Eden glimpsed something different across the room. As it appeared, she saw Thackrey register the change in her eyes.

Thackrey swung around. Eddie Mahler stood in the doorway twenty feet away. His Sig Sauer was braced in his hands and pointed straight at them.

“Put the gun on the floor,” Mahler said.

Thackrey smiled. He slowly ran the tip of his gun through Eden’s hair. “I’ll put it down in a minute, Lieutenant Mahler. First, you’re going to watch as I shoot your girl here.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

(i)

(FRIDAY, 1:30 P.M.)

Mahler leveled his gun at Thackrey. The pair paused in front of him, Eden in front, Thackrey behind.

Thackrey smiled. “You’re early, Mahler. Detective Somers was just about to die.”

Tiny lights flashed in Mahler’s field of vision. He tried to blink them away. “There’s no play here, Thackrey. A dozen units are on the way.”

“Spare me your threats.”

Mahler watched Eden and Thackrey as they turned in a circle. Thackrey’s left hand clasped Eden’s fingers. His right hand, holding the gun, pressed her lower back, pushing her into him.

“Step away from her, and put your hands where I can see them.” As Mahler watched them, the shadow of a scotoma slowly formed, blocking the center of his vision.

“Shall I make it easier for you?” Thackrey swung Eden until he was in front of her. “Clean shot now, Mahler. Of course, you still have to worry about the bullet going through me and into Detective Somers. Or, you might miss me altogether and hit her.”

In Mahler’s eyes, the couple disappeared for an instant behind the scotoma before they came out the other side.

Thackrey continued moving until Eden was in the front again. “From what I’ve read, Lieutenant Mahler, you’re a screwup. Can you handle this?”

“This isn’t a game, Thackrey.”

“Isn’t it? Before you arrived, your pretty detective was telling me about my relationship with Elise Durand. It was somewhat insulting, but maybe she can help you. Tell me, Detective Somers, what do we know about Mahler?”

Eden looked fully at Mahler. She remembered her hostage training. Stay calm. Don’t hurry. Make eye contact with the rescuing party. Try to establish a line of communication outside the hostage-taker’s awareness, so that you and the rescuing party know what you’re planning.

Thackrey pressed the gun against her back. “You think I’m kidding?”

“Lieutenant Mahler suffers migraine headaches,” Eden said quickly. “Research shows migraines can be a psychological sign of the need for retreat. In this case, the body’s way of coping with work pressure.”

Thackrey laughed. “Nail on the head. What everyone remembers about Eddie Mahler is he screwed up and a girl was killed.”

Eden stared at Mahler. She felt as if she and Mahler were communicating on a new level. “But memories change over time.”

“You mean people forget.”