Jamie Hill Triple Threat (30 page)

“You got that.” The phone rang again. “Here’s my boy. Hang on.” He answered the first cell phone. “Yes?”

“Turn left on
Douglas
.”

“Left on
Douglas
. Won’t that bring me back around in a circle?”

“You’re paying attention. Good for you.”
Click
.

Jack sighed into Brady’s phone and said, “Left on
Douglas
, in case you didn’t hear.”

“I heard. How’s your driving, juggling two cell phones and a cigarette?”

“Better than it would be had I stopped for coffee. So tell me, Brady, have you ever done something foolish? Something you knew you probably shouldn’t do, but you went ahead and did it anyway?”

“Oh hell, yeah! Lots of times. One of the best in my memory was when I was a senior in high school, and I got asked to the backward prom—the one where the girls ask the guys—by the two
Warren
sisters. They were these blonde twins with the biggest sets of—”

“I get the picture. So did you go?”

“Oh hell, yeah!” he repeated, and Jack could envision the grin on his face. “The dance itself was exhausting. The girls each got to sit out every other song, but I had to dance every damn one. Then after the prom, they'd rented this motel room. You want to talk about exhausting!”

“You
are
kidding me, right?”

“Nope, sorry. It was a seventeen-year-old boy’s dream, I can tell you that. The night was incredible. But the relationship didn’t end well. One guy, two gals, there was bound to be trouble.”

Jack was laughing so hard he had to put out his cigarette. “Jesus, Brady! Someday when we have more time, I’d love to hear more of that story. Okay, there’s the phone. Hang on.” He answered the other cell. “Yes?”

“Turn right on
Santa Fe Avenue
.”

“That’s going to put me about three blocks from my house.”

“You
are
a detective, aren’t you?” Nelson scorned.

“Sarcasm—so close to humor. Are we developing a relationship here?”

“Just across the railroad tracks on
Santa Fe
, there's an abandoned warehouse with a faded rooster on the sign out front. Pull into the parking lot but stay in your car. I’ll call once you get there.”
Click.

Jack’s heart rate increased rapidly. “You get that?” he asked Brady.

“Yeah, I think I know that place.”

Jack ran a hand through his hair. “It’s three fucking blocks from my house! Have they been keeping her three blocks from my house?”

“Who knows? Don’t think about that. Right now you’ve got to focus on the big game. Are you ready for this?”

“I think so, but I really don’t want to hang up this phone.”

“It’s going to be fine. Remember, just because you can’t see me doesn’t mean I can’t see you. I can see you, buddy, and I’ve got your back.”

“Good to hear. Thanks, Brady.”

“Good luck, Jack. I’ll catch you on the flip side.” He disconnected and Jack did the same.

I can see you, buddy, and I’ve got your back.
It had been a long time since anyone said that to Jack. They were nice words to hear. The reassurance boosted his confidence as he pulled into the warehouse parking lot. He parked and tossed Brady’s cell phone onto the passenger seat. He unsnapped the strap of his shoulder holster, and made sure he could reach the gun. Then he waited.

The parking lot was pitch black, except for his headlights. There were two garage-size doors in the front of the warehouse. Jack saw one swing open sideways. He spotted an old tractor parked inside, but no signs of people.

His phone rang. “Yep?” He answered, his heart practically beating out of his chest.

“We're going to take this nice and slow. You will step out of your vehicle and stand next to it. Do it now. Like I said, nice and slow. Any sudden movements will mean bad luck for my two guests.”

“I’m moving as slowly as I can.” Jack stepped out of the Explorer. He stood next to it and faced the warehouse.

“Very slowly, remove your service revolver and drop it on the ground. Kick it to your left, as far as you can. Keep in mind, detective, that we have guns pointed directly at the heads of our guests. You screw this up, and the boy is the first to go.”

“I won’t screw it up.” Jack pulled his gun out with two fingers and dropped it gently to the ground. He kicked it and it sailed well out of reach.

“Now, do the same with your back-up piece. I know you have one. Don’t even bother to deny it. Just do it.”

“All right.” Jack pulled another gun from the leg holster underneath his jeans and repeated his previous motion.

“So far, so good. Now, where is the money?”

“In a bag in the back seat.”

“Is that the only thing in the back seat?”

“I’m alone,” Jack confirmed.

A black-clad figure stepped from the warehouse. He was wearing a rubber Ronald Reagan mask, the kind sold at Halloween stores all over the city. He carried two black bags, which he tossed on the ground in front of Jack.

Jack spoke into the phone, “I’m a Democrat, I hope that doesn’t matter.”

“Do you think I enjoy clowning around with you, detective?”

“Oh, I hope so. It’s certainly been the highlight of my day.”

“Pick up the bags we provided. Slowly remove the money from your vehicle, and transfer half of it into one bag. Show us the cash bundles as you place them in it. I want to be able to see that it really
is
the money, and there are no exploding paint devices.”

Jack sighed. “I swiped this money from the department evidence safe. They don’t have fancy gadgets like exploding paint.” Jack opened the back door to the Explorer and removed the bag of money.

“Humor me.”

“I’m going to need to put the phone down. Suppose we can talk face to face from here on out?”

“Agreed.” The line went dead.

Jack flipped his phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. He faced the warehouse. Eyes darting rapidly between the money and the door, he began transferring bundles of cash into one of the black bags.

With about half the money transferred, a voice from the warehouse called out, “That’s enough! Close the bag and toss it to my associate. Once we have it, we'll release the boy.”

“I want to see him, and Crystal too,” Jack called back.

“You will see them.”

“I mean now, before you get anything. I need to make sure they’re okay.”

Jack heard sounds inside the warehouse.
Crystal
and
Devon
were shoved in front of the tractor. They were bound at the ankles, wrists secured behind their backs, and each wore tape covering their mouth. But they were alive and seemed to be okay.

“Thank you,” Jack said loudly. “Now when I toss you this first bag, you’ll release
Devon
?”

“Agreed.”

Jack inhaled and exhaled slowly before he spoke again. “I’ve done everything you asked me to. If this doesn’t go as you’ve suggested, I promise you that I’m going to lose my good humor. And I’m going to get angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

“Understood. A show of good faith, then.”

Jack saw a black-clad hand reach out and cut the tape that bound
Devon
’s feet. Jack took a step forward and tossed the first bag to the man in the Reagan mask. The man grabbed the bag, carried it into the warehouse and gave
Devon
a shove toward Jack.

Jack’s eyes scoured the warehouse as he called, “Come to me
Devon
! Run!” He held his arms out and the boy was in them in a flash. “Oh, thank God.” Jack hugged the child quickly, then scooted him into the back seat of the Explorer. “Stay on the floor, kiddo. There might be gun shots. Keep low.”

Devon
nodded excitedly and Jack took a moment to peel the tape off his mouth. “We knew you’d come for us, Jack!” His gratitude tumbled out in a quick torrent. “We love you!”

“I love you too, champ. And I’m very proud of you.” He tugged off the tape that secured
Devon
’s hands and repeated, “Stay down.” He shut the door of the Explorer and looked back toward the warehouse. If the second half of this mission went as smoothly, it would be done soon enough. Unfortunately, he knew it would not—make that could not—go as well. He allowed himself one glance at
Crystal
before he returned to the money and began transferring the rest into the remaining black bag. 

“This will all be over soon,” the voice from the warehouse told him.

“I hope so,” Jack replied. He finished transferring the money and took his time straightening up.

The kidnappers were being careful not to show their faces to him. But they'd shown themselves to
Crystal
and Jack suspected they weren’t going to let her live to identify them. This next part would get hairy.

“I want you to release
Crystal
before I give you the rest of the money,” he told them.

“Oh, detective, we had established such a fine relationship. Now you don’t trust us?”

“I never really trusted you. I trust you even less now.”

The man from the warehouse pushed the big door open wider and took a step out. He wore a George W. Bush rubber mask, and pointed a gun at Jack. “The money, now, please.”

“First the woman, then the money,” Jack insisted, sounding braver than he felt. He felt totally naked without his weapons.

“Actually, I had something else in mind for the woman.” The masked man with the gun spun around and pointed it at
Crystal
.

“That wasn’t part of the plan!” The man in the Reagan mask yelled.

At the same time Jack shouted, “No!” A shot rang out, and the air was very still for one heart-stopping moment. Then the gunman fell to the ground.

Brady Marshall peered around the Explorer and said loudly, “No means no, dumbass. Didn’t you learn anything from all those lectures in high school?”

Jack grinned at Brady. They turned to face Crystal, who was hopping up and down and making wild expressions with her eyes. At that moment they saw what she had seen—the kidnapper in the Reagan mask pulling a gun from behind him and pointing it at Jack.

“Jack!” Brady dived across the hood of the Explorer and shoved Jack out of the way. The kidnapper’s bullet hit Brady in the chest. He was thrown to the ground.

“Son-of-a-bitch!” Jack crawled over to Brady.

“I’m okay,” he panted roughly, clutching his chest. “Take this.” He shoved his gun at Jack.

“I’m going to kill that mother-fucker!”

“Do it!” Brady’s eyes held Jack’s as he handed off the gun. “Take him down.”

Jack crawled around to the front of the Explorer and saw the gunman now had
Crystal
in front of him like a shield. “Let her go!” he called to the man.

“We were just supposed to get the money,” the man replied, sounding nervous and upset. “It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.”

Jack slowly got to his feet. “You can have your money. Just let her go.”

“It’s too late.” He glanced at his partner on the ground. He held his gun to
Crystal
’s head, hand shaking badly.

Jack knew a nervous gunman was like a loose cannon. He caught a glimpse of
Crystal
’s eyes. She was blinking furiously, evidently trying to get his attention. He looked at her.

She dipped her head toward the ground almost imperceptibly.

He realized what she wanted to do, and shook his head fiercely.
No
.

She nodded back at him.
Yes. I can do it. You can do it
.

Jack looked at her one more time and she nodded yet again.

He gathered his strength and gave a tiny nod back.

She dropped to the ground and Jack fired one shot at the gunman. It went straight through his chest. The man clutched himself and tumbled backward.

“
Crystal
!” Jack croaked out the word as he ran to her. He stopped to kick the gunman’s gun away, then reached for
Crystal
and pulled her up into his arms. He peeled the tape from her mouth gently and murmured, “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He tugged at the tape around her wrists, but it wouldn’t come loose. “I need a knife. But first I just need to hold you for a minute. Do you mind?” He looked anxiously at her.

She smiled and sunk against him. “As long as I’m in your arms, I don’t care if I’m tied up.”

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her. “I’ve been praying for this moment.”

“Me too,” she said softly, speaking into his chest. “We knew you’d rescue us. We never doubted you for a moment.”