Rain, however, was no amigo to a negotiator. It made everything that much more complicated, especially with a hostage-taker wrapped in explosives. If things went south and they were forced to neutralize him, it would have to be a head shot. Snipers worked in a world of zero margin for error. A precision shot from atop a building, a hundred yards away, through a hotel window, was tricky but doable. Even to the skilled marksman, ambient conditions mattered. Nobody liked rain-except Vince, who knew better than any sighted person that sometimes the only opportunity to see things clearly was in the midst of the storm, that you might never find answers if you hide away in a shelter until after the rain.

Vince heard footsteps, then Alicia’s voice. “I need to speak to you,” she said. “Inside.”

They retreated into the mobile command center, and before Vince could ask what this was about, Alicia said, “Did you see the TV broadcast?”

A month earlier, he would have corrected her and said, no, he’d only listened to it. He was maturing as a blind person, he supposed. “Yeah,” he said.

“Then you caught what my father said. About the assurances he received from you that I would not under any circumstances talk to Falcon.”

“I was hanging on his every syllable.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“Nope. Never told Chief Renfro that, either.”

He heard her sigh and take a seat. “Now if I have to talk to him, everyone on the force is going to assume that you broke your word to Chief Renfro and the mayor. Why is he tying your hands like that?”

Vince could tell that she was upset, and he was absolutely certain that his answer to her question would only upset her more. It might even insult her. He tried a less direct approach. “Did I tell you about the dream I had after you called to invite me to the jazz festival?”

She hesitated long enough for Vince to know that she was shooting him an incredulous look. “Vince, can we focus on what I’m talking about?”

“No, this is important. I need to tell you this.”

She breathed out a little noise that Vince took for reluctant acquiescence. “Okay,” she said. “Tell me about your dream.”

“I’ve actually had it a couple of times, twice in the same night. It’s kind of weird because it’s one of the few dreams I’ve had where I’m blind. I’m married to you.”

He stopped right there. He hadn’t intended to create such a dramatic pause, but he suddenly wasn’t sure if sharing this dream was such a great idea, after all.

“We’re married?” she said.

“Yeah. And we take our daughter to the park. She’s maybe four years old. Kids are playing all around us. I can hear them all happy and squealing with delight on the monkey bars. Little pockets of conversation surrounding me. Music is playing from the band shell in the distance. I’m tired and have to sit down on a bench. Then all of a sudden, a child comes and sits in my lap. I’m pretty sure it’s a girl, because of the length of her hair, but she doesn’t say a word. She just slides into my lap and nuzzles up against me. I wait for her to say something, but she’s completely silent. I don’t know what to do. I think it’s our daughter, but without the sound of her voice, I can’t be sure. Of course, I’m afraid to come right out and ask if it’s her. What would that make her think, if her own father can’t even recognize her when she’s sitting right in his lap? And so we just sit there, this child in my lap, and me in the dark, not knowing who she is or what to do.”

Silence. Insufferable silence. He’d thought that telling her about it would loosen the emotional knot in his stomach, but it was only worse to have it out there with no reaction at all. Now, more than ever, it was driving Vince crazy that he couldn’t see Alicia’s face.

Finally, she said, “That child will speak to you, but only if you let her.”

“In my dream I want her to speak.”

“No. She’s just going to sit there and be quiet, until you’re ready. Until you decide what you want to do. About us.”

More silence, and then he heard the approaching footfalls. He could almost feel her standing right before him, looking into his face. He wanted to reach out to her, but he wasn’t sure what she wanted, and something inside him wouldn’t let him take the risk. Then her arms went around his shoulders, and instinctively his hands found their way around the curve of her back, locking the two of them in a tight embrace. It wasn’t the reaction he’d expected, and it was beyond even what he had hoped for. It felt so good.

“Vince, I’m glad you’re sharing this with me.” She was trying to control it, but there was real emotion in her whisper as she released him and took a step back.

He smiled a little, trying to put her at ease. “Hey, I didn’t bring this up so that we get all sloppy on each other.”

“Your timing is kind of weird,” she said.

“I actually have a point.”

“What is it?”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that my feelings for you haven’t changed, but-pardon the pun-that doesn’t make me blind.”

“I don’t follow you.”

All traces of a smile ran away from his face, and he summoned up his most serious expression. “Don’t be offended by what I’m about to tell you. And please don’t say that I’m losing my mind.”

“Tell me,” she said, concerned.

“I think I’m only beginning to understand why I’ve been put in charge in here.”

chapter 40

T heo was counting bullets. Again.

He’d been trying to keep track of spent ammunition since Falcon’s first shot had shattered Jack’s sunroof. At some point Falcon would need to reload his pistol. That was any gunman’s most vulnerable moment. Theo still had to figure out a way to loosen the cord around his hands and ankles. Assuming he could get that done, he would ideally make his move when Falcon was out of bullets and searching frantically for another magazine. Thirteen rounds would be standard. Some guys loaded only twelve to prevent misfeeds. Counting the number of rounds already fired, however, was not as easy as it might seem. Falcon’s second shot had hit the girl in the bathroom. One to each of the downed officers made four. Another had taken out the police searchlight. Or was that two shots? Theo couldn’t remember, couldn’t distinguish Falcon’s shots from the return fire by police.

“Where’d you learn to shoot?” said Theo.

Falcon stepped away from the draperies. “None of your damn business.”

“What is that you got, anyway? A Browning?” A Browning Hi-Power, was Theo’s guess-a long-standing favorite with military forces around the world.

Falcon didn’t answer.

“Pretty efficient use of ammunition so far,” said Theo. “The girl, two cops, a searchlight. What’d it take you-five bullets, four bullets?”

Falcon only smiled, as if amused by Theo’s transparency. “Don’t worry. Pretty sure I got one in here with your name on it. But let’s go ahead and remove all doubt.”

For a split second, Theo thought he was about to be shot. Instead, Falcon hit the pistol’s slide-release button with his right thumb, dropping the magazine to the floor, while pulling a new magazine from his coat pocket with his left hand. He inserted the new magazine and finished with a quick slap to its bottom, ensuring that thirteen new rounds were locked in place. A complete tactical reload in about two seconds.

The guy was definitely no stranger to a sidearm.

“You can start counting all over again,” said Falcon as he picked up the old magazine.

A loud thud at the door startled everyone in the room.

“What was that?” said the weatherman.

“Quiet!” said Falcon. He pulled the weatherman up off the floor and held him as a human shield. If SWAT came flying through the door, guns firing, the weatherman would be the first to get it.

“Don’t use me, use the big guy,” the weatherman said in a quaking voice. “You can hide behind him better.”