Chapter Twenty-Six ~ Going Down Swinging
Jangles lingered under the pier where he had agreed to meet with Charlie and Mike. The location was ideal for the clear sight lines. Jangles would see any back up they brought. And if they brought Briggs with them he had ample room to make a break for it. Shooting Mike and grabbing Charlie was the most efficient plan. If they came alone that is. Still it could work even if they had back up. Now he just had to wait for the two to show up.
Juan and the three other agents assimilated into the people on the beach. Two each on either side of the pier. All in all they just looked like two couples enjoying a quiet afternoon on the beach. He wanted to take more agents, but that would have called way too much attention to themselves. Jangles would have definitely taken notice. Juan wasn't going to ask anyone to do something he wasn't willing to do. Once he and his partner got their blanket out and settled Juan texted Mike the go signal.
Mike nodded to Charlie from where they waited in the parking lot. He let her lead as supposedly he didn't know Jangles. They were going to play this just as they would have had it taken place in the diner. Keeping in the back of their minds that Jangles could be playing them or that they had been made thanks to what transpired during the delay.
"Over here, Charlie," Jangles greeted, his finger on the trigger of his 9mm.
"Raphael Cortes- Mike Warren," Charlie made introductions as they approached. Jangles relaxed and let go of his gun to shake hands with Mike. "Charlie speaks very highly of you," Jangles had to hold in a laugh. He wondered if Mike knew actually who he was shaking hands with.
"Smug bastard," Mike muttered under his breath.
"Did you get someone to look at your hand?" Charlie inquired.
"It's fine," Jangles scrunched up his face momentarily, "Let's get down to business."
"Sound good to me," Mike replied.
"How's the side?" Jangles sneered. Mike frowned. Jangles sucker punched him in the precise spot the knife had gone in before. The wind was knocked out of Mike and he doubled over. With an elbow to the back Jangles sent Mike to the ground before grabbing Charlie who was getting out her gun. He unbelted his gun and pressed it to Charlie's neck. "Drop it," Jangles ordered. Reluctantly Charlie did as she was told. "You can thank your boyfriend for this," Jangles snarled as he began to pull her away.
"I don't know what you are talking about I don't have a boyfriend," Charlie took advantage of their height difference and threw her head back into his face. The resulting impact broke Jangles' nose. The pain weakened his grip enough that she was able to break free.
Using the opportunity Mike rushed him before Juan and the other agents could reach them. He slammed Jangles into one of the pier's pilings. Mike couldn't have planned it any better, Jangles slammed into the solid wood pillar square with the arm that Abby had broken. His fully body weight pressing behind it. The gun dropped from Jangles' hand. Mike pressed down just a little harder. He leaned over Jangles and smirked, "How's the arm?" Jangles glared back at him and grunted. Juan collected Jangles' gun.
One handed Mike took out a pair of cuffs from their holder on his waist band. He held them out to Charlie, "Do the honors."
Charlie stepped forward and hesitantly took the cuffs, "You sure, Mike?"
"He's your collar, Charlie," Mike answered.
"Raphael Cortes, you are under arrest for the attempted murder," Charlie began. Mike held Jangles down while Charlie slipped the cuffs around each of the killer's wrists. She pulled Jangles up. Mike and Juan walked one on either side of Charlie and Jangles so their prisoner wouldn't get any ideas. She finished reading Jangles his Miranda rights as they carted him to the transport van.
After they slammed the door on him, Mike got out his cellphone and called Abby. "Mike?" she answered after the second ring.
"We got him, Baby," Mike replied.
Abby closed her eyes and prayed a silent prayer of thanks. "Are you and Charlie ok?" she asked.
Mike looked over to Charlie. "Charlie's good," he answered.
"And you?" Abby asked.
"I can't wait to see you," Mike breathed out a half laugh.
She could hear him smile. "Me too," Abby let herself relax.
"Look, Johnny is going to bring you down to HQ," he said, "We need you to make the ID."
"Ok, I'll go get him, and we'll head out," she replied.
"I'll be in the lobby," Mike said, "Meet you there."
"Meet you there," Abby repeated.
Juan came from the back and sat next to Charlie. They watched Mike pace the length of the room for a minute before either spoke. "Is Mike trying to wear a hole in the floor?" Juan quipped.
"Abby should be here soon," Charlie shrugged.
"The FBI is to setup another undercover house in California," Juan informed her.
"Really? Good to know," she replied.
"It could be a really good thing for you," he continued.
"How so?" Charlie asked.
"They are looking for a lead agent- you are due for a promotion," Juan clarified.
"Are you serious?" she questioned.
"I just came from putting in a good word for you with the agents in charge of the planning," he shared, "From your file and your involvement in this case, they are very interesting in meeting with you."
"I almost royally screwed up the sting," Charlie pointed out.
"We wouldn't even have had a name without your leg work," Juan insisted.
"I did get you that," she replied.
"Say you'll meet with them," Juan encouraged.
"I'll think about it," Charlie said.
Mike leaned on the wall and watched the door. He couldn't pace anymore, but he just couldn't sit either. Mike held his breath when Abby and Johnny walked through the large glass door. Johnny went to check on Charlie.
Abby ran to Mike and threw herself into his arms. She grabbed his face and captured his mouth with her own. Abby wrapped her arms around Mike's neck as the two continued the fight to consuming each other. He tilted his head changing the angle. After a few minutes they pulled apart their hearts racing. Mike was wishing they were somewhere a little more private. Abby blushed realizing that she had just passionately kissed him in the middle of what could be considered his place of work. Well, that didn't look very professional. "Mike, I'm sor-," she began.
"Don't you ever apologize for kissing me," Mike commanded huskily as he pulled her back to him. He was still trying to get his breathing under control.
Juan approached the couple. "Here he is- safe and sound," he smiled.
"Hello, Agent Badillo," Abby greeted.
"Juan," he insisted.
"Is everything ready?" Mike asked.
Juan nodded, "Follow me." He led them through a small maze of corridors. "This works just like on TV shows," Juan began to prepare Abby, "There's going to be about six guys behind a one-way window."
"And I tell you which guy I recognize," Abby said.
"If you don't see him it's important to say that too," Juan replied. She nodded.
They came to the door of viewing room. "Here we are," Juan opened it. Abby took a breath and walked inside. Mike followed. He wasn't going to have her go through this by herself. Juan entered as well and closed the door. Mike didn't say a word, but creased down her shoulders and wrapped his arms around Abby in support. The way Mike's hands came to rest protectively over Abby's abdomen was not lost on Juan. Abby placed one of her hands on top of Mike's. That clenched it for him. There was a little Warren on the way. Juan decided not to say anything. If they wanted to tell him they would.
She took a good look at each of the men. "Number five," Abby indicated.
Juan pressed the button for the intercom, "Number five, step forward." Jangles holding the number five card did as directed.
She studied him very carefully. Jangles had been cleaned up with both his grazed hand and broken nose tended too. The sling on his other arm might have garnered some sympathy from others, but not from Abby. One flash in her mind of the way Jangles looked down at her wounded boyfriend squashed any of those feelings. She shook it off. Jangles still looked pretty scary. "That's the man who attacked Mike," Abby insisted.
"You're positive?" Juan inquired.
"Yes," she tipped her head in the affirmative.
"Thank you, Abby," Juan said then called an end to the lineup.
After the ID Mike was feeling pretty possessive of Abby. He needed some alone time his girl. "Want to go out for dinner tonight?" Mike offered.
"Yeah," she agreed, "Will I need to change?"
"No, you're perfect," he crooned.
Abby rolled her eyes and snickered, "Nobody's perfect." He looked her over. Abby wore a white sheer, lace tank top with a white camisole underneath. She felt so much lighter than she had this morning.
Briggs hung around the other door where they let out the men from the lineup. He had found Jangles' shot up truck when the news of the other man's capture broke. He caught Jangles' eyes as he exited. Jangles glared at Briggs as he was carted down the hall. His eyes sent a chill through Briggs. The others would be celebrating tonight, but this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.