Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4) (38 page)

L
ach leaned against the wall of an apartment down the hall from Phoebe’s, watching the agents set up their command post. Clint Robbins was with the Secret Service and he was heading up this combined emergency response task force. The man appeared comfortable with his abilities and took command. Thornton explained that Lach was an armed civilian contractor on sight, mostly to keep him from being shot. Crest had provided Lach with his backup weapon from the office.

Crest had arrived a mere fifteen minutes ago and he’d had a private discussion with Robbins, but Lach hadn’t been privy to the conversation. He’d been keeping track of time and he knew they were closing in on the timeframe given by Stewart Barnes. His father, a U.S. Senator, had been located and was in the process of being transported here. Robbins didn’t seem to be concerned that there was five minutes left to start negotiations.

“The building has been, for the most part, evacuated,” Crest said, coming to stand next to Lach. He didn’t look his boss’s way, not wanting to miss any cues from Robbins that things were about to go south. “The rest of our team is on the ground floor. Robbins is allowing the two of us to stay as long as we keep out of their way.”

“Thornton had a lot to do with that,” Lach acknowledged, spotting the agent across the room. He was going over blueprints with one of their tactical members. Lach itched to get in the midst of the decisions, but he knew the rules. “I appreciate you being here. I take it that Dunaway knows what is taking place?”

“Yes, but the Secret Service won’t allow him to leave his residence. He flew in with Phoebe late this morning.” Crest slid his hands into his trouser pockets. “Lach, I know this is hard for you, but you have to let them do their job.”

“I should have known this would happen.” Lach switched his gaze back to Robbins, who was signaling with one of his hands that he needed something. Another agent walked up to see what it was, but once again, Lach was left out of the loop. Anger, frustration, and helplessness seeped from his pores as he struggled to remain where he was. “Phoebe’s a fucking prime target. All of them are. You and I both know there aren’t enough concrete safety guidelines. If a person is hell bent on reaching his target, such as Stewart Barnes, he’ll be able to find a way.”

“Stewart Barnes had been cleared, not only by us but by the Secret Service.” Crest had pointed out the obvious, but that didn’t give Lach a sense of satisfaction. They’d all been wrong. “Nothing in his background indicated he was capable of this.”

“We both know that anyone is capable of anything.” Lach saw some commotion by the door. Senator Barnes had shown up, looking a little haggard. Once again, Lach had to restrain himself from walking over there to hear what was being said. “What I don’t understand is what Stewart will get out of this. Jim said the kid has three additional hostages besides Phoebe and Kimmie—Timothy Mickel, Hannah Ward, and Austin Bentley. With all those people, I find it hard to believe that Stewart could have gotten the drop on all of them.”

“I don’t either, but I think we’re about to find out,” Crest replied, also watching the scene unfold. “If Robbins sticks to protocol, he’ll tap into Stewart’s cell phone and start negotiations.”

Sure enough, Robbins walked Senator Barnes over to the kitchen table where quite a bit of technology was set up for their use. Recording devices, laptops with numerous amounts of software, and a small speakerphone were just the tip of the iceberg. Lach would have felt better had Taryn been allowed up here in command, but he knew that wouldn’t be the case. A dial tone resounded throughout the room followed by several rounds of pitches indicating a number being called.

“Hello?”

Stewart’s voice rang out, but Lach discerned right away that something was amiss. The hesitancy that came through wasn’t one from someone who thought they had total control. Had something happened inside that apartment? Had Phoebe tried to escape and gotten hurt in the process? Adrenaline pumped through him as he pushed off the wall and he would have walked over to where the speakerphone was had Crest not placed a hand on his arm and shook his head, reminding Lach of how easily it would be to be thrown out of here. He clenched his jaw as he listened to Robbins start negotiations.

“Stewart Barnes? This is Special Agent Clint Robbins with the Secret Service. I have your father here, per your wishes. Before I allow you to speak with him though, you must show me some good faith. I need to know that Phoebe and Kimmie Dunaway are safe and unharmed.”

“They’re fine.” Stewart seemed distracted. Lach stared intently at the speakerphone and strained to hear for any word from Phoebe. “I need my father to know something.”

“Stewart, I will reiterate my stance. I want to help you. I do. But my first priority is Phoebe and Kimmie. I need to hear from one of them that they are all right.”

“Phoebe, for God’s sake, say something.”

“We’re fine,” Phoebe called out, although Lach could hear the strain of tension in her voice.

“You heard her. Is my father there?”

“Stewart, son, I’m right here,” Sentaor Barnes said, looking for direction from Robbins. “Why are you doing this?”

“Y-you never paid me any attention,” Stewart stuttered, though the emotion just wasn’t there for Lach. He studied Agent Robbins, wondering if he felt the same. “All you care about is your seat in the Senate. I want the world to know you have a son and I want you to tell them that…on national television.”

Lach shook his head, knowing in his gut that something was off with this scenario. Crest shot him a warning glance, but it wasn’t needed. Lach wouldn’t compromise the situation but he damn well would speak his mind when this call ended. He refused to have this situation blow up like the one he’d led years ago, all because he didn’t listen to his intuition.

“Robbins has experience,” Crest stated in a low tone. “Let him handle this.”

“You and I both know that kid doesn’t have the skill to have caught Phoebe’s primary agent by surprise. Listen to Stewart’s voice,” Lach stressed, knowing he was right. “It’s like he’s making this up as he goes along. He wants something else and is procrastinating. We need to find out what that is.”

“Son, that isn’t true. You know that I love you.” Senator Barnes hadn’t taken his eyes off of Robbins, who was now scribbling on a piece of paper. He held it out to the Senator, who seemed desperate to get his son to listen. “Stewart, please come out of there. We can sort this out, I promise. I’ll use whatever connections I have.”

“Dad, you need to get in front of the camera and tell them about me. Tell them that I’m your son and that I come first. You have one hour.”

The line dropped and silence descended seconds before chaos erupted. Robbins started shouting directives to his agents while Senator Barnes kept denying that his son would do this. Crest stepped in Lach’s direct path to Agent Robbins.

“Let them handle this, Lach. There will come a time when Robbins will use you due to your personal relationship with Phoebe. You know this.” Crest looked over his shoulder at the commotion before once again locking eyes with Lach. “If you want to stay in the know, keep your mouth shut or both of us will be outside across the street with the general population. I’ll remain here with you where we’ll be able to hear the intelligence coming in. We’ll be able to look at it from a different angle.”

Lach swiftly turned away and did his best to keep the guttural yell that he’d wanted to release inside of his chest. He placed his palms up against the window, looking out at the same view that Phoebe’s apartment faced. People were lined up and being held at bay by police officers and security guards that were probably employed by the building. A large park was situated in front of them where no doubt snipers had tried to find some type of camouflage amongst what trees there were. He knew Crest was right and they’d be in that bunch of pedestrians should Lach voice his opinion right now, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

“She’s mine,” Lach whispered, knowing only Crest could hear the torture within those words. “Phoebe’s mine and I didn’t protect her.”

*   *   *   *

“Is that good enough?” Stewart asked, handing over his cell to Hannah. Hannah and Austin had yet to let him leave the couch. She was smiling her approval as she took the phone and slipped it into her brown dress pants. She’d certainly dressed the part of an upstanding citizen who’d been taken hostage by a deranged son of a United States Senator. “You’ll let me live? My father will hire the best attorney available. I’ll serve a couple years max. I promise to keep my mouth shut.”

“Just sit down.” Austin used his gun to make his point before Hannah leaned down to whisper something in his ear that caused him to smile. They were so young to be so unbalanced, though Phoebe could feel no sympathy for them at this precise moment. They would not hesitate to shoot and kill any of them. He stood and the two of them walked away to continue talking. “We have one hour.”

Phoebe didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that they were waiting to have the national media appear before they shot them all in cold blood, and then upon them being
saved
giving the interviews of their lives. Didn’t they already know that this was a media spectacle? She could only imagine the scene outside and wherever Lach might be.

Phoebe’s heart felt like it was being squeezed and on the verge of exploding from the pain this had to be causing him. The parallels between this situation and the last hostage rescue weren’t lost on her. If she were just given the chance to talk to him, to relay some sort of message to him, then maybe the outcome this time could be altered.

“What’s the plan?” Timothy whispered through the side of his mouth, though he barely moved his lips. Phoebe glanced sideways and saw a line of perspiration leak out of his hairline. His glasses had slipped down the bridge of his nose. “There are four of us, well, three. Two of them.”

“With guns,” Kimmie replied softly, not moving her head to bring unwanted attention their way. Phoebe was still able to hear the catch in her voice. “I’m so sorry.”

“You couldn’t have known,” Phoebe replied, tightening her hold on Kimmie’s hand. “This is not your fault. This is theirs.”

“Stop talking,” Hannah snapped, a cruel expression on what used to be such an angelic face.

It was suffocating in Phoebe’s apartment. Her hold on Kimmie’s hand felt like water and the air was heavy. It didn’t help that Phoebe was wearing a sweater. She took a steadying breath, hoping it would calm her, but it did nothing. She tucked her hair behind her right ear, using her free hand and felt it tremble the entire time. It made her angry—that she was in this position, that her sister and friends were by her side, and that they were most likely going to die. There were still many things that Phoebe wanted to experience and who were they to say that she couldn’t?

Everyone’s head whipped toward Hannah when Stewart’s cell phone started to ring. Even Hannah and Austin were looking at each other, trying to figure out what was happening. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the phone.

“Don’t fall for anything,” Austin warned.

“We can’t sit here and do nothing,” Timothy muttered, panic starting to set in. Hannah kept her eyes on the ringing phone, taking her and Austin’s attention off of them. “We’re sitting ducks.”

“What do you propose we do? Huh?” Stewart asked, leaning slightly in. Austin shot them a warning glance and it had enough of an effect to cause Stewart to sit up straighter. “If anyone of us somehow warns the people on the phone, these lunatics will kill us and take themselves out. They made that clear.”

“Really?” Kimmie asked, anger finally rearing its head. Phoebe was glad to see some life still left in her sister. They needed all the courage they could muster if they were going to come out of this alive. “Fuck you, traitor. You gave them what they wanted.”

“Me? I just bought us some extra time.” Stewart practically hissed the words back, his face contorting in anger. “You think I don’t know they’ll kill me?”

“You’re just trying to save your own ass.”

The exchange between the two had garnered Austin’s attention once more and he raised his weapon. Hannah still held hers and her face was contorted in fury, but she didn’t answer the phone. Phoebe figured whoever it might be was still trying to negotiate. Unfortunately, they didn’t know that there wasn’t anything to discuss that would change this outcome.

Phoebe needed to speak with Lach somehow, some way. She frantically thought back to when this whole thing started. Timothy had her phone, which Hannah had already confiscated. Hannah held Stewart’s phone and Phoebe knew that Kimmie’s was usually left in her tote, which was on the floor by one of the stools. Where was Timothy’s cell phone?

“Where’s your phone?” Phoebe whispered, trying to keep her voice as low as possible.

“In my briefcase.”

Phoebe wracked her brain trying to figure out how to get a hold of either Kimmie or Timothy’s phone, but she knew there wasn’t a way without getting shot first. She leaned slightly toward the right, into Timothy, trying to see how Steve was doing behind Austin and Hannah. His chest wasn’t rising and she felt her heart lurch into her throat. He had a family. He was a husband and father. He couldn’t be dead. As she pulled her gaze away, she noticed the way his legs were sprawled on the floor and remembered something that Lach had said—sometimes agents carried a second weapon.

“I need to check on Steve.”

“I think he stopped breathing,” Timothy murmured, sitting back slightly when Austin took a step toward them. Stewart’s phone had stopped ringing. “You can’t help him.”

“Would you two shut up?”

“I’d like to check on Agent Johanson,” Phoebe said, having to clear her voice twice. “Please.”

“He’s dead. Just like all of you are going to be,” Hannah warned, coming to stand beside Austin. “So sit there and shut up, or I’ll make it happen sooner.”

Phoebe figured they would take out Timothy first and her friend had to know it. Hannah needed Stewart alive so that he was forced to speak with the agents, just like she needed Kimmie and Phoebe to communicate if needed. At least until Hannah and Austin decided to end it all.