She was just opening her mouth to bargain with the guy, when the crack of gunfire echoed off the walls and he fell forward, arms wide, a halo of blood across the floor. The other two dived for cover and dropped into a crouch, guns out, eyes sweeping the terminal.
Outside the sound of sirens wailed and a stream of police cars streaked into the lot and across to the tower. Following them were three mobile television units with people jumping out, shouting orders and fighting for position before the vehicles had come to a halt. And all at once it really did seem like half of Cleveland had turned up.
Kelsey swooped, grabbed Lionel’s gun and ran for the stairs. She knew Matt, knew what could happen if he panicked. Didn’t matter how many cops were outside, it could still end badly. And after all she’d been through, all she’d done, she could not fail now.
Gingerly, she placed her foot on the first step and gazed up. Her heart was thudding in her chest, her head pounding. Anyone else might have thought she was nuts. Jesus, if anyone had told her what she’d go through, she would have thought she was nuts. But this was the home stretch. When she got to the top, she’d have one last battle.
But Matt would be the toughest of all.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
3:07 PM
Elizabeth undid her seat belt, opened the door and jumped from the car before it stopped moving. She lifted her head, searching the area, and spotted a group of policemen who were stationed in a semicircle formation on the periphery of an ever-growing crowd, herding journalists and television reporters back as even more trucks and cars poured in through the gates behind them. So, she headed for them.
Overhead a helicopter banked, whipping up swirling gusts of dust and cold air that made people snatch at their hats and duck their heads. Way over in the center of the gathering crowd, Elizabeth spotted Delaney. He was directing traffic this way and that and snapping out orders while policemen ran here and there trying to hold back the surging crowd. Elizabeth had no idea how he’d got there so quickly. She had no idea how any of these people had got there. She didn’t care. She pushed through the crowd toward him.
“Detective Delaney,” she shouted, waving him over as she shouldered her way past bystanders and reporters and television crews. “Mr. Delaney, over here. What’s happening? Is there any news?”
He waved her back. “Mrs. McClaine, please stay back. We have everything under control.” Suddenly, the radio in his hand squawked into life. She inched closer, finally falling in beside him as a metallic voice from his radio crackled into life. “We have a clear shot, sir.”
“Wait for the green light,” he snapped into the handset, and raised his eyes to the control tower.
“Where is she? Where’s Holly?” Elizabeth demanded and followed his line of sight up to the tower. One hand went to her chest. “Oh, God, tell me she’s not up there.”
Delaney signaled for her to follow him. She trailed him through the crowd, but just as they cleared the huddles of onlookers, she glanced back and spotted Blake cutting through the sea of heads with his eyes riveted to the top of the tower.
“Detective,” she shouted, grabbing the back of his jacket, “that’s the man who planned all this. Please, go and arrest him now.”
“Where?” said Delaney.
“Over there,” she shouted and pointed. “Blake Ressnick. He’s responsible for my daughter’s kidnapping and I want him arrested right now.”
“Mrs. McClaine, we know who took your daughter. It was Kelsey Money. She was working with Matthew Subritzski and his brother Lionel. They’re up there now. We have all the evidence we need.”
“So do I. Please, I’ll explain. But don’t let him leave.”
He lifted his head, directing his gaze across the heads of TV reporters and sound crews to where she had indicated. Blake Ressnick was pushing past clutches of bikers who regarded him with open amusement as he made his way towards the front line where half a dozen or so cars were parked in formation and several policemen were shepherding people back from the base of the tower.
Elizabeth was yelling over Delaney’s shoulder as she trailed him through the crowd. “Blake was behind it all along. I picked up his phone,” she said and squeezed past another group of spectators. “The kidnappers called me on it, asking where the money was. They thought I was Blake. Dear God,” she said in frustration, “where the hell did all these people come from?”
“I have no idea,” he said, exasperation leaching into his voice. His radio crackled and a voice said, “Third sniper in position, sir.”
“Snipers?” Elizabeth shoved her way through and stepped in front of him. “My daughter’s up there. You can’t let anyone—”
“Mrs. McClaine, please stay back. My officers have orders to shoot as soon as they have a clear shot, but not before. Mr. Ressnick,” he called, then cut his way through to him. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to come with me.”
Blake regarded him, then shifted his attention briefly to Elizabeth and back. “What’s this about?”
“You know very damn well what it’s about,” Elizabeth said. “You did this. You took my daughter—”
“Mrs. McClaine, step back and let me do my job.” Delaney turned to Blake, gesturing toward the edge of the crowd. “Mr. Ressnick, if you don’t mind.”
“I was trying to help. I was trying to get her back,” Blake told Elizabeth.
“You didn’t try hard enough,” Elizabeth shouted after him as Delaney took him by the elbow and steered him across to where two policemen were standing. She watched him hand Blake over. One of the officers snapped a pair of handcuffs on him and read him his rights while Delaney lifted his radio again and listened to whatever message was coming in. He made a brief reply and turned his focus to where two officers were escorting a group of gang members from the main terminal, then he switched his attention back to the control tower. On receiving the next message, he was suddenly on the move again, pushing urgently through the crowds toward the semicircle of police cars near the base of the tower.
A huge crowd had gathered behind the cars at the base of the tower, all watching the point high above where the viewing platform jutted out. Elizabeth shielded her eyes and looked up as a man came into view. An excited murmur ran across the crowd, and when he turned she realized he had Holly in his arms. He leaned out and shouted something, but his words were lost over the rising sound from those on the ground.
Panic gripped Elizabeth. “The hell with this,” she said as she cut through collections of people standing there gazing up at it like it was some kind of circus act, waiting for the police to … what? Talk this guy down? Even Elizabeth knew there were only two outcomes here.
And she wasn’t waiting to find out which it would be.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Instinct told Kelsey to run, to take the stairs two at a time until she reached the top. Her gut told her otherwise. Once upon a time, she’d have said that she knew Matt, knew what he’d do in any given circumstance. Right now, after all that had happened, she wasn’t so sure. Cautiously, she followed the stairs higher and higher, both hands on the gun, her shoulder to the outer wall, until gray light filled the stairwell and she knew she was near the top.
As soon as she cleared the top step, she saw him. She tucked the gun into the back pocket of her coveralls and gingerly stepped out into the open. The surrounding walls were shrouded with plastic drop sheets that blew in the cold wind like the lungs of the tower, but directly opposite her was a yawning void where an enormous floor-to-ceiling window would eventually fit. It spanned almost a third of the circular wall area and looked out over the runway and for miles beyond. Even from where she stood, the view stole her breath and left her dizzy.
Matt stood just off to her right, watching her. His face was washed of color, sweat glistening on his forehead. A patch of blackened blood saturated a tear in the right shoulder of his shirt. His arm was tucked in close. She guessed he’d been shot and the arm was either cracked or broken. As
if reading her thoughts, his eyes dropped to the wound, as he pulled Holly in close. When she took another step forward, his hand went straight to Holly’s throat. “You come any closer, I’ll break her neck.”
“Nangsie …” Holly whimpered and reached for her but Matt pulled her back and tightened his grip.
Kelsey stopped in her tracks, then took one step back. She had no idea what to say. Eventually, she asked, “Are you okay?”
His eyebrows knit together. “No, I’m not fucking okay. I got shot. How the hell do you think I am?” There was defiance in the set of his mouth, in the jut of his chin. But his eyes betrayed him and Kelsey saw fear.
“I can see you’re hurt.” A wave of emotions hit her so unexpectedly, she felt her breath go. This was Matt: the man who’d taken care of her when her mother died, the man she’d depended on. For the past ten years he had been the only man she’d loved.
Still loved, in some small way.
“It’s okay,” she told him. “I’m here now. We can work this out. Just put her down and let me take a look at your shoulder.”
“Don’t come near me.”
“Just … put her down. I can help you.”
He turned away and peered over the edge to where the crowds were still gathering below. He seemed unsure, as if he’d been thrown into a play and he didn’t know the lines. “Where’d they all come from, Kelse? They weren’t supposed to be here.”
She smiled, shrugged. “I don’t think any of us was supposed to be here, babe.”
A smile stretched across his face. “Remember the time we went to the Grand Canyon? Drove all that way just because you wanted to see the Grand Canyon. Couldn’t shut you up till you saw it.”
She smiled, dipped her head then looked up. “Yeah. You said it was just a big hole in the ground. You said you didn’t know what all the fuss was about.”
His expression softened. His eyes went to a point on the floor just in front of him while the memories came flooding. “That was so cool. Man, that place was deep,” he whispered. “Miles and miles of land just carved away over millions of years.”
“Yeah.”
“And here’s us …”
“And here’s us,” she said and nodded. “We can get out of this, Matt. Both of us—all of us.”
When his eyes came up to meet hers, the smile was gone. She’d seen that same shift a thousand times. Why could she still never see it coming? “That’s what you did to me,” he said. “You kept grinding me down, and grinding me down till there was nothing left.”
She said nothing. She’d heard all this before. There was no correct answer. Whatever happened, whatever it was about, it was still her fault.
“I was never good enough for you, was I? Nothing I did was right. Nothing I gave you was enough.” When she still said nothing, he straightened, angled his head. “Where’s Li?”
“He’s ah …” she said and looked away. “He’s downstairs. He’s hurt—but he’s ah … he’s fine,” she added and tried to smile. “Lemme take a look at that shoulder. It looks bad.”
“Li?” he called toward the stairs. “Li, get up here, man.” When there was no reply, his eyes came back to her. “I know what you’re doing.”
She shrugged. “Me? I’m not doing anything. I’m trying to help you.” Her voice was casual, calm. But acting was never her forte. Neither was lying to Matt and no matter how hard she tried, she could not meet his gaze. Holly’s eyes were on her, her little brow crumpled, eyes questioning. “Let me take her. Please. And I’ll …” she began, but he swung the child up under one arm and stepped to the very edge. “Whoa, wait!” The heel of his left shoe was right over the edge. She reached out, as if she could stop him.
When a horrified gasp echoed up from the crowd, he turned to look down at them and the toes of both shoes went over the line. He leaned out, gazing so precariously down that Kelsey gasped in a breath and held it. Still reaching for him, fingers stretched, she took a single step forward.
Matt seemed oblivious to the drop. He adjusted his grip on Holly, and leaned out further over the edge. “Listen up,” he yelled, “because I’m not saying this twice. I want one million in used notes in a case. Then I want a plane with enough fuel for ten hours’ flight. Anyone comes within a hundred feet of me, the kid dies.”
From somewhere below, an amplified voice called up:
“Mr. Subritzski, please step back from the edge. You have a phone. Pick up and let’s talk. We can work this out.”
Kelsey slowly sidestepped around, following the curve of the platform. She had to get closer, had to be ready.
“You heard me!” Matt was yelling. “Or so help me, I will drop her. You think I won’t …?” He snatched up a handful of Holly’s sweatshirt and hoisted her up and out over the edge, holding her at arm’s length.
Kelsey’s heart flipped. “Matt, please,” she said and shuffled closer.
Below, the crowd moved restlessly.
“Mr. Subritzski,” the cop said through the bullhorn. “Think about this. If you harm the child, there’s no turning back. We have options here. Please, pick up your phone and let’s talk.”
“I told you what I want,” he yelled.
Trembling now, Kelsey inched toward them—hand out, fingers stretched. She felt as if any sudden movement would tip the platform, and they’d all go over the edge.
“Mr. Subritzski, I want to bring you all down safely,” the cop was calling.
“Matt,” she said gently, “please don’t do this. They have snipers. They’ll have a fix on you.”
His eyes cut to her. “Stay back. Over there.” He nodded toward the doorway. “You’re on their side, go be with them. You were never on my side.” He leaned out and shouted, “I told you what I want. If I don’t get it, the kid takes a dive. Jesus,” he muttered, staring down into the masses below, “are they stupid or what?”
Kelsey could see Holly’s sweatshirt sliding up. The waistband had risen to just under her arms. Any minute now she’d slip straight through it and fall. “Nangsie Mommy,” she cried out.
Kelsey gritted her teeth and eased forward. “It’s okay, baby, just be still.”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up,” Matt was mumbling. His arm was beginning to sag. Holly had already dropped six inches. Kelsey knew this script so well, that even with his back turned she could see his mounting anger and frustration.
“What the fuck are you all looking at?” he spat out in defiance. When he shifted position and raised the child in his grip, Kelsey saw it coming. She flew to the edge and dived just as Matt released his grip. Kelsey grabbed Holly’s hand in hers while the screams of the crowd filled the air. Kelsey locked her grip on the child’s hand. With her muscles burning, tendons straining, she steadied herself, then began to pull her up.
“Fine,” said Matt from somewhere behind her. “You can both go.”
Kelsey closed her eyes, concentrating on that one thing—on hauling Holly up and into the safety of her arms. When Matt’s first kick hit in her thigh, her body swiveled and her knee went over the edge. She gripped the edge with her free hand and kept lifting, drawing Holly up. The second kick got her in the small of the back and her hip crossed the line and the gun slid from her pocket and went over the edge. She watched it fall into the crowd and disappear. Now she was clinging grimly to the platform with one hand, the child dangling in the grip of the other.
“Matt,” she yelled. “C’mon, help me here. Please.” She could feel her center of gravity shifting, her weight tipping. Sweat beaded on her forehead and dampened her palm. The little hand began slipping through hers, but she held tight and fought to stay her ground. When she looked out, all she could see was open fields. Below, the upturned faces of the people on the ground. Still she clung on, desperate, determined—then she caught the look in Holly’s eyes and the child smiled up at her, her eyes full of trust. Right then she knew there was no turning back. Right then she knew she could not fail.
The little hand was blue, squeeze
d so tight in her own she could feel the bones crushed together. She was waiting for Matt to land the final kick, sure she was just about to go over when she heard a woman yell, “Get away from them, you bastard,” and Matt moved away.
From somewhere over by the stairs Kelsey heard Matt curse, the sound of a scuffle, and a woman cried out. Kelsey felt every blow landing, heard the sound of her tumbling down the stairs and Matt going after her. If Kelsey could have helped her, she would have. Right now, all her energy was going into hanging on to this child.
Gritting her teeth and using every last ounce of her strength, Kelsey eased herself to her knees. Squeezing even tighter on the child’s hand, she dead-lifted the weight and felt her coming up. As she appeared over the edge, Kelsey got to her feet and pulled her in to safety.
The child gazed up at her with red-rimmed eyes and grinned. “Nangsie Mommy. Nuvs Nangsie Mommy.” Kelsey scooped the child up in her arms and held her so close she thought her heart would melt.
The swelling in her face ached. Her thigh felt like it was on fire. Kelsey didn’t care. She pulled back to look into the child’s eyes and she smiled. “I told you I’d come. I told you,” she said, then hugged her again.
The sound of footsteps made her turn. She caught a glimpse of Matt just in time to throw Holly to safety. He came at her like a train and hit her hard. She went stumbling back. For a second her knees went from under her, but he grabbed her and swung her around until she hit the scaffolding and fell to the floor.
Holly screamed, but Kelsey said, “Stay back, baby, he’s not going to hurt us. I won’t let him.” Her body ached, her head throbbed. But she got to her feet and fell into stance, bouncing, ducking, guard up and ready.
Matt tipped his head, cracking the vertebrae in his neck, and frowned like he couldn’t believe she’d even consider this. He came at her again, threw a left cross that took out her guard and knocked her stumbling sideways.
“Is that it?” he said and shrugged. “Is that the best you got? Y’know, your left shoulder always drops. You wanna watch that.” And he stepped in and hit her cheek so hard her head snapped back and she hit the floor and saw stars. She blinked them away, got up again. Finding her stance, blinking hard, she pulled in a breath and waited for her head to stop spinning. Her legs trembled, her focus faded in and out, and her ears were ringing.
The Elizabeth McClaine Thriller Boxed Set Page 29