Chapter 8
He almost didn't think he was hearing right, when they called back at 2.
"We know your partner is Elvis Andrews, and from the description his girlfriend gave us, we're betting you're Sandy Matthews, his cellmate from Pelican Bay."
How the hell did they figure all that out?
"So it won't help you now, just eliminating all the hostages. We don't need them to testify. We've got you without them. Every time you harm one of them, it's just an additional count against you. They're liabilities to you, now."
He sneered. "I know what you want, bitch, and I ain't lettin' them go. Put the FBI guy back on."
"This is Agent Eppes."
"You guys are good. I'll give you that."
"Sandy, we're working on the money, and one of my guys is picking up a van for you now. It's going to go a lot better for you, if you give us something. One hostage. You don't need all six."
Sandy snarled, unhappy with the turn things were taking. He wanted to punish someone.
He decided on Don.
"You pick."
"What?"
"I'll give you a choice, G-man. You can have your brother. Or, I got a kid in here." He looked through the open cooler door at the hostages again, silently noting that it was a bonus that they could hear his end of the conversation, and he could punish Charlie at the same time he punished Don. He looked over at Jeremy. "About 10, maybe. I can send him out."
Sandy smiled to himself. No way was he letting the FBI guy's brother go, he was way too much fun. But they didn't know that. FBI Don would have to live with what he was going to have to do next, and Charlie would have to live with listening to him do it. At least for a little while.
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Don heard the demand and squeezed his eyes shut.
He could get Charlie out of there.
He could get Charlie out of there!
He opened his eyes again and looked from one member of his team to another, then at Richards and Davis. He saw the same thing reflected in all the eyes.
Everybody knew what he had to do.
"You've got a child?"
"Yeah, he's here with his mother."
Don raised a hand to his hair in a familiar gesture of frustration. He couldn't do this.
Sandy gave him a few seconds to think about it and then spoke again. "You have to say it, Don. You have to choose." He looked back in the cooler. "Kid! Whar's your name?"
"J- Jeremy."
Sandy turned away again. "Say it, Don. Charlie, or Jeremy. Just one word. Come on, tough guy. Whose life means more to you?"
Don felt like he was screaming, but in reality his voice was only a whisper. "Jeremy."
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"I don't want to leave you, Mama!"
Jeremy's mother took his face in her hands. "Please, baby. I'll see you in a few hours. You give this to me, don't be afraid. You've been so brave all night. Just one more thing. Do it for me, baby."
Jeremy looked in a panic at Charlie. "But you said…"
Charlie interrupted him. "Before we leave, Jeremy, I'll give your Mom my phone number. Then you can call me sometime, and I'll come over and help you with your math, if you want."
Jeremy's eyes flickered.
"Hey, not many fifth-graders have a college professor helping them with their homework, dude. I'd hold him to it." Ricky tried to smile at Jeremy.
Sandy was getting impatient. "Enough. If he doesn't want to go…"
Jeremy's mother pushed him roughly to his feet. "No! He's going!"
Jeremy looked at her one last time and started in a halting walk toward Sandy. Then he stopped and looked up at him. "Can I say good-bye to Charlie?"
"Damn. Good thing you're leaving. Too much trouble. Make it fast."
Jeremy ran to Charlie and stuck out a hand, but Charlie grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into a quick embrace. Sandy waved the handgun. "Enough!", he said again.
Jeremy pulled away and started for the door of the cooler again. Both Sandy and Elvis were there, Elvis looking none-too-happy about releasing any hostage, even the kid.
Sandy gestured toward the front of the store. "Key's in the lock. Just turn it, push the door open and start walking. I'm sure there will be people out there waiting for you." He gave Jeremy a shove in the back.
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After he said it, he thrust the phone at Lieutenant Richards and pushed past Colby to get out of the van.
He tried to walk away from all the activity, but all he found was more activity. There was a crowd of bystanders behind the police tape. Reporters focused lights on him and shoved microphones at him.
He turned away from the crowd and saw a cruiser. He walked quickly to it, opened the back door and slid into the seat.
He could have gotten Charlie.
Training and common sense told him that every hostage in there had a family. Someone was waiting for them all. And when there was a choice to be made, children were removed from a hostile situation first. He knew that. Part of him understood that.
But his heart told him he had just killed Charlie.
