“Bull’s counting out bricks from the crates in the back of the van. Rosalie’s at a table with two boys getting ready to start cutting. The driver is smoking a cigarette leaning against the van. He’s holding an AK but seems more interested in watching Rosalie. I gotta give it to her, she’s come through. Van’s on the left, thirty feet. The table is about ten feet from the van, off the back. We’ve got to make sure the girl does not get in the line of fire. I can’t tell if the boys are carrying but let’s bet on it. We know Bull is. I’m going to take out the AK and neutralize Bull before he can draw. You’re on the boys, Rosalie is going to drop. Look sharp, there’s plenty of places more guns could be hiding.”
Could they be going in anymore blind? “Is this how you did it in Nam, Al?” Zack braced himself.
“Oh, no. We had much better intel compared to this. Move.” Al pushed the door and said “Freeze!” The AK was raised halfway when Al put a bullet clean in the center of the man’s skull. The gun went sideways spraying bullets toward the wall as the man dropped. But Al already had his gun aimed toward the back of the van where Bull had apparently secured himself between the two open back doors. Rosalie had dropped to the concrete floor. One of the boys put his hands up but one ran a few feet before putting his up as well. Zack kept his gun on the boys. They were fifteen feet apart from each other. If one drew and he had to fire, it would give the other a chance to fire. He looked at the boys and realized how young they were. Teens. Barely.
Al approached the van. “Give it up, Bull. Cops all over the outside. Drop it and kick it. A gun was kicked away from the van along the floor. “Rosalie, come over here.” She got up and glancing toward the back of the van made her way around the table. As she edged around the corner of it a shot rang out. Rosalie was pitched sideways from the force of it as a bullet entered her neck. The boy who had run had a gun in his hand before Zack and Al could recover from the shock. Al went one way and Zack the other. Zack fired as he dove shooting the boy in his gun shoulder. The gun flew as the boy was knocked back a couple feet them slumped in agony. The other kid had hit the deck arms spread. Bull raced around to the other side of the van where there was a door to the side street. Al went around the front of the van and just missed Bull as he flung open the door and ran out.
Zack kicked the gun away from the wounded kid and went to Rosalie. She lay bleeding from her neck. “I can feel nothing,” she said struggling to speak. She looked at Zack through unfocused eyes. Zack looked up as Duke came in. He moved rapidly despite the cane, gun drawn.
“Al chased him up the alley. I got back up coming. My precinct.” Duke looked at the woman lying on the floor. “I’ll get an ambulance. You punks stay down!” He aimed a nine millimeter at them. He called for an ambulance and kept watch for more possible gunmen.
“It’ll be all right, Ms.…Rosalie. Why did you do this?” He knelt beside her.
“He kill Ray. He told me. He kill him. Curtis no… Ray?” Her eyes froze into an empty lifeless stare. The pool of blood had spread around her. He pressed her eyes shut and went after Al.
Again Zack found himself in an alley, chasing a partner who was chasing an armed criminal. He saw Al wave him back, signaling he go around to try to get behind Bull who had barricaded himself behind a row of dumpsters. He went back into the building and out the window he and Al had originally used to get into the warehouse. He got through the window as quietly as he could and came up behind Bull’s position. He couldn’t see Al on the other side of the dumpsters but he heard Bull’s heavy breathing behind the dumpster nearest his own position. He heard sirens. “What you gonna do, Bull. Shoot it out? You wanna live? You need to put the gun down.” Al spoke matter of factly.
“That bitch was the one who set the whole thing up.” Bull shouted. “I got close to her so I could bust her. I was gonna bring in back up and bust the lot of them. You guys need to calm down and let me explain.”
“Just put the gun down so you have a chance to explain.” Al said reasonably.
“Burnham’s out for me Al, ‘cause I know he killed Ray so he could take over Ray’s scam. He’ll kill me to shut me up. Who you gonna believe Al? Me or that punk. I got the evidence that Burnham killed Ray.”
“No good, Bull. Maybe Lyons set Ray up. But who pulled the trigger? Now you’ve killed the girl. Hasty decision, Bull. Give it up.” Al turned to see a cruiser turn into the alley sirens blaring. Another was right behind it. He flashed his badge and waved them back. “The warehouse!” he yelled. “Duke Washington’s got the other suspects inside.” He turned his attention back to the heavy breathing Bull. “Don’t turn this into a shooting gallery, Bull. Not if you want to make it out alive.” More sirens screamed into the other end of the alley.
Zack climbed onto a trash can and caught a service ladder going up the side of the building moving as quietly as possible. It was maybe ten inches wide but enough to get into a position to see Bull. Bull was cornered and eyeing a low window. Zack thought maybe he could get a shot, a shoulder shot to make him drop the gun but he’d be out in the open. If Bull shot first... He climbed slowly as quietly as possible. Bull was focused in Al’s direction. Cops had gotten out of their cars at the other end of the alley and were running up on foot. Zack was holding the rung with his left hand, twisted almost all the way around with his gun in his right hand. Zack tried to signal them back. “Police!” He mouthed as one raised a gun. He couldn’t reach for his badge. “Drop your gun and come down off the ladder!” one called through a bullhorn.
Fuck, Zack barely had time to think as he looked down at Bull. A shot rang out, the sound and burning in Zack’s right shoulder simultaneous. He lost his gun as the impact of a second bullet made him lose his footing. His side felt as if a hot poker had ripped the length of his torso. He was sure a rib was shattered as he managed a crash landing on a dumpster lid. Bull shot again. The bullet bounced off the dumpster. Zack lay still on top the dumpster grateful it was the tall narrow kind. Too high for Bull to see him. The pain took his breath away. “You all right Burnham?” No answer. “Bull, this is it. You’re surrounded. You wanna die today? You just shot a cop,” Al stated with more of an edge to his voice.
“Today’s just as good as a needle tomorrow. You wanna see me get the needle, Al?” Bull panted.
“It doesn’t have to come to that.” Al made his decision. He walked toward the dumpsters. The cops on his end of the alley tried to wave him back. “I’m putting down my gun and coming in, Bull. Let’s talk this out before somebody else gets killed.”
Zack sucked in his breath. “Al, no!” he cried out in his mind. He tried to rise. He found he could barely move his right arm. He lay in a pool of blood that ran down the slanted lid.
Al stepped between the dumpsters. “Come on, Bull. We’ve been friends a long time. I don’t wanna see you die. I’ll be there for you, Bull. Remember when we were partners? Always had each other’s back. You were like a son to me. I got your back now, Bull. Let’s work this out. You’re not a fool. Did you shoot Ray in self defense? Could anybody prove you didn’t? We’ve just got to stay calm.” Al came face to face with Bull.
“Ray knew I was onto him. He tried to kill me. He was chasing Lyons into the alley but it was a set up. He knew I was going to take him down. It was Lyons that shot him. I tried to stop it but I couldn’t blow my cover. Lyons was going to kill us both. I got away and Burnham found Ray. It was Lyons, Al. And that bitch!”
“Take it easy, the truth will come out. Put the gun down and we’ll take it downtown and sort it out. Lyons is in a cell. We’ll get the truth out of him.” Al took another step toward Bull, his tone was gentle, soothing. Zack edged up to see, looking for an opportunity, hoping he’d be able to make a move. He could feel the wet warm blood saturating his clothes. Al stood unarmed. Bull held the gun but didn’t aim. Bull looked up at the sky as if he might find an answer there. He held out the gun. Al reached out. He almost had his hand on it “That’s good, Bull. It’ll be all right.”
“You called her Rosalie. That’s how I knew she set me up.” Bull thrust Al’s hand away and moved closer aiming right at his temple. “Get down on your knees, Al.” He tried to push him down.
“I’m not gonna do it, Bull” Al answered in a low, even tone.
“Now! I’ll kill you. I’m gonna kill him if you don’t let me outta here!” He shouted out to the cops in the alley.
“Then kill me on my own two feet.” Al’s face was an angry grimace but he spoke calmly.
“Put your weapon down and come out with your hands up.” A loud voice ordered through a bull horn.
Bull pushed Al against the wall. “Get in that window.”
“No.” Al stated simply. There was no defiant tone. He was simply refusing to comply as if he were refusing a shoe shine.
“I’ll kill you, Al. He was gonna shoot me, Al. If he’s dead it’s because he’s been trying to set me up all along. Burnham’s dead. That’s the story, Al. It was Burnham.” Bull was desperate, talking fast and sweating bullets.
“It’s no good, Bull.” Al stood still, the veins in his face and the rise of his chest the only movement
“I’ll kill you. Make ‘im back off. Get in the fucking window Al!” Bull’s tone was turning to rage. He kicked the low window out and jabbed the gun to Al’s head. “Goddammit!” He tried to force Al down but the big man wouldn’t budge. He smacked him in the head with the gun. He punched a kidney. Bull gritted his teeth and was about to kick him in the back of the knees when with one quick move Al rammed his elbow back into Bull’s gut. Bull reeled backwards his arms thrown back. Zack saw his chance and leapt.
He landed on Bull and they crashed against the brick wall before hitting the ground. Zack had Bull’s gun arm but he was weak. Bull, solid muscle and with the strength that had earned him his name hoisted Zack off but he couldn’t shake him off the arm holding the gun. Zack’s head spun, he saw the gun turning toward him and used all the strength he had left to turn it away; from him and from Al. With the stomp of a giant foot, Bull’s arm was pinned to the ground. A shot fired hitting the building scattering sharp bits of brick and dust. He tried to grab Al’s leg yanking at his pants. Zack managed a swing that landed square in Bull’s nose. He grabbed the gun from the loosened grip and rolled away with it before dropping his face against the concrete, panting. He looked toward Al who was pushing Bull over onto his stomach with a massive foot. As he began to lose consciousness he thought of Mo.
Eleven
Mo had awakened and found the note. It seemed strange that Zack would have left her for hours and not called. They had made plans to bike on the lakefront. It was their last day. If he had gone for a run he would have been back. The strangeness of the whole situation gripped her making the layers of suppressed fear and doubt rise to the surface. Something must have come up. He was definite about their plans. Maybe there’d been some news about the robbery suspect. Maybe news about Ling’s murder. Surely he would have awakened her. She poured the last of the coffee and sat with a magazine. She found she could not interest herself in ‘Law Enforcement Weapons and Supplies’. For the fourth time she dialed his cell phone number and got his voice mail. She knew he didn’t do text. Something she had already berated him about.
Mo didn’t bother leaving another message. His not answering or calling back gnawed at her. Family emergency? He never spoke of his family. She didn’t know who any of his family might be in Chicago. She knew nothing about his family though she’d been curious. She remembered how he’d changed the subject when she’d brought it up. She bit her lip with worry. Maybe she could call Dino. She had no number for him and the restaurant wouldn’t be open yet. Was she being ridiculous? Had he mentioned something he had to do?
She found a book on the bottom shelf of the end table. She started reading ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Reigate Squire’. Mo started to become engrossed as she sipped her coffee but laughter coming through the open terrace door distracted her and she looked at her phone to check the time. Where had he gone? Why hadn’t he called? Something uncomfortable stirred in her that she was unfamiliar with. She started to worry. Worse, she started to feel something was horribly wrong. No, she knew something was horribly wrong.
Her cell phone rang and she breathed a sigh of relief and answered without looking. “Zack…”
“Ms. Whitman? Gerald Tyler. Mayor of Chicago. Where have you been keeping yourself? Don’t tell me I already know you’re shacked up with Burnham.”
“Good of you to get in touch, Mayor. Now if you’ll just excuse me…” Mo drew her lips into an angry sneer.
“Don’t burn the town down, sweetie. Heard about the robbery. Saw your picture in the paper. You’re determined to bring my town bad publicity aren’t you? Well you can make it up to me. Party tonight at my house. Too bad Roddy went to New York to meet his wife but some of your other friends are coming, the few left in town. You can bring Burnham if you insist. I should take his badge for moving into my territory. But word is he might be off the hook soon. Back working cases where he belongs.”
The last sentence was like a punch in the gut, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d meant it to be. “Look here, Mayor, let me tell you what I think of the way Zack’s been treated by you.” Mo had had enough. She was ready to start in.
“Hold on.” She heard his voice talking loudly. Another voice shouting excitedly. She’d had enough of this conversation and couldn’t care less if she ever saw the Mayor again. She snorted at the phone ready to just hang up. Ultimately, he was Zack’s boss. She rolled her eyes.
“Be ready for my car in ten minutes. We’ll be downstairs,” The mayor ordered in a demanding tone.
“Just a minute, Tyler. You can’t order me around. Who do you think you are? I don’t have time for this, and you can shove your party up…”
“Zack Burnham’s been wounded in a shoot out. They’re taking him to Oak Lawn Hospital. It doesn’t look good, Ms. Whitman. Be downstairs.”
Mo froze in place as the phone went dead. She stared at the blank apartment walls as her cell phone slid off her lap and onto the floor. She tried to swallow but was only vaguely aware that the muscles in her throat didn’t seem to work properly. From her peripheral vision she noticed the curtains blowing with the breeze. It felt cool, cold. She shivered. Gulping a sob, she rose to her feet and ran out the door in Zack’s boxers and Tee-shirt.
“We don’t have all the details, but apparently Burnham…Zack, and Al Simpson were together with a friend of Al’s, Duke Washington. Washington’s a local police hero, wounded in the line. About to retire.”
“It’s my understanding Al Simpson’s a local hero too. I’m not so impressed. Did Simpson do this? He’s crazy. Get to the point, what happened?” Mo sat in the back of the mayor’s Limo. She glared at him as if he’d just confessed to shooting Zack himself.
“I know your upset, Ms. Whitman. Like I said we don’t have all the details but somehow Zack and Al came to Duke Washington’s assistance with a drug bust. Bull Shaughnessy, a police internal investigator, was involved, arrested. A woman was killed. And Zack was wounded.”
Mo realized then that Zack must have gotten a call and gone with Simpson to try to catch Bull Shaughnessy doing something involving drugs. And now… She tried to remain calm. Images of Zack being shot, maybe dying, played themselves over and over again in her mind.
The mayor’s car sped through traffic with a police escort. Tyler tried to reassure her. Zack was still alive, Zack was strong. He knew the risks involved with police work and was a brave man. “You know, he was once engaged to my daughter.”
“Yes, I think he mentioned it.” She really didn’t know much at all about Zack’s history.
“Patricia loved him. But she didn’t want him to be a cop. He wanted to be a cop like his old man. He never wanted to be anything else. Gotta give ‘im credit for going to college first. Worked his way through.” Mo’s eyes were riveted toward the mayor. Tyler sensed Mo was in the dark when it came t
o Zack’s past. Couldn’t blame him for not wanting to talk about it but she deserved to know something about the man she was evidently so involved with.
“Yeah, his old man was a detective. A good one. Until he lost his badge for being on the take. He was already a drinker but then he really took to it. Didn’t take long to drink himself to death. Then his mother killed herself. His sister took off years ago. Wanted nothing to do with the family. Didn’t even come for the funerals.” The car turned and sped south down Cicero Avenue. “His father was the meanest bastard in the neighborhood. The Yards. Never cut Zack a brake. Even my old man, who was mayor at the time, and a son of a bitch, was a nice guy compared to Zachary’s pop. Zack lived for one glimmer of approval from the guy. Never got it. He managed to make everyone around him feel like shit even after he lost his job. Zack’s been trying to live up to one image and to live down the other. I’m sure he told you all this.” He eyed her carefully.
“Some,” Mo knew so little. “He said you were opposed to the engagement.”
“I was very angry about it though it wasn’t unexpected.” Tyler contemplated his manicure.
“You didn’t like Zack?” Mo asked absently looking out the window hoping for the hospital to come into view. She didn’t care what the Mayor thought.
“Actually, I liked Zack just fine. But I didn’t want my daughter to marry a cop. I didn’t want her to ever have to deal with…the possibilities. I told him to think about what it would mean for Patricia. They were young. She had just graduated high school. Zachary was in his second year of college. He’d wanted to wait ‘til he was out of college. That on top of the rest of it. He broke off the engagement. I know he thought it was for her own good. And it was.”
“Did he decide for your daughter? Don’t you think she had a right to decide for herself?” Mo asked heatedly.
Fly With Fire Page 24