“Let me think about that.”

“How about-”

“I said let me think!”

“Okay, take your time.”

In the ensuing silence, Paulo made a slow, palms-down gesture, as if telling Jack to be patient.

“I got it,” said Falcon. “I’ll give you shit in return. How’s that sound?”

Jack considered it, wondering how to handle such an offer within the parameters of Paulo’s never-say-no rule. “What kind of shit?” said Jack.

“Horseshit. Bullshit. Whatever kind of shit you want. We got it all, and every time you bastards call me, the inventory just keeps piling up. Now, for the last time,” he said, his voice rising, “where’s my damn money?”

Jack measured his words. He could hear the strain in Falcon’s voice. “I’m not going to lie to you, all right? But we need to have an understanding here. If I tell you the truth, you have to be able to deal with it. Can you do that?”

“Just tell me where my money is.”

Paulo made another hand gesture, this time a sharp, cutting signal, which Jack read as “Stay away from the truth.” Jack said, “Let me check on your money, okay? I’ll work on it, I promise. But you have to give me something.”

“You don’t deserve anything.”

“Do you want your necklace or not?”

“Don’t hang that over my head.”

“I talked to your friend, the Bushman. I know how badly you need it.”

There was silence, and Jack’s instincts were telling him that he’d played exactly the right card. Paulo, however, was making that slashing signal again, silently but emphatically telling Jack not to go down the road of the Disappeared.

“Here’s the deal,” said Falcon. “I’ll give everyone here a turn on the telephone. Ten seconds, no more. They can tell you who they are, and they can give you the name of a friend or relative to call. You cool with that?”

“What do you mean by ‘everyone’? Exactly how many people do you have in there?”

“Do you want my deal or not?”

Jack glanced at Paulo, who gave a quick nod of approval. “Okay. Agreed.”

“But first I get my necklace,” said Falcon. “Send it in with the food.”

Paulo shook his head firmly. Jack spoke into the phone, “First you let the hostages make their phone calls. Sorry, Falcon, but that’s just the way it has to be.”

Jack heard him muttering under his breath, and, in his mind’s eye, he saw Falcon swinging his fist at no one, on the verge of an explosion. Falcon said, “Am I going to have to shoot one of these people?”

“Don’t do that,” said Jack.

“Is that the only way I can get your attention?” Falcon said, his voice suddenly racing.

“Please, don’t even think about it.”

“Because I can play the game that way, if you want me to.”

“That’s not what anyone wants.”

“I can hurt people.”

“I’m sure you can.”

“If I put my mind to it, I can really hurt people.”

Jack heard a sudden scream in the background-a man, though it didn’t really sound like Theo. “Falcon, if you do that one more time, you’ll have SWAT all over you. Just get it under control.”

There was a brief silence, and then Falcon spoke in a halting voice. “It’s under control, Jack. It’s totally under control.”

“Did you hurt someone?”

“No. You did. Now bring me my damn necklace.”

The line disconnected.

“It’s all right,” said Paulo. “That was Falcon screaming, not your friend Theo.”

“You sure?”

“I’m blind, not deaf,” he said. “Trust me. You got us off to a good start.”

Jack wanted to believe him, but his hand was shaking as he handed Paulo the telephone. “What’s he going to do when I tell him that his money’s gone?”

“Hopefully, this standoff will be over before we get to that point.”

“What if it’s not?”

Paulo was looking straight at him, and it was obvious that he could hear the concern in Jack’s voice. “Like I say,” said Paulo. “Hopefully, it will be over before then.”

T heo listened carefully to Falcon’s every word. The phone call seemed real this time, and it struck Theo as a positive step that Falcon was speaking directly to Jack and not the police. Theo didn’t want anyone putting his own interest higher than that of the other hostages, but at least he felt confident that Jack wouldn’t hold his any lower.

“Impressive,” said Falcon as he tucked away the cell phone. “Your buddy made his five-minute deadline with twenty seconds to spare.”

“I wasn’t worried. Jack is psychic, you know.”

Theo gave no outward indication that he was joking, which clearly made Falcon uncomfortable. “You messing with me?” said Falcon.

“That’s for you to figure out,” said Theo.

His eye twitched nervously, and then Falcon turned away. Theo noticed that his face was taking on a constant red and puffy quality, but it wasn’t anger. It was the winter coat. Miami’s cold snap was over, clearly, and the closed-in room was heating up in a hurry. Falcon had to be roasting. Still, he wouldn’t remove that bulky coat.

“Listen up,” said Falcon. “I’m gonna let you make some phone calls. Keep it short. Just give your name and the phone number of a friend or relative who the cops can call and say you’re doing just fine. That’s it. Anybody breaks the rules, I break your head. Got it?”

No one answered.

“Good. We’ll start with the girls.” He poked his head into the bathroom. “Natasha, how’s your friend?”

“My name’s Natalia. And my friend is in no shape to speak on the telephone, if that’s what you’re asking. She’s still fading in and out.”

“Then wake her up.”

“I think we should let her rest.”

“I think she could use a little cold water in that tub.”

Theo said, “Are you crazy? You’ll send her into shock, for sure.”

“The doctor says it’s okay.”

“What doctor?”

“We don’t do the water treatment unless the doctor says it’s okay.”

“What doctor?” said Theo.

Falcon didn’t answer. He went to the tub and turned on the cold water. It spit out a few drops before going dry. “Bastards! They cut off the water.”

“Must be what the doctor ordered,” said Theo.

“Okay, smart mouth. We’ll start with you, and then the pretty boy next to you. But first, I gotta take a dump. You can watch or look the other way. Don’t make no difference to me.”

With the bathroom door open, Theo had a clear view of the toilet, so he looked the other way as Falcon lowered his pants. The coat stayed on.

The man next to Theo leaned closer and whispered, “I can’t get on that phone.”

“Why not?”

“Because-Can’t you see what was going on here, man? These girls aren’t exactly what you’d call my friends.”

“So that must make you their priest who came here trying to save the hos.”

“Nice try. I’ve already worked that one through my mind, and it won’t fly. But I have to say something when the crazy man hands me the phone.”

“Just tell them that your name is John and that you’re here on business.”

“Make fun all you want. But how would you feel if the world was about to know that you were in a two-bit hotel room with a pair of eighteen-year-old prostitutes.”

“Eighteen?” Theo said with a light chuckle. “You can only hope, buddy.”

“Will you stop being such an ass, please? This could be the death of my career.”

“What do you do for a living?”

The guy didn’t answer, but Theo did a double take. “Hey, now I know. Ain’t you the weather guy on Action News?”

“Weather guy?” the man said, straining to show confusion. “You must be thinking of someone else.”

“No, dude. I watch you every night at eleven. Walt the Weather Wizard.”

“That’s not me.”

“Like hell. Dress you up with some hair gel and one-a those snappy Armani jackets, and you’re definitely Walt the Weatherman. But I thought you was gay.”

“No, I’m married.”

“You mean, was married.”

The weatherman closed his eyes and then opened them, as if in mortal pain. “Dear God, I’m screwed.”