Not my characters, they belong to Janet Evanovich, but as long as Ranger can come out and play I can live with that.
I bet you thought this chapter was never going to show up. Don't feel bad. There have been plenty of days when that's what I thought too. You see the bad guys were not cooperating. Then again, I guess that's what bad guys do. Not cooperate. Ranger finally helped me haul them into line. I owe him. Big time. Thanks for being so incredibly patient. This was a long stretch - even for me. :)
The Right To Remain Silent
by
SueB
Chapter 21
"You're driving."
Harry Dolan flipped me a set of car keys as we stood in the foyer of the safe house and motioned toward a late model SUV parked at the curb.
"That wasn't the plan."
After his bout of gastric distress the day before, Clyde had joined us to help orchestrate this morning's operation. One of his assignments was to drive. The other was to provide me with a weapon.
"Where's Clyde?"
Harry's infinitesimal hesitation before answering set off all my warning bells.
"I sent him on ahead. He'll meet us there."
"Any particular reason?"
"I wanted the lay of the land," he said, holding my gaze with eyes hard and steady.
I'll just bet he did. Balls of steel. Damn.
"You should know how important that is," he continued in a pedantic tone reminiscent of the first time he sent me into the field. A lifetime ago.
What I knew was one of two things. Harry had discovered Clyde's alter ego and moved to eliminate the risk, or Clyde, anticipating discovery, had made an exit before that could happen.
Either way, looked like I was on my own. Didn't matter. Wouldn't be a first and I did my best work solo anyway.
"And a weapon?"
His response came quicker this time. Harry pulled out a tidy little Glock and handed it over. "He left this for you."
Sure he did.
I palmed the piece, tested the feel of it and checked the ammunition. I slid it into the pocket of my jacket even though I suspected it was worthless, offering only the illusion of being armed.
I wouldn't be entirely without resources. No matter how pissed he was at me, Tank would have an A team on site. But, they didn't know I was coming and their orders were to take Solokov and protect Cain not back up my sorry ass.
My wits would be my weapon. Wits sharpened by the knowledge this was my final mission. In the next couple of hours my life would change dramatically. Or my life would end.
Throughout a sleepless night I'd tried to prepare for either outcome. What I feared more than death was the failure of my personal objective. A future. With Stephanie.
Delaying wasn't going to help. I pushed past Dolan, heading for the car.
"Let's do this."
Whatever this turned out to be.
#####
"Testing. One. Two. Testing."
"Tank..."
The warning in Steph's voice came through my earpiece loud and clear but I kept right on.
"Testing. Testi..."
"Tank! Stop it!"
"Steph, I want to..."
"It's works, Tank," she assured me, gently this time. "It worked twenty minutes ago. It worked twelve minutes ago and it's working now. Okay?"
"Okay," I allowed reluctantly as I scanned the scene.
As usual there was plenty of foot traffic coming and going around the jail. Cops. Visitors. Lawyers for both sides. All the people made our task easier...and harder. Easier because there was little problem blending into the scene. Harder because it meant more witnesses when it came time for business.
Bobby and Lester were a block away trolling for Solokov. Cal and Junior had been assigned the take-down once we identified our target. Steph and Hal were positioned to intercept Cain Jeffords. I was directing maneuvers from the inside of a decidedly unRangeMan-like vehicle, a rusty blue van I parked not far from the entrance to the jail. We had all agreed that since I was well-known as Ranger's second in command it would be hard for my three hundred pounds of bald black man to be inconspicuous.
But, damn! I wanted to be on the street. I hadn't been this twitchy about an operation since I was a raw recruit. Our insertion had gone smoothly but, something felt off and I sure as shit didn't want Steph in the middle of it. Whatever it was. My scalp prickled. Non-existent hair straining to stand on end.
"All units. Report!" I barked, sharper than necessary.
Bobby's voice came back, calm and reasonable. "Still no sign of Solokov."
"You'll be the first to know."
Lester being a smart ass.
"Cut the crap, Santos. You know we can't move the old man out until Solokov is secure. The further from the jail we ID him the better 'cause my idea of success here is that those two never get anywhere near each other. Safer that way. For everybody."
They all knew I didn't give a flying fuck whether or not the old man ended up as collateral damage but, our orders were to keep him safe. Although why Ranger wanted him protected after the guy had tried to gut him was a mystery to me. It was Steph that worried me. She'd be the first one to approach Jeffords. Her idea. "Come on, Tank," she'd wheedled, "I won't spook him like 'Halosaurus' might." She used the big man's nickname with enormous affection and Hal had blushed obligingly.
Her statement was true as far as it went but, if we couldn't snatch Solokov before Jeffords hit the street and we had to use the old man as bait she could end up in shit's middle.
I wanted her out of the game as quickly as possible.
Cal and Junior checked in simultaneously. Psychic. Knowing what I was thinking. "He'll show, Tank." "We'll get him."
"I'm here," Hal reminded me from across the street. He leaned against a lamppost right behind Steph who slouched on a bench, legs crossed, foot jiggling, thumbing through a magazine. She looked like a gang banger's impatient woman waiting for her man.
"I won't let anything happen to her," Hal pledged.
I heard his implied not while I'm still breathing. We'd done everything her stubbornness would allow to keep her safe.
Okay. No problem.
I was almost convinced but, that was before I saw Steph suddenly straighten and go still. She raised her head and panned the street. Taking everything in.
What now?
"Steph?"
A crackle. Silence.
Goddamn microphone. "Come in. What is it?"
No way she could see me through the darkly tinted windows in the van but, she stared right where she knew I was sitting and whispered.
"He's here."
Guess the mic was working after all.
Did I really need to ask who she meant? I asked anyway.
"Ranger?"
Waited for a contradiction. There was none forthcoming. Shit.
"You have a visual?"
She dropped her chin. Shook her head.
No.
Of course not. Why wasn't I surprised?
I opened my mouth.
Ready to tell her that intuition, spidey sense, whatever the hell connection she thought she had going with Ranger wasn't good enough.
Shut it again.
What the hell. She'd been right about everything else.
One thing was for sure. If Ranger was here, he wasn't alone and at least one of his companions played for the other side.
I made sure everyone understood. "All units. Bomber says we have additional men on the field. You copy? Confirm."
Bobby, Cal, Junior and Hal all responded, "Copy."
Lester came back with, "Kind of a game changer, huh."
No shit Sherlock.
Not to mention that if Ranger had eyes on Steph he was going to be pissed as hell.
#####
Babe.
I had spotted her within seconds of arriving on the scene although, I didn't have to see her to know she was nearby.
She knew I was here too. I could tell.
This was the last place I wanted her to be. What the fuck was Tank thinking?
I'm gonna tell her.
He hung up on me with those words. He'd regret that decision if I lived.
What had he told her?
That I was alive? Not necessary. I could imagine her saying, "No way he's dead! I'd know if he was dead!"
That I had planned the entire operation? Apparently the cop filled her in there.
That instead of saving the world, her Dark Knight had spent the last decade killing on the orders of a traitor? What a glowing recommendation.
Nobody needed to tell her I was a lying arrogant bastard. She already knew.
I tore my eyes away from where she sat, well aware my hunger to see her was a danger to us both.
Too late.
When I turned toward Dolan, his eyes were glued to Steph as fast as mine had been.
"I've decided Stephanie Plum's not your type, Ranger," he said. "My opinion? She's the girl next door, not the exotic foreign beauty I always pictured with you. Have to say she seems to know her stuff, she's workin' it today. Blending in."
My heart stopped. Frozen by the eerie matter-of-fact quality of Harry's voice. Hearing Steph's name come out of his mouth turned my stomach. I could taste the bile.
"You want her to live," he said. "Right?"
He laughed a little, not waiting for my answer.
"Stupid question. Of course you do. It's written all over you. Probably a good thing you're getting out of the business, Ranger. You're slipping. Time was I could suggest slitting some little lovely's throat and you wouldn't even flinch. Now look at you."
All true. In marked contrast to Harry's cool, collected demeanor, my teeth were clamped together hard, my jaw aching in a futile attempt to keep my rage and fear for Steph from bubbling to the surface.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt her," he assured me. "You have my word as long as you do precisely what I say. You've been following my directions for a long time so it shouldn't be too difficult."
"Turns out your word's not much good, Harry," I said quietly.
"Not what it once was, you think?" His eyes narrowed and his voice went deadly. "You can bank on this. You have my word you won't survive. You are a loose end I can't afford to have unravel."
There it was. His treachery spelled out in a few simple sentences. It was almost a relief. No more pretending.
"You kill Clyde?"
He snorted his disdain. "Evan, you mean?"
I didn't react to his acknowledgement of Clyde's true identity.
"Not yet. But don't expect him with the cavalry. How does that old joke go? I'm afraid he's all tied up right now. Besides, you have people here. If I'm not mistaken, that's your man over there behind Ms. Plum. Keeping a careful eye. Probably terrified something will happen to her on his watch. I'm sure you have more men sprinkled through this crowd. Too bad you don't have communication with them and they won't recognize me."
I took a slow calming breath. "What is it you want me to do?"
"Eliminate someone. Same as always. Nothing new."
"Someone?"
"Please, Ranger, no more games."
"You want me to kill Marcus Solokov."
"Of course."
"You realize my men know Solokov is alive. They even told you."
"Yes, yes. I know. Thanks again to your Stephanie Plum. But, won't they be disappointed when they find out their esteemed leader turned. Looking to make a fast buck. Too bad Marcus double crossed you. Tried to have you executed. Damn earthquake. You escaped. Now you want revenge. Things would have been a lot simpler, by the way, if only you had died when you were supposed to."
"And you would have been a lot richer."
He shrugged.
"My men will never believe that story."
"Is that so?" He smiled. "But what about Ms. Plum? Will she believe it? You have any idea how easy it is to create false documentation? Wait. I suppose you do. That's how you got yourself arrested isn't it?"
"She won't believe it either." Please, I prayed. Don't let her believe it.
"Won't she? How much truth you been telling her lately?"
A direct hit. I hadn't told her any truth at all. I hadn't told her anything.
"You're a mercenary, Ranger. Always have been. Everyone knows that. The man who'd do any job for a price. The government paid you well. But all that money wasn't enough. You got greedy. Wanted an even bigger piece of the pie. My story won't be hard to sell."
He was playing me. Fucking with my head. I couldn't let that happen. God knows I knew better.
"You've got it wrong, Harry. I did the ugly work. Took the risks. Yes, got paid handsomely. But it wasn't just about the money for me. Looks like that was you."
He opened his mouth but, I wouldn't let him speak. My turn to smile. I leaned forward, put my face right in his and said, "No matter what happens to me, Harry, you're going to be poor...and dead."
Satisfaction. He blinked.
Then changed the subject by jamming the muzzle of his gun into my still tender ribs.
"Here's how this is going to happen," he said.
No sooner had he shared his plan with me than three men emerged from the door of the jail. Shakir Wilson's boys led the way. Talking, laughing, jostling each other. Cain Jeffords was several steps behind them.
Once clear of the building, the old man stopped, wiped a hand across his grizzled face and squinted into the sunlight.
There was no sign of Marcus Solokov.
TBC
Okay. I'm relatively sure this chapter didn't go as far as you would have liked. The bad news is - the next chapter isn't written yet. The good news is - I know what's going to happen. Always a plus. And, not always the case. Thanks for being such loyal readers in my little dry spell.