Hostage

Finally, Rooney answered, screaming.

'You fuck! You fuckin' lied to me! I've got a fuckin' gun to this kid's head right here! We've got these people! We'll fuckin' kill'm, you fuck!'

Talley spoke over him, his voice loud and forceful so that Rooney would hear him, but not strident. It was important to appear in control even when you weren't.

'They're pulling back. They are pulling back, Dennis. Look. You see the officers pulling back?'

The sounds of movement came over the phone. Talley guessed that Rooney had a cordless and was watching the tactical team at the rear of the property.

'Yeah. I guess. They're going back over the wall.'

'I didn't lie to you, Dennis. It's over now, okay? Don't hurt anyone.'

'We'll burn this fuckin' place down, you try to come in here. We've got gasoline all good to go, Talley. You try to come in and this place is going to burn.'

Talley locked eyes with Maddox. Rooney booby-trapping the house with gasoline was a bad turn; if he was creating a situation dangerous to the hostages, it could justify a preemptive breach of the house.

'Don't do anything to endanger yourself or those children, Dennis. For your own sake and for the sake of the innocents in there. This kind of thing can create problems.'

'Then stay on the other side of that wall. You assholes try to come get us and this place is gonna burn.'

Talley muted the phone while Dennis answered to warn Maddox about the gasoline. Maddox relayed the information to the tactical team. If Rooney was telling the truth about the gasoline, firing tear gas or flash-bang grenades into the house could ignite an inferno.

'No one is coming in. We screwed up, is all. Some new guys came out and we got our wires crossed, but I didn't lie to you. I wouldn't do that.'

'You fuckin' well did screw up, dude! Jesus!'

The tension lessened in Rooney's voice, and, with it, Talley felt the vise ease its grip. If Rooney was talking, he wouldn't shoot.

'What's the status in there, Dennis? You didn't hurt anyone, did you?'

'Not yet.'

'Those shots you fired, they were out of the house?'

'I'm not saying I fired anything. You're saying that, not me. I know you're recording this.'

'No one needs a doctor?'

'You're gonna need a doctor, you try this shit again.'

Talley took a deep breath. It was done; they were past the crisis. Talley glanced at Martin. She looked irritated, but attentive.

Talley muted the receiver again.

'He's calming down. I think now would be a good time for the handoff.'

Martin glanced at Maddox.

'You ready?'

'I'm ready.'

Martin nodded at Talley.

'Go.'

Talley uncovered his phone.

'Dennis, have you been thinking about what we talked about earlier?'

'I got a lot on my mind.'

'I'm sure. It was good advice, what I said.'

'Whatever.'

Talley lowered his voice, trying to sound like what he was about to say was just between them, guy to guy.

'Can I tell you something of a personal nature?'

'What?'

'I gotta piss real bad.'

Rooney laughed. Just like that, and Talley knew that the handoff would work. He made his voice relaxed, putting a friendly spin on it, indicating that everything that was about to happen was the most natural thing in the world and beyond all objection. Rooney was just as relieved to be past this hump as Talley.

'Dennis, I'm going to take a break out here. You see all the new people we have?'

'You got a thousand guys out there. Of course, I see'm.'

'I'm going to put an officer named Will Maddox on the line. You scared me so bad that I've gotta go clean my shorts, you know? So Maddox will be here on the line if you want to talk or if you need anything.'

'You're a funny guy, Talley.'

'Here he is, Dennis. You stay cool in there.'

'I'm cool.'

Talley handed the phone to Maddox, who introduced himself with a warm, mellow voice.

'Hey, Dennis. You should've seen ol' Jeff out here. I think he crapped his pants.'

Talley didn't listen to any more. The rest of it would be up to Maddox. He slumped down onto the street and leaned against the car, feeling drained.

He glanced at Martin, and found her watching him. She duck-walked over, and hunkered on the pavement beside him, then searched his eyes for a moment as if she were trying to find the right words. Her face softened.

'You were right. I got in a hurry and screwed up.'

Talley admired her for saying it.

'We survived.'

'So far.'

THOMAS

After the screaming, after those frantic moments when Thomas thought that Dennis would shoot him in the head as he was threatening, Jennifer glared at him and said one word.

'Don't.'

No one heard but Thomas; Dennis was pacing and talking to himself, Kevin following Dennis with his eyes the way a nervous dog will watch its master. They were in the office, the TV on, just now reporting that shots had been fired in the house. Dennis stopped to watch, suddenly laughing.

'Jesus, but that was close. Jesus Christ.'

Kevin crossed his arms, rocking nervously.

'What are we going to do? We can't get away now. They're all around the house. They're even in the neighbor's yard.'

Dennis's face darkened, and he snapped.