Power Play

“Tell me about the folks we’re meeting tonight, and why you’re suddenly being so cautious you’ve brought me along.”

“I’m done with being vulnerable. You’re with me at this shindig tonight because you’re a trained objective other, a fresh eye. I want you to watch and listen, see if your gut tells you something I’m missing. And I want everyone to know I’m protected now.”

“You honestly think it’s possible one of the political guests at this function could be responsible for what’s happened?”

She shrugged. “At this point I’d be stupid to rule out anyone but my closest friends.” She touched her fingers to his sleeve. “You’ll make sure no one poisons my rubber chicken or shoves a shiv in my back, won’t you?”

“A little cyanide’s always a nice choice, but a politician poisoning your chicken leg? At the secretary of state’s house? That would be rude.”

Natalie smiled. “Let me tell you, Davis, politicians are many things, but one thing you can count on is that they’re always self-serving. No matter what kind of dodgy acts they’ve committed, they will do anything to keep themselves in office. Show me a politician and I’ll show you a Borgia-in-training.” She sighed. “I think in another time politicians made good grave robbers. And now they don’t even wait until the night to strip us to our skin.”

Davis eyed a black truck that was coming up fast on Natalie’s side. He met Luis’s eyes in the mirror. Luis pulled forward and smoothly changed lanes. The truck changed lanes behind them. He met Luis’s eyes again, and nodded.

Luis accelerated, changing lanes to turn off onto the less residential Moran Avenue, moving toward the warehouse district.

“What’s wrong?”

The privacy screen came down. “Mrs. Black, that guy in the black truck. He’s too interested in us.”

Natalie braced herself while Davis twisted around in the seat, his Glock now in his hand. The black truck had speeded up, taken the exit too fast after them, scaring the crap out of the drivers behind him.

Natalie said, “Let’s not try to lose him, Luis. Let’s get him. Come on, Davis, with the two of you, I’m safe. Please, let’s try to get him.”

Davis gave her a look and nodded. “I got his license plate easily enough, so you bet the truck’s stolen. Natalie, write this down,” and he read out the license.

Luis said, “I’m turning right on High Leaf Street, up ahead, lots of warehouses for us to lie in wait. Let’s get this moron. Mrs. Black, you stay down, okay?”

She said okay and Davis didn’t believe her for a second.

Luis turned smoothly onto High Leaf and gunned the limo. Three dark buildings later, he pulled into a parking lot and around to the back of a darkened building with ACME BLINDS in big aluminum letters across the front.

Natalie lowered her window. “He’s got to know I’m not alone.”

Whoever it was, Davis thought, really wanted Natalie Black dead. He felt no fear from her, no panic, like yesterday with Jitterbug. She was ready. What the driver was doing, chasing her down in a truck, when, like Natalie said, he had to know she wasn’t alone, was foolhardy. Luis cut the lights. Both Davis and Luis lowered their windows as well. They were all quiet, waiting. Thick black clouds scuttled over the quarter-moon. Rain was on its way, probably later this evening.

“Davis,” she said in an urgent whisper, “I can see you’re still arguing with yourself about getting out of here to keep me safe. But no, let’s get this guy. This is our chance. We’ve got to get him. Promise me.”

He knew he shouldn’t ever jeopardize a civilian, but she was right, and that’s exactly what he’d been thinking. If they could catch this guy, then it would be over. He nodded. He’d keep her safe. One look at Luis and Davis knew he was as committed.

They waited, breathing in the silent air, seeing no one, all the office workers long gone. The black truck drove slowly by.

Natalie shouted, “Get him, Luis!”

The limo lights went on bright and the big Mercedes shot out from behind the Acme warehouse, blinding the driver of the black truck.

Davis leaned out the window, took careful aim, and shot out the driver’s-side front tire. The truck screeched out, rubber flapping around the wheel, but the guy didn’t slow.

Both Davis and Luis continued shooting, emptying their magazines, but the truck was moving too erratically for any of the shots to count. “He’s heading back to Marlow,” Natalie shouted.