Justice for Hire (21 page)

She checked the familiar semi-automatic compact pistol she’d been provided with. Wolff had given her a lot of practice time, and she was more than competent in its use. The magazine of the 9 mm Glock contained fifteen rounds. She didn’t expect to need all the bullets, they were just a safeguard. She assumed five would be enough.

Two for each target, and one for herself.

If the second target was unavailable, three rounds would be sufficient.

She fought to curb her excitement. Enthusiasm was fine, but being overly eager could compromise her mission. That would never do. She must remain calm and carry off the operation without hesitation.

She’d studied the map of the area and memorized the street names. She had an exact picture of the outside of the house in her mind. She would recognize the targets anywhere, thanks to photos she’d been shown, and was certain nothing could go wrong.

The Escalade pulled to the curb and stopped. She surveyed the street, and seeing no pedestrians or vehicles in this quiet area, she opened the door, stepped out onto the sidewalk and closed the door behind her.

The Escalade eased away. She watched it out of sight, and then turned and strolled the other way.

Not too fast. Not too slow. Don’t attract attention.

She took a left at the next intersection and continued on for a couple of minutes before recognizing the house that was her final destination. There was a Ford Escort parked in the driveway. She’d expected that.

She’d been told there may be a Firebird as well. There wasn’t. Perhaps there would only be a single target.

The house appeared to be quiet, and no one was around as she strode up the walkway to the front door. She peeked through the small window, but didn’t see anyone. She adjusted her handbag and reached inside. Her hand tightened around the grip of the pistol, one finger caressing the trigger.

With her other hand, she reached out and rang the doorbell.

Chapter 43

Thursday, August 25th, 4:25 PM

AFTER JAKE HAD dropped Annie home, she’d spent the last couple of hours going over her notes, struggling to come up with something to shed some light on this puzzle. Matty had come home from school an hour or so ago and was next door, playing with Kyle, so the house was quiet, allowing her to concentrate.

But she was getting nowhere, and was frustrated.

She tossed her pen down onto her desk, slid the chair back and stretched. She wandered into the kitchen and started a fresh pot of coffee, hoping a break would clear her mind before she attacked the problem again.

While the coffee brewed, she sat at the table and leafed idly through a magazine, not seeing anything on the pages, her mind continually drifting back to the baffling question. Why are people being killed, and what’s behind it all?

Soon, the smell of fresh coffee filled the room and she fixed herself a cup. She dropped into a chair, and as she raised the steaming drink to her lips, the doorbell rang. She took a quick sip, set the cup down and went to see who was calling.

She peeked through the small window in the front door. It was a young girl, perhaps sixteen or so.

She swung the door open and smiled at the visitor.

The visitor didn’t smile back.

Annie noticed the girl’s hand in her bag, perhaps pulling out some advertising material, or a pamphlet of some kind, but when she stared into the caller’s cold eyes, her intuition kicked in.

Something was terribly wrong.

She took a cautious step back as her eyes moved to the handbag. She saw a glint of metal, and then the barrel of a gun as a weapon was withdrawn. The girl stepped into the foyer and leveled the pistol.

Annie reacted on instinct and jumped to her left, momentarily shielded by the door, and then scrambled up the steps toward the second floor.

A shot exploded behind her. Missed. Another shot. The bullet splintered the wooden step in front of her.

With a final leap, she fell onto the top landing. She heard the assassin on the steps behind as she stumbled to her feet and raced for the master bedroom.

She slammed the door and leaned against it. The door had no lock, and she had no time to set up a barricade.

Her eyes frantically swept the room, searching for a weapon, anything to defend herself with. She saw nothing.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and then a low squeak as the knob turned. She braced her feet and forced her weight against the door. It shook as the killer attempted to push it open. But it held. For now.

The gun erupted again. A hole appeared above the doorknob and a bullet smacked into the floor by her feet, bringing with it the faint odor of gunpowder.

She wasn’t safe here. The killer was attempting to shoot her way in.

Annie looked to her left. The master bathroom was her only hope. It had a lock, but it wouldn’t hold long, and she would be cornered. The door behind her crashed open as she raced to the bathroom. She slammed the door, locked it and swung around.

The window.

It was small, and a long drop to the grass, but she had no choice. It was her only chance to get out alive.

She leaped to the window as the door splintered behind her. A shot had weakened the latch and the lock was almost free. She had but a moment to spare.

She released the window bolt, pushed up, and then hoisted herself into a crouch on the small window ledge.

Wood snapped as the door strained. The assassin was coming through.

She carefully twisted around and hung by the ledge with her fingers. She looked at the ground, a long way down. She took a breath, pushed out with her feet and let go.

She hit the ground, her legs bent, and she rolled as she landed. She lay still a moment. Her left leg was sore, but ok, and her shoulder was bruised where she rolled, but she was otherwise uninjured.

She saw the girl appear in the window as she scrambled to her feet and took a glance up. She dashed around the corner of the house, out of the line of fire.

She had to get to a phone.

She dare not go back into the house for her cell. She made a snap decision and jumped the small hedge dividing their house from Chrissy’s. She heard Matty and Kyle playing in the backyard. She couldn’t endanger them, so she raced to the front of the house and banged frantically on the door.

In a few seconds it popped open, and Chrissy stared at her, wide-eyed. “Whatever is the problem, Annie?”

Annie rushed into the house. “Quickly. Shut the door and lock it. I need your phone,” she said, as she ran to the kitchen.

Looking bewildered, Chrissy locked the door and followed Annie.

“Bring the boys in. Hurry,” Annie said, as she scooped up the phone and dialed 9-1-1.

Chapter 44

Thursday, August 25th, 4:39 PM

A SWARM OF police cars screamed to a standstill in front of the Lincoln residence. The officers, well trained in active-shooter situations, leaped from the vehicles and surrounded the building.

Annie watched through Chrissy’s window as officers eased through the front door, guns drawn and ready. They would be checking room to room, and would expertly apprehend the shooter if she were still there.

A few minutes later, as officers wandered from the house, their guns relaxed or holstered, Annie could tell the fugitive hadn’t been found. It was certain she’d disappeared when Annie had fled.

Annie had called Jake immediately after notifying the police, and he was on his way home.

Hank and King had just pulled up and were talking to the officers who’d searched the house. Annie knew the next step would be to put out an APB to try and locate the girl. They would need a description.

She turned to Chrissy standing beside her, still wide-eyed. “I need to go over there. Please keep the boys inside until it’s safe.”

Chrissy nodded. “I’ll make sure they stay upstairs.” She followed Annie to the front door.

“And lock the door behind me,” Annie said, as she slipped outside. She heard the bolt slide in place behind her.

She stood on the stoop a moment and looked down at her still trembling hands. She’d thought she wouldn’t have been so afraid, but she found out the hard way, having a gun pointed at you, and perhaps being one moment away from being shot, was a terrifying experience.

She shook it off and headed down the steps. Hank noticed her when she reached the edge of the property and came across the lawn to greet her. “Are you all right?” he asked.

Annie nodded uncertainly. “I’m ok, just a bit of a sore leg from landing on it.” She detailed the entire story as Hank jotted notes in his pad.

“What did the girl look like?”

“About sixteen. Maybe five foot two or so. Reddish-blond hair. She was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt.”

Hank scribbled the information down, and then asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital to get that leg looked at? You may have broken something.”

Annie rubbed her leg. “It’ll be all right. It’s feeling better already and I’m sure nothing’s broken.”

“Ok,” Hank said.

Annie turned as she heard a familiar roar. The Firebird swung into the driveway and Jake jumped out. He raced across the lawn to Annie and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close. He looked down at her. “You ok?”

She offered him a weak smile and nodded. “I’m fine.”

Simon King wandered over. Hank turned and shoved the notepad at him. “Here’s a description of the girl. Call it in right away.”

King frowned and took the pad. Without a word, he turned back and headed toward Hank’s Chevy.

Jake watched King leave. “That your new partner?” he asked.

Hank glanced at King. “Temporary partner,” he corrected. “Detective Simon King.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to introduce us?”

Hank grunted. “Like I said, he’s temporary.”

“You don’t sound too happy about it,” Annie said.

Hank shrugged and changed the subject. “Annie, you couldn’t describe the gun the girl had, could you?”

“I . . . I don’t know much about guns.” Annie chuckled. “It was black, but I didn’t stick around long enough to take a good look.”

Hank nodded. “Of course,” he said. “Did the girl say anything to you?”

“Nothing. But the look in her eyes said it all. A cold, hard look, like a killer.”

“She can’t be far away,” Jake said. “Let’s hope they apprehend her.”

Hank glanced toward the house. “The forensic unit will be here momentarily. They may be in the house awhile, though. Do you have a place to go?”

“I’m sure Chrissy will take us in for now,” Annie replied.

Hank nodded. “It may not be safe to go home until we get the girl.”

“Do you think she’ll be back?” Jake asked.

“She seemed intent on killing Annie,” Hank said. “She may be back. In the meantime, I’ll make sure a pair of officers watch Chrissy’s house, just in case.”

Annie had noticed a van pull up to the curb in front of their house. It had the familiar Channel 7 logo on the side. “It looks like Lisa Krunk is here,” she said. “She’s the last person I want to talk to right now.”

Hank and Jake glanced toward the street. “You two go on back to Chrissy’s,” Hank said. “I’ll take care of her.”

Annie and Jake hurried into Chrissy’s house. Chrissy greeted them at the door. “Now, are you two going to tell me what this is all about?” she asked, as they came inside.

“We’re not exactly sure,” Annie said.

“It has to do with a case we’re working on,” Jake added. “Where are the boys?”

“They’re fine. They’re upstairs.” Chrissy went into the front room and sat on the couch.

A light tapping was heard on the front door, and then, “Hello?” It was Hank.

Jake turned and swung the door open and Hank stepped inside. “I gave Lisa a quick statement,” he said, as he followed Jake into the front room and dropped onto the other end of the couch while Jake and Annie sat in the loveseat.

Hank turned and grinned at Chrissy. “Sorry about invading your house like this, Chrissy.”

“It’s ok. That’s what friends are for, but . . . I wish you would tell me what this all means.”

“We’re unsure right now,” Hank said. “But I believe it’s related to the murders that have been taking place lately.”

Chrissy caught her breath and leaned forward. “Are we in any danger here?”

Hank shook his head. “A couple of officers will be parked outside to watch the house until the girl is apprehended. We have other officers combing the streets and canvassing the houses right now. They’ll check out anyone matching the girl’s description.” He turned to Jake. “Any luck today?”

“Not yet. Sammy is on it with a gang of people he knows. He’s more confident than I am.”

Chrissy’s head moved back and forth from Jake to Hank as they talked.

“I got some interesting information from Nancy,” Hank said. “She checked the body of our second killer, the one who murdered Bobby Sullivan, and found an identical chip to the one inside the latest John Doe.”

Annie spoke, “I’m betting when you catch this girl, she’ll have one too.”

Hank’s phone buzzed. He pulled it from its holster and in a moment swung it toward Annie. “Is this the girl?” he asked.

Annie looked at the puzzled girl on the screen and shook her head. “No, that’s not her.”

Hank texted back a reply, and then asked, “Annie, do you have your cell with you?”

“No, it’s in the house. I couldn’t get to it.”

“I have mine,” Jake said.

Hank nodded. “I’ll have them send any more pictures of possible suspects to your phone, so Annie can take a look at them. Finding this girl is our prime concern right now. She could be the solution to stopping this madness.”

Hank made a call and arranged with the officer in charge of the search, and then stood and said, “I’d better get back out there. Be sure to stay in the house for now. I can only assume you’re still a target and we don’t want to take any chances.”