Ambush
- Автор: Паттерсон Джеймс, Борн Джеймс О.
- Серия: Michael Bennett #11
- Год: 2018
- Язык: английский
- Год: Little, Brown and Company
- ISBN: 978-0-316-27398-5
- Жанр: Триллеры
Электронная книга - «Ambush». Краткое содержание книги:
Now this creep was a link to the person who was after me. Talking to him would also give me an idea who ordered the attack on my son in prison.
I met a friend of mine, corrections lieutenant Vinnie Mintus, who came with me to a special interview room where Stass was waiting. I had to calm myself down before entering, because the idea of seeing Stass in person made me think about committing a crime of my own.
When I was ready, I went in and sat down on a hard metal chair at a flat, scarred wooden table and looked across at Albert Stass. He was in his forties, and he really did have a fairly significant scar on his face. Other than that, there was nothing remarkable about the man.
He looked back at me with flat brown eyes.
I said, “Do you know who I am?”
“I know.”
“You know why I’m here to talk to you?”
“It doesn’t matter, because I’m not telling you shit.”
I shrugged and looked over my shoulder at my friend, who worked at Rikers Island every day.
Lieutenant Mintus said, “You could help yourself out if you talked to us.”
“I’ve got a lawyer for this case. I got nothing to say to you.”
Lieutenant Mintus smiled and said, “I’m talking about the potential assault case for the guy you attacked in the cafeteria last week.”
“You mean the black gangbanger? All I did was shove him.”
“Shove, tried to choke — who could say?” The lieutenant gave him a grin that even made me nervous. “You know how things work around here. You could be isolated and secured until trial.”
“That ain’t right, and you know it.”
I said, “Is it right to lure kids into selling drugs?”
“Allegedly lure kids into selling drugs.”
It was my friend the lieutenant who said, “Cut the shit. If you want to avoid some additional charges, just listen to the questions Detective Bennett has for you. You may not even think they’re important.”
Stass thought about it for a few seconds, then looked at me without much interest and said, “Go ahead.”
I said, “Who put out the contract on me? And why?”
“All I have is hearsay. It could never be used in court.”
“No one will know we ever spoke to you.”
He waited a bit longer, then finally said, “The mama of that kid you shot in the library. Diego something. She’s the one who pressured the cartel. I heard they even hired some hotshot killer from Bogotá. The killer is supposed to take care of some Canadians and I guess you, too. From what I hear, the killer is really good. You might not live long enough to talk about our conversation.” That made him grin, revealing yellowed, uneven teeth.
I had a few more questions, but he didn’t know anything that could help me. At least I felt a level of satisfaction for having tied a lot of this case together. Now we had to figure a way to find the woman from Colombia who was committing these murders.
That was always the toughest job: stopping the killer.
Chapter 73
The visit with Albert Stass had shaken me. Over the previous months, I had experienced a number of revenge fantasies about him. That was not the way I was raised or what my upbringing in the Catholic Church had taught me. It wasn’t how I operated as a police officer. But I still fantasized about killing the creep, and that scared me.
I had to clear my head. Some people might call it centering myself. That meant I needed contact with my family. Some men rushed to alcohol, some men to drugs, but in times of trouble, I needed my family.
I didn’t hesitate to head south toward Brooklyn. I hadn’t been to the set where Juliana was filming her TV show in several days. Just seeing her would make me feel better.
As I parked near the nondescript warehouse in Brooklyn Heights, near the East River, the first person I saw was Juliana. She was standing outside the main door using her phone.
As I walked up, she covered the mouthpiece of the phone and said, “I get lousy service inside. And by coming out here I get a little air and a few minutes away from Carter.”
I waited a few seconds while she finished her call. She was trying to register for some acting class in Greenwich Village. Then Juliana slipped her phone into her purse and gave me a hug.
She said, “What brings you down here?”
I shrugged. “I just needed to see one of my kids. And I was curious about what was going on here on the set.”
“You were curious how I was handling Carter since he dumped me.”
“I’m more curious to know if you want me to do something to him.” I gave her a smile to let her know I was kidding.
Juliana said, “Ugh, Carter. I don’t even want to think about that jerk.”
I was glad to see that anger had replaced sadness — the natural progression in breakups.
Just then, the front door opened and Carter popped his head out. He said, “C’mon, Jules, don’t be like that—” Then he saw me and went silent.
I looked at him and said, “Like what?”
He didn’t say a word as he slipped back inside.
Juliana laughed, and it lifted my whole world.
I turned to her and said, “What are you filming today?”
“Just some scenes with the star of the show.”
I liked the way she put air quotes around star. The woman was an older actress whose name I didn’t know.
Juliana said, “Sometime this week I’m supposed to do three different interviews.”
“That’s exciting. Maybe I can come and distract you during one of them. It will make you tougher.”
She laughed and said, “Dad, thanks for worrying about me.”
“Honestly, I don’t know why I do. You seem to have everything under control.”
She hugged me.
I said to her, “I came here for me, not so much for you. You don’t have to thank me.”
Juliana said, “Then I’ll just tell you that I think you’re a great dad.”
Chapter 74
Alex Martinez had a difficult time keeping up with Bennett’s car after he left Rikers Island. Surveillance was difficult, especially with only one person working it. But this was a part of the job she really enjoyed.
Now she was definitely on her own. She didn’t want to involve anyone else or use any other accomplices. The Dominican gang had illustrated the problems of using local help. She had done it a few times over the years, but never again.
Alex considered a simple drive-by shooting while conducting the surveillance. Everything would have to fall in place just right, and she’d have to worry about witnesses and security video if she did it that way. It was better to work out a plan and stick to it. That’s what she was good at.
Her research on the Internet had told her a few things about Bennett the man, including his adoption of ten children. She still didn’t have a photo of any of them.
She stayed back about six cars as Bennett crossed over the East River by way of the Brooklyn Bridge. A few blocks later, in Brooklyn Heights, she saw the Impala pull into a lot across from a warehouse.
For a moment, she wondered if everything had lined up just right. When he came through the parking lot she could work it out so her car would not be far from him. But she remembered how quickly he reacted with the Dominican gunmen. They’d tried basically the same thing, and it didn’t work out for them.
Still, just in case, Alex drew her semiautomatic pistol from her purse and slid it into its normal spot next to the driver’s seat. She kept her right hand wrapped around the grip.
She rolled down her window so she’d be ready if she got the chance.
Bennett walked across the street in front of her quickly and was greeted by someone at the front of the building.