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“Sure. I never forget a pretty face. But why the hell are you calling me now?”
“I’m right outside, and I’m calling to help you. I know you want your family back together. We’re doing our best to make that happen.”
That last part was a lie, but it was what Jess had been trained to do. Tell the suspect anything he wants to hear, even if it isn’t true. All that matters is saving the hostages.
“So where’s my wife? Is she with you?”
“She was in Cottonwood Springs. But she’s on her way back here now. She says she still loves you and wants to work things out. She’ll be here soon, so you can let those children go.”
“Uh-uh. When I see her and hear her say it, that’s when I’ll let those kids go. And if she takes too long, you know what I’ll do . . .Kaboom!”
Buck had come to the table. He picked up the notepad, scrawled a message on the first page, and laid it down where Jess could see it.
Lawyer can’t locate Ruth. Kids are with sister but Ruth went out and hasn’t come back. She’ll keep trying.
Jess nodded. It was a setback, but she would just have to deal with it. She took a moment to think.
“What’s goin’ on?” McCoy demanded. “Is my wife there?”
“Not yet. But she called. Your little girls can’t wait to see their daddy again. But she can’t let them see hostages in your house. You’ll need to let them go.”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
“How are the children, Ed? Are they all right? Do they need anything?”
“They’re fine. The little redheaded brat’s been talkin’ my ear off. Some damn nonsense about me needin’ a Christmas tree. Now she’s singin’ ‘Jingle Bells.’” He put a hand over the phone but Jess could still hear him. “Shut up, you little bitch, before I knock your block off.”
He was losing patience. That worried Jess. “You know, Ed, you don’t have to keep her. You’ve got the boys. Letting Maggie go now would buy you some points with the judge.”
“Judge? Hell, missy, what law have I broke? Skip lives here. And the other two kids knocked on the door and came in on their own. It’s not like I snatched ’em off the street. And my wife’s bound to withdraw the charges for slapping her into line, just like always. I deserve to be as free as a bird.”
“Then prove it. Ruth is on her way, with the girls. If she finds everything as it should be—you in the house waiting with open arms—think how happy she’ll be.”
Silence.
Jess’s thoughts flew back to the last time she’d done this job, her decision to hold back the man’s wife, and the awful conclusion. Ed McCoy was violent and unpredictable. If Ruth didn’t come, and he learned that he’d been lied to, the same thing could happen here.
“Let’s bargain, Ed,” she said. “What do you want in exchange for letting Maggie go now? Food? We can get you some pizza or doughnuts. We can get you a car—a nice one, yours to keep—if you want to leave. Name your price.”
More silence. Then an outburst. “I just want somepeace! All right! You can have the little hellion!”
He put the receiver down. A moment later, the front door opened far enough to allow a small figure to squeeze through before it slammed shut again. Then Maggie was running, running down the steps, down the sidewalk and into her father’s arms.
After the tearful reunion with her mother came the questions.
“What did you see in there, Maggie? Where are the boys?”
“Tied to chairs. I think Trevor could get loose but he doesn’t dare. Mr. McCoy has a pistol. That’s the only gun I saw.”
“What about the dynamite? Has he really got some?”
“I don’t know. I asked to see it and he wouldn’t tell me.”
The leader of the SWAT team stood close by, listening. “We could position snipers outside the windows—take him out when we get a clear shot.”
Maggie burst into tears. “Oh, please don’t shoot Mr. McCoy. He isn’t a bad man. He’s just really, really sad.”
Sam’s eyes met his wife’s. He nodded. “Let’s give it a little more time,” he said.
