her.”
“I realize that. I’ll try to talk him out.”
“You’d have to get a throw-phone in. That would tell him the FBI is here, which would freak him out. He might shoot Claire before even opening the door. Please, let me try first. I can take a more personal approach.”
“And maybe get yourself killed in the process.”
“That won’t happen. Give me ten minutes. If I can’t make headway by then, you can take over.”
A reluctant pause, during which Sloane could hear Derek saying, “She’s damned good, Fitzpatrick. Give her the time.”
“Fine,” Fitzpatrick said. “Do it.”
* * *
Sloane waited until Derek had filled her in on everything he’d learned about Ted Benton, plus an interesting tidbit about the suddenly quite intriguing Claire Hedgleigh. Then, Sloane turned off her phone and took a deep breath. Things were getting heated inside the chapel. Sam was crying. His mother was comforting him. And his father was losing patience—fast.
“Get over here, Claire!” he shouted. “We’re getting out of here.”
“How?” Claire asked. “I’m sure they’ve sealed off all the hotel entrances by now.”
“I mapped out a route through the basement. The door locks from the inside. I know what I’m doing.” A bitter laugh. “You’ve always thought I was an idiot. But I’m not.” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Now let’s go. We’re walking out the inside door. And you’re walking in front of us. My gun will be aimed at your head.”
Judging from the proximity of his voice, Sloane estimated that Ted was about halfway across the chapel. She wasn’t sure if Kim and Sam were with him, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
She knocked. “Mr. Benton?”
There was a flurry of motion from inside. “Who’s there?” Ted demanded. “And how do you know my name?”
“A few of the guests recognized you,” Sloane said calmly. “They’ve called the authorities. I wanted to talk to you first. My name is Sloane Parker. I’m a guest here at the hotel.”
“And why would I talk to you?”
“Because I used to work for the FBI. I’ve seen situations like yours. And I understand what you’re going through. I want to help you all get out safely.”
“Well, that doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen. Especially if the cops and the FBI are on their way.”
“You want your wife and son with you, is that right?”
“They’re my family, so, yeah.”
“You love them very much. You want to protect them. Am I still on track?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Do you really think that holding them in a locked room with a gun in your hand is the best way to keep them safe?”
A pause. “I just want to get us out of here.”
“I understand that. And I believe it can be done. But not at gunpoint.” Sloane heard Sam’s sobs. “Your son sounds frightened. Can’t you let him wait in the hall while we talk this out?”
“You’ll turn him over to the police,” Ted stated flatly. Angrily.
“No, I won’t. The outside doors are locked. He’ll stay right here and wait. The only problem is that he’ll still be scared. He’ll want his mom. So why don’t you let your wife and son both come out? You can talk to them through the door and make sure they haven’t moved.”
Sloane could hear his wheels turning.
“Is this a trick?” he demanded at last.
“How can it be?” Sloane asked. “You’re still holding Claire. I’m not about to jeopardize her life by grabbing your family and trying to run away.”
“You’re not gonna jeopardize your own life, either. I’m sure you’re armed. And you’re playing games to keep me talking till the cops get here.”
“First of all, I’m not armed. I told you, I’m no longer FBI. And why would I play games? To put all of you in danger? That would be counterproductive.”
Pausing, Sloane moved to the next step.
“You’re the one with the gun, Ted. I’m just a regular person who believes that families should be together. If you don’t
“I realize that. I’ll try to talk him out.”
“You’d have to get a throw-phone in. That would tell him the FBI is here, which would freak him out. He might shoot Claire before even opening the door. Please, let me try first. I can take a more personal approach.”
“And maybe get yourself killed in the process.”
“That won’t happen. Give me ten minutes. If I can’t make headway by then, you can take over.”
A reluctant pause, during which Sloane could hear Derek saying, “She’s damned good, Fitzpatrick. Give her the time.”
“Fine,” Fitzpatrick said. “Do it.”
* * *
Sloane waited until Derek had filled her in on everything he’d learned about Ted Benton, plus an interesting tidbit about the suddenly quite intriguing Claire Hedgleigh. Then, Sloane turned off her phone and took a deep breath. Things were getting heated inside the chapel. Sam was crying. His mother was comforting him. And his father was losing patience—fast.
“Get over here, Claire!” he shouted. “We’re getting out of here.”
“How?” Claire asked. “I’m sure they’ve sealed off all the hotel entrances by now.”
“I mapped out a route through the basement. The door locks from the inside. I know what I’m doing.” A bitter laugh. “You’ve always thought I was an idiot. But I’m not.” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Now let’s go. We’re walking out the inside door. And you’re walking in front of us. My gun will be aimed at your head.”
Judging from the proximity of his voice, Sloane estimated that Ted was about halfway across the chapel. She wasn’t sure if Kim and Sam were with him, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
She knocked. “Mr. Benton?”
There was a flurry of motion from inside. “Who’s there?” Ted demanded. “And how do you know my name?”
“A few of the guests recognized you,” Sloane said calmly. “They’ve called the authorities. I wanted to talk to you first. My name is Sloane Parker. I’m a guest here at the hotel.”
“And why would I talk to you?”
“Because I used to work for the FBI. I’ve seen situations like yours. And I understand what you’re going through. I want to help you all get out safely.”
“Well, that doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen. Especially if the cops and the FBI are on their way.”
“You want your wife and son with you, is that right?”
“They’re my family, so, yeah.”
“You love them very much. You want to protect them. Am I still on track?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Do you really think that holding them in a locked room with a gun in your hand is the best way to keep them safe?”
A pause. “I just want to get us out of here.”
“I understand that. And I believe it can be done. But not at gunpoint.” Sloane heard Sam’s sobs. “Your son sounds frightened. Can’t you let him wait in the hall while we talk this out?”
“You’ll turn him over to the police,” Ted stated flatly. Angrily.
“No, I won’t. The outside doors are locked. He’ll stay right here and wait. The only problem is that he’ll still be scared. He’ll want his mom. So why don’t you let your wife and son both come out? You can talk to them through the door and make sure they haven’t moved.”
Sloane could hear his wheels turning.
“Is this a trick?” he demanded at last.
“How can it be?” Sloane asked. “You’re still holding Claire. I’m not about to jeopardize her life by grabbing your family and trying to run away.”
“You’re not gonna jeopardize your own life, either. I’m sure you’re armed. And you’re playing games to keep me talking till the cops get here.”
“First of all, I’m not armed. I told you, I’m no longer FBI. And why would I play games? To put all of you in danger? That would be counterproductive.”
Pausing, Sloane moved to the next step.
“You’re the one with the gun, Ted. I’m just a regular person who believes that families should be together. If you don’t
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