Page 62 of Every Last One
“I’d say there’s a good chance,” Brice said. “The statement about ‘fat cats lapping up the cream.’ Now we know one of the four perps owes the hospital, maybe the rest do too.”
“But without knowing who she is, anything we talk about is theory and best guess,” Sandra said. Brice had given them bad news before Eric’s call. Lakisha Hester from the FBI Science and Technology Branch couldn’t clear up any shots of the mystery woman to run through databases. A look at CCTV didn’t get them anywhere either.
“Even if this was motivated by money, they’ve already shown themselves capable of violence.” Kreiger gestured toward Luis’s laptop. “And how many people has he shot at this point? Did he hit someone in that room earlier? He’s obviously capable.”
Sandra couldn’t dispute that. No one could.
“But if this is about money, how does it pertain to Megan Beal, the CEO?” Neal asked. “What do they expect her to do for them?”
“The question of the day,” Gibson chimed in.
“And if we’re wrong and this is personal toward Beal, why target her at the time of a meeting? Though, that’s assuming the shot caller was aware she’d be in one,” Neal said.
Those were all good questions, and Sandra could land on one possibility. “Maybe she needs all the hospital power players to fulfill her request.”
“To pardon the debt owed to the hospital,” Monica said.
“Is that something they could do?” Sandra asked Luis.
“Technically I suppose so, but they wouldn’t or it would open the hospital up to this type of terrorism all the time.”
They all fell silent at the emergency director’s words. As much as the policy was valid, it didn’t help the situation.
This may be what the shot caller meant when she said they weren’t listening to her. “We still need more information. I’m going to try the shot caller again.”
“Hold up,” Kreiger said, stopping Sandra’s steps and causing her to turn around. “Didn’t she tell you the last time that if you called again she’d shoot someone? Maybe you’re pushing it here.”
“I need to speak to her if we’re going to shut this thing down.” Sandra resumed walking to her workstation. She couldn’t allow the team coordinator to get into her head. Hostage takers said a lot of things and followed through on less. But she had something she could work with. Carmen Feeney.
Sandra called the phone in the boardroom and waited anxiously as it rang. Just when she thought it was going to hit voicemail, there was an answer.
“Let me guess, this is Sandra with the FBI.” It was the shot caller.
A man yelled out in the background, “Help us.”
“Shut up!” the shot caller roared.
Even with a gun, she was still losing control of the people in that room. “Please, you obviously came here today for a reason. Maybe this is about money. One of your friends who is there with you today, Carmen Feeney, owes the hospital a lot.”
After a few beats, she said, “How do you know about Carmen?”
“We were able to identify her.” That was all that Sandra was disclosing. To tell her that a detective was rooting through Feeney’s life to find a connection to the rest of them wouldn’t be a smart move.
“I told you I’d shoot someone if you called again.”
“You told me you’re prepared to do what you have to do, but killing someone? I’m not so sure. Your friends aren’t bad people.” Carmen had said she wasn’t friends with her fellow accomplices, but Sandra hadn’t tried this approach yet with this woman. They knew for sure that Carmen Feeney didn’t have a criminal record, and it was likely the same carried over for the rest.
The woman remained mute.
Sandra continued. “You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep, their friends.”
“Who said we’re friends?”
It was a weak protest at best. “You came here today with her. You must trust her and the others.”
Silence.
“Your one friend isn’t so good, though.” Sandra let that dangle there, deciding it was finally an advantageous time to disclose Mickey’s actions.
