Step on a Crack by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge Page B

used had worked after all. Or they’d lost their nerve.
    The whole thing was so utterly
bizarre
.
    “Is it over?” Will Matthews asked. “Is that possible?”
    There was a communal flinch around the room when the phone I was holding suddenly rang.
    “My guess,” I said, “would be no.”

Chapter 24
    “MIKE,” JACK SAID. “How’s it hanging out there, buddy? People make it to safety okay? Nobody trampled to death, I hope.”
    “No, Jack,” I said. “Everybody seems to be okay. Thanks for being reasonable.”
    “I’m trying, Mike. Giving it my all. I thought I better clear up any misperceptions, though… now that we’ve tossed back the
small
fish, I’d like to talk about the
whales
we’re still holding on to.”
    I glanced out the window and scanned the people who had been released. My God! He was right. Where was former president Hopkins? The mayor of New York? Eugena Humphrey? The A-list people were still inside.
How many of them
?
    “To make it easier on everybody, we’re holding thirty-four hostages,” Jack said as if reading my mind. “Celebrities, of course, some
tycoons
, couple of politicians. Get me a fax number, and I’ll send you a list. Along with our requirements. Here’s where things can either get real simple or real complicated, Mike. The choice is entirely up to you guys.”
    Things were starting to come into tighter focus now, I realized. It was a stunning kidnapping! The most amazing one ever attempted; nothing even came close to it.
    “We’re holding all the chips, Mike. So far, no one’s been hurt. But if you guys want to take this personally and try to sneak in here and take us out, there’s gonna be a bloodbath like this country’s never seen. I mean, all that Mom and Pop Flyover have left is
their celebrities
. It’s the only friggin’ thing we export anymore. Movie stars and pop music, right? Give us what we want, Mike, and this ugly scene will go away. Face it. You’re outdone here.”
    It was kind of incredible, but I felt relief. Criminals were horrible, kidnappers especially. But at least we weren’t dealing with terrorists, a mindless force out to kill as many people as possible. You had a shot of taking down people who wanted to come out of a situation alive.
    “We want to resolve this thing as much as you do, Jack,” I said.
    “That’s actually good to hear, Mike,” Jack said. “Music to my ears. Because I’m giving you and these fat cats the opportunity to haul your asses out of trouble the good old-fashioned American way. I’m going to let you buy your way out.”

Chapter 25
    JACK DISCONNECTED the second after I gave him the fax number that was handed to me by the communications sergeant. Paul Martelli took off his headphones and crossed the room. He sat down next to me. “You’re doing good, Mike. Cool heads prevail.”
    “What’s your take on this guy, Paul?” I asked him. “First reaction, whatever.”
    “Well, he’s obviously not mentally disturbed,” Martelli said. “And he sounds confident. Think about it from his side, his point of view. He’s in there surrounded by every cop in the tristate area, and he’s being a wiseass, cracking jokes. I get the feeling that he knows
something
we haven’t figured out yet. I just don’t know what it is. What does ‘Jack’ know that we don’t?”
    I nodded. I had that same feeling; I just hadn’t put it into words. And I had no idea what Jack knew.
    “We’re probably looking at a hard-core, extremely professional criminal,” Martelli went on. “Plus, some of his references sounded like he knows military tactics.”
    “The thing he said about explosives on the windows and doors. You think it’s legit?”
    “Looking at the way he’s handled himself so far, I’d say yeah, we have to consider that it’s a real threat. If we breach the building, he blows it up.”
    I looked around for Ned Mason. He’d found a seat in the farthest corner of the room. With his failure still hanging heavy