“Mrs Sawyer.”
“What’s your first name, Mrs Sawyer?”
“Edith.”
“Introduce me to the other ladies, Edith.”
“I don’t know what you have in”
“Just tell me their names, Edith.”
One of the operators blurted, “I’m Linda Peters.”
“Thank you, Linda. What’s your friend’s name?”
The friend spoke for herself. “Mary Deegan.”
“Mary Deegan. Tell me, Mary, you related to George Deegan, over at the firehouse?”
“He’s my uncle.”
“Well, he’s in good hands, Mary. Just like you.”
Grofield liked to watch Parker work. See him before a job, or after, you’d think he was just a silent heavy, quick-tempered and mean, about as subtle as a gorilla. But on a job, dealing with any people that might be in the way, he was all psychology.
Terrify them first. Terrify them in such a way that they’ll freeze. Not so they’ll make noise, or run, or jump you, or anything like that, just so they’ll freeze. Then talk to them, calm and gentle. Get their first names, and use the first names. When a man uses your first name, calmly and without sarcasm, he’s accepting your individuality, your worthiness to live. The use of your first name implies that this man really doesn’t want to harm you.
The fright to freeze them, and then the reassurance to keep them frozen. And it worked almost every time.
Parker was explaining it to them now, telling them all they had to know. He was telling them he was sorry two of them would have to be tied and gagged, but it wouldn’t be for long. They were watching him, the three of them, hanging on his words.
That was another part of the psychology. Bunch them together right away, in a little group. It reassures them, to be in a group, and it cuts down the possibility of individual initiative. Each member of the group waits for some other member of the group to lead the way.
Parker even arranged the tieing and gagging differently. Phillips and Littlefield brought over two of the chairs, took the casters off them so they wouldn’t roll, and had Mrs Edith Sawyer and Linda Peters sit down in them. Their ankles were tied to the center chair leg, their wrists were tied behind their backs, and the sponge-and-cloth gags were applied. Then Parker and the others left, and Grofield was on his own.
The operator still loose was Mary Deegan. Grofield said to her, “Mary, do you suppose there’s a telephone book around here anywhere?”
“Well, yes. Of course.” Her fright was fading, and she was now becoming bewildered.
“Good. Mary, I want you to get that book, and sit down at Edith’s desk there, and copy down some phone numbers for me. Will you do that like a good girl?”
“The book’s in the desk drawer.”
“Well, then, get it.”
She went over and sat behind the desk, and looked at him doubtfully. “It’s all right for me to open the drawer?”
“Mary, you don’t have a gun in that drawer. And if you do, you have more sense than to show it to me. Go ahead and open the drawer.”
She opened the drawer, and put the phone book on the desk.
“Good girl. Now, give me the phone number for police headquarters. Got it? Now the firehouse.”
She looked up. “Do you really have my uncle prisoner, too?”
“Tut, tut! Prisoner me no prisoner, nor uncle me no uncle.” Though she couldn’t see it under the hood, he smiled, then said, “A paraphrase of Shakespeare. Your uncle is in good hands. Write down the number, and maybe later you can talk to him.”
She wrote down the number.
“Let’s see. One more. The night phone at the refinery.”
She wrote that one, too.
“Good girl. Just leave the paper there, and rise and go to yon computer, if you would. Resume your seat there.” He sat down at the desk, put the rifle down on its top, and pointed to the phone in front of him. “Can I work this? Or do you have to do something there?”
“You can work it.”
“Fine.” He picked up the receiver, and dialed police headquarters.
It was answered after one ring: “Police headquarters, Officer Nieman.” The officer’s voice sounded a little thin and strained.
“Hello, Fred, let me talk to E. The man with the machine gun.” He felt the women’s eyes on his face as he said the last words, and even though he wore a hood he forced himself not to smile.
Edgars came on the line, sounding wary. “Yeah?”
