Hostage

The helicopters over York Estates switched on their lights to become brilliant stars. Talley didn't like losing the sun. The creeping darkness changed the psychology of hostage takers and police officers alike. Subjects felt safer in the dark, hidden and more powerful, the night allowing them fantasies of escape. Perimeter guards knew this, so their stress level would rise as their efficiency decayed. Night laid the foundation for overreaction and death.

Talley stood by his car, sipping Diet Coke as his officers reported. Rooney's employer, who believed that he could identify the unknown subject, had been located and was inbound; Walter Smith's wife had not yet been found; Rooney's parole officer from the Ant Farm had been identified but was in transit to Las Vegas for the weekend and could not be reached; ten large pizzas (half veggie, half meat) had just been delivered from Domino's, but someone had forgotten napkins. Information was coming in so fast that Talley began to lose track, and it would come faster. He cursed that the Sheriffs hadn't yet arrived.

Barry Peters and Earl Robb trotted up the street from their radio car. Robb was carrying his Maglite.

'We're set with the phone company, Chief. PacBell shows six hard lines into the house, four of them listed, two unlisted. They blocked all six in and out like you wanted. No one else can call in on those numbers, and the only number they can reach calling out is your cell.'

Talley felt a dull relief; now he didn't have to worry that some asshole would get the Smiths' number and convince Rooney to murder his hostages.

'Good, Earl. Did we get more bodies from the Highway Patrol?'

'Four more CHiPs and two cars from Santa Clarita.'

'Put them on the perimeter. Have Jorgenson do it, because he knows what I told Rooney.'

'Yes, sir.'

Robb trotted away as Peters turned on his Maglite, lighting two floor plan sketches that had been made on typing paper.

'I worked these out with the neighbors, Chief. This is the upstairs, this is the downstairs.'

Talley grunted. They weren't bad, but he wasn't confident that they were accurate; details like window placement and closet location could be critical if a forced entry was required. Talley asked about architectural drawings.

'These are the best I could do; there wasn't anything at the building commission.'

'There should be. This is a planned community. Every house plan in the development should be on file.'

Peters looked upset and embarrassed.

'I'm sorry, Chief. I called both the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita building commissions, but they don't have anything, either. You want me to try something else?'

'The Sheriffs are going to need those plans, Barry. Get hold of someone from the mayor's office or one of the council people. Sarah has their home and work numbers. Tell them we need access to the permit office right away. Pull the permits you find and check the contractors. Somebody had to keep a set of file plans.'

As Peters hustled away, Larry Anders's car rolled around the corner and pulled to a stop beside Talley. A slim, nervous man climbed from the passenger side.

'Chief, this is Brad Dill, Rooney's employer.'

'Thanks for coming, Mr. Dill.'

'Okay.'

Talley knew that Dill owned a small cement-contracting business based in Lancaster. Dill had weathered skin from working in the sun and small eyes that kept glancing somewhere else. He had trouble maintaining eye contact.

'You know what's going on here, Mr. Dill?'

Dill glanced up the street past Talley, then inspected the ground. Nervous.

'Okay, the officer told me. I just want to say I didn't know anything about this. I didn't know what they were going to do.'

Talley thought that Dill probably had a criminal record.

'Mr. Dill, those two didn't know what they were going to do until they did it. Don't worry about it. You're here because you've worked with them and I'm hoping you can help me understand them. You see?'

'Okay. Sure. I've known Dennis for almost two years now, Kevin a little less.'

'Before we get into that, I want you to identify these guys. Officer Anders says you also know the third subject?'

'Okay. Sure. That would be Mars.'

'Let's look at the pictures. Larry, do you have them?'

Anders returned to the car and brought back the two 8 x 10 prints that had been made from the security tape. He had to return to his car a second time for his Maglite. Soon they would have to move into one of the houses. Talley wondered if Mrs. Peña would let them use hers.

'Okay, Mr. Dill. Let's take a look. Can you identify these people?'

The first picture showed a slightly fuzzy Kevin Rooney by the front door. Dennis and the third man were clearly visible in the second print. Talley was pleased with the prints. Anders had done a good job.

'Okay. Sure. That's Kevin, he's Dennis's kid brother. And that one is Dennis. He just come back from the Ant Farm.'

'And you know the third man?'