Right at that moment, I knew exactly who this woman was.
Chapter 84
Alex had to struggle to control her impatience. She didn’t want to act too quickly as she watched the tall detective make his way across the courtyard and onto the walkway leading to his daughter.
She trusted her ability, but anyone who’d been around guns knew that every couple of feet of distance from a shooter added a degree of uncertainty to a moving target. Plus he had proved he was wily and fast when the three Dominican gunmen tried to shoot him in front of the church.
It was important that she maintain her composure and allow him to walk into the ambush. That’s what it really was—an ambush. She may not be hiding behind a door with a gun, but there was one in her purse, and she intended to draw it when he was about ten feet away.
She felt that twinge of excitement mixed with nerves. She had a minute tremor in her right hand. This was everything she had worked for on this contract, which had kept her away from home for too long. She could feel the sweat build on her forehead and her heart start to pound.
Did the girl standing next to her notice? If she did, she didn’t acknowledge it.
There would be almost nothing Bennett could do, and the closer he got, the more effective the gun would be. She would have to put two into his head just to be sure. At least she wouldn’t have to hurt the girl.
Unless she did something really stupid.
Alex’s hands felt clammy from sweat.
The girl called out to her father. He answered with a smile. This was embarrassingly easy.
She reached into her purse with her right hand. She concentrated so that it wouldn’t be a rushed, suspicious movement. Now she found the perfect grip for the pistol and pulled it out of her purse casually.
Alex didn’t want to risk blowing this wonderful chance. Her first shot would be well aimed.
Once the pistol cleared her purse, she extended her right arm and started to sight down the barrel to the center of Michael Bennett’s face.
She took a breath and started to squeeze the trigger.
Chapter 85
Just as Alex Martinez extended her hand fully and began to get a clear view of her target, everything went haywire.
She squeezed the trigger just as Juliana bumped her arm. The bullet went high and wide.
Suddenly she realized it wasn’t an accidental bump. The girl had realized what was happening and took action.
What the hell!
Now she had to fight the daughter as well as the father. She couldn’t waste time and give Bennett a chance to close the distance.
Juliana grabbed hold of Alex’s arm and threw an elbow into her face, knocking her back toward the door. Alex saw stars, then felt a trickle of blood seep out of her nose.
Alex’s face throbbed from the blow. Apparently the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. This girl was tough.
Alex moved fast and jerked the girl toward her. Somehow she had managed to retain the pistol in her right hand. That was the only thing that kept Bennett from charging them right then.
Alex had to think quickly. She used her left arm to pull the girl close to her, twisted her right hand, and put the gun to the girl’s head. She wished it was the stiletto, because a small cut and drop of blood would’ve stopped Juliana’s father in his tracks.
Alex started shuffling backward quickly and whispered into Juliana’s ear, “Open the door unless you want your brains all over your father.”
She turned her attention to the advancing detective and didn’t say a word as she shoved the pistol into Juliana’s temple. She wanted the girl to cry to out to make a point. The girl kept quiet, but the message was sent, and Bennett froze in place.
Bennett stared at them. He had already drawn his pistol and was shuffling slightly from side to side, clearly trying to get a better shot.
When he saw that Alex meant business, he backed away slightly and took the gun off target. But it was still in his hand.
Juliana opened the door, and they backed into the darkness of the corridor that led to the stage. Alex moved away from the door quickly. This was not what she had planned, but perhaps she could still salvage it.
Her excitement and nerves had been forgotten during the action. Now she had to think clearly.
She had researched the building, cased the area, and she knew she could flee through this corridor into the business offices and out the exit near the East River.
She was about to give up hope that she’d have a chance to fulfill her contract when the door opened and Michael Bennett stood outlined by the sunlight.
Chapter 86
I don’t know if I’d ever felt this kind of pure panic. Seeing my daughter with a gun to her head made me sick to my stomach. Literally. But vomiting wasn’t an option. That wouldn’t help anyone.
I had my gun up as I sprinted into the fatal funnel of the doorway. This is where cops are most likely to be shot. Outlined by bright light. I slipped into the corner near the door. It was dark, and I took a moment to let my eyes adjust.
I also had to let my breathing calm down. If I had to shoot, it might be a tight shot past Juliana. What a nightmare.
The woman continued to walk backward, dragging Juliana along with her. My daughter’s eyes showed the terror she felt, but she wasn’t crippled by fear. Seeing her like that almost crippled me.
I wasn’t sure where this dark hallway led, but I didn’t intend to let them get to the end of it.
Now I crept along the wall with my gun up in front of me and saw them again. The woman stopped, and I saw Juliana’s face clearly. She was terrified. So was I.
I made a decision, planted my feet, and took aim. As I let out my breath and focused over the front sight, I saw the woman’s dark eyes. We were fairly close, maybe twenty feet apart. I shut out every distraction: my pounding heart, the sweat in my eyes, my shaky hands, and the noise from the set.
Then the woman spoke. She said, “Get back. Lower your weapon or I’ll pull the trigger.”
It wasn’t just what she said; it was how she said it. She wasn’t panicked. Not ranting. She was calm. Professional. I had no choice.
I’d never surrender my gun, but I lowered it slightly. I couldn’t risk her harming my Juliana. I kept the gun in the low, ready position so I could pop it back on target quickly if I needed to.
I was trying to buy time. I knew that if Seamus and Father Alonzo were inside the building someone had called 911. The cavalry would be here soon.
I could feel a tremor in my arm, and it scared me. No parent could ever imagine being in a position like this.
The woman said, “Stay there,” in the same professional tone. Then she began backing away.
I let her go. All I wanted was Juliana safe. I watched as they reached the next door down the dark hallway. The woman eased the gun away from Juliana’s head slightly.
I felt a flicker of hope.
Then they were through the door and out of sight.
I had to get back to Juliana.
Chapter 87
Alex had a good grip on the girl as they slipped through the next door in the corridor and let it slam shut. At least she had something solid between her and Bennett. She could feel the girl trembling.
Alex’s face throbbed where the girl had elbowed her. But she was unharmed, had the right position, and was prepared to act. That gave her the confidence to think she’d be able to escape. She’d worry about Bennett another day.
She considered her options. Take the girl with her as a hostage, forget the girl and run, or kill the girl and leave her body to distract her father.
Almost immediately she ruled out the third option. She didn’t kill for enjoyment or to be vindictive. She killed for money.
Just as Alex was about to turn around so she could move faster, the door they had just come through burst open, and Michael Bennett stood there with the gun still in his hand. This guy never gave up.
Alex yelled, “Stop.”
&n
bsp; She liked that the cop froze in place.
Then she said, “Put your gun on the floor.” He didn’t move. Even his eyes didn’t give away his intentions.
Alex sweetened the pot. “Put your gun on the floor and I swear to God I’ll release your daughter.”
Bennett said, “Then you shoot me and it’ll be over?”
“The only promise I make is that I’ll release Juliana.”
She waited, knowing a man like this might decide to give up his own life for his daughter. She saw a flicker of doubt, or maybe it was confusion, cross his face. Then he held up his left hand to show it was empty as he slowly bent with the gun in his right hand, as though he was going to place it on the dusty hardwood floor.
She tightened her grip on Juliana just in case the feisty girl tried to escape at the last moment. She had proved to be as bold as her father.
From the awkward, stooped position, Bennett said, “Please release her now.”
From way down the hallway Alex heard someone call out, “Michael, where are you?”
Bennett shouted back, “Don’t come down here, Seamus. Everything will be all right. Just stay away.”
Alex wondered if another police officer was in the building. She said, “Who was that?”
“My grandfather. I brought him down here to see the set and visit Juliana. He’s no threat to you or anyone else.”
It was a reasonable story, and the detective certainly didn’t sound like he was lying.
Now it was time to fire the pistol once and be on her way.
Chapter 88
I kept slowing my movement to place the gun on the floor, hoping I’d see an opening or that this assassin would drop her guard. But she was good. Really good. She kept the gun screwed in tight to Juliana’s temple and kept her eyes on me.
It was the idea of a gun to my baby’s head that affected all my thinking. I didn’t care what happened as long as she was safe.
Even when Seamus called out, it didn’t break the assassin’s concentration. She kept the gun right where it was and managed to stare me down. Now I just hoped Seamus didn’t blunder into this shitty predicament.
I could see the woman getting impatient, and I wasn’t sure what to do. In every NYPD training session I had ever attended, instructors shouted at us, “Never surrender your gun.” Some of the old-school instructors were more colorful about it. The lesson had hit home and been seared into my personality.
The gun was part of me. If I surrendered it, I surrendered any chance I had to play a part in this drama. Not only would I be at the mercy of this killer, Juliana would be, too. But if I gave the gun up, the assassin said she’d release Juliana.
Then, behind the woman and Juliana, I saw movement. It was subtle. A shift in the light and shadow. It was plain that someone was close by.
Then hands wrapped around the woman’s shoulder and knocked the gun slightly away from Juliana’s head. The gun went off right in front of Juliana’s face. The noise was shattering. The flash illuminated Juliana’s eyes. Eyes filled with fear.
In the flash, I also saw Father Alonzo as he fell back with the woman in his grasp.
Through the din from the gunshot, I heard Father Alonzo yelling, “Grab Juliana.”
I did as I was told and grasped my daughter’s left wrist and pulled her so hard that I felt her whole body slam into mine. I lost my balance, and we both tumbled to the floor. It didn’t matter because my daughter was in my arms. And I still had my gun.
Father Alonzo and the woman wrestled on the floor. In the dark, I saw the flash of another muzzle blast an instant before I heard it. Once again, the sound bouncing off the solid walls of the hallway was incredible. It shook my whole body.
There was a brief scuffle after the gun went off, then the woman came off the floor in a sprint, running away from Father Alonzo, still on the floor. She was out of sight before I could even raise my pistol.
Quickly I came to his aid and knelt down next to him. He was starting to curl up in the fetal position. In the dim light, I could tell he’d been shot in the abdomen. He was already trying to stop the bleeding and keep his cool.
He looked up at me and said in a weak voice, “Juliana?”
“She’s safe. Thanks to you.”
“Old instincts die hard. I had to do something.” He winced and coughed. Some of his spittle was tinged with blood.
Juliana came up alongside me, and Seamus appeared from the hallway.
Seamus looked down and muttered, “Oh, God.” Then he also dropped to his knee, immediately took a handkerchief from his pocket, and told Alonzo to move his hands.
Seamus looked at me and said, “Help is on the way.”
Alonzo said, “You can’t do anything here. Go catch her and end this nightmare.”
I was running just as hard as she was in an instant.
Chapter 89
This was not how Alex Martinez had imagined the hit would go. But the mark of a professional is to make adjustments and come home alive at the end of the day. That was her goal right now.
She had no idea who’d grabbed her from behind, but he gave a good fight and barely let go even after she fired into his stomach.
She had run from the shooting and wandered for a few seconds inside the studio. She had turned from the main hallway and now was in a maze of corridors and storage rooms. She knew if she kept heading away from the door she had come through, she would find a way out. Going back through the same door would be suicide.
Alex wasn’t panicked. She never panicked. But she had never been in quite this situation. She wiped the sweat from her face several times and got control of her breathing. Every pillar and curtain looked the same. Was she going in circles?
She passed two different people in the patchwork of hallways and kept the gun in her hand, hidden in her purse.
She stopped the second man, apparently some kind of lighting technician, carrying a long pole with a set of lights on the end of it.
Alex said in a very calm and quiet voice, “Excuse me. I’ve gotten turned around. I want the exit facing the East River. Which way is that?”
The man put down the pole, which wasn’t a good sign for brevity.
Alex restrained her desire to screw the pistol into his neck and tell him to speak.
The man pointed behind him and said, “If you take this hallway to the end and turn left, I think there’s a door that takes you into the executive offices in the back of the building. The door may be locked.”
She mumbled, “Thanks,” as she kept heading that way. She picked up her pace and, as soon as the man was out of sight, broke into another run.
Alex wasn’t even thinking about laying another trap for Bennett. That guy was either really lucky or really sharp. She was afraid he was really sharp, but she knew he had a soft spot. She hoped that he had stayed to help the man she had shot in the abdomen.
She found the door the man was talking about and, as he said, it was locked.
Alex was going through it anyway—the only question was how much noise she would make. She knocked on it lightly and felt how sturdy it was. The hinges were on the other side.
She checked the lock, then pulled her stiletto from her purse. Unlike a regular knife, it didn’t have a perfectly flat blade, but it was still able to fit between the doorjamb and the door. Just that little bit of room allowed her to wiggle the knife and cause the locking mechanism to slip.
After a moment of playing with it, Alex was able to pull the door open. She saw brighter lights in the hallway beyond the door and knew this was where she wanted to be. She took a moment to straighten her blouse, then took a napkin from her purse and wiped it across her face to clean up any sweat.
Then she walked through the offices as if she were the supervisor. No one paid any attention to her as she walked toward the sunlight coming through wide bay windows facing the East River.
Chapter 90
I raced through the hallway with my pistol up in front of me, aware of the fact
that this woman could be waiting behind any corner with her pistol ready to fire. At that point it was a risk I was willing to take.
The terror I felt at seeing Juliana with a gun screwed to her temple had mutated to resolve. And anger. Any time people thought they could stir up shit in my city without any repercussions, I got mad. Now I was determined to stop this killer. If I didn’t, who knew when this nightmare might end and how many more people she would kill?
I ran all the way to the stage area, and of course the first person I saw was Carter Javits.
He was shaken to see me out of breath and with a gun in my hand. In my frantic state, I fairly shouted, “Carter, did a woman with long dark hair run through here?”
He just stared at me like a little kid. He didn’t say a word.
I called his name out sharp and loud. “Carter!”
He shook his head no.
“You haven’t seen anyone unusual?”
“A woman like that walked out with Jules a little while ago. She’s a talent agent.”
“Keep everyone in here. She’s dangerous. She has a gun. Help should be coming any minute.”
When he just stared at me again, I said, “Do you understand what I’m saying, Carter?”
This time he nodded.
I was running back down the hallway looking for turnoffs. I found one door that was unlocked and led me into a series of storage rooms and hallways that ran in several directions.
I pulled my badge from my back pocket and held it up to a guy carrying a pole with lights on it. I shouted, “NYPD. Have you seen a woman come this way?”
The guy was stunned, like most people are when confronted by an anxious cop. But he managed to get out, “She went down this way and was asking how to get into the main office.”
“How do you get in there?”
“End of this hallway, to your left. Heavy door that’s usually locked.”
Ambush Page 17