Page 76 of Nowhere to Hide
To each their own…Cindy was grateful to have been paired with a training officer who had put stock in gut instinct, even going so far as to tell her it was a cop’s greatest gift. He told her to hold on to it and never let the attitude of disbelievers sway her from believing in it. “I’m telling you, she shut right down when I mentioned the company name and froze when I saidTimothy Hanson. So whether it be about the man or the business…” Cindy looked back at the files and saw another name she recognized. She lifted one labeledBrown,Sabrinaand held up the folder for Green to see. “I spoke with her too. She was Timothy’s secretary up until his death. She still works at Hanson Property.”
“Excuse me,” Rupert cut in. “How much longer do you suspect you’ll be?”
“We’re ready to head out now,” Green told him. “We’ll just be taking all of this with us.”
“Very well.” Rupert remained standing in the doorway while they bagged the folders with the NDAs. Once they had them in hand and were ready to move out, Rupert stepped in front ofthem. “What has the police rummaging through a dead man’s things anyhow? And asking me about the man himself?”
The man at the gatehouse must not have passed along everything. “Timothy Hanson’s name has come up in an investigation.” She thought sticking to the basics would work with Rupert.
“But he’s dead.”
“As we’re aware. But the allegation is that he took advantage of his employees and may not have worked alone in manipulating them.”
“I see.” Rupert led them to the front door.
“Did you witness any of that?”
“No. Now if you would both kindly leave.” He opened the door for them to walk out.
Shivers laced down Cindy’s spine. She had strong feelings about Timothy Hanson before coming here. They had only grown stronger. If she followed her instinct, she’d take the initiative to revisit Rhonda Stein, now knowing about the NDA, and have another go at her. If it was only to cement the case against Timothy Hanson as a predator. But first, Lieutenant Coleman would be waiting for her call.
FORTY
4:58 PM
Sandra’s eye was drawn to the video screen and the two undercover officers moving in to play their parts. The reporter and cameraman. She glanced at the timer on her phone. One minute and forty seconds remaining of that hour Ryan had stipulated. She drank the rest of her coffee and popped in an earbud that was connected to the vehicle’s comms. “Here goes,” she said before leaving.
Sandra stepped outside the command vehicle ready to bring this thing to a close. Even if it meant moving forward with the reporter ploy. She just hoped that Kreiger would stay true to his word and hold off the snipers from taking a shot.
She tapped on her headset to call Ryan. After he answered, she said, “Ryan? Do you see us?” True to Kreiger’s word, the ERT officers chosen for this ruse looked like the real deal between their clothing and the camera hoisted over the man’s shoulder. There was also a show made of their arrival and getting them into position.
“I do.”
“Then I’ll talk you through this. Come out with your arms, and the two guns you have, raised in the air. Then set them on the ground and step back twenty steps. Do you understand?”
“Yes. You want me unarmed and vulnerable, but that’s not how it’s going to work.” Ryan hung up and soon came into view.
He had his arm around a young boy’s neck.Brayden.
Sandra’s heart pounded. Okay, this wasn’t good. There were so many ways this could flip sideways, she’d lose track if she tried to count them all. Snipers were set up awaiting word. The undercover cops were carrying concealed weapons. Not to mention all of the armed officers in the area, some of whom might be rookies and trigger happy. Sandra’s own Glock 19 was nestled comfortably in her holster, but she certainly had no desire to use it. “Ryan!” she cried out. “Agent Vos.” She made a dramatic show of pointing at the FBI logo on her vest as she walked closer to the gate.
“Sandra.” Ryan helped bridge the distance between them.
He said her name as if he were greeting an old friend. It was unsettling considering the circumstances. “The reporter is ready to go.” She gestured behind her at the undercover officers without taking her eyes off Ryan. She got in a look at Brayden too. The kid was trembling and heaving for breath. Him being out here, in such a vulnerable state, worked on her nerves, but she refused to let Ryan see that. She felt she had to acknowledge his presence, though, or Ryan might feel unheard and unseen. “Is this Brayden?” she asked Ryan.
“Yes. And he’s here to protect me.”
“You’re scared. I can understand that. Being in the spotlight can be intimidating.”
“Having guns aimed on me is.” Ryan made a show of looking around. “I know they’re out there.”
While the snipers were tucked away out of sight, their presence was tangible. “You have my word you and Brayden are safe.” As she said that latter bit, she made a point of making eye contact with the kid. She’d throw herself over him to protect him if it became necessary.
Ryan’s gaze fell to her Glock. “You have a gun.”
“I do. But it’s holstered. It’s of no threat to you.” Sandra held up her hands to further stress her words. “Where are your guns, Ryan?” It would do no good to point out that surrendering them had been part of the deal.
“I left them in the house.”
