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Forcing my eyes back open, I search my captor’s expression. “He wants me to put him on speaker,” I murmur. “He wants to speak to you directly.”
He considers. Weighs. Searches for the trick.
Finally, he nods. “Okay. Speaker is okay.”
Archer exhales so I swear Ifeelhis breath on my neck, then just before I remove the phone from my ear, he cuts in, “Minka? Babe? You there?”
“Yes.” That’s it. That’s all I give him, for fear Slade will lash out at me for not following his order.
“I love you, okay? I’m not leaving until I have you.”
“I know.”I trust you.
I want to tell him so. And that I love him too. But both would trigger Parker Slade to make a rash decision, so I keep my lips shut and reach out to the buttons on the phone. Hitting the right one, I set the handset down, and close my eyes when Archer’s voice fills the old bank.
“Parker?” He’s loud. Certain. Steady, when I know for a fact he’s ready to tear the doors off the building. “Are you there, Parker?”
“I’m here.” He swallows and takes a step closer. Then a second. “Are you the hostage people? Is it your job to negotiate with me?”
I see in my mind the way Archer shakes his head. “I’m not, actually. But I am a cop, and I’m on the phone with you right now. I can help you, Mr. Slade.”
“Get my baby her surgery.” The man’s words shake so I feel his pain in my stomach. “She’s dying, Detective. We’ve run out of time, and the hospital won’t work for free. Get her the surgery, and I’ll let everyone go.”
“Let everyone go now,” Archer reasons. “And I’ll make sure your little girl is taken to the OR. I promise.”
“Surgery first.” Slade reaches up and scrubs the tears from his eyes. “She needs to go to the OR tonight, Detective. She’s only twelve. She’s been sick for as long as we remember. So you’re gonna get her the help she needs, andthenI’ll release these people.”
“How can I be sure you won’t hurt anyone?”
I open my eyes and glance down to find Aubree’s pale-faced stare. She knows that voice. She knows how close we are. But no one says his name, and we especially don’t mention his connection to me.
“There are reports of a gunshot victim already, Mr. Slade.”
“He did that to himself!” Angry, Parker charges forward another half a dozen steps. Still, there are twenty feet between us. “He grabbed me, Detective! He tried to snatch the gun, and it went off on its own. I didn’t do that.”
“It was an accident,” I murmur. Like somehow, my addition will keep the man out of prison. “The guard tried to wrestle for the gun, Detective. Mr. Slade didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Well…” I imagine Archer bringing a hand up and pushing it through his hair. How he puzzles out my words and tries to understand why I would add to the conversation at all. “Okay,” he settles on. “I believe you. Is he alive?”
“Yes,” I answer before anyone else can. “Barely. My colleague began working on him and packing the wound just as you called. But he’ll require medivac as soon as possible.”
“Parker, let your wounded and his doctors out,” Archer demands. “Let them out so we can keep him alive. It’ll be a trade of good faith.”
My heart flutters for half a beat.Freedom, so incredibly close.
But Slade shakes his head. “No.” Determined, he lifts his gun and points it toward the line of hostages so they cry out. “Get my baby into the OR, and then we’ll talk.”
“Alright!” Archer calls out when women scream in fear. When men choke on their nerves. “Alright. Don’t do anything crazy, Mr. Slade. Don’t hurt anyone.”
“Tonight!” he shouts. “Get Suzanne into an ER now!”
“I could give you the hundred grand,” Archer offers. “Free and clear. I won’t come looking to get it back, I swear.”
“Tempting,” Slade responds coldly. “But I’m not walking out a free man, Detective, and the moment I hand these people over, I’ve lost my last chance of getting my baby the help she needs. So this is the last time I’ll say this. Find a doctor, get her that surgery. Then you can call me, and I’ll happily step out front and let you have me.”
“Mr. Slade—”
“Goodbye, Detective.” He glares at me until I take a hint and hover my hand over the button to end the call. “Hang up!”
