Page 28 of Save Her Life

“Yeah, but he’s losing it. He, uh, left with the pharmacist, and he was different when he came back. He’s walking in circles and talking to himself. I think he might have taken something from the pharmacy that’s messing with his head.”

Sandra could feel Bowen’s gaze cutting through her, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of meeting his eye. “And the pharmacist? Did he come back?”

Gina licked her lips. “I think he’s dead.”

“Because he never came back?” This question got Sandra judgmental looks from Garrison and Bowen. The latter shook his head, as if to say,Do you need to see the body?

“I heard a gun go off when they were gone, and no he didn’t.”

Piecing together Gavin’s account and Gina’s it didn’t look good for Stanley Moody. “Okay, thank you, Gina. You did really well. You need to go with the paramedics and get looked at.”

Garrison saw Gina out, and Sandra steeled herself to face off with the team coordinator.

Bowen was armed and ready with, “SWAT is prepared to take the next available shot.”

“I know that.”

“The only reason they haven’t is because they couldn’t get a clear line of sight.”

“Can’t say I’m sorry to hear that.”

“This guy lied to you, Vos. And he’s a killer. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

Defending Gavin was becoming increasingly difficult. She was fighting for a hostage taker who she no longer had faith in, but that was the job. She was to act in the hostages’ best interestandthe hostage taker’s regardless of her personal feelings. The entire premise was if the HT was working with the negotiator, peaceful resolution was possible. But that wasn’t the case here anymore. Their foundation had a fault. “I’m going to try him again.”

“Whatever floats your boat.” Bowen flailed his arm in the air.

She returned to her chair, coaching herself to release her frustration from being lied to. She took a few deep breaths and called Gavin. The line rang a few times before he picked up. He didn’t speak, and she rushed ahead. “Is Stanley dead? Just tell me the truth so I can help you.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him. He just wasn’t doing what I asked him to do.”

She was tired of his lame fallback excuse, like everything was happening to and against him. He failed to take any responsibility for his actions. Stepping into his shoes, his lifedidn’t have a lot going for it recently. A man with nothing much to lose was dangerous. “I need to ask again, is he dead, Gavin?”

“Yes, yes, I think so. I… I shot him.”

Pointing out that he lied in so many words wouldn’t be advantageous. She couldn’t ignore it either. “Well, I won’t lie to you, Gavin, so I admit this puts me in a tough spot. I went to bat for you. My boss was prepared to give you everything you wanted.” A lie, but it was par for the course and an effective tool if she could pull it off convincingly. Thankfully, she had that skill down to a fine art. “But now, he’s pissed off. Me? I’m trying to talk him down and tell him you didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Just a bad month is all.” Thinking about the pharmacist, possibly on the inside fighting for life, while she continued to talk, pierced her heart. Her brother, Sam, had been a casualty of the same.

“Yeah.”

“We spoke to your former boss, Michael Underwood, and he’s sorry. Your medical insurance will be reactivated for another month. There was an error made at their end, and he apologizes.”

“There was a— Oh my God!”

“It’s all right. Everything can still work out.” All of that was a complete fabrication.

“How is that even possible?”

“I told you I’d go to bat for you, Gavin. And I have. More than once. You’ve surrendered a couple of hostages, but someone is dead now. A deal is still possible, but only if you surrender right now.”

“I can’t.”

“Gavin, I need you to start being honest with me. Is anyone else in there hurt or dead?”

“No, I swear. Stanley’s the only one, and…” Gavin started crying. “I didn’t mean to.”

The admission landed heavy on her shoulders. Someone had died on her watch. The night was a long one, and even she was wearing out. “Let me get those pills to Cassie. My boss says if you walk out of there now, she’ll get her medication right away.”

In truth, an officer had immediately taken the pills to Cassandra.

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