“I’m the one who took the pictures of Wendy and that congressman.”
“You gave it to the press?”
“I sold it. I needed the money to rescue Sara.”
“Who did you sell it to?”
“I never knew his name.”
Even though Ivy looked her in the eye, Lucy knew she was lying. It was the calm certainty while highly agitated that gave Lucy the clue.
She was protecting someone. Why?
“That person could be responsible for all this.”
“He’s not. I would recognize him if I saw him, and he’s neither Dumb nor Dumber.”
Kate jumped back in the car. “I told Slater we have a valid entry point via the southwest corner, kitty-corner to the church. We can get to the roof without being seen. But we need floor plans.”
“I know the place,” Ivy said.
“You’re staying here.”
“They want
Kate handed her a notepad and pencil. “Draw what you know.”
Ivy’s cell phone rang.
Kate said, “Tell him you’re almost here. Five minutes.”
“He won’t wait any longer!”
“Give him a location five or six blocks away. Indicate you’re on foot. Lucy, listen in.”
Ivy answered; Lucy put her ear to the phone and Ivy held it so they could both hear. “I’m on my way!”
“It’s been twelve minutes. By now, I should have killed two of the kids.”
“Don’t! I’m coming as fast as I can. I want to talk to Mina.”
Kate nodded her approval.
“I already let you talk to her.”
“How do I know you didn’t shoot her after you hung up?”
“You don’t. Start running. I’m giving you two more minutes. That’s it. Come through the chain gate; I left it propped open for you.”
He hung up.
Ivy screamed out her frustration.
Kate said over her headset, “Slater?”
“I heard. Get me some intel I can use. Do you think he’ll really start shooting? What do you know about this guy?”
Kate looked at Lucy, and Lucy said, “He’s smart, but impulsive. His entire mission-and he considers it a mission-is to kill Ivy. If she walks in, he’ll shoot her immediately. He doesn’t want to hear excuses or explanations. I don’t know if he’ll kill anyone else, but he’s capable. He will not hesitate. He’s already made the decision.”
Ivy tried to open the door, but it was locked. She hit the handle. “I don’t want anyone else to die because of me.”
“No one’s going to die,” Kate said, but Lucy saw concern in her rigid expression.
Slater and his SWAT team drove up. Slater gave them orders, and a pair went into the building Kate had identified as having visual of the church grounds.
He approached Kate’s car. “Armstrong’s ETA is four minutes,” he said.
“We don’t have time to wait,” Kate said.
Slater looked at Lucy. “We need to buy time.”
“How?”
Slater glanced at Lucy. “Kincaid, you and Ivy are roughly the same height and build. You don’t have to do this, but-”
“Yes,” she said before he finished.
“Luce-” Kate stopped. “Shit, shit, shit. Okay, you two go to the van and swap clothes. You’re wearing a vest, Lucy. Don’t argue. Hat, glasses, don’t go in. This is for
“There’s no time,” Ivy said. “He’s calling again.”
Lucy grabbed the phone from Ivy as she started taking off her clothes, motioning for Ivy to do the same.
“I’m here,” she said, panting to mask the difference in their voices. “I’m coming. Around the corner. I ran. Whole way. Please, please. Let me talk to Mina.”
“Finally, some fear. It’s about fucking time, Poison Ivy. Mina, say hi to your girlfriend.”
“Ivy, don’t, he’ll kill-”
The suspect came back on the line. “But you already knew that, right?”
“I’m not coming in until Mina is safe.”
He laughed. “You’re in no position to negotiate. Tick, tock. I don’t see you.”
Slater helped Lucy with the bulletproof vest. It wouldn’t stop a headshot, and they both knew it. But unless the guy was a trained sniper, he would most likely go for the widest target, her chest.
“I want to see Mina before I come in.”
“She’ll come to the fence. That’s it. You come in, then we’ll talk. Ten. Nine. Eight.” He hung up.
Lucy pulled on a torn, greasy sweatshirt to hide the vest. The SWAT guys had been using it as a rag and it reeked of oil. She messed up her hair, then put it in a loose ponytail and grabbed a baseball cap that Slater had in the back. He hooked up her earpiece.
“Count to ten,” Slater said. “My men aren’t in place yet.”
“What’s the plan?” she said.
“First clear shot.”
Noah drove up as Lucy was finished. He ran over to Slater and Kate. “I told you not to put her in!”
“I outrank you, Armstrong,” Slater said. “There are children inside. We have two men on that roof,” he pointed, “and two more in position across the street.”
Lucy squeezed Noah’s hand. “I’m going to be fine.”
She crossed the street so she’d be opposite the church. It would buy her both time and cover since the east side of the street was shaded in the morning.
She looked all around the small church. She couldn’t see the snipers, but she didn’t expect to-they were good. She trusted Slater and the SWAT team.
No one was coming out of the church. Something looked off. The windows. They were clouded.
She ran across the street, but stayed as best she could behind a tree to avoid the line of fire.
Slater said in her earpiece, “We have full coverage once he steps out of the building, either entrance.”
She nodded, not wanting to talk.
The gate leading into the courtyard and play area had been propped open with a rake.
“Mina!” she called, then said quietly for Slater, “Something’s wrong.”
She stepped away from the tree and toward the gate. “Mina!”
“Get back,” Slater said in her earpiece.
“Dammit, you promised to let her go, you fucking bastard!” Lucy shouted. The heat of the morning plus her adrenaline had her sweating and red-faced, so she really did look like she had been running. She had listened to Ivy long enough to mimic her well.
Then she smelled smoke.
At the same time, Lucy had the overwhelming sensation of being watched. Ever since her attack seven years ago, she was acutely aware of eyes on her. It was mostly a curse, but times like this it was a gift.
“He’s on the street,” she whispered and turned to the right, the tree only half obscuring her.
A dark-haired man had a gun on her. “Hey, Poison Ivy-You really are stupid.” He frowned. “Who the fuck are you?“
He made a move for her, and over the bullhorn came, “FBI! Put down your weapon and put your hands on the back of your head.”
The man looked around, then made a move to grab Lucy. She sidestepped him. He crumpled to the sidewalk at the same time Lucy heard the report of a high-powered rifle.
