city. Crime reporter Scott Fleetwood built
his career on the Piper. The kidnapper even taunted the
FBI through Scott’s column. But Scott had been duped. The
person he’d been speaking to wasn’t really the Piper. By
the time the FBI exposed the hoaxer, time ran out…and the
real Piper killed the child. Then he vanished. But now
he’s back, with very specific targets in mind—Scott’s
children.
