Take Down (The Men of the Sisterhood)

by Fern Michaels

  He pried at the special packing and saw the shoulder holsters on the bottom of the box. The holsters looked old, worn, and real. He guessed it was true what he’d heard: If you had the money, you could get anything in Vegas. He supposed it was all in knowing the right people, or knowing people who knew the right people. Anything for a price.

  It took Jack exactly fourteen minutes to assemble the Glocks. “Good to go, baby, good to go,” he muttered happily under his breath.

  Because he had nothing else to do at the moment, Jack picked up one of the holsters and tried it on. He shoved the gun into it and practiced his draw. He was familiar with guns, had gone to the shooting range hundreds of times when he was an assistant district attorney. He’d always qualified. Thank God he had never had to draw on anyone. He also had a license to carry a gun in his real life but not as Special Agent Anthony Lupine.

  Aha, the boys had slipped up. Nah. Not Sparrow. He rummaged in the box and found the licenses in an envelope that was stuck to the bottom of the plastic filler. The envelope read, Just in case. “Sorry I doubted you, Sparrow,” he muttered.

  And then he remembered what he hadn’t been able to remember before: Andover’s launch after the New Year with its new rheumatoid arthritis medicine. Why or what it meant in the scheme of things he had no idea. Beaucoup bucks for the Andover coffers and the three owners for sure. But why was he even thinking or worrying about that? When he couldn’t come up with an answer, he shelved the thought as he had before. Sooner or later, it would come to him. If not, then it wasn’t an important consideration as far as their plans were concerned.

  Just as Jack started to look down at his watch, a gift from Nikki years ago, one of those watches that did everything but scramble eggs, in his opinion, his phone rang. Snowden. He picked it up, listened briefly, and hung up. Now he knew the importance of that new product launch.

  Looking again at his watch, he was shocked to see that it was already three minutes shy of the noon hour. Working on those numbers had taken a lot longer than he’d thought. He was aware suddenly of how quiet it was, with only the sound of Cyrus chomping on a huge bone that was guaranteed to clean his teeth. That had to mean the alleyway had been cleared by Harry’s people.

  His stomach growling, Jack headed for the kitchen. He whistled for Cyrus, who came on the run. The shepherd waited a moment to see if his master would reach for the leash, which meant a sedate walk, or no leash, which meant a free-for-all run up and down the alley.

  Jacket on, zipped up, and a heavy scarf wrapped around his neck, Jack opened the back door. No leash. Cyrus whizzed past the open door and tore down the alley, barking shrilly. Jack huddled in the doorway, hands jammed in his pockets as he stomped his feet up and down. It had to be only twenty degrees out there, he thought. He stood it as long as he could before he whistled to Cyrus to cut it short, just as the Post van and Dennis’s Humvee appeared at the security gates. The minute the door to the van slid open, he could smell the garlic. They were going to dine on Italian.

  When Dennis emerged from the Humvee, he was struggling with plastic-wrapped suits on hangers. Jack held the door open for him. Ted emerged from the van, carrying two shopping bags, and Espinosa carried the food. Maggie had her own shopping bag and a box of some sort. “Everything okay? No problems?”

  “Good to go,” Ted said, hustling through the doorway. The others agreed. Jack heaved a sigh of relief.

  Ninety minutes later, lunch was over, the cleanup completed, Cyrus had been walked, and everyone was dressed for what Jack called the coming festivities. Jack had told them about Avery Snowden’s call and the resulting change of plans. Now the only thing left to do before the trip to Andover Pharmaceuticals was for Espinosa to apply some of Alexis’s tricks to alter their appearances.

  “I’m not liking any of this right now,” Dennis complained. “When Murphy’s Law kicks in, plans go down the tubes.” His tone went from whining to accusatory when he said, “You said, Jack, that Mr. Snowden said all was good, and we were on schedule for visiting the three Andovers tomorrow. Tomorrow, not today. I’m not liking this one little bit,” he said.

  Jack sighed. He was used to plans going awry, as were the others. “Yes, I did say that because that’s what Avery told me when I called him earlier. But that was hours ago. When he called ninety minutes ago to say that Otto was leaving tomorrow morning for New Mexico to talk to some people about the new drug, he called me immediately. As you all know, he has some kind of equipment in place that allows him to pick up all phone conversations in Otto’s house, and those of the other siblings as well. He’s on top of things. Had he not had his equipment in place, and we went out there tomorrow, we’d be up the old proverbial creek without the proverbial paddle. Tell me you understand what I just said, Dennis.”

  Dennis yanked at his blue-and-white-striped tie. “I’m not stupid; I understand. I just said I didn’t like it. Improvising at the eleventh hour is never good. Don’t forget to factor in that wacky weatherman’s prediction for snow later today. We have miles to drive, and after the snatches, we still have to head out to Pinewood. That’s another long haul.”

  “Thank God the van has good new snow tires,” Maggie said as she stared at her reflection in the glass of the wall oven. “I hope you aren’t wimping out, Dennis, and expecting us to cancel. We adapt. That’s spelled a-d-a-p-t. I hate wimps.”

  Dennis flushed a rosy pink, but he didn’t say another word.

  Jack eyed Maggie and Dennis and was satisfied with what he was seeing. He stood still and suffered through Espinosa’s filling in his cheeks, adding latex to his chin to make it longer, and narrowing his nose with the same latex. While his hair wasn’t high and tight, it was a good crew cut and didn’t need anything done to it.

  “You guys got all the electronic stuff secure,” Ted said. “Remember now, you can mumble or talk as the case may be, either into your lapels or the cuffs of your sleeves. The sound is muffled but still good. You should probably leave now because under normal conditions it’s a forty-five-minute drive to Andover, but with the weather and the roads, I’m thinking more like an hour and fifteen minutes, maybe more,” Ted said. “I’m sorry that you’re going to be hitting Andover earlier than we intended, but that’s unavoidable with Otto’s change in plans. And with the snatches today and not tomorrow, there’s less time for something to go wrong based as a result of the Andover raid.”

  “It’s going to take us that long to get back here, too, so you guys be ready to roll the minute we get back. Watch Cyrus for me,” Jack said.

  Maggie looked around, winked at Ted, then focused on Jack. “Let’s do it!”

  Chapter 9

  The moment the heavy security door slammed shut behind him, Jack knew it was literally showtime. They’d talked it all up one side and down the other until they were breathless to get moving and make it all a reality. He sucked in a breath of the frigid air, then coughed. He felt naked without Cyrus at his side, and he said so aloud.

  “What are we, chopped liver?” Maggie squawked as she looped a cherry red scarf around her neck.

  “You know what I mean, Maggie. I’m just used to having Cyrus next to me. Maybe we could have brought him and given him a badge, like the cops do with the K-nines. Where’s the van?” Jack asked, looking around.

  “We’re taking my Humvee instead. Ted moved the van out front. The Humvee heats up in a matter of seconds. Best vehicle on the road for this kind of weather,” Dennis said.

  Jack looked up at the scudding gray clouds racing across the sky. An hour ago, there had been a little bit of blue sky and a thin, watery sun. But now the sky was totally gray and dismal. Off in the distance, he could hear a dog barking, then the alley went silent as Dennis unlocked the door of the Humvee and climbed in. As Jack and Maggie entered the vehicle, the snow equipment at the other end of the back alley kicked in with a roar that was deafening until they closed the doors.

  Dennis pressed the starter in his keyless Humvee and the engine growled
to life. “I have a great GPS, so key in the address, Jack. We all good to go here?”

  “We are good,” Maggie said as she loosened the scarf she had just tied around her neck. Then she looked at her watch and mentally calculated the coming activities and how long before she’d be home safe and warm in her own bed. Like she would really be able to sleep anytime soon with the way her adrenaline was running. Maybe she’d never be able to sleep again and she’d wither away and die.

  She hated thoughts like these and struggled to remember the last romp in the sack with Ted, after they’d left the Christmas party at Jack’s. A low, purring sound escaped her lips. Jack looked up from what he was doing and grinned. Maggie was oblivious to his glance.

  Dennis backed down the alley, clicked the remote on his visor, waited for the iron gates to open, and sailed out just as the car’s heat came on full blast. “How’s that for instant gratification?” he chortled happily.

  “Nice set of wheels, kid,” Jack mumbled as he continued to key in the address of Andover Pharmaceuticals. Maggie stared out at the rapidly darkening afternoon, her thoughts on Ted’s sexual prowess.

  “Traffic’s kind of light for this hour of the day. We should make good time once we get out of town. I’ve been thinking: Even if Andover lets its employees out early because of the snow forecast, we still won’t have a problem. Someone from Security will still be there. That in itself might work to our advantage. What do you think, Jack?” Dennis asked as he skillfully maneuvered the Humvee around several cars that were driving too slowly for his liking. Dennis West was a man with a mission, and he was not going to allow anything, including slow-moving cars, to get in his way.

  “I agree. What about you, Maggie? What do you think?” Jack asked.

  “I think it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other. Either way, we’re more than capable of handling whatever is handed to us. I will tell you what I am worried about, though. Look at the sky. It’s getting darker by the minute. I think we should turn the guys loose and let them head for our primary targets now. Ted and Espinosa can take Philip. Harry should have arrived at the BOLO Building by now—he was already on his way when we left—and he and Abner can do the snatch on Otto, and the three of us can take Martha since she lives the closest to the company headquarters. Then we all head for the farm as soon as we’ve done the snatches and grabs. Don’t look at me like that, Jack. I really think that’s what we should do.”

  Dennis froze. “Oh, jeez, still another change in plans. That makes two. The third one will be the charm. Everyone knows that saying, but with what we’re doing, I don’t think the word charm is exactly the right one. I see this all going to hell really quickly,” Dennis said in a jittery-sounding voice.

  “You’re dithering again,” Jack pointed out. “And FBI agents do not dither. Not ever. Keep your eyes on the road, kid, and stop worrying. Maggie has a point. Points need to be addressed as they come up. I’m giving you permission to take your eyes off the road for two seconds. Look at the sky, Dennis!”

  “Yeah, yeah. Okay. I get it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So what if I’m a natural-born worrywart? So is my mother, so I come by it honestly enough.

  “Okay, okay. I see your point, but I’m still going to worry. How much farther, Jack?”

  Jack pressed some buttons. “Eight miles. Straight road.”

  “Since you agree with me, I’m calling the guys now, Jack. If I’m wrong, tell me now, before I make the call.”

  “Make the damn call, Maggie.”

  After spending five minutes having two separate conversations with the guys back at the BOLO Building, she was ready to report to Jack. “Ted is going to take the other three and go to the Post to sign out a four-wheel drive for Harry and Abner to use. Harry said that your car was all over the road. He also squawked about having to wear a suit, shirt, and tie.

  “Abner is going as is, Harry said, because he said he’s scary-looking and no one will question him. And, anyway, he doesn’t have a suit at the office. Just so you know, Harry will be the power player in that duo. It’s all doable, Jack.”

  “Two miles, Dennis. And it’s starting to snow,” Jack said as he craned his neck to stare up and out of the windshield.

  Dennis’s voice was still jittery when he said, “I hope you are both noticing that no plows have been out this way recently.”

  “Maybe Andover has its own maintenance crews and they just haven’t gotten to this stretch of the road. I see a sign up ahead, so slow down. I want you to pull right up in front of the building. If there is a guard station, I want you to let me do the talking, unless it’s something you really want to do. Don’t panic if you see me get out of the car. These guys are usually rent-a-cops, and I think I can handle them. What’s it going to be, kid?”

  “Hey, I’m just Special Agent Donald Ryder. The newbie who’s driving. Everybody knows that the driver is always low man on the totem pole. You’re right, Jack. I can see the security hut from here, as well as the fence.” Dennis eased up on the gas pedal as he fumbled in his pocket for his FBI credentials. He could see that Jack already had his credentials in his hand. A quick glance into the rearview mirror showed Maggie waving hers for his benefit.

  Dennis eased up even more on the gas pedal and coasted to a stop in front of the security hut. A man in uniform stepped out and held up his hand. Dennis rolled down his window just as Jack climbed out of the car to walk around to where the guard stood. He flipped open his billfold like he’d been doing it for years.

  “FBI. I’m Special Agent Anthony Lupine. The driver is Special Agent Donald Ryder, and the agent in back is Special Agent Lucinda Collins. We’d like permission to enter the premises, but I need to tell you, we’re going in with or without your permission. We have a warrant,” he said, waving a folded sheet of paper he’d withdrawn from the inside of his suit jacket.

  The guard, whose name tag said he was Arthur Spinelli, took his time looking at the credentials before he said, “I have to call Security.”

  “No, Mr. Spinelli, you do not have to call Security because we do not want you to do that. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Maybe you don’t understand what a warrant is. This piece of paper says I can do whatever I want when I want to do it. No one gets the opportunity to hide what we are looking for before we get in there. So, what’s it going to be? The easy way or the hard way?”

  “I can lose my job if I don’t call you in. I need this job.”

  “Lucinda!”

  Maggie was out of the car in a nanosecond and inside the hut, where she quickly ripped out the monitor and the phone, then demanded that Mr. Spinelli hand over his cell phone. But not before she patted him down for any weapons.

  “Hey, you can’t do that!”

  “I just did. Now, come in here so I can tell you what you are going to do and not do. We can’t have you alerting anyone of our presence until we want it known. We can arrest you right here on the spot and hold you for seventy-two hours. Think about it. What’s that going to do to your New Year’s Eve plans?”

  Maggie looked over at Jack. “What do you want to do about him? We can open the gates and leave them open for anyone arriving or leaving.”

  Jack walked over to the Humvee and lowered his voice. “Does this nifty set of wheels have any kind of special locking devices? Like can we park this guy in it and feel safe he can’t get out till we finish up our business?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “What if he leans on the horn?” Jack asked as he looked at his watch.

  “Jack, once this baby powers down, it’s like Fort Knox. No in, no out; not until I press the code on my remote. Dump him in.”

  That was all Jack needed to hear. He opened the door of the hut and pushed the guard into the back of the Humvee. “Sorry about this, Mr. Spinelli, but in the interests of national security, we have to do this.” He called over his shoulder to have Maggie open the massive gates. “And make sure you lock the door so no one can get into the hut.�
�� Jack was back in the Humvee within seconds. Maggie joined him within minutes.

  “What’s going on?” the guard asked in a shaking voice.

  Jack turned around and said, in a voice filled with menace, “You should know better than to ask a question like that of an FBI Special Agent. As they say in that other agency whose name shall not pass my lips, if I told you, I’d have to kill you. Now just sit there and be quiet. When we finish here, we will release you. Tell me you understand what I just said.”

  “Yes, sir, I understand.”

  “Good.”

  Jack stared at the Andover Building, marveling at the massive structure. It was lit up from top to bottom. Even from where he was sitting, he could see a glittery Christmas tree in the cavernous foyer.

  It was fully dark now and it was barely four o’clock. Snow was falling steadily. To his right, he could hear the sounds of muffled car engines as people warmed up their cars in the parking lot in preparation to leave.

  “Showtime,” Jack said under his breath as he exited the Humvee, with Maggie right behind him. Dennis was the last to exit, then made a production of locking in the security guard.

  The trio marched up the three steps that led to oversize plate-glass doors. The twinkling Christmas tree was beautiful; a work of art, actually. At the door, Jack said, “Okay, everyone, take a deep breath. Dennis, get that open line to Jamie Farrell and keep it secure. Time to roll, folks.”

  Chapter 10

  With a wild, wicked flourish, Jack threw open the door, sized up the lobby, and headed straight for a monster desk in the center of the room, where a man in a gray uniform sat behind a computer monitor that showed every floor in the building.

  “Hands where I can see them, sir. FBI. I’m Special Agent Lupine, this is Special Agent Donald Ryder, and the lady is Special Agent Lucinda Collins. This is a warrant,” he said, waving the paper in front of the startled man’s eyes.