Page 54 of Captive Hearts
Twenty-Two
Ashley waited for the detective to fetch the kid. Pete was gnawing his fingernails down to the nub, a mess. At long last, the detective came back on. ‘OK, I’ve got Liam Ennis with me.’
‘So put him on,’ Ashley told her.
‘I want the hostages first.’
Pete shook his head. ‘No, I wanna talk toLiamfirst.’
Ashley was quick to put together a compromise. ‘Detective? I need you to put Liam on the line to say hello. Once he does that, we’ll send four people out.’ She hadn’t run any of this past Pete, but he didn’t seem angry. In fact, he looked grateful that someone was running the show for him. He was too big of a wreck to manage it.
‘Fine. He’ll just say hello, and then I’m taking the phone until I see four people walking down those steps.’
Pete nodded and Ashley said, ‘OK, give Liam the phone.’
‘Hello?’ said a tremulous teenaged voice.
‘Liam?’ Pete replied.
‘Yeah, Dad. It’s me.’
Before Pete could say anything to his son, DI Conway came back on. ‘OK, I’m keeping the phone until you fulfil your end.’
‘Got it,’ Ashley said and turned back to Pete. ‘With your permission, we’ll send them out now, then?’ Pete nodded and Gina, stood by the door with the selected four, unlocked the door and with no messing about, the two chefs ran out. Then Lily’s dad grabbed his daughter’s hand, and they fled quickly. Ashley was relieved there was no big production made of the release this time. Pete wasn’t bothered about this one, his head was on the phone call he was about to take.
As soon as Lily was out, Gina went to shut the door. But just before she did, Ashley heard Lily mutter from outside, ‘Oh my god, you know what I just realised? Rick’s real name is P. Ennis!’
Pete glowered at the door. ‘For fuck’s sake, why are people so fascinated by that?!’
The door closed, and Gina locked it. Pete collected himself. ‘Liam? You there?’
There was the clunky sound of the phone being handed back, and Liam was back on the line. ‘Yeah, I’m here.’
There was a very long pause. Ashley realised that now Pete had his son on, he didn’t know what else to say. But whatever it was, he decided it was going to be private. He turned the speaker off. ‘Go over there now, with the rest of them,’ Pete told her dismissively, putting the handset to his ear, turning away from everyone.
Ashley nodded and went over to sit with the remaining hostages at a large table. They were dwindling, Ashley realised.She’d gotten half the people out. Now they were a group of six, including herself and Gina, who sat down next to her.
Everyone was focused on the other end of the room, where Pete was hunched over the phone, speaking quietly, his back to everyone. Ashley couldn’t make out a word.
‘So… what do you think?’ Gina asked.
‘About what?’ Ashley replied.
‘Was this a good idea?’ Gina asked. ‘Getting him on the blower to his son?’
‘God, I don’t know,’ Ashley replied. ‘But we got more people out for it. I’m just focusing on that.’
‘Oh fucking great,’ Leanne interjected. ‘That’s super comforting to the people still trapped with that mad bastard.’
‘Back off, man. Ashley’s doing her best,’ Sam interjected. Greg nodded in agreement.
‘Yeah, come on, Leanne. She’s gonna get us out,’ Tina implored.
‘I’m only being honest,’ Leanne said irritably. ‘Anyone else getting out doesn’t meanwewill. Especially if it’s dependant on the coppers getting a private plane and a hundred grand.’
‘You think they won’t?’ Sam asked.
‘Are you slow?’ Leanne asked. ‘Of course they won’t.’
