Cold As Ice: Novel (A Kristen Conner Mystery Book 3) (39 page)

81

MY PHONE DIED and I still haven’t put a battery charger in Klarrisa’s car. I hadn’t planned on driving it more than the first day or two. Klarissa’s going on-air in a few minutes anyway and couldn’t have picked up so we could set up a time to talk tonight or tomorrow. I need to start watching her on TV more. It hurts her feelings when she can tell I haven’t watched her.

“You’re getting to be a regular member of the family, Heather.”

“Your mom’s very nice, Kristen. If I hadn’t worked out with you a couple times I would have said there was no way you could stay thin with the way she feeds you.”

“Food has always been one of her favorite ways to solve family problems. Usually works.”

“Food is an opiate for a lot of us,” Torgerson says with a laugh.

“You haven’t met my sister and her husband and the kids. You are in for a treat. When James, the six-year-old, is around, keep your eyes open or you might lose one of them.”

“And I get to meet the legendary Austin Reynolds in the flesh.”

“He says he’ll be there.”

“He looks pretty good in high definition too—but I promise I’m not trying to steal your beau,” she says with a wink.

“I have no claim on him.”

“So he’s a free agent?”

She’s playing but I need to give that question some thought.

“Ask me next week,” I say.

“You know what he’s called by the SWAT members?”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“Since he’s Willingham’s right-hand-man they call him The Hammer of Bob.”

“Seriously?”

“He’s been called a lot of things, including hunk—not by me, of course—but yeah. Everyone knows he’s Willingham’s shock and awe enforcer.”

Hmm.

“I think he’s very smart, too,” I say, “but that’s coming from my level. I may not have as high a standard.”

“You’re funny, Kristen. You love to play that you are clueless what’s going on and everyone is smarter. You’re plenty smart and everyone knows Reynolds is too. He just has a different background than most with his time in Delta Force. He’s been on the sharp edge of the sword.”

The Hammer of Bob. How well do I know Reynolds?

I’m not sure if I should tell her that I’m not always playing that I’m clueless. Sometimes I just am.

He could feel it. Tonight would be the night. Almost didn’t seem fair, Vlad thought. This would be a quick and easy grab. The
shestyorka
said that Sadowsky had five men available. He just wanted three. Any more and they would be shooting each other.

He had them meet him at a grocery store parking lot across from the health club where Conner was working out. He quickly brought them up to speed on the operation. He gave each man an assignment and asked if there were any questions. There weren’t. Good. He liked the team already.

If the detective headed to her mom’s house from the health club the smash and grab would happen tonight. It was a fast but solid plan. Only five people to deal with. One, the mother, would not be able to fight. Only four to take down and his team had the element of surprise. It was almost fail-proof.

One of the men would position himself where he couldn’t be seen between the house and wherever the cop car parked. He had one job
only. Shoot anyone that got out of the car. Both officers would undoubtedly get out and come running with what Zheglov had planned. They would be easy targets.

He thought about having his outside man just shoot the two cops through the window, but every now and then, auto glass would cause crazy trajectories with bullets. He didn’t want one of the cops to get missed and have time to shoot back. He wanted them out of the car and running toward the front door so his man could pick them off nice and easy. No prolonged battle.

Zheglov’s second man would head down the outside steps to the basement door. On cue—namely a brick through the front window— he was to wedge the door open with a crow bar and hustle up the steps, ready to fire. The third man would shoot in the front door immediately after throwing the brick through the window and shoot anyone in the front room except Conner. He could wound her with a non-fatal shot if necessary. She should be weak from the Bear shooting her anyway.

Vlad would be coming inside through the back door at the same time. The window being smashed was his cue. He expected everyone— Conner, the agent, and the mother—to have their eyes up front. With the third man coming up through the basement, no way could they handle all the angles of defense. The FBI agent was primary target. She would be armed and might know how to use her gun. Whoever got to her first was to shoot her dead. No need to kill the mom unless necessary. Whoever was closest would head for her and put a gun to her head. That should be all the inducement the detective needed to put down her weapon.

The order of events was designed to create disorientation. What is happening and where is it coming from? No matter how good your vision and nerve, you couldn’t cover every angle. Vladimir figured it would be over within seconds. Securing the mom was key. It would keep them from having to hurt the detective. Not immediately anyway. If the Feds didn’t give them Boyarov, they would hurt her real bad.

Pasha had probably already spilled his guts. Significant damage to the
bratva
was undoubtedly done. But with him gone as a live witness, the repercussions would at least be limited.

Vlad parked the Mercedes in the Planet Fitness parking lot. If tonight was the night, he wouldn’t need it again. The
shestyorka
could pick his car up later tonight. There was nothing suspicious about it. To be ready to make the hit and escape, he moved all his stuff to the back of the Escalade. It was a lot nicer than the other cars in the mom’s neighborhood, which made it too noticeable. But it was the right size for what they had to do and this was going to happen soon and quick.

He kept his eye on the door. Conner exited alone. Maybe he should have made this the place. They could take her right now. But the parking lot was lit up bright, which would have made it harder to hit to the cops in the idling car across the street.

She started her sports car and pulled up front. The FBI agent got in. Two pretty girls he thought as he saw their faces illuminated for just a second by the interior light.

Which direction?

She turned south on Western. Tonight it was.

The driver put his hand on the gearshift.

“No hurry,” Vladimir said. “We know where she’s going. Let the police car go on ahead and set up. We’ll just take it nice and slow and park a block over as planned.”

82

“THIS IS SQUIRES.”

“Don, you heard from Conner?” Zaworski asked.

“Not since we interviewed Keltto and Levin,” he answered. “Hold on,” he said into the phone and then covered the mouthpiece and yelled, “Okay boys, get a quick drink of water. Two minutes.”

He looked over at the stands where parents were chatting. Vanessa was giving him the stare.

Why’d you pick it up, you idiot?

“Yeah boss, what’s up?”

“You sound busy.”

“Coaching my son’s basketball team. We’re halfway through practice.”

“Get back to it.”

“Something happening with Conner?”

“Some Russian guy involved in that mess she got into in Central Park has been confirmed in Chicago. We’re dealing with it. Problem is no one can reach her. She’s either turned off her phone or let the battery die.”

“Dead battery, if I know her,” Squires said. “Need me to drive by to check on her after practice?”

“Nah. We’re sending a squad car over to her place right now.”

“She said she’s eating at her mom’s house. Have them check with Nelson’s security detail. They might be heading to the wrong place.”

“Stupid of me. I should have done that first. I’m not sure how much longer I can do this, Squires. They say retiring is dangerous for your health and it’s good to keep working. After being through cancer I think not working might be better for my health. Especially since Conner got back in town.”

“She stirs the pot, no doubt about that, Captain.”

“I’m going to get back to finding KC. Someone needs to buy her a portable battery charger. But before I get off . . . let me plant a thought in your mind. Don’t answer now, just think about it. If I re-retired and you were named captain, would you consider pulling your resignation letter? Just think about it.”

“I will.”

“The squad car is going to have a tough time finding a parking spot,” I say to Heather as I back into a small opening a couple doors away from Mom’s.

“It’s a full house tonight,” she says. “Ready to make a run for it? I think it’s getting colder again. I about froze walking ten feet from the front door of Planet Fitness.”

“Listen Heather, go on in. Just open the door. Looks like Kaylen and the family are already here. They got the last spot on the driveway. I need a sec.”

“To call Austin?” she asks, a twinkle in her eye.

“Nah. My phone is dead. I need to look at something across the street. It’ll just take a minute or two.”

“Not sure I can leave you out here on your own.”

“I somehow suspect I’ll be safe for five minutes. Just go in.” I give her a light punch to the shoulder.

“Okay. Don’t be long.”

Bradley Starks stared at the ceiling in the infirmary. The bed was bolted to the floor and he was cuffed to the bed. The cut beneath his eye was stitched up. It didn’t hurt and he was glad to be away from the other adolescent inmates.

His mom stopped by and yelled at him for fighting. She wanted to
know why he was starting fights. He couldn’t give her the real answer. He’d been in trouble and around guys like this before. You either threw the first punch or you got hit by the first punch. Better to come out swinging.

I thought life was going to be different. Mr. Ed was helping me learn woodworking. He was helping me think about ways to make money even while I was in high school. He was helping me think about college or technical school. He was a good guy. He was weird but good.

Why wouldn’t he listen to me when I told him that his lousy wife was cheating on him with that loser? He just looked sad and wouldn’t say anything. I guess he already knew.

I can’t believe I tell the police about her boyfriend’s car on our street the morning of the murder and they end up arresting me. I guess they were going to find about my troubles at some point. I wonder if Nancy told them.

If I’d kept my stupid mouth shut, Nancy would be the only suspect, not me. But then the creep would have gotten off.

Police come by to talk tomorrow. I hope the lady detective who used to live down the street is there. She might be the only one who will listen to me.

Man, this sucks. One minute I think my life is getting better. I’m measuring and sawing and sanding and nailing some cool stuff. I was going to make Mom a jewelry chest for mother’s day—even if she doesn’t have much jewelry.

Then the next second I’m sitting in jail. It would have been better if Mr. Ed never tried to help me.