When Darkness Falls

chapter 59

V ince listened intently as Jack described what was unfolding on the command center’s closed-circuit television-Falcon retreating into the hotel room with both Theo and the injured girl still held hostage. Vince’s telephone rang almost immediately. He answered just as quickly, only to get an earful of Falcon’s most hysterical screams yet.

“You tried to screw me, Paulo!”

“No one’s screwing with you.”

“I heard your SWAT guy or sniper or whoever talking to someone in the next room. He said to take the shot! Now call them off, or I’ll take the shot. This is no joke. Somebody’s gonna die here!”

“Just calm down, all right?”

“Calm down? You send in a shooter, and now you’re telling me to calm down?”

“Hear me out, Falcon. If SWAT or anyone else is anywhere near you, it’s not my doing. Let me check into it, and I’ll get them to back off.”

“I don’t buy that for one second. It’s just like you did to me on the bridge. You’re lying through your teeth all over again.”

“Look, for what it’s worth, I didn’t lie to you on the bridge. When I said you could speak to Alicia if you came down from the lamppost, that was a firm deal in my mind. Someone else-someone higher up-pulled the plug on us.”

“It’s never your fault, is it, Paulo?”

“I know I must sound like I’m full of excuses, but I swear I’m not lying to you.”

“And I swear right back that I don’t believe you.”

Vince could see that this conversation was going nowhere, along the lines of the timeless are-too-am-not playground debate. He needed another tack. “Falcon, let me make good on this, all right?”

“How?”

“First, let’s agree upfront that you are not going to hurt the hostages. If you can make that promise to me, then we can talk about what it is that you really want.”

“You know what I want.”

“Not until you tell me, I don’t.”

“You’ve known all along.”

“Spell it out, Falcon. Tell me what you want, and I’ll see if I can get it done.”

“Anything I want?”

“Within reason. Just don’t hurt the hostages.”

He paused, as if he enjoyed keeping Vince in suspense. Finally, he said, “I want to speak to Alicia.”

“Okay. I think we can do that.”

“In person.”

Vince didn’t want to use the word “no,” even if the answer was “no freakin’ way.” “How about we start with a phone conversation?”

“No, I want to-” Falcon said, then stopped. “You know what, Paulo? I’m calling your bluff. Put her on.”

“Unfortunately, she’s not here right now.”

“Damn you and your lies! Don’t you ever keep a promise? Don’t you ever stop stalling?”

Vince wasn’t sure how to convince him that he was being truthful, but based on what he was hearing in Falcon’s voice, it appeared that he didn’t have nearly enough time to redeem his own credibility. “If you don’t believe me, talk to Swyteck. Here, he’ll tell you.”

He handed the phone to Jack, who had been listening to the conversation on speaker. Paulo would have liked to coach him on what to say, but there was no time for that, either.

Jack spoke into the telephone. “He’s not messing with you, Falcon. Alicia is not here, and we’re doing our best to find her.”

“It’s time she talked to me. It’s beyond time.”

“What do you want to say to her?”

“Just bring her here. Now!”

Jack hit the mute button and spoke to Vince. “Where the hell is Alicia?”

“She rushed out of the command center after I gave her some files from my source. I sensed something was wrong, but she wouldn’t say what. I honestly don’t know where she went.”

“Find someone who does.”

“We’re working on it.”

“Work harder!” said Jack. He disengaged the mute function and spoke into the telephone. “She’s on her way, Falcon. Just give us a couple minutes.”

Falcon didn’t answer.

Vince slipped Jack a note that read, KEEP HIM TALKING.

“Falcon?” said Jack. “Are you there? Come on buddy, talk to me. Tell me more about that stage you wanted. You know, ‘curtain time.’”