by Terri Reed
Lord, what do I do here? How do I protect us both. Parker’s cell phone rang. He answered. Shock siphoned the air from his lungs, and it took a moment for him to find his voice. “We’re on our way.”
He clicked the phone off and met Melody’s anxious gaze. A knot of dread formed in his gut. Though it would cause her more pain, he had to tell her. He took her hand.
She gripped his arm, obviously sensing something was wrong. “What’s happened?”
“The Sagebrush Police have Jim trapped in a stand-off.”
Alarm filled her eyes. “What? Where?”
“The youth center.”
* * *
“He’s still holed up in the woodworking room,” Captain McNeal informed them when they arrived at the makeshift command post—the back of a tactical van parked down the street from the center.
The only light showing in the brick building came from the room where Melody knew Jim spent most of his time. From the moment Parker had informed her, she’d felt like she was in a daze. Jim was in a standoff at the youth center. The youth center they’d built together. They’d done so much good there, helped so many kids and had made a difference in not only the teens’ lives but the whole community’s. And now he was destroying that. She tried not to tremble with the shock.
FBI Agent Trevor Lewis joined them. “We’ve tried negotiating. He’s not cooperating. The state police are assembling and plan to breach the building in ten.”
“Are there hostages?” Parker asked.
Panic trapped the air in Melody’s lungs. Her gaze searched the darkness and picked out the men dressed in tactical gear, ready to initiate a full-on assault of the center. Her throat closed with alarm. Penetrating the center would be a last-resort move. She prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
“Yes. There’s at least one,” came Slade’s grim reply.
“Who?” Melody asked, and winced at the slight quiver in her voice.
“Ally Jensen.”
Anguish stabbed her. Oh, no. Poor Ally.
She had to do something. The youth center was her responsibility. Determination burned through Melody. She had to reach Jim, make him see how futile his actions were. There was no way this could end well if he didn’t cooperate. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Let me talk to him.”
“Absolutely not!” Parker exclaimed.
Irritation set her teeth on edge. “It isn’t your call.”
Captain McNeal’s eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline. Melody wasn’t sure if it was in response to her request or to Parker’s vehement refusal. She jerked her gaze to Parker.
Thunderclouds darkened his face. “You are too close to this. Too emotionally involved.”
She couldn’t deny his assertions and wouldn’t even try. “I can stay in control.” She turned back to Captain McNeal. “I’ve had hostage negotiation training through the Austin PD. I can do this.”
Before McNeal could respond, Parker interjected, “It’s too dangerous.”
Wheeling to face Parker, she said, “You heard Special Agent Lewis. They’re planning a breach in ten. Whatever Jim’s done, it’s not worth losing his or Ally’s life over. Which could happen if this situation turns into a battle.” Unconcerned by the fact they were surrounded by his captain, FBI agent Trevor Lewis and a multitude of other officers, she placed a hand over his heart. “He knows me. I’m the best shot we have.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said, his voice dropping to a low timbre that worked its way down to her soul. “Jim wanted you dead.”
For reasons she chose not to examine, she needed him on her side. “Putting ourselves in danger is part of the job.”
“I don’t care about the job at the moment.” Worry lit his brown eyes. “It’s you I’m worried about.”
Any annoyance melted in the face of his concern. It was her turn to implore him to understand. “I know it’s a risk. But some risks are worth taking.”
He closed his hand over hers, trapping her hand firmly against his chest. “Is this one of them?”
His words reverberated through her. “I have to try.” She pulled out the one card she knew would work to sway him. “If I don’t attempt to talk him out, I’ll regret it the rest of my life. Ally is just an innocent kid.”
He closed his eyes as if pained. When he opened them, the respect there shored up her confidence and made her realize that her feelings for this man had gone way beyond anything she could control. “You promise me you’ll be careful?”
“Of course.”
Please, God, don’t let anyone get hurt.
* * *
With her heart pounding and her breath threatening to seize, Melody stepped closer to the speakerphone. It had taken a good deal of persuasion on Parker’s part to convince Captain McNeal and Agent Lewis to let Melody have a chance to coax Jim out.
Parker’s belief in her touched her, yet made her wary at the same time. She was placing too much trust in this man, but that was an issue to be dealt with later. Right now she had a job to do.
Oh, Lord, give me strength and help me to know the right words to say. She sent up the silent request and inhaled deeply, calming herself. Pursing her lips, she blew out a breath and found her center. FBI Agent Lewis gave her the nod to proceed.
“Jim, this is Melody.”
The silence sent a wave of uncertainty crashing through her. Would her presence make the situation worse?
“You shouldn’t be here,” he finally said.
Because I should be dead? The thought streaked through her mind. She bit on her lip to keep the words in. “Jim, this isn’t you. You’re a great guy. You love the center. You’ve worked so hard to make it successful.”
“You don’t know me,” he barked. “You don’t know what I’ve done.”
She closed her eyes, mustering her strength. She thought she knew him. She’d also thought she’d known her father and her ex-husband. “Okay, Jim. That’s fair. I don’t know you as well as I thought I did.”
She did have an inkling of what he’d done, but saying so wouldn’t be prudent. “I’d like to know you better, Jim. Let me be your friend like you’ve been mine.”
She opened her eyes and met Parker’s steady, encouraging gaze. “This is just a big misunderstanding, right, Jim? You haven’t done anything that can’t be undone.”
“You couldn’t leave it alone,” he yelled. “I told you to leave it alone. This is your fault.”
Drawing on the training she’d had at the Austin police department, she stayed calm, focused and refused to rise to the bait of his words. Instead, she redirected the conversation. “Jim, are you injured? Is everyone okay? Ally? I’m sure she’s confused and scared. Who else is there?”
“We’re fine in here as long as you all stay out there,” Jim said.
“We’ll stay put.” She glanced at the men around her, willing them to do as Jim was asking. “No one’s been hurt yet. It’s not too late to make this right. You can make this right, Jim. Let Ally go. Let... I’m sorry. Who else is with you?”
Silence met her question. Each passing second tightened the knot of anxiety squeezing her chest.
“Joy,” he finally answered.
An image of the teen ran through Melody’s mind. Her heart ached. The fifteen-year-old must be terrified. “Joy Haversham is with you. Okay, I’m sure she and Ally would like to go home. They deserve to go home, don’t they, Jim? You can make that happen for them.”
“Then what? I don’t have any leverage,” he rasped out.
The strain in his voice worried Melody. She knew from her training that when a hostage taker felt cornered, they tended to react violently. “What can we—I—do to make this right? I want to help. Please let me help you.”
“You can’t. Not now.”
The harsh sound of the phone slamming down echoed in Melody’s head. Disappointment and anxiety spiraled through her, and she struggled to remain calm.
Parker wrapped an arm around her. “You did
good.”
Leaning into him, she shook her head. “He hung up. I failed.”
“No, you haven’t,” Trevor stated, his dark eyes sincere. “We know he has two hostages. That’s more than we knew ten minutes ago. We’ll call him back in a few minutes.”
The waiting stretched Melody’s nerves until she thought she’d scream. Thoughts of what could go wrong ran through her head, making her incredibly antsy. Only Parker’s comforting arm around her held her together. His calming presence was a Godsend on so many levels.
She’d be crawling out of her skin with worry if not for him. She hadn’t realized how much she needed Parker’s backing. Knowing he believed in her gave her the confidence to see this ordeal through. She didn’t know what her life would be like when they no longer were working so closely together.
At the moment thinking about that was more than she could bear.
Four minutes later, she was given the go-ahead to try again. Her heart bumped against her ribs.
“You can do this,” Parker whispered close to her ear as Agent Lewis dialed the center’s landline again.
She laid a hand on Parker’s arm in gratitude.
When Jim came back on the line, she said, “Jim, you said this is my fault. I take responsibility. I’ll make it right. Tell me how I can make it right.”
“All your questions. All your snooping. It has to stop.”
Steeling herself against taking offense, she kept her voice steady. “You’re right. I do ask a lot of questions. We’ve worked together for a long time, Jim. I didn’t realize my curiosity bugged you. I can change. Come out so we can talk about that. You can help change my ways,” she said, hoping the carrot would be taken.
He scoffed. “Why did you bring him in? I’m your partner. And that dog! I hate dogs!”
Mind reeling, she glanced at Parker. His eyes narrowed in speculation.
Jim was jealous of Parker. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
Agent Lewis made a motion with his hand, wanting her to keep talking. “I can see how that would upset you. I had no idea it would. But now that I do, we can remedy that. Parker and Sherlock don’t need to come to the center again. It can go back to being you and me. A team.”
Parker tucked in his chin. She shook her head, hoping he’d realize she was trying to appease Jim. That she had no intention of barring Parker and Sherlock from the center. They’d added so much. The kids had grown used to seeing Parker and they all loved Sherlock.
“The damage is done.” The resignation in his tone sent a chill of dread gliding over her skin. “I’m a dead man no matter what I do.”
His words sent alarm surging through her. She had to dispel that thought. “It may seem hopeless right now, but it’s not. Jim—”
The gentle click of the receiver as he hung up was worse than when he’d slammed the phone down. Panic gripped her. “Get him back.”
Lewis redialed. Nothing. They tried for several minutes before Lewis shook his head. “He’s left us no choice.” He turned to the tactical teams leader. “You have permission to go in.”
“No!” Melody’s legs trembled. She nearly toppled over, but Parker held her upright.
“Can we get a chair?” he asked.
Someone brought over a small stool.
“Sit,” Parker instructed.
“I can’t.” Sharp talons of torment clawed at her. “This is my fault. I couldn’t talk him out of it.”
Parker took her hands in his. “No. This isn’t your fault. He brought this on himself. You did your best. All we can do now is pray for a good outcome.”
She tightened her fingers around his. Grateful for his steady presence, for his faith. “Would you?”
“Of course.” He drew her away from the command post to a secluded spot where they could have a moment of peace. “Lord, we ask for Your presence here. You know the situation. You know how dire it is. We ask for protection over Ally and Joy and the men going in after them...and Jim. Please bring them all out safely. Amen.”
“Amen.” She tugged on Parker, drawing him toward the action. “I want to get closer. I need to see what’s happening.”
They made their way to where Captain McNeal and Agent Lewis had taken a position with a clear view of the front of the building. A dozen or so men, dressed from head to toe in black tactical gear, prepared to enter the building. Melody’s heart pounded so hard she thought she might break a rib.
The leader motioned with his hand, signaling it was time to breach the center. Melody braced herself. Just as the men stepped forward in a unified movement that spoke to the intense training and harmony of their division, the front door to the center opened. Melody’s breath hitched. Was Jim giving up?
With a raised hand, the leader halted the men.
Ally and Joy came out, their hands held up in the air.
Behind them, Melody could make out Jim’s balding head. She let out a small sigh of relief. He was coming out. “Thank you, God.”
Then Jim shoved Ally and Joy. They stumbled forward. Two tactical team members grabbed them and pushed them out of harm’s way. Jim was left exposed in the center of the doorway, a sniper rifle in his hands, the barrel pointed skyward in his outstretched hand. A dozen red dots glowed bright dead center on Jim’s chest.
A small gasp escaped Melody. No. No. No. She didn’t want to believe this was happening. She clutched Parker’s hand.
The tactical team had Jim in their sights. She was sure he’d surrender now. Prayed he’d surrender. He had to. If he didn’t...she couldn’t let herself go there. God would protect him just like He had Ally and Joy.
“Come on, Jim,” she said beneath her breath, willing him to do the right thing, the only thing, and turn himself in.
“Drop your weapon,” a harsh voice rang out, commanding Jim to relinquish his hold on the rifle.
For a breath-stealing moment, Jim didn’t move. His gaze roamed the crowd of law enforcement circling the front of the building. He zeroed in on Melody.
She released Parker’s hand. The sadness on Jim’s face made her step toward him, wanting him to know she was here to help him. She would stand by him, help him the way she hadn’t been able to help Sierra and Daniel.
Jim’s gaze drifted to Parker beside her and twisted with anger and jealousy.
In one swift move, Jim raised the rifle and sighted down the barrel, his aim directed at Parker.
Chaos exploded around her. Shouts for Jim to drop his weapon rang in the night.
Parker yanked her behind him, turning so his broad back acted as a shield.
A single shot rang out.
Melody winced.
Parker’s body stiffened. His arms tightened around her. For a panicked moment the horrible thought that he’d been hit stormed through her mind.
“Melody?”
Parker’s voice splintered her terror. She leaned back to look into his dear face. “You’re okay?”
His grim nod didn’t reassure her. Something was wrong. Then her mind kicked into gear and processed what she’d heard.
One shot.
Parker hadn’t taken the hit. That meant...
With a certainty she wanted to refute, she knew Jim hadn’t fired his weapon. A police sharpshooter had taken the shot.
Jim was dead.
A cold numbness swept through her like an eerie fog. A weight pressed down on her chest.
Her partner.
Her friend.
She extracted herself from Parker’s arms. With slow, deliberate steps she walked to where Jim’s body lay on the center’s steps. Blood pooled on the cement.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Anger choked her. God hadn’t answered her prayer. At least not all of it.
Her gaze sought Ally and Joy. They huddled together. A female officer comforted them. The young women were safe. And Melody was grateful for that blessing.
But Jim...
Her attention returned to the prone body of the man at her feet. The man who had wanted her
dead.
One of the tactical team members had pushed Jim’s rifle aside. She stared at the long, deadly weapon. Her pulse spiked. “Parker!”
“Here,” he said from close behind her.
She reached for his hand and swallowed back the bile rising to burn her throat. “Is that—?”
He drew in an audible breath. “Looks like a FN SPR. 308.”
Her heart thudded. “Like the one that killed Daniel?”
“Exactly like. Only ballistics can confirm it.”
She staggered backward, nearly missing a step. Parker caught her. His strong, safe arms held her steady, keeping her from disintegrating into a glob of anguish and despair.
Any chance she had of learning the truth behind her nephew and sister’s deaths had died with Jim. Now she would never know what had really happened. Now she would never be able to make things...right.
FIFTEEN
“Why did he do it?” Melody’s tortured whisper echoed inside Parker’s car.
He hated seeing her so distraught. When she’d almost fainted on the steps after realizing the rifle Jim carried matched what they believed to be the weapon that killed Daniel, he’d propelled her away from the scene. She needed to process what had happened.
Better to do it in a safe, familiar environment. It would take time to heal from this wound and the quicker she put it behind her, the better. This ordeal had taken a devastating toll.
At a stoplight, he reached to take her cold hand in his. “I’m so sorry.”
“I should have seen that something was wrong.” Self-recrimination echoed in her voice. “All the signs were there. His nervousness, his furtive activities.” She let out a tortured laugh. “His seeming dedication to the center was all a sham. How could I have missed that?”
“You were too close to it. You trusted him. There was no reason not to. We all did.” Okay, Parker hadn’t fully trusted him, not after the way he’d treated Sherlock. The light turned green. He stepped on the gas but kept his hand on hers.