Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't falter when she concluded with, "It's impossible for you to understand how we feel, Daddy, because you don't know what it's like to love someone. You say you only want what's best for me, but that's not true. You want what's best for you. You're willing to sacrifice me, you're willing to give up your granddaughter, just to have your way.
That's sad. I don't hate you. I pity you."
She ended just as Kip said, "Time's up." He turned off the camera and lowered it from his shoulder. "I don't want to go over the time limit and be the cause of all hell breaking loose."
As he and Tiel picked their way back toward the door, he said, "A guy named Joe Marcus has called the newsroom several times."
"Who?"
"Joe Mar-"
"Oh, Joseph."
"He was making such a pest of himself they finally patched him through to me here."
"How'd he know about this?"
"Same as everybody else, I guess," Kip replied. "Heard it on the news. Wanted to know if you were all right. Said he was worried sick about you."
In the intervening hours since her telephone conversation with him, she'd almost forgotten the wife-cheating, lying rat with whom she had planned to spend a romantic holiday. It seemed a very long time ago that Joseph Marcus had held any appeal for her. She could barely remember what he looked like.
"If he calls again, hang up on him."
The unflappable photographer shrugged laconically.
"Whatever."
"And Kip, be sure and tell Galloway and company that Agent Cain and the rest of us are faring well."
"Speak for yourself," Cain said. "You tell Galloway that I said-"
"Shut up!" Ronnie yelled at him. "Or I'll let that Mexican muzzle you again."
"Go to hell."
Kip looked reluctant to leave Tiel in such a hostile environment, but a pair of headlights flashed twice. "That's my signal," he explained. "Gotta go. Take care, Tiel."
He slipped through the door and Ronnie motioned Donna to lock it behind him.
Cain started laughing. "You're a fool, Davison. You think that video means doodle-dee-squat? Galloway only saw a way to stall a little longer, get more manpower in here."
Ronnie's eyes sawed between the FBI agent and Tiel, who shook her head. "I don't think so, Ronnie. You've talked to Galloway. He sounds sincerely concerned for everyone. I don't believe he would trick you."
"Then you're no smarter than he is." Cain snickered.
"Galloway's got a psychologist out there, coaching him on how to deal with this situation. They know how to smooth talk. They know which buttons to push. Galloway's got over twenty years in the Bureau. This standoff is chicken feed to him. He could handle it in his sleep."
"Why don't you shut up?" Ronnie said angrily.
"Why don't you eat shit?"
Vern, who'd come awake for the TV camera, said, "Hey, watch your language in front of my wife."
"Never mind, Vern," Gladys said. "He's an asshole."
"I gotta go to the John," Donna whined.
"I want everybody to settle down and be quiet!" Ronnie yelled.