"Who's this?"
She avoided a direct answer by saying, "Sheriff?"
"Marty Montez."
"Sheriff Montez, I've been appointed spokesperson.
I'm one of the hostages."
"Are you in immediate danger?"
"No," she replied, believing it.
"Are you being coerced?"
"No."
"Give me a rundown."
She began with a brief and concise account of the robbery, starting with Ronnie's shooting out the security camera.
"It was interrupted when his accomplice went into labor."
&nbs
p; "Labor? You mean labor like having a baby?"
"Exactly like that, yes."
After an extended pause during which she could hear the heavy breathing of an overweight man, he said, "Answer me if you safely can, miss. Are these robbers by any chance a coupla high school kids?"
"Yes."
"What's he asking?" Ronnie demanded to know.
Tiel covered the receiver with her palm. "He asked if Sabra was in pain and I answered." 'Jee-sus," the sheriff exclaimed in a near whistle. In a low voice he passed along to his deputies-or so Tiel assumed -that the hostage-takers were the kids "outta Fort Worth." Then to her, he asked, "Is anybody hurt?"
"No. We're all unharmed."
"Who-all's in there with you? How many hostages?"
"Four men and two women besides myself."
"You're a smooth talker. You wouldn't by any chance be a Ms. McCoy?"
She tried to hide her surprise from Ronnie, who was lis tening to her intently and closely monitoring her facial expressions. "That's correct. No one has been wounded."
"You are Ms. McCoy, but you don't want 'em to know you're a TV reporter? I see. Your boss, guy name o' Gully, he's called my office twice, demanding we put out an APB for you. Said you started from Rojo Flats and was supposed to call him-"
"What's he saying?" Ronnie asked.
She interrupted the sheriff. "It would be in everyone's best interest if you could provide us with a doctor. An OH if possible."
"Tell him to bring along anything he might need for a difficult delivery."
Tiel relayed Doc's message.
"Be sure he knows that the baby is in a breech position,"