And the job was about to get a little more exciting.
He spoke low to Papa Bear and Doc B. “Your guy waiting for you?”
“Affirmative.”
David frowned. “Can you go low?”
“On three.”
“One,” David counted.
“Two,” Papa Bear said.
David dropped to his knees. Chase did the same. “Three,” David said and nodded to Chase, who grasped the knob and gave it a twist even as he dropped lower and rolled to his back with his weapon up. The door flew open, the guard fired. A low pop-pop that told David he had a silencer on the end. The shots cleared his head and missed Chase by a nice margin. David clipped the shooter in the knees while Chase fired once. The man screamed and dropped, left hand clutching his right shoulder.
David kicked his weapon away and looked up. Papa Bear and Doc B had their guard taken care of as well. David patted his prisoner down, removing a pocketknife, a wallet, and two other guns, one hidden in the waistband, the other around the man’s left ankle.
The guard stared, his eyes narrowed. Hate and pain spilled out. David ignored him and took the duct tape from Chase. He bound the man’s hands behind him, ignoring the gasp of pain when he pulled on his wounded shoulder. He then slapped a piece of tape over the guard’s mouth. Several layers of tape around his ankles and Chase rolled him into the stairwell. “Sit tight and we might get you some medical attention before too long.”
David checked on the others. Identical measures were happening down the hall and no shots had been fired on their end. David figured he could count on Papa Bear rubbing that in when it was all over. He prayed the man had the chance to rib him.
When they were done, they slipped down the hall, David and Chase coming from the east, Papa Bear and Doc B from the west. David led, Papa Bear faced him. David’s blood rushed, his senses sharp and in tune. He’d missed this. The action, the rush. Probably one of the reasons he’d turned to gambling. It gave him a similar emotional high he’d found in running missions.
Only he’d discovered that after marrying Summer and finding Christ, he didn’t need that high. He’d found peace. A contentment for the first time in his life.
And there was no way he was going to give that up. After a quick prayer to the Almighty to end this madness, he was ready.
Summer couldn’t take her eyes away from the front of the building. The glass doors had shut behind David and Chase only a short time ago. Ron had disappeared around the side to take care of the guys in the gas truck. Law enforcement was there, but not in huge numbers. Not enough to make her feel safe. But she hoped the uniforms would keep away the people after her.
“No one knows we’re here, right?”
Adam sat beside her, keeping watch. He slanted her a glance. “Right.” Then silence. A silence that stretched until he finally broke it. “David’s a good guy.”
She looked at him. “Tell me why you say that.”
“I guess he told you the story about how he and Ron met.”
“Yes. At least most of it anyway.” She looked back toward the building. “He told you the story?”
“No. Mike did.”
“Is Mike all right?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t heard from him.” The grim tone said more than his words. He checked the street one more time. “According to Mike, David’s personality did a one-eighty after he ended up in the hospital. After Ron got ahold of him.”
“He said Ron paid off a huge gambling debt.”
“I know. It’s crazy, but apparently David’s not the first person Ron’s helped.”
She nodded. “Who is Ron?”
Adam shrugged. “I’m not sure. I don’t think David even knows the details about him. He just seems to show up when he’s needed.”
Summer watched the pedestrians passing and absently wondered who they were and where they were going. She felt a pang of jealousy at their outward confidence that no one was going to try to shoot them as they walked down the sidewalk.
She shifted, antsy and uneasy. “You think they’re in there yet?”
“Yes. I’m listening to them.” He pointed to his earpiece. “But right now they’re only speaking when they have to.” He paused. “Why were you so determined to be at court on Tuesday?”
She lifted a brow. “You mean you haven’t read the dossier that contains every last detail of my life, including my past?”
He had the grace to flush. “Yes. I’ve read it.”
“Then you know why.”
“No, not really. It had the basics in there, but nothing about you, your personality.”
Summer looked away. “It’s not a pretty story.”
“I know your father was killed in a bar fight.”
She let out a bitter laugh. “That was a blessing.”
Adam stayed silent and Summer shrugged. Why not? “My parents were a lot like Silas and Olivia Todd with one exception. My mother was … is … a very weak woman while Olivia grew a backbone and saved her kids.”
“Your father was abusive.”
A statement, not a question. She nodded anyway. “Very. Verbally, physically, you name it. Especially when he’d been drinking.”
“But your mother got up the guts to leave him.”
“She did. Finally. When I was almost ten years old. Marlee was around four and Nick was seven. My dad broke Nick’s arm and his jaw one night, and I think that’s when my mother had had enough. At least for that night. She packed us up and took us to my grandmother’s house about an hour away.”
“Then what?”
“He came after us the next day, of course, but my grandmother was a fighter. She’d been trying to get my mother to leave my dad for a couple of years at this point. Grams called the cops and told them what he’d done to Nick. My mom didn’t want to press charges, but my grandmother did. It didn’t matter anyway. You know how a domestic violence report works. It doesn’t matter what the facts are, if someone makes a report, the cops make the arrest. So they arrested my dad, but of course he didn’t stay there very long. When he got out, he was ready to draw blood. And the way to do that was to use us kids.”
Adam snorted and she nodded. “Right,” she said. “He moved out of the house and filed for divorce.”
“He did?”
“Yeah. And he filed for full custody of us kids.”
Adam winced. “And?”
“He got it. He had some dirt dug up on my mom that he used against her. And then my mother’s lawyer didn’t show up and his lawyer went for the jugular.”
“Ouch, I’m sorry.” He peered out the window, moved to the back, and looked out that window. Then the front. Then he settled back into the seat beside her. “Keep an eye on that side mirror. We don’t want any surprises.”
She nodded. “My mother’s lawyer had been detained. She’d passed out in the bathroom of the courthouse, and no one found her until after the judge ruled.”
“But you would have had to have a lawyer, right? I mean the judge just wouldn’t rule without hearing arguments.”
“Oh we had a lawyer. They had someone come over from the firm. Someone totally unfamiliar with the case. He didn’t care what happened to us. The judge ruled my mother unfit and gave us to my father.”
“Didn’t you protest?”
“All the way out the door.” She bit her lip. “I actually had a choice. I could have gone to live with my mother, but my brother and sister were to live with my father. I wasn’t going to leave them alone. And I paid for it for the next three years.”
“Then he was stabbed to death in the bar fight.”
“Yes. But—”
The van window exploded and Adam shouted. A gunshot cracked and Summer screamed as she saw Adam jerk. In horror, she realized the bullet had gone through his Kevlar vest. She reached for him. He stared at her and mouthed, “I’m sorry,” before his eyes closed and he went limp. Her window shattered and glass flew in on her.
Another scream welled as
a black-gloved hand reached in and flicked the lock button. Summer scrambled for the handle on her door, but she just couldn’t move fast enough. Adam’s door flew open and rough hands grabbed her. “Don’t give me a hard time or I’ll just kill you right here.” He pulled her across Adam’s still body and onto the sidewalk.
Pedestrians scattered, fleeing into open doors or hiding behind vehicles, terrified and screaming. What had only seconds before been a busy sidewalk now looked deserted and bare. Summer fought against the hold, kicking out, but he was too strong and her position too awkward for her to do anything.
She struggled wildly as he pulled her toward the building.
45
David flinched at the sound of gunfire coming through his earpiece and froze with his hand on the handle that would open the door to Raimondi’s home. A woman screamed in his ear. One that sounded a lot like Summer. He looked at Chase. “You hear that?”
“Yeah.” He frowned. “Where’s it coming from?”
“Cover the door.” David removed the key and trod on silent feet to the window at the end of the hallway.
“Adam,” he hissed. David’s blood scooted a bit faster in his veins. He had been listening to Summer tell Adam her story. He knew the others on the team had heard it too, but not one of them would let on. What was Adam thinking, getting her to talk about something so personal when he knew they were all online? Then he realized Summer knew they were all listening when she told her story. She didn’t care who knew about her past. She’d risen above it and now helped others. Maybe she thought by telling the story, it would paint Adam a better picture of why she’d chosen to show up at the courthouse on Tuesday.
At the window, David peered down. “Looks like trouble on the street. We’re so high up, it’s hard to tell. Adam. You there?” Adam’s continued silence sent cold chills up David’s spine. “Adam? Answer me.”
Blue came over the line. “They’ve got Summer. Heading for the door. Want me to stop them?”
Words he never wanted to hear. Dread centered itself in his gut, cold and hard. “No, let them come up. Make sure whoever has Summer has no reason to believe we know anything is wrong, then get help for Adam. We’ll take care of the guy who has Summer.”
“I’m at the desk. I watched the whole thing go down. Help for Adam’s on the way.” A pause. “And here they come. We’re ducking behind the desk and gonna let them go up. I’ve got the elevators online right now.”
David’s heart slowed a little as scenarios flashed through his mind. Should he tell Blue to trap them on the elevator? No, getting to her would take too long and with such tight quarters, if a weapon went off … no, not the elevator.
In the hall? Should they wait on them? But again, if shots were fired, no telling how much help Raimondi had behind his closed door. He rushed back down to Chase. “You heard?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, they don’t know about us yet. Let’s keep it that way. We need to get things under control before they get up here and I’m guessing we don’t have long.”
“Not long enough,” Chase said. “Cops’ll be on the way too.”
David hesitated, everything in him wanting to be waiting when the elevator opened. But he’d have a better chance of containing the situation inside the penthouse. As long as the rest of the plan went the way it was supposed to.
Please, God.
He slid the key into the lock once more and twisted. This time, he pressed on the handle and the door opened without a sound. Chase entered first, weapon ready, grip held close to his chest, prepared for any threat that should surface. David followed and scoped the place with quick, short glances, his pose similar to Chase’s.
David let the door click shut behind him. The foyer was empty. It led to a den area straight ahead. A formal dining area to the left and a hall that led to the bedrooms branched off to the right.
Papa Bear’s voice came again. “Little Lou is rappeling down the side of the building. He’ll be coming through the bedroom balcony door. If it’s locked, it may take him a few seconds.”
“It’ll be locked,” David murmured, remembering the man’s obsession with security. Even on the twenty-sixth floor, Raimondi still locked everything that could be opened. The place looked empty, but with almost five thousand square feet, it wouldn’t be hard to overlook someone.
He scooted farther into the room, keeping to the left. He knew the cameras had been disabled, but he still wanted to be careful. Where was Rosalinda? His gut clenched. Where was Georgina? And Marlee?
The apartment seemed eerily empty.
Communicating with hand gestures, David motioned for them to spread out. He nodded for Chase to follow him. Chase jerked his chin that he understood and they crept toward Raimondi’s office.
Down the hall, around the corner, arms extended, guns ready.
Little Lou said, “On the balcony to the right. Should have entry within twenty seconds.”
“Copy,” David whispered.
They came to the door.
“Kitchen’s clear,” David said.
Papa Bear nodded. “Bedrooms are clear.”
One by one the rooms were cleared. David frowned. Was anyone here? Blue’s voice came through. “They’re getting off the elevator.”
Into his mic, David said, “Doc B, meet me at the front door.” To Chase he said, “Wait here and keep an eye on that door right there.”
“That’s his office?”
“Yeah. Contain him if he comes out. I’m going to get Summer.”
Chase nodded.
Blood rushing, nerves humming, David made his way back to the front door. Doc B positioned himself on one side. David took the other. “Let them come in. Just like Afghanistan. Before he rings the bell.”
Doc gave him a grim smile and a sharp nod.
David waited, glad they’d left the guards in the stairwells. He watched through the peephole. Saw a shadow, then Summer’s scared and defiant face. No weapon he could see on the man who held her, but knew it was there. Possibly in her back. No, wait. He held it low. If he pulled the trigger, she’d get shot in the leg, not the back. He liked those odds a lot better. “I’ll have to immobilize his arm.”
“I got him covered on this end.”
Please, Lord. David moved to the side. Grasped the door.
And pulled it in.
Doc rounded the doorjamb and placed his gun against the surprised captor’s face. “Make a sound and you’re dead.”
Before Doc even started his sentence, David grabbed Summer’s arm and yanked. It seemed to take forever. In reality, everything took place in less than a second. In one smooth move, Doc removed the man’s weapon and forced him on his knees, hands in the air.
Summer’s surprised shock faded to relief as David motioned for her to stand to the side. The shakes set in and she pressed a hand to her mouth. David duct taped the man’s hands behind his back. “We’ll be with you in a moment. Don’t go anywhere.” He looked at Summer. “You all right?” She nodded, her face pasty and slightly green. “Are you going to be sick?”
“Maybe.” She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. The green faded, but the white remained. “He shot Adam. It went through his vest,” she whispered.
“Unfortunately the vest doesn’t stop all the bullets,” David said. “He’s getting help.” He glanced toward Raimondi’s office. “We’re not done. Can you hold it together?”
She squared her shoulders and nodded. “I’ll have to, won’t I?”
David pulled an extra gun from its resting place against the small of his back and pressed it into her hands. “Shoot him if you have to. Help is only a holler away, okay?” He spoke into his mic. “Papa Bear. Need you up here.” Within minutes, Papa Bear was in the room. He glanced at his former unit team member. “Papa Bear’s going to stay with you, okay?”
“Okay.”
Once he was sure Summer was all right and under Papa Bear’s watchful eye, he motioned toward the office. Chase waited. “All�
�s been quiet.”
The door was closed. David positioned himself on the opposite side, then reached out and wrapped one hand around the knob.
Twisted.
And pushed.
Chase swung around the jamb, arms extended, weapon pointed. Shots blasted at him from a man behind the desk. Doc B grunted and went to his knees. Chase and David fired back. A scream echoed from the shooter and David dropped to the floor and rolled inside. Chase mimicked his movements on the opposite side. David came up shooting. Three shots from him. Three from Chase. The man dropped.
David raced to him and kicked his weapon. “Little Lou, need you to get in here and get Doc. He’s hurt.” David looked down at the dead man. “It’s not Raimondi. I don’t recognize this guy.” He turned to Doc. “The bullet went through your vest.” He grabbed the small bag on Doc’s belt and pulled out medical supplies. “Watch my back, Doc.”
Doc coughed. “These guys play dirty.”
“They knew we’d have vests on, they were prepared,” David murmured as he ripped the vest from Doc and tossed it aside. He pressed the gauze against the bleeding, then taped on a few more layers. It wasn’t gushing. That was a good sign.
Little Lou came to the doorway and hefted Doc B to his shoulders. David said, “Get him out of here. He needs medical attention.”
Doc protested. “It’s just a little scratch. We can finish this.”
“Not today, Doc. Thanks for the help.” Their eyes met and David hoped he communicated his gratitude, but he wouldn’t let Doc continue when he didn’t know how bad the man was hurt.
Little Lou said, “I’ll be back.”
David nodded. “Take Ron with you if you need him.” He looked up to see Papa Bear and Summer watching from their position next to the man who’d kidnapped Summer. They’d moved him to a more hidden location behind the wall off the foyer. A nice place to protect themselves should they need to. “Summer, go with them.”
“No.” Her low, quiet word hung in the air for a brief second. David knew she wasn’t going anywhere, and he didn’t have time to convince her. He looked at Little Lou. “Go.”
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