A couple hours later, I drive through a seedier section of DC and stop the car. As the women exit and stretch, I place a stack of papers under a windshield wiper.
“What’re those for?” Brows raised, Chrissy eyes the parking tickets.
“Makes the car less likely to be stolen. This way, let’s go.” Unzipping my jacket, I rest my hand on my Glock and press my comm unit. “Wheels, are we clear?”
“Copy that, old friend.” At his use of the code word for trouble, I grip my pistol’s handle and motion the ladies into the car.
I drive until I find a well-lit parking lot; a Seven Eleven. “Wait here.”
My wife opens her mouth as if to argue but I kiss it shut fast. “Not this time, babe. I need you to keep Chrissy safe. I’ll text you as soon as I can.”
With them no longer at risk, I dash to the car, my chin lowered. “Hey pal. Sorry for the delay. The girls are hungry and want Chinese. Do you want something?”
“Sure. I’ll have two orders of spareribs.”
Huh. So, he’s got a couple of intruders. It could be worse, I suppose. After locating the closest takeout joint, I park near the safehouse, and whistle tunelessly as I make my way back. How the fuck did they find them? I’m guessing someone put a tracker on Selena, maybe under the skin.
Five blocks away from the safe house, I call Sam to make sure she and Chrissy haven’t been made. I assume whoever has Wheels, is also monitoring cell phone conversations in the area. She catches on real fast, and we make mindless conversation as I make my way past boarded-up garages and abandoned brick buildings. Outside my destination, a couple thugs encroach on my space but back off when I pull my Glock and aim it at the closest asshole’s forehead.
“Y’all have a nice day, y’hear?” I flash them a big grin and jog up the cracked sidewalk.
There’s no point in trying to break in. Hell, we got walls inside of walls. The only way I’m entering is via the front entrance.
Well, here goes nothing.I grab my weapon, slip it in the plastic food bag, and ring the bell. “Dammit, dude, where the fuck are you? Our dinner is gettin’ cold.”
Wheels answers and his eyes dart to the left. Then, he drops, giving me the space I need to shoot a gun from a female’s hand. While she screams and tucks it under her arm, Wheels crawls like a fucking crab on steroids to the bedroom. When the door cracks open, he swivels on his ass and kicks with both heels.
A male oofs as I rush across the room, but my friend doesn’t need my help. He’s already got the guy by the balls and throat.
“Who the fuck are you?” From the bruises on Wheels’ face, he’s entitled to his aggression, so I let him do his thing and run back to find the woman I shot.
Shit. She’s gone. I suppose I could’ve killed her but what we learned earlier worries me. What if she’s working for our government? I wouldn’t want to be responsible for shooting one of our own, even if they are acting shadier than a black cat crouched under a front porch.
Behind me, Wheels grunts. “You let the other one escape? Damn, bro. You should’ve run after her.”
“I was busy saving your sorry ass.” Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear the two had worked him over pretty good. “Listen, we need to round up Selena and go. First, we should double check her for bugs.”
“No way. I ran the detector over her multiple times.” He walks me into the bedroom where I toe the unconscious man lying on the floor.
“I think she might have a device we can’t detect.”
“That would’ve been nice to know about an hour ago.” Squatting, he slips a knife between floorboards, places his thumb on a screen and enters a code into a keypad.
The hidden door slides open, and Selena walks out, face pale, wringing her hands. “Are they gone?”
“For now.” As her bodyguard grabs a few zip ties and binds the unconscious man, my friggin’ danger magnet shouts out from the other room.
“Honey, I’m home.”
My friend chuckles but I’m not amused. “I told you to hang back.”
“I did. It’s not my fault you sounded like you needed help. Can we come in or not?”
“Might as well.” Before I can wave them in, Selena sobs, runs past me, and hugs her daughter to her breast.
Tears fall aplenty and being thoughtful, we give them a moment of privacy.
As we wait, Sam glances up at me. “You mad?”
