regretted her part in causing a man's death."
Ben shook his head vigorously. "I saw that woman's eyes, Christina. The only cause of her guilt is the fact that she lied on the witness stand."
"Are you sure about that? Or do you just want to be sure of it?"
"You're losing me."
"I know you consider the Goldman case your greatest failure. And I know you'd grab at anything to get him off death row."
"That's my job. Her word is good enough for me."
"It won't be enough for the judge."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the prosecutors will make all the same arguments I have. And no judge is going to overturn a jury verdict in a high-profile case unless he has something more than a recanting witness."
Ben frowned. "You're probably right about that."
"And there's more to consider. I know why you haven't been able to find anyone to take over Ray's case. The funding for his defense ran out a long time ago."
Ben averted his eyes. That was the problem with Christina-she always knew what was going on. All too well.
"Jones will have a heart attack if you launch a major initiative without someone to pay the bills."
"That much is certain."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." Ben rose. "Before I make that decision, there's someone else I need to consult. Someone whose opinion is a hell of a lot more important than mine."
Chapter 4
"I don't think that's wise," Major Mike Morelli said as two uniforms buckled his bulletproof vest and wired him for sound. "That's a dangerous man in there."
"Tell me something I don't know," Sergeant Hoppes shot back. "We're talking about a nutcase holed up in a fast-food restaurant holding twenty people at gunpoint."
"What I'm saying is, we have to be careful. When the SOT boys show up, keep them out of sight. Behind the perimeter."
"And what I'm saying is, let's get them right up in the creep's face. Give him something to worry about."
"He's already on the brink. And he has hostages!"
"All the more reason. We'll show him who's boss. Show him how quickly he'll be dead if he tries anything. He'll back down."
"Maybe. Or maybe he wants to die. Maybe he'll shoot everyone in sight."
"Sorry, Mike, but I disagree. We do it my way."
Mike grabbed his arm. "Excuse me? You're overruling me?"
"I'm the SOT team leader, Mike. This is my field of expertise."
"Nonetheless-"
"Mike, you're a homicide detective."
"I don't care if I'm the goddamn county dogcatcher. I'm a major, you're a sergeant. And that means I call the shots!"
Hoppes's eyes burned like fire. A million retorts must've run through his brain, but in the end, he kept his cool. "You're only here by accident, Mike."
"Consider yourself relieved, Tom."
Hoppes's lips tightened.
"You'll be my number two. But I'm in charge."
Hoppes bit back whatever he was thinking. "As you say, Major . We'll be in position behind the perimeter. Just in case you need us."
Mike watched Hoppes back off, his fists tightly clenched. There'd be hell to pay when they all got back to headquarters. But he had to do what he thought best. Hoppes was a superb marksman, and he knew SOT maneuvers better than anyone on earth. But his understanding of human nature was much less sure. And as a tactician, he sucked.
Not that that meant Mike had to take over. When would he learn to stop thrusting himself into these situations? He was too old and too smart to keep volunteering for trouble. But he happened to be in the south Tulsa neighborhood, on his way back from interviewing a potential witness, when the call came in about the hostage situation at the local Burger Bliss. And so he sped to it and offered Hoppes his assistance. And one thing led to another...
He made his way to the front lines, where Hoppes had been broadcasting through an electronic bullhorn, trying to persuade the man inside to give himself up, without luck. He took the bullhorn.
"Listen to me." Mike was startled to hear the electronics give his voice a mechanical, almost eerie, tone. Small wonder no
Ben shook his head vigorously. "I saw that woman's eyes, Christina. The only cause of her guilt is the fact that she lied on the witness stand."
"Are you sure about that? Or do you just want to be sure of it?"
"You're losing me."
"I know you consider the Goldman case your greatest failure. And I know you'd grab at anything to get him off death row."
"That's my job. Her word is good enough for me."
"It won't be enough for the judge."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the prosecutors will make all the same arguments I have. And no judge is going to overturn a jury verdict in a high-profile case unless he has something more than a recanting witness."
Ben frowned. "You're probably right about that."
"And there's more to consider. I know why you haven't been able to find anyone to take over Ray's case. The funding for his defense ran out a long time ago."
Ben averted his eyes. That was the problem with Christina-she always knew what was going on. All too well.
"Jones will have a heart attack if you launch a major initiative without someone to pay the bills."
"That much is certain."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." Ben rose. "Before I make that decision, there's someone else I need to consult. Someone whose opinion is a hell of a lot more important than mine."
Chapter 4
"I don't think that's wise," Major Mike Morelli said as two uniforms buckled his bulletproof vest and wired him for sound. "That's a dangerous man in there."
"Tell me something I don't know," Sergeant Hoppes shot back. "We're talking about a nutcase holed up in a fast-food restaurant holding twenty people at gunpoint."
"What I'm saying is, we have to be careful. When the SOT boys show up, keep them out of sight. Behind the perimeter."
"And what I'm saying is, let's get them right up in the creep's face. Give him something to worry about."
"He's already on the brink. And he has hostages!"
"All the more reason. We'll show him who's boss. Show him how quickly he'll be dead if he tries anything. He'll back down."
"Maybe. Or maybe he wants to die. Maybe he'll shoot everyone in sight."
"Sorry, Mike, but I disagree. We do it my way."
Mike grabbed his arm. "Excuse me? You're overruling me?"
"I'm the SOT team leader, Mike. This is my field of expertise."
"Nonetheless-"
"Mike, you're a homicide detective."
"I don't care if I'm the goddamn county dogcatcher. I'm a major, you're a sergeant. And that means I call the shots!"
Hoppes's eyes burned like fire. A million retorts must've run through his brain, but in the end, he kept his cool. "You're only here by accident, Mike."
"Consider yourself relieved, Tom."
Hoppes's lips tightened.
"You'll be my number two. But I'm in charge."
Hoppes bit back whatever he was thinking. "As you say, Major . We'll be in position behind the perimeter. Just in case you need us."
Mike watched Hoppes back off, his fists tightly clenched. There'd be hell to pay when they all got back to headquarters. But he had to do what he thought best. Hoppes was a superb marksman, and he knew SOT maneuvers better than anyone on earth. But his understanding of human nature was much less sure. And as a tactician, he sucked.
Not that that meant Mike had to take over. When would he learn to stop thrusting himself into these situations? He was too old and too smart to keep volunteering for trouble. But he happened to be in the south Tulsa neighborhood, on his way back from interviewing a potential witness, when the call came in about the hostage situation at the local Burger Bliss. And so he sped to it and offered Hoppes his assistance. And one thing led to another...
He made his way to the front lines, where Hoppes had been broadcasting through an electronic bullhorn, trying to persuade the man inside to give himself up, without luck. He took the bullhorn.
"Listen to me." Mike was startled to hear the electronics give his voice a mechanical, almost eerie, tone. Small wonder no
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