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Joe couldn’t look at Lia. If he did, he would lose his cool completely and the number one rule for a hostage negotiator was to stay in control of his emotions.
Like hell. His emotions were bouncing like bullets ricocheting around a small metal room. To stay locked down, he needed to believe with a hundred percent certainty that Lia would be released unharmed. That the knife on her neck wouldn’t do any more damage.
If he saw pain or fear in her eyes, he might just lose his shit and that wouldn’t end well for anyone.
Rachel’s home had doors between the rooms, so he’d left the one behind him open as he’d walked through it. It would be easier for Flynn to hear what was happening. Aisling had taken Owen with her to the firehall to get help and Graham was probably around the back already. Their entire Midnight Security team would be on the way along with Marcus, Troy, and other townspeople.
There was no way that Isaac Simmen was escaping today, but he didn’t need to know that. Desperate people did desperate things and that’s not what they needed to happen.
Joe glanced down at Rachel on the floor. She was bleeding from her torso and appeared unconscious. Lia had said she wouldn’t die, but Joe wasn’t sure if that was for Owen’s benefit or not. “We need to get a paramedic in here to take Rachel to a hospital. I’m here. You don’t need her anymore. Let her go get the help she needs. Let them both go.”
“No. You have to pay for what you did.”
“I didn’t shoot your wife, Isaac. I was landing at the airport when that happened, but I’m sorry about Lindsay.”
He watched the arm around Lia’s throat flex with his words. Were people avoiding using her name? He could use that to remind Isaac they were all human. “Tell me about her, Isaac. Tell me about Lindsay.”
The knife dropped a bit, but not enough. If they had a sniper out the window maybe, but he wouldn’t risk Lia.
Isaac didn’t respond, so Joe kept talking. He’d done some research over the past few days to add to what he’d already found out that terrible day. “They tell me Lindsay saved another person that day. A pregnant woman. Her manager.”
“She was the best person I’ve ever known.” His voice shook and the knife did too, involuntarily nicking Lia again. She barely flinched, but Joe’s heart rate leapt.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Isaac. From all reports, Lindsay was a wonderful woman.”
Isaac squeezed Lia and raised his voice. “And you killed her.”
“I didn’t kill her and I’m sorry about her death, Isaac. How would Lindsay feel about what you’re doing today?”
“She’s dead. She can’t feel anything.”
“But she’s still with you. She’s part of you. She always will be. The people who touch our hearts are always part of us, even when they’re gone.” Joe needed to keep him talking, keep him thinking anything other than hurting Lia.
“Lindsay was brave. She protected her manager. She loved you, Isaac. You’re lucky enough to have been loved by a brave and caring woman. That says something pretty powerful about you.”
The knife dropped again and Joe tried to shuffle closer without it being obvious he was moving at all. Isaac was listening, thinking. All good signs.
“I don’t know how to live without her.”
Shit. That was never good. People with that mentality weren’t averse to suicide. Sometimes they wanted to take others with them, sometimes they wanted someone else to kill them so they didn’t have to do it themselves.
Lia’s soft and steady voice broke into the silence. “Of course you do, Isaac. You know what Lindsay loved, you know her dreams and her aspirations. I bet she wanted to travel with you. Take big steps out into the world with the man she loved. Or maybe she preferred the quiet moments at home, watching old movies and snuggling on the couch.”
Isaac gulped hard and Joe could see the emotion on the man’s face. His hand slipped to Lia’s shoulder but the knife was still too close for anyone to move on him.
Lia continued, her voice gentle. “Lindsay would want you to have those things for her. She’s in your heart and wherever you go, whatever you experience, she’ll get to do it right alongside you. What would she want you to do, Isaac?”
“I miss her so damn much.”
Lia kept her voice soft. “I know. It hurts.”
Silence reigned for a long moment. Then Isaac spoke again. “She didn’t deserve to die. She wasn’t supposed to die. Someone has to pay.”
Joe had closed half the space. Almost close enough, but Isaac’s sorrow-filled eyes rose to meet him so he had to still his movement.
His voice was anguished when he repeated. “Someone has to pay.”
Joe widened his arms slowly, trying to draw the man’s attention away from Lia. “The man who robbed the bank is in jail and he’s going to be there for a very long time. The courts will sentence him soon.”
