Page 85 of Rescued Dreams
Conroy said, “And why would he secure the doors with military tech that will detonate and kill everyone inside?”
Ridge shook his head, trying to think it through. If the doors detonated, that would kill a lot of people, including Elam and his men. Amelia.
His stomach twisted, but he couldn’t get hung up on the risk. Macon was right about that. He had to prove he could do his job even while Amelia’s life was in danger.
“He has to have a plan to get out.” Kane shrugged. “He isn’t going into this with a plan to get killed, not when he just got out of prison.”
Conroy looked at Kane. “And you know this how? Have you spent time with Elam Hilden?”
“Maybe ten minutes.”
“This way, please.” Conroy led Kane with him, away from Macon and Ridge. The huddle of cops nearby had Lieutenant Basuto—the one who’d brought Amelia to the station for questioning—and Sergeant Donaldson. Good men. Family guys. He knew because he saw them dropping off their kids in the children’s ministry classrooms on Sunday morning at church rather than drinking coffee and leaving the task to their wives.
Macon cleared his throat. “I don’t believe Amelia is working with her brother.”
Ridge glanced over.
His boss continued, “If she’s in there with her brother, it’s likely coercion, even if she isn’t with the other hostages.”
“That isn’t going to convince the police of her innocence.” That’s what she’d been worried about the night before. That no one ever believed she told the truth. He didn’t know what it felt like to be so distrusted, to not have his integrity. “What if Elam is the one behind everything that’s happened? The fires where the crew was hurt and the incident in the training house. Someone tried to kill her, but who would have done it that way? It’s just odd enough that it might make her sound crazy, believing that she was nearly murdered in the training house.”
“It would make anyone who heard it wonder about her credibility if it wasn’t for the marks on her. No way she could have fabricated those, or the smell in the air from the toxin he released.” Macon folded his arms, stretching the sleeves of his open rain jacket. “Easy enough to figure out what was wrong with the computer program and discover it was deliberately tampered with.”
Ridge gaped. “She was right?”
“You doubted her?”
“Of course not, but it’s nice to hear we can prove it.” Ridge squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Why would Elam do all that just to get her to come here? He didn’t tell her to or coerce her. Unless I missed something huge.”
Had her brother been harassing her all this time and she hadn’t said anything?
Ridge continued. “Just to get her to make a withdrawal? Why does he need her for that?”
Macon shrugged. “He’s been in prison long enough to make a plan, and it could hinge on her being there so he can get the payout. Which was apparently in this bank branch all along.” He frowned over at the red brick front of the building.
“There’s more to this that we’re not seeing.”
Macon nodded. “Like how to get through that setup he’s got on the doors so you can go in after the cops clear it and get those people out.”
Ridge studied the upper floor…Maybe the roof. “You think we can move the truck out of sight, get it around the back or something, and take the ladder to the roof? Come down from an upper floor?”
Conroy turned and pinned him with a stare. “Can you get my SWAT team in that way?”
Macon said, “Only if you ask nicely.”
Ridge folded his arms. “Amelia isn’t guilty of anything. She’s a victim, like the rest of the hostages.”
Conroy swallowed as though choosing his words carefully. “I’ll instruct my people to treat her as such.” He lifted his chin. “Get your truck into position, and I’ll inform my people to be ready to go.”
“Copy that.” Ridge nodded.
Conroy turned away. Macon slapped Ridge on the shoulder and said, “Get her back.”
Ridge ran to the others. “We’re clearing out!” When he got close, he said more quietly, “There’s a plan to get in.”
Della navigated the busy street and drove around the corner. A lane behind the buildings offered access to employee entrances and had a few spaces for cars to park. She stopped beside the neighboring building, which had been the library until they’d built the new one on Anderson Avenue, hopefully parking out of sight of anyone that might be a lookout.
Ridge shoved his door open. “Let’s go.”
