The three friends traveled until 10:00 A.M. to reach Pearl's parents' house. It was very big, for the Edwards were rich people. They walked up the walkway and nervously rang the doorbell. The door was soon opened by a woman with graying hair and brown eyes behind black glasses.
"Hello? How May I help you?"
"Hello Mrs. Edwards," Tana said. "Remember me, Tana, Pearl's friend?"
"Oh yes how nice to see you again," Mrs. Edwards said, but looked as if it was anything but.
"This is Alan and Fred, other friends of Pearl."
"Oh, nice to meet you too, would you like to come in?"
"Yes, we uh... have some bad news."
"Pearl's been kidnapped?"
"Yes," Alan said. "Last night, the police tried calling you, but couldn't reach you."
"Honey, I'm home," came a man's voice from the front door. Soon a man with gray hair and the same blue eyes as Pearl. "Oh I didn't know you had visitors."
"Paul, sit down," Mrs. Edwards said, and her husband complied. "Paul, Pearl's been kidnapped."
"What? By who? Why?"
"The police haven't found out who, but the kidnapper called and said he kidnapped her because he knew you were rich. He wants ten thousand dollars in three days."
"What?! Who does that man think he is? That..." Paul started issuing a string of profanities, swearing at the kidnapper, where ever he was.
"We have to do what he says. Even though Pearl disappointed us with not going to law school, and hasn't talked to us much after that, she's still our daughter," Mrs. Edwards said.
"Well of course," Mr. Edwards agreed. Just then Alan's cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Alan?"
"It's Pearl."
