“Before I listen to your demands, I want evidence of life,” I said.

They had my little girl and the FBI were calling the shots.  I was just scared to death.  It seemed a bit aggressive on my part to demand anything from these people and the silence on the other end of the phone was deafening.

“Daddy?”  A thin, fearful voice threw the question at me with the force of a hurricane.

She was alive.  My knees quivered and I had to grab the desk for support.