4.
"Hello, Hardcastle's House of Pain, Mark speaking."
"Mark, where's the Judge?"
The tone in Frank Harper's question wiped the smile off McCormick's face. "What happened?"
"Get Milt."
"Frank? Please." Mark clutched the den phone tightly in suddenly sweaty hands.
"It's not on the news yet, but the hotel where the Guzman trial jurors and their families were sequestered was fire-bombed."
"Jesus." Mark dropped into the Judge's chair. "How many dead?"
"Just the jurors. Guzman's sniper picked them off as they fled the fire. The only other victim was an elderly man who suffered a severe case of smoke inhalation. He's currently recovering at Rampart General Hospital."
Mark looked up as the Judge walked into the room. He slid out of the chair, handing the phone silently to his friend.
"What is it? McCormick?"
"I've…it's Frank. He's got news." Mark waved his hand at the list. "Two more to go, Judge." Without another word, he left the den.
"Frank, what the hell's going on?" McCormick is white as a sheet."
The lieutenant explained what had happened. "Milt, you've moved radically up the list. In fact, you might be next. Our last juror won't be returning from his cruise anytime soon. Interpol has removed him from the ship and graciously agreed to provide protection until Guzman is arrested. And our illustrious District Attorney is flying to the Far East for a fact finding mission. That leaves just you in town. I don't suppose you'd consider taking a vacation of your own somewhere out of the country?"
"What do you think?" Hardcastle asked.
"Yeah, that's what I figured," Frank grumbled. "I'm increasing your police guard as of tomorrow."
"No."
"Yes. Look, Milt, you're not the only one who could be in danger out there."
"Guzman has no interest in taking out bystanders or innocents. He's clearly showing us that."
"Yeah," Frank agreed. "He's been good about that. Except you're the one he's truly angry with. You passed sentence on him. And, from what I gather, you exchanged words with him during the trial."
"There might have been a few heated moments, all outside the hearing of the jury. So?"
"According to his cellmate, he wanted a more personal revenge on you. Whoever his sniper might be, that won't be how Guzman takes you out."
"You think he'll come after me personally," Hardcastle said.
"Yep. And who do we both know who will be standing in front of you when Guzman does show up?" Frank asked.
"McCormick."
"You've got it in one."
"Maybe I can send him away."
"Milt, don't be ridiculous. You know better than that, or you should. He'll be dogging your footsteps every inch of the way."
"I guess he will. Okay, Frank, beef up our security. We'll make some changes here as well."
"Like keeping your front and rear gates closed?"
"Like that and getting back to using the alarm system. The kid's been on my case about it, but I've never liked the hassle of using it."
"Give him a break, Milt. He's really scared for you," Frank said softly.
"Yeah, okay, fine." Hardcastle shrugged, a smile sneaking onto his face. "He's really something, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he is. I like Mark and I don't want to see either of you laid out on a slab in autopsy, so watch it."
-- H&McC --
"We go tonight, Leo," Guzman announced.
"What about the other two? The juror and the D.A.?"
"Sadly, we will have to delay these executions. With both individuals out of the country, we have no choice. They'll keep."
"Hardcastle is probably gonna guess that," Leo commented.
"That's why we're going tonight, before he has time to make Gull's-Way into a fortress. We've studied the plans well enough to move about in the dark. There's no moon either, a big help as we come in from the beach."
Leo grinned. "Night maneuvers. I love 'em."
"Get what we need and be prepared to leave at ten o'clock. I want to hit the place at midnight while everyone is asleep and any guards are drowsy." Guzman's smile made Lipman glad his boss wasn't after him.