Deadly Intersections (27 page)

“So it started all those years ago?”

Sol shrugged. Jack could see beads of sweat covering the top of his head.

“At first it was nickel and dime. Just a little shakedown. The big time stuff didn’t come until later.”

“You mean with Vince Carnotti.”

“Yeah, he didn’t know me in the beginning. I paid my dues. Eventually I got more responsibilities.”

The air of pride in his voice disgusted Jack. He knew what
more responsibilities
meant to the mob, and he knew how well it paid. He read about corruption every day, but it seemed to happen in distant places, cities like Detroit or Chicago. The fact that Sol worked shoulder to shoulder with a mobster shocked him.

“How?” he thought to ask. “How could you get away with it for all of these years? You became the chief, for chrissakes! You closed more cases than anyone else.”

Sol shrugged. “And did you ever think that was a little suspicious? Did you ever wonder how I juggled two or three big investigations at the same time? I had a little help. Sometimes evidence would just appear or a witness conveniently disappeared. How do you think I
got
to be chief? Did you ever wonder why it was me and not
you?
”

An odd sound pushed through his chest, and he realized before he could stop it that he was laughing. When he could finally control himself, he said, “I’m sorry. That isn’t funny, but if you think I’m going to feel sorry for you, you’re crazy. You’re a disservice to every man or woman who’s worn the badge. I’m ashamed to have called you chief. You think you’re the only one who was ever tempted? Try having your little boy murdered in a convenience store, a wife sick with cancer and a daughter you nearly drive to suicide. I’d never trade my family for yours, Sol, but I’d have gladly traded problems—and I would’ve told the mob to shove it.”

Sol’s jaw set and his features darkened. His grip on the gun seemed to tighten, his hand grew steady. “Like I said, we can’t all be the great Big Jack Adams.”

“You never had to be me.”

“Shut up Jack—”

“Or what? You’ll shoot me? Isn’t that the plan, Sol? Isn’t that why you’re here? When did you make me?”

Sol chuckled. “Second day. My guy at the house spooks easily. He’s always moving through the rooms, peeking through the curtains. He calls me and tells me he’s seen the same Buick parked in different spots. I came by so you could take my picture, and we could move this whole thing along.”

Jack nodded. “So I guess we won’t be retiring together in Oregon.”

“No,” Sol replied and Jack heard sadness in his voice. “Duffek Turn was never meant to be. I’ve got a place in the Caymans.”

 Jack looked around the garage, remote and still. “So how is this going down? Robbery gone bad? Carjacking?”

Sol nodded slowly. “First guess. The knife that’s embedded in your tire is covered in the fingerprints of a known felon, one with a history of drug, robbery and assault charges. This crime against you will inevitably send him to prison for the rest of his life.”

“Ah, a two-for-one. You save your hide and perform a civic duty in the process by removing one more scourge on society.” He paused before adding, “I don’t think anything can make up for what you did to Molly Nelson.”

Sol frowned, and Jack knew he’d hit a nerve. “Nelson was a good cop. She should’ve left that informant’s death alone. He was a total loser.”

“And have you thought about how heartbroken Ari’s going to be? She’s lost her girlfriend and now her father?”

He sighed and scratched his head. “No chance you’d just let all this go and come with me? I don’t think—”

A sudden crack pierced the silence, and Sol’s gun clattered onto the concrete. A fountain of blood spewed from his arm. He stared in horror at the arch of red while Jack immediately kicked the gun away. Shock turned to pain, and he cried out.

“You damn son of a bitch!”

Molly’s voice boomed throughout the cavernous garage as she emerged from her hiding spot behind a green Honda thirty feet away. At the sight of her, Sol started to back away, holding his injured hand. She waved the pistol, but the hatred in her eyes was deadly.

“Did you forget I was the best shot on the range? Maybe if you’d remembered that, you wouldn’t have set me up.”

“Molly, put the gun down,” Jack said calmly. “Did you call the police?”

“No time. Everything happened so fast here I haven’t had a chance.” She peered at Sol’s bleeding arm and feigned shock. “Oh, that looks bad. I may have hit an artery. You could use an ambulance, Chief.”

There was no mistaking the mocking tone in her voice. Jack knew he was losing control of the situation. Molly was supposed to have called the police and nothing else. She was entirely off script and didn’t seem to care that Sol could die.

“Molly, please give me the gun.”

She stepped away from the men, the gun still pointed at Sol Gardener. “Can’t do that, Jack. This is between the Chief and me. You’re just an innocent retiree who got in the middle of this. I’m the one who’s lost everything. The best thing you could do is jump in your rental and drive away.”

“Uh-huh, Nelson.”

Sol groaned in pain. “Nelson, if you’re gonna take me out then just do it.”

Molly wiped a tear from her cheek. “That’s exactly what I should do. What have I got left? You took it all from me, Chief.”

“It was business. Just business. I think you’re a straight-up cop. One of the best detectives I’ve ever seen. I’m sorry this happened to you.”

Before Jack could process the meaning of his last words, Sol pulled Jack’s gun from behind his back and fired at Molly. Three slugs hit Sol in the chest, but he managed to discharge a single round into her left thigh. She went down, and Jack rushed to her.

“Shit!” Molly hissed. “It’s not a big deal. Go check on him.” She motioned toward Sol, the unmistakable gurgling sounds of death coming from his throat.

Sirens echoed in the distance, but Jack doubted any paramedic could save Sol. He leaned over him, his eyes cloudy. He’d deliberately drawn on Molly, knowing that she would instinctively fire. It was better to die than face prison. He grabbed Jack’s arm and pulled him closer.

“Ari. Help Ari,” he whispered.

“Ari’s fine, Sol. Don’t worry about her.”

“No, she’s not. There’s someone… She’ll need you…”

His lifeless body sunk back against the concrete. Jack bit his lip. Sol Gardener spent his last breath for his godchild Ari—not his wife, not his own children. It was a warning.
He’s concerned for Ari. Why?

The flashing lights of an ambulance pierced the black night and the wailing sirens were deafening. Molly remained stoic against the pain as the emergency crews attended to her. Jack brought the first on-the-scene patrol officers up to speed before he returned to Molly who had several EMT’s swarming around her.

“Thanks for your help, Nelson. You doin’ okay?”

“Great,” she said through clenched teeth. “What did Sol say there at the end?”

“The usual. He was sorry for what he’d done, and he wanted me to apologize to his wife and kids for everything.”

Molly shook her head, oblivious to his lie. “I still can’t believe it.”

They moved her onto a stretcher and wheeled her to an ambulance. Jack noticed two local news trucks pulling up to the garage. This was going to be big news. He and Molly would inevitably spend days talking to Internal Affairs and the county prosecutors. He imagined that some local talking head looking for a job at a national network would eventually dig deep enough to learn about Molly’s DUI and her subsequent resignation. And probably her alcoholism, too.

As the ambulance drove away, he shook his head. Her entire life was about to be exposed and he doubted she would ever be the same.

“Um, excuse me, are you Big Jack Adams?”

He turned to face a cherubic young face with bright eyes.

“Yup, that’s me,” he answered.

The rookie glanced at his partner, who shuffled his feet and appeared to be equally green. “Uh, well, the plainclothes guys aren’t here yet and we’re not sure what to do.”

Jack cracked a grin. “What’s your name, son?”

“McCoy, sir. Sean McCoy.”

“Well, McCoy, first, we need to secure the crime scene. Why don’t you boys go get your notebooks?”

They scurried off to the patrol car while Jack took a deep breath. Sol’s last words.
She’ll need you.

He shook his head.  “So much for retirement.”

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