life, she felt no true regret for what she had done. If she had to repeat those moments a dozen times over, she would not have allowed Peter Reimes to die.
“Backup, including two snipers, is in place, sir,” Talkington said. “The evacuation of the area is complete with the exception of five people trapped in the Eddie Bauer store.”
Krueger and Talkington exchanged one of those looks that Claire knew meant she’d been left out of the loop on some aspect of the information.
“What about the child? Is there a child in danger at the play area? Is there any indication that Nusair is here?” She deserved to know what she was walking into here.
“We’ll know more about the situation when we get inside.”
He was hiding something from her. Claire may have only just met the man, but he had been far too direct with her on most things today for her not to notice the way he avoided eye contact now. She studied Agent Talkington. He knew whatever wasgoing on. He’d carefully avoided looking directly at her as well.
As the driver parked the SUV, Claire steeled herself for what was to come. She had no idea what to brace for other than certain death.
Maybe that would be enough.
She got out of the vehicle, her gaze drawn to the looming mall entrance. Of all the times she had been here she had never considered this a place to fear other than for her credit card balance. Now she feared for her life…and for the possibility that an innocent child would be caught in the crossfire.
Krueger barked orders like a drill sergeant. Three more agents joined their group, gathering around her as if she were the president of the United States. She was completely cloaked by male bodies as they moved toward the mall entrance.
Once inside the routine continued. Claire couldn’t see anything for the barrier of men all the way around her.
They stopped abruptly and the group of agents fanned out.
A base of operations had been set up. A wall about ten feet long and eight feet high shielded them from the playground and blocked her view. When she looked up she could see the second-level gallery. The place was deserted.
Claire tried to look around but too many agentshad crowded behind the makeshift wall for her to see anything on the first level beyond where she stood. Krueger and his team were looking at something she couldn’t see.
She angled her way between two men and moved in next to Krueger. He was staring out a long, narrow window in the wall that wasn’t a part of the mall’s architecture. Something the backup personnel had put into place evidently.
Claire tiptoed up to get a better view.
The oxygen in her lungs evaporated.
A child, a little boy, no older than ten or eleven stood in the play area made to look like a tugboat. There was an odd bulkiness about the jacket he wore.
Where was his mother? Or father? Surely he hadn’t been left there alone.
Alone.
Realization slammed full force into her chest.
Of course there was no one else in the play area. The mall had been evacuated.
Why weren’t the police or the FBI moving in to help this child?
“Why is that little boy standing out there alone?” She turned to Krueger. “Why isn’t someone helping him? Where are his parents?”
“Anyone who tries to get near him is stopped by a sniper.”
Claire was confused. She remembered Talkington saying there were two snipers in place, but she thought they worked for the FBI.
Krueger wrapped those powerful fingers around her arm and squeezed, maybe to get her attention or maybe because he was afraid she intended to make a run for the boy. “There’s someone shooting at whoever tries to help the boy. Our snipers can’t get a position on the shooter. One mall security guard and one Seattle police officer have already been gravely injured trying to get to him. The police have the boy’s mother in the Eddie Bauer store. Paramedics are treating her for injuries she sustained trying to get her son.”
Claire started to
“Backup, including two snipers, is in place, sir,” Talkington said. “The evacuation of the area is complete with the exception of five people trapped in the Eddie Bauer store.”
Krueger and Talkington exchanged one of those looks that Claire knew meant she’d been left out of the loop on some aspect of the information.
“What about the child? Is there a child in danger at the play area? Is there any indication that Nusair is here?” She deserved to know what she was walking into here.
“We’ll know more about the situation when we get inside.”
He was hiding something from her. Claire may have only just met the man, but he had been far too direct with her on most things today for her not to notice the way he avoided eye contact now. She studied Agent Talkington. He knew whatever wasgoing on. He’d carefully avoided looking directly at her as well.
As the driver parked the SUV, Claire steeled herself for what was to come. She had no idea what to brace for other than certain death.
Maybe that would be enough.
She got out of the vehicle, her gaze drawn to the looming mall entrance. Of all the times she had been here she had never considered this a place to fear other than for her credit card balance. Now she feared for her life…and for the possibility that an innocent child would be caught in the crossfire.
Krueger barked orders like a drill sergeant. Three more agents joined their group, gathering around her as if she were the president of the United States. She was completely cloaked by male bodies as they moved toward the mall entrance.
Once inside the routine continued. Claire couldn’t see anything for the barrier of men all the way around her.
They stopped abruptly and the group of agents fanned out.
A base of operations had been set up. A wall about ten feet long and eight feet high shielded them from the playground and blocked her view. When she looked up she could see the second-level gallery. The place was deserted.
Claire tried to look around but too many agentshad crowded behind the makeshift wall for her to see anything on the first level beyond where she stood. Krueger and his team were looking at something she couldn’t see.
She angled her way between two men and moved in next to Krueger. He was staring out a long, narrow window in the wall that wasn’t a part of the mall’s architecture. Something the backup personnel had put into place evidently.
Claire tiptoed up to get a better view.
The oxygen in her lungs evaporated.
A child, a little boy, no older than ten or eleven stood in the play area made to look like a tugboat. There was an odd bulkiness about the jacket he wore.
Where was his mother? Or father? Surely he hadn’t been left there alone.
Alone.
Realization slammed full force into her chest.
Of course there was no one else in the play area. The mall had been evacuated.
Why weren’t the police or the FBI moving in to help this child?
“Why is that little boy standing out there alone?” She turned to Krueger. “Why isn’t someone helping him? Where are his parents?”
“Anyone who tries to get near him is stopped by a sniper.”
Claire was confused. She remembered Talkington saying there were two snipers in place, but she thought they worked for the FBI.
Krueger wrapped those powerful fingers around her arm and squeezed, maybe to get her attention or maybe because he was afraid she intended to make a run for the boy. “There’s someone shooting at whoever tries to help the boy. Our snipers can’t get a position on the shooter. One mall security guard and one Seattle police officer have already been gravely injured trying to get to him. The police have the boy’s mother in the Eddie Bauer store. Paramedics are treating her for injuries she sustained trying to get her son.”
Claire started to
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