"Yes, how is Maya? Did she say anything?"
"She wants me to break it off with her, she's sure the initial bullet was meant for me because of her. Please tell me she's wrong."
"Well, it wasn't that bloke Lawrence you spoke about, but it could have been this Carl wanker. She's right though, if youdidn't bend back into the limo, you'd have had a head full of bullet. It was not a really good sniper, though. He'd have anticipated you bending down. Call Maya and have her come up here, I need to ask her questions. The bobbies are gone. Are you done proving you're both alive?"
"Never. I thought she was gone and she was sure I was hit. Joshua, I can't breathe thinking about her being that close to a bullet. None of the other bullets hit her. Thank bloody hell!"
"Hey, Big Guy, she's constantly around bullets. You're going to have to get over that to be with her.” He looks over his shoulder. “Raul, just put Ian in the spare room and tuck him in. He’s not going to sober up anytime soon. Damn him and his fucking anniversary."
"Boss, his anniversary was months ago. I don't know what set him off tonight," Raul says.
"Okay. Duncan, ring Maya, now, I need to hear what she thinks."
"What's this girl going to tell us, Bossman? Besides, why is she pulling guns and knives? If she has a stalker, the shooter was after Duncan because of her," Timothy interjects.
"Just you wait and see, Timmy Boy, she'll impress even you. Don't tell her I said that," I say.
I'm so proud of my girl, even though I want her as far from danger as I can get her. I call her and she's up within minutes. She's in yoga pants, one of my T-shirts, and barefooted. Thank God she put a bra on. I'd have to kill these wankers if they saw that. She walks right to me and steps up on her tiptoes to kiss me. I know I'm in love with her, I'd give her anything. She's my everything.
Tonight when Alisa pulled that crap, I wanted to drop to myknees and beg Maya to take my name so no one else could claim either of us. I want her and I'm sure she wants me. Why else would she want to leave me?
Maya leans back down and laces her fingers with mine, then turns to the others. I immediately notice the slight bulge at her back. She's packing her gun.
"Timothy is at the computers, Raul over there is surveillance, and Ian is ballistics, but he's sleeping off a bender. Guys, this is my girl, Maya Aaron, an all-around bad arse." I smile at Joshua and then to her. She smiles back at me.
"Thank you, honey, but I don't want to prove myself to them right now. What do you need, Joshua?"
"What's your thought on the shooting?" He doesn't pull any punches, he straight up asks her the central question he wants answered.
"Okay...non-pro, probably using a single shot, sounded like a 770 30-06 instead of a professional rig. They're easy to get and cheap. If I were taking the shot, I'd use a jacketed bullet with my SR-25, position myself on the roof of the building across the street, and I'd have made sure to anticipate Duncan leaning down. It would have been a chest shot, none of this head shot shit if I wanted to kill him. Like my Marine buddies say, go for center mass—more ground and less chance of missing. Maybe he wanted to scare me by just injuring him, but this shooter also didn't consider any external factors. He shot through glass and didn't take the wind or snow into account, correct? I heard the glass blow, so he didn't use a cutter. He also made sure his remaining shots were more a cover than to kill. It reminds me of another shooting I was recently involved in. I would say he doesn't have a collapsible gun, so you should be able to pickhim up carrying a big case. Regular scope, no modifications. I didn't see any lasers or red dots, so not a modern gun guy. Returning to the comfortable, cheap aspect, he'd use a cheap scope."
"Bloody hell," both Timothy and Raul say. I'm so proud of my girl.
"That was so hot. When she was talking guns and ammo, I forgot to think," Timothy says, smiling at her.
"Timmy Boy, she's mine," I growl at him. Damn this is the only woman I've ever gotten jealous over like this.
"Timothy, show her the surveillance footage," Joshua says.
As Timothy pulls it up, Maya points out a few more thoughts. The guy was definitely not a professional, he shot from a room across the street, and she's right about the gun. I watch her as she tries to get a clearer picture of the shooter.
"I think I know this shooter. Timothy, can you find out if someone has entered the country?"
"Don't insult me, gorgeous, of course I can. Who am I looking for?"
"Carl Nelson. He was just in DC, though that doesn't mean anything. He was on the ERT unit with me and does own many guns."
"I'm looking now."
"Okay, Maya, thank you. Duncan, you can take your girl and head back to your place. I'll call if anything comes up. Also, Maya, does the police know you're carrying either the guns or knives?" Joshua sits on his large sofa watching us. I can tell he’s processing something in his mind.
"Joshua, I have clearance to be armed in London. I've already declared myself and some of my weapons."
"Really? Can you use those knives with accuracy?" Maya reaches into the band of her yoga pants, pulls out a thin throwing knife, and throws it at Joshua. It plants into the pillow to his right.
"If I wanted to hurt you, it would be impaled in your arm. If I wanted to kill you, it would be in your throat. Again, I'm not whipping it out." She sounds angry.
"I'm sorry again for doubting you. I'm not used to anyone but myself being good with knives. How many do you carry?"
