After they got the t-shirt on, Michael popped the hatch on the back of the Suburban so he could access another bag in the stow space behind the third-row seat. He took it out and walked over to the long worktable that lined the wall and started to spread out the contents of his weapons duffel. Then he paused to look back over at Clay and his bloody shirt. He looked around and found an old dark gray tee in a cabinet and reached down under the table for an old pair of work boots he kept stashed in the shop. He went over to Clay and handed them to him. “These might be better than your sneaker slippers.”
Clay took them and looked at the tag sewn inside the boots. “Twelve—my size too.”
“We cool?” Michael asked.
“Yeah,” Clay replied. “We’re cool.”
Michael nodded and turned to walk back to the bench and the duffel. Jackie came out next and went straight over toward Michael to see what they had. “How can I help?”
He turned his head to look at her with a small smile. “Mind grabbing the med kit duffel from the truck?”
“Sure.” Jackie stepped around to the SUV and reached in for the bag.
“In the cabinet next to the table here, you’ll find some items to restock the bag.”
“Good idea,” Jackie said.
Before he could finish inventorying the weapons duffel, his phone dinged a text notification. “Excuse me, I have a call to make.” Michael headed to his office and closed the door before dialing the number.
“Connor.”
“Thanks for answering this late,” Michael said.
“Sure, what do you have that’s so urgent?” Agent Connor asked.
“We are getting ready to run down The Alphabet King.”
“What? Why the hell would you do that?”
“Long story short,” Michael paused a moment to align his summary of the day’s events. “One of his mules got popped with a sack full of merchandise. The driver almost hit a little girl because he wasn’t paying attention, and a good Samaritan had to save her. The driver hit the guy with his truck. I worked the scene, found the drugs, and made the arrest.”
“Okay, but why would you contact me about a routine bust?”
“Glad you asked. This is anything but routine. Apparently, ABCs took exception to the fact that his merch got confiscated and blamed the little girl, her mom, and the guy who saved her. The guy—Clay—had to be taken to the hospital. The mom, Jackie, and her girl, Elena, were there visiting along with me, my brother, and another woman. ABCs and his men attacked us at the hospital. The confrontation spilled out into the parking lot. They kidnapped the little girl, most certainly as recompense for the confiscated drugs. You know what happens to little girls who disappear into their human trafficking network.”
“It’s ugly. Words can’t describe,” Connor said.
“Right. I can’t allow that, not on my watch.”
“Didn’t you call this in?”
“We called it in immediately from the phone in the room.”
“How did they get away from the swarm of officers that likely descended on the parking lot?” Knowing the probable answer, Connor’s voice had raised in anger.
“You know the situation as well as I do. We’ve been working together on this investigation into the department for months now. We know ABCs has several corrupt officers on his payroll. If we go through normal channels, then ABCs’ contacts in the department would probably interfere with the pursuit and investigation, giving him more than enough time to disappear the little girl.” Michael heard a muffled curse as he continued. “I also have good reason to believe that the first officer to the scene in the hospital parking lot is corrupt too—Officer Hines.”
“Who is he?”
“We call him Officer Hiney. He’s an ass-kisser, annoying mostly. He arrived first on the scene at the bust this morning and, after I set him straight, assisted in the arrest of ABCs’ mule. He had been taking an unusual interest in this case today. When he arrived at the scene first again, this time at the hospital tonight with sirens on, I became suspicious.”
“Should have been a silent approach, Hines warned them. He may have known about the plan to kidnap the girl, Connor said.
“Just what I thought. I called him out and he didn’t have much to say. Just stood there with a guilty look on his face,” Michael said.
“So, this must be why you couldn’t stay at the scene. Hines probably called in backup loyal to ABCs to buy him time to flee.”
“Right, an APB probably would have been meaningless,” Michael confirmed.
“That would mean he has a man at the precinct, who can monitor calls and direct responses,” Connor said.
“Yep,” Michael said. “I have an idea who it might be. We can check that out later.”
After a muffled curse, Agent Connor paused a moment. “Look, I respect what you’re trying to do but this is a bad idea. You are going to be putting your career on the line to save one little girl. Tragic as her loss would be, you can’t make that sacrifice.”
“The decision is made. We are gearing up now. I’m calling to request backup from the DEA.”
“You say ‘we’... who are you talking about?” Connor asked.
“All the people that were at the hospital when ABCs raided us.”
“Your little brother included?” Connor asked.
“Yes.” Michael looked down, a bit of doubt growing. How can I put my little brother in harm’s way?
Michael could hear Connor on the other end taking a deep sigh. “I don’t guess there is any way to talk you out of this.”
It only took a second for his resolve to return. “No. Our strategy is going to be turning the chase around on him. He thinks he got away. No one has ever stormed Little Guantanamo. We’ll catch him off guard.”
