actions. As far as he knew, he was preventing a crime, not committing one.’ Lindo shook his head dejectedly. ‘Did you mention the Egyptian by name?’
‘How could I? I don’t even
know
his name.’
‘What about the old man? Did you mention him?’
Paulsen shook his head. ‘No, but he knew we were coming.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Why? Because the geezer was armed.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes! At one point I had the drop on the other fucker, but before I had a chance to take him out, the old geezer shot at me. I’m lucky to be alive.’
Lindo nodded. ‘Yes, you are.’
‘So what now?’ Paulsen demanded.
Lindo looked at his watch. ‘At this time of day, it’s probably too late to get you released. I’m guessing they’ll want to schedule a bail hearing for first thing tomorrow morning.’
Paulsen had figured as much. ‘Any chance you can get me a night in the medical ward? My ribs are fucking killing me.’
‘No, but I brought in something to take the edge off.’ Lindo glanced over his shoulder, just to make sure the cops weren’t watching. Then he reached into his suit coat and pulled out a single white capsule. ‘Take this. Quick. Before the guards return.’
Paulsen grabbed the pill and popped it in his mouth. A moment later, he had worked up enough saliva to wash it down. ‘What was it?’
‘High-dose pain relief. Ten minutes from now, you won’t feel a thing.’
The black SUV was parked in an alley three blocks from the police station. Masseri sat in the shadows of the back seat, waiting for Lindo to return.
Despite his slick suit, polished shoes, and extensive knowledge of the legal system, Lindo was not an attorney. He was actually a member of a backup team sent to assist Masseri. Thanks to his sadistic ways, Lindo jumped at the chance to kill Paulsen – not only to impress Masseri, but because he thought it would be fun to kill a suspect in police custody.
Waiting in a nearby car, Masseri watched Lindo as he turned the corner and made his way into the alley. As far as he could tell, no cops had followed him from the station.
‘We’re good,’ Lindo said as he opened the car door.
Masseri needed more than that. ‘Define “good”.’
‘I questioned him. He took the pill. No problem at all.’
‘What did he know?’
‘He said the guy on the incline was the first to act. He knew who they were and tried to stop them.’
‘How?’
‘They were talking about backup while they waited outside the upper station. The guy came jogging by, and he might have overheard them.’
‘What about names?’
‘He didn’t say anything about Sahlberg, and he had no idea who the other guy was.’
Masseri’s jaw clenched. He desperately wanted to know the identity of the man who had ruined his plans at the incline. He had been hired to secure Sahlberg, but the mission wouldn’t be complete until he had eliminated the man protecting him.
‘Anything else?’
‘No, that’s it. He took the pill. He’ll be dead soon. No more loose ends.’
‘Exactly,’ Masseri replied.
Before Lindo could process the remark, Masseri reached forward and pressed his pistol to Lindo’s temple. The silenced round split through Lindo’s frontal lobe and ricocheted off the inside of his skull. As the slug careened back into Lindo’s brain, Masseri fired twice more. He knew that Lindo was dead after the first bullet, but he wanted this to look like something other than a professional hit. To help steer the police toward the conclusion of a drug deal gone wrong, he took on the mindset of a junkie.
He reached a gloved hand into Lindo’s suit and pulled out his wallet. Satisfied that there was nothing in the vehicle that could be linked to him or the other members of his team, he calmly opened the door and stepped outside.
The ambient noise of the city had masked what little sound had escaped the silencer. Even the birds perched on the fire escapes and power lines overhead had not been
‘How could I? I don’t even
know
his name.’
‘What about the old man? Did you mention him?’
Paulsen shook his head. ‘No, but he knew we were coming.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Why? Because the geezer was armed.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes! At one point I had the drop on the other fucker, but before I had a chance to take him out, the old geezer shot at me. I’m lucky to be alive.’
Lindo nodded. ‘Yes, you are.’
‘So what now?’ Paulsen demanded.
Lindo looked at his watch. ‘At this time of day, it’s probably too late to get you released. I’m guessing they’ll want to schedule a bail hearing for first thing tomorrow morning.’
Paulsen had figured as much. ‘Any chance you can get me a night in the medical ward? My ribs are fucking killing me.’
‘No, but I brought in something to take the edge off.’ Lindo glanced over his shoulder, just to make sure the cops weren’t watching. Then he reached into his suit coat and pulled out a single white capsule. ‘Take this. Quick. Before the guards return.’
Paulsen grabbed the pill and popped it in his mouth. A moment later, he had worked up enough saliva to wash it down. ‘What was it?’
‘High-dose pain relief. Ten minutes from now, you won’t feel a thing.’
The black SUV was parked in an alley three blocks from the police station. Masseri sat in the shadows of the back seat, waiting for Lindo to return.
Despite his slick suit, polished shoes, and extensive knowledge of the legal system, Lindo was not an attorney. He was actually a member of a backup team sent to assist Masseri. Thanks to his sadistic ways, Lindo jumped at the chance to kill Paulsen – not only to impress Masseri, but because he thought it would be fun to kill a suspect in police custody.
Waiting in a nearby car, Masseri watched Lindo as he turned the corner and made his way into the alley. As far as he could tell, no cops had followed him from the station.
‘We’re good,’ Lindo said as he opened the car door.
Masseri needed more than that. ‘Define “good”.’
‘I questioned him. He took the pill. No problem at all.’
‘What did he know?’
‘He said the guy on the incline was the first to act. He knew who they were and tried to stop them.’
‘How?’
‘They were talking about backup while they waited outside the upper station. The guy came jogging by, and he might have overheard them.’
‘What about names?’
‘He didn’t say anything about Sahlberg, and he had no idea who the other guy was.’
Masseri’s jaw clenched. He desperately wanted to know the identity of the man who had ruined his plans at the incline. He had been hired to secure Sahlberg, but the mission wouldn’t be complete until he had eliminated the man protecting him.
‘Anything else?’
‘No, that’s it. He took the pill. He’ll be dead soon. No more loose ends.’
‘Exactly,’ Masseri replied.
Before Lindo could process the remark, Masseri reached forward and pressed his pistol to Lindo’s temple. The silenced round split through Lindo’s frontal lobe and ricocheted off the inside of his skull. As the slug careened back into Lindo’s brain, Masseri fired twice more. He knew that Lindo was dead after the first bullet, but he wanted this to look like something other than a professional hit. To help steer the police toward the conclusion of a drug deal gone wrong, he took on the mindset of a junkie.
He reached a gloved hand into Lindo’s suit and pulled out his wallet. Satisfied that there was nothing in the vehicle that could be linked to him or the other members of his team, he calmly opened the door and stepped outside.
The ambient noise of the city had masked what little sound had escaped the silencer. Even the birds perched on the fire escapes and power lines overhead had not been
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