Sunday Salon - Step on a Crack - The End of Story?

So the rest of the story...

Detective Bennett is put in the enviable position of top negotiator for the "terrorists" demise. Although Mike is not in Hostage Negotiation anymore his background has the lead thug talking to him in an amicable manner.

It seems that all of New York has turned out to watch and see if the good or bad guys win. Bennett's kids have seen him on TV and already fear for his life. Their Christmas may be shattered even more if something happens to Dad.

Hostages are killed and thrown out the front door of the once pristine chapel. The police are kept busy trying to figure the meaning of such ruthlessness!

After many hours of tireless negotiating, Mike Bennett gets a well deserved break to see his kids and his very ill wife.

Maeve was getting progressively worse as Christmas Eve wore on. Mike was told she may not make another day. He could not believe the circumstances, but knew his kids would cheer up both him and his wife.

The police have had enough and try to go in to the chapel through a secret entrance. They are turned back by gunfire from the masked men inside. One terrorist killed and two policemen die. 

Finally Mike and Jack, the lead hoodlum, get together on the price of the hostages' freedom, money is wired to numbered accounts, SUV's are brought and the masked men and their masked hostages escape.

Police are following and the escape vehicles are driven into the river, where the thugs swim to a rendezvous point. They think they are in the clear for a while until a hostage says they were police.

Checks are done, talks are made, and everyone scrambles to find the killers. Well the end is near but I am going to stop here just in case you would like to read this terrific James Patterson novel. A great Sunday Salon read!