****
Two hours later saw the arrival of a few more squad cars, Cody and Alex with the mobile command center van down the street and a phone call that Burkholtz herself was on her way down from Washington. The latter had Frank more than curious.
Inside the house, Frankie was again on the floor with the children, Ariel and Jessie in her lap as LJ sat next to her. Quito paced rather irritatingly as he muttered.
"No calls yet. He hasn't called you at all Francesca… May I call you Frankie?" Frankie made a noise like 'no' but he kept on. "I wonder, Frankie, does he know what's going on? Who was that at the door?"
Frankie looked up at him as he approached her. Her gray eyes sparked defiantly as he loomed over her. "No one, a neighbor is all."
Quito looked at her, his dark brown eyes piecing things together. Softly he chuckled. "You're good, you could have been a Fed. Instead you married one. Not bad really, the little girl is beautiful. She looks like you. Check the street, see if anyone's out there." He barked at the three men with him. "I have a feeling we're about to have a party."
Frankie felt LJ's hand worm into hers and looked down.
"Is Mommy and Daddy coming back to get me and Airy?"
"Yes baby, they sure will. Just be patient and work on your coloring."
"Okay Aunt Frankie. Color with me?"
"Sure baby… here…" She picked up the black crayon as she set Ariel off of her lap. Jessie laid back on her legs, dozing lightly. Every now and then, her legs would kick and hit her mother in the stomach lightly. A glimmer of a plan worked into Frankie's mind as she looked at LJ and his crayons… She found herself recalling every little piece of information she could that she'd heard from Jake or read in the files. This just might work….
--
Outside, Frank could see some movement behind the front bay window.
"We've been spotted. He knows we're here."
"He?" Alex asked. They both had long since shoved Jake into the van with Cody.
"Yes, most perpetrators of hostage situations are males. The rare occurrence is female."
"Do we know who this is yet?"
"No. Frankie didn't let it out."
"Just what did she say? Maybe she gave you a clue in disguise."
"She said that the kids were fine and they just had lunch delivered, but the furniture delivery men hadn't arrived yet."
Alex nodded and sighed. "Not much in the way of clues."
In both of their ears a voice chimed into the conversation, though a bit staticky. "She just had lunch delivered?"
"Yes Jake. That's what she'd said."
"Then that's who did it. When I was on the phone with her at the hospital, the doorbell rang as we were talking. She said that lunch from Bergman's Deli was there."
"Alex, you and Jake go to Bergman's and check it out."
Alex nodded and headed back to the van to collect Jake. Maybe they could find something of use…
****
Frankie looked up from LJ's coloring to see Quito pacing back and forth. LJ nudged her and handed her the black crayon.
"Aunt Frankie…"
"Alright LJ. Here, let's see about this." She winked and took the crayon, coloring in something on the page."
Quito wasn't thrilled at all. Since the knocking on the front door, nothing had happened. All he'd seen was the Blazer parked across the street and a van a few houses down. No cops, nothing.
"I'm beginning to think that your husband isn't coming to rescue you, Mrs. Shaw." He finally bit out. Quito stopped his pacing and looked at Frankie. "Why is that? He hasn't called here, he hasn't tried to knock on the door. What is it he knows that we do not?"
Frankie couldn't hide the smirk on her face as she looked up. Her hand stilled and rested on the piece of paper with the numbers written on it.
He saw the smirk and everything crystallized. "That wasn't a neighbor, was it Frankie? Who was it?"
"Do me a favor and I'll do you a favor."
"No. You are in no position to negotiate."
"Actually, yes I am." Frankie smirked again. "You know damned well that the negotiations team is outside along with SWAT and several Federal Agents - even if you can't see them. There will be no escape for you. You've got children in here that belongs to two Federal Agents, there is no mercy for that from the team. I hold all the cards."
"You hold nothing," he snarled and advanced on Frankie.
Frankie bolted up and stood in front of the children. "Listen to me. Why on earth should the negotiations team make any overtures to you when they don't know who you are or what you want?"
"It's simple. I want Jake Shaw."
Frankie's gray eyes narrowed. Like hell he'd get Jake. It'd be over her dead body that Quito Real ever got his hands on Jake Shaw.
"You object?"
"You're bloody well right I object. However," She smiled charmingly and pushed Quito back a step so she could breathe. "However, you give up the children to the negotiations team outside and you'll get a shot at what you want. If you don't, then hell's fury will descend on this house. And considering that I just painted everything, so I'd prefer not to do that."
Quito blinked. "You.. Not a chance. The children are my bargaining chip against The Dog."
Frankie bristled at Quito's nickname for Jake. She highly disliked it, but she wasn't about to let it get to her. "You're not paying attention and you're showing very little intelligence. You keep me. You give up the kids. It shows respect for the innocent on your behalf and it provides respect to you from the negotiation team. They'll see that you are willing to give and take with them. It'll definitely grease the wheels."
Quito turned around, mulling over the things Frankie had just said to him. If he were a father, he'd want to make sure his child was safe before he gave up his own life. He knew that Jake Shaw would too. So, if he kept hold of Frankie Shaw and the Shaw Puppy, then that would make it just a little bit better too.
"What's it gonna be Quito?"
"All right. The other two kids go, you and the puppy stay. Make the call."
****