The woman cut off Michelle’s sleeve and examined the wound. “I can bandage this to slow down the bleeding and keep it clean. You need to have a doctor check it.” Without asking permission, she wrapped Michelle’s arm with sterile gauze.
The woman worked on Michelle’s arm giving her time to look around the van. Two injured men lay on the floor in the back. Another injured man leaned against the wall across from her. Michelle asked the woman, “How bad? Did we lose anyone?”
“Several of our men are hurt. There are others in the other vans who are also shot. They will all live.”
“How bad are they?” Michelle nodded at the men in the back.
“Serious but not critical.” The woman threw the scraps of bloody cloth into the bag with the guns and scooted away.
Michelle leaned back, closed her eyes, and focused on calming her racing heart.
The four cargo vans and four SUVs split up heading in different directions. The van with Michelle climbed onto the freeway at a modest speed. Almost seven minutes had elapsed from the moment the big red and green tourist bus parked across the street from Mom's Wholesale Ice Cream.
Michelle didn’t remember seeing Galletti; alive or dead.
.
Twenty-Nine: Chase
SUNDAY 10:05 A.M. Tulsa.
The attic of the stakeout apartment building across from Sal's headquarters.
From her position in the attic, Nikky watched as the men ran or hobbled out of the front door of Sal's. The cars drove off at a conservative pace. For a short moment, silence crept in on the street. Sirens sounded in the distance.
A small red car followed a brown pickup headed westbound on the two lane street. The pickup stopped in the street in front of Sal's while the driver rubbernecked at the scene. The red car honked once, pulled around the truck into the oncoming lane, and almost stopped, then back in his correct lane, sped off. A black Lincoln town car came from the other direction.
The sirens were closer.
Two police cars, sirens blaring, lights flashing, rounded the corner about a half block behind the Lincoln. The Lincoln sped up then slowed as it came close to Sal's. The police had closed most of the distance between them and the Lincoln.
“It's Jack‑Move! He's in his Lincoln right in front of Sal's headed east!” Nikky yelled into the headset.
The Lincoln lurched, blasting off as if propelled by some cosmic undeniable desire coursed through its mechanical veins. Yin and yang, the Lincoln shot forward, the police cars skidded to a stop. Nikky yanked her rifle back and tossed it on the floor. She threw an old blanket over it and ran for the back stairs.
Sirens drifted through from several directions.
Nikky pounded down the stairs. “G‑Baby, he's headed your way! Can you see him? He should catch up to you any second. Do you see him! Don't let him get away! Goddamnit don't let that fucker get away!” She ran to her car.
“Nikky! Nikky! Slow down! I see him, he's coming up behind me. He's going a little fast but nothing to attract attention.”
“Oh, thank God you have him. Where are you? I'm on my way.” Nikky started her car. Coming out of the alley behind the apartment building she turned toward the street only to see two police cars go by.
Wake up, girl! Now, calm your ass down. G‑Baby will follow him. Do this right.
Nikky forced herself to slow her driving, made a U‑turn and took back streets to go around all the police action.
“G‑Baby, where are you?” Nikky asked.
“He's in front of me now. We turned onto MLK Blvd.”
“Which way?”
“North. He turned right, and we're going north.”
“G‑Baby, this is Baby‑Sister. I'm on the other side of town. Do you want me to work my way over to you guys?”
“PJ here, my GPS says I'm pretty close. How about me?”
“G‑Baby, I can see you now,” Nikky said. “I'm a half block back behind the blue car.”
“Yeah I can see you,” G‑Baby said. “Umm, Baby‑Sister. No. Go back to the apartment. Try to find out what you can from the window. Don't go down to where people are hanging around. The cops will video the crowd.”
“Why? Nobody saw me.”
“Most likely. But the traffic cameras might have your face driving away from the area at the time of the shootings.”
“I didn't think of that. I'll come in the back way and stay out of sight.” Baby‑Sister said.
“Also, keep an eye out for the girls. I can only see two people in the car. It's Jack‑Move for sure. I think it's Jelena in the passenger seat. Yes. She turned her head, and it's her for sure.”
“Look up.” Nikky had passed the blue car and was directly behind G‑Baby's pickup. She waved when G‑Baby looked up into his mirror.
“Where are you guys?” PJ asked.
“We're still on MLK,” Nikky replied.
“Yeah, where?” PJ asked
Nikky looked for an address. “Oh, um, fifty‑sixth is coming up.”
“I'm about ten blocks behind you. I'll catch up as quickly as I can.” PJ said.
“Does anybody have an idea of what's up here or why he would be going this way?” G‑Baby asked.
“No,” Nikky said.
“Me either,” PJ said.
“G‑baby, I'm going to pass you,” Nikky said.
“Okay, remember, don't close up too tight and spook him. He has Jelena in the car, so we have to be careful.”
“I'll hang back far enough. Sooner or later he's going to stop. When he does, I guarn‑damn‑tee you, I'll do more than spook his ass.”
“G‑Baby, is that you in the blue pickup?” PJ asked.
“Yeah.”
“I'm coming up behind you now.” PJ looked around. “Hey guys, did you notice we drove out of town? What is this place?”
Nikky noticed Jack-Move’s car started pulling away. “He's speeding up,”
“Stay with him, but not too close. He might be speeding up because he's out of the city streets.” G‑Baby said.
“Well, he's getting too much distance. I'm gonna close up a little.” Nikky said.
“I'll stay with you.”
“Oh shit!” Nikky said. “He's floored it! He went around a bend, I can't see him.” She stomped on the gas trying to catch up.
A moment later she rounded the same bend in time to see his brake lights come on then go off as the heavy car wallowed around the next bend. Nikky pushed harder on the pedal that was already pinned to the floor. Jamming into the second bend, gripping the steering wheel, she held her foot to the floor, the tires screamed. Her car started sliding, and she let off the gas, her foot hovered over the brake pedal. Barely in control, she rounded the bend with the two inside tires still on the pavement. The outside tires threw dirt and pebbles. The Lincoln, most of the way across the short straight‑away added more distance. Nikky slammed down on the gas pedal.
Intently focused on the car in front of her, Nikky gripped her steering wheel. “You're not getting away from me. Not today, not fucking ever. You hear me asshole? You're mine.”
The Lincoln headed into a sharp left turn. The brake lights lit up, and the nose of the car dipped hard as the car barreled into the turn. The back end lifted as the car skewed. Tires screamed as the car slid off into the gravel on the side of the road. Dirt and dust billowed up. The Lincoln rocked up on two wheels then slammed down—stopped still.
Nikky raced up to the Lincoln. She locked her brakes and slid up behind it. Her car was less than fifty feet from the back of the car. She grabbed her 9mm and threw open her door. Coughing, she choked on the thick cloud of dust and squinted to see.
G‑Baby and PJ came around the corner and slowed.
Nikky saw the tail lights on the Lincoln flicker, dim, then brighten. Only when the rear tires started spinning spewing a storm of rocks and dirt did she realize Jack‑Move had restarted his car. It must have stalled. The roar of rocks slamming into the bottom of the Lincoln filled the air. Nikky threw up her hands to prote
ct her face from the flying rocks and dirt. She ran back to her car.
Like a switch flipped, the thunder of flying rocks and gravel abruptly changed to screeching as the Lincoln left a streak of black rubber on the asphalt. G‑Baby's pickup was right behind the Lincoln. Virtually attached to G-Baby’s bumper PJ's car looked like it was tethered by a short invisible line.
Nikky fought the wheel of her car when the spinning tires grabbed traction on the street. Her car catapulted toward them. She saw the Lincoln’s tail lights blink. They immediately disappeared around the sharp bend at the end of the straight away. Simultaneously the brake lights on the other cars flashed.
The unbelievable loud crashing of a car flipping over and slamming into the earth punctuated by tires screeching blasted through her window!
Nikky raced as fast as her car would take her to the bend. She saw the Lincoln upside down about a hundred feet off the side of the road. Dense clouds of smoke and dust billowed around it.
G‑Baby and PJ, guns drawn, jumped out of their cars.
Sliding to a stop, Nikky blasted a single long blast on her horn. G‑Baby and PJ turned, looking at her.
“Wait! Wait for me!” Nikky grabbed her gun and ran to join the others. “Spread out. He'll have a gun.”
PJ followed G‑Baby to the driver's side. Nikky approached on the passenger side. About ten feet from the back of the car Nikky stopped. She signaled to the others. Then dropped to her knees and began crawling. They did the same. On hands and knees, they inched up both sides of the car.
Nikky looked through the rear passenger window. There was only a hole where the glass should be. She saw Jack‑Move and Jelena hanging upside down in their seat belts. The airbags were deflating. Jack‑Move's head turned toward Jelena. He appeared to be watching her. Nikky moved up a little. She tried to crawl and point her gun. It didn't work so she stretched out on her stomach. Arms out front, she scooted forward.
“Jack‑Move, don't do anything stupid. I'm armed and coming up behind Jelena. There’s two more with guns on the other side. No matter what, you’re out gunned.”
Jack‑Move didn't say anything.
Jelena didn't say anything.
Nikky scooted far enough to see Jelena. She was breathing. She also held a shiny chrome .45. It was pointed at Jack‑Move.
“Jelena, are you hurt?”
No answer.
“Jelena, sweetheart, we're here now. He can't hurt you.” Through the windows, Nikky gestured to G‑Baby to move back out of the possible line of fire.
G‑Baby and PJ moved back. “We have you covered,” G‑Baby said.
“No, he'll never hurt another woman,” Jelena’s voice was calm, determined.
“That's right. We will make sure he can't ever do that again.” Nikky said.
“That's not good enough. I have to know he can't ever hurt me or anyone. I have to kill him.” Jelena’s arm shook as she inched the gun closer to Jack-Move.
“You don't have to be the one.” Nikky scooted closer. “You really don't want to do that. Trust me, you don't want to ever cross that line.”
“I don't care. He doesn't deserve to live.”
“She’s right Jelena. You don’t want to be a killer. I know you, and you’re not a killer,” Jack‑Move said.
“What do you know about me?” Jelena screamed, tears in her voice. “You know nothing about me. You are rotten bastard man. You are sonofabitch who hurts womans. You never look at woman who you hurt. You don’t know me.”
“Jelena baby, I always took good care of you. You know I love you more than anyone else.”
Nikky pushed up closer to Jelena. “Shut up asshole. Don’t talk to her.”
“You lying fuck!” Jelena shouted. “You don’t love anyone. You killed my friend. You hurt me and all the womans who work for you. I will kill you for many bad wrong things you do to me.”
“No Jelena, baby, look at me,” Jack‑Move pleaded. “You know you’re not a killer. Don’t do this please.”
“You are wrong,” Jelena’s calm returned. “I am killer. I killed bastard mafia man in Russian before. Now, today, I kill you.”
Nikky reached out with her free hand. She touched Jelena shoulder. “Jelena, listen to me. You’re right. He doesn't deserve to live. I don’t know what you had to do before. But, I know you are a good person. You don't deserve to have his death on your heart. I know, I've been where you are now. The price was bigger than I thought it would be.”
“Would you do it again?” Jelena asked.
“That wouldn't change the price. You don't need to do this.”
Jelena shook her head and raised the .45 a little higher.
“No please Jelena, baby‑girl, just let me go. I promise I’ll never hurt anyone ever again.” Crying, Jack‑Move pleaded. “Please, you know I never wanted to hurt you. You have to know that.”
“You raped me many times. You raped my friends!” She screamed – the edge of hysteria back in her voice. “You are mean bastard. Do you think we want to do sick things with you? You are crazy! No woman wants . . .” Tears dripped off the top of Jelena’s eyelashes landing on the ceiling of the upside down car.
“No! No, please, please.” Jack‑Move cried. “Please, I love you. Please don’t kill me.”
“Look at me bastard.” Jelena raised her gun again.
BLAM!‑BAM!
The two overlapping shots from separate guns sounded like one huge explosion.
Jack‑Move’s head whipped back. Two holes in his face dripped blood. Blown away, a large portion of the back of his head was missing. Both shots killed him.
Jelena lowered the gun placing it on the ceiling below her. She spat on Jack‑Move’s face. “You will never hurt womans again.”
Nikky reached in taking the heavy .45 out of the car.
“You killed him too?” Jelena said.
“Yes. Yes I did,” Nikky said. “We can talk about it after we get you out of here.”
“It is good thing I kill him. I hope it is good thing for you, you kill him too.”
“Yes. It’s a good thing I killed him. I believe you are right. It is a good thing we both killed him. Now let’s get you out.”
G‑Baby came around to the front of the car and dropped his hand holding the wadded shirt he’d used to stop the bleeding from being shot back at Sal’s. The blood started oozing.
“You’re hurt. Are you shot?” PJ asked.
“No, just grazed,” G‑Baby said.
“Get back!” Nikky yelled. “Don’t bleed here.”
“What? No.” G‑Baby pointed at Jelena. “I need to help you get her out.”
“No! The police could find your blood,” Nikky said. “We can do this. Please back out of the way.”
G‑Baby, holding the makeshift bandage on his face crawled back. PJ came through the hole where the windshield had been. With Nikky working from the side they got Jelena down out of the seat belt, and out of the car.
A bit over an hour later, at their rented house, Nikky sat on the closed toilet lid talking to Jelena who was in a record breaking long hot shower. Baby‑Sister had followed Jelena's directions to an oilman's trade show to round up the four women who were working the show.
On the way back, G‑Baby field stripped both Nikky's 9mm and Jack‑Move's 45. He threw the pieces into a lake outside of town.
G‑Baby tapped on the door of the bathroom where Nikky talked to Jelena. “Any word from Michelle?”
“Nothing yet,” Nikky said.
.
Thirty: We Got Him
DETECTIVE THOMPSON KNOCKED on the Chief's door and poked her head in his office.
“Somebody propose?” The chief asked.
“What?” Thompson furrowed her brows.
“You're smiling like somebody proposed or you won the lottery. What's up?” The Chief put down his pen.
“It's a match!” Thompson dropped a file on the Chief’s desk. “Houston PD has the gun that’s a match for the Woodrow Wilson murders
.”
“No shit?” The chief waved for Thompson to take a seat.
Background noise of the station filtered in through the still open door. “Yup! We have a solid match on the slugs from both bodies. The casings are good to go, and we have good prints on the handle and magazine.” Detective Thompson beamed.
“So now you have the murder weapon. Anybody to go with it?”
“You're going to love this.” Thompson shifted in her chair.
“You know, it always scares me when you say that. Am I going to love, love it, or hate it?”
Thompson grinned and tapped the file. “Love it. And this is the good part.” She leaned back in her chair. “The prints belong to a guy killed in that mess down in Houston last week. We don't even have to extradite or deal with the costs of a big trial.”
“Are we sure he's our guy?” the chief asked.
“As sure as we can be without a confession.” Thompson again leaned forward and held up another file. “We have the gun, and this guy worked for an old time dirt bag named Anthony Galletti.” Thompson handed the chief the second file.
“Should I know about him?” the chief studied the photos clipped inside the file.
“Probably not. Texas is a long way away. He's a major player down there. He's been indicted for murder on a number of counts plus at least a half dozen other major crimes over the years, but nothing stuck. The file says he has been the top guy in Houston running drugs, prostitution, money laundering and who knows what else, since way back in the seventies. Before that, he was a lieutenant in the same organization. His predecessor gave him the crown a long time ago.”
“So how old is this guy?” the chief asked.
“He's in his eighties. He retired a few years back, handing the reigns over to a guy name Ascia. The transition was smooth, and all went well for a while. But, Ascia was killed in a big shootout down there a while back. Apparently, both situations are connected.”
“The Houston Massacre, right?” the chief asked.
‘Yeah, and they're calling this one the Ice Cream Capades. Did you hear about the bus left at the scene?”
“The stolen city bus painted like a Chinese Tourist Bus. Yeah, I heard.”
Hard Run: Action Adventure Pulp Thriller Book #4 (Michelle Angelique Avenging Angel Series) Page 22