“There’s nothing I want,” he said, fightingto hold his composure.

Neal heard a low grinding noise and glanceddown—the fire truck was raising its ladder.

“Tell them to put that ladder down!”

One of the helicopters was movingcloser.

“Get that helicopter out of here!” Nealshouted, thrusting Natasha out over the edge. “I’ll drop her, Iswear to God!”

He could hear frightened shrieks from downbelow.

“Back off,” Stan said calmly into amicrophone, gesturing to the chopper. “And tell the firemen tolower the ladder.”

Neal looked into little Natasha’s face. Shewas awake now, turning her head this way and that, but she didn’tseem to realize she was hanging over 19 stories of empty space. Howcould she? She was only a baby.

“Mr. Becker, why don’t you come inside andwe’ll talk for a few minutes.”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“No. But I think you’re stuck between a rockand a hard place. I don’t believe you really want to hurt yourdaughter. Do you?”

Neal felt hot tears running down his face.Of course he didn’t want to hurt little Natasha. He loved her. Shewas his daughter.

Natasha started crying.

That sound caused a lot of commotion downbelow.

Neal pulled her back in and hugged her tohis chest. “Shhh.”

“Neal, why don’t you hand her to me, so atleast she’ll be safe.”

He hesitated, looking down at all thepeople, all the cameras.

“Come on, give her to me,” Stan said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Neal could seeStan reaching out for her. They were only a few feet away.

“I didn’t kill my mother-in-law!”

“I don’t know anything about that. I’m herebecause I’m concerned about you and your little girl. Why don’t youjust hand her to me?”

Neal turned and looked at Stan. “Don’t youget it? She’s bad, she’s evil.”

Stan looked confused. “Who’s evil?”