I texted back. When? Where? It wasn’t more than a few seconds later when he texted back. Dog’s @ 9:00 a.m. Park in back. Use back door.
Dog’s? Did Micah set this up? I called Micah and asked.
“Just gave the boy some names of folk he could trust an’ told him to use my name,” Micah said. “Don’t know what he did after that. Haven’t seen him since.”
“I’ve got a meet with Nolan there at nine. If you don’t hear from me after, call the sheriff.”
As I hung up, I thought Micah knew the ground better than I did. Still, it didn’t hurt to be careful. Very careful.
As Sarah ate breakfast, I briefed her. “I’ll call you after I leave. You have time to meet for lunch?”
“Come on by,” she said. “We can always order in.” She looked up at me. “So we’re back to worrying about everything, aren’t we?”
“Remember West Baden when it gets to be too much. Hot springs, soaking, massages. Promise.”
I approached the Dog Pound with a circuitous route. Parked, tried the back door and found it was open. I stepped inside and saw an older man who might’ve been the father of the Dog I remembered.
“You Win Kirkland?”
I nodded. I’d changed too.
“My office—hall in back of you.”
“Thanks.” I turned around, found a door marked Office across from the bathrooms. I opened the door. Nolan sat with his feet resting on a heater by the desk.
“Hey.” He put his feet down and handed me a phone. “Everything’s there. All correspondence with Bill, background intel and as much of their plan that’s set. I’ll let you know about half an hour before they launch.”
“How?”
“Text message. Win, these guys are gung-ho idiots. I’ve talked them out of grenades or other explosives, but it was a job. Had to blabber on about how insurgents I fought were fucking cowards and stooped to explosive vests because they couldn’t win in a fair fight.” He held up his hand. “I know, not the war either you or me fought. But these guys suck up war talk.”
“The most dangerous kind of minds—haven’t been there but saw it on TV.”
“Yeah. Got photos of all of ’em on the phone with names and addresses. No com lines, we’re running silent. All the weapons are semiautomatic except one guy’s got a machine pistol.”
“Shit. He could just spray the place and come away with multiple hits.”
“I know. I’ll try to divert him, but it’s not going to be easy. Anyway, five go in the back entrance, five in the front—”
“That’s the solution—have him lead the group to the back. We have a couple of surprises ready for them there.”
“Wrapped in the new BearCat G3?”
Bill had gotten the sheriff’s department a real deal on an armored vehicle to go with SWAT. Sarah had hesitated. I’d pushed. “Yeah. Nice wheels.”
Nolan nodded. “I’ll put him in the back assault group.” He sighed. “Hope you have a few surprises for the front group too.”
“Not so much. There’s not a lot we can do with that open space. Bill lent us some dummies from the Fun House we’ll use in the bullpen. SWAT will be there but hidden. I’ll be on sniper duty.”
“Don’t let those bastards get away, Win.” He smacked the desk. “I sure as hell didn’t risk my neck abroad so I could come home to lunatics running the country.”
“Me neither.”
“How are you holding up? And Sarah?”
“Hanging in, but I sure hope this happens soon. It gets harder every day.”
“Unless things get changed, it’s going down tomorrow at noon.”
The news took my breath away. I nodded. “Are you wearing ski masks? Something to disguise your faces?”
“Bandanas, fucking bandanas like we’re in a western movie. Fucking stupid.”
“Let me get your picture,” I said. “I don’t want someone shooting you. Do a full face and then one with something covering the bottom. Look mean, Nolan.” I snapped a couple with my phone and then one three-quarter shot. “Take care of yourself, man.”
He nodded. “Just make sure none of them make it out of there. If they get snickered and know it was a setup, the other ones are much more likely to crawl back under their rock.”
Other ones. “Thanks, Nolan. Thanks so much.”
He got up and I got a long bear hug. “I ran out on you once. This is just payback, only what I owe you.”
I held him at arm’s length. “You did what you were supposed to do. Get those guys to a medical facility ASAP. What I did was ignore orders.”
“You ever sorry you retired?”
“No, not one moment.”
He examined my face, then nodded. “Well, Colonel, this is my last mission before I retire. So you keep my butt safe, Sir.”
I gave him a hug, saluted. Left without turning back.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Sarah
Win came into my office full of information. We went over everything on the phone Nolan gave us including detailed plans where possible, guesses about the personnel and their reactions to various scenarios.
“Whew,” I said. “He’s been really thorough and this is a goldmine.”
“Nolan’s a pro.” Win took out her own phone.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got to make sure he’s not accidentally shot. He won’t be wearing a vest. Here, I took some shots of him. SWAT and the detectives and whoever else is involved inside need to know his face.”
“We’ll distribute copies.”
“Not until tomorrow when everybody’s here.” Win shifted in her chair. “We don’t know for sure that someone here wouldn’t talk. Not necessarily on purpose, don’t get me wrong. ‘Loose lips sink ships.’ Still goes.”
I studied Win. She was a coiled snake ready to strike. It was absurd that image entered my mind, but it did. “Dad called and wants in on the party. I don’t want him in the line of fire. Would you be comfortable with him at your back? Downstairs? If anyone tries to go up, he can nab them.”
“I trust Micah to have my six as much as I trust you,” she said, rolling her head.
“Need a back rub?”
“Tonight. I’d like a briefing with SWAT and one with the detectives and uniforms.”
“Sure. Right now?”
“Tomorrow morning. Eight o’clock?”
“I’ll set it up and I won’t tell anyone we think it’s tomorrow.”
“Thanks. I know I’m sounding like a paranoid general. Sorry, I can’t help it. I have to keep all of you safe and I promise I’ll do my very best.”
I sat back in my chair. “It’s killing you, isn’t it? Not being in the middle of this?”
Win expelled a long breath and nodded. “But I’d be a liability with this leg. I know I’m best where I’ll be. It’s just hard, Sarah.”
We didn’t leave the station until the early twilight had descended on the melting landscape. We traveled in that moment of blue when any light in a window cast an orange glow. Rivers and streams ran high and swift, their voices singing an unholy harmony. Bare trees rose in their stark blackness along the road, a whisper of warning from their limbs. I realized I’d been holding my breath when we pulled into the clearing where our home stood.
Safe, at least for the night.
As we fixed dinner, Win was silent and I thought she was going over the plan again, step by step. She ate the same way, in silence and preoccupied. After we finished the dinner dishes, she lit the fire and sat on the couch. She patted the spot next to her.
“Me or Des?” I asked.
“Whoever gets here first,” she said with a grin.
I sat next to her and she put an arm around me. I nestled close to her and put my hand on her stomach. “I wish tomorrow would never come.”
“Shhh,” she said. “I’m trying my best to turn those thoughts off. Let’s be here and now, enjoy the fire. Except for one question. Do you want Des with you tomorrow? Nolan said they w
eren’t using explosives.”
“No. I’d be too worried about her.”
“I’ll take her with me. I’ve got so much protection at my back, I won’t be able to breathe. Now let’s watch the dance.”
“Dance?”
“Fire dance.” She put both arms around me and kissed my forehead.
I sighed and tried my best to watch the fire, but thoughts of tomorrow kept pushing into my mind. I was terrified for my people and for me. Could we really overpower a bunch of fanatics? We damn well better, but by all that’s right we shouldn’t have to.
“Let it go, Sarah. Wait for morning before you think about it again.”
“That’s usually my spiel. I’m scared.”
“It’s going to be okay.” She turned my face toward her. “I’m not just saying that. I feel it in my bones. We’re prepared. Your people know what to do. Have the skills to execute. We’ll get the fuckers and we’ll get them good.”
* * *
After the briefings in the morning, I felt better. Win had done a full run-through with those who’d be involved, firing questions at them and none had hesitated. They knew where they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to do.
“Got a note from Nathan this morning,” Win said as people filed out. “He’s uploaded all your data and links to the Cloud. You have any old computers and monitors stashed away?”
“Yeah, a bunch in the basement we’ve never gotten around to scrubbing.”
“Why don’t you switch them out with what you use now? No use in damaging good equipment.”
“Good idea.” I took her hand. “Are you going up now?”
“Yeah.” She pulled me to her. “You take care of yourself, stick to the plan even if they throw you surprises.”
I leaned against her. “Don’t say ‘surprises,’ please.”
She kissed me and then she and Des were gone.
We switched out the computers, propped up the dummies and checked weapons. At eleven thirty people drifted to their assigned places.
I checked with Dory to see how she was doing. “Fine,” she said. “Can’t wait for the vermin to come.” She opened the drawer beside her and I saw a Colt .45 revolver.
“Do you have a carry permit?”
“No. You gonna arrest me, Sarah?”
At three minutes to noon, Win alerted us that a black van had entered the parking lot in back. A few seconds later, one guy walked in the front door. He looked around, then leaned against the wall and texted. I held my breath. Would he notice the dummies? The old equipment? The new glass barriers? Had he texted no or go?
“Five men coming toward the front entrance. Get ready.”
I saw the men through my window on the bullpen. They passed the outside window. “It’s a go. Ready. They’re through the door. Weapons drawn. Go.”
The next few moments were a blur of firing and return fire. My window shattered, glass spewed across the office. I crouched as I crossed it, weapon drawn. Over the constant gunfire, I heard heavy footsteps coming toward the door and moved back against the wall by the door. A big bald head led a fat body through the door. My rage exploded. I used my cast as I backhanded him mid-face with all my strength. He fell backward into the hall. I stood over him, my weapon at the ready. He was out cold, blood spurting from his nose.
Caleb rushed up. “You okay?”
“Fine.” I became aware that the firing had ended. “Our guys?”
“A couple wounded I think, nothing life-threatening.”
“Cuff him, would you.”
Caleb holstered his weapon, turned the man over and dealt with him. We left him lying in the hall. When I stepped into the bullpen, a pall from the gunpowder hung over the wreckage.
“What a damn mess.” One of the front windows had shattered, computer guts spilled out and monitors smoked. I glanced around the room and saw my deputies cuffing four men, two of whom seemed to be bleeding. “Everybody okay?” I shouted.
“Yo,” Willy said with a big grin. “A couple of scratches, nothing more. But we will need a bus for a couple of them.”
The front door opened and all weapons pointed to the door.
“Don’t shoot,” John said. “It’s us with our prisoners.” The guys who’d been in back pushed in five cuffed prisoners. “Mission accomplished without a shot. Where’s Win?”
“I gather the raid is over?” Win said over my com line. “Your dad’s got two more to add to the party. Heading down.”
“See you soon.”
We started getting organized to book them all, those unwounded first up. Two ambulances showed up and the EMTs took care of our guys first. I watched the organized chaos and then I saw Win on her crutches crossing the square with Des beside her. Dad was behind her with two guys cuffed together and poked by dad’s Winchester. I smiled. We’d made it through and we were okay.
I heard a shot and saw Win fall backward. Two more shots. What the hell? I rushed through the front door, my weapon drawn and scanning the square for a shooter. God dammit, how the fuck could this happen?
Chapter Fifty-Three
Win
“You get him, Leslie?”
“Roger that, Win. You okay?”
“Basically. Good work.”
Micah took my arm and helped me up. I saw Sarah running from the station. When she put on the brakes in front of me, I was afraid she’d hug me.
“Sniper on the roof of the drugstore,” I said quickly. “My flak jacket caught the bullet, but I may be a bit sore tonight.” I looked up. “Think it’s our thirty-aught-six shooter. Can you get a couple of deputies up there?”
Sarah nodded, though she appeared stunned.
Micah shoved his two prisoners ahead. “I’ll take care of it, Daughter. You help Win.”
“You could’ve been killed. Why the hell did you pull a stunt like this? Set yourself up as a target?” she squeaked.
“I don’t like assassinating someone now that I’m home.”
“Let’s get you to the hospital—”
“No.” I glanced at the ambulances pulled up in front, lights still flashing. People were beginning to form groups by the other buildings on the square. “Let’s go inside and assess the op.”
“I just want to assess your injury,” she said as she hurried beside me.
“You can do that tonight at your leisure.”
She reached for the door.
“What the hell happened to your cast?”
Sarah raised it to see. “Oh. I used it as a weapon. I didn’t want to risk giving him a verbal warning.”
“You’re the one who needs to go to the hospital, Sarah.”
“Only if you come with me and get checked out.”
I nodded. “Let’s get the after-action started.” I walked in and looked at the mess. “Okay, folks, damn good job. Somebody needs to photograph the scene, check on the surveillance cameras and see what they caught. Anybody get away?”
“No,” Caleb said. “Better haul than we expected.”
“Any cop need treatment?”
“We got it, Win. How about you getting Sarah to the hospital? She’s got blood all over her cast,” Caleb said.
Sarah looked down at it. “That’s his, not mine.”
Leslie walked in. “I’ll be glad to take you, Sarah. You really should have that looked at right away. You may have done more damage.”
“I did damage all right,” Sarah said. “The guy’s still out. First, we have to take photos of the scene to document intent.”
We stayed out of the way as Vincente and Leslie moved around the scene, one taking video, the other stills. The place was a mess, glass shards all over the floor.
A couple of state cops walked in and started taking cop statements. Their presence was a detail I’d forgotten, evidently Sarah hadn’t. As soon as Leslie was finished, we hightailed it to the hospital.
Sarah disappeared into one of the ER cubicles and I was ushered into another. When they peeled my sweater off, I had a b
ruise forming on my shoulder. They did an unnecessary X-ray. I could’ve told them nothing was broken. He was too far away with that caliber rifle.
When they finished with me, I walked over to the other cubicle. Found it empty. I began to panic, then felt foolish. She was probably having a new cast put on. Bet this time, they’d make it a really heavy one. Leslie was sitting in the waiting room. I sank down in an uncomfortable chair next to her. “They take Sarah for a new cast?”
“Yeah.” She glanced over at me. “The doctor was really pissed at her and said she could’ve done damage that would never heal.”
“Could’ve—not did?”
Leslie shrugged. “I’m not sure, Win. He just whisked her away while he was yelling.”
I could feel my shoulder tightening up and put the ice pack on it. “They bring the sniper in?”
“Took him right up to surgery,” she said. “He may not make it.”
I heard the tone of regret in her voice. “How are you?”
She was silent for a minute. “A bit shaken. I’ve never shot anybody before.”
“Be sure you see Emily—Dr. Peterson. She’s good at helping you sort through all the feelings. But for what it’s worth, you did what you had to. I have a feeling he’s the man who left the Brownes to bleed to death. Wounded two deputies and tried to kill Sarah and me. You did a good deed for every person in uniform in this county.”
* * *
When we got back to the station Sarah orchestrated the chaos. Documentation of the attack up the wazoo, identification of all the aggressors, statements from the few who talked. Regret after the fact is stupidity. Conference with the DA. Cleaning up the place without destroying evidence.
I looked for Nolan. Found him in a holding cell with three other guys. He had his sullen face on and I walked by. Neither of us showed any recognition. So how the hell was I going to get him out? He couldn’t stay undercover. As the newest member of this band of not-so-merry men, he’d be the chief suspect for a leak. They had to know we’d been ready for the assault with a counterattack plan of our own.
I waited until Sarah had a lull, asked her.
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