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Hostage

Ellison said, 'These guys have any family we can bring out? We had a guy once, he backed us off for twelve hours until his mama gets there. She gets on the phone, tells him to get his ass out of that house, the guy comes out crying like a baby.'

Talley had worked with subjects like that, too.

'Rooney might have an aunt in Bakersfield, but Dill didn't know about Krupchek. If we can find their landlords or friends, we might get a line on the families. You want, I'll have Larry Anders, he's my senior officer here, put your Intelligence Officer in touch with whoever we find.'

Maddox nodded, his face creased with attention.

'I might want to talk to Dill and those people myself. You okay with that?'

'I know the job. Whatever you want. Tell Anders, and he'll arrange to bring them here.'

As the new primary negotiator, Maddox had the responsibility to form his own opinions on the behavior characteristics of a subject. Talley would have done the same thing.

Martin stepped closer to the television. They had reached the part of the tape where Krupchek leaned over the counter.

'What's he doing?'

'Watch.'

Maddox joined Martin at the TV. He crossed his arms in a way that Talley thought was protective.

'Jesus, he's watching that man die.'

Talley nodded.

'That's what I thought.'

'The sonofabitch is smiling.'

Talley finished his coffee and put down the cup. He didn't need to see it again.

'We told the Sheriff's investigators up at Kim's about the hand. See there on the counter? They should have a pretty good palm print from that, but I haven't heard.'

Martin glanced at Ellison.

'Run the prints for wants and warrants.'

'Yes, ma'am.'

Metzger came up behind Talley and touched his arm.

'Chief, see you a second?'

Talley excused himself from the Sheriffs and followed Metzger into the adjoining room. Metzger glanced back at the Sheriffs, then lowered her voice.

'Sarah wants you to call her right away. She's says it's important. She says I should knock you down and drag you to a phone, it's so important.'

'Why are you whispering?'

'She says it's important. You're supposed to call on your office line, not use a radio.'

'Why not the radio?'

'Because other people can hear on the radio. She says use the phone.'

Talley felt a hot burn of concern that something had happened to Jane and Amanda. He took out his cell phone, hitting the autodial for his office. Out by the television, Maddox was looking at him, concerned.

Sarah answered on the first ring.

'It's me, Sarah. What's up?'

'Oh, thank God. There's a little boy on the phone. He says that his name is Thomas Smith, and that he's calling from inside the house.'

'It's a crank. Forget it.'

Warren Kenner, who was Talley's personnel supervisor and one of only two Bristo sergeants, came on the line.

'Chief, I think we got something here. I checked the phone number the boy says he's calling from with the cell company. It's registered to the Smiths, all right.'

'Did you talk with the boy, or just Sarah?'

'No, I talked to him. He sounds real, saying things about the three guys in that house, and his sister and father. He says his dad's hurt in there, that he got knocked out.'

Talley worried his lip, thinking, getting just a little excited.

'Is he still on the phone?'

'Yes, sir. Sarah's talking to him right now on another line. They locked him in his room. He says he's on his sister's cell phone.'

'Stand by.'

Talley went to the door; several officers and Highway Patrolmen were milling near Mrs. Peña's kitchen, drinking coffee and eating cheese enchiladas. He called Martin, Maddox, and Ellison into the room, then led them as far from the others as possible.

'I think we've got something here. Kid on the phone, saying he's Thomas Smith from inside the house.'

Martin's face tightened, coming together in a kind of expectant question.

'Is this bogus or real?'

Talley went back to the phone.

'Warren? Who else knows about this?'

'Just us, Chief. Me and Sarah, and now you.'

'If this turns out to be real, I don't want the press finding out about this, you understand? Tell Sarah. That means you don't talk about this with anyone, not even the other police, not even off the record.'

Talley looked at Martin as he spoke. She nodded, agreeing.

'If Rooney and those other guys see the press talking about someone in the house calling out, I don't know what they might do.'

'I understand, Chief. I'll tell Sarah.'

'Put him on.'

A boy came on the line, his voice low and careful, but not frightened.

'Hello? Is this the Chief?'

'This is Chief Talley. Tell me your name, son.'

'Thomas Smith. I'm in the house that's on TV. Dennis hit my dad and now he won't wake up. You gotta come get him.'

An edge of fear crept into the boy's voice when he mentioned his father, but Talley couldn't yet be sure the call wasn't a hoax.

'I have a couple of questions for you first, Thomas. Who's in the house with you?'

'These three guys, Dennis, Kevin, and Mars. Mars said he was going to eat my heart.'

'Besides them.'