Chapter 2: A Double Cross

Shawn perched himself on the edge of Lassiter's desk as he watched the activity in the bullpen pass him by. Ever since the news had come in that morning about the Chief's murder, no one has sat still. Except for Shawn. He had no choice since Lassiter had told him, in no uncertain words, that he wasn't to have anything to do with this investigation.

Although Shawn was taking it all in, he was really keeping an eye on McNab, waiting for the sign to say that they had been paid, so they could go ahead and give this creep up to the police. With every call that came in, he waited and watched, and each time he got the 'no money' signal.

"Spencer, get off my desk," Lassiter snapped as he walked up, pulling out his chair.

Shawn jumped from the desk seeing that Lassiter wasn't in the mood, and he couldn't blame the Head Detective, considering what he had done that morning.

"Lassie...please let me help?" When Lassiter looked up, Shawn drew back a little after seeing the anger in the man's eyes. "Please, I'm sure I can help."

"No! I'm not going to have you work on this case, stuff it up and have the killer walk free. Now, follow your friend Guster and leave! McNab...escort Spencer out of the station."

"Yes, Sir!" McNab replied as he walked up and took Shawn by the arm. "Mr. Spencer."

Shawn was going to put up a fight, but the moment he saw that certain look in McNab's eyes, he let his partner to lead him out of the bullpen.

"What's wrong?" Shawn whispered as they walked.

"He's refusing to pay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I called him. It seems that Mr. Vick was upset that you shot the Chief in front of their daughter, Iris."

"Really! He's trying to double cross us." Shawn hissed as he turned to face McNab, anger burning in his eyes. "For a man that has no problem ordering his own wife's murder, he's not too bright. What, didn't he think we'd come after him or his daughter for our money."

"He said that we wouldn't be game enough to come after him since the Chief 's murder is too much of a high-profile case and that we should just cut our losses and move on. Otherwise, he will hand us over to the police."

"Well ..." Shawn answered as they walked out the front door of the station. "We better let him know that we're not that easy to get rid of." As Shawn turned to face McNab, he scanned the area to see who was nearby. "I will see you tonight at the Lion's Den. Say about eleven?"

"As long as Detective Lassiter lets us go. But if he doesn't, I'll call you."

"Okay. So, I better go and get our bargaining chip, so we can get paid."

"Be careful."

"I will be. Love you." Shawn gave McNab's hand a tight squeeze before he spun around and skipped down the stairs.

McNab watched Shawn leave, knowing that Mr. Vick was playing an extremely dangerous game with them. Heading back into the station, he thought that grabbing Detective Lassiter a cup of coffee might help calm the man down.

Shawn jumped on his bike and headed to the garage where he and McNab kept their back-up cars. They were cheap and disposable. Perfect for a kidnapping.

Finding the perfect car, Shawn fitted it with a car seat and fake number-plates then put the legal number-plates inside the trunk. He drove the car to the hotel and avoiding the security cameras, he made his way up to the room.

Making sure the area was clear, he pulled his ski-mask down and knocked on the door. As soon as the door was opened, Shawn stormed in, pointing a gun straight at Mr. Vick's head.

"Keep your mouth shut and turn around!"

Shawn's voice was strong and commanding, and Mr. Vick did what he was told. Man-handling him, Shawn forced Mr. Vick to sit down.

"Please...don't hurt me! I will give you anything you want!" Mr. Vick begged as Shawn tied his hands.

Grabbing the front of Mr. Vick's shirt, Shawn pushed his face close to the crying man.

"You'll give me anything I want as long as I don't kill you."

"Yes, anything," he breathed out into Shawn's masked face.

"What about your daughter's life or is it just as expendable as your wife's life was?"

"What ...?"

"You're begging me not to kill you, what about Iris's life."

"I...I didn't know you knew she was here. That...that you just wanted money."

"Ooh, I do just want money." Shawn smirked. "My money for killing your wife. Or didn't you think I would come after it?"

"I was going to …"

"Save it? It will now cost you another ten thousand dollars for trying to screw me over. And just to make sure that you pay, I will be taking Iris as a hostage. You'll get her back when you pay."

"Please, don't you think you did enough damage to Iris by killing her mother in front of her?"

Shawn let go of Mr. Vick's shirt, only to punch him hard across the face. "You want her back. You will pay for it. Twenty thousand dollars. I will ring you when and where I want you to drop it off and before you ask why not just a transfer, it's easy. This way, you have an excuse to draw the money without the cops thinking that you are paying me for killing your wife. Understand?"

"Y … yes, I understand."

Shawn gagged Mr. Vick before going to the bedroom. There, Iris lay sleeping. Shawn grabbed some of her father's clothes out of the suitcase and put them on, including a large hat. Picking up Iris he walked out.

Mr. Vick's eyes grew large at the sight that greeted him. His attacker still had on the mask, so his face couldn't be seen, but with the clothes on, he looked so much like himself that no one would stop him walking out with Iris in his arms.

Before leaving, Shawn placed an envelope addressed to Head Detective Lassiter on the coffee table, then left.

After making his way down to the car and placing Iris safely in the car seat, he drove a few blocks away. Once he found a quiet spot, he swapped over the number-plates then drove to his place. Inside, he placed the sleeping child in bed.

He returned the car to the garage, then rode his bike home again. He knew he would have to get someone to watch Iris when he went to meet McNab, but he already had the right person in mind.

When he got home, Shawn checked on Iris before sitting down with a drink and firing off a text to McNab, who was still at the station. He confirmed that he had Iris and that it was now up to McNab to lead Lassie to the hotel.

After reading, then deleting, the text, McNab walked over to Detective Lassiter's desk to tell him and Detective O'Hara that he just received a call that there has been a disturbance at the hotel room where Mr. Vick and Iris were staying.

As they all rushed out of the station, McNab destroyed the phone he was using and texted Shawn so that he would know McNab's new number.

Thank you for reading