Read Online Hostage (2001) by Crais Robert - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Crais Robert
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friends, like I said. You're making me worried about them, Officer.'
The cop frowned, and glanced back along the row of cars behind Glen.
'Well, what it is, we've got robbery suspects in one of the houses. We've had to evacuate several of the homes, and close off the development until we can secure the area. It could take a while.'
Glen nodded, trying to look reasonable. Ten seconds, he already knew that he couldn't flash a hundred at this guy to buy his way in. He would never go for it.
'Listen, my client is expecting me, Officer. It won't take long. Really. I just need a few minutes, then I'm gone.'
'Can't let you in, sir, I'm sorry. Maybe you could phone your party and have them come meet you, if they're still inside. We've had people going door to door, telling people to stay indoors or offering to escort them out. I can't let you in.'
Glen worked on staying calm. He smiled, and stared past the patrol car like he was thinking. His first impulse in any confrontation was to use his gun, put two hot ones square in the other guy's forehead, but he had a handle on that. Years of therapy had taught him that, even though he had an anger-based personality, he could control it. He controlled it now.
'Okay. That might work. Can I park over here to call?'
'Sure.'
Glen pulled his car to the side, then called the number again. This time, he let it ring fifteen times, but still didn't get an answer. Glen didn't like this. With all the cops around, his guy might have developed a case of the quivering shits and was laying low, or maybe he'd been forced from his home. He might even have a bunch of cops in his home, using it as a command post or something. Glen laughed out loud at that one. No fucking way. Glen figured the guy must've been evacuated, in which case he would probably call Palm Springs to arrange another meet location, and Palm Springs would phone Glen. The cop would probably know which families had been evacked, or could find out, but Glen didn't want to draw attention to his man by asking.
Glen wheeled around in a slow U and headed back up the street, still thinking about it, when he saw that another television news van had joined the line. Glen decided to take a flyer, and lowered his window when he reached the van. The driver was a balding guy with a rim of hair behind his ears and loose skin. A trim Asian woman with pouty lips perched in the passenger seat. Glen guessed her for the on-air talent, and wondered if the puffy lips were natural or man-made. Women who injected shit into their lips creeped him out. He decided that she was probably a spitter.
Glen said, 'Excuse me. They wouldn't tell me what's going on, just that some people in the neighborhood are being evacuated. Do you guys know anything about this?'
The woman twisted in her seat and leaned forward to see past the driver.
'We don't have anything confirmed, but it looks like three men were fleeing the scene of a robbery and took a family hostage.'
'No shit. That's terrible.'
Glen couldn't give less of a shit except that it was ruining his day. He wondered if he could talk the reporter into letting him come along.
'Do you live in the neighborhood?'
Glen knew that she was angling for something, and began to relax. If she thought he had something that she wanted, she might be willing to get him inside.
'I don't live here, but I have friends in there. Why?'
The line of cars had moved forward, but the news van stayed where it was. The reporter flipped through a yellow pad.
'We've got unconfirmed reports that there are children involved, but we can't get anyone to tell us anything about the family. It's a family named Smith.'
The big Mercedes sensed the heat. The air conditioner blew harder. Glen didn't feel it.
'What was the name again?'
'Mr. and Mrs. Walter Smith. We've heard they have two children, a boy and a girl.'
'They're being held hostage? These three guys have the Smiths?'
'That's right. Do you know them? We're trying to find out
The cop frowned, and glanced back along the row of cars behind Glen.
'Well, what it is, we've got robbery suspects in one of the houses. We've had to evacuate several of the homes, and close off the development until we can secure the area. It could take a while.'
Glen nodded, trying to look reasonable. Ten seconds, he already knew that he couldn't flash a hundred at this guy to buy his way in. He would never go for it.
'Listen, my client is expecting me, Officer. It won't take long. Really. I just need a few minutes, then I'm gone.'
'Can't let you in, sir, I'm sorry. Maybe you could phone your party and have them come meet you, if they're still inside. We've had people going door to door, telling people to stay indoors or offering to escort them out. I can't let you in.'
Glen worked on staying calm. He smiled, and stared past the patrol car like he was thinking. His first impulse in any confrontation was to use his gun, put two hot ones square in the other guy's forehead, but he had a handle on that. Years of therapy had taught him that, even though he had an anger-based personality, he could control it. He controlled it now.
'Okay. That might work. Can I park over here to call?'
'Sure.'
Glen pulled his car to the side, then called the number again. This time, he let it ring fifteen times, but still didn't get an answer. Glen didn't like this. With all the cops around, his guy might have developed a case of the quivering shits and was laying low, or maybe he'd been forced from his home. He might even have a bunch of cops in his home, using it as a command post or something. Glen laughed out loud at that one. No fucking way. Glen figured the guy must've been evacuated, in which case he would probably call Palm Springs to arrange another meet location, and Palm Springs would phone Glen. The cop would probably know which families had been evacked, or could find out, but Glen didn't want to draw attention to his man by asking.
Glen wheeled around in a slow U and headed back up the street, still thinking about it, when he saw that another television news van had joined the line. Glen decided to take a flyer, and lowered his window when he reached the van. The driver was a balding guy with a rim of hair behind his ears and loose skin. A trim Asian woman with pouty lips perched in the passenger seat. Glen guessed her for the on-air talent, and wondered if the puffy lips were natural or man-made. Women who injected shit into their lips creeped him out. He decided that she was probably a spitter.
Glen said, 'Excuse me. They wouldn't tell me what's going on, just that some people in the neighborhood are being evacuated. Do you guys know anything about this?'
The woman twisted in her seat and leaned forward to see past the driver.
'We don't have anything confirmed, but it looks like three men were fleeing the scene of a robbery and took a family hostage.'
'No shit. That's terrible.'
Glen couldn't give less of a shit except that it was ruining his day. He wondered if he could talk the reporter into letting him come along.
'Do you live in the neighborhood?'
Glen knew that she was angling for something, and began to relax. If she thought he had something that she wanted, she might be willing to get him inside.
'I don't live here, but I have friends in there. Why?'
The line of cars had moved forward, but the news van stayed where it was. The reporter flipped through a yellow pad.
'We've got unconfirmed reports that there are children involved, but we can't get anyone to tell us anything about the family. It's a family named Smith.'
The big Mercedes sensed the heat. The air conditioner blew harder. Glen didn't feel it.
'What was the name again?'
'Mr. and Mrs. Walter Smith. We've heard they have two children, a boy and a girl.'
'They're being held hostage? These three guys have the Smiths?'
'That's right. Do you know them? We're trying to find out
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