by CJ Lyons
“Raziq chose Pittsburgh?” Lucy interrupted.
“Yes. He was very specific. Said he wanted a safe place to raise his family. Now does that sound like the drug kingpin you’ve described?” Haddad’s tone turned to one of pity. “You’re wrong about him, Stone. Dead wrong.”
Both men stared at each other, neither yielding. Lucy had no idea who to believe but she remembered her initial impressions of Raziq and his home. Contradictions at every turn.
“Let’s focus on the present,” she suggested. “Stone, where were you today from two pm on?”
“He was with me,” Nick said as he walked into the room. “Or with people from the VA.”
“I had a clinic appointment with my surgeon,” Stone said. “The van picked me up at one, but the surgeon was running late, so I didn’t get out of there until around two thirty. Then I picked up this gizmo from Callahan.” He raised his wrist to display a heart rate and GPS monitor. Nick had one just like it; Lucy had given it to him last Christmas. “After that the van took me back to Grams’ house.”
“And then Andre and I were on the phone together as we both ran. Until the Rippers picked him up. You can check my cell records and the GPS monitor from the watch.” Nick stared at her as if daring her to accuse Stone of killing Raziq’s daughters.
“So you’re not my killer. What about the threats?”
Stone shrugged. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
Haddad wheeled on him. “We traced email threats and letter threats sent to both Rashid and myself. They all came from Ruby Avenue. And there was a letter bomb that matched your signature.”
“I’m being set up. Darius, he’s a shot caller for the Rippers, he’s the one who taught me to make bombs when I was a kid. I added my own special touch, using road flares, but he knows that.” He turned to Nick. “You heard him, Doc. He said he wanted me to build a bomb for him. But when he put me in that garage with that woman and baby, everything I would have used was already there—” He slumped against the wall, shaking his head.
Lucy wished again that he didn’t have the mask on; it was so hard to read his expression. Was he faking?
Nick obviously didn’t think so. He moved to Stone’s side, stood so he could make eye contact with him. “Andre. What is it?”
“All the bomb making stuff in the garage—I touched it. You guys will find my prints all over it. That’s why Darius locked me up there. He needed my fingerprints and DNA and shit. Plus I made some napalm, those fire bombs that helped get us out of there. You can test my hands. I’ll have shit all over me. I’m screwed three ways from Sunday.”
Lucy stared at him. Something in her wanted to trust him. But she had to be sure. She grabbed her phone. The classrooms had functioning Wi-Fi, good. “Taylor, show me a map of all the disturbances the Rippers or Zapatas were behind tonight.”
The screen filled with a map of Pittsburgh covered with red dots. The only clear area was Homewood. It had a single red dot: the site of their shoot out with the Rippers at Kujo’s.
“Now clear all the bomb threats that were unfounded.” The density of red dots lightened. “Clear the 911 center and the attacks on Zones Four and Five.”
“Why?”
“Because those make strategic sense. Same with the bomb at Three Rivers and any direct attacks on police. Okay, now take out the bombs found at synagogues and mosques.” Suddenly the map was almost totally clear. Except for two red dots overlapping in Highland Park, near the zoo. “What are those?”
“Fire and active shooter at the Schenley Academy ice rink,” Taylor told her. “Took down a police officer and a State Police helicopter. Civilians rescued the officer but we’ve lost contact with the Statie.”
“An ice rink?” Why did that bother her so much? Lucy stared at the red dot until it blurred. “Was there a game or practice?”
“High school holiday tournament. Huge crowd, lots of panic. We got lucky. No civilian casualties.”
“Oh my God,” she whispered, immediately glancing up at the ceiling as if the priest above could have heard her. “Special Agent Haddad, you’re right. We need to find Raziq.”
Chapter 31
As soon as the FBI agent, Lucy What’s-her-name, said that, Andre knew he was doomed. She believed Haddad, not him. He turned to Nick, trying to find words to convince someone she was wrong.
“Dr. Callahan,” she said in a tone that would have made his old drill sergeant smile. “Move away from the prisoner.”
Christ, now she thought he’d take the Doc hostage or something? What kind of monster did they take him for?
The kind that would butcher two little girls.
Callahan didn’t move. Lucy took a step towards him. Haddad raised his M4. Aimed at Andre. Good God, what were they doing? The Doc was just a civilian.
Andre pushed Callahan behind him, out of the line of fire. “He has nothing to do with this.”
For the first time since he’d met her the FBI agent smiled. She motioned to Haddad to lower his weapon. The DEA agent looked as confused as Andre felt.
The Doc stood beside Andre, glaring at the FBI agent for a long moment. His shoulders were hunched and his face flushed. Angry. Andre had never seen the Doc angry before. “Lucy—”
She shook her head at the Doc as if giving him a warning. If Andre didn’t know they were husband and wife, the way they exchanged an entire conversation in a single glance would have told him for sure.
Lucy stepped forward and took Andre’s hands in hers. She flicked a knife open and cut him free of the zipties. “Sorry about that, Stone. I had to be sure. You’re a hard read.”
Her tone was gentle, almost admiring. He shook the feeling back into his hands, touched his mask. “Yeah, you should see my poker face.”
Callahan was the only one who smiled at that. Then he got serious again. “Andre, she knows nothing about our sessions. And I can’t tell her anything.”
“He never does.” Lucy rolled her eyes. But he could tell she was proud of the Doc. “I didn’t even know he was making house calls. I thought all this workout therapy was on treadmills at the VA.”
Haddad interrupted. “We’re running out of time here.”
Lucy nodded, her expression turning business-like once more. “I know. Mr. Stone, do you know the three Rippers we captured at your grandmother’s house?”
“The older one, Maddoc, yeah. He’s a bully. Darius’ enforcer. The two others, I have no clue.”
“Think you can get Mr. Maddoc to tell you where they took Raziq?”
He thought about it, shook his head. “No. And neither can you. There’s a reason his street name is Mad Dog. Guy’s stubborn as hell, meaner than a pit bull, and more than a little crazy. He’ll never rat on Darius.”
“This Darius, he was keeping Raziq’s family for Zapata. Do you think he’d be with Zapata and Raziq now?”
He had no clue who this Zapata dude was, but he knew Darius. “Hell yeah. He talked like he was getting ready for a big payoff. No way he’d let his moneymaker out of sight.”
She sat on the desk. Not just leaned against it, flat out hauled her butt up there and pulled her legs up to sit Indian-style, like a little kid. Was quiet for a moment, but didn’t stop staring at Andre. Not his face, though, his body… no, his watch.
“Mr. Stone—”
“Andre. I ain’t no Mister.” And he wasn’t no Sergeant, not anymore. “It’s just Andre.”
She nodded, locked her gaze on his. Looked a little sad. “Andre. How would you feel about getting out of here? Taking us to Darius?”
Callahan interrupted. “He already told you he doesn’t know where Darius is.”
Haddad turned to the Doc. “Maybe he’s lying. Maybe he’s holding out on us.”
Lucy was silent, staring at Andre, waiting for his answer. He raised his left hand, glanced at his watch. She gave him a half-smile and a nod.
“I’ll do it.”
“Do what?” Haddad asked.
Callahan figured
it out first. “No. Andre—”
“Too late, Doc. I said I’ll do it.”
“How closely can you track a GPS watch?” Lucy asked the guy on her radio.
“Five foot radius in the open air. Inside a building, I can give you horizontal position but won’t be able to give you a vertical one.”
“And you’ll give us live time video via the drone?”
“Yep. Colonel Adamson cleared it. I’m afraid there’s not much more in the way of backup available. If you can give me time once we have the location I can try to pull a few bodies.”
“I thought you said things were quieting down out there,” Haddad said.
The guy on the radio grew sober. “We lost Zone Five. SWAT teams were storming the sniper positions and they,” he swallowed hard enough that it echoed through the radio, “the Rippers took them out. Rocket-propelled grenades.”
Silence. Andre and Haddad exchanged glances. Firepower like that, they were going to lose a lot more men tonight if they couldn’t find Zapata and stop this.
“Any luck tracing their command center?” Lucy asked.
“No. Closest I’ve been able to narrow it is somewhere in Homewood, Highland Park, East Liberty, or Larimar. Wherever it is, they have it on the move.”
Probably in a van or RV. Something that wouldn’t be noticed—maybe a tractor trailer. That’s what Andre would use.
Lucy frowned. The Doc stepped over to her, didn’t touch her, just stood closer. She gave him a grim smile. “Any more bad news?”
“The riots and looting have spread. Not to mention the Gangstas seemed to have figured out that this would be a good night to eliminate the competition. There’s a whole gaggle of them headed your way.”
“Taylor, as always, you’re the sunshine of my life.”
“Sorry, Boss.”
She turned to the men before her. “Gentlemen, it looks like we have our work cut out for us. And time is growing short.”
Andre began taking his mask off. He remembered Mad Dog’s look of revulsion mixed with fear and pity when he’d seen Andre without it before. He could use that now.
The Doc turned to his wife. “Lucy, there has to be another way.”
She unfolded her legs and jumped to her feet. “Is there any medical reason why he can’t do it?”
“Besides the fact that they’ll kill him?”
Andre stood tall, his mask off, and faced the Doc. “You said I needed to take control of my life. This is me, doing what I want, when I want, how I want.” Callahan opened his mouth to protest. Andre kept going before he could say anything. “My last mission didn’t end up so good. I need a chance to make it up to my men.”
He knew Callahan didn’t agree, he could see it in the Doc’s eyes. But still, he nodded his understanding.
Andre turned to Lucy. “Just let me say goodbye to my grams first.”
She nodded. “Of course. We’ll need a few minutes to set up a jailbreak. And I want to talk to the other Rippers, just in case they know something.” Her tone made it clear she wasn’t counting on it.
“Doc, you’ll see that Grams is taken care of, if—” No need to say what the "if" was.
Callahan nodded. “Yes, of course. But Andre, don’t think that way. You’re coming back.”
Andre shrugged. Callahan walked with Andre out the door and up the steps.
“I’m serious,” the Doc continued. “If they wanted you dead, they would have killed you already. And Lucy, she’s the best. I’m not just saying that, honest. She won’t stop until she has you and Raziq’s family safe. You actually remind me a little of her.”
“Pig-headed,” Andre quipped, gesturing with the mask still in his hand.
The Doc’s chuckle was a second late in coming. “Yeah. Something like that. Anyway, all you need to do is buy her time.”
“It’s okay, Doc. Really. This is what I’m the best at. I’m just a grunt from Dog Company, but I’m the best goddamn boots on the ground grunt you’ll ever meet. Now, let’s go find my Grams.”
“She’s going to be pissed as hell.”
Andre’s one regret. “Yeah. I know. That’s why I’m bringing you along.”
Chapter 32
Jenna decided that Saint Lucy had officially gone off her rocker when she heard the plan. David was okay with it, as long as it meant he got Raziq and his family back safe and sound. Jenna had no idea what Andre Stone thought—although it would be his ass on the line.
She and David ferried the three Rippers down to the rectory’s basement, keeping the two kids in one room and isolating Mad Dog in the other. She left David interviewing the kids while she went to get Stone. Lord only knew what Lucy was doing, she was holed up in the Tahoe now parked out of sight behind the convent, working with Taylor.
Jenna crossed the small courtyard that separated the church from the convent. The clouds had cleared, the stars were out, a brisk breeze gave the air a pleasant crispness. The scent of smoke only added to the homey atmosphere. No Morgan, not since Jenna had hung up on her earlier, no drunken revelry that she’d regret in the morning, no need to constantly look over her shoulder… why couldn’t it always be like this?
Because Saint Lucy had another windmill to tilt at and Jenna couldn’t let her and David go in alone. Despite his guilt-ridden fixation on Raziq, David was a good guy. She wasn’t about to let Lucy get him killed. And she still needed Lucy alive if she was ever going to get her hands on Morgan. Although somehow that fantasy just didn’t have the power it once had.
She was tired, so tired. Of playing games with Morgan. Of never measuring up to Saint Lucy’s standards. Of feeling so goddamned all alone no matter how many men she fucked.
Jenna sighed, her breath steaming the air in little wisps that blew away like birthday wishes. She entered the convent where one of the nuns pointed her to a small sitting room where Stone sat with a little old lady. He had his mask off and for the first time Jenna saw the extent of his injuries. Jesus. No wonder the guy was off his rocker. To live through that only to find out your men had all died? And then return home and look in the mirror at the evidence of your failure every day?
It was a lot like the way she felt knowing she’d let Morgan get away, free to torture and kill and do whatever she damned well pleased. Jenna couldn’t let the bitch get Lucy because that meant Morgan won. It meant Jenna was a failure.
God, life would be so much easier if Lucy had just let her pull that damned trigger last month.
Nick stood in the corner of the room watching Stone with the same fatherly look he often gave Jenna. Like he was watching a kid ride his bike down a steep hill for the first time without training wheels. Funny, she’d never thought about him actually caring about other patients the way he cared about her. It made her feel not so special.
“We have to go,” she said brusquely, interrupting Stone’s little goodbye party. Petty, she knew, but they really did need to get started.
Stone leaned forward and whispered a few words into the old lady’s ear, then kissed her on the head as if she was a child. She gripped his arm, finally released him.
“Come home to me, child,” she called as they left the room. “I love you.”
Nick stayed behind, taking Stone’s place, patting the old lady’s arm.
“That’s your grandmother?” Jenna made conversation as she led him back outside. “She going to be okay?”
“She’s tougher than most Marines I know, so yeah.” He glanced over his shoulder one last time as the door shut behind them. “You the one I’ll be wrestling the shotgun from?”
“Yeah. Lucy thought it might look more realistic if you tackled me instead of Haddad.” They walked around behind the convent to where Lucy had parked the Tahoe. She held a finger up for them to wait, finished talking with Taylor, and joined them.
“Andre, Taylor has the software for your watch loaded onto all of our cell phones and he’ll be tracking you as well, so we’ll all know where you are at any moment. If you get into trouble
and need us to come in heavy, just take the watch off. We’ll know as soon as we lose the signal,” Lucy said.
“What if they take the watch from me?” he asked.
“They’d only do that if they suspect something, which would mean you need us to get you out.” Lucy opened the Tahoe’s hatch and grabbed the only weapon left inside: a shotgun loaded with nonlethal beanbag rounds. “Be sure you’re the one who grabs the shotgun from Jenna and fires at her. If you can, miss in a way that Mad Dog can’t see where the shot went. If you can’t, hit her in her vest.”
He turned to Jenna. “You okay with that? These things pack a punch.”
Nice of someone to ask. Jenna rapped her knuckles against the ceramic plates of her ballistic vest. “I’m tougher than I look.”
He returned her smile. In the dim light, even with his smile twisted and crooked, something about his eyes gave her a glimpse of the man he was before. She thought she would have liked to have met that man.
Lucy double-checked that the load was non-lethal. She practically vibrated with adrenalin. Jenna was surprised her hair didn’t stand on end from all the energy spilling out from her. Now wouldn’t that be a sight?
Lucy gave Jenna the shotgun and continued her briefing, barely taking a breath between sentences. “Either way, Jenna will fall so Mad Dog won’t be able to see the wound or the lack of blood. Then you guys run. I left the van out front—”
“No way he’ll want to take that piece of crap,” Stone said. “Too easy to follow.”
“Exactly. So you’ll go through the pedestrian gate and head out on foot. My hope is that he’ll grab the Escalade we left at Kujo’s. If not, take any vehicle. I don’t care as long as he’s convinced that he needs to take you to Darius before we catch you.”
“Don’t worry. I can make it happen.”
From where she stood behind Lucy, Jenna gave a small shake of her head. She couldn’t believe the guy was going along with this crazy, jacked up plan. It was suicide.