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Ronald looked horrified. "What? No! I never killed anyone!" He shook his head and ran a hand over his face. "I just wanted to feel in control, like I was the one making the decisions. That's all. I didn't want to hurt anyone. It was a couple of prostitutes I picked up. I paid them to let me tie them up, then I let them go, that was it."
Will looked at Ronald and wasn't sure what to believe. He had never seen this side of Ronald before, and it was hard to tell if he was telling the truth or not. His story seemed plausible, but all the same, Will couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. Was Ronald really as innocent as he claimed?
"I think we should continue this at the station," Charlie suggested.
"Wait!" Ronald protested. "I haven't done anything!"
"You can either come voluntarily or with persuasion," Sheriff Carter said, his voice like stone. "Which is it?"
Ronald looked around the room, his eyes wide and filled with terror. He was like a cornered animal, and he knew that he had no choice but to comply.
Just then, Valerie stood up and placed herself between Ronald and the police officers. "Ronald," she said softly, her voice full of compassion. "You don't have to do this. You can come with us willingly. We just want to help you."
Ronald looked around the room in desperation, searching for a way out of his situation. He paused for a moment. Will saw it coming a millisecond before it happened. The adrenaline had kicked in. Fight or flight. Fight was Ronald's only option.
He reached into his robe and pulled out a small knife, and in one quick movement, grabbed Valerie by the throat, holding the pen knife to her neck.
"I'm not going anywhere!" the man screamed, backing off with Valerie to the rear wall. "Now, you're all going to put your guns down and let me walk out of here. I'll let your friend go once I'm clear."
"You hurt her," Charlie said, brandishing his gun at Ronald, "and I'll drop you. Let her go!"
"Do it now!" Carter shouted, pointing his gun at Ronald as well.
Will's heart raced as he saw Ronald's grip tighten on Valerie. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to save Valerie. Charlie and Sheriff Carter were going for the direct approach. But Will had already built a profile of the man in his head. He was defensive. And in defense, he would act erratically. If they tried to disarm him, he very well might cut Valerie's throat in fear.
"We're not here to hurt you," Valerie said standing still in the man's grip. Will knew she was highly trained, but she had dropped her guard, which was not like her. That had let her be caught by surprise.
"Charlie, Sheriff Carter," Will said in an unusually commanding voice. "Please vacate the room and let me talk to Ronald."
"No way!" Sheriff Carter said. "You don't even have a gun."
"He doesn't need one, here," Charlie said, agreeing. "Come on, Sheriff."
Both men reluctantly left Will with Valerie and her captor.
Will took a deep breath and slowly walked towards Ronald. He had to keep him calm but also get him to release Valerie.
"Ronald," he said calmly, "I know you're scared and feeling helpless right now. But if you haven't killed anyone, I can guarantee you that you have nothing to fear."
"I ... I don't believe you," Ronald answered.
Will would have to try a different tact. One came to mind, it was a gamble, but he wasn't willing to watch Valerie get hurt without trying to save her. God knew, she'd saved him enough times.
"Tell me, Ronald," Will said. "Did someone tie you up as a child?"
Ronald gasped as if a terrible secret had been revealed about himself. "How ... how do you know ..."
"I help people get to know themselves, Ronald," Will said. "And I think you've hidden from yourself long enough, don't you?"
Will could see the man's grip loosening slightly on Valerie's arm and throat. If he could just get him to loosen enough ...
"Who did it to you, Ronald? A family member? When you were a child?"
"My uncle used to tie me up when I was younger," he said finally. "He'd lock me in the closet, and it felt like I was never going to get out." He paused, his voice quivering slightly as the memories came flooding back.
Will sensed an opening to gain his trust. Valerie was staring at him intently, the knife still pressed up against the pale white of her throat. One quick slash on Ronald's part, and she would bleed out.
"It's okay to be scared," Will said, "but you can't let your fear control you. And when you tie people up, it's a way for you to gain control over the memory of your abuser. You're not powerless anymore."
