Hostage

The passenger door opened. A third man slipped inside, also wearing a mask and gloves. He was wearing a black sport coat over a gray T-shirt and jeans. When his left sleeve hiked up, a gold Rolex flashed. He wasn't large, about Talley's size, maybe one-eighty, trim. The skin around his mouth and eyes was tan. He held a cell phone.

'Okay, Chief, I know you're scared, but trust me, unless you do something stupid, we're not here to hurt you. So you control that, okay? Do you understand?'

Talley tried to recall the Mustang's tag number. Was it KLX or KLS?

'Don't just stare at me, Chief. We've got to make some headway here.'

'What do you want?'

The third man gestured to the backseat with the phone, giving Talley another glimpse of the watch. Talley thought of the third man as the Watchman.

'The man behind you is going to reach around and get hold of you. Don't freak out. That's for your own good. Okay? He's just going to hold you.'

The arm looped around his neck again; a hand took his left wrist, twisted it behind his back; another took his right; the second man in the back was helping. Talley could barely breathe.

'What is this?'

'Listen.'

The Watchman put the phone to Talley's ear.

'Say hello.'

Talley couldn't imagine what they wanted or who they were. His mouth felt stuffed with cotton batting. The phone was cold against his ear.

'Who is this?'

Jane's voice, shaky and frightened.

'Jeff? Is that you?'

Talley tried to buck away from the arm crossing his throat; he strained to pull his arms free, but couldn't. Seconds passed before Talley realized the Watchman was talking to him.

'Take it easy, Chief; I know, I know. But just listen, okay? She's all right. Your kid, she's all right, too. Now just relax, breathe deep, listen. You ready to listen? Remember: Right now, from this point on, you're in control. You. You control what happens to them. You want to hear her again? You want to talk to her, see that she's okay?'

Talley nodded against the pressure of the arm, finally managed to croak.

'You sonofabitch.'

'Bad start, Chief, but I understand. I'm married myself. Me, I wish somebody would take my old lady, but that's just me. Anyway, here.'

The Watchman held the phone to Talley's ear again.

'Jane?'

'What's going on, Jeff? Who are these people?'

'I don't know. Are you all right? Is Mandy?'

'Jeff, I'm scared.'

Jane was crying.

The Watchman took back the phone.

'That's enough.'

'Who the hell are you?'

'Can we let you go? You past your shock and all that, we can turn you loose and you won't do something stupid?'

'You can let go.'

The Watchman glanced at the backseat, and Talley was released. The Watchman leaned toward Talley, going eye to eye and doing it with purpose.

'Walter Smith has two computer disks in his house that belong to us. Don't worry about why we want those disks. More important, don't care. But we want them, and you're going to see that we get them.'

Talley didn't know what the Watchman was talking about; he shook his head.

'What does that mean? What?'

'You're going to control the scene.'

'The Sheriffs control the scene.'

'Not anymore. It's your scene. You'll take it back or whatever it is you have to do, because no one – let me repeat that – no one is going into that house until my people go in that house.'

'You don't know what you're talking about. I can't control that.'

The Watchman raised his finger, as if he was offering a lesson.

'I know exactly what I'm talking about. You have a coordinated mixed scene now with your people – the Bristo Police Department – and the Sheriffs. In a couple of hours, a group of my people are going to arrive at York Estates. You will tell everyone involved that they are an FBI tactical team. They'll look the part, and they know how to act the part. You see where I'm going with this?'

'I don't have any idea what you're talking about. I can't control any of this. I can't control what happens in that house.'

'You better get up to speed fast, then. Your wife and kid are counting on you.'

Talley didn't know what to say. He worked his fingers under his thighs, trying to think.

'What do you want me to do?'

'You get my people set up, then you stand by and wait to hear from me.'

The Watchman handed Talley the cell phone.

'When this phone rings, you answer. It'll be me. I'll tell you what to do.'

Talley stared at the phone.

'When it comes time to go in the house, my people will be the first in. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will be removed from that house except by my people. Do you get that?'

'I can't control what those kids do. They could be giving up right now. They could start shooting. The Sheriffs might be going inside right now.'

The Watchman slapped him, a hard straight push hitting him square in the forehead with his open palm. Talley's head rocked back.

'Don't panic, Talley. You should know. SWAT guys know. Panic kills.'

Talley gripped the phone with both hands.

'Okay. All right.'