“Nothing. I swear it.”
“What about the ten-million-dollar bribe?” The idiot in the hallway shoots off his mouth.
Holy shit, I pray my device is still recording. “Is it true, Bannerman? Did you take a payment to change your position, sir?”
“What the fuck difference does it make? Kill them and I’ll make it worth your while.”
“Wahl, that’s jes’ the thing. I need to know what I’m getting into before I decide to save your sorry ass.”
“Yes, I took their goddamn money. Now, you take them out.” His screech reminds me of a bad horror flick, where the mean girl is about to have her head bitten off by a zombie.
“Nope, I changed my mind.” Still behind solid oak, I throw my gun into the middle of the room and shift to my spare ankle weapon.
“Don’t shoot. I’m coming out.” With my pistol resting in my back waistband, I rise slowly with my open palms chest high.
As I hoped, Mr. Chatty, glances down.
I dive forward, roll, reach behind me, aim, and pull the trigger. As I continue to spin, he returns fire. Wood splinters but I’m too fast.
Back behind solid oak, with the odds more in my favor, I catch my breath. “You best skedaddle. The police are gonna be here any minute.”
Under attack on two sides, there’s not much I can do but stay put as they make their way toward the bathroom door.
It’s then, shots ring out. As the two fall, the last one makes the mistake of showing his face, and I take him out. Wondering how the cops got here so fast I turn and…
In bulletproof vest and black leather, my wife looks so fucking sexy, my cock stirs. “Damn, what’re you doing here?”
“You’re not the only one with spidey-senses. Where’s the judge?” As she smirks, I stand, and slide open the bathroom door.
“I do believe you owe me five-hundred-thousand dollars, sir.”
“I never agreed to any such thing.” His bushy brows meet in the center as he climbs out of the tub.
Grinning, I grab my phone, rewind the audio, and as the last few minutes play out, he turns bright red. “Your recording will never be accepted in court.”
“Once the DA finds the bitcoin in your safe, it won’t matter none. Besides, a leopard don’t change his spots. I’m guessin’, once they start investigatin’, they’ll find a whole lot more corruption.”
Squatting near each body, I check for pulses and shake my head. “Damn shame.”
Sam bites her lower lip, takes out her phone, and snaps their picture. “I need to send their faces to Jason.”
“Ask it to find connections with the land use case. The one where the judge reversed his decision at the nth hour.”
“You can’t call Jason, it. You’ll hurt his feelings.”
Before I can think of a comeback, the police arrive at the front door and hop a neighbor’s fence to gain access to the garden.
“We’re coming out. Don’t shoot.”
As they cuff us, Bannerman clutches his chest and is taken away by ambulance.
“Four dead. You two have a lot of explaining to do.” The MPD cop has no idea who I am and the records I hold.
“Best damn news I’ve heard all day.” I grin at Sam and she rolls her eyes.
“Please don’t encourage him.”
