When Darkness Falls

chapter 29

V ince Paulo was at the mobile command center when he caught a blip of radio squelch in his earpiece. The excited voice of one of the officers outside the motel room followed.

“I think we heard a scream from inside the room, Sergeant.”

Vince keyed his microphone. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I heard it. Jonesy says he heard it too.”

“Man or woman?”

“Man, I think.”

Vince keyed his mike again and summoned up his audio specialist. “Bolton, what are you picking up in there?” She took a moment to respond, and Vince imagined that she was adjusting the controls, trying to get a clearer transmission. “It sounds like some kind of argument going on, sir.”

“Do you have a video feed yet?”

“Negative. When Swyteck’s car crashed into the building, it crushed the AC ducts leading to the room. There’s no place to snake the transmission line. Our tech team planted these listening devices as close as we could, but until we have a green light to enter the next room and plant something right on the adjoining wall, it’s not going to give us what we want.”

“Can you isolate on anything?”

“I tried separating out some background noises, but it’s just a screech to me. If the officers on site say it was a man’s scream, I’ve got no reason to doubt it.”

“Got it, thanks,” said Vince.

Chavez said, “If he’s savaging the hostages, we need to breach.”

Vince took a moment, thinking.

Chavez said, “What are you waiting for, gunshots?”

Vince picked up the phone and dialed. “If he doesn’t answer, we breach.”

FALCON WAS STARING at the cell phone on the floor as if it were some kind of chirping alien. It rang a second time, and then a third.

“You better answer it,” said Theo.

“Quiet!” It rang two more times. Nobody moved. Then, on the sixth ring, Falcon sprang like a cat, grabbed it, and hit the talk button. “Swyteck?” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“It’s me, Vince Paulo.”

“I told you I didn’t want to hear from no more cops,” he said, the anger coming through, even in a whisper.

“We heard a scream. Is everything okay in there?”

“Where’s Swyteck?”

“Why are you whispering?”

He gnawed his lower lip, wincing like a man in pain. “Tell me where Swyteck is.”

“He’s on his way back from the bank. He’ll be here in a little while. Now, like I said, we heard a scream in there, Falcon. It sounded like a man. I need to hear Theo Knight’s voice, make sure he’s okay.”

“He’s fine.”

“I got guys chomping at the bit to beat that door down, Falcon. Help me out here. I need to hear his voice.”

Falcon gritted his teeth, then walked over to Theo, who was still seated on the floor. Facing him, he put the gun to Theo’s left ear, the phone to his right. “Say something.”

“There’s two more-”

Falcon slugged him with the butt of the gun and snatched the phone away before Theo could finish. “Not so damn loud,” he said as he brought the phone back to his ear. He was furious but still whispering.

Paulo said, “Falcon, do you have two more hostages?”

“I want to talk to Swyteck.”

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because she’s here. In the bathroom.”

“Who’s in the bathroom?”

“It’s her. I know it’s her.”

“Who is she?”

“I can’t get rid of her!”

“Falcon, take a breath and tell me who else is there with you.”

Falcon was pacing furiously, but he was careful with each footfall so as not to make too much noise. “She’s always here. Everywhere I go, she just shows up.”

“Who?”

“She comes to the river. She comes to my house. She sits on my milk crate. She won’t go, she won’t never go! I beat the living crap out of her with a pipe and stuff her in the trunk, and she’s still here! Right here in the bathroom!”

“Falcon, tell me who you’re talking about.”

He cupped his hand around the receiver, containing his words so that no one would overhear. It made his whisper even raspier. “I have to tell Swyteck something.”

“No problem. I can pass it on to him. What is it?”

“Tell him-first tell him I still want my money.”

“Okay, he’s working very hard on that. Anything else?”

“Yeah,” he said as he shot a nervous glance toward the bathroom door. “Tell him I need, I really need, my fucking necklace.” He closed the flip phone and disconnected.