Mackenzie followed him to an interview room, and they plugged in her new laptop and hard drive. A few moments later her documentary on the homeless was rolling across the screen. Jake realized she had probably seen the footage hundreds of times—both throughout the filming and then again during the editing process. This time, however, he hoped she might be looking at it with fresh eyes. Maybe one of them would see a link between her movie and the horrible events of the last two days that would bring some insight into the case at hand. Right now, the pieces just weren’t fitting together.
They watched the first half hour or so without comment, but suddenly, Jake’s chair fell forward. “Stop right there.” He motioned to the screen where there was a kid sitting on the sidewalk in the foreground. “See that man there in the back? Can you blow up that image?”
Mackenzie looked where he was pointing, and with a few clicks on her keyboard, isolated the image. There were a few people in the background, including a couple of teenagers, but she quickly focused on the man Jake had identified and expanded the picture. Jake leaned forward to get a better look. Once it became clear, it was easy to identify Carter Beckett’s features.
“That’s our man,” Jake said, unable to keep the excitement from his voice. “There’s the link we were looking for.”
Mackenzie gave him another smile. “It sure is. You have a good eye for this. I don’t think I would have even recognized him.”
Jake shrugged. “I’ve dealt with Carter in the past on more than one occasion. You only saw him for a few minutes during a high-stress encounter.” He looked closer at the screen. “Where was that shot taken?”
With a few more clicks, she expanded the view further and moved it around so the buildings were more identifiable. “We filmed this over on Mission Road. Yes, here,” she said, pointing. “It looks like the address is around the 4500 block. That’s an office building there, but I’m not sure what organization rents the space.” She turned and raised an eyebrow. “So what’s the connection? Do you think Carter Beckett was doing something illegal in that building and wanted to destroy my film so no one noticed he was at that address?”
“That’s a good guess. Or maybe his activity is illegal and he just happens to be meeting someone there. In either case, I think we should head over to that office building and see if we can learn anything.” He looked at his watch. “Now’s a good a time as any. I’ll assemble the team, and we’ll head on over and see what we can discover. Hopefully, we’ll find Mr. Beckett himself.”
FIVE
Jake dove behind a desk inside the office building on Mission Road, just as a spray of bullets showered the room, biting into the furniture and sheetrock behind him. He glanced over at Dominic Sullivan, one of the other deputy marshals on his team, who had taken refuge behind a filing cabinet. Dominic gave him the “okay” sign, and Jake said a quick prayer of thanks that neither of them had been hit. Finally, the barrage ceased and they heard footsteps in the distance running away from them. Jake made eye contact with Dominic again and then motioned and nodded as he rose to follow the suspect, his weapon ready. The two deputies started down the hallway, cautiously pursuing the gunman. They saw no one but checked each door as they went, just in case the fugitive had hidden inside one of the offices. Most of the doors were locked because it was after normal business hours, but a few were open and they carefully checked each and every room before proceeding toward the exit sign at the end of the hall. It was a slow process, but they didn’t want to get ambushed or miss their quarry altogether.
When they’d arrived at the building, Carter Beckett had seen them coming and had escaped down the stairs to the third floor of the building before they could stop him. They didn’t know if he was alone or if there were other hidden dangers, so they proceeded cautiously. Beckett had evaded arrest twice before, but this time they were going to make the arrest—Jake was sure of it. Right now, while Dominic and he were following the fugitive, two other deputy marshals were securing the perimeter of the building. They were slowly closing in, and the suspect had no place to go.
Jake and Dominic were almost at the end of the hallway when they suddenly heard a door slam behind them. Both men swung around, their guns pointed at the source of the noise.
“Sorry,” Mackenzie whispered, her expression repentant. Her bulletproof vest with the words US MARSHAL splashed across the front seemed to swallow her, and she adjusted it as she came toward them, holding the camera with its red light blaring, recording the deputies’ every move.
Jake lowered his weapon, did a quick take of the hall and, seeing no one else, covered the distance between them in three seconds flat. “I could have just shot you! Do you understand that?” he whispered vehemently, motioning with his weapon. “Get out of here, now!” He tried to push her toward the door, but she held her ground.
“I’m not leaving, Deputy Riley. I have a job to do, just like you.”
“We’re in pursuit of a suspect. You’re in danger here, and you just might end up in the line of fire again if you’re not careful. Now, get out of here!”
“You’re wasting time. While you’re standing here arguing with me, you could be chasing Carter down.”
Jake’s eyes flashed. “You’re making my job very difficult, Mackenzie.”
Mackenzie frowned. “You’re not making mine very easy, either.”
Jake shook his head and motioned with his gun again. “We’ll talk about this later. For now, stay here. Do not go any further into this building. Do you understand? The man we’re chasing is armed and isn’t afraid to shoot at anything that moves.”
“I hear you.”
Jake whirled and rejoined Dominic down the hall, very aware that she hadn’t agreed to stay where he wanted her. A wave of frustration swept over him, but he tamped it back down. He glanced behind him and saw her fiddling with her camera. The woman was right about one thing. He couldn’t spend any more time arguing with her without risking losing his suspect altogether, even if there were three other deputies in pursuit.
He motioned to Dominic, and the deputies turned and checked the remaining offices. The last door was unlocked and led them into a large conference-size room that was filled with copy machines, all in various stages of disrepair. Several tools were also scattered about, and a couple of cardboard boxes with parts of different sizes and shapes were on a nearby table.
A noise at the other end of the room made them turn, and both men ducked for cover, just as another barrage of bullets rained down upon them. Bits of plastic and copy machine parts flew into the air as the bullets ripped into the machines.
A moment after the bullets stopped, Jake could just make out the sight of a door swinging closed at the far end of the room. He looked behind him, verifying again that Dominic was safe and that Mackenzie hadn’t followed them and caught a stray bullet. Thankfully, Dominic wasn’t hurt and Mackenzie was nowhere in sight. He grabbed the transmitter attached to his sleeve and held it up to his mouth. “Chris? We’re in the northwest corner of the building. The suspect just went into the stairwell again.”
“Copy that,” Chris Riggs answered. “Whitney and I are down in the parking garage and have it secured. We’ll head in that direction. Is he by himself?”
“Affirmative,” Jake answered. “He’s got a semiautomatic rifle, and he isn’t afraid to use it.” He paused. “The video crew is on the loose, too. Be careful.” He caught Dominic’s eye again and motioned with his hand, then headed for the stairwell door, knowing that Dominic had his back. Jake had been working with this group of deputy marshals for the last couple of years and was convinced they were the best team in the entire southeast. They were always there for one another, and he would lay down his life for any of them just the same.
The two moved quickly but cautiously. Once on the stairwell, they glanced carefully over the railing and listened for footsteps. Hearing nothing, they warily moved down a flight o
f stairs. The access door to the next floor was locked and had a sign that said For Maintenance Staff Only, so they descended another level. Still hearing nothing, Jake became convinced that the suspect had left the stairwell and had reentered the building instead of continuing down the stairs. He notified the other deputies. Then he and Dominic stepped through the door, weapons ready. The lighting in this room was dim. Yet Jake could tell that he had entered a mailroom of sorts. Piles of boxes and envelopes littered the tables, and several filing cabinets and sorting bins were arranged around the room.
Jake carefully surveyed the area and then motioned for Dominic to look toward the right wall. Despite the insufficient light, he could just make out the shadow of a man crouching, holding a rifle. Jake caught Dominic’s eye and pointed to himself, indicating his intention to approach the man from behind and for Dominic to approach from the front. Dominic nodded, and both men slowly and silently started moving into position so that the shooter would be trapped between them.
As Jake approached, he could just make out the sound of Beckett’s harried breathing. He felt his own heart pumping with adrenaline. He took one step and then another, all the while poised and ready, just in case the assailant moved or tried to fire on them again. Finally, he stepped silently around the filing cabinet behind the man and slowly put the barrel of his pistol near the man’s head.
“Freeze, pal.”
Beckett tensed, just as Dominic came into view from the other direction with his own weapon also pointed at the suspect.
“Now, this is how this is gonna play out,” Jake said very succinctly in his leisurely Southern drawl. “You’re gonna very slowly put your right hand up in the air, and then with your left, you’re gonna very slowly reach over and put that rifle of yours on the ground. Got it?”
Beckett didn’t move, so Jake nudged him with the tip of his pistol. Then Jake noticed that one of Carter’s fingers was also inching closer to the trigger. “Move that finger again, buddy, and it will be the last thing you ever do. Got it? I’m done being patient. If you want to leave here in a body bag, that’s okay with me.”
The man turned his head slightly so he could see Jake’s eyes, and something there must have convinced him not to chance it. He slowly raised his right hand and then bent to place the rifle on the floor before raising his left hand, as well.
“Good job. Looks like you can be taught.” Kicking the rifle away from Beckett’s reach, Jake pushed him against the wall and frisked him. Dominic reached over and picked the rifle up just as Jake pocketed the knife he’d taken out of the man’s boot and snapped on the cuffs.
Jake turned Beckett around. He shook his head as he looked the thug in the eye and verified his identity. Finally, this evil man was off the streets. “Carter Beckett. Long time, no see, buddy. Remember us?”
“Yeah,” Carter sneered. “You’re the guys who keep the doughnut shops in business.”
Dominic smiled. “I don’t know about that. It’s been...what...about three weeks since I’ve had a doughnut. Gotta say, though, I love those chocolate-iced ones with the pudding inside. What are those called, Jake?”
“You mean the Boston cream ones?”
Dominic snapped his fingers and pointed at Jake. “That’s the one. Man, I love ’em. I might just have to stop by and pick up a dozen after we book this fine gentleman for the long list of crimes he’s committed.”
Jake returned Dominic’s smile, enjoying the banter. “I might do the same myself. I could really go for one with toasted coconut sprinkles on top.”
Carter was less than amused. “You guys are pathetic.” His tone was bitter.
Jake leaned in close so there was no way Carter would miss his words. “Yet here you are, wearing a pair of my finest bracelets. Your new home is going to be a six-by-six cell at the federal pen, Carter. You have the right to remain silent...”
Shuffling and a clicking noise sounded behind Dominic, and a bright light suddenly flashed on the group. Jake blinked as he also noticed the red light telling him that Mackenzie’s video camera was once again filming the scene.
“Ms. Weaver, this is not the time or place...” he growled, using her formal name in front of the criminal in the hopes that she would catch on as to how serious he was about stopping the filming.
She gave him an incredulous look. “Not the time or place? You’re kidding, right? What should we be filming if not the arrest of an infamous fugitive?”
“Fugitive?” Beckett said with a laugh, looking directly into the camera. “I’m no fugitive. I’m innocent. I’ve been framed. This is all a mistake.”
Jake tightened his grip on Beckett’s arm. “You have the right to be silent, Beckett. I suggest you exercise that right.” He met Mackenzie’s eyes. They were filled with determination, but he was equally resolute. “Back up, Ms. Weaver, and turn that camera off. We need to get this guy out of here. It’d be nice if we could do it without all the fanfare.”
Mackenzie stepped back so the deputies could pass, but the camera remained pointed at them as they moved back toward the stairwell, and the red light never went off.
Jake gritted his teeth and raised the transmitter in his sleeve to his mouth. “We’ve got the suspect in custody and are heading down. Meet us in the garage.”
Once they reached the basement level, Chris Riggs and Whitney Johnson, the other two deputy marshals on the team, approached them and quickly secured Beckett in the back seat of their car.
“Go ahead and take him downtown,” Jake directed. He paused a moment, his hands on his hips. “Dominic, why don’t we go back up there and take a look at the scene again? I want to check a few things out.”
“You got it,” Dominic answered. The two men waited for a moment and watched Chris and Whitney drive away. Then they turned back to the stairwell. Mackenzie was still filming, but at least this time she was several yards away.
“The world is a slightly safer place, now that Beckett is off the streets,” Dominic said lightly, making sure he spoke softly enough that his words wouldn’t be recorded.
Jake laughed. “Amen to that. What I want to know is why all of those broken-down copy machines were in that room. Have you ever seen anything like that?”
“Nope. It’s not like this is a repair shop or anything, and there isn’t a printing company located here. They had way too many copiers, even for an office building of this size, and there are several different companies here renting out space. They all probably have their own machines, which makes that room of copiers even stranger.”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Jake agreed. “Something’s not right, and I want to know what it is.” His instincts were telling him there was more going on here than met the eye, and he always trusted his instincts, even if the clues didn’t make any sense at first glance. His gut hadn’t failed him yet. He turned and started following Dominic back toward the stairwell as Mackenzie approached them.
“How about an interview, Deputy Marshal?” Mackenzie asked, giving Jake a smile.
Jake turned toward the woman, a mixture of feelings warring within him. Was he angry or just plain scared at the thought of her getting hurt? How could she have taken such unnecessary risks today? She could have gotten shot. She could have gotten killed! Yet she had deliberately put herself in the line of fire, all for the sake of some footage. Maybe she had never grown up after all. He put his hand up in front of the lens. “You could have been critically injured or even killed today. I don’t want to see either of those things happen to you. Wasn’t being shot at the last two days enough?” He took a step closer. “What we do is dangerous. We don’t need bystanders. I told you to stay in the car, and I meant it. You are authorized to do ride-alongs with us. You are not authorized to follow us into buildings as we’re pursuing a suspect. Get the picture?” He couldn’t keep the anger from his voice.
Mackenzie stiffened her spine and pushed her long bro
wn hair behind her ear. “Look, I’m not thrilled about getting shot at again, but I have to take extreme measures to do my job since you’ve made it absolutely clear that you aren’t going to cooperate. I can’t even get you to look at the scripts and storyboards.” She turned off her camera and let it drop to her waist. “You’ve given me no choice, Deputy Riley, and I’m well aware of the risks. As you know, I’m actually getting paid to make this documentary, which, I might add, has the approval and support of your district office. Filming you is my job. If I don’t work, I don’t eat. I can’t really make a movie from my desk, now, can I?”
“I’d sure like for you to try.”
Mackenzie laughed, and the sweet melodic tone of her voice irritated Jake even more. “What you’d like and what you actually get are two entirely different things, Deputy Marshal.”
A muscle tightened in Jake’s jaw. He took another step forward, glaring at Mackenzie, but she didn’t back down at his intimidating stance. Did this woman have a death wish? What could possibly drive her to take such unnecessary risks? Her positive attitude that had attracted him before was now driving him crazy. “It’s probably a really good idea for you to leave now. You need to get back in the car and stay there,” he said firmly, his voice filled with menace.
She met his eyes, and Jake could tell she was considering how far to push him. He braced himself for a fight, but none came. A moment passed, then another. Finally, she winked at him, which was the exact opposite of what he expected her to do. A sudden shiver swept over him, and Jake’s heart skipped a beat. Why did she have to be so attractive? Her perfume wafted his way again and made him even angrier. She smelled fantastic. He gritted his teeth, frustrated that he was distracted and reacting to her beauty. He didn’t want to respond to her in any way. He took a step forward, preparing to blast her once again, but before he could say another word, she took a step back.
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