believe me, unlock the door and check for yourself. I’m wearing a bathing suit and an open shirt. In two seconds you’ll see I’m unarmed. If I’m lying, you can shoot me. If I’m not, send Kim and Sam out and take me instead. You’ll have two hostages to bargain with.”
Another silence.
From inside the chapel, Sloane heard Kim implore, “Please, Ted. I won’t do anything stupid. You and I both love Sam. Neither one of us would risk his safety with gunfire. At least open the door and see if the woman is legit. We’ll stay back until you’re sure.”
“And if she is?”
“Then Sam and I will wait right outside the door. You can keep calling out to check if you don’t believe me. And when all this is over, you and I will talk.”
That seemed to catch him off guard. “You’d actually consider going with me by choice?”
“Like I said, we both want Sam to be happy. And if you’re willing to go to such dramatic extremes…how could I not be open to what you have to say? It all depends on what happens when you talk to this person.”
Good girl, Sloane thought silently. She glanced at her watch. Five minutes to go.
“What do you say, Ted?” she asked. “Will you do this for your family? Let me in so we can talk.”
“And when the cops show up?”
“I’m former FBI. I can talk to whoever’s in charge. They’ll listen to me. And they won’t put my life in danger. You’re a lot safer if they know you’re holding me at gunpoint than you are if I’m standing out here in the hall.”
“Fine.” That obviously prompted his cooperation. “Stand behind me,” he ordered his ex-wife and son.
A rustle as they complied. Sloane took that time to drop her tote bag and snatch her BlackBerry, changing the ring status from silent to loud.
“I’ve got a gun on Claire Hedgleigh,” Ted announced to Sloane through the door. “So if you try anything…”
“I won’t.”
A hard click, and the door opened a little—enough so Ted could scrutinize Sloane, and Sloane could see the woman Ted grasped before him, his pistol pressed to the side of her head.
“Turn around,” Ted ordered.
Sloane pivoted slowly, hands raised, so he could see she had nothing to use as a weapon.
“Why do you have a BlackBerry?”
“To talk to the FBI and tell them to hold their fire. I’ll put it down as soon as I’m inside. I won’t touch it unless you let me.”
That seemed to satisfy him. He angled his head slightly. “You two wait outside,” he told Kim and Sam. In one motion, he flung open the door, pushed his family out, and yanked Sloane in. He slammed the door shut, then leaned past her and flipped the bolt.
“Put down the phone,” he commanded Sloane. He waited until she’d complied. “Now talk. My plan was to take my family and get away before the cops got here. Now this bitch—” he jabbed Claire’s forehead with his pistol “—screwed everything up. How do I get out of here without killing her?”
“To begin with, you think about your wife and son.” Sloane was assessing him as she spoke. He’d been drinking, but he wasn’t drunk. He was average height and build. With her skills in Krav Maga, she could take him easily. All she needed was the right opportunity.
“You’re not a killer,” she continued. “You proved that by releasing the guests. Plus, your son is obviously fond of Claire. How do you think he would react if you shot her? He looks up to you. You’re his dad.”
That caused a slight softening of his jaw.
“Let me negotiate with the FBI,” Sloane suggested. “I’ll convince them to hold off while you reunite with your family.”
“And then what? They’ll storm the place and take me away the minute I’m not holding you and Claire at gunpoint.”
Sloane drew a slow breath, as if she were struggling with a big decision. “If I were still with the Bureau, I’d say yes. But I’m not. And, like I said, I think families should be together.” Another pause. “I assume
Another silence.
From inside the chapel, Sloane heard Kim implore, “Please, Ted. I won’t do anything stupid. You and I both love Sam. Neither one of us would risk his safety with gunfire. At least open the door and see if the woman is legit. We’ll stay back until you’re sure.”
“And if she is?”
“Then Sam and I will wait right outside the door. You can keep calling out to check if you don’t believe me. And when all this is over, you and I will talk.”
That seemed to catch him off guard. “You’d actually consider going with me by choice?”
“Like I said, we both want Sam to be happy. And if you’re willing to go to such dramatic extremes…how could I not be open to what you have to say? It all depends on what happens when you talk to this person.”
Good girl, Sloane thought silently. She glanced at her watch. Five minutes to go.
“What do you say, Ted?” she asked. “Will you do this for your family? Let me in so we can talk.”
“And when the cops show up?”
“I’m former FBI. I can talk to whoever’s in charge. They’ll listen to me. And they won’t put my life in danger. You’re a lot safer if they know you’re holding me at gunpoint than you are if I’m standing out here in the hall.”
“Fine.” That obviously prompted his cooperation. “Stand behind me,” he ordered his ex-wife and son.
A rustle as they complied. Sloane took that time to drop her tote bag and snatch her BlackBerry, changing the ring status from silent to loud.
“I’ve got a gun on Claire Hedgleigh,” Ted announced to Sloane through the door. “So if you try anything…”
“I won’t.”
A hard click, and the door opened a little—enough so Ted could scrutinize Sloane, and Sloane could see the woman Ted grasped before him, his pistol pressed to the side of her head.
“Turn around,” Ted ordered.
Sloane pivoted slowly, hands raised, so he could see she had nothing to use as a weapon.
“Why do you have a BlackBerry?”
“To talk to the FBI and tell them to hold their fire. I’ll put it down as soon as I’m inside. I won’t touch it unless you let me.”
That seemed to satisfy him. He angled his head slightly. “You two wait outside,” he told Kim and Sam. In one motion, he flung open the door, pushed his family out, and yanked Sloane in. He slammed the door shut, then leaned past her and flipped the bolt.
“Put down the phone,” he commanded Sloane. He waited until she’d complied. “Now talk. My plan was to take my family and get away before the cops got here. Now this bitch—” he jabbed Claire’s forehead with his pistol “—screwed everything up. How do I get out of here without killing her?”
“To begin with, you think about your wife and son.” Sloane was assessing him as she spoke. He’d been drinking, but he wasn’t drunk. He was average height and build. With her skills in Krav Maga, she could take him easily. All she needed was the right opportunity.
“You’re not a killer,” she continued. “You proved that by releasing the guests. Plus, your son is obviously fond of Claire. How do you think he would react if you shot her? He looks up to you. You’re his dad.”
That caused a slight softening of his jaw.
“Let me negotiate with the FBI,” Sloane suggested. “I’ll convince them to hold off while you reunite with your family.”
“And then what? They’ll storm the place and take me away the minute I’m not holding you and Claire at gunpoint.”
Sloane drew a slow breath, as if she were struggling with a big decision. “If I were still with the Bureau, I’d say yes. But I’m not. And, like I said, I think families should be together.” Another pause. “I assume
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