Cold Blooded Assassin Book 5: Nightmare in Red (Nick McCarty Assassin Series)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “No, I’m going back to New York. One of my apprentices will be here in my stead if that’s okay with you, Nick.”

  “No problem. It must get boring as hell waiting around here with us all day. We can’t even get our families to do it with us. We’re going to Salem on the Ferry tomorrow morning to see all the witch stuff.”

  “That’s a beautiful trip on the ferry, and there are plenty of things to see in Salem. Most of the tours are hokey but informative. I’m sure Jean will like it. Didn’t you say she has a friend with her too this trip?”

  “Yes, and they’re both excited about Salem. After dinner tonight, we’re going on the ‘Ghosts and Gravestones’ haunted tour of Boston. We heard that’s fun. We didn’t get a chance to do it the last time we were here for a signing.”

  “It’s okay. The kids should like it. Go to the bathroom before you leave on it. They don’t stop for bathroom breaks.”

  “Good tip, thanks. We’re being complete tourists tonight. We’re even going in the ‘Cheers’ bar from the TV show for an after tour drink.”

  Cassie smiled and nodded. “It’s good you’re having fun this trip, Nick. You three better get moving if you want to catch the last ‘Ghosts’ tour. If I remember right, it starts at nine.”

  “We’re stopping by this little Italian pizza and sandwich place, eating real quick and heading on tour. I already texted Rachel. She’s on her way over with everyone right now.”

  “I’ll give you a call after the next signing. The intern’s name is Beth Givens. She’ll be here when you arrive. She loves your Diego series.”

  “Fine with me. We’ll be here around noon on Saturday. I guess the crowd will be even larger, huh?”

  “Yep. The manager would like you to sign until nine if that’s okay,” Cassie told him with a grimace as if expecting to anger Nick.

  “I’m good with that. Gus and John may not want to stay though.”

  “I’m staying,” Gus said. “There were a lot more boat people than before. They all said they came because Jed would be here.”

  “I liked it also,” John agreed. “I hope there will be more BK’s and grammar Nazis though.”

  “I won’t share that hope with you, John.” Cassie waved on her way to the door.

  * * *

  As Nick led his group into the crowded Cheers bar past the life sized cardboard cutouts of the ‘Cheers’ TV show stars, Gus hurried alongside him.

  “Guess who followed us from the tour to the bar.”

  “Lokus.” Nick saw an opening along the wall near a table for the kids to sit at with the adults having access to the bar. “I saw him. He shadowed the tour in an old gray Toyota. I didn’t mention it because he wasn’t getting out of the car. I figured it would be better to wait it out until I saw what he had planned. We’re armed. I know it’s less than smart out here with the wives and kids, but I didn’t want to postpone the events. You know how upset Rachel gets when our business interrupts a planned family outing.”

  Nick helped everyone get seated, fending off Rachel’s worried look at his hushed conference with Gus. “Just a second, Rach. I’ll explain. Let me get everyone’s drinks and some appetizers.”

  “You’re not going to disappear on us, are you? We’re having such a great time.”

  “I know. Hold on for a moment. Gus, John, c’mon over here and let’s get some refreshments. Don’t worry, I know what everyone wants. You all have been yapping about it in my ear before the tour was half done. Any changes?”

  Silent smiles. “Okay then.” Nick ordered everything at the bar, and passed the servings to Gus and John to distribute. In under ten minutes everyone enjoyed the sights and sounds of the TV show bar while eating and drinking.

  Nick explained about Lokus following them through the tour and spotting him near the Cheers bar. “I didn’t want to worry you because Gus, John, and I are armed. He never left his car until now because of the common area with no traffic here.”

  “Thanks for telling me. I thought maybe your CIA buddy called you on some other mission.” Rachel rubbed the inside of Nick’s thigh while repositioning the sleeping Quinn’s baby holder at her chest. “I figured to get more Nick and Rachel together time tonight by the window view. What are you going to do about the Lokus guy?”

  “I thought maybe it would be a good idea to go have a special chat with him before we leave here. Everyone’s having a great time in this place so there’s no hurry to leave. I’ll find out what his plans are and come back in for another small beverage.”

  “You’re not going to chat with him like those guys that night on Pier 39 are you?”

  Nick’s mouth curled into his annoyed grin. “And if he’s lying in wait for a chance to blast us all, what then?”

  “Sorry. I know you’ll take care of it in a sensible manner, whatever that is in El Muerto-land. Can you get out of here without being seen?”

  “Did you just insult me?”

  Rachel giggled. “Sorry, this wine is shooting right to my brain.”

  “No problem. I do have to slip out and make sure my BK stalker isn’t planning on doing something rash. He was a bit unhinged at the bookstore, but I didn’t get any real dangerous vibes from him.”

  “Is your serial killer sixth sense getting dull? Maybe pretending to be El Muerto trapped your skills in comic book land.”

  “That’s just mean.”

  * * *

  Lupe Kintor waited across the Beacon Street main entrance to Cheers. He leaned against a tree inside the small park, completely in the dark shadows. Lupe, avatar name Lokus, calculated how long he might have to get away after emptying the clip in his illegal street bought 9mm Glock. It cost him a fortune to obtain the firearm in New Jersey years ago. This would be his greatest thrill yet. His other killings, randomly perpetrated on victims picked by a whimsical dislike of looks or speech, did not fill the void inside his chaotic thought processes completely. The killings, spaced across the East Coast where he could find menial labor work, only stilled his murderous urges for a short period of time.

  Kintor had never gone after any of his many Amazon hit piece review victims, be it products or novels. Under his avatar Lokus, Kintor enjoyed his freedom to lash out at anyone’s offerings on the Amazon marketplace without fear of discovery or accountability. Without ever using or reading the products or novels he excoriated the manufacturers or authors for online, he tossed off barely coherent chaotic reviews on anything that struck his fancy as he perused the marketplace. Meeting McCarty at the Harvard Bookstore appealed to Kintor’s base instincts. He assumed McCarty would fall all over himself apologizing for Kintor’s accusations of excessive violence. Instead, the bastard not only held him up for ridicule, exposing the fact he had never read the novels, but he somehow recognized his Lokus avatar.

  Lupe didn’t care if he killed McCarty. With so many in McCarty’s group, Kintor figured to wound or kill a lot of them before escaping in the confusion. He knew there were no cameras in the park or pointed at his position from across the street. The Amazon marketplace hit pieces were a satisfying leisure time pursuit for Kintor. He could simply change his avatar, but the thought of losing the notoriety he had gained enraged him. McCarty would pay for what he did to him today at the bookstore. Lupe smiled, wondering if he would see the horror on McCarty’s face as his loved ones dropped.

  Kintor’s eyes widened, his mouth popping open to suck in a shocked breath as a hand yanked his head back. The razor sharp blade opened Lupe’s neck in a deep wide grin of cascading blood. Smoky black shadows obscured his weakening vision as Lupe collapsed with a gargling finality to the ground, his hands clawing at his blood washed neck. Eyes widening to hold onto sight for even a second longer, his mouth working soundlessly, Kintor’s last vision was of McCarty’s face, and a black gloved hand waving goodbye with only the fingers folding and straightening as a child’s does.

  * * *

  Nick patted down Lupe’s corpse after cleaning off his knife blade on Kintor’s cloth
ing. He kept an eye on sidewalk and street traffic. No one was near the park’s interior. Nick felt the Glock stuck inside Lupe’s belt at the back. He took it out and placed the weapon in Kintor’s hand. As he had explained to Gus when blowing away the Iranian gunboat, he didn’t like being hunted… by anyone for any reason. The fact Lupe carried a weapon surprised Nick a little. Nick wasn’t even curious about the guy’s real name. Although telling Rachel he would find out what his follower wanted, in reality Nick didn’t care. I don’t need someone tailing me and mine for the next couple days while in Boston or crossing to Salem. Nick straightened, taking a last look at Lupe. You poor dupe - wrong place, wrong time, and wrong choices.

  Nick grinned as he jogged deeper into the park before circling, muttering, “El Muerto… away.”

  * * *

  Slipping into the seat next to Rachel, Nick waved at his curious friends before telling a half truth. “I had to make a phone call and update Paul on what we’ve been doing. He said to say hi to everyone. How do you kids like Cheers?”

  “It’s nice here,” Jean replied. “I never saw the TV show, but it’s neat how many people keep gawking at the cardboard cutouts of the old TV stars. The show fans are even taking pictures and movies of themselves around the cutouts. The snacks are great.”

  “I liked everything so far,” Sonny added. “I’ve watched a couple of the TV series shows. They were mostly about adults drinking in a bar. I guess people thought they were funny. I’m looking forward to riding the ferry to Salem tomorrow. I’ve heard a lot about the place. Do you like going to places like Salem, Nick?”

  “Sure. I don’t really get the fascination with witches. I do understand the tragedy of Salem lynching innocent people because they thought the people were witches. The only thing that stopped the mess was when the crowd of witch obsessed people accused Governor Phips’ wife of witchcraft. He dumped the practice of accepting spectral evidence and in doing so ended the very strange mass lunacy.”

  “Wow, Dad, you know a lot about the time period,” Jean said.

  “I was a kid once. Anything paranormal was on my radar. They had old Hollywood movies showing witches burned at the stake, but I found out they mostly did it that way in Europe. Anyway, I researched the Salem witch trials and found out some of the facts and appeased my writerly curiosity.”

  “The ferry ride lasts around forty-five minutes,” John said. “I bet the view from the boat is very nice.”

  “I need to take my Dramamine,” Tina said. “I don’t like boats much.”

  “They always travel at speeds to keep the ferry as calm in the water as possible,” Gus said. “You won’t have any trouble. I read online where they have a bar on board. I believe a cocktail or two will enhance the ocean cruise a bit.”

  “There will be a lot of walking and touring,” Rachel said. “The adults without kids to worry about can do as you wish. Muerto and I have child protector obligations to perform. Understand, Muerto?”

  “Yes dear.” Nick sighed. “I think I better have another here before we go.”

  “I’ll get it.” Gus stood to go for the drinks and stopped. “Hey, there’s flashing police lights across from the front entrance near the park. When we leave, maybe we better take the side exit.”

  “That’s a good idea, Gus,” Nick agreed. “Maybe we should enjoy Cheers a while longer until they sort out what’s wrong over there.”

  “I get the feeling we could find out without ever leaving the bar,” Rachel said. “Our limo driver has to meet us on Beacon Street out front. We could go out the side and then walk along in the common area until we come out a block down the way.”

  “Also an excellent idea,” Nick again agreed. “I’m sure we don’t want to be mixed in the looky loo crowd around a police crime scene.”

  Gus chuckled, getting the drift of the conversation’s undercurrent as did John. “Would you like a double, Nick?”

  “That would be very nice. I still have half a beer to escort a lovely double down.”

  Rachel leaned over to grab Nick’s thigh and whisper closer to his ear. “I thought you were going to go on a fact finding mission.”

  “I did but the facts were confusing.”

  “Meaning you don’t know or care how innocent or guilty the stalker was?”

  Nick cupped Rachel’s chin, kissing her lightly. “No one’s innocent.”

  * * *

  Nick typed furiously, immersed in a scene where once again Fatima manages to betray Diego, only to find Diego two steps ahead of her plot. Fatima shakes a fist at Diego where he has stood so she could see him, the five bodies of her comrades lying around at her feet. Fatima-”

  A light knock tapped at the hotel door. The computer time read 5:34 am. Nick gripped his .45 Colt in hand, mind still trapped within Diego’s world for a few more seconds. At the door, he peeked quickly through the wide angle observation eye in the door. Gus’s smiling face with John standing behind him knocked Nick off stride for a moment, wondering if he had mentioned an early morning meeting. He opened the door.

  “To what do I owe this questionable pleasure? You two do know I’m trying like hell to finish ‘Dark Interlude’. It’s highly unusual to see you two this early unless something very strange has happened.”

  “If you would be considerate enough to invite us in for a cup of enhanced coffee for us to enjoy by the darkened harbor view, I’ll share what John found this morning. It’s a good thing you remembered to bring your own coffee maker. It’s nuts this high class place doesn’t have a damn coffee maker.”

  Nick moved aside. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking about anything but the novel plot. Yeah, they want you to order room service. I can’t be bothered with that. C’mon in. I just made a pot. I’ll have an Irish with you by the window.”

  Nick served at the bar area where he established his own coffee station, complete with cups, booze, and additives. After they were comfortable on the couches, the three sipped their elixir for a moment’s pleasure while watching the darkened harbor beyond the window.

  “So… what has you two on the go this morning. I figured no one would be awake before 8 am. The Salem Ferry doesn’t leave until 9:30.”

  “You didn’t say anything about the Lokus guy. John and I naturally assumed you relieved the world of an annoying but probably innocent man on a Muerto whim,” Gus said.

  “Did you know about the guy’s past before you killed him, Muerto,” John asked.

  Nick shrugged. “Nope. I confess I didn’t have a clue nor did I care. Was he a priest or something? He had a gun, not that I knew that when I slit his throat. Tell me about my poor dead victim, Lokus. I doubt I’ll care after you finish, but you can try and make me feel bad for him. Lay it on me.”

  Before Nick made it through half of his retort Gus and John were snorting amusement, nodding at each other.

  “We knew you did him,” Gus said. “John said he’d find out what the guy’s story was, but nothing was covered about the death until early this morning, and only on a couple Internet news outlets. John was already awake doing God knows what at 4 am, so he remembered to check on poor Lokus.”

  “I thought for certain you knew something about the man after I read the news story. That you didn’t is kind of funny and disturbing at the same time. His real name was Lupe Kintor. They matched the ballistics from the Glock in his hand to a dozen murders from New Jersey, New York, Maine, and Vermont. He only arrived here in Boston a week ago. Gus and I thought you did some kind of Muerto mind meld.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you guys. I didn’t do a mind meld. Hell, I didn’t know he had a gun until I frisked him. I might have questioned him if he had followed me somewhere by myself. When he decided to follow all of us, Lokus or Lupe stepped in it for the last time.”

  “You put the gun in his hand?”

  “Yes, Payaso. I wanted the cops to think it may have been a drug deal gone bad. Frankly, I think he planned on emptying the thing on us when we walked out of Cheers. He would have gott
en away with it too. Lupe could have run through the dark park to the other side. No one would have even known where the shots were fired from. So this Kintor guy was a serial killer. Oh my… I’m so relieved.”

  The Unholy Trio enjoyed Nick’s off the cuff lie for a few moments while sipping their loaded coffees.

  “Rachel said something to me last night when I returned from meeting with my fan. She wondered if my playing Muerto has wrecked my sixth sense about dangerous people. Remember when I picked out the serial killer named Kroneg staking out the woman at the convenience store, Gus?”

  “Yeah, that was one insightful snag there. You played El Muerto and nearly arrived too late to save the girl… ah… Sharon Tennington. Like I told you that night it’s not a miracle when one serial killer can spot another serial killer. So, what’s got you thinkin’ about Muerto and a goofy sixth sense?”

  “Maybe I am dulling down my sensory instincts a bit while playing El Muerto,” Nick admitted. “I enjoy the hell out of pissing off all the Islamist nut-cakes around the globe but Rachel had me thinking about it. Don’t worry, John, I’m not giving up Muerto, Payaso, and El Kabong.”

  John shrugged. “I like the El Kabong a lot. Fame is a captivating mistress. We get millions of hits on our videos and thousands of comments from people who wish we’d kill a lot more. That is way cool you found and dealt with a serial killer from instinct at a store. Is it that you think you have lost the ability to do so?”

  “Nope. I am thinking about paying more attention though. I need to keep my instincts honed on everything in our range of doing good. It helps me ascertain threats when we do work for Paul too. I admit I’ve been getting so far into the comic book superhero realm, I may not be paying attention to detail as I am accustomed to doing. When I was killing on assignment, I saw more than a few serial killers because I was paying attention to detail.”

  “Did you kill them?”

  Nick shook his head. “A lot of things have changed inside my head since then. I did kill one though. He was watching a little girl on a playground I used to track a mark’s movements at an office building across the street. Once I saw the Mom who was watching the same girl, I knew the guy wasn’t her daddy and he was on the hunt. I was to make a statement with the kill I was sent there for in Chicago. When the mark stepped out of the office building, I put two into his head, turned, and put two into the other guy’s head. Frank of course went ballistic because I nearly didn’t make it out of the city in time. Our employers thought the job was a bit diluted because I killed two. I told him if I didn’t get paid in full, I’d make it three for free.”