Chapter 49
FORTY-NINE
There was fifteen minutes on the clock when Sandra was standing outside the hospital’s main doors with ERT at her side.
They had her in a vest and armed with a hidden mic, but she refused to carry a weapon.
If Mindy searched her and found a weapon it could be seen as a threat and turn things sideways in a flash.
That didn’t stop Sandra from wishing for a gun in an ankle holster.
Olivia’s father, like a real-life Rambo, never left home without one.
Luis provided them with override codes for the stairwells, which they were going to use instead of the elevators.
It would be far easier to contain risk that way.
If the elevators started operating before the perps were disarmed, then people could unload and potentially find themselves in the crossfire.
An agent from the Washington Field Office delivered the cash in a backpack and left.
Sandra had called Mindy to let her know she was coming in with the money and to have her team position themselves at the stairwell doors for apprehension.
Mindy’s request came over the walkie-talkies a moment later.
She received agreement from everyone, including Tom Sparling.
But Luis confirmed through security video that everyone was in position but Tom Sparling.
They were still going to move ahead with their plan.
The ERT officer, a man named Albert Willis, turned to her. “Just remember, do whatever you can to get the blinds open in that boardroom. If we need to, we’ll handle the rest.”
She nodded, knowing how they’d handle things. It would be through a sniper’s rifle. The thought of facilitating Mindy Ashmore’s execution didn’t sit well. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Just do your job, and we’ll do ours.”
The ERT unit commander made a motion with his arm, and the officers moved inside the hospital. The one in the lead swiped the keycard to unlock the main doors, and they flocked to the stairwell.
After getting there, the group made their way up.
Three officers branched off on the second floor and took Carmen Feeney into custody.
Three ERT officers walked out on the fourth against her judgment.
From the last update before they left, Sparling was still in Phoebe Chapman’s room.
Kreiger’s argument was the possibility for casualties was contained, and it was his call.
While two would position themselves down the hall from Chapman’s room, the third would accompany Dr. Bell with Jordon Maddox and Nurse Mahoney to the main floor for surgery.
They would use the elevator reserved for doctors to transport patients to surgery rooms. Those on it would be staff with the hospital and know the procedure during lockdown. Again, less risk.
The process repeated on the sixth, where two more ERT officers took to the hallways to bring down Shane Perkins.
This left Sandra with ERT Officers Willis and Kemp as they continued to the eighth floor.
“If you need to stop and rest, we can do that.” He glanced over his shoulder at her.
“I’m fine.” Her regular jogging gave her incredible cardio health, and it took a lot for her to get winded. The fact she was carrying two hundred and fifty K in a backpack wasn’t enough to tax her heart. And she had her mind set. Phoebe Chapman was getting her life-saving surgery.
“Suit yourself.”
Two more series of stairs, and they were at the door with 8 on a sign next to it.
“This is us.” Willis paused by the door and adjusted his vest, then turned to her. “You ready?”
“I am.” She let go of the straps on the backpack, preferring her hands free if they were needed.
Willis unlocked the door with a code, and the three of them stepped into the hallway.
It was shadowed like the stairwell with only emergency lighting in effect.
Maybe she had made a huge mistake coming here, deciding to face Mindy Ashmore in person.
Had she let her past successes with in-person negotiations affect her decision?
Willis led the way down the hall, with Kemp walking behind her. Both were wearing helmets with a flashlight attached to them. Ahead of her, Willis’s beam cut across the darkened hallways, giving Sandra an eerie feeling.
She remembered where the boardroom was located from the blueprints she’d peeked at before entry, and she stayed in step with Willis. He stopped walking three doors down and motioned for her to tuck against the wall.
“You know what you’re supposed to do?”
“Yes.”
“Amuse me.”
“Announce myself, knock on the door, step off to the side, and go in when it feels safe.”
“Yes. Now, go.”
Sandra wondered if they were just planning to take Mindy down with force. And if so, why had they bothered letting her haul the money up the stairs? She walked toward the boardroom, noting there were a few windows facing the hallway too. The blinds in them were closed.
This is it…
“FBI Special Agent Sandra Vos,” she called out. “Mindy, I’m here with your money.” She reached out and knocked on the door. Stepped off to the side.
Willis nodded at her, the beam from his headlamp moving with his head arching from the floor to the ceiling and back.
The door opened slowly, and Pamela put her head through. “Come in.” Her voice was tiny and scared.
Sandra resisted the urge to look back at Willis. “Pamela, I have the cash for Mindy.”
“Bring it to me,” Mindy called out from inside the room.
Sandra subtly shook her head, the motion for Willis, though he would have heard everything.
“I’m coming in, Mindy.”
She stepped into the room. Mindy was standing in a corner holding a gun on the doorway.
Her hair was standing up and frizzy around her face.
Her skin was pale against her brown hair.
Sandra scanned the faces of the hostages.
There was one she hadn’t expected to see and was now happy that she hadn’t called her sister. Janie DeSilva.
The fate of everyone here was in Sandra’s hands. What happened in the next few seconds would decide life and death.
Pamela was quick to move behind her and lock the door again.
“Unload the money on the table,” Mindy told her without moving from her position.
“It’s all here.” Sandra slowly took the backpack and unzipped it.
“No funny business or I will shoot her.” In a flash, Mindy had moved behind Pamela and was holding a gun to her head.
“If you don’t trust me, you can get the money out,” Sandra told her. If Mindy took her up on the offer, it would allow Sandra time to assume control of the room. She could overpower Mindy and take her gun. That was her Rambo ex-boyfriend talking in her head.
“I trust you.” Mindy strengthened her grip on Pamela, now wrapping an arm around her collarbone.
Sandra slowly unloaded the stacks of cash onto the table. “You can count it.”
Mindy shook her head. “Again, not necessary. I trust you.”
If she wasn’t going to let her guard down for a second, it was going to be harder to assume control physically. “All right. And I came in here trusting your word. The deal was the cash, and you would surrender peacefully and let these people go.” Sandra barely took her gaze off Mindy.
“You’re not going to let me just walk out of here. Why should I let you?”
“You sound like you don’t trust me again,” Sandra said softly. “We had a deal, and I held up my end. Now, it’s your turn.”
“Deals change all the time!” Mindy roared and turned around to take in the room. “Why should I trust anyone when money is everyone’s god?”
While Mindy’s back was to Sandra, there was an opening to act. But if Sandra didn’t execute it perfectly, there could be fatal consequences.
“Please, Mindy, think about what you’re doing. You have your money. Please, let these people go.”
Mindy turned on her. “Do you have the others?”
“ERT officers are securing them now.” Her mind distracted her briefly with thoughts about Tom Sparling, who was the anomaly. Remain present, Sandra…
“Good. Then I’ve held up my end of the bargain too. Here, take the money,” Mindy hissed and threw some cash in Megan Beal’s face. “Choke on it!” Mindy raised her gun on Beal, and before Sandra had a second to think of doing something, saying something, the gun went off.
Deafening silence followed.