“Bentworth? You still out there? Speak up. I won’t shoot.”

Could I trust him? What else could I do? I spoke quietly. “I’m here Jeremy. What do you want?”

“I want Amanda. You people keep getting in the way. Her kid comes in here waving a pistol and then you. All I want is to talk to her.”

“So you tie her up and toss her in the kitchen?”

“She started screaming. I just wanted to talk.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you come out, and you and I can talk?”

“I come out, I come out shooting. You had my two best friends killed.”

Probably his only friends.

“That wasn’t me, Jeremy. I had a beef with those two guys after the beat-down, but I don’t shoot people. Besides, the cops checked my piece. It wasn’t me.”

“Okay, I’ll hold off until I’m sure. But if you’re lying...”

“Okay, Jeremy. Just don’t hurt anyone. Don’t let it get out of control. You haven’t done anything really bad yet. Let’s keep it that way while we figure out where this is going.”

A black SUV pulled up across the street. Sanford got out and stood there in his ill-fitting black suit and a black trench coat. He watched me to see what would happen.

“Who’s that guy over there?” Jeremy said.

“That’s someone who can help you get out of here unharmed. I’ll go talk to him. Don’t shoot.”

I went across the street to where Sanford stood.

“Need help? The boss says we owe you.”

“I figured we were even after those two army guys and the wise guy.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about. You want help or not?”

“I could use some.” I explained what was happening.

“I can take him. Clear shot.”

“There’s a direct line from here into the kitchen. You might hit one of the hostages.”

“Okay. What can I do?”

“How about you go in the back door into the kitchen. Get my sister and nephew out while I’m talking to Pugh. Shoot him if you have to, but I have the cops and the Army on the way. They can take him out. Save you the trouble of explaining anything. And the paperwork.”

“And them checking my piece.” He patted the left side of his chest.

“You got bodies on that piece?”

“Could be.”

That figured.

“Okay. Wait until I get back to the window. Then drive around the block, and come in from the rear so he can’t see you coming. You’ll need a knife to cut them loose. They’re tied with stockings. Butcher knives are on the countertop.”

Sanford pulled a long switchblade from his pocket and held it up.

“That’ll do,” I said.

I walked back toward the house, hoping Jeremy would keep his promise not to shoot me. The shotgun barrel was still sticking out the window. I made it to the wall.

“Where’s that guy going?” Jeremy asked.

“Putting his car out of sight so no one can see him help you escape.”

“Why would he do that.”

“I asked him to. To save Amanda and Rodney.”

“I’m not going to hurt them.”

“Good.” I had to keep him talking. “What happened with your boat?”

“I got it blown up. They were going to repossess it, and I needed to drop out of sight. I thought maybe my wife and kids could use the insurance if they thought I was dead.”

“Why did you need to drop out of sight?”

“The brass got it in their heads that I was stalking Amanda. Sent me to an Army shrink. He was talking about confinement.”

“You didn’t think that might help you?”

“No, goddammit. There’s nothing wrong with me.”

Add denial to this fruitcake’s disorders.

“Who did the explosive device?”

“An army demolition guy I served with in Iraq. We set it off with a cell phone. You should’ve seen it go.”

This was good. He was starting to talk to me like we were old friends. Probably the manic side of his disorder kicking in.

“How about letting Amanda and Rodney go?”

“Can’t. They’re my insurance.”

That didn’t make sense. How did he think holding two civilians hostage would keep him out of the loony bin?

“Where’s that guy at?” he asked.

“He’s over there.” I pointed to the side of the house out of Jeremy’s sight. “I can see him.” I couldn’t, but I didn’t want Jeremy to start worrying about where Sanford was. I had to keep him diverted.

“Where did you meet your two friends? The ones that got shot?”

“Years ago. At the Moose lodge. We were like brothers. They made a good team.”

“I’ll say, and I have the bandages to show for it.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Yeah, me too. I think you and I could’ve been friends under different circumstances.”

Fat chance.

“Shit!” Jeremy said.

“What?” I looked behind me. Two Army vehicles were pulling up across the street where Sanford had been parked. Stewart and his two associates got out of one. Four MPs in full SWAT gear got out of the other.

“Wait, Jeremy,” I said. “I’ll go talk to them. You’re safe as long as you’re holed up in there and have Amanda and Rodney.”

I hobbled over to the Army cars where Stewart and his entourage were waiting, crouched behind their cars, guns aimed at the house.

“How did you know it was this much trouble,” I asked. “When I called, I didn’t know he was here yet.”

“We know the Captain,” Stewart said.

“He’s in the house at the window,” I told Stewart. “He has an old shotgun and my pistol. He has hostages, my sister and her son.”

“A child?”

“No. Teenager. They’re both tied up in the kitchen at the rear of the house. I have a man sneaking in the back way to get them out while we keep Pugh occupied.”

“Isn’t your man likely to get hurt going in there like that?”

“He can take care of himself. Pugh has been getting chummy, so maybe we can talk him out. Do you know him?”

“Yes. He’s been on our radar for a while. Had to pull him out of Afghanistan. Post traumatic stress disorder. He ought to be in a hospital.”

“I need to go back and keep him talking.”

“Well don’t trust him to stay friendly. He has a short fuse. One minute he’s your pal, the next minute he’s in your face yelling and screaming.”

“So I’ve seen. My guy will sneak the hostages out and, your guys can deal with the short fuse.”

“Okay, we can give it a try if you think your man can handle it.”

“He can. Pugh told me that he had his boat blown up to fake his death so you guys wouldn’t send him to the funny farm.”

“Figures. My guys can take him out. He’s in clear view in the window. Fool.”

“Absolutely not. Let’s get the hostages out first.”

Stewart looked at me as if to ask where I got the authority to run a hostage situation. Before he could raise the question, an unmarked police car pulled up. Bill Penrod got out and came over to where we were crouched behind the Army cars.

“What’s going on here, Stan? Willa called.”

I explained the situation to him.

“I better get our SWAT team over here,” he said.

Everybody wanted to shoot this guy. Must have been a slow SWAT day.

“Look around, Sergeant,” Stewart said. “We have ours in place and ready.”

“So you do,” Bill said. “But these are civilian hostages on civilian premises. The police department has jurisdiction.”

“Hey, guys,” I said. “It’s kind of busy here. Let’s not get into a turf war.”

A black SUV turned the corner and came toward us. It pulled up behind Bill’s car and stopped. Sanford held a skinny arm out the window and gave me a thumbs up. I went to the SUV and looked in. Amanda and Rodney were in the back seat looking frightened and tussled but none the worse for wear. I grinned at them and went back to Bill and the Army.

“He’s all yours, guys. The hostages are out.”

“Is there a phone in there?” Stewart asked.

“Yes, on a table next to the window.” I said and gave him the number. He called. We could hear the phone ringing through the open window. After about seven rings, it stopped.

Stewart said, “Captain Pugh. This is Special Agent Stewart, USACIDC. We got the hostages out. You’re all alone. You want to come out, or would you rather die today?”