Sid, Sam, and Guppy leaned closer. The man on the screen had kinky hair and was going bald. His cheeks were saggy, and so was his jaw. Russ played the eyewitness interview, and the man sounded like a real know-it-all. He recalled a lot of interesting details: how many shots were fired and what the shooter was wearing.
“Okay, where are you going with this?” Sid asked.
“Well, watch this other interview. Same guy, right, but different shooting. This was from a taping just outside of Atlanta. Remember that shooting at the university? Guess who was there.” He played the video.
“Hah!” Sam said. “That SOB recited the same MO. I’ll be damned. You know I read an article that said the Atlanta shooting never happened.”
“That was my article,” Russ said, giving her a smile.
“Well, it was a good one. But reading that, and seeing this all for myself, now that is something.” Sam walked away. “I need a beer.”
“I’ll take one,” Guppy added.
“Sure, help yourselves,” Russ said. “And I can only assume you guys are going to stick around long enough to help me clean up this mess.”
“Phllyyt!” Asia said. “This place is hopeless.”
“It ain’t that bad.” He shook his head. “Tough crowd. Anyway, I’ve got this guy on two other videos and two more separate incidents. And he’s not the only one. There are others too. He’s just the one I hate the most.”
“Why do you hate him? Have you met him?” Sam said, coming back with two beers.
“The man’s a liar. I just can’t stand liars.”
“Maybe you should consider moving out of this city,” Sam said, taking a seat on the edge of his desk. “Ever consider that?”
“Nope.” Russ guzzled down the rest of his beer and tossed the bottle into a little trash can that toppled over. “Because that’s just what they want.”
“So you think Congressman Wilhelm wasn’t even shot?” Sid said.
“Have you seen his body, dead or alive? Has anyone? No, this stinks, and it’s got the Drake written all over it. Crap. Uh, can someone beer me?”
Asia got up and returned with a beer. She tossed it to him. “Hope you can take the cap off by yourself, sloppy man.” She returned to her seat.
Looking around his screen at Asia, Russ said, “I can’t tell if I like her or not. Pretty and mean. Huh. What’s her story?”
“Mean,” Guppy said.
“Russ, what’s your theory then? Why the setup?” Sid asked.
He twisted the cap off his bottle and replied, “It’s pretty clear to me. They have a DC-wide manhunt going on because they want your pal John Smoke dead.”
CHAPTER 16
Smoke dead. Sidney felt hollow inside on the drive back to the hotel. It didn’t help that everyone else was a little quiet as well.
“Oh, he’ll be alright,” Sam said, reaching up and rubbing Sid’s shoulder. “He hasn’t been caught.”
“It hasn’t even been a day,” Sid said, cruising the streets of DC. A tingle went up and down her spine as she passed by a police car with flashing lights on. A man was handcuffed and being stuffed into the back of the patrol car. Everyone in Sid’s car was looking. “Has anyone heard anything at all from him?”
“No,” Guppy said. “And I don’t suppose we will either, too risky. You know what I mean.”
“Your weird boyfriend likes to hide,” Asia said. She was checking her makeup in the visor mirror. “He be fine. Say, how about we stop and get something to eat before we go back to the hotel? I’m in the mood for some Indian cuisine, eh? Spicy food makes your worries go away.”
“I’m not hungry,” Sid said, irritated, “but I’d love to drop you off so you can gorge your little self.”
“Don’t be so frosty,” Asia said.
Sam chuckled. “Forgive her, Sid. It’s taken us some time to get used to her too.”
Sid had gotten used to Sam and Guppy over the last few months, since they’d all been working together as bounty hunters. The pair had been nothing short of reliable, sharp witted, and effective. They would make great FBI agents, but they were pretty heavy on the big government conspiracy side. On the one hand, they seemed pretty kooky with their theories, but on the other hand, there was the Black Slate. It made it kind of hard to rule out anything they said. “I think we need to see if we can figure out where Congressman Wilhelm is. If this was staged, he’s probably alive somewhere.”
“He’s at Angels of Mercy Hospital, right?” Sam said. “Me and Guppy can handle it. I’m a pretty persuasive woman when I put my mind to it.”
“You’re always persuasive,” Guppy said.
“Aw!” Sam kissed Guppy on the forehead. “You’re so sweet, honey.”
“Honey?” Sid and Asia both said together. Sid continued. “Are you two dating or something?”
“Dating?” Sam took out a compact mirror and started putting some lipstick on. “Certainly not dating.”
Guppy chuckled. “We’re married.”
“What?” Sid and Asia both said with alarm. “You’re serious?”
“Of course. Geez, didn’t you know that?” Sam said. She held her hand out and flashed the many rings on it. “See that rock. Or those rocks?”
Sid had noticed Sam’s bejeweled fingers before. The woman had plenty of rings, and she changed them out all the time too. Sid had never paid any mind to the small engagement ring that was always there. “Interesting. So where’s your ring, Guppy?” she said into the rearview mirror. “I don’t see any rings on your fingers.”
Guppy pulled out a heavy chain around his neck. There was a gold band attached to it along with a pair of dog tags. “I’ve gotten a little heftier since we got married, so it don’t fit no more.”
“Then go on diet,” Asia said, “chubby dwarf.”
“Great,” Sid said. She took pride in figuring things out for herself, but she’d totally missed on Sam and Guppy. The pair worked so well together, and neither ever fawned or argued. Of course, she wasn’t with them most of the time, but still …
How did I miss that?
She’d even done background checks on them and didn’t recollect anything about them being married.
Guppy, sitting in the back, eased up between the front seats. “I know what you’re thinking, Sid. How’d you miss that? You see, not everything’s on public record. That’s just what they want, and they can use it against you. But don’t worry.” He pointed up and gave her a wink. “He saw the entire ceremony.”
Sid showed a little smile. “So, are there any other secrets I need to know about that my thorough research missed?”
Sam and Guppy sank back into their seats.
Asia started humming.
Sid smacked the wheel with her hands. “Seriously? There’s a bigger secret than you two being married?”
“No one said it was a secret,” Sam said, tucking her lipstick away. “You just missed it.”
“What else did I miss, then?”
“Uh, well, there’s only one other oversight I can think of,” Sam said. “I’m Smoke’s sister.”
Sid pulled the car over into a grocery parking lot, slammed it into park, and turned her shoulder toward Sam. “What?”
“Well, half-sister, sort of.”
“Which is it?”
“It’s complicated?”
“Do you have the same father or the same mother?”
“More complicated than that,” Sam said. “Look, I don’t really want to discuss it. But at least now you know.” She flipped her hands up. “There. No more secrets.”
“You can’t just leave me hanging,” Sid said, taking a demanding tone.
“You know enough. That’s it.” Sam made the zipped-lips motion and looked out the window.
“She won’t talk now,” Guppy said. “Trust me.”
“True, but I’m sure you know as much as she does,” Sid said.
“That is true, Sid, but I know better than to open my mouth and tick off my wife. You’ll have
to get it from her someday. Or him.”
“Yeah, right.” Sid put the car in gear and headed toward Angel of Mercy Hospital. A long twelve minutes later, she dropped off Sam and Guppy at the hospital’s ER entrance. Getting out and letting Sam out of her side, she took the woman by the arm, a little torn between mad and happy when she said, “The more I know, the more likely I am to say yes. I don’t like secrets.”
Sam gave her a tough little nod. “I’ll be in touch.”
Sid sat back down in the car and looked at Asia. “Do you have any secrets that you want to share?”
Asia patted her belly. “No secrets here. Hungry.”
Sid started pulling out of the emergency room entrance.
A man walked right in front of her car toward the hospital.
She hit the brake and laid on the horn. “Idiot.”
The man kept moving. Head down and clutching his side, he vanished through the sliding glass doors.
“I can’t stand hospitals,” Sid grumbled.
“Me either,” Asia agreed.
While she was driving down the parking lot, a crash of glass exploded from somewhere outside. A man toppled out of a third-floor window. The bushes broke his fall. Another man sailed out of the window and hit the pavement hard.
“Holy crap!” Asia said. “Men don’t fly so well.”
Standing inside the third-floor window was a tall and ranging man with his back to them. He moved fast, fading in and out of sight. He wore green scrubs and had a surgeon’s cap and mask on his head. The sharp pop of gunfire sounded from somewhere inside the building. The man dressed as a doctor jumped out of the window and landed in the bushes.
“Looks like another person going to need emergency room,” Asia commented.
The man sprang up out of the bushes and took off at a full sprint.
Men in dark suits and glasses hung out of the window and started firing.
“What kind of hospital is this?” Asia said, folding her arms over her chest. “They shooting at the doctors!”
“Asia, that’s not a doctor,” Sid said, “that’s Smoke.”
CHAPTER 17
“Really?” Asia said. “He’s a doctor and a bounty hunter? Looks like he’s probably a better bounty hunter.”
“Shut up, Asia.” Sid stomped on the gas, peeling rubber.
Smoke’s head popped up between the cars in the parking lot briefly, and then she lost sight of him. “Damn!” She cruised up the parking lot, looking left and right. “Where did he go?”
“I think we better get out of here,” Asia said, peeking in the side-view mirror. “Angry patients everywhere.”
Men in suits poured out of the emergency room exits and spread out all over the parking lot.
Sid counted eight of them with guns ready.
What have you done now, John?
“Look, Sid, you need to get us out of here.” Asia tapped on her shoulder. “Look!”
Police cars with flashing lights were coming. In seconds the entire parking lot would be sealed off.
Sid couldn’t get pulled over and have the trunk searched either. She eased on the gas and squeezed off the lot and onto the main road just as two cop cars blew by. She pulled off on the berm and looked back for Smoke. “Whew!” she said, heart racing and looking forward.
The whine of a motorcycle engine caught her ear.
She looked back.
Smoke was on a street bike, hemmed in by Secret Service and cops. The only way off the lot was through the police barricade. Officers from all over were swarming in from all directions now. Smoke revved up the bike and took off straight toward the shooters.
“No!”
Like a bullet, the bike screamed down the parking lot straight into the path of the shooters. Smoke and the ultra-fast bike covered the distance to the barricade in two seconds.
The shooters jumped aside just as Smoke squeezed between the bumpers of two cars and jettisoned out onto the main road. A hail of gunfire and screams of shock and alarm followed.
The wide-eyed Asia turned to Sid. “If you marry him, you better get a lot of life insurance.”
“I will,” Sid said, gunning the engine, “if I don’t kill him first.”
The Hellcat’s engine revved. Rubber burned.
Pinned to their seats, Sid and Asia chased after the diminishing speck of John Smoke.
“Slow down, slow down!” Asia screamed.
Sid did no such thing. She blew by three cars merging onto the highway and was up to a hundred miles per hour before Asia screamed again.
“Aiyeee!”
The Hellcat closed in on Smoke.
With Smoke’s hair flying in the wind behind it, the big green ghost had slowed, but it still weaved in and out of the cars on the highway.
“Where are you going, John?” Sidney checked her rearview mirror.
Police lights sparkled, but they were still far behind. It wouldn’t be long before every police car in town packed the interstate. She pressed on the gas. A hundred and twenty. A hundred and thirty.
“You’re crazy!” Asia yelled.
It was crazy. Illegal. Dangerous. Stupid even, but she had to catch up to Smoke. Ahead, she saw the helmetless man glance over his shoulder. “But he’s crazier than me. He doesn’t even have a seatbelt.”
Asia balled up in the seat, clutching the seatbelt with her eyes squeezed shut, chanting, “Please don’t wreck. Please don’t wreck. Please don’t wreck. I don’t want to die yet!”
Smoke’s motorcycle slowed and moved over to the right lane. Sid caught up and pulled alongside him. They both backed off to about seventy miles per hour. She rolled down her window.
“Hi, Sid!” Smoke yelled.
“Don’t you ‘Hi’ me, you idiot. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Evading law enforcement.” His eyes scanned the Hellcat. “Nice ride. Where’d you get it?”
“Never mind that, John! What’s going on? What’s your plan?” she asked.
“I need to clear my name and probably blow up a few things. Look, Sid, stay away from this. I can handle it.” Still cruising down the highway at seventy miles per hour, he put his hand on the car door and peeked in. “Hey, Asia.”
“Shut up, crazy man!” said the little woman.
“John, you can’t do this alone. It’s too big.” She could hear the sirens now. “They’re going to kill you.”
“Aw, Sid, don’t worry. You can count on me.” He glanced back. “Tell you what, follow me off the next exit ramp. I’ve got a plan.” He sped the bike up, but then he slowed down and approached her window again. “Oh, wait. Do you happen to have an extra gun in there?”
Asia popped open the glove box and tossed over a 1911 semi-auto with an extra-long clip.
Sid handed it to him.
Smoke stuffed it down the front of his pants. “Thanks. Now follow me.” He led them off the next exit ramp, where traffic was bumper-to-bumper at the red light.
“Morning Glory. What is he doing? Is he stupid?”
Smoke turned around and saluted. Revving up the bike, he squirted through the traffic, raced through the intersection, popped a wheelie, and roared back up the other side of the entrance ramp.
“No you didn’t!” Sid screamed, banging her hands on the wheel.
“Yes he did,” Asia said, dabbing the sweat off her brow. “And I’m happy for it. He’s crazy, but in a sexy way.”
Sid ground her teeth.
I can’t believe he did that.
Police sirens roared by on the interstate over their heads. Looking up through the window, Sid saw two choppers zoom overhead. Men were manning the machine guns on both of them. Helpless and gaping, Sid felt doom creep between her shoulder blades.
CHAPTER 18
“The manhunt is still on for this suspect the authorities have not identified,” said the female reporter on the television screen. She was standing outside the Angels of Mercy hospital. A picture of John Smoke, a little blurry, appeared in the right-ha
nd corner. “Authorities say this man is armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him, but send any information you have to the contacts listed on your screen.”
Sid turned the television off and lay back on her couch, rubbing her temples. “What are you doing to me, John Smoke?”
“Did you say something?” Sam said, popping her head out of the kitchen. She wore an apron, and her hair was up in a bun. “Say, why don’t we make some cookies? It will make you feel better.” She rummaged through the cupboards, opening and closing the doors. “Or maybe not. You don’t cook very much, do you.”
“I don’t eat a lot.”
“That’s a good thing. Too much gluten in everything.”
Sid leaned over on her side, facing Sam. “And you’re wanting to make cookies?”
“I didn’t say we had to eat them. I usually just give them to Guppy. Maybe that little Chinese lady. She eats like she has a tapeworm or something.”
Sid put her feet on the floor and rubbed her eyes. It had been two days since Smoke lost her on the highway, and she’d barely slept a wink because of it. And things had been quiet. Too quiet. It didn’t seem possible that Smoke could have escaped just about every law enforcement official in DC. And those helicopters really put the fright in Sid. What if Smoke was already dead?
“Don’t do that,” Sam said.
“Do what?”
“You’re biting your nails.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
“Why don’t we go out and get some fresh air?” Sam suggested. She took off her apron. She was wearing a sequined shirt with a dragon on it, jeans, and high heels. “Maybe some good news will find its way to us.”
Sid headed for the bedroom. “I need to change.”
“Why don’t you put that sweetheart suit on? It’ll make you feel better. Besides, you never know when we might run into danger.”
“Then why don’t you wear one too?” Sid said. She took off her shirt and opened the case to the sweetheart suit.
“Not my thing,” Sam replied. “But if I were you, I’d be wearing it. Especially after what you told me about those rats. Ew!”
The Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files Collector's Set: Books 1-10: Urban Fantasy Shifter Series Page 60