When Darkness Falls

“Get the gun!” shouted Theo.

She didn’t move. The bathroom had no windows, no source of light, making it difficult for Theo to see her. But he could see enough in the shadows.

“Damn it, get the-” he started to say, but Falcon’s boot caught him squarely in the mouth. Falcon sprang to his feet, and he was regaining control. He shoved Natalia aside, grabbed her friend by the shirt, and slammed the man’s head into the wall. The guy went down in a heap, dazed if not unconscious. Falcon rolled to his right and snatched up his gun.

“Nobody move!”

Theo froze. Natalia was on the floor, her shirt torn and blood coming from her nose. Her friend appeared to be breathing, but he was otherwise motionless, facedown.

Falcon was shaking, more angry than frightened. “You pla

Theo glanced toward the bathtub again. He could see her hand draped over the side of the tub, and the top of her head. Come on, baby. It’s now or never.

“I should kill you for this!” said Falcon as he thrust the pistol in Natalia’s direction.

“Don’t shoot me, please!”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“I’m only eighteen. Please, don’t do this to me.”

Falcon was breathing heavy, staring at Natalia. Then he turned the gun toward Theo. “I guess that leaves you, big guy.”

“I don’t think you want to do that,” said Theo.

“Oh, then you don’t know me very well,” said Falcon.

“You fire that gun, and the cops will be in here in two seconds flat.”

“Who said anything about a gun?” Falcon reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out a steak knife. Homeless people were like walking kitchens. Theo wondered what else he had in there. Another ammunition clip, maybe? In the tussle, Theo had definitely felt something under that bulky coat. Falcon must have known that the police were searching for him after that body was found in the trunk of his car. Had he prepared himself for a standoff?

“The cops are probably on their way in here already,” said Theo.

“Nice try,” said Falcon.

There was a groan, then a gurgling sound, from inside the bathroom. Falcon and Theo both shot a look through the open doorway. The woman still hadn’t moved from the bathtub, and she showed no reaction when Falcon pointed his gun at her.

“Don’t move!” shouted Falcon, but she seemed to have no such intention. Falcon stepped into the doorway and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. Apparently, he’d forgotten that they were without electricity. He dug into his coat pocket again, found a disposable lighter, and kicked up a flame that brightened the bathroom.

Only then did Theo notice the blood.

Falcon let out a scream that was beyond shock, beyond fear, beyond the most harrowing screech of a mortally wounded animal. It lasted a good ten seconds, and when he stopped to take a breath, he slammed the door and stepped away, trembling with each tentative step backward.

He was staring at the door, taking aim with his pistol, as if he expected it to open at any moment. Nothing happened. There was not another sound. Finally, he raised a fist and shouted toward the bathroom, shouted at the top of his voice, “No, no, damn it! Not you again!”

chapter 29

V ince Paulo was at the mobile command center when he caught a blip of radio squelch in his earpiece. The excited voice of one of the officers outside the motel room followed.

“I think we heard a scream from inside the room, Sergeant.”

Vince keyed his microphone. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I heard it. Jonesy says he heard it too.”

“Man or woman?”

“Man, I think.”

Vince keyed his mike again and summoned up his audio specialist. “Bolton, what are you picking up in there?” She took a moment to respond, and Vince imagined that she was adjusting the controls, trying to get a clearer transmission. “It sounds like some kind of argument going on, sir.”

“Do you have a video feed yet?”

“Negative. When Swyteck’s car crashed into the building, it crushed the AC ducts leading to the room. There’s no place to snake the transmission line. Our tech team planted these listening devices as close as we could, but until we have a green light to enter the next room and plant something right on the adjoining wall, it’s not going to give us what we want.”

“Can you isolate on anything?”

“I tried separating out some background noises, but it’s just a screech to me. If the officers on site say it was a man’s scream, I’ve got no reason to doubt it.”

“Got it, thanks,” said Vince.

Chavez said, “If he’s savaging the hostages, we need to breach.”

Vince took a moment, thinking.

Chavez said, “What are you waiting for, gunshots?”

Vince picked up the phone and dialed. “If he doesn’t answer, we breach.”

FALCON WAS STARING at the cell phone on the floor as if it were some kind of chirping alien. It rang a second time, and then a third.

“You better answer it,” said Theo.

“Quiet!” It rang two more times. Nobody moved. Then, on the sixth ring, Falcon sprang like a cat, grabbed it, and hit the talk button. “Swyteck?” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“It’s me, Vince Paulo.”

“I told you I didn’t want to hear from no more cops,” he said, the anger coming through, even in a whisper.

“We heard a scream. Is everything okay in there?”

“Where’s Swyteck?”

“Why are you whispering?”

He gnawed his lower lip, wincing like a man in pain. “Tell me where Swyteck is.”

“He’s on his way back from the bank. He’ll be here in a little while. Now, like I said, we heard a scream in there, Falcon. It sounded like a man. I need to hear Theo Knight’s voice, make sure he’s okay.”

“He’s fine.”

“I got guys chomping at the bit to beat that door down, Falcon. Help me out here. I need to hear his voice.”

Falcon gritted his teeth, then walked over to Theo, who was still seated on the floor. Facing him, he put the gun to Theo’s left ear, the phone to his right. “Say something.”

“There’s two more-”

Falcon slugged him with the butt of the gun and snatched the phone away before Theo could finish. “Not so damn loud,” he said as he brought the phone back to his ear. He was furious but still whispering.

Paulo said, “Falcon, do you have two more hostages?”

“I want to talk to Swyteck.”

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because she’s here. In the bathroom.”

“Who’s in the bathroom?”

“It’s her. I know it’s her.”

“Who is she?”

“I can’t get rid of her!”

“Falcon, take a breath and tell me who else is there with you.”

Falcon was pacing furiously, but he was careful with each footfall so as not to make too much noise. “She’s always here. Everywhere I go, she just shows up.”

“Who?”

“She comes to the river. She comes to my house. She sits on my milk crate. She won’t go, she won’t never go! I beat the living crap out of her with a pipe and stuff her in the trunk, and she’s still here! Right here in the bathroom!”

“Falcon, tell me who you’re talking about.”

He cupped his hand around the receiver, containing his words so that no one would overhear. It made his whisper even raspier. “I have to tell Swyteck something.”

“No problem. I can pass it on to him. What is it?”

“Tell him-first tell him I still want my money.”

“Okay, he’s working very hard on that. Anything else?”

“Yeah,” he said as he shot a nervous glance toward the bathroom door. “Tell him I need, I really need, my fucking necklace.” He closed the flip phone and disco