Sarah had been trying to kick the sides of the car, make any kind of noise she could hoping that someone would notice something wrong with the car. The road noise changed and she could hear gravel bouncing off the under carriage of the car. About five minutes later the car turned and stopped. She heard a car door open and the crunch of gravel underfoot. A key was inserted into the lock of the trunk. The trunk lid popped open.
She was still blindfolded, but she recognized the voice that said, "Hello Sarah. I've waited almost six years for this. Today I make you pay for all the pain you've put me through." She'd been right. It really was Michael. Michael DeVry.
Deakins had called and Bobby was writing down directions. Just after they passed Highway marker N138 and before they got into the Mt. Kisco city limits, they were to turn left onto Ketchum Valley Road. The road ended right in front of the house they were looking for. Deakins had alerted the State Police who was sending a hostage negotiator and the Mt. Kisco police department who were more than happy to let NYPD handle this situation. The small police force of Mt. Kisco hadn't ever dealt with a hostage situation but was still going to have a car waiting for them at the entrance to Ketchum Valley Road to provide back up. He also told Bobby that Briscoe and Green were about 15 minutes behind them.
Bobby relayed all the same info to Alex. "We just passed Highway marker N127. It will only be a few more minutes. Do you have any kind of plan? Or are we going to just walk right in?"
"We are not going to just walk right in. But I am. I'm the one he's after. And I can draw him outside. This is what he's waiting for. When I do, you take him down, because he's not going to go peacefully or willingly."
"You can't do this Bobby, I won't let you. And I don't think the Mt Kisco PD will either."
"It's the only way Alex. Waiting for the state police's negotiator is just going to be a waste of time. He can't be negotiated out of this. He knows he's not getting out of it, he doesn't want to get out of it I can draw him out, because that's what he wants. He's going to think I'm playing his game. I've got my own plan, though."
Alex pulled over as she came up behind the Mt. Kisco police cruiser. The two detectives got out of their SUV as the two Mt. Kisco officers stepped out of their car. Introductions all around and Alex told the officers they were waiting for two other detectives from New York. They already knew the State Police was on its way.
Within minutes Detectives Briscoe and Green pulled up behind the SUV and walked up to the little group. Bobby asked, "So who's got the best shooting range scores?"
Bobby outlined the plan he had worked out so far. Much of it depended on what DeVry did. Bobby's entire plan depended on DeVry coming outside. It was his job to see to it that he did.
The two Mt. Kisco officers made their way around to the back of the property to keep DeVry from being able to sneak out of the back of the house should it not play out the way Bobby thought it was going to. Eames, Briscoe and Green worked their way into positions with clear sight lines to the front door. Bobby gave everyone a five-minute lead to get into position before getting into the SUV and turning into the driveway and pulling up behind the Grand Am. He wasn't sure why he was so relieved to see it was the same green Grand Am, it confirmed he'd figured it right. This was Michael DeVry. Things looked very normal around the cabin. He hoped it meant that Sarah was still alive.
He opened the door and slowly took off his suit jacket and set it down on the hood of the car. He removed his gun and holster and put them on top of his jacket. He pulled out his shirt tails and unbuttoned his shirt allowing DeVry to see that he wore no vest, just a white t-shirt under his dress shirt.
"DeVry. Come on out. Michael, it's Bobby Goren."
From inside the house a voice called out. "I don't think so Detective Goren. The woods around here are probably full of sharpshooters. I'm not a fool Goren. I've had six years to think this through.'
"I don't think you're a fool, DeVry. But no one else is here. No one else believed my theory. They still think Sarah had something to do with the murders, especially those of Amanda Cartwright and Kelly Bishop. You set those killings up very well."
"Well, I did try. It wasn't really very difficult. Most cops see what they want to see anyway. They're the fools. They're so easily led if you know what you want them to find. That's were so many mess up. Too busy about not trying to implicate themselves, they fail to see the opportunity to lead the cops a different direction."
"Well that's one thing we can agree on. They saw what you wanted them to see. But I know Sarah and I'm not so easily swayed this time. Let Sarah go. You and I both know, you don't intend to hurt her. It's much more rewarding for you to crush her spirit. To break her, like you almost did six years ago."
"Smart man, you think you've figured out my intentions? I'm capable of things far greater than you can imagine. How far I'm willing to take this stand off to make her pay for her deceit. She uses people. She a user, she just uses people up. She'll suck your spirits dry and then cast you aside as soon as she finds her next victim. You should be thanking me for saving you from that. 'Breaking her' as you call it, is definitely part of the plan."
"If you won't come outside, at least open the door. So we won't have to yell so much. A few years ago there was a theory about 'psychic vampires' and how they just used people. It sounds a lot like what you're talking about."
"Psychic Vampire… I like that. But I must have missed out on that theory while I was working for the state the last five years. Everyone has a theory, everyone has an explanation."
DeVry hadn't spoken to Sarah since they arrived at the house. He hadn't wanted to listen to her either, so except for uncovering her eyes and sitting her in a chair by the front door, she was as bound up as she'd been in the car. Now he cut the duct tape holding her ankles together so that she could walk. He pulled her up and towards the door as he spoke into her ear, "Now the fun begins."
"Okay, Goren, you win. We'll come out and play." Standing to the side of the door, he swung the door open wide enough to allow the setting sun to shine in. Just what he wanted. To be in the spotlight. He tightened his grip on Sarah, wrapped one arm around her neck and held the sig sauer semi automatic to her temple.
He pushed her two, then three, and then finally four steps out the door. In the driveway immediately in front of her, she saw Bobby. He was unarmed and didn't have a vest on and it looked like he had no back up either. She shook her head no, hoping he understood, 'don't do this.'
"It's going to be all right Sarah, don't worry, it's all going to work out."
DeVry pointed his chin to signify the woods, "So, how many friends do you have out there?"
"I told you, no one believed me. I'm here on my own."
DeVry smiled and scoffed, "Like I believe you. It doesn't matter though. It really doesn't. They're not going to factor into the outcome anyway."
"Just like I said, it's just you and me." Bobby said as he took several small and slow steps forward.
"Oh, ho, ho …. That's far enough Detective. I mean between you and me, between me and Sarah. Sarah's the most important part of this. You were right about that. This has all been for her benefit. First, it was Amanda and Kelley – that should effectively end her career. Then, the Thompson family, - Angela, David, and little baby Sean – that takes care of her friends. Now, you – that should put a crimp on her love life for a while. But Sarah, Sarah gets left behind to deal with the aftermath. To leave Sarah behind to try to pick up all the pieces of her sad and pathetic life will be my crowning glory. But she won't be able to, she's going to be left the most broken piece of all. I have you out here, weaponless, defenseless and utterly at my mercy. Just as I've dreamed of having you since I found out about you."
"Well, I don't feel so very defenseless." He took another few small steps forward.
"Un, un, un, I won't warn you again Goren. Stay where you are. This is going to play out according to my time table, not yours." DeVry pressed the muzzle of the gun forcefully into Sarah's temple and Bobby stopped.
"That doesn't intimidate me, DeVry. You're not going to hurt Sarah, which would ruin your plans."
"Might not intimidate you, but it got you to stop." With a wry grin, Bobby conceded the point.
Now talking to Sarah, instead of DeVry, Bobby laid everything out for her, "You see Sarah, his plan was to take away everyone who was important to you. To leave you alone, alone and defeated. The same way he's felt since he lost his control over you, his power over you. He's taken everyone, except for…"
"Except for you, Detective. But now it's your turn." DeVry loosened his grip on Sarah just a little as he started to swing the gun forward to face Goren. Bobby dove for the cover of a large bush as DeVry pulled the trigger and fired the gun twice in his direction. The recoil of the gun was enough to cause him to loose much of his grip on Sarah as she continued to struggle to get away from DeVry. She needed to reach Bobby. Sarah was blocking a clear shot from Eames, Briscoe or Green. As Sarah finally broke free, DeVry turned the gun back on himself. Sarah rushed toward Bobby, and heard him shout, "Stop him! Don't let him do it!" The instant Sarah heard Bobby's voice she stopped and turned to look back at the porch.
Michael had the muzzle of the gun in his mouth. He smiled at Sarah as he pulled the trigger. She screamed as the gun when off and blood exploded like a halo from the back of DeVry's head.
Tears were streaming down Sarah's face as she stumbled to where Bobby was struggling to sit up. It hadn't registered what it meant that she'd heard Bobby cry out to the other officers. Bobby was just starting to sit up when Sarah collapsed on her knees in front of him. She couldn't believe her eyes, Bobby didn't look like he was hurt. She couldn't see any blood on him. She heard others rushing up to them. Turning she saw officers in uniform and Alex and the detectives she'd met earlier today. Could it really have been just a few hours ago? The Mt. Kisco officers had already radioed for ambulances; Briscoe and Green secured DeVry's gun and made sure he was dead. Eames ran toward his partner, but stopped as she saw that he was well enough to be taking the gag that was still on Sarah's mouth and freeing her hands, rubbing them to get the circulation going again.
As soon as he had untied her hands, she threw her arms around his neck. With tears streaming down her face, she cried, "Are you all right? Are you hurt?" She was running her hands all over his chest, her eyes raking his body looking for blood. "Did he miss you? How could he have?"
"I'm fine. I'm not hurt, but he didn't miss me." Bobby pulled up the white t-shirt so that Sarah could see that underneath it was a thinner than normal, but still substantial bulletproof vest. They sat there, Bobby trying to calm her down, until the ambulances arrived. The paramedics first went over to check DeVry, but there was nothing they could do for him, it was clear that he was dead. They walked over to see if they needed medical care. Sarah had several scraps and bruises coming up. When she told them the DeVry had hit her on the head and that she had been unconscious for a time, one of them began to check her over for signs of concussion.
The other paramedic wanted to get a look at Bobby and see what kind of injury he'd sustained from the gunshots. He helped Goren to get the vest off, first by helping him get his dress shirt off and pulling the t-shirt up over his head and then unfastening the vest. When he did, it was obvious where the two bullets DeVry had fired had hit Bobby. One was dead center in the chest, the other on the left side of the ribcage. If Bobby hadn't been wearing the vest, either shot could have killed him. The welts left on his body were already bruising up and the paramedic wanted to get some x-rays to rule out any broken or cracked ribs. Bobby put his shirt back on and carefully and slowly got to his feet. He was a little light-headed, but he felt pretty good considering he'd been shot twice.
Bobby and Sarah climbed into the back of one of the ambulances as the body of Michael DeVry was put into the other.