The Hostage: BookShots (Hotel Series) by James Patterson Read Free Book Online

he’d wanted to. But he chose not to. He killed Jackson Harlington and Michael Duncan but he didn’t kill Harlington’s wife, daughter or business partner. I’m telling you – this is something personal.’
    Roscoe could see Savage didn’t want to get into a discussion around the killer’s motive.
    ‘Let’s get these people downstairs,’ said Savage sharply, ‘and then maybe we start a general evacuation. You were right, Jon. We’ve got to get everyone out before it’s too late.’
    And then the phone in the suite started to ring.

CHAPTER 13
    IN THE ROYAL Garden Suite, the phone continued to ring loudly.
    Roscoe looked across at Savage and saw a man frozen with fear.
    The phone continued to ring.
    All eyes in the room turned towards the inspector, who stood motionless.
    The phone continued to ring.
    Seeing that Savage was petrified, Roscoe stepped forward. ‘He’s already spoken to you, Peter. You’re the one who can build a relationship with him. Answer it.’
    ‘No,’ said Savage as his eyes rapidly raced around the room. ‘It should be you, Jon,’ he insisted, desperately searching for a reason as to why.
    The phone continued to ring.
    ‘I’ve spoken to him once. I think it would be good for you to build an understanding of him as well,’ said Savage. Roscoe watched him trying to convince himself as much as anyone else in the room.
    Roscoe grabbed the phone. ‘This is Jon Roscoe.’
    ‘No Inspector Savage? Now that is disappointing. Perhaps he is enjoying the wealth of amenities we offer to all our valued guests here at Tribeca Luxury Hotels.’
    ‘Perhaps.’
    ‘And so, Jon Roscoe, what is it you do?’
    ‘I head up security here at the hotel.’
    ‘Oh dear. I think we might need to have a meeting, Jon Roscoe, as from what I understand, things aren’t going too well on that front.’
    ‘This needs to stop,’ said Roscoe. ‘And it needs to stop now!’
    ‘I take it you’ve freed my hostages on the twenty-fifth floor.’
    ‘We’re helping Mrs Harlington and her daughter, yes. And Mr Miller.’
    The killer was silent.
    ‘Tell me, what are you trying to achieve?’ said Roscoe.
    ‘I think we all want the same thing – for the grand opening of the Tribeca Luxury Hotel in London’s Mayfair to be remembered around the world for a very long time.’
    ‘I think you might have achieved that already,’ Roscoe said, determined to keep the killer talking.
    ‘As you say, Jon Roscoe, perhaps.’
    ‘So what now?’
    ‘Didn’t I say? How remiss of me. Not the level of service we expect here at Tribeca. Allow me to apologise. As the new manager of the hotel I’ve given instructions for a very special lunch to be prepared. I do hope you enjoy it.’
    The phone went dead.
    ‘That’s it, he’s disconnected,’ said Roscoe, turning to the room.
    Savage moved forward in an attempt to assert control. ‘I should head for the kitchen. That’s where he wants us to go.’
    ‘Exactly,’ warned Roscoe. ‘That’s what he wants. He’s always a step ahead of us. His next move is for us all to charge down to the kitchen. Let’s not fall into that trap. I say we get everyone in here safe and when that’s done we secure the area around the kitchen and the restaurant. If we throw our net wide enough, we’ll have him trapped.’

CHAPTER 14
    HAVING LIVED IN London all of her life, Jessie Luck knew her way around every one of the city’s winding backstreets. With traffic as bad as ever, she drove herself around the side streets of Mayfair, avoiding all the main roads and congestion. Pulling up to the rear of the Tribeca Luxury Hotel, she stopped in the employee parking lot and made her way to the kitchen entrance of the hotel.
    Jessie was surprised to find the hotel so deserted but didn’t give it a second thought. She knew everyone would be busy throughout the building in preparation for the grand opening later in the week. She went to buzz the kitchen intercom, but saw the figure of a man by the