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I don’t think they’ll operate just because he shouted it so.
But I don’t tell Slade that.
Instead, I nod and make my way closer. “Let’s say they took her in at six.” Closer. “We were locked in here at five. Give them time to receive your request, then prep her and the OR. So they started at six, or just a little after. It’s now nearly nine. That’s three hours in, which means they’ve possibly already removed the mass from her lung.”
I continue closer still, until only ten feet separate us, and the glitter of his tears makes my heart ache. “It’s big,” I tell him. “Possibly has its own blood source at this point. So they’re taking care to snip it all away and stop the bleeding.”
“When is the food gonna be here?” the little boy sitting with his mom whines quietly.
I look around and find his mother crushing him to her bosom. Silencing him. But I work hard to conjure a smile and attempt to comfort them both.
Parker Slade is a dangerous man. But he’s not malicious. If he becomes a killer today, it won’t be because he meant to.
“I guess they’re still cooking it.” I bring my gaze back to Slade and take a step closer. “Or really, they’re likely busy collecting medical supplies for us. These things take time.”
“How much longer until we’re in trouble?” Almost child-like, Slade looks to the still-red-faced woman—her name is Laura—who might be our second most critical concern after Earl. “How long until her blood pressure kills her?”
“I don’t know.” I step closer again and lower into a crouch when we’re just three feet apart. I could touch his gun if I leaned forward. I could take it, if only he’d loosen his hold. “If she remains calm and seated, I think we have time. Could I call them?” I tilt my head toward the door to indicate who I mean. “I could use the phones, or my cell. If you just give mine back, I could speak directly with the captain. Or even the mayor.”
“No.”
“Or I could go to the door and ask that way.”
“No.”
“I could check in to see how close we are. We need bandages for—”
“I saidno!” he snaps so loud, our captive audience startles.
Shoving to his feet, Slade towers over me and burns a dangerous shade of red. His blood pressure, too, needs careful monitoring. “Listen, lady! Stop trying to be my fucking friend. Stop trying to comfort me. And stop sneaking closer.” He takes back the space I stole, and points his gun directly at my chest. “Just fucking stop!”
“I-I’m sorry.” I raise my hands and straighten my legs to move back a step. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“So stop speaking! Go back over there,” he waves his gun toward Aubree and Earl, “keep him from dying, and shut your fuckin’ mouth so I can think.”
The phone on the bank manager’s desk trills, the pitch jarring in the cavernous space. I jump in response, then twist and step between it and Slade when he again swings his gun that way.
When he points it at Aubree.
“That might be our food,” I say levelly. He needs to feed us. To accept the medicines coming our way. I need him to calm the hell down and stop pointing his gun every time he’s angry. “What do you want me to do?”
His nostrils flare, and sweat beads on his brow. He takes a whole minute to think. The tick of the clock is deafening, and the scream of the phone grates on my nerves. Combined with the sniffles and cries of his hostages, it’s enough to cause sensory overload in my exhausted brain. But I count my breaths and watch his hands. His twitching fingers. His fraying temper.
“It could be about your daughter,” I try again. “They might have news.”
“Fine.” He jerks his head with permission, so I spin on my heels and dash the thirty or so feet to the desk.
I flop down with an exhale, ignoring the pain in my body, and snatch up the phone before it rings out. “This is Minka Mayet.”
“Minnnka.” Archer’s own exhale. His relief. His worry. “You hanging in there, beautiful?”
“Yeah.” I chew on my bottom lip and think. What to say. What to ask. How to get the most out of a call Slade didn’t want me to take. “Do you have news about Suzanne’s surgery?”
“Yeah,” he bites out. “It’s not happening. The hospital board is refusing to move her up the line, even if he had the cash today. The captain is siding with them, and the mayor has only just arrived on scene.”
“Oh, that’s good.” I fake a cheery tone and meet Parker’s stare. “That’s really good news, Detective. What does the mayor want to do about all this?”
“He and the negotiation team are trying to figure that out. No decisions have been made yet, but he’s aware you’re in there.”
