The brief response and quiet background were unsettling. “How is everyone doing in there?”
“Fine.”
Another one-word reply. Tingles fired down her spine. “Including Edward and the boy?”
Ryan sniffed. “Yes.”
“Ryan, could I talk to them?”
“Why? You don’t believe me?”
“It’s not that. It’s my boss. He’s breathing down my neck out here. Please, at least, let me talk to Edward.”
Silence stretched across the line for several seconds, then, “Okay… Say hi to the FBI agent, Edward.”
“Get us… the… fuck out of…” His voice drifted off.
“Edward, this is Special Agent Vos. You’re not sounding so good.”
“I’ve been shot.” Edward panted over the line. “What’s, ah, taking so long? Get in here and?—”
“That’s enough!” Ryan said loudly, reclaiming the phone. “You heard him. He’s fine.”
He sounded far fromfine, but she was smart enough not to argue with a delusional person. The best approach was to feed into their fantasies, join them and help them see they weren’t alone. “That’s great. The way I see it you haven’t done anything you can’t still walk away from. Why not just do that? Surrender?”
Ryan laughed. “No one’s going to let me walk away. The wayIsee it is I have nothing to lose.” His voice thickened with tension, and there was a yell in the background that sounded like it came from Ashley Hanson.
“Tell me what’s going on, Ryan. Let me help you.” There were times like now she wished she had eyes inside, but that was a familiar feeling. Most negotiations took place without the hostage taker or hostages being on video.
“All I need from you is the press. Tell them to hurry. I’m getting impatient.”
“Everyone is hurrying, Ryan. We hear you. How are the kids, Ryan? Sophie and Brayden?” she pressed again. Having a man shoot his father in front of him and the active threat of further violence couldn’t be helping Brayden’s asthma. She was also stalling, trying to decide how to put things about the press conference.
“They’re fine. The boy is breathing fine again.”
Sandra noticed that Donny shifted next to her and tried to tune him out. “But he wasn’t?”
“He had an asthma attack, but he got his puffer. I told you he’s fine.”
“So you got his puffer for him, Ryan?”
“I let his mom get it.”
“Oh, that was nice of you, Ryan.”
“Yeah, and everything and everyone is good. So keep the guys with the guns away, and don’t call me back until the press gets here.” With that, he hung up.
Sandra let out a deep breath. She hadn’t even discussed the limited press conference or moving it outside.
“Not good?” Neal asked, as he hadn’t been roped into this call.
“Nope.”
If Neal was going to ask for more, it was left unsaid. His phone rang, and he answered.
Sandra continued the conversation with Donny, Monica, and Gibson. “At least Ryan let the boy get his inhaler. That’s something. It’s certainly telling of his character.” She clung to the positive takeaway. He’d also let Edward receive help from Abram Duke before his release. The man they were dealing with wasn’t wired for violence; he’d just been pushed past his breaking point. Something she’d thought before but didn’t find completely reassuring.
“So he’s not a complete monster, but still…” Donny bugged his eyes and pressed his lips.
