“Think he’ll show?” Jose was trying to make conversation, but Jaime preferred to work in silence and didn’t respond. Jose didn’t let that stop him. “He’d be an idiot if he did. Just to save some chick? And he has to know Manuel will kill her anyway.”
Jaime was here to take care of the police officer. He was one of three men Manuel’s uncle had sent and was flown in for this assignment because he was the best at a long shot. This knucklehead Manuel had forced him to bring along was driving him crazy.
“Dude, shut the hell up. We’re not here to shoot the shit and become BFFs. I’ve got a job to do, and I prefer to do it in silence,” Jaime said after he’d had enough.
Jose rolled his eyes but stayed quiet.
Jaime was sitting on the window ledge, rifle in hand. The room was dark, but the streetlights made it easy to see the street below. He stiffened.Holy shit.He didn’t think the schmuck would show either, but sure as shit, there he was.
The man below walked slowly, knowing full well what was about to happen. It wasn’t quite ten, but Jaime was sure the boss wouldn’t mind if he finished up early. He crouched into position and waited.
The man on the street was wearing a black NYPD baseball cap. He glanced up at the building, sat on the bench, and gave them the finger. Jaime chuckled. And then executed a perfect headshot. The man on the bench slumped over and was still. They called Manuel to tell him it was done and then began to pack up. It seemed so anticlimactic.
“Police! Freeze!” Several SWAT officers stormed the room, guns drawn.
Jaime and Jose put their hands up slowly. “You’re a little late, guys,” Jaime drawled. He’d been busted before, but never in America. Somehow, he didn’t think buying his way out of trouble was as easy here. “My man Jose here already shot your friend.” He didn’t plan to spend the rest of his life in an American jail.
“What? You asshole!” Jose sputtered. “He’s lying.Heshot MacDonald.”
“Fuck. Check it out, Edwards.”
Edwards walked over to the window, looked down, and nodded. “He’s down. Call a bus.”
Another officer went to look, and Jaime used the distraction to pull a weapon from the waistband of his pants. Jose watched and followed suit, attempting to pull his gun.
Shots rang out, and both men went down in a hail of gunfire.
When the bullets stopped flying, and the scene was secured, the SWAT team leader called the LT.
“The whole thing was fucked up, LT. We got stuck behind a multicar accident and had to leave the damned SWAT vehicle in the middle of the fucking road. We ran the last half mile and arrived late. We got two dead perps and a dead civilian. Powell’s on the ground and confirmed that.”
“You sure it’s not MacDonald?” The LT didn’t think Mitch was suicidal, but he’d been having a rough go, and anything was possible.
“I haven’t been down to the street yet, but I’ll let you know what I find out.”
“Leave two guys to secure the scene, and the rest of you get your asses over to Fifty-Sixth and First Ave. Once you arrive, just wait. I’ll let you know when I have more details.”
“Will do, boss.”
***
Once in the vicinity, Mitch had the cab driver let him out and began walking like he was out for an evening stroll. Approaching Fifty-Sixth and First, he realized he still had a huge problem. There was a building on each corner. How the fuck was he supposed to know which one she was in? Goddammit. Why hadn’t he thought of that?
While scoping out the buildings, attempting to figure out which one to try first, a dark figure approached him from the alley.
“She’s in the brown one.” Adam tipped his head toward the building kitty-corner from where they were standing.
“Shit. You trying to get shot sneaking up on me like that?” Mitch pulled his hand out of his sweatshirt, leaving the gun holstered. “How do you know? And what are you doing here?”
“She left the tracker with the homeless dude over there. When I asked him about a pretty brunette, he knew exactly who I meant. Said he watched her go into that building. Pretty fucking genius, eh?”
“Seriously. I told her the thing didn’t work very well around concrete, so it was smart of her to leave it outside.” He was impressed Maggie was staying levelheaded enough to leave clues for them.
“I ran home to gear up and when I came back, watched you get into a cab and fucking leave me. Should have waited. I was faster than the taxi.” Adam winked.
“You’re crazy. You know that? God.”
“I know. I called SWAT on the way over here. After you gave them the location Manuel gave you, they did a quick analysis and think they know which building a sniper would use. They’re en route now, and once they finish up there, they’ll head over here. I let them know which building she’s in, but I don’t think we should wait to go in.”
