Page 36 of Captive Hearts
Fifteen
Ashley was sitting in a grubby booth, Rick squeezed in beside her with Gina across the table, shooting the pair of them. Ashley had the landline in front of her, scrolling down her mobile contacts for DI Conway. It would have been simpler to dial her from the phone, but Rick said, ‘I don’t trust mobiles.’ He didn’t explain beyond that. Even now, he was looking over her shoulder, obviously making sure she didn’t do any unauthorised texting.Though only god knows what he was worried she’d text, and to whom.Ashley was of the opinion that he was just like any despot, desperate to control what the media said about him. The Kim Jong Un of Jimmy’s Pizza. Pathetic.
She found the number. ‘Shall I ring now?’ she asked Rick.
‘You know what you’re saying?’ Rick asked, trying to hide his anxiety.
‘Yes,’ Ashley said, just as worried. She couldn’t make a mistake here, or there was a possibility – a rather strong one, she felt – that Rick was apt to change his mind about letting anyone go. And if there was one thing Ashley did and did well, it was saying the wrong thing.
‘Right, ring her,’ Rick commanded.
Ashley dialled the number, putting the call on speaker. As soon as the last number was keyed in, Rick took her mobile back. DI Conway picked up after one ring. ‘Hello?’
‘Detective, this is Ashley Quick,’ she began. So far, so good. She’d remembered her own name.
‘Miss Quick, hello. You’re OK, then, I take it? You and your camerawoman?’
‘Her name’s Gina and yes,’ Ashley said irritably. She hadn’t even memorised Gina’s name before she sent her into the line of fire. That irked Ashley quite a bit.
‘Good, good,’ the detective said. ‘And is, er… Is he with you? Mr…’
‘Rick,’ Ashley told her. Though she didn’t think that was his real name.
‘Rick, great to have a name. Is he with you?’
‘Yes, he is. And he’s ready to release three hostages,’ Ashley explained.
‘I’m very pleased to hear that,’ DI Conway said with too much cheer. She sounded like a kid’s TV presenter trying to jolly up proceedings. Ashley wished she would be a bit dourer about it all. Rick wasn’t likely to take kindly to being patronised.
‘Before he releases the three, he wants some assurances first,’ Ashley explained, trying to make sure she remembered everything she’d been told to say.
‘I’d be happy to give Rick whatever he-’
‘He also wants you to know that this conversation is being filmed and the footage is going straight to KTN. So anything you agree to right now, if you go back on it, people will know.’
DI Conway paused. ‘Understood,’ she said, somewhat less jovial. ‘So maybe I could hear what Rick would like?’
‘He wants the rest of the press to be let into the car park. To shoot what happens out there.’
DI Conway sighed. ‘I don’t know if I can do that, Rick.’
Rick pursed his lips and gave Ashley a look of dark encouragement.
‘You’re talking to me, Detective. That’s the way he wants it,’ Ashley informed her.
‘OK,Ashley. I don’t know if I can do that. I’d be risking the lives of further civilians.’
‘That’s what he wants. That’s the only way those three people are coming out,’ she told the woman. ‘And if it’s any consolation, Rick says he’s got no intention of firing out into the car park.’ Rick nudged her. ‘Unless you make him,’ Ashley added quickly.
DI Conway paused. ‘I’ll have to think about it.’
‘Don’t think too long,’ Rick suddenly barked and killed the call. He sat back in the booth, a look of satisfaction on his face. He stared into the camera. ‘You see that? Classic tricksy bullshit. They think you’re stupid, these types. They think they can fool you into walking into a cage and saying thank you when the door slams shut behind you. Well, fuck that. I’m not stupid. I’m gonna have a whole…’ He glanced to Ashley, ‘Waddya call it?’
‘A media circus,’ she told him quietly.
‘A media circus, yeah!’ Rick said into the camera. ‘Because I’m not an idiot! And I’m not going back to prison. I’m gonna walk out a free man,’ he declared with a bravado that Ashley didn’t buy. ‘And every eye in the country will be on that detective, making sure she goes along with it.’ He stopped. ‘You can cut there,’ he said to Gina. She switched off the camera and put it down on the table.
‘So, what now?’ Ashley asked.
