Broken Angels Read Free

the sweat beading on Krotz’s forehead.
“There’s no reason for anyone to get hurt today,” Byrne said. “Just be cool.”
“No one’s gonna get hurt?”
“No.”
“Then why are you pointing that gun at me, hoss?”
“You know the drill, Anton.”
Krotz looked over his shoulder, then back at Byrne. The moment drew out. “Gonna shoot a cute little citizen in front of the whole city?” He fondled the woman’s breasts. “I don’t think so.”
Byrne turned his head. A handful of horrified people were now looking in the front window of the diner. They were horrified, but not too terrified to leave, apparently. Somehow they had stumbled onto reality TV. Two of them were on cell phones. This would soon become a bona fide media event.
Byrne squared himself in front of the suspect and the hostage. He did not lower his weapon. “Talk to me, Anton. What do you want to do?”
“What, like, when I grow up?” Krotz laughed, high and loud. His gray teeth were shiny, black at the roots. The woman began to sob.
“I mean, what would you like to happen right now?” Byrne asked.
“I want to walk out of here.”
“But you know that can’t happen.”
Krotz tightened his grip on the woman. Byrne saw the keen edge of the knife writing a thin red line on the woman’s skin.
“I’m not seeing your bargaining chip, Detective,” Krotz said. “I’m thinking I have control of this situation.”
“There’s no question about that, Anton.”
“Say it.”
“What? Say what?”
“Say ‘You are in control, sir.’ ”
The words were bilious in Byrne’s throat, but he had no choice. “You are in control, sir.”
“Sucks to grovel, doesn’t it?” Krotz said. Another few inches toward the door. “Been doing it my whole fucking life .”
“Well, we can talk about that later,” Byrne said. “Right now we have a state of affairs, don’t we?”
“Oh, we most definitely have a state of affairs.”
“So let’s see if we can’t find a way to end it so no one gets hurt. Work with me, Anton.”
Krotz was six feet or so from the door. Though he was not a big man, he was a head taller than the woman. Byrne had a clear shot. His finger caressed the trigger. He could take Krotz out. One round, dead center to the forehead, brains on the wall. It would break every rule of engagement, every departmental regulation, but the woman with the knife at her throat probably wouldn’t mind. And that’s all that really mattered.
Where the hell is my backup?
Krotz said, “You know as well as I do that if I give it up I’m gonna ride the needle for those other things.”
“That’s not necessarily true.”
“Yes it is !” Krotz yelled. He pulled the woman closer. “Don’t fucking lie to me.”
“It’s not a lie, Anton. Anything can happen.”
“Yeah? Like what? Like maybe the judge is gonna see my inner child?”
“Come on, man. You know the system. Witnesses have memory lapses. Shit gets thrown out of court. Happens all the time. The hot shot is never a sure thing.”
At that moment a shadow caught Byrne’s peripheral vision. Left side. A SWAT officer was edging up the back hallway, his AR-15 rifle raised. He was out of Krotz’s line of sight. The officer made eye contact with Byrne.
If a SWAT officer was on scene, a perimeter was being established. If Krotz made it out of the restaurant, he wouldn’t get far. Byrne had to get that woman out of Krotz’s grasp, and that knife out of his hand.
“Tell you what, Anton,” Byrne said. “I’m going to put my weapon down, okay?”
“ That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Put it on the floor and kick it over to me.”
“I can’t do that,” Byrne said. “But I’m going to put it down, then I’m going to raise my hands over my head.”
Byrne saw the SWAT officer get into position. Cap reversed. Eye to the scope. Dialed in.
Krotz slid another few inches toward the door. “I’m listening.”
“Once I do that, you let the woman go.”
“Then what?”
“Then you and I will