“Good. Then we figure out what we’re gonna do, okay, copper?” Gregory turned to Hererra. Both Hererra and Gregory sat in the back.
A derisive laugh escaped the detective. “Why did you ask me along on this little adventure?”
“I didn’t,” Nico stated as he headed toward their exit. “Autumn did. The both of us thought an extra set of hands would be helpful.” He turned down a major street. “Maybe we were both wrong.”
Hererra was silent for a moment. “Well, I have buddies in Pleasantville too, asshole. I told them to stay on standby just in case we needed them.”
Nico looked him dead in the eye in the mirror. “You fuck this up, Hererra, and you’ll be face down under the Brooklyn Bridge.”
Hererra raised an eyebrow. “Is that a threat?”
“No, it’s a promise.”
“Easy bro,” Mario put the gun in the holster beneath his leather jacket. “You don’t want to be making threats to the cops. Even if they deserve it.”
Nico blew out a breath. “You’re right. I want to get this over with.”
They pulled on the street where the house was located. It was on the end with no outlet, so getting out was going to be easy unless Hererra got his way and the cops got there. Nico parked on the side of the road, ignoring the driveway.
Someone gave a low whistle. “Now that looks like it’s worth quite a penny. It has to have at least three floors.”
“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Came a reply.
“What’s up, bro?” Mario asked.
Nico looked at Mario next to him, then at the house.
Something was off. Everything looked too peaceful.
Nico didn’t say a word as he got out and stepped onto the sidewalk. He glanced up and realized there was a camera pointing toward the street. He took Autumn’s phone from his pocket and looked at the address that came from the coordinates Winters had sent her.
“This is the place,” he pointed at the mounted camera. “See that? He’s watching anyone who comes by. It’s his failsafe if Autumn reneges on the deal.”
Hererra nodded as he shielded his face and took a couple steps up, then came back. “Yeah, the bastard isn’t stupid.”
“Since we’re not going in the front, let’s look for a side entrance,” Gregory, ever the voice of reason, went up one side of the house along with Mario, while Nico and Hererra went up the opposite end.
Nico followed Hererra, who continued examining the outside of the building. The detective glanced back at Nico. “I’m sorry about earlier. I’m worried about the girls.”
“It’s fine,” came Nico’s brusque response. He looked for more cameras, along with any lower windows or doors. The place was built like Fort Knox. There was a high slate wall all around the house.
Did Elijah Winters foresee Autumn or Reagan escaping or trying to escape?
“Truce?”
Nico looked at the detective's hand. He eyed Hererra. “You’re not touching Autumn again for any reason.”
Hererra grimaced. “She told you about that, did she?” Nico gave him a sideways glance as they kept walking. “FYI, which wasn’t my idea.”
“Doesn’t matter. She’s mine now.” He stood, hands on his hips, “Capisce?”
Hererra grinned with a look around them. “Got it, boss.”
Neither man spoke again.
They reached the back to find a screened-in porch where Mario and Gregory waited for them. Winters sealed the screen shut with something.
Mario looked around and spotted a shovel. He brought it over, placed it against the seam of the door, and shoved until the door split.
