LITMIR.BIZ

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car’s windshield as Jack dove over the roof and continued running.

      “Out of my fucking way!” yelled Wizard, running up to the car. He fired four more shots at the crouched figure zigzagging down the alley. His target ran faster.

      Wizard held the gun with both hands and rested his arms on the roof of the car, aiming toward the end of the alley. Briefly, his target was silhouetted in the light at the end of the alley. Wizard fired one more shot and watched as the body crumpled and fell.

      “Got ’im! Quick! Get in the car!” he ordered, grabbing Rolly by the arm and shoving him inside. He looked at Lance and said, “Back down the alley fast! Drive right over the rat-fucker! Make sure he’s dead!”

      Lance stepped on the throttle, and the tires squealed as the car hurtled backwards down the alley. Sparks flew off the side of the car as it briefly scraped along the side of a brick building, knocking the mirror off the passenger side door.

      Wizard and Rolly grabbed the dash as they tensed, waiting for the crunch of broken bones and the thump of a mangled body as the car bounced out of the alley.

      As Danny waited, he saw Red walk across the intersection. Why isn’t she meeting with Jack?

      His question was answered by the sound of gunshots from the alley. Adrenaline slammed through his body like a tidal wave. His car leaped out of his parking space, but the traffic was heavy and he had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision. He fumbled under his seat to retrieve the red light to toss on the dash. He cursed as the cord for the light became entangled in the seat springs. Seconds later, he yanked it free and plugged it into the cigarette lighter. He reached for the hidden switch to turn on the siren.

      Lance slammed on the brakes and brought the Volvo to a stop facing the sidewalk and entrance to the alley. The headlights picked up a puddle of blood and the smear of tire tracks where he had backed through it.

      “I didn’t feel nothin’,” said Lance. “He ain’t hung up underneath.”

      “You fuckin’ missed him!” yelled Rolly, clenching his knife.

      “Out of the fucking car!” screamed Wizard, waving his gun in all directions.

      The three men scrambled from the car and looked at the blood.

      Wizard pointed to a trail of bloody marks along the sidewalk. “He’s gone this way, and you can bet he hasn’t gone far.” He stepped out on the street to look behind some parked cars.

      “He’s got to be right here somewhere,” said Lance. “He hasn’t had time to make it to the end of the block,” he noted, while following splatters of blood to the edge of the curb.

      The piercing scream of a police siren cut the night air, followed by screeching tires. The flash of a red light reflected off the wall as it approached the opposite end of the alley.

      “Let’s get the fuck out o’ here!” yelled Wizard.

      All three men scrambled back into the car and sped off in the opposite direction. Five minutes later, they pulled into another alley.

      Lance retrieved a container of gasoline from the trunk and doused the car. He lit the rag on a beer bottle half-filled with a mixture of gas and oil and threw it on the car. Seconds later, the three men drove away from the blaze in another car.

      “Get hold of the boys,” said Wizard. “I want someone at every hospital and clinic there is. If this rat-fucker doesn’t die first, I want him dead before some fucking doctor gets his hands on him!”

      “Will do,” replied Rolly.

      “You and Lance cover off the nearest hospital and clinic. Get reinforcements. Try and whack him before he enters. Be less witnesses to take care of.”

      “Where ya goin’?” asked Rolly.

      “Red. She’s a loose end. If the rat makes it to the cops, they’ll know she helped set ’im up. I’ll let The Suit know what happened, too. Just in case he hears anything.”

       chapter twenty-one

      The tires of Danny’s car screamed as he rounded the corner into the alley. There were no other cars in sight and he realized that the Volvo had backed out the other side.

      He stopped briefly by the Dumpster and was relieved not to see Jack’s body. He jumped back in his car and continued on. At the end of the alley he saw a fresh patch of blood smeared by tire tracks. Fear ravaged his body as he slammed on the brakes and leapt from the car. His knuckles were white as he gripped his gun.

      Seconds later, Jack crawled out from under a parked SUV. Danny helped him into the car, and Jack fell over on the seat and hit the switch under the dash. The siren stopped instantly. Jack yanked the light off the dash.

      “What the fuck are you doing?” yelled Danny, scrambling into the driver’s seat. “You’re hurt! I’m taking you to the hospital!”

      “No! I’m okay. They think I’m a rat! Let them keep thinking that.”

      “You’re bleeding like a stuck pig! I’m taking you to the hospital.” Danny hit the gas and the car shot out of the alley and onto the street.

      “It was Wizard and two others. I recognize their faces from the pictures but can’t remember their names. If you take me to a hospital or clinic they’re liable to finish the job. I don’t want them to know what happened to me.”

      “Jesus Christ! I knew this would happen! You keep usin’ the fuckin’ alley — how am I supposed to protect you? Now you’re telling me not take you to the hospital! Goddamn it!” Danny hit the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road. “Turn around, I’m takin’ a look!”

      Danny pulled up Jack’s sweatshirt and he yelped in pain.

      “You’ve been stabbed in the back!”

      “Did you teach them that?”

      “Jesus Christ! Your arm! Looks like a bullet hole! You’ve been shot, too!”

      “Went clean through. Lucky break.”

      “Yeah, you’re real fuckin’ lucky,” said Danny sarcastically. “I’m taking you in. Then I’m calling in the troops and we’re going to find Wizard.”

      “The hell you are! Putting him in jail won’t help!” Jack grabbed for the cellphone.

      Natasha Trovinski looked in the mirror and quickly brushed her hair. She was pleased that Jack had finally called, asking if he could drop by.

      She hurried into the living room, grabbed some books from the coffee table, and replaced them on the bookshelf. Would she have time to vacuum before he arrived?

      The apartment security buzzer answered her question.

      Moments later, she tried to hide her disappointment. Jack hadn’t mentioned that Danny would be with him.

      “What a pleasant surprise! Come on in, you two. I’ll put some coffee on.”

      Natasha looked again. They’re arm in arm. Jack is staggering…. Have they been drinking? Jack’s sweatshirt — it’s stained with blood!

      “My God! What happened? Get him in here!”

      “I just want to make it clear that I did not fall on broken glass,” said Jack.

      “He’s been shot and knifed,” said Danny, as soon as she closed the door behind them.

      “You fools!” said Natasha harshly. “I’m calling an ambulance. You should have gone to the hospital!” she added, rushing to the telephone.

      “No! Don’t do that! It’s not that bad,” Jack insisted. “I don’t want anyone to know I’ve been shot. At least not now. I need time to figure this —”

      “A hospital or clinic might not be safe!” interjected

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