“Check the front and report back,” he whispered and returned his attention to the dead bolt.
Stone led Dino along thefront of the house until they were a few feet from the end.
He listened for anything that might indicate someone was along the side of the building, but the rain made that impossible.
He was about to lean forward so he could check the right side of the house, when the end of a large black silencer inched out from around the corner.
Reacting on instinct, Stone grabbed the cylinder and yanked it forward. The second the man holding the weapon stumbled forward, Stone tackled him to the ground.
The man tried to twist out of Stone’s grasp but then froze when Dino pressed the end of his pistol against his head.
Dino plucked the radio out of the man’s ear and searched him, coming up with a pistol, a knife, and a set of zip-tie cuffs, in addition to the automatic rifle. He used the cuffs to secure the man’s hands behind his back, which allowed Stone to finally get up.
“What do we do with him?” Stone whispered.
Dino shrugged. “Put him in the house?”
As they yanked the guy to his feet, he made another attempt to struggle free. Dino put a quick end to that by slapping him in the face with his pistol.
They manhandled him in the direction of the front door.
Before they reached it, Ed jogged up to them and said, “I see you found one, too.”
“Where’s yours?” Stone asked.
“Sleeping.” Ed motioned to their prisoner. “Shall I?”
“Be my guest.”
At a speed worthy of someone half his age, Ed circled behind the man and wrapped an arm around his neck. Within seconds, the man was unconscious.
“That’s four,” Ed said. “That means there are at least three left.”
“Back of the house?” Stone asked.
“That would be my bet.”
“Lead the way.”
Chapter 42
Parker concentrated on the lock.
His client had been right in believing there were only a few people who could pick them. It just happened that Parker was among that select group.
His experience was limited to two previous locks, however. He’d defeated the first in a controlled environment, under the tutelage of an ex–French intelligence agent. It had taken him two hours and multiple attempts before he’d gotten it right.
The second had been for a job and had taken fifteen minutes.
This time, he was aiming for under five.
He closed his eyes and mentally pictured what he was doing.
Just a little more on the…
He felt the lock give, and he turned the key slot, sliding the bolt out of the jamb.
Smiling, he checked his watch. Three minutes. That was on par with some of the best in the world.
