Exit Strategy. Jen J. Danna

will put you on a more even playing field in his mind. Otherwise, just listen very closely to everything he says. And we’ll be here to advise during the whole call.” She pulled her headset back into place and nodded at McFarland. “Put us through.”

      The suspect picked up on the third ring. “Is the mayor there?”

      Gemma motioned to Rowland. Go ahead.

      “I’m here. Is this Patrick?”

      “Yes.”

      “Hi, Patrick. Please call me Kevin. I understand you wanted to talk to me.”

      “Yes.”

      “Before we start, I’d like to talk to First Deputy Mayor Willan.”

      Gemma’s head whipped sideways to face him, but Rowland was staring unblinkingly at the table in front of him.

      “That’s how you’re going to start? With a demand?”

      “I’m happy to talk to you. I just need to make sure Charles is okay.”

      Silent seconds ticked by as Gemma’s heart rate picked up. She glanced at Garcia and recognized the lockjawed expression. Her lieutenant wasn’t happy. He’d given the mayor instructions, and the mayor had done what he damn well pleased.

      “Fine.” The man’s answer carried a note of suppressed anger. “Wait a second.”

      The thump of the handset being dropped on the desk was followed by mumbled voices. Then there was the sound of something heavy falling and a ragged exhalation, as if the man had pushed Willan into a chair near the phone.

      The handset was fumbled; then a new voice came over the line. “Hello?”

      The mayor slumped back in his chair, relief etched on his florid face. “Charles, it’s Kevin. Are you okay?”

      “I haven’t been physically harmed.” Unsaid was the first deputy mayor’s stress level, since he was being held hostage. “You’ll talk to him?”

      “I will. I’ll do everything I can to get you out of there.”

      And the rest of the hostages, Gemma thought, but the words went unsaid by the mayor.

      Rowland continued, “The team I’m working with knows—”

      Gemma was reaching to close her fist over Rowland’s headset microphone, but McFarland was already ahead of her. He jabbed a button, looked up, and said, “Muted.”

      Garcia leaned over the table, temper snapping in his eyes. “You’re going to risk getting them all killed. Do not give away any information about our operation or any information we specifically know. We don’t know if the suspect is listening or if he’ll harm Willan to get the information from him.” He nodded at McFarland. “Unmute it.” He stabbed a finger at Rowland and mouthed, “Go.”

      Rowland stared blankly at him for a moment. “Uh . . . the team I’m working with is really solid and will treat your guy fairly. Charles, hang tough. I’m going to help them get you all released.”

      “Kevin, if I don’t make it out—”

      Rowland cut him off. “I don’t want to hear that.”

      “I know. But if not . . . tell Sonia I love her. And make sure she’s taken care of. I wouldn’t trust anyone more than you.”

      “Christ, Charles. Of course, I will.” Rowland drew in an uneven, shaky breath and straightened his shoulders as if going into battle. “I’ll see you when this is all over and the first round at Carmichael’s is on me. Hell, I’ll buy one for the whole damn place to celebrate. Now give the phone back to him.”

      “Rowland?” The suspect was back on the line.

      “Patrick, I’d like to avoid any more violence, so please tell me how I can help you.”

      “And you’ll listen? And fix the problem?”

      “Tell me what you need and I’ll do my best.”

      “That’s not good enough.” Anger crept into the suspect’s tone.

      Gemma could feel the conversation already sliding sideways and hurriedly wrote and passed a note to Rowland: Don’t argue with him. Ask him to explain the problem so you can help.

      Rowland scanned the note and gave her a curt nod. “Let’s start with the problem, Patrick. It must be something that has you very upset to feel this is your only option.”

      The laugh that carried across the line was dark with cynicism. “You might say that.”

      “Tell me about it. And then we’ll see how we can help each other.”

      The man paused for a moment. The room behind him was silent, as if the hostages were collectively holding their breaths, waiting on his next word. “I want you to reverse the decision on stop-and-frisk.”

      Rowland’s head jerked sideways to stare at Gemma in confusion. “This is all about stop-and-frisk?”

      Upheld by a Supreme Court ruling in 1968, stop-and-frisk had been a controversial tactic used by police forces for decades, allowing officers to conduct a “reasonable search” of an individual before a potential arrest if they believed that individual to be dangerous. Police officers said it allowed them to find weapons and to protect both themselves and the community. However, members of the public protested that stop-and-frisk perpetuated racial profiling of blacks and Latinos. It had been such a contentious issue in New York City for decades that part of Rowland’s mayoral platform was dedicated to doing away with the practice. After winning the election, city council passed strong legislation against racial profiling and Rowland had worked personally with the NYPD brass to institute a number of new protocols, including de-escalation and bias training, and the use of body cameras by officers.