No one is hurt. Im trying to keep it that way, Nick assured him, glancing over at Dillinger.
Dillinger nodded. He seemed to approve of how Nick handled the negotiations. There was enough of a low-lying threat in Nicks tone to make it all sound very menacing, no matter what the words.
Thats good. Open the gate and well get the man. There will be no attempts to break in on you, no more bullets fired, Craig said.
Nick looked at Dillinger. Yes? he mouthed.
Dillinger nodded. Keep an eye on her!
As he hurried out, Kody stood and started after him, then paused herself, as if certain Nick would have stopped her if she hadnt. He held the phone and stared at her, wishing he dared tell her who he was and what his part was in all this.
But he couldnt.
He couldnt risk her betraying him.
He covered the mouthpiece on the house phone. Dont leave the room.
Jose Marquez... she murmured.
Hes really letting him go, Nick said.
She walked over to him suddenly. He was afraid she was going to reach for the mask that covered his face.
She didnt touch him. Instead she spoke quickly. Youre not like that. You could stop this. You have a gun. You could
Shoot them all down? he asked her.
Wound them, stop thisstop them from killing innocent people. Id speak for you. Id see that everyone in court knew that people survived because of you.
She was moving closer as she spokenot to touch him, he realized, but to take his gun.
He set the phone down and grabbed her roughly by the wrists.
Dont pull this on anyone else. Havent you really grasped this yet? Theyre trigger happy and crazy. Just do as they say. Just find that damned stash!
Something in her jaw seemed to be working. She looked away from him.
You found it already? he said incredulously. You have, havent you? But thats impossible so fast!
She didnt confirm or deny; she gave no answer. He heard a crackle on the phone line and put it back to his ear. As he did so, he looked out the windows.
Dillinger, wielding a semiautomatic, was leading out two hostages carrying Jose Marquez. They brought him close to the gate, Dillinger keeping his weapon trained on them the entire time.
They left Jose and walked back into the house.
Dillinger followed them.
A second later the gate opened. Police rushed in and scooped up the security guard. They hurried out with him.
The gates closed and locked.
Barrow! Barrow? Hey, you there?
Yes, Nick replied into the phone.
We have the security guard. Well get him to the hospital. What about the others? Do they need food, water?
Kody was staring at him. He heard footsteps pounding up the stairs, as well.
Dillinger was back.
Sit! he told Kody. Figure out what we need to do in order to get our hands on that stash.
To his surprise, she sat. She satand had the journal up in her hands before Dillinger returned to the room.
Well? Dillinger said to Nick.
Nick spoke into the phone. Weve given you the hostage in good faith. We really would like to see that all these good folks live, but, hey, they call bad guys bad guys because...theyre bad. So back away from the gates and start making things happen. What about our boats?
I swear, were getting you the best boats, Craig said.
I want them now, Dillinger said.
We need you to supply those boats now, Nick said, nodding to Dillinger and repeating his demand over the phone. We need them out back, by the docks, and then we need you and your people to be far, far away.
The boats will be there soon, Craig told Nick.
Soon? Make that six or seven minutes at most! he said.
He hoped Craig picked up on the clue. Stressing the word told him there were seven in this merry band of thieves.
Dont push it too far! Nick added. Maybe well give you to ten or eleven minutes to get it together, but...well, you dont want hostages to start dying, do you?
Easy enough. That told him there were eleven hostages, including Dakota Cameron, being held.
Dillinger looked at Nick and nodded, satisfied.
Weve got one of the boats, Craig said. How do I get my man to bring it around and not get killed or become a hostage himself? he asked.
One boat?
So far. Getting our hands on what you want isnt easy, Craig said. If we give you that one boat, what do we get?
You just got a man.
We could find a second boat more quickly if we had a second manor woman, Craig said.
They had to be careful; the negotiators voice carried on the land line.
Of course, Craig Frasier knew that. He would be careful, but Nick knew that he had to be more so. Dakota could hear Craig, as well.
Please, she said softly, give them Stacey Carlson and Nan Masters. Theyre older. Theyll just be like bricks around your neck when you need hostages for cover. Please, let them leave.
Please, Dillinger said, mimicking her plea, find what I want to know!
I might have, Kody said very softly.
You might have?
Give the cops two more hostages. Give them Stacey and Nan, she said. Ill show you what I think Ive figured out once youve done that. Please.
Dillinger looked at Nick. Hey, the lady said please. Lets accommodate her. Get on the phone and tell them to get the hell away from the gate. Well give them two more solid, stand-up citizens. His eyes narrowed. But I want my boats. Two boats. And I want them now. No ten minutes. No eleven minutes. I want them now!
He looked at Kody. She was staring gravely at him.
We have a present for you, he told Craig over the phone. Two more hostages. Only we want two boats. Now. We want them right now.
And if we dont get those boats soon... Dillinger murmured.
He looked over at Kody.
And his eyes seemed to smile.