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Liam and the guys had deployed around the bank while Gage waited for further orders from McCauley.
Then this guy showed up saying Clare was his boss.
Gage knew all about Vanguard Investigations. He didn’t have a problem with them, but that might be because he’d never crossed paths with any of their people. Everyone knew Vanguard hired ex-cops and criminals. If that was how Clare ran her business then it said something of the caliber of person she was, didn’t it?
“She can take care of herself,” the guy said. “And she’ll take care of the people inside.”
Gage squared on the guy. “What did you say your name was?” He wasn’t even midtwenties. He had training. That was clear just in the way he moved. But the guy was new to this, whereas Gage had been a cop nearly fifteen years.
“Peter Olson.”
“And Vanguard sent you as their spokesperson?”
“We monitor the police band and the GPS location of all staff members. Clare pinged as inside the bank.”
“I know she’s in there.” Gage wanted to fold his arms, but the rifle clipped to his front prevented that. He’d seen her through binoculars. Honestly he wouldn’t have been surprised if seeing her landed him on his butt. The termflooredabsolutely applied here.
McCauley jogged him out of his thoughts. “You and her have history?”
The Vanguard guy didn’t say anything, and Gage wasn’t going to answer in front of anyone else. Not that he and McCauley had anything between them but professional respect. “Let’s just get those hostages out and get the suspects detained, shall we? This isn’t personal.”
He walked away then, out from under the awning where McCauley had set up scene command. The last thing he needed was Clare invading his life right now. His history with her was just that—ancient. As the new lieutenant of SWAT he needed a laser focus on his team and the job.
Otherwise he’d lose everything he’d been working toward his entire career. Or since the day he realized Clare had left him to his life and gone on with hers.
The front doors to the bank opened, and people started to run out.
Chaos erupted.
The first few people, dressed in office attire, lifted their hands. Cops yelled for them to get down. No one expected the hostages to flee out the front door, unless something had happened inside.
Gage keyed his radio. “Sit rep on four.”
The SWAT team had their own channel, and since the uniforms here could take care of hostages, he had the guys switch to it.
Liam came on first to channel four. “Back doors are shut. No movement.”
“I’ve got something on the roof.” Dakota’s voice was steady in a way Gage needed right now. The guy might have issues, but he focused like the professional he was when the situation demanded it. Who wasn’t a hot mess when they took off the uniform at the end of the day and were left to their own devices?
Gage said, “Go ahead, Masterson.”
“Door open on the roof. Five males exited, masks, and one had a backpack. All armed.”
Gage headed for the front door, fighting through the crowd to get close to it.
“They’re using a zip line on the roof,” Dakota added.
Gage stopped. “Which direction?”
“East.”
He looked up at the height of the bank. “Tell me where it ends. The rest of you, head for the end on foot. I’ll bring the van.”
Gage jumped in the driver’s seat, not bothering to adjust it from Liam’s six-two frame to his five-ten. He just sat on the edge of the seat and flipped on his lights and siren. He made sure people got out of his way as he wound through emergency vehicles headed east.
“A woman exited after them.” Dakota paused. “She can’t go after them dressed like that.” He sounded like he was talking to himself with that last part.
“What’s she doing?” Gage didn’t want to ask what she looked like so he could confirm it was Clare. They’d realize he knew her, and he’d have to deal with more questions than just the ones from McCauley and whoever had overheard. Word would get out they had history, but that didn’t mean anyone would find out the truth.
