Hostage

'De

'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 fu

'Here he is, De

'I'm cool.'

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

'Hey, De

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.'

After the screaming, after those frantic moments when Thomas thought that De

'Don't.'

No one heard but Thomas; De

'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.'

De

'I don't know, Kevin. I don't know. We'll figure out something.'

'We should give up.'

'Shut up!'

Thomas rubbed his neck, thinking he might yak. De

'You see? You see? You almost got caught!'

She went to their father.

Mars returned from elsewhere in the house, his arms filled with big white candles. Without saying a word, he lit one, dripped wax on the television, seated the base in the wax. He moved to the bookcase, did it again. De

De

'What the fuck are you doing?'

Mars answered as he lit another candle.

'They might cut the power. Here, take this.'

He stopped with the candles long enough to toss a flashlight to De

De

'Those candles are a good idea.'

Soon, the office looked like an altar.

Thomas watched De

De

Mars grunted.

'Mars, when you're back there, do that, okay? Set up some booby traps.'

Je

'Jesus, not that again. Christ.'

Her voice rose.

'He needs a doctor, you asshole!'

'Kevin, take'm back upstairs. Please.'

Thomas didn't care. That was what he wanted.

'Do you want me to tie them again?'

De

'It took too long to cut all that shit off, you and Mars tying them like a couple of fuckin' mummies. Just make sure they're locked in real good, not just with the nails.'

Mars finished with the candles.

'I can take care of that. Bring them up.'

Kevin brought them, holding Je

'Get in there, fat boy. Pull your covers over your head.'

Mars pushed him inside hard, then knelt by the knob, the one Thomas would use to get out. He hammered the screwdriver under the base, popped it off, unfastened three screws, then pulled the knob free, leaving only a square hole. He looked at Je

'You see? That's how you keep a child in its room.'

They left Thomas like that, pulling the door, then hammering the door closed. Thomas listened until he heard the crash of Je

Out fell her cell phone.

CHAPTER 10

Palm Springs, California

Friday, 8:32 P.M.

The three of them had Glen Howell on the speaker, Benza, Tuzee, and Salvetti, the TVs muted so they could hear. Benza, on his third pack of Gaviscon, nursed an upset stomach, his acid reflux acting up.

Howell, his voice crackling with the shitty cell co

Tuzee, his face pasty beneath the tan, looking like a corpse from the strain, rubbed irritably at his face and interrupted.

'Stop it.'

'What?'

'Stop with the 'or something.' Don't end every sentence with 'or something.' It's pissing me off. You've got a college education.'

Benza reached out, patted Tuzee's leg, but didn't say anything.

Tuzee had his face in his hands, the flesh folded around his fingers like a man twice his age.

'He either sees them every two weeks or he doesn't; it's either a fact or it isn't. Find out the fucking facts before you call us.'

The co

'Sorry.'

'Keep going.'

'He's seeing them this weekend. The wife is bringing up the daughter.'

Benza cleared his throat, phlegm from the Gaviscon.

'And you know this to be a fact?'

'Book it. We got that from his office, an older woman there who likes to talk, you know, how sad it is and all because the Chief's such a nice man.'

'Where are they now, the family I mean?'

'That, I don't know. I got people on that. They're due up tonight, though. That part I know for sure.'

Benza nodded.

'We've gotta think about this.'

Salvetti had already made up his mind. He leaned back, crossed his arms, his legs splayed and open.