“It’s all right,” he whispered, looking down at her. He held her until she calmed down. When the paramedics returned to check on her, Gannon met Hackett’s stare. He’d been watching.
He took Gannon aside.
“Saw you on your phone, Jack. Mind telling me who were you talking to and what you told them?”
Gannon considered his question.
“My boss needs to know where I am.”
“That right? Listen, you’d better give serious thought about your role here. For some reason, your long-lost sister thinks having you here now is important.”
“She was scared and she called me. The situation brought us together.”
“That’s fine-you’re family. But your actions could be counterproductive to our efforts. Anything you learn here is privileged. Sharing it outside the investigation could undermine our work, force us to look at excluding you from the house and consider obstruction charges. You got that?”
“Oh, I get it.”
“Good.”
“We have the same goal-the safe return of my niece.”
“As long as we’re on the same page, Jack.”
“We are-the one that says you do your job and I’ll do mine.”
Hackett glared at Gannon until a heart-stopping shriek cut through the impasse. Paramedics were struggling to stem Cora’s rising hysteria as she moaned to everyone.
“Please, bring my daughter back to me! Please!”
9
The clock on the wall of the FBI’s office was all Cora could hear.
Some fifty news people had gathered for the press conference at the FBI’s Field Office. They adjusted lenses, tripods, checked BlackBerry phones, made notes and last-minute cell phone calls while Cora and other officials took their places in front of the crowd.
The announcements would start momentarily.
Prior to arriving, Cora had slept for an hour but adrenaline still rushed through her. She’d refused sedatives from the paramedics and had managed to eat saltine crackers to quell her stomach butterflies after she’d agreed to make a live statement to the press.
Hackett and Gannon had convinced her that it was critical to reach out to the kidnappers and that this was the best way to speak directly to them, to Tilly, to Lyle, and to get the whole world looking for them. It could lead to a break in the case. Her plea would be distributed everywhere on the air and online.
Jack had helped her compose a few sentences. They were printed in large font on the folded sheet of paper she now held in her hand.
Cora clasped her hands over it to steady her nerves as a thousand disconnected thoughts shot through her mind; her fear for Tilly juxtaposed with the absurdity of deciding how to dress for the press conference.
She’d decided on her charcoal jacket and matching pencil skirt, what she would have worn to work or a funeral.
The conference began.
Gannon was standing a few inches to her right and the Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix FBI was a few inches on her left, gripping the podium. She noticed his wedding band but had forgotten his name. Lewis something. He’d given it to her with a crushing handshake.
As the agent spoke, Cora struggled against a state of unreality.
Cora heard her name.
The FBI man finished his opening remarks and had turned to her.
“Now, Tilly’s mother, Cora Martin, will make a brief statement. But please-she will take no questions.”
He gestured and she stepped in front of the cameras. The intense light glared like a judgment. Beside the podium she saw the tripod bearing enlarged photos of Tilly and Lyle. Next to it stood another tripod bearing a sketch of one of the suspects and a picture of Lyle’s pickup truck.
Cora’s mouth went dry. She glanced at her brother. He nodded encouragement.
She had to do this for Tilly.
Cora unfolded her paper. The cameras tightened on her, the lines on her face, her bloodshot eyes: the anguished mother. News networks were broadcasting live with Breaking News flags. Some carried a graphic at the bottom of the screen: Drug Gang Kidnaps 11-year-old Girl From Phoenix Home Demand $5 million.
Cora started.
“To the people who have my daughter, Tilly, I beg you, please, do not hurt her and please return her to me.” Cora stopped, then resumed. “Sweetheart, if you can see me or hear my voice, I love you. We’re doing everything to bring you home safely.”
She paused, kept her composure and continued.
“Lyle, if you see this, please help us. Go to the police, wherever you are. Please. We need your help. And I beg anyone who has any information to please contact the police. Thank you.”
As the agent took her shoulder and Gannon helped her retreat from the podium, several reporters fired questions. Above them all, they heard the voice of Carrie Cole, a news celebrity known across America for her nationally televised crime show based in Phoenix.
“Mother to mother, Cora! One question, please!”
Cora stopped, looked at the famous face and lifted hers, inviting the question.
“I know this must be a horrible, gut-wrenching time. No one can know what you’re going through, but please share with us the last words your little girl spoke to you and when?”
Cora glanced at the FBI and her brother. The FBI man nodded.
“It was early this morning, after the kidnappers took Tilly. They called me and put her on the phone.”
“What did she say to you?”
Cora hesitated.
Cora covered her face and turned away sobbing. The reporters shouted more questions, but the agent raised his palms and resumed control.
“To recap and conclude, as you know we’ve just issued a national alert. The FBI is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Tilly Martin and Lyle Galviera. I want to stress that Mr. Galviera is not a suspect but a person of interest. He was last known to have been destined by air travel for California on business. He has not been
