Page 80 of Nowhere to Hide
“Don’t move. I can’t protect you if you do.” Her words came out measured and calm while her heart beat wildly.Please, please, stay put…
“But all of this… was a lie.” Tears were running down Ryan’s cheeks, and Sandra ached on his behalf.
“Not all of it. The truth always has a way of coming out. And you’ve set something into motion, Ryan. Your mother will get the justice she deserves.” It wasn’t a promise she was entitled to make, but it felt like it was the right thing to say.
“Come on, get to your feet.” The two officers had put their weapons away and moved in to haul Ryan up.
He didn’t take his eyes off her until he was loaded into the back of a cruiser.
Sandra walked back to the command vehicle, ready to put today behind her. As if that was even possible. Every crisis negotiation she worked became a part of her. While this one had taken a ruse and had her playing a part, she could live with that. Just as the Hansons would live another day. Edward included, too, hopefully. But the one thing she couldn’t shake was the injustice done to a boy and his mother. Someone deserved to pay for that.
“That’s one in the books,” Donny said when she walked back into the command center.
“That it is.” She could breathe much easier now that the remaining hostages were being extricated and Ryan was in custody. “Anyone get an update on Edward Hanson?”
“I called the hospital. He’s in surgery, but the doctors were optimistic going in,” Gibson told her.
“That’s good news at least.”
Neal came in and addressed the team. “Great job, everyone.”
“Hey, that’s my line.” Kreiger followed up behind him, practically pushing Neal farther into the vehicle.
“Before we get to patting ourselves on the back, I wanted to just give an update for those who are curious among us.” Neal looked at her while he spoke. “I heard from Officer Moore during the whole reporter ruse. She and Officer Green searched Timothy Hanson’s office and collected several NDAs, including ones for Rhonda Stein and Sabrina Brown. But there wasn’t one for Susan Crawford.”
Sandra wasn’t even surprised by that and shared why with the team. “I think it’s fair to say all of us think Timothy Hanson had her killed. It wouldn’t make any sense for him to hold on toan NDA with her. It would just be something that would raise questions.”
“There is that,” Neal agreed. “But Officer Moore made a noteworthy discovery. Something that we suspected.”
As Sandra listened to Neal tell them about Dale Kramer’s NDA and its survival clause, she shook her head. “We can use it to make him talk. Suggest that Timothy intimidated him, possibly forced him to do things. If Kramer did do this, he also might not know that NDAs don’t hold up if a crime has been committed.”
“Even still. I say, good luck ever getting that man to talk,” Neal said.
“We’ll need to make sure that Detective Birch hears about Kramer’s NDA,” Sandra pointed out.
“He will soon, if he hasn’t already. I asked that Moore make the call to let him know.” Neal turned toward the team and said, “Get ready to head out.”
She pushed her laptop into her messenger bag and left the command vehicle. She called Eric on the way to her car. It seemed like everyone else was fine to put Crawford’s accident behind them. After all, the incident was over, the hostages either safe or receiving treatment and the hostage taker in custody. Their jobs here were done.
“Detective Birch,” Eric answered.
“It’s me. It’s over. Ryan surrendered.”
“That’s great news, Sandra.”
“But I’m curious how you’ve made out on your end…”
“I’ve hit a bit of a wall.” He filled her in on his visit to Travel Safe.
She supposed it was illogical to think Eric would resolve all of this in one day, though he was off to a strong start. “That sounds promising.”
“I’ll try to stay positive.”
She detected the sour note of melancholy to his voice. “Well, you’re not alone tonight. Remember, it’s dinner at Davenport Manor and we can talk.”
“I’ll freshen up and be right over.”
After Eric was gone, Sandra got on the road with the goal of heading home to do the same herself. She just had one stop first—the Washington Field Office to swap the federal sedan for her own vehicle.
