Standoff

"Mr. Galloway, if there's something I should know-"

"We've had a change of heart."

"You're giving up and going away?" At this point, that would be her fondest wish.

Galloway ignored her facetiousness. "The videotape was effective. You'll be glad to learn that it achieved exactly what you hoped. Mr. Dendy was touched by his daughter's appeal and is now ready to make concessions. He wants this to end peaceably and safely. As we all do. What is Ro

"Doc's working on him."

"How is he responding?"

"Favorably, I think."

"Good. That's good."

He sounded relieved, and, again, Tiel got the impression that the federal agent was withholding something she'd be better off knowing.

"Do you think he'll go for total surrender?"

"He specified the conditions under which he would surrender, Mr. Galloway."

"Dendy will concede that this was a runaway and not a kidnaping. Of course the additional charges would stand."

"And they must be allowed to keep their child."

"Dendy said as much himself a few minutes ago. If Davison will agree to those terms, he'll have my personal guarantee that no force will be used."

"I'll pass along the message and get back to you."

"I'm standing by."

She hung up. Ro

Over the course of the last few hours, Tiel's priority had shifted. It had been a gradual shift, and until this moment she hadn't even realized that it had taken place. The news story had become a secondary consideration. At what point had it become an afterthought? When she saw Sabra's blood on her gloved hands? When Juan threatened Katherine's fragile life?

The people making the story were much more important to her now than the story itself. Producing a prizewi

If she blew it…

She simply couldn't, that's all.

"The kidnaping allegation has been dropped," she told Ro

"It's a good deal, Ro

"No, don't."

Sabra spoke in hardly more than a croak. Somehow she had managed to stand. She was leaning heavily against the freezer chest in order to keep herself upright. Her eyes were sunken and her complexion was leeched of all color.

She looked like someone who'd had theatrical makeup expertly applied for a character rising out of a coffin.

"It's a trick, Ro

Doc rushed over to lend her support. "I don't think so, Sabra. Your dad responded to the video message you sent him."

Gratefully she clung to Doc, but her dull eyes beseeched Ro

"Sabra, what about your baby?" Tiel asked gently.

"Think of her."

"You take her."

"What?"

"Carry her out. Give her to someone who'll take care of her. No matter what happens to us-to Ro

Tiel looked hopefully toward Doc for inspiration, but his expression was bleak. He seemed to feel as helpless as she.

"That's it then," Ro

"They'll never agree to that," Tiel said with desperation.

"That's an unreasonable demand."

"You committed armed robbery," Doc added. "You'll have to account for that, Ro

Tiel glanced at Doc, wondering if he were listening to his own advice. The admonishment against ru

"Sabra and I vowed that we would never be forced apart. No matter what, we promised each other to stay together.

We meant it."

"Your father-"

"I'm not going to talk about it," the young man snapped. Turning to Tiel, he asked if she would carry Katherine out and deliver that message.

"What about the others? Will you release them?"

He glanced beyond her at the other hostages. "Not the two Mexicans. And not him," he said of Agent Cain. He had regained consciousness but appeared still to be incoherent from the kick in the head Juan had given him.

"The old folks and her. They can go."

When he pointed to Do

"I don't want to go," Gladys a

"We'd better do as he says," Vern said, patting her shoulder. "We can wait for everybody else outside." He assisted Gladys up off the floor. "Before we go, I'm sure Sabra wants to tell Katherine goodbye."

The old lady carried the baby over to Sabra, where she was leaning heavily against Doc.

"Shall I notify Galloway of your decision?" Tiel asked Ro

He was watching Sabra and his baby. "Half an hour."

"What?"

"That's the time limit I'm giving them to get back to me. If they won't let us leave in half an hour, we'll… we'll carry out our plan," he said thickly.

"Ro

"That's it, Ms. McCoy. You tell them."

Galloway answered her call before the completion of the first ring. "I'm coming out with the baby. Have medical perso

"Only three?"

"Three."

"What about the rest?"

"I'll tell you when I get there."

She hung up on him.

As Tiel approached Sabra, the young woman was crying.

"Bye-bye, sweet Katherine. My beautiful baby girl.

Mommie loves you. Very much." She was bent over the child, inhaling her scent, touching her everywhere. She kissed Katherine's face several times, then turned her own into Doc's shirt and sobbed.

Tiel took the baby from Gladys, who'd been holding her because Sabra didn't have the strength. Tiel carried Katherine over to Ro

"Thanks for all you've done," he said to Tiel. "I know Sabra liked having you around."

Tiel's eyes appealed to him. "I don't believe you'll do it, Ro

He chose not to respond and instead kissed the baby's forehead. "Bye, Katherine. I love you." Then, his motions jerky and abrupt, he stepped behind the counter to release the electric door lock.

Tiel allowed the others to go ahead of her. Before stepping through the door, she glanced over her shoulder at Doc. He had eased Sabra back onto the floor, but he raised his head as though Tiel's gaze had beckoned him.