The Negotiator (28 page)

Ben stepped aside to let a couple coming toward them through. Kate hurriedly wiped her eyes one last time. Dave’s sister Sara trailed closely by her husband; Kate knew them instantly from the pictures around Dave’s home. This was so embarrassing.

“Sara.” Dave stepped forward and enveloped his sister in a hug. “Come meet Kate,” he said turning to make the introductions.

Kate liked the lady at first sight. Beautiful, the pictures had not done her justice; petite, and with an open inquisitive gaze that made Kate aware of just how closed her own expression must be. She had instinctively retreated to the impassive mode of observing as soon as she saw them. She could feel the nerves taking over as she said hello and shook hands.

Jennifer stepped forward, and the awkward moment passed. Jennifer could charm anyone with her smile and her calm manner. It let Kate take a half step back and simply follow the conversation as Jennifer and Sara talked about New York.

Dave touched her arm. “I’m going to bring the car around. Come down the back stairs; Ben knows the way. Sara and Adam are going to follow us.”

She nodded.

Two minutes later she was following Ben through the relative quiet of the back stairways, Adam beside her. Kate found Sara’s husband to be a confident man, charming, and from his attention to his wife a couple steps ahead of them, very much focused on those he loved. They reached the lower landing.

“Let Ben check for reporters before we go out,” Adam suggested when she would have opened the door to the step outside.

“I’m never going to get used to this,” she remarked, dropping her hand.

“With time it will become second nature. It’s part of the reality of being news.”

“Outside of a church?”

“If they had a lead on your location, absolutely.” He glanced over at his wife who was still in a discussion with Jennifer, then turned back to Kate. He rested his shoulder against the wall, relaxed, watchful, sharing a smile. “Dave managed to forget to mention you were from the South.”

“He’s been talking about me.” She didn’t know whether to be secretly thrilled or embarrassed.

“Not enough to satisfy Sara.”

Kate glanced over at her. “Your wife is lovely.”

Adam chuckled. “You should see the disaster that is our bedroom. She had absolutely nothing to wear suitable for this occasion. You make her nervous, Kate. Hence the fact she’s hiding behind your sister at the moment.”

Kate blinked, just once. “I do?”

“You do; so relax. The nerves are mutual.” He was making a well-educated guess; there was no way she appeared nervous. She knew how hard the disciplined control had clamped down on her expression. If anything, she appeared distant and aloof.

“I don’t have to see them to know they are there. Was that you Saturday afternoon? The early evening news reported the standoff in progress.”

She rested her back against the wall, unconsciously positioning herself as a cop would to keep the world in front of her. She decided she liked Adam. “Yes.”

“I’m glad you were able to settle it peacefully.”

“Almost all situations have peaceful conclusions if there is enough time.” She glanced again at Dave’s sister and decided it was easier to ask Adam than to try to broach the subject with Sara later. “Is Sara okay with what happened at the bank? I know it had to have been a hard day for her, waiting so long for news. And with her past—”

“A few nightmares, a few old memories, she’s dealt with it.”

“I wish it hadn’t happened.” She grimaced. “I never did send a thank-you for the flowers. I honestly meant to.”

He flashed her a grin that made her blink for its warmth. “You’re forgiven.”

Ben came back inside, held open the door, and gave the all clear. Adam moved to rejoin his wife. “We’ll see you at the house in about twenty minutes.”

Kate nodded and went with Jennifer to Dave’s car.

Dave had stepped out to hold the car doors for them. “Thanks, Dave.” She slid into the front seat and reached automatically for the seat belt.

Traffic was beginning to build as they drove back to his home. They had just reached the Lake Forest town boundaries when he looked down, startled, his hand going to his waist. His pager set on vibrate mode had gone off, Kate realized.

He pulled it from his belt and looked at the number, immediately reaching for the phone. He punched in the number as he drove.

“This is Richman.”

He listened and his expression became grim. “We’re on the way.”

“They’ve found Tony. He’s holding Devlon at the bank corporate headquarters.”

Her throat closed.
Tony had taken the situation into his own hands.
She had found her brother only to lose him. Her face cleared of the churning emotions. She couldn’t afford to give in to them. Tony had managed to get himself cornered with the one person who would want to make sure he didn’t come out alive. “Is the situation contained?”

“Sealed off to the top floor. Jim wants you there.”

“Marcus?”

“On his way.”

He started dialing again, glancing back in the rearview mirror to her sister. “Jennifer, I can have Adam and Sara take you back to the house.”

“No, I’m coming along. It might be useful to have a doctor on-site.”

Kate knew if a doctor were needed it would be one accustomed to digging bullets out of people rather than a pediatrician, but she would never say as much. She wanted Jennifer there simply because she was an O’Malley.

Dave reluctantly nodded. His attention turned to the phone call he had placed. “Adam? We’ve got a change of plans.” He explained what was happening.

Kate tried to suppress the impact of what was happening, found it difficult to do.

Dave hung up the phone.

Kate asked the question that was bothering her the most. “How did Tony get into the corporate bank offices on a weekend?”

“At a guess, Devlon let him in, thinking to resolve the problem. He’s arrogant enough he probably thought he could kill Tony and then claim self-defense.”

She cringed having Dave confirm her worst fear. “Yes. It’s been all over the news that we have been looking for him. Devlon would have seen that as a way to excuse his actions.”

She rapidly dug out a pen from her bag and flipped open the pad of paper she had left in the car the day before, forcing herself to action, to the work that she could do. “Do you remember the bank? The layout of that executive level?”

“Two elevators opening onto a wide east-west corridor. Two secretary stations, the one guarding the east wing was Nathan’s secretary. Three doors behind her. A conference room, Nathan’s office at the end, Devlon’s office.”

“Who worked in the west wing?”

“I didn’t see the nameplates. But it was the same layout. Two offices and a conference room.”

“I’m guessing the corridor was about fourteen feet wide?”

“Yes.”

“Were the emergency stairs to the left or the right when we stepped off the elevators?”

“Right. There was a large fern, restroom, and then the emergency stairs.”

“The offices are on the top floor, so we may be able to get good use of the roof of the building. It’s ten floors, and there are taller buildings on all sides, so line of sight will favor us. Which room is the most likely for them to be in?”

“If it’s just Tony and Devlon, Tony would likely have pushed the confrontation into Devlon’s office.”

“Even though the room has full windows?”

“He’d pull the blinds but not realize he’s still vulnerable. Safer would be to move to the interior conference room.”

“Okay. He’ll have line of sight down the corridors, but that’s also a problem for him. He can’t really eliminate a threat to his back, even if he moves into one of the end offices. There are still the windows.” Kate could see the situation and knew how good the SWAT team was. They would be able to breach the floor if it was required. “Did you notice the ceilings?”

“Plaster.”

“The rooms are large, not much furniture. An assault team would be able to come in with clear lines of fire.”

“Kate, a peaceful conclusion will be found. Trust that.”

“I’m praying Jim lets me do the talking.”

“You’re too deeply involved in this case. Don’t get your hopes up. You’re going to be on the sidelines for this one.”

“You’re relieved at that fact.”

“Are you going to hate me if I say yes? Devlon isn’t exactly a friendly hostage to protect.”

“How are they going to handle this? That the one being held hostage is the one probably responsible for blowing up the plane?”

“Probably
is the operative word. We’ve got a theory, but not airtight proof against Devlon. And he
is
the hostage.”

“Tony is in deep trouble.”

He didn’t respond. He didn’t have to.

Twenty-four

T
he block around the bank had been sealed off. Media vans and their journalist teams were along the perimeter, trying to get the best vantage point or interview. From the numbers present, word must have leaked that this standoff was related to the airline bombing. Police had to control the crowd of spectators at the barricades. Overhead, the steady thumping beat of police helicopters guarded the scene. Kate scrambled for her badge and hurried through the crowd of cops to the forward command post, Dave jogging along beside her. There were so many different agencies here, men from her unit, the FBI, some of the ATF people. The task force had descended. It was a noisy, busy environment. Exactly what she expected.

“Jim.”

He broke free from the cluster of men to join her. “I’m sorry it’s going down like this, Kate.”

She kept her voice cool. “I’ve never met him.” She had to keep her distance if she was going to have any hope of being involved before this was over. “Where are things?”

“Come take a look at the blueprints. I could use your firsthand knowledge, both of the environment and the two men.” She followed, well aware of the less-than-comfortable looks coming from others in the command center. As far as most of them were concerned, she was related to a suspect and therefore a security risk. She was grateful to have Dave beside her. She sensed when someone else joined them and saw the men around the room abruptly shift their gaze away. Kate glanced back. Marcus. Between Dave and Marcus there was an implicit warning being issued to others in the room. It felt nice to know they were protecting her back.

She turned to look at the blueprints as Jim identified locations. “We’ve got the elevators shut down, Graham and a team in position on the stairs, more on the roof. It appears to be only Tony Jr. and Devlon on the tenth floor. Shades are drawn, lights are off, but snipers in the surrounding buildings have picked up movement—” he tapped a location—“here.”

“Devlon’s office.”

“Yes. The security guard downstairs said Devlon cleared Tony Jr. to come into the building. Franklin and Olsen are working to get us video optics snaked in through the ductwork along here so we can see what is happening. Phones have been isolated; we’ve already shut down the air-conditioning, and we’re preparing to shut down electricity and water.”

Kate nodded, having expected all of those steps. “Tony Jr. arrives at the bank, and Devlon clears him to come up. What happened when he got up there? Were shots fired? How did we get word about what was going on?”

“That’s what’s so puzzling. Fifteen minutes after Tony Jr. went upstairs, Devlon called the security guard to say he was being held hostage and told him to call the police.”

“Tony Jr.
wanted
us brought in?”

“Yes.”

“Have you made contact?”

“Christopher. He’s gotten through by phone. Tony Jr. wasn’t in the mood to talk, said to call back in an hour. We’re still twenty minutes away from that time.”

If Kate had to pick someone to handle the negotiations in her place, Christopher would have been her choice. “Is everyone aware Devlon is a suspect in the bombing?”

“They know. But Tony Jr. is not making this easier for his own defense.”

“If Tony Jr. dies, the ability to prove it was Devlon who planted that bomb gets more difficult.”

“I know that, too.” Her boss looked at her. “I can clear you to work with Christopher, but as much as I’d like to, I can’t give you the phone.”

It was more access than she thought she would get. “I’ll take it.”

“Get him up to speed. You’ve got about fifteen minutes before that next call.”

Kate nodded and turned to scan the room. She spotted Ian in the corner, and he waved her over. Leaving Dave and Marcus talking over the tactics of the situation with Jim, she crossed the room; where Ian was, Christopher would be. She was right. Christopher had made a private corner for himself tucked behind the communication gear. He was lighting his pipe, ignoring the commotion. It was so traditionally Christopher that she couldn’t help but smile.

He spun around a chair for her. “Nice mess, this one is, lass.”

“How much do you know?”

“Not nearly enough. The FBI profile,” he lifted the pages from his lap, “is worthless. It assumes Tony is the bomber, something I understand you doubt; therefore, its conclusions are probably wildly wrong. From that kid’s shaky voice it is clear he’s petrified.”

She let out a deep breath. “Innocent, but so terrified he’s going to get himself killed by doing something dumb.”

“Lass, you and I are going to make sure that doesn’t happen. Tell me everything you think happened.”

Since she didn’t have much time, she sketched in the case. The facts did look incriminating. There had to be a reason to look deeper and see that Devlon was the one who had actually helped Ashcroft. Tony was her brother. No one was going to get away with framing him for something he didn’t do. “Tony probably went after Devlon thinking the only way to clear his name was to make the man confess.”

“Rather naive of him.”

“Yes.”

It was time to make the call. Ian set it up for those in the room to hear it. Kate wished she were the one reaching for the phone instead of Christopher.

Come on, Tony, pick up.

“Hello, Tony, it’s Chris again.”

“Why did you shut off the electricity?”

To keep you from seeking safety in the restroom, maybe get you to crack a window blind.
That wouldn’t be said of course. Christopher was right. Tony sounded young…and frustrated. Frustrated was not good.

“The alarm inside the bank was ready to sound, and we knew that would be rather distressing for you to hear. We didn’t have the codes, so we shut down the system the only way we could.”

There was a pause. “I want to speak with Marla.”

Wife.
Kate scrawled the word for Christopher. He nodded. “We can try to arrange something.”

“When she gets here, call me. In the meantime, start looking for the combination to Devlon’s office safe.”

“What are you looking for?”

“Just get me the combination.” Tony slammed down the phone.

Kate winced. “An hour hasn’t eased that sound of panic.”

Christopher reached over to replay the conversation. “He gave himself an hour to search the place, and he didn’t find whatever he expected. What’s he looking for? And what happens if he doesn’t get it?”

She ran her hand through her hair. “He was being blackmailed. Maybe he is looking for something he thinks Devlon acquired.”

“I’m surprised he wasn’t pleading his innocence.”

She looked at Christopher and saw it was an observation, nothing more, and agreed with him. “I think he’s given up believing someone will listen.”

Christopher nodded. “Then we’ll just have to convince him otherwise.”

“We’ve got video,” one of the technicians across the room announced.

Kate pushed back her chair so both she and Christopher could see the screens being turned on. They had one camera with a view of the corridor, another that had been lowered into the corner of Devlon’s office.

“Are the tactical teams getting this?” Marcus asked.

“Yes.”

Devlon sat in a chair that had been pulled to the center of his office.

Kate leaned toward the screen. “What’s that around Devlon’s wrist?”

“Looks like he’s handcuffed to the chair,” Christopher speculated.

“Tony made a mistake leaving Devlon in a chair with rollers. If things get interesting, his hostage can move on him. And he left the other hand free.”

“He should have used a phone cord, an electrical cord, something,” Christopher agreed. “The kid’s not thinking things through.”

Tony stood in the doorway of the office, trying to watch both directions of the corridor, a gun in his right hand. He had made a few changes to the furniture arrangements. One of the secretary’s desks had been pulled over to give him access to the phone. The other desk had been moved in front of the stairway door.

The two men were arguing about something, Kate could see Tony’s growing anger and Devlon’s belligerence.

“Can we get audio?” Kate asked.

“Franklin is laying down the relays. You’ll have it in another minute,” Olsen promised.

Dave rested his hand against her shoulder. Kate appreciated the silent support. Tony was pacing. Having seen too many situations like this, she could read the growing storm. Audio sputtered on, the first words broken by static. “…you framed me with that meeting! Now I want those tapes you took from Ashcroft’s apartment.”

“What tapes? I was never near Ashcroft’s apartment.”

“I saw you coming out! Now where are the tapes?!”

Kate flinched an instant before Tony fired the handgun wildly over Devlon’s head.

The chatter over the secure mikes was instantaneous as the SWAT teams positioned to swarm in.

“No! Everyone stay in place. Do not breach! Repeat, do not breach!” It took shouts from the team leader to get over the vocal traffic and freeze them from moving. “We’re still secure!”

Christopher had his hand on the phone. Jim nodded at him. It rang for almost a minute before Tony stormed back across the room to pick it up.

“Tony, what’s going on up there? Is anyone hurt?”

“Everything is just fine. Just keep away from me and get me what I want!” In the monitors, Kate could see him still pointing the gun at Devlon.

“You’ve got a lot of nervous cops around you. It’s not a good thing to fire a gun in this situation.”

“Where’s the combination?”

“We’re still checking, Tony.”

“I want that combination!”

Kate watched the monitor, worried at the agitation. Was he on something? The situation would be impossible to stabilize if he was.

“Calm down. If we can’t locate it, we can drill the safe for you.”

Kate wrote.
Tell him we know it’s Devlon.

“Tony, we know you are innocent. We know that Devlon is the one who planted the bomb.”

“He’s trying to frame me for it.”

Ashcroft.

“We know Ashcroft planned this entire thing, that he and Devlon set you up to take the blame.” Christopher looked over at her. “Tony, he framed your sister, too. Come out peacefully and let us sort this out.”

“I don’t have a sister.”

“She’s sitting right here. Kate Emerson, thirty-six—although she doesn’t look it, a decent cop for someone who no longer walks the beat. You want chapter and verse on your parents? The house where you grew up?”

There was silence. “She died years ago.”

“Hardly. She changed her name, but she’s been here in town all her life. Her name is Kate O’Malley. Maybe you saw her on the news lately.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Christopher covered the phone. “Kate, I need you up there.”

Thank you, Christopher.
His word was gold unless they went tactical. She looked at Jim for agreement. “Go. Join Graham on the stairs.”

The gear was ready. She shoved her feet into the boots.

“What are you doing?”

She didn’t spare the seconds to look up at Dave. “My job.” Olsen handed her the vest. She pulled in a deep breath to snug down the straps. The gear was custom designed for her, and she got it on fast.

“Ian, audio check.”

She nodded as she got a good clear signal through her earpiece.

“You’re going to negotiate this?”

“Christopher is. But I’m the proof.”

“Give me a minute. I’m coming with you.”

She could argue with him, but it would take time she didn’t have. “Hurry.” She saw Christopher hang up the phone.

“Kate, get in position. Marla is about five minutes out. I’ll put her on the phone with Tony, then try to work it so you can open that stairway door and chat with him.”

“Can we do anything on the safe combination?”

“Even if we could, the risk is too great that it’s empty. If Devlon did ever get his hands on evidence that somehow could incriminate him, you can bet it’s long since been destroyed.”

Kate knew he was right, but it would be so much easier to have something in hand to convince Tony he could safely end this standoff.

Marcus touched her shoulder as she went past. The pressure was a silent message of support. He was listening in to the same tactical chatter she was. She squeezed his hand in return and moved to the door. She was about to meet her brother for the first time. She could think of much easier places to do it.

She looked over at Dave as they entered the building. He had borrowed gear, was decked out much as she was. His face was grim, and she didn’t need that additional stress. He had volunteered to come along. She didn’t mind him protecting her back, but added pressure was not something she welcomed or needed. A cop stationed in the bank building lobby pointed toward the stairwell.

Kate glanced over at Dave as they entered the stairwell. “Ten flights. Bet I beat you to the top.”

“This is hardly a race.”

She took the first flight, going up two stairs at a time. “It’s not a major war either. He’s not going to shoot his sister.”

“Really? You know that for a fact?”

He was afraid for her. How was she supposed to deal with that? She didn’t want to deal with it. He shouldn’t be putting her in a situation she had to deal with it. “Didn’t you say prayer made a difference?”

“Yes.”

“Well then quit raining on my prayer. I intend to meet my brother and get him out of this mess.” She turned the corner and sprinted up the next flight. “It’s just like a kid brother, digging a hole I have to get him out of.”

“That’s what this morning at church was about?”

“Part of it. I’m okay if something happens. Quit stressing out, or you’re going to be worthless to me if this does go bad.”

“You believe?”

She took a moment in the turn at floor five to look over at him. “You don’t have to sound so skeptical about it.”

“Sorry. You took me by surprise.”

She took a deep breath and sprinted up the sixth flight. “You get what you wished for and you’re surprised. Where’s the logic in that?”

He grinned at her. “There is none. It’s pure relief.”

“Then catch up. You’re slowing me down.”