Not in the Cards Read online

“She isn’t one of the kids I pulled from the house?”

  “Nope. This girl is still at large, but she was snatched the same way. It makes sense that they kept one alive.”

  “For a hostage.”

  “That and the fact they’re still in the process of filming.” Delta remembered back to the motel. Hadn’t Rubin mentioned something about finishing up their next project? “You think she’s with them now?”

  “Without a doubt. She’s their ticket to freedom. If we back them into a corner...well, they’ve already proven that killing kids isn’t a problem for them.”

  “Do you think the feds know?”

  “I spoke with Agent Garvey a few minutes ago to feel his position out. The feds think they’ve got them on the run.”

  “So, they’re not aware of the possibility of a hostage?”

  “I don’t think so. If they were, they’d have a top negotiator out here.”

  Delta thought back to the commendation Captain Henry had received for talking down a hostage-taker. “Are there any SWAT members assigned to this?” Delta waited while Connie did whatever she was doing with Eddie.

  “Not that I can tell.”

  “The captain’s out here. You think he’s their negotiator?”

  “Could be. I think you should advise him of the situation. I know we’ll have a great deal to answer for later on, but a child’s life, Del—”

  “Is worth it. I’ll see what I can do. Keep your ear to the radio, Con. And, thanks.”

  “Be careful, Storm.”

  “Will do.”

  Returning to the car, Delta filled Tony in on her conversation with Connie.

  When she finished, Tony pulled the car back onto the street. “So, you gonna tell the feds?”

  Delta nodded. She didn’t see any other choice. If the feds knew and weren’t telling anyone, they were risking a child’s life. If they didn’t know, they needed to so they could modify their plan of attack. “A hostage sets up a completely different set of strategies, Carducci. The way I see this, the feds don’t know. If they did, the SWAT guys would be crawling all over the place.” Putting the mike to her lips, Delta quietly said into the still radio, “This is S-10-12, be advised there’s a possible 2-0-7 involved and we have a potential hostage situation.” Delta waited for the captain’s voice to come booming over. She didn’t have to wait long.

  “S-10-12, this is your captain,” he said very loudly. “Go to one-eight immediately.”

  Flipping the dial, Delta waited for Captain Henry to bark at her some more.

  “What in the blazes are you talking about, Stevens?”

  “Captain, I’ve just received word that they may still have one of the kids with them. They might have a little girl with them to use as a shield.”

  “Where did you get this information, Stevens? According to Detective LaFrenz, there’s no indication that there’s a child in that house.”

  “I just spoke with one of the reservation cops, sir, and he believes the girl is still with them.” Delta waited for a response.

  “Stevens, why is it you seem to have information no one else is privy to?”

  “It just makes sense, sir. They still need a kid to finish their current filming. Also, as a hostage negotiator, you, yourself must know that a hostage situation paints a completely different picture. I’d bet a month’s salary she’s in there and they’re going to use her as a shield until they can get to LAX”

  “Hold on.”

  Delta waited for what felt like hours. When he finally came back on air, his tone was decidedly calmer. “I don’t know who your source is, Stevens, but Agent LaFrenz assured me that there is no child in that house. You saved all the kids we have on file.”

  “Files are often incomplete, Captain. What if I’m right?”

  “Then some agent’s head in the Bureau is going to roll. Over and out.”

  “Captain?”

  “What now?” Delta could hear him sighing loudly.

  “For the record, I’m not wrong.”

  “Let’s hope you are, Stevens. Out.”

  Delta glanced over at Tony and shrugged. Captain Henry would never understand her gut’s innate ability to “know” things. This knowing had made her feel Elson’s disturbing presence whenever he was near; that gave her the edge over a man sent to murder her in that warehouse. And it was this knowing which Delta felt earlier, a trickle of adrenaline, a twitch of doubt that made her know why the suspects appeared cornered, but weren’t. With a hostage, the suspects called all the shots. All of them.

  “Now what?” Tony asked.

  Delta shrugged. “Now we do just what the captain said. We hope.”

  “But the captain—”

  “Has to play by their rules. This is the feds’s game and he knows it. He’s not even back-up quarterback on this one.”

  Tony shook his head. “I’m think I’m beginning to get it.”

  Delta turned to him. “Get what?”

  “Why you break the rules. Sitting around waiting for some idiot to get done scratching his butt while he thinks about what to do is making me crazy.”

  Delta couldn’t help but smile. “That’s slightly oversimplified, but you’re pretty close. We’re just going to have to sit back and see how this one turns out.”

  “So that’s it? We’re really going to just sit here?”

  Delta shrugged and stared out the window. “I’m afraid so. We sit and wait and hope no one blows a hole through an innocent little girl.”

  “I’d rather have a root canal without Novocain.”

  Delta nodded and felt her stomach come to life. “Me too.”

  It took less than half-an-hour for the radio to jump to life after Delta had spoken to the captain.

  “This is C-19-19.” It was Captain Henry. “All units be advised we have a hostage situation. I repeat, we have a hostage situation. Allow the white van access to the freeway and any other on-ramps. There are no plates on the van, but it does have a peace sign in the back right window. I repeat—all perimeter units are to allow van freeway access. Do not attempt to stop the unit. Do not attempt to follow.”

  Delta turned to Tony and smiled. “He believed me.”

  “That means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”

  “No. What’s important is saving that little girl’s life. ”

  “And you think we can do that?”

  Delta slowly turned toward Tony. “I think we have to.”

  “Which means we’re in?”

  Delta shook her head as a slight grin curled on her lips. “I’ve either taught you really well, or I’ve failed miserably. I can’t decide which.”

  “You taught me to get the job done. We’ve got a kid’s life in our hands and someone is telling us to let her be taken by people we know will kill her the moment they get to their destination.”

  “So just what is it you think we should do, Carducci?” Delta suppressed a grin. He really had learned something from her after all.

  “Well, escorting these shitbags to the airport isn’t an option. I’m not stupid, Delta. I know that if push comes to shove, you’ll shove right back. Don’t do anything differently because you have a rookie for a partner. Do what you’d normally do.”

  A short grin appeared on his face. She had done a lot of questionable things during her time on the force, but saving Tony Carducci’s career wasn’t one of them. “No, Carducci, you’re not stupid, but you just might be as crazy as I am.”

  Tony’s grin matched Delta’s. “Then tell me, Oh Legend, what’s up that sleeve of yours.”

  “You sure you’re willing to risk it? We blow it and your career is history.”

  Tony shrugged. “Maybe, but I’d have some great stories to tell my grandkids.”

  Tony Carducci had come a long way. And whether they made it out of this one without being demoted, or worse, she knew that she had taught him one very important lesson: do what was best.

  “First, we have to cover our asses.” Turning the radio back
to channel one-eight, Delta then pulled the shotgun from its nest. “When the captain wants to know why we disobeyed his directive, we’ll say we forgot to turn the radio back to open air after we talked to him.”

  Tony’s eyes twinkled. “God, you’re good.”

  “It’s not great, but it’ll have to do. Now, my guess is that they’ll come busting out of the south driveway and onto the field as they make their way to the freeway. They’ve got to be heading for the airport, and it’s possible they’ve already asked for a plane or a chopper.”

  “If they get to the airport—”

  “She’s dead. They’ll believe they’re close to freedom and view her as additional baggage. It happens all the time in hostage situations.”

  “Then why are they allowing them access to the airport?”

  Delta shrugged. “I haven’t a clue.”

  “Then we’re on our own.”

  “Exactly.” Delta lightly touched Tony’s arm. “It’s not too late to back out.”

  Tony smiled broadly. “Not a chance. I didn’t become a cop to watch crimes. I became a cop to prevent them. I’m willing if you are. It’s time, Teacher, to show me what it’s really like out here on the beat with you. Put your chalk down and show me why there are stories miles high about the Incredible Delta Stevens.”

  Pulling away from his riveting gaze, Delta shook her head. “You’re insane.”

  “Yes, but so are you, so we’re even. What’s the plan?”

  Before Delta could answer, a loud sound of something breaking reverberated through the night air, slicing the silence like a well-sharpened blade. Turning in her seat to see what it was, Delta saw a white van crash through wooden gates from one of the Keats Street houses, and screech down Stein Street.

  “Go!”

  Without hesitation, Tony pressed the gas pedal to the floor and the squad car screamed after them.

  “Left on Tennyson, right on Poe, and that will cut them off before they get to the freeway!” Delta yelled, reaching to turn both their portable radios to channel one-eight.

  “Then what?”

  Good question, Delta thought. She hadn’t time to formulate a plan. “Ram them if you have to.”

  “But—”

  “I know—‘never use a vehicle as a barricade.’ Forget the academy shit, this is real life! Ever play chicken as a kid?”

  Burning rubber as he maneuvered his first turn, Tony nodded. “All the time.”

  “Ever lose?”

  “Nope.”

  “Ever chickened out?”

  “Nope.”

  “Can you win one more time?”

  Tony grinned stiffly. “You bet your ass.”

  “Then go down one more street, take the turn, pick up speed, and head right at them. Just don’t get us killed!”

  Nodding, Tony tightened his grip on the wheel. As he took the turns, leaving more tire on the pavement, Delta wondered if she was doing the right thing. After all, he was just a rookie. Suppose he did chicken out? Or worse yet, panic and kill them all? What if...

  Reaching her right hand through the open window, Delta turned her spotlight on and aimed it at the windshield of the oncoming van. It did not slow down, nor did it veer from its deadly path. It was perfectly clear; if they were going to go, they were going to take with them anyone who got in the way.

  Closer and closer the speeding vehicle came, like a bullet from a gun with only one course in mind: straight through them.

  “Stay with it, Carducci!” she yelled as the van closed the distance rapidly. Grabbing the dash, Delta held her breath and waited for the impact that would probably kill them all.

  As the headlights bore down upon them like the fire of a dragon, Delta tensed, waiting for the collision. Had she gambled everything this time only to lose it all? Had she misplaced her faith and cost them their lives? Delta didn’t even have time to pray.

  But then, as Tony clenched the wheel even tighter, the van abruptly cut away, missing the front of the squad car by less than two feet.

  Delta turned her head in time to see it collide with a parked car before careening into the only light post on the block.

  Two feet. Two feet more and they would have been pasted to the back of the screen of the car like flies on a flyswatter. Two measly feet.

  In the most expert fashion, like a teenager accustomed to spinning doughnuts, Tony spun the patrol car 180 degrees and burned off the last of the tires’ tread as he screeched to a halt behind the van. The front of the van hugged the light pole and steam hissed nastily from the broken radiator. Like a wounded animal, it chugged once more before stalling. Dead.

  Picking up the mic, Delta started to call in when the passenger side of the van opened and a man took off running back through the dark field. An eerie de ja vu moment swept over her.

  “Get him!” Delta ordered, pushing open her door. Tony jumped from the squad car and scooted around the back of it before taking off into the field.

  Staring at the van in front of her, Delta felt the cold, clammy hands of fear reach once again into the crevices of her soul. She had faced a van like this a lifetime ago. A different make, a different circumstance, a different lifetime, but the memory still lingered, haunting and tormenting her with the remembrance of a time when the occupants of that van snuffed out the life of the best man she had ever known.

  And now, as she faced similar double doors with reflector sheets in the window and a peace sign on the right side, Delta again felt the icy tentacle of fear ’s hand as it reached into her heart and ripped open the scars formed long ago.

  She remembered the doors bursting open, the shiny gleam of the murderous shotgun barrel as it swung toward them, and she remembered, all too painfully, the body of her partner being thrown into the air before slamming violently to the ground.

  Yes, she remembered. She also remembered feeling like a failure for not being able to prevent his death. She had carried the same burden after Helen died. The feeling that if she had only reacted quickly enough, she could have saved them both.

  Reaching for the shotgun, Delta wondered if the albatross hanging heavily around her neck would kill her or set her free tonight.

  “All right, you son of a bitch,” Delta muttered, as she pulled the shotgun loose and leaned it against her seat; an act born out of a desperate fear of repeating the past. It was also an act she had to resist. Remembering there might be a little girl in the van, Delta pushed the shotgun back into place. To protect the girl from stray shots, Delta would have to use her revolver. Pulling her sidearm from her holster as one leg reached the pavement, Delta felt a twinge of fear. She’d been here before, and failed.

  Stepping from the car, she squatted behind the open door and aimed her weapon through the side window at the van’s back doors. As before, Delta heard her training sergeant’s voice as he warned them why vans were the most dangerous vehicles to pull over.

  “You can’t see them, but they can see you,” he’d said, demonstrating how vulnerable cops could be when approaching a van. Miles had been vulnerable when he was killed. Even with all of his training and experience, he had still been a victim.

  Wrapping her hands tightly around her Magnum, Delta promised herself that she wasn’t going to be anybody’s victim. Not tonight. Not ever.

  With her weapon positioned out the window and her body behind the door, she waited. Reaching for the car mike, Delta keyed it to stay open and did the same with the radio attached to the shoulder of her uniform.

  Suddenly, without warning, the van’s doors burst open.

  The thin man stood in the spotlight. In front of him he held a little girl by her neck. In his right hand, he wielded a .44 Magnum which he pressed against her temple. The little girl’s eyes were wide with terror. She did not struggle. Like a badge, she stayed pinned to his chest.

  Rubin stood to their left, a Colt .45 with a silencer in his hands. Both weapons looked huge and out of place, like the caterpillar and mushroom in Alice in Wonderland. May
be it was because the child seemed too small. Maybe it was because the guns really were large. Either way, they had powerful weapons and one of them was pointed directly at her.

  Delta shifted her gaze from Rubin to the thin man. Rubin had a thin line of blood running from the side of his cracked forehead which dripped like a broken faucet onto his chest. When his eyes met hers, he actually grinned.

  “Officer Stevens,” Rubin said, through his maniacal grin. “So you did survive? We had wondered what had become of our compadres.”

  “Dead.” Delta said curtly.

  “I see. Odd that you should come back to haunt us like this.”

  Delta aimed her gun at Rubin.

  “No, no, Officer. Move one hair and the kid’s DOA, got it?”

  “Got it.” Delta replied, checking her aim. Lowering her voice to just above a whisper, she murmured into her shoulder radio. “Carducci, quietly come back to the car. Approach from the east side with your gun ready. No matter what you see, don’t do anything until I tell you.”

  “Didn’t those federal agents tell you to back off?” The thin man asked, waving his Magnum like a toy.

  Delta didn’t respond.

  “I’m afraid you should have left well enough alone, Officer Stevens. You might have been lucky in the desert, but I believe your luck just ran out. And since you’ve disabled our car, we’re going to have to take yours. So, slowly step out from behind the door and toss your pea-shooter to the ground in front of you.”

  Swallowing hard, Delta whispered into the mike. “You take the one holding the girl. He’s on my left. When you see me shrug my shoulders, take him out. Don’t hesitate or I’m dead.”

  Slowly rising from her crouched position behind the door, Delta kept her eyes trained on Rubin. She knew the odds of surviving without her weapon were slim. If they were going to take her patrol car, they would most surely leave her bloody body behind.

  “Come out from behind the door and toss your gun out in front of you. Make any sudden movements and the girl dies.”

  “You’ll kill her anyway, Rubin, ” Delta said, slowly moving out from behind the door.

  “Maybe, maybe not.”

  “Kill her and you’re screwed.”