Chapter Nine
Jarrett kicked theman’s hand. The bullet slammed into the far wall as the gun flew across the room. He punched Bill in the stomach, pinned him in a headlock, and yanked his own gun from the holster attached to his slacks.
He pointed the Glock 22 at the other two men. “Easy. Drop your weapons.” He pressed the cold steel barrel to their leader’s temple.
The men hesitated. Once Bill nodded as much as he could, they tossed down their semi-automatics.
“Dad, confiscate the guns and check them for more.”
Harold rushed into action. He grabbed both guns, checked the safety, and stuck each in the waistband of his pants. Then he frisked the men and tossed a few knives onto the coffee table. After he cuffed them with the plastic zip handcuffs he’d pulled from their pockets, he shoved them toward the sofa.
“Sit.” Jarrett pressed the gun harder against their leader’s head until the men obeyed. The anger bubbling inside him burned hotter, but he cracked his neck to relieve the pressure building in the joints. “Listen up. If you survive this and stay in the murder-for-hire business, remember to check your intended victims for weapons at the beginning of a hostage situation. And never gloat.” He tapped the barrel against Bill’s temple. “You gave me too much to work with and helped arrange this turn of events, so thanks.”
Jarrett frisked the fuming prick and relieved him of an extra magazine and two knives.
His father cuffed him and pushed him toward the sofa. “Sit, slowly.”
Bill fisted his hands and sat in the middle of his accomplices.
“Dad, call the cops. Marissa, you’re in charge of Mom and Jason. Get them out, and don’t return no matter what you hear.”
Harold grabbed the cordless phone from an end table. “Phone line’s dead.” He slammed the receiver back on the base.
“Shh. C’mon, sweetie.” Marissa lifted her crying son into her arms and hurried from the room with his parents behind her.
Jarrett itched to strangle Bill and his men for ruining the best Christmas he had in years, but they weren’t the only morons in the room. How could he have acted so carelessly? He should’ve made peace with Joel in his mind and steered clear of Siltan.
The lieutenant returned and clutched a cell phone. “They’re en route. The chief should notify someone in the DEA soon enough. It’s common procedure to—”
“Notify government agencies if their agents get messed up in something outside their jurisdiction.” He didn’t mean to interrupt, but damn it, he knew the law. As his father’s bushy eyebrows launched skyward, a sense of pride burst from Jarrett’s chest. Ridiculous, but he didn’t give a rat’s ass. After so long of disappointing the old man, he wanted a bit of appreciation. Was that too much to ask? “Good, but I still need to call my contact.”
“We won’t serve much time,” Bill snapped. “The man who hired us promised protection. Others will come in our place.”
“Let them.”
He jerked against his restraints. “I’ll come for you when I get out. If you’re already dead, I’ll kill those old fuckers, the brat, and the babe. I’ll fuck her so hard that she’ll beg for death. Then I’ll take a knife and rip—”
Jarrett hit the man with the Glock. Blood spewed from the wannabe assassin’s mouth. His howl of pain washed over Jarrett like a sea of red. He rammed the barrel against Bill’s forehead. “Talk about her again, and I’ll blow the trigger.”
Bill spat blood on Jarrett’s chest. “You’re a fed. I’ll get a trial. You’re obligated to see that I do. Good coppers play by the rules.”
Jarrett wiped the sticky liquid from his sweater. “Who said I was good?” He stepped back and fired the gun at Bill’s leg.
The man screamed as blood shot into the air.
His accomplices jumped then froze in their seats as Jarrett aimed his weapon at them.
Marissa raced into the living room and slapped her hands over her mouth.
“I told you not to come back in here.”
“Please don’t hurt anyone. Just wait for the cops, Jarrett.”
“Yeah,Jarrett, listen to the bitch. Don’t hurt us,” Bill mocked between groans of pain. “We were only gonna kill you and rape your slut.”
He smashed the gun across the man’s face again.
