Love is Murder by Sandra Brown

Sam.
    “It’s okay, buddy. It’s Daddy. Come on over here. You, Mommy and I are going through the inside of the hotel. I know a secret entrance. We’ll leave through there.”
    Sam cringed against Claire and whipped his head from side to side. “No.”
    “Don’t be afraid, buddy,” Ted continued, a muscle working in his jaw. “I’m not going to hurt you or Mommy. I just want us to go where no one can keep us apart.”
    “You said Claire might die.” Sam didn’t release his grip on Claire’s gown. “Are you gonna shoot her?”
    A hard swallow. “Of course not. I just said that so your mommy would remember how much she loves us.”
    “What about Claire?”
    “Claire will be fine. She’ll just stay with us until we leave the hotel. Then she’ll say goodbye and go home.”
    Sam’s lower lip began to tremble. “I don’t want her to say goodbye. Can’t she come, too?”
    “No, Sam,” Ted said, trying to keep his tone steady and gentle. “I only have three plane tickets. And enough money in this duffel bag to take care of you, me and Mommy. No one else.”
    Kim noted the frenetic look in Ted’s eyes, heard the familiar tremor in his voice. Wondering how much he’d had to drink, she chose her words carefully. “Put down the gun, Ted. You’re scaring Sam. How do you expect him to believe what you’re saying when you have that pistol aimed at us?”
    Ted half lowered the gun, but not enough so that Kim or Claire could charge him and try to snatch it away.
    “I’m going to our son,” Kim told him quietly. “Maybe I can calm him down. That will be to all our advantages.”
    “Fine.” Ted half waved the pistol. “But don’t just calm him down. Convince him. We’re running out of time.”
    “I’ll do what I can.”
    Kim and Claire exchanged glances. The clock was ticking. And no one seemed to be around to help them.
    * * *
    Within the next five minutes, Detectives Ignaccio and Silva had joined their on-scene command officer. Then came the Maui County SWAT team, and FBI Special Agent Fitzpatrick, who was the acting primary negotiator. EMT had also arrived, should they be needed. The area surrounding the chapel and the connecting wing were sealed off and surrounded. Just outside of that, of course, was the press, who smelled a story in the air.
    Derek had just returned to the scene. He scanned the entire area, seeing no sign of his wife.
    “Have you seen Agent Burbank?” he asked James.
    The groom shook his head. “Not in the past few minutes. Last I saw her, she was standing over there, near the chapel corridor.”
    Derek’s gaze made a quick sweep of the area. But the gesture was perfunctory. He knew exactly where Sloane was.
    He whipped out his BlackBerry. His wife’s would be on silent. He punched her number.
    She answered on the first ring.
    “You’re inside the chapel wing,” he stated flatly.
    “Right outside the chapel door,” she whispered back. “Is everyone there?”
    “Yup.”
    “Good. I need to speak to the primary hostage negotiator. Tell him I’m acting as a third party intermediary. Then find out everything you can on the bride’s ex-husband, Ted. He’s the offender.”
    “Sloane, I know how good you are,” Derek replied. “But you’re in there without a gun, without backup and practically without clothes.”
    “All the better. I’ll look less threatening. Please, Derek. The guy isn’t even sober, and he’s desperate. We’ll debate my decision later.”
    “Fine. Just be careful.” Derek lowered his phone and signaled to Special Agent Fitzpatrick. In as few words as possible, he explained the situation.
    Fitzpatrick took the phone. “Ms. Parker?” His tone was as pointed as his form of address. “This is Special Agent Fitzpatrick. Based on your husband’s explanation, the child and his mother aren’t in immediate danger.”
    “But the maid of honor is,” Sloane replied. “If the offender knows you’re out there, he might act irrationally and kill