“Not if Rod and Hob stay back with you.”
“Well,that’sstupid,” Emily argued as she straightened up, clearly ready to hit the road. “That means it’s just you and Sam against who knows how many of them—presumably the men in the black SUV.”
“Yes,” Jules said. “Exactly. Presumably the men in the black SUV, for whomyouare their target. Besides, Sam’s the equivalent of a four-man squad.”
Sam was currently on the phone with Lindsey Jenkins, who was still at Devonshire Place with Detective Lennox. It was time to call in the local Palm Springs police for backup, but Jules wanted a human contact and hoped that Jenkins or Lennox could provide that for them.
“I seriously doubt Sam can be in four places at once,” Emily countered. “Good as he may be.”
That was true. Still.
“I’m in partial agreement,” Rod chimed in as he came into the kitchen with Hobbit. Rod had outfitted Hob with one of his spare sidearms, opening his gun-locker to supply them both with plenty of ammunition, too. “I say I go with you, leave Kevin back here with Emily. He’s a better shot than both of us.”
That, too, was true. But.
“You said this location—Rod’s house—was compromised,” Emily continued to argue, pointing out that of which Jules was acutely aware. “I’ll be safer if I go with you—and Kevin will, too. Also? Kevin’s a medic and you’re going toneed one.Mick’sgonna need one—” her voice got louder and louder “—assuming he’s still alive so can we all! Please!Just!Go!”
“If you’re leaving this house,” Jules told Emily, purposely keeping his words vague as he turned and looked hard at Rod, “Rod, I want you with her.”
Rod narrowed his eyes slightly—he didn’t like the assignment Jules had just given him, but he nodded. “Affirmative.”
“FYI,” Hobbit told Jules, “I’m ready to help—however you think is best.” He, too, had clearly heard what Jules hadn’t just said as he stood looking from Jules to Rod and then back to Jules. “But Mr. Krabs ain’t wrong. Iama better shot than you.”
Yeah, it was just theothercountless years of training that he’d skipped. “You couldn’t bring yourself to kill a deer,” Jules pointed out. “Lot harder to put a bullet in a human being.”
“Not if I’m defending someone I love,” Hobbit countered.
“Lennox of the LAPD is getting a warrant to pick up Harper,” Sam announced, his ear still to his phone. “Human remains in the garden is a no-brainer for the judge. But it’s gonna be... a bit before he can make that happen, and then pass the info on to the Palm Springs and Palm Desert police.”
“Definea bit,” Jules said, heading out the door into the garage.
“Their best guess is forty-five minutes—and FYI, that’s pretty fucking fast.”
But not fast enough.
Welp, okay. “Emily, you’re with Rod in his SUV,” Jules ordered as Rod pushed the button to open the garage door. “Hob, you’re with me and Sam in the rental.”
Sam, SEAL that he was, got in the driver’s seat as Hobbit climbed into the back.
Emily went out onto the driveway ahead of Rod, who glanced back at Jules, and nodded.
Jules nodded back. He would, likewise, keep Hobbit safe.
And with that, they were on their way.
Sam pulled out first, putting the rental car in the lead, heading out of Rod’s driveway toward the main gate of the community, the headlights from Rod’s SUV in the rearview mirror.
“I will, I promise,” Kevin spoke up from the backseat, “follow your instructions to the T, although really, shouldn’t it beto the Sand okay, I’ll shut up now while you reveal your plan and give me said instructions.”
As Jules gritted his teeth and muttered “God damn it, I don’t have a plan,” Sam knew he was unhappy that his friend was in the car with them.
But his choice had been a good one. If he’d put both Rod and Kevin in the same vehicle with Emily, she would’ve realized what he was doing and dug in her heels, creating a larger time delay. And leaving Kevin behind at a safe house that had been compromised was not an option either.
But Jules was not done addressing Kevin as they wound their way through the quiet residential streets: “Other than: youwillstay in the car, at all times, until Sam or I give you the all-clear. Is that understood?”
“It is.” Kevin’s voice rang with his absolute sincerity, which yeah... didn’t mean all that much. Juleshadmentioned to Sam that his friend was a very talented actor.
What was it with Jules and actors, anyway?
