“I was thinking,” she said. “How is Razo going to keep using the gun and not get arrested? It’s not like anyone else has one, so if he uses it, he’s implicating himself.”
“He must have some plan to keep it quiet or have one of his gang members do the work for him. Still, he’d need a secure location to store the gun so it doesn’t tie back to him.”
She thought about the situation as Mack called Kiley and Sean to ask them to meet up at the parking lot of a nearby grocery store. Her mind was still on the gun while they reviewed the images Cam sent and formed a solid plan. They’d received both warrants and printed the documents on a portable printer kept in the RED team’s supplies. She was coming to see that they were prepared for most everything, and she was wishing she was still on the team.
Mack pushed off the front of the SUV where he’d been leaning. “Once we reach the property and conclude our surveillance, I’ll call the locals so they know we’re going in.”
Neighbors often called the police when an op was going down, so it was typical procedure to let them know about a bust. But the federal team didn’t want to make the call too soon or the locals would ask to be in on the arrest, and that could produce unnecessary friction.
Mack ran his gaze over them. “We good to go?”
“Couldn’t be better,” Addy said. She was pumped about being able to personally slap handcuffs on the man who’d drugged her and could’ve killed her. Not to mention terrifying her mother and Nancy.
They climbed into their respective SUVs. Kiley and Sean would cover the alley in back, and Addy would accompany Mack to the front. There was no way Zamora could skate on them.
Mack slowly drove down the treelined street and pulled over to the curb three houses down. She grabbed his binoculars and lifted them to take a careful look at the house. Light spilled out of the front window and a window near the back.
“Wish we had a layout of this place,” she said. “He could be in the front or back.”
“Doesn’t really matter.” Mack killed the engine. “Once we announce ourselves, he’ll most likely try to squirt out the back.”
She glanced at him. “Which is why you want me at the front. You want the guy running away from me, not toward me.”
“Exactly.”
She handed him the binoculars. “And you’re giving up the chance to take him down because you want to be by my side.”
“See. Youdoknow me.” He chuckled and raised the binoculars.
She looked at his strong profile and wished she did actually know him. She liked what she’d come to know, and she was starting to believe he deserved to be loved by a woman as intensely as he seemed to love her. She hoped she’d been that woman for him once, but could she be again?
He lowered his binoculars and pressed his mic. “Report.”
“All quiet in the back. A woman is moving around in the back bedroom. Not sure if it’s the sister or girlfriend.”
“Then be cautious if someone comes running out the back,” Mack said. “Could be her.”
“Roger that,” Kiley replied, her voice jazzed. “We’re good to go.”
“Then let’s move.” Mack dropped his binoculars and opened his door.
Addy had discarded her jacket for better access to her weapon, and the cold sent a deep shiver over her body. She ignored it and marched behind Mack up to the door with black chipping paint.
Mack pounded hard. “Police. Mariana Morales. We need to speak to you.”
They’d agreed to call her out instead of Zamora, so he didn’t come to the door, guns blazing.
Addy heard footsteps and saw movement through the front blinds. Two shadows. One large and burly. One small.
“Just a minute,” a female voice responded. “I need to put some clothes on.”
Footfalls headed away from the door.
Addy pressed her mic. “Be alert. Looks like suspect’s fleeing toward the back.”
“Roger that,” Sean replied.
Addy heard a commotion on the other side of the door, followed by silence. She wished they could just break down the door and go in, but their warrant didn’t allow it.
