by Mike Ryan
Cain and Raines agreed and started walking in Hochberg’s direction. They were careful as to not get too close to either Hochberg or the RV. They didn’t want to get into contact with Hochberg until he reached the woods, assuming that’s where he was going. If he stopped short of that they’d figure it out. He kept on walking until he reached the woods as he puffed on a cigarette. Cain and Raines continued following him and also looked around to make sure nobody else was within distance of them. They started walking a little faster as Hochberg walked past the first couple of trees. Cain and Raines rushed over to him as he disappeared from the view of the campground. Hochberg heard noises like someone was close to him but he wasn’t fast enough to turn around in time. They both took a healthy swing at the back of Hochberg’s head, who didn’t see them coming. Hochberg fell face first onto the ground. Cain pulled him over.
“Hey. What’s the idea?” Hochberg asked, looking up at his attackers and holding the back of his head.
“We just wanted to get your attention,” Cain told him.
“You’ve got it,” Hochberg replied, still rolling on the ground.
“I see you speak English.”
“Maybe.”
Cain and Raines looked at each other and laughed.
“I don’t have much money if that’s what you’re after,” Hochberg stated.
“We know,” Raines replied.
“What is it then?”
“We’d like you to work for us,” Cain said.
“I already have a job.”
“With that job you’re gonna be unemployed soon,” Cain quipped.
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re employed as a bodyguard slash assistant for a man named Collins, correct?”
Hochberg didn’t reply and just looked, somewhat fearfully, of the two men standing over him.
“What do you want?” Hochberg asked.
“You have two choices and you’ve got less than five minutes to pick the one you want,” Cain explained. “You’re gonna help us get Collins. Or you’re gonna be buried with him.”
“Which would you prefer?” Raines asked.
“Neither,” Hochberg answered.
“Not one of the options,” Cain said. “Listen. We’re not here for you. We don’t care what you’ve done or what you’re doing. Right now you’re just a guy who’s working for a living. I can understand that. But you’re working for a man who’s living on borrowed time.”
“So if you help us, you’ll get paid for your troubles, and you get to walk away,” Raines chimed in. “If you don’t, then you’ll get the same treatment as your boss.”
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“Because if we were lying you’d be dead already,” Cain told him. “We’re here for one man. We’d rather not add to the body count though we can if that’s the only choice we have.”
“You said I get paid. How much?” Hochberg asked.
Cain and Raines looked at each other again, realizing that their tactic was working. He wouldn’t be asking about money if he wasn’t interested.
“I believe the going rate is two hundred thousand dollars,” Cain said.
“For what? I have to kill him?” Hochberg asked.
“No. We’ll do that.”
“Then what you need me for?”
“We need you to set him up for us. Windows are tinted. Can’t see in. We assume he’s not coming out anytime soon. And rushing in and possibly taking a bullet isn’t real high on our list either. We also want to keep it as low profile as possible. A sniper shot is preferable.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“We were hoping you could tell us,” Raines said.
Still laying on the ground, Hochberg’s eyes looked to different places on the ground, trying to think of a way.
“I know a way,” Hochberg said.
“We’re listening,” Cain responded.
“He has breakfast every morning at five. Sits at the table and eats pancakes, eggs, whatever. It’s right in front of window. I can have it opened for you.”
“Sounds good.”
“When will I get my money?”
“At four o’clock call your bank. Money should be in by then.”
“How do I know you won’t kill me after you kill him and take the money back?” Hochberg wondered.
“First, stay out of the line of fire. Second, it’s not my money, so I don’t really care to get it back or care who has it. Lastly, I guess you’ll just have to trust us.”
“You need my bank info?”
“We have it. Just as a reminder, you tip him off we’re here or warn him in any way, you’ll wind up just as dead as he is.”
“Don’t worry. Your money is better than his,” Hochberg stated.
“Five o’clock, window open?” Cain asked as a reminder.
Hochberg nodded to confirm. He started to get up but was interrupted when Cain and Raines grabbed him, stopping him in his tracks.
“One more thing,” Cain mentioned.
“What?”
“We’ll have to confirm his death afterward.”
“Which means what?” Hochberg asked.
“Immediately after the shot, two people will enter the RV and check to make sure he’s dead.”
“I could just tell you.”
Cain smiled. “Yeah. Don’t quite trust you either.”
“They won’t be there to kill me?”
Cain shook his head. “No. They’ll be there to check his body. They will also check any papers he might have and go through the trailer for any other evidence.”
“What kind of evidence?”
“We’re also looking for another man. Collins might know where he is or have had some type of correspondence with him.”
“What’s this man’s name?” Hochberg wondered.
“Ed Sanders.”
Hochberg shook his head and scowled. “I don’t know the name. He’s never mentioned him.”
“It’s not surprising. But he may have something written down that may lead us to this man. They’ll check everything out and when they’re done they’ll leave…with you alive. So don’t get antsy.”
“OK,” Hochberg nodded.
“Just as a warning, if anything happens to my associates when they enter that trailer, you won’t make it out alive to spend that money. Understand?”
“I understand. I will hold up my end of the deal.”
Cain and Raines then turned around and walked out of the woods. Hochberg finally got up after the pair disappeared from his line of sight. They rejoined Lawson near the bushes that faced Collins RV.
“How’d it go?” Lawson wondered.
“As good as could be expected,” Cain answered.
“Is he playing ball?”
“He’s not only playing he’s the starting pitcher.”
“What’s the deal?”
“Wire two hundred thousand to his bank account at four o’clock,” Cain told her.
“What then?”
“Once he verifies it’s there, he’ll open a window that Collins always sits in front of to eat breakfast. At five o’clock Collins will sit down and I’ll take the shot.”
“OK. I’ll call back to Specter and let them know what’s going on and to do the transfer,” she responded.
As Lawson called Specter, Cain and Raines continued talking about how they’d take Collins out. They agreed that Cain would be the one to pull the trigger. Though Raines was quite good, Cain was the better shot.
“What about afterwards?” Raines asked.
“I’m thinking you and Shelly go in and see if you can dig anything up.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll stay in position just in case Hochberg decides to go in business for himself,” Cain answered.
“OK.”
“I don’t think it’s wise if all three of us go in there just in case something happens we don’t foresee.”
“I agree.”
“I can cover you guys while you’re in there. It’ll still be dark out so there shouldn’t be too many people up and about but you still probably won’t have too much time,” Cain said.
“Shouldn’t take too long. Everything’s pretty compact in there. It’ll almost be like searching a small office.”
“Just remember to grab his laptop or phone in there if he has one and you can find it. We can go through it later.”
“Right.”
Cain volunteered to stay and watch the trailer through the night so Raines and Lawson could get a couple hours of sleep. They both went to the car and nodded off for a few hours, Lawson laying down across the back seat, Raines leaning the seat back in the passenger side. Cain kept his eyes glued to the RV just in case Collins stepped outside for a breath of the night air. If he did, Cain would have to think about whether it made sense to shoot him ahead of schedule. It’d depend on if anyone else was around. As the night progressed, it was a decision that Cain would never have to make. It was a quiet night. There really wasn’t much activity anywhere in the campground. Cain saw a person walking around every now and then but nothing that caused him much concern.
Raines and Lawson set the alarms on their phone for three. They got up and Raines got some duffel bags out of the trunk of the car. They walked over to Cain’s position and Raines handed him his bag. They each looked at their watches to make sure they had the time synched.
“What you got?” Cain asked.
“Three twenty eight,” Raines replied.
“Check.”
“Half hour.”
“You guys as nervous as I am?” Lawson asked.
“No,” Cain and Raines replied in unison.
“How can you be so calm like this?”
“Easy,” Cain answered.
“Where’s your shot?” Raines wondered.
“I figure right over there is best,” Cain said, pointing to some bushes near the woods. “Good cover. Good line of sight.”
“Right.”
They looked at their watches once four o’clock rolled around. They continued watching intently, waiting for a sign that everything was in place, waiting for that window to open. They waited another half hour. Then they got what they’d been waiting so patiently for. A light turned on and the window on the RV slid open.
“There we go,” Cain stated.
“Looks like we’re in business,” Raines replied.
“I’m gonna go set up,” Cain said, putting a communicator in his ear.
Cain grabbed his bag and calmly walked over to his position, looking around to see if anyone was nearby, careful as to not rush and draw any attention to himself if anyone was out walking. He put the bag down in the bush and kneeled down as he opened the bag, putting the pieces of the rifle together. He pointed the gun at the trailer and looked through the scope of the rifle as he prepared for the shot he was about to make. It was actually one of the easier shots he ever had. It wasn’t a long distance, his target wouldn’t be moving, and there were no obstacles in his way. For the next half hour, as he usually did, Cain visualized taking the shot and hitting the target over and over again. He was snapped out of it when he heard Raines’ voice talking in his ear.
“Ten minutes to go,” Raines said. “How are you making out?”
“Ready to go,” Cain answered.
“Should be any minute now. Take the first shot you have.”
“Roger that.”
Cain immersed himself in the bushes, concealing himself and the rifle amongst the foliage. He peered through the scope of the rifle, ready to pull the trigger as soon as Collins’ head appeared.
“Five minutes,” Raines said.
“What happens if he’s not on time for once?” Lawson asked.
“Then we’ll wait,” Cain replied.
“What if he changes his routine today for some reason?”
“Then we’ll wait.”
“I see movement,” Raines noted.
It was 4:58. Cain noticed a body walking through the trailer. It looked like Collins. He probably could’ve taken the shot and hit him but he waited for the easier shot and an unmoving target once he sat down. Hochberg emerged into view, putting a couple plates of food down on the table before moving away. A minute later, Collins sat down, preparing to eat as he put down a magazine next to the food. Cain had a clear shot of the back of Collins’ head.
“Get ready,” Cain told everyone.
“Ready when you are,” Raines replied.
Cain looked through the scope one final time. He had the back center of Collins’ head lined up. He gently pulled the trigger. Cain continued looking through the scope as he saw pieces of Collins’ head fly off and his body slumping forward, his head smacking the table as its final resting spot.
“Target down,” Cain calmly stated. “Move in. Still covering.”
“On our way,” Raines replied.
Cain watched Raines and Lawson move toward the RV while he scanned the perimeter to make sure nobody would interfere with their plans. Everything was going perfectly. Cain moved his sights back to the trailer to make sure Hochberg didn’t try to alter the deal somehow. Raines was the first to the trailer and knocked on the door with the back of his hand three times to let Hochberg know they were there. He turned the handle of the door and it opened. Raines removed his gun and led the way inside. He went in slowly just to make sure Hochberg wasn’t greeting them with a surprise of his own. As Raines got to the driver seat he noticed Hochberg standing toward the back of the RV. Both of his hands were in plain sight and he made no sudden movements. Raines walked over to the table that Collins was resting on and checked his pulse. He slightly pulled his head up off the table so he could see his face.
“It is Collins,” Raines stated. “He’s DOA.”
“Roger that,” Cain replied.
“Check your account?” Raines asked Hochberg.
Hochberg nodded. “Money is there.”
“Good.”
“Mind if I go now?”
“Just wait outside. Don’t go anywhere though until we come out,” he told him. “Remember, there’s still a gun on you if you try to alert anyone.”
“No need to worry about me.”
“Hochberg’s coming out and waiting so he’s not in the way,” Raines told Cain.
“Roger that. I see him,” Cain said as Hochberg came into view.
Hochberg stopped once he stepped out of the RV and just leaned against the trailer as he waited for the others. Lawson put a black bag on the table to put inside anything they thought might be of some use to them. They wouldn’t have time to check everything right then and there so if something looked interesting, they could check it later. Lawson went over to a desk and looked at a few papers. Nothing looked important but she took them anyway. Raines found a laptop near the couch and put it in the bag. They quickly went through the entire RV, looking in every open spot imaginable. They’d found a few things that may have given them something but nothing that jumped out at them. They made sure everything was put back the way they found it and exited the RV, taking their gloves off as soon as they stepped outside.
“We good?” Hochberg wondered.
Raines nodded to confirm. “We’re good. I’d get away as far as possible if I was you.”
“I’m already gone.”
“Pleasure to do business with you.”
Hochberg started walking away towards another car in the parking lot as Raines and Lawson rejoined Cain near the bush. Cain disassembled his rifle and put it back in his bag as the three of them quickly walked back to their car. Raines took the driver seat as Cain laid down in the back seat to catch some sleep. He wouldn’t be able to get too much since they decided to drive to the Netherlands but it’d suffice for the time being. Once they got into a hotel there he’d be able to get some more rest. They could reach the Netherlands in just about two hours, which they figured was plenty of time to get out of the country. The usual method of operation when killing someone
was to leave a country as quickly as possible before the body was found. Once the body was found and a manhunt started it was more difficult to leave. Once they got out of Germany they’d check into a hotel and start going over the stuff they grabbed out of the RV.
Chapter 10
Raines and Lawson had started pouring over the information they gathered from Collins as Cain got some much needed sleep. Lawson called Conlin to let him know that they could check another name off the hit list. Raines began going over the documents they’d taken while Lawson went through the laptop. Cain slept for about six hours and by the time he woke up and saw his associates working, he could tell it wasn’t going well.
“You guys look frustrated,” Cain said as he walked out of the bedroom, noticing a few heavy sighs from the both of them.
“I guess you could say that,” Lawson responded, sitting back in her chair. “I’ve looked at this computer for over five hours and I’ve gotten nowhere. There is absolutely nothing in this thing that’s going to get us any closer to Sanders. I don’t see a link anywhere.”
“Eric?”
“Not going much better with me,” Raines replied. “I’ve looked over most of these papers two or three times, none of them really do us any good. Most of them are from when he was involved with Specter. Some are financial papers and looks like a few bank accounts he’s got scattered around a few different places. I can’t find Sanders name mentioned in any of them though.”