“I didn’t know that,” Collins said.
“I was appointed only yesterday. What I can do for you is represent you in your talks with the police hostage negotiator and make sure you’re dealt with nonviolently and that your rights are not violated. Then I can recommend an attorney to represent you in your legal difficulties. I assume that these multiple charges are related to your work and the taking of the four hostages. Is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“All right. Are you willing to give yourself up?”
“Yes, but I have conditions.”
“What are they?”
“One: that nobody shoots me. Two: that I’m not led out of the building handcuffed, and that I leave the building through the garage, sitting in the right front seat of a police car. Three: that the wounded hostage is taken out of the building first, on a stretcher. Four: that no one asks me any questions until I’ve spoken in person with an attorney.”
“Is that it?”
“That’s it.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, Mr. Collins.”
“Please call me Peter; I’m more comfortable with that.”
“Peter, I’m Stone. Can you remain near this phone?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll call you back in less than half an hour. If anything happens in the meantime that worries you, you can call me back on the same number you called before.”
“All right.”
“Just be calm, and don’t talk to the police or anyone else until I call you back.”
“All right. You can hang up now.”
“Thanks.” Stone hung up and called Dino.
“Bacchetti.”
“It’s Stone.”
“Dinner tonight?”
“I think so, but first I have to get you to patch me through to the hostage negotiator who’s handling the thing at Jack Gunn Investments.”
“Why?”
“Because the guy who’s holding the hostages called me and asked me to represent him in the negotiations.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I am kidding you not.”
“Hang on.” Dino put him on hold for about a minute, then came back. “All right, he’s on the line. His name is Hank Willard, Lieutenant.”
“Hello, Hank?”
“Yes, Stone. Dino has told me who you are. What can you tell me?”
“Peter Collins wants to give himself up. He has conditions, but I don’t think you’re going to have a problem with them.”