First to Kill (31 page)

He laughed. “Afraid of what? The FBI? You?”

“Of Nathan McBride.”

There was silence on the other end for several seconds. “How do you know that name?”

“He stopped by and we had a little chat about you.”

There was venom in his voice. “What did you tell him?”

“What do you think? I told him you’re a piece of shit.”

“That cocksucker killed Sammy.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Sammy!” Ernie screamed. “You know, my little brother?”

Amber froze, suddenly understanding why Nathan McBride had insisted she use his name. She’d been used again. Anger flared. “Well, he didn’t tell me that. Must have slipped his mind.”

“He’s a dead man.”

“Yeah.” She laughed bitterly as she put it together. “He set me up. They set me up. That whole press-conference thing, the question about Janey. It was all staged. Total bullshit.”

“And you were dumb enough to buy it?”

“I needed the money.”

“What money?”

“McBride offered me money to do the press conference.”

“How much?”

“Ten thousand,” she lied.

On the other end, Ernie chuckled. “Ten thousand.”

“It’s a lot of money. I’m not exactly swimming in greenbacks, Ern.”

“It’s peanuts.”

“Peanuts? Who do you think you are, Donald Trump?”

“Shit, I could give you ten times that much. In cash.”

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch. What do you want?”

“I want to torture Nathan McBride to death.”

“Well, good luck with that. I wouldn’t mess with him. That’s what he wants. In fact, I’m supposed to call him after I talk with you. He gave me his cell number.”

“Give it to me.”

“It’s your funeral.” She pulled the cocktail napkin from her jeans and read the number. “I’m sure he’d love to hear from you. Now, good-bye.”

“Wait, here’s what you’re going to do.”

“Screw that. I ain’t doing shit for you anymore.”

Ernie was silent for a moment. Amber knew she should hang up, but didn’t.

“I’m serious about the money,” Ernie said. “Leonard and me are buggin’ out. We don’t have much time. If you want the dough, here’s what you’re gonna do.”

“I don’t want your money. It’s dirty.”

“It’s not for you, it’s for Janey.”

“Yeah, right, like you care.”

“This can go one of two ways. The first, you and Janey can live happily ever after. The second, you don’t.”

“Don’t threaten me.”

“Oh, it’s not a threat, sweet Amber, it’s a promise and you know I’ll make good on it. What does this asshole look like?”

Amber gave him Nathan’s description. “I wouldn’t mess with him if I were you.”

“Yeah, right. Now shut up and listen. Here’s what you’re going say to McBride.”

* * *

Nathan couldn’t formulate a plan to collar Ernie until after Amber called, if she called at all. Until he knew Ernie had taken the bait, all he could do was wait. Nathan hated waiting. It grated on his nerves like a headache. As a sniper team, he and Harv had been masters at waiting, often for days at a time until their mark materialized, but this felt different.

He knew Harv preferred to stay busy during downtime. Currently, Harv had all their equipment laid out on the hotel room’s bed, checking and double-checking everything. He’d broken down their Sig Sauers and thoroughly cleaned and oiled their actions. He’d replaced the batteries in their night-vision scopes, RF detector, handheld thermal imagers, and radios. He then used a lens cloth to clean their field glasses. Although it wasn’t necessary, Harv pulled their Predator knives and checked sharpness. He applied a fine coat of gun oil on their menacing surfaces and sheathed them with more force than needed.

Nathan just stared.

“What?” Harv asked.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“I’m just making sure they’re ready.”

Nathan’s cell rang. He didn’t recognize the number and held it out for Harv to see. Harv shook his head. Nathan answered it. “Hello?”

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t old scarface himself.”

“Am I speaking with the loosest ass from cell block D?”

“Fuck you, McBride.”

“Come on, Ernie, can’t you think of anything more original than that? Do me a favor and put Leonard on the phone. I’d rather talk to him. He’s the brains of your operation. You’re just an errand boy.”

“Oh yeah? Well, here’s a message for you. I’m going to kill you real slow with a dull knife.”

“That’s going to be rather difficult after I’ve severed all your fingers.”

No response.

“Tell me something. Did your baby brother die right off, or did he squeal on the ground like a little girl?”

“We’ll see who does the squealing.”

The line went dead.

The coldness and lack of emotion sent a shiver through Nathan. “Well, at least this confirms he called Amber. She gave him my cell number. I love it when a plan comes together.”

Two minutes later, his phone rang again. It was a 559 area code, probably Amber Sheldon calling. He took the call. “Don’t say anything. Give me the number you’re calling from.”

She rattled off the number.

“Sit tight. I’ll call you back in five minutes.” He ended the call. “Let’s go find a pay phone a few blocks away, I don’t trust the ones in the lobby.”

Nathan rapped on the door adjoining his room with the two FBI agents and opened it. Grangeland and Ferris were waiting for him. They’d obviously heard everything he’d said. “We’re going out to call Amber Sheldon from a pay phone. We’ll be back in a few minutes. Cross your fingers, with a little luck we’ll be able to formulate a plan.”

They took the elevator down to the lobby and diverted over to the registration desk to get some quarters. They found a pay phone outside a liquor store. Ignoring the green wad of gum jammed into the receiver, he dialed the number.

“It’s me again,” said Nathan. “How did it go?”

“About like I expected.” There was sarcasm in her voice. “He wants to give me and Janey some money. He said it’s his way of making up for all the shit he’s put us through over the years.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Ernie’s done plenty of bad things, but yeah, I believe him.”

“How much money?”

“Twenty thousand,” she lied.

“How’re you supposed to get it?”

“He said he’d leave it in a paper bag in a trash can at the gas-pump island at Pete’s.”

“Which one?”

“He didn’t say. We have eight islands if you include the commercial diesel pumps. I guess I’ll have to rummage through all of them.”

“When?”

“He said sometime after midnight.”

“Listen to me very carefully, Amber. Don’t do anything. Do not approach the trash cans. Understood? I mean it, stay away from them.”

“I will.”

“What else did he say?”

“He said he’s bugging out with Leonard and that I’d never hear from him again.”

“Okay, good job. Sit tight. You won’t see us, but we’ll be there. Don’t do anything.”

“I won’t.”

Nathan replaced the cradle and turned to Harv. “He took the bait, we’re on.”

“It’s a trap. He told her what to say. You know that, right?”

“Yep.”

“And now you’re taking the bait.”

He smiled. “Wrong.
We’re
taking his bait.”

Harv stopped cleaning their field glasses and shook his head. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret this.”

“Relax, Harv, I’ve got everything under control.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

* * *

It would be a two-and-a-half-hour drive down to Fresno. For tonight’s action, both he and Harv were dressed in their woodland pants, black T-shirts, and combat boots. Nathan considered using his helicopter but there was no way to land anywhere near Pete’s Truck Palace without alerting the entire area. Besides, fog was in the forecast for the early morning hours. Nathan and Harv were in the lead, driving a rented Ford Expedition. Henning, Grangeland, and Ferris followed in a Crown Victoria. As usual, Harv drove. Until they surveyed Pete’s Truck Palace, they couldn’t plan anything in detail.

Nathan felt Harv was right. Amber Sheldon hadn’t been completely honest. When he’d asked how much Ernie had offered, a slight change in her tone gave it away. Twenty thousand dollars wasn’t chump change, but he was certain Ernie had offered more than that. How much, he didn’t know or care. All that mattered was her dishonesty. And if she were lying about the money, what else was she lying about? For all Nathan knew, Amber had made the call under duress, with Ernie’s knife at her throat.

Prior to beginning the drive to Fresno, Nathan had given Henning one his radios in case they needed to stop for any reason. As they descended the on-ramp onto Highway 99 south from Highway 50, Nathan keyed the radio. “Radio check.”

“
Copy,
” came Henning’s response.

“We’re going to exceed the speed limit. I trust you’ll use your FBI credentials if we’re stopped by the CHP?”

“No problem.”

Nathan set the radio on the seat and settled in for the drive. “I miss my dogs,” he said. “When this is over I’m going to spend some quality time with them.”

“Yeah,” said Harv. “I know what you mean. I miss my family too.” Harv moved into the fast lane and accelerated up to ninety miles an hour.

Chapter  21

On the drive south, they’d been forced to slow down through patches of fog, some of them several miles long. At the exit for Pete’s, Harv coasted down the off-ramp and turned right, away from their target. Anyone coming down the off-ramp at this hour would probably turn left, heading to Pete’s. Harv drove another hundred yards and killed the headlights. Nathan craned his neck and saw they were obscured from Pete’s by the Highway 99 overpass berm. Harv pulled the Expedition onto the shoulder and slowed to a stop. The Crown Vic pulled in behind them.

Nathan keyed the radio. “It’s fair to assume Amber gave a description of me to Ernie, so Harv will conduct a reconnaissance report back to us. I’ll wait in your vehicle until he returns.”

“
Copy,
” Henning said.

“Harv, you’re on. Locate all the trash cans at the islands. Fill the gas tank and check out the restaurant and convenience store. You know the drill, make a mental picture of everything.” Nathan opened the door and stepped out.

“Ten minutes,” Harvey said.

Nathan watched his partner execute a U-turn and head east under the freeway overpass. He climbed into the backseat with Henning and looked at his watch. As he’d predicted, the dome light in the Crown Vic was disabled.

Harv was back in just over eight minutes and pulled in behind the Crown Vic. Making room for Harv, Nathan slid into the middle of the backseat. Harv climbed in and asked for a notepad  and pen. Grangeland passed a legal pad from her briefcase. Ferris held a small penlight to illuminate the pad as Harv drew a quick sketch of the site, circling areas of potential threats. There were five: The transient truck parking area. The roof of the main building. The customer parking area. The truck-washing bays. And a warehouse building across the street to the north. Harv told them he believed the greatest threat came from the truck parking area because it was dimly lit and noisy. It would be easy to hide between the rigs, especially if their occupants were sleeping.

“We have a difficult assignment,” Nathan said. “We have to cover each other without looking like it. If Ernie’s already here, he’s looking for plainclothes undercover agents. Grangeland and Ferris will act like a couple and take up a position inside the restaurant. You guys will watch Amber’s every move and report anything she does except her normal restaurant duties. Henning will drive the SUV in case Ernie’s already seen Harv come and go. Harv will be in the front seat, I’ll be ducked down in the back. Henning will pull up to a fuel island, pretend to fill the tank, and then park in the customer parking area and go in for a cup of coffee and return a few minutes later. We’ll disable the dome light in the SUV to keep the interior dark when the doors open. We’re at a distinct disadvantage here, we don’t know when or where Ernie will show, if he shows at all. If nothing’s happened by zero-thirty hours, I’ll make an appearance to draw him out.”

“He might a have NV weapon scope,” Harvey said.

“It’s a chance I’ll have to take. I’ll be relying on you guys to cover my back.”

“Nathan, we can’t watch every square foot of this place. It’s spread out over ten acres. It’s impossible.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to it, but we may have to force his hand. Amber told me he’s bugging out tonight. That’s the one thing I did believe. If we don’t get him, we may never get another chance. Grangeland and Ferris, you go in first, we’ll follow in few minutes. Use the radio if Amber makes a move. One last thing. Lansing had a couple of agents watching Amber. They’re probably still around. Let’s try not to get killed by friendly fire. Good luck, everyone.”

“You too,” she said.

Henning, Harvey, and Nathan got of the Crown Vic and piled into the SUV. Grangeland made a U-turn and drove under the overpass. In the backseat, Nathan used his knife to remove the plastic cover of the dome light and disconnect the bulb. Henning disabled the driver’s-side dome while Harvey got the passenger side.

* * *

Two minutes later, Harv made a U-turn, crossed under the freeway, and parked the SUV in the northeast corner of the property, fifty yards from Grangeland’s Crown Vic. Even though he couldn’t see much from his hidden position in the SUV, Nathan sensed this place encompassed a huge area. From the map Harv had drawn, he knew the restaurant where Amber worked was in the same building as the convenience store. There were three gas-pump islands for noncommercial traffic and five diesel islands designed to handle large commercial trucks. The truck-washing bays occupied the southeastern corner of the property. Just north of the washing bays was the transient truck parking area. Harv also said there were dozens of trucks lined up in rows, many of them with their engines idling. Nathan heard the collective drone of their motors rumbling across the asphalt.

Per the plan, Henning stepped out and walked into the convenience store and served himself a cup of coffee. He returned two minutes later. “It’s all quiet in there, I was the only customer. We might have a problem. Amber’s daughter’s in the restaurant. I saw her when I walked past the connecting doors.”