Free Vanish by Tess Gerritsen Page A

incidents is simple: Slow things down. We’ve got her
    contained in a wing with no windows, no exits, so she can’t escape. She can’t go mobile. So
    we let her sit and think about her situation. And she’ll realize that she’s got no other choice but
    to surrender.”
    “If she’s rational enough to understand that.”
    He regarded her for a moment. A look that gently probed the significance of what she just said.
    “Do you think she’s rational?”
    “I think she’s terrified,” Maura said. “When we were alone in that elevator, I saw the look in
    her eyes. The panic.”
    “Is that why she fired the gun?”
    “She must have felt threatened. There were three of us crowding around her bed, trying to
    restrain her.”
    “Three of you? The nurse I spoke to said that when she stepped into the room, she saw only
    you and the guard.”
    “There was a doctor as well. A young man, blond.”
    “The nurse didn’t see him.”
    “Oh, he ran. After that gun went off, he was out of there like a rabbit.” She paused, still bitter
    about the abandonment. “I was the one trapped in the room.”
    “Why do you think the patient shot only the guard? If there were three of you standing around
    the bed?”
    “He was bending toward her. He was closest.”
    “Or was it his uniform?”
    She frowned. “What do you mean?”
    “Think about it. A uniform is a symbol of authority. She could have thought he was a
    policeman. It makes me wonder if she has a criminal record.”
    “A lot of people are afraid of the police. You don’t have to be a criminal.”
    “Why didn’t she shoot the doctor?”
    “I told you, he ran. He was out of there.”
    “She didn’t shoot you, either.”
    “Because she needed a hostage. I was the closest warm body.”
    “Do you think she would have killed you? Given the chance?”
    Maura met his gaze. “I think that woman will do anything to stay alive.”
    The trailer door suddenly swung open. Captain Hayder stuck his head out and said to Stillman:
    “You’d better come in and listen to this, Leroy.”
    “What is it?”
    “It just aired on the radio.”
    Maura followed Stillman back into the trailer, which had grown even more stifling in just the
    short time they had been standing outside.
    “Replay the broadcast,” Hayder said to Emerton.
    Over the speaker came a man’s excited voice. “. . . you’re listening to KBUR, and this is Rob
    Roy, your host on this very weird afternoon. We’ve got a bee-zarre situation here, folks.
    There’s a lady caller on the line right now who claims she’s the one holding our local SWAT
    team at bay over at the medical center. Now, I didn’t believe her at first, but our producer’s
    been talking to her. We think she’s the real deal . . .”
    “What the hell is this?” said Stillman. “It’s got to be a hoax. We have those phone lines
    isolated.”
    “Just listen,” said Hayder.
    “. . . so hello, miss?” said the DJ. “Talk to us. Tell us your name.”
    A woman’s throaty voice answered: “My name is not important.”
    “Okay. Well, why the heck are you doing this?”
    “The die is cast. This is all I wish to say.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Tell them. Say it. The die is cast.”
    “Okay, okay. Whatever it means, the whole city of Boston’s just heard it. Folks, if you’re
    listening, the die is cast. This is Rob Roy at KBUR, and we’re on the phone with the lady
    who’s causing all that ruckus over at the—”
    “You tell the police to stay away,” the woman said. “I have six people here in this room. I have
    enough bullets for everyone.”
    “Whoa, ma’am! You want to calm down there. There’s no reason to hurt anybody.”
    Stillman’s face had flushed an angry red. He turned to Hayder. “How did this happen? I
    thought we isolated those phone lines.”
    “We did. She used a cell phone to call out.”
    “Whose cell phone?”
    “The number’s listed to a Stephanie Tam.”
    “Do we know who that