Chapter 10

Just in time, Steve had isolated the detonator from the explosive and removed it. Breathing heavily, he held it in his hand and tried to get his pulse back to a normal level. He looked at Danny, who was standing chalk-white behind him.

"That was close. The son of a bitch put a hidden remote detonator on top of the timer and just set it off. He probably saw that the mall was being cleared and wanted to get as many people as possible. Since there was no explosion at all, that seems to have been the only detonator."

Steve looked back up at the attached explosive with the strange cylinder.

More quietly, he continued, "He built the explosive device to do the most damage possible. If it had detonated, it would have hurt and killed many, many people. Danny, we have to get this guy."

Danny nodded and then took the call on his cell phone. Apparently he had hung up in shock.

"Danny, are you guys ok?" "Yeah, Chin everything ok."

And he tells Chin about the remote detonator. "Son of a bitch. Abby's already going through the video surveillance."

In the meantime, the bomb disposal team had also arrived and secured the explosives and the cylinder. In addition, they took the detonating device to analyze it and check for traces. The mall was completely searched, but no further explosive devices were found.

After the mall was cleared, Danny and Steve stood outside the entrance, staring into the crowd that was once again pouring into the mall as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, something occurred to Steve.

"I'll be right back." And he disappeared into the mall. Less than five minutes later, he was back next to Danny with a coffee mug.

"You didn't get a coffee and bring me one now, did you?"

It wasn't until the phrase had left his mouth that he saw Steve holding the cup oddly with a napkin.

"Well thank you Danny. Do you think after all this stuff, I'll go have a latte macchiato first? The guy threw the cup in the trash when I followed him, and maybe the crime lab will find fingerprints or DNA on the cup."

"And how do you know that's his cup?" Danny pointed to the cup.

"It was the only mug with the name 'Theo' on it."

Distraught, Danny blinked. He pushed his chin forward.

"What?"

"It was the only cup that had Theo on it. I saw the name when he passed us at the ice cream parlor."

A car stopped in front of them and Chin rolled down the window.

"Hey Chin, do you have an evidence bag for me right now?"

Steve pointed to the coffee mug. After they had bagged it, they drove to HQ together. Danny and Steve checked with the girls to make sure everything was okay and then turned their attention to the video footage Abby had found. There was not much to see. He seemed to have scouted the mall well in advance, though, because he knew for a fact that there was no camera in the spot where he had placed the explosive device. The crime lab had its hands full and would probably not be able to deliver the coffee mug result today. Accordingly, Chin drove Danny and Steve to Mary's house so they could spend some time with Grace before she flew back. Steve's thoughts, however, continued to circle around the assassin. What was he going to do next, I wondered. After dinner, which Steve had cooked for everyone, Grace and Danny did the dishes in the kitchen while Mary put Joan to bed. Steve sat on the couch, somewhat exhausted, picked up the phone and called Catherine.

"Hey sailor, how was your first day of freedom?"

Steve wondered if he should tell her about the attempted attack. He didn't want her to worry, so for now he just told her about the successful gift shopping.

"And what about the assassin? Is there anything new?"

Steve felt caught. She just knew him too well. She knew for a fact that he wasn't just shopping, he was still dealing with the guy. Now he did tell about the explosive device in the mall. He heard Catherine gulp on the other end.

"We're okay Cath. Really. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Please take care of yourself. I like having you with me, but we don't have to share the hospital room again, okay?"

"Ok I will. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

He hung up and let his head sink exhausted on the back of the couch. When Danny, Mary, and Grace came back into the living room, he had fallen asleep. Mary pulled a blanket from the closet and covered her brother. Then she said goodbye to Grace and Danny and went to sleep, too.