by Natasha West
‘How do you know that?’
‘That’s just the impression I get.’
Gina blew out tiredly. ‘Your certainty is somewhat underwhelming.’
DI Conway sighed. ‘Look, I’ve got a lot of innocent people in there, and I want to get them out without incident. I can’t do that without a real conversation. I need to hear his terms.’
‘But you’ve got an armed unit there, right?’ Ashley said. ‘So what happens if you don’t like his terms?’
‘It’s not coming to anything like that,’ Conway said firmly. ‘But we’ve got confirmation he has a handgun. We have to have armed officers there as a precaution.’
Ashley put her hands on her hips, thoughtful. Gina was somewhat buoyed by the fact she’d yet to say yes. Maybe she could be reasoned with, unlike the armed dickhead in the restaurant.
But then, of course, it tipped.
‘Look, I’m asking for a favour,’ DI Conway said. ‘But I promise that when this is over, I’ll give you an interview.’
Ashley raised an eyebrow. ‘Full details?’
‘Shit,’ Gina muttered.
‘Everything I can legally tell you,’ DI Conway replied.
‘Shit, shit, shit,’ Gina said.
Ashley turned to her. ‘Gina...’
Gina shook her head, vehemently. ‘No.’
‘I know this isn’t without risk. But it sounds pretty minimal. And you need to know…’
‘Know what?’ Gina asked. But she didn’t care what Ashley was going to say. She was standing firm.
Ashley turned to DI Conway. ‘I need to speak to my colleague. Could you give us a second?’
The officer nodded. ‘I’ll be waiting.’ She walked past the barrier where she proceeded to get straight on the phone to someone, no doubt updating superiors.
Once they were alone, Ashley began her coaxing. ‘You need to know that if we were to do this, you could probably write your ticket with regards to work. The camerawoman who walked into a hostage situation to get an interview with the gunman? You’d be set.’
‘No, you’d be set. No one cares about the camera operator.’
‘Not usually. But they will. I’ll make sure of it. If we get this footage, it’s going to be a big deal. We’re probably going to be interviewed ourselves. You’ll be famous. And once that happens, I think you’re going to get all kinds of interesting-’
Gina had to stop her there. ‘I don’t want to be famous, Ashley. I don’t want what you want. I just want to do a day’s work and then go the fuck home, no drama. And this is as dramatic as it gets.’
Ashley paused, and Gina wondered what new tack she’d take to convince her. But whatever she expected, it wasn’t what she got. ‘Look, if you want to say no, that’s fair enough. You’ve done me a lot of favours today, and we barely know each other. I know I’m overreaching here; I do. I’m being far too demanding.’ Ashley took a deep breath. ‘But, you’re right. I do want this. Because I’ve got this feeling that getting this interview will change everything. I can finally move up. I’m stuck right now, and I can’t go anywhere because… because people don’t like me, alright? No one will hire me because I’m kind of an arsehole. I know it. I’ve always known it,’ Ashley said with a sad smile. ‘I was lucky to get this job, but I want to do more. I can do so much more,’ she said passionately. ‘Only I can’t get any further, not the normal way. But this? It’s my shot. It has to be. Maybe the only one I’ll ever get. So I’m not going to tell you there’s anything in this that you want. I can see now that there isn’t.’ She breathed deeply, and then said quietly, ‘I’m just asking, for me. Please.’
Gina was surprised to see Ashley exposing herself like this. She wouldn’t have thought it could sway her, but somehow, her heartstrings were getting quite the yank. Ashley knew who she was, what was standing in her way. It was herself. Gina understood that. She thought that was what usually stood in the way of anyone getting what they really wanted. Gina herself didn’t want much, so there wasn’t anything you could take from her. But Ashley was bursting with desire to report big news. And it was hard to refute the fact that something like this would get her on her way. Ultimately, it was too human a request to simply dismiss, even from someone as salty and walled up as Ashley.
‘Look, I’m not saying I’m going to do it, but if I were. If. I need to know I’d be safe,’ Gina said.
Ashley nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yeah, of course, me too. I don’t wanna get hurt any more than you do. Let’s get some more details from DI Conway. Then you can make your decision.’
Ashley gestured to the copper to come over, but Gina knew the decision was already made. She was going to do this stupid bloody thing to help a woman she barely knew make a leap in her career.
Nine
Ashley hadn’t truly believed when she started, ugh, begging, that it would do much. Gina owed her jack. If anything, Ashley was up to her eyeballs in personal debt to Gina. But Gina had told her straight, Ashley had nothing to offer her that she wanted. So, she had to go deeper, tell her why it mattered. It had felt terrible to open herself up like that. Funny how it was so easy to tell the truths she saw each and every day. But this knowledge, the truth she’d lived her whole life with, she’d had to force it up. Like a bad tuna sandwich, up it came, this, the deepest, ugliest truth she knew. Even as she was talking, she felt it was a mistake. Why should Gina care?
Only, she did. Ashley could scarcely believe it. Gina was going to do this for her. This dangerous, stupid thing. Gina knew the risks, and she was going to do it. For her. Ashley couldn’t begin to process why, but it didn’t matter. She was too grateful to question it.
And now they were being strapped into actual Kevlar vests by a policewoman in aviator sunglasses who absolutely stank of badassery. She put the first vest over Gina’s clothing. ‘Do these things really stop bullets?’ Gina asked the woman.
‘Five times stronger than steel,’ she told her.
Gina didn’t seem any happier. ‘But what if he tries to shoot me in the head?’
‘Duck,’ the woman said, attaching the final strap.
‘Reassuring, thanks,’ Gina said.
The woman started to put a vest onto Ashley, while DI Conway offered something slightly more bolstering. ‘The reason we don’t usually wear Kevlar masks is that most people can’t get a headshot off at this range, not with a handgun.’
‘Most people?’ Gina asked.
DI Conway shook her head. ‘Honestly, it won’t come to that. Even the vest is overkill.’
‘You might want to rethink your choice of words,’ Gina told her.
‘Look, you’ll be two hundred metres from him, there’ll be half a car park between you. And this guy isn’t some pro. He’s a man who’s gotten hold of a gun somehow. There’s a big difference.’
‘I hope someone told him about the difference,’ Gina muttered.
DI Conway turned to Ashley. ‘Are you ready?’
‘Will I actually be talking to this guy?’ Ashley asked, unsure what she hoped the answer would be. She was starting to feel just the tiniest bit nervous.
‘We’re not sure yet. All I know is that he said he wanted a news team to be present during our negotiations. But you’re not to address the man unless he speaks to you, is that clear?’
Ashley nodded. ‘Of course, yes.’
Gina gave her a look. ‘Is it?’
Ashley glared at her. ‘I just said, yes.’
Gina sighed. ‘I really hope so, Ashley.’
Ashley shrugged off the remark. She didn’t know why everyone was so concerned with her going rogue. She had every intention of doing as she was told. Ashley didn’t know if this guy would even speak directly to her, but that was fine. Just being there to capture the moment and then report on her observations afterwards, that would be enough. Though if he did decide to talk to her, that would certainly juice the footage up. But she wasn’t about to go out of her way to get the attention of some madman with a gun in his hand.
She wasn’t stupid.
Her phone rang. Work number. She killed the call. She’d speak to them in half an hour when she had pure gold to put on the teatime news.
‘OK, we ready?’ DI Conway asked Ashley and Gina.
Ashley felt her stomach flip over. But she ignored it. ‘Ready.’ She turned to Gina. ‘How about you?’
Gina shrugged. ‘Not at all. But let’s do it anyway.’
Ashley smiled without meaning to. She was thinking about that conversation she and Gina had had a few hours ago, about Ashley always being alone in the foxhole. Because right now, for the first time in a long time, that wasn’t how it felt. Reluctant as Gina was, she was doing this with her for no other reason than that Ashley had asked her to.
But anyway, it was time for Ashley to seize her destiny.
***
DI Conway raised the bullhorn to her lips. ‘Sir?’ The whole crowd of police officers - plus Ashley and Gina, stood behind the line of cops and cars, peeking through a small gap in the vehicles - cringed as feedback murdered their ears.
DI Conway tried again, moving the bullhorn a bit farther from her lips. ‘Sir, are you ready to come out? I have what you requested. A news crew are here to film while we talk.’
Nothing happened for a second, and everyone waited anxiously. At last, the door cracked ajar and Ashley, standing next to Gina with her cam on her shoulder, held her breath.
An older woman in glasses stepped out. She had her hands up. ‘Don’t shoot!’ the woman yelled. ‘I’ve got the man behind me!’
Everyone watched carefully as the woman stepped forward. Behind her, you could just about make out another person. Ashley could only catch parts of him, a bit of hair, an arm, a nose. ‘Oi, news bird?! You there?’ came a yell.
Ashley didn’t realise he meant her until DI Conway turned and glared at her. ‘Answer him!’ she said sternly.
‘Oh! Err, yes, sir. I’m right here. Ashley Quick for KTN.’
A head popped briefly around the woman, and Ashley got a better look at him as he locked eyes with her. Ashley felt her stomach turn over as he glanced from Ashley to the camera next to her before he dropped quickly back. He was on the small side - kind of runty even - about forty, with a small moustache and a receding hairline. Not much to intimidate. He still scared the crap out of Ashley.
‘Ashley Quick?’ he said disappointedly. ‘I watch the teatime news; I don’t remember you.’
Classic, Ashley thought. ‘I did that story last week about the guy who had the graffiti on his café window calling him a dick splash? I mean, we couldn’t actually show the words “dick splash”, but you could sort of see it through the blur.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ the man said. ‘I remember that.’ He paused. ‘So you’re not, I mean, you’re not really a… Are you the only one that came?’
‘I don’t think the national media have gotten ahold of this yet, sir. I just got lucky.’
‘Oh,’ the man said, saddened. ‘I thought you might be a bit bigger. Never mind.’
Ashley glanced around at the coppers, all looking at her now. She wanted to die. The gunman thought she was too small-time to cover him. ‘Sir, I may be an, err, up and comer, but I promise, I will cover your story completely. My camerawoman and I will stay here for as long as it takes.’
Ashley felt Gina shuffle beside her, and she could tell that hadn’t gone down very well. But she had to get this man’s confidence. ‘Is there anything you’d like to talk to me about?’
The gunman paused. ‘Yes. But I need you to come closer. I want you to get a good look at this.’
Ashley paused. She glanced over at DI Conway, who gave her a subtle shake of her head. She glanced over at Gina, who was staring at her with the eye that wasn’t on the viewfinder. It was wide with panic.
Ashley turned back to the gunman. ‘Sir, I can assure you that my camerawoman will get everything from this distance. She’s got a good, err, long lens. Haven’t you?’
Gina paused, and then popped her head out from behind the lens, flicking an irritated look at Ashley. ‘Yep. Really long.’
‘Sir,’ interrupted DI Conway, ‘If I could just get your attention for a moment-’
‘FUCKING SHUT IT!’ he barked at her from behind his human shield. ‘I don’t care how long the lens is. I need you up here.’
Ashley froze. ‘Err…’
‘Tell you what. You come up here, and I’ll let this old dear go,’ he offered, sweetening his tone.
‘I’m only fifty, actually,’ the hostage complained.
‘Sir, that wasn’t part of the deal we struck,’ DI Conway said, trying to wrestle back control.
‘Don’t care. New deal. News bird and camera bird come up here, and I’ll talk to them. And in return, I’ll let the codger go.’
‘Codger?’ the hostage protested. ‘I’m still in my prime!’
‘So, you coming up or am I going to pop her right here?’ the man said much less nicely, waving his gun around the woman’s head.
Ashley was absolutely stuck. She couldn’t go up there. It was madness. But the man was making it clear what the choice was. If she didn’t go up, that woman might be killed in front of her. For the first time, she forgot about the story. ‘Sir, I… alright. I’m coming up. But I can’t… I won’t be bringing my camerawoman, alright?’
‘No good,’ the man said. ‘It’s a package deal. You’re worth bugger all without the other one.’
‘I’ll shoot you on my phone. I can livestream if you’d prefer.’ Ashley got her phone out and started fiddling with Facebook. ‘I’ve never done this, I don’t really like Facebook, but gimme a second to work this out.’
‘You have to tap the “live” button,’ the hostage called. ‘See, I’m not old, I know Facebook better than that young woman!’
‘That’s exactly what makes you old, only pensioners are on it now,’ the gunman told her. The hostage tutted. The gunman turned his attention back to Ashley, still trying to find the live feature. ‘Oi, forget Facebook! I want both of you. Are you coming up or am I gonna put this woman out of her misery?’ He jabbed the gun into the woman’s hair, and she said, ‘Ow, that’s hard.’
‘Right!’ Gina suddenly yelled from beside her. ‘We’re coming! Don’t do anything! We’re coming, alright?!’
Ashley turned to Gina. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course I’m not,’ Gina said. ‘But what choice have we got?’
Ashley nodded. ‘I didn’t... I didn’t know this would happen.’
Gina shook her head. ‘Let’s just get this over with.’
Ashley nodded, and she and Gina began to walk through the gap in the police vehicles, all cop eyes on her. DI Conway called over. ‘Just… just be careful.’
Ashley shot her a withering look. She’d utterly bungled this. ‘Remind me to eviscerate you when we do that interview,’ she hissed at the woman. DI Conway tutted. ‘I’m doing my best,’ she protested.
Ashley shook her head at her and kept walking across the car park, toward a set of about ten steps that led up to the entrance of Jimmy’s Pizza, passing uniformed officers. Gina was right at her side, camera on her shoulder, still shooting, the camera sitting steady as a rock. Ashley had to admire it, even now.
Up the steps they went, creeping ever closer in the direction of the gunman. Too soon, they reached the summit. They were right in front of the woman. Up close, Ashley was pretty sure she was lying about being fifty. She was sixty-five if she was a day. Still, she had a lot of years left, and maybe a family. The man, making sure that Gina was standing in between him and the armed unit, popped his head out from behind his hostage. Up close, he seemed kind of, well, just like a man. Not quite so terrifying. But he still had the gun, and that was pretty scary. ‘Right. Let’s get this show on the road,’ the gunman said.
‘We’re here. So are you letting this lady go?’ Ashley asked. Summoning all the courage she could find, she added, ‘Because I’m not doing an interview until you do.’
; ‘You’ve got a brass pair, I’ll give you that, love,’ the man said. ‘But fair do’s. I’ll let her go.’ And he gave the woman a little shove. ‘Off you get, then, Mary Berry,’ he told her. The woman glared at him, opening her mouth like she might say something. But then she thought better of it and took off at a brisk pace down the steps. ‘Don’t break a hip!’ the gunman called after her. A loud tut was heard.
Now the hostage was gone, Ashley wasn’t quite sure what would happen next. So she put her professional hat on and started the interview. ‘So, Mr… What should I call you?’ she asked the man.