Page 50 of So Sinister
“Yes, but only as an observer.That’s Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department jurisdiction.”
“Call them and let them know we’re on our way.Actually, forget that.I’ll call them.”
“Understood.”
She hung up and glanced at the GPS.It said forty-five minutes to get to Ronald Reagan.If they drove aggressively, they might be able to shave ten minutes off of that, but she doubted they would get more.Being free from traffic laws didn’t mean being free from traffic.
A lot could happen in thirty-five minutes.She frowned.Actually, a lot should have happened already.In the past two cases, the victims were killed in their own homes, and the killer called in the bomb threat for dud bombs after getting to safety.He placed those calls anonymously from payphones.This looked to be entirely different.Why had Stevenson changed his MO?Or was he not the person who killed the previous two?
She called MWAA PD and put the phone on speaker.After identifying herself and getting transferred to the officer-in-command at the airport, she asked for a rundown of the situation.
The officer-in-command, Captain Grandal, replied in a tense, clipped tone.“Mr.Stevenson entered the south TSA checkpoint structure at approximately eight-thirteen.He approached the security office stating he had a complaint about lost baggage.One of the officers attempted to direct him to the baggage claim center.He refused and got belligerent, so the officers attempted to detain him.When they did, he pulled out the bomb and the detonator and said he was there to punish the Great Incompetent or something like that.”
“I assume that he meant Security Chief James Hartford.”
“Yeah, he grabbed Hartford and tried to run.He saw our forces outside of the building, got spooked, and fled into the terminal with Hartford.We’re evacuating the terminal now.”
“Any idea where he is?”
“No, but he’s talking to us with Hartford’s cell phone.”
“And you can’t triangulate it?”
“We can tell he’s in the terminal, but he turned off the find my phone feature and did something to the software that prevents emergency services access.”
Faith frowned.“Okay, how long before you finish evacuating?”
“We’re estimating fifteen minutes to get everyone a safe distance from the terminal.The bomb’s small, but if it’s a powerful enough explosive and goes off in the right place, then it’ll take the whole structure out.”
“Yeah, I agree, get everyone out of there.”
“That’s why we’re talking to him.If he’s talking, he can’t blow the bomb.We hope.He pressed the detonator button already.He says if he takes it off, kaboom.”
She shared a glance with Jessica.Her partner was pale, her knuckles white around the steering wheel.
“Okay,” Faith said.“Keep him talking.If you can talk him into releasing Hartford, great, but if not, then we’ll need to figure out a way to get to that bomb or that detonator.”
“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Grandal said.
“What’s he saying?”Jessica asked.
“He’s saying that the Incompetents ruined his life.He said he killed the Lesser Incompetent and the Female Incompetent already, and now he’s going to kill the Great Incompetent.He’s asking for safe transportation out of here and says he’ll let everyone else escape if we let him kill Hartford and get out.”
Faith tapped her fingers on the center console as she thought.“Okay.So he doesn’t want to kill anyone else?”
“That’s what he says.”
“Okay.Don’t let him know that you’re evacuating the civilians.Evacuate them but let him think they’re still in danger.Tell him you’re arranging transportation, and it’s on its way now.”
“How do we convince him of that?”
“Just tell him,” Faith said.“If he asks for a reason, tell him they need a special vehicle so he’s not stopped by law enforcement outside of your jurisdiction.If he keeps asking, just tell him you’re working as fast as you can.But don’t let him know when the terminal is evacuated, or he might figure out we’re not cooperating and decide he’d rather kill himself to kill Hartford.”
“All right.I assume you’re on your way to the scene since this is a Bureau case?”
“Yes, we’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”
“Okay.Any reason you guys couldn’t find this guy before he put our airport under attack?”
