The Impossible Fortune
by Richard Osman
Contents
Chapter 70
Overview
Ron survives a gunpoint confrontation with Danny Lloyd by pretending to bargain away the Bitcoin paper in exchange for his family’s safety. He forces Danny to cancel the hits on Jason and Suzi on speaker, exposing Danny’s guilt and the scale of the threat. The meeting is revealed as a planned police sting, and Danny is arrested, giving Ron and his family immediate safety even though the Bitcoin and Holly Lewis mystery remain unresolved.
Summary
Ron faces Danny Lloyd, who is sweating, high on cocaine, and pointing a gun at him. Danny says Connie Johnson told him about Ron’s plan and demands the piece of paper he believes controls the Bitcoin fortune. Ron immediately recognizes that handing it over would not save him, so he turns the standoff into a negotiation.
Ron uses the paper as leverage to protect his family. Ron makes Danny agree never to go near Suzi again, never to see Kendrick again, and to call off the planned murders of Suzi, Jason and Kendrick. Because Danny’s promises are worthless on their own, Ron demands proof and tells Danny to call the man hired to kill Jason.
Danny puts the call on speaker and speaks to Bobby. On the call, Bobby confirms that Danny had hired him to kill Jason and had also planned Suzi’s murder, with payment arranged for both jobs. By forcing Danny to cancel the attacks out loud, Ron gets direct confirmation of Danny’s guilt and learns how far Danny was willing to go.
Ron then walks toward the bedroom as if he is finally going to fetch the paper. Instead, that movement triggers the trap: armed police officers storm in, order Danny to drop his weapon, and arrest him. Pauline embraces Ron afterward, and DCI Chris Hudson reveals himself as part of the operation.
After Danny is handcuffed, Ron reflects that the setup was planned with Suzi, Jason, Connie, Chris and Donna after the family discussed how to stop Danny. Kendrick had also influenced the decision by overhearing the adults and pushing the matter toward action. Ron concludes that informing on Danny was justified, because protecting his family mattered more than criminal codes about never grassing.
Who Appears
- RonConfronts Danny at gunpoint, bargains for his family, and helps spring the police trap.
- Danny LloydCocaine-fueled gunman who demands the Bitcoin paper and admits ordering hits on Jason and Suzi.
- Connie JohnsonSecretly coordinates with Ron and police, luring Danny into the setup that leads to his arrest.
- SuziRon’s daughter; Danny had assaulted her and arranged to have her killed.
- JasonRon’s son, also marked for death by Danny and central to Ron’s bargaining.
- KendrickChild Ron wants protected; his reaction helped push the adults toward involving police.
- PaulineWaits with police and comforts Ron once the armed intervention succeeds.
- DCI Chris HudsonLeads the armed police intervention and arrests Danny after the confession.
- BobbyHired killer whose speakerphone call confirms Danny’s murder plans were active.