“Nobody can protect Jacob anymore,” Evan said softly. “Jacob and Gretchen have made some really bad mistakes. Now why don’t you put your gun down, and you can tell me about the good work the members of the Brotherhood do.”
The gun in Phil’s hand began to shake as he looked from Evan to Annalise. She took another step forward, and Phil’s eyes widened in panic.
“Look at me, Phil,” Evan said. “Give me your gun, Phil.” Evan’s voice was almost hypnotic, and she knew his use of Phil’s name was to let the man know Evan really saw him and wanted to interact with him.
It was one of his strengths as a hostage negotiator...making people feel comfortable...making people want to talk to him. While it hadn’t worked with Jacob, it appeared to be working on Phil, who looked far less sure of himself than he had when he’d initially confronted Evan.
“Come on, Phil. I know you’re a good man who wants to do the right thing,” Evan continued. “I’m sure you didn’t know what Jacob and the rest of the men were planning. People died, Phil. When they went into the school they killed good people who were just going about their daily lives and doing their jobs.”
“None of us back at the compound had any idea they were going to bust into a school,” Phil admitted.
Evan took a step toward him and then reached out and took hold of the barrel of the gun. Phil began to weep as he finally relinquished the weapon.
Evan led him to the edge of the bed and grabbed his cell phone. As Phil continued to cry, Evan made a quick call to Davis. Annalise sank back down at the table as a sigh of relief escaped her.
“You don’t understand,” Phil said as Evan hung up. “Jacob and Gretchen control everything. They tell us all what to do and we do it. They’ve always told us how to live our daily lives. We...we...none of us know how to survive without them.”
“Phil, I’m sure you’re all smart and resourceful people. Everyone will have to find a way without them,” Evan replied smoothly.
“I don’t even know why he went to that school in the first place.” Phil swiped at his tears. “He didn’t tell all of us exactly what his plans were. If I hadn’t seen it on the news, I wouldn’t have known they were all in that school.”
“It’s going to be okay, Phil. You’re going to be just fine,” Evan replied with assurance.
Annalise’s admiration for Evan soared off the charts. Moments before, Phil had held Evan at gunpoint and threatened to kill him. Now he was talking to that same man in a calm and respectful and compassionate way.
Phil explained to Evan he’d hidden out in a storage closet until the halls were quiet, and then he’d come to the room. He’d also told them there were others at the compound who knew not only the hotel where FBI agents were staying, but also Evan’s room number.
She remained silent at the table and listened to the two men talk. Finally Davis appeared at the door with Nick, and the two men left with Phil in their custody.
Evan walked back to the bed, sank down and then looked at her. “Are you okay?”
“My heart is still beating faster than it should, but I’m fine.”
“Why didn’t you do what I asked of you? You should have gone into the bathroom.”
“I thought it was better for me not to remove myself from the room,” she countered. “I figured two of us would be more of a distraction to him. As it is, it all worked out okay.”
“Until we neutralize this situation, I need you to listen to me.” He offered her a faint smile. “You know how I like to control my crime scenes.”
“I do. Would it be possible for you to work this scene from my house instead of this hotel? I’d love to go home. I have all the office equipment we would need... We can set up a command center in my living room. I also have three bedrooms. That way we wouldn’t be spending all our time in these hotel rooms. Think about it, Evan. My place is only five minutes from here.”
He frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t like the fact that members of this group now know where we are staying. I don’t want to have to use additional resources to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
“What I worry about is that the next person from the compound who shows up here will shoot first instead of talk. They might all blame you for everything because you were the main man on the scene,” she replied.
He frowned, obviously thinking it through.
“Evan, let’s just pack up and go. It makes sense.” She wasn’t sure why, but she suddenly realized she needed to be back in her own home.
She wanted her familiar things surrounding her. It felt like it had been months and months since she’d been home. Right now her emotions were all over the place. She was frightened for Sadie, and her feelings where Evan was concerned were so unsettled.
The confines of a hotel room felt far too intimate, and at least if they were working from her house she could feel like she had a little distance from Evan...distance that might help her sort out her crazy emotions about him.
This wasn’t over yet. She had no idea how long it might be before it was over. Hopefully it would end with Sadie’s rescue and clarity for her where Evan was concerned.
She got up from the table and sank down on the bed next to him. “I just want you to know that I was impressed with how you handled Phil.”
“I had a pretty good idea that he wasn’t going to shoot anyone,” he replied.
“But how did you know
