Dylan gave the same signal about the other side.
They all aimed their guns at the back door in case the creep and his crew tried to run.
They wouldn’t be going far.
* * * *
Jena’s heart jumped up in her throat when she heard two men with Russian accents talking to Shannon from the other side of the door.
“We know she’s here,” one of them said.
Mitrofanov’s men.
“You’re wrong,” Shannon lied. “Miss Taylor went to Phong’s Wok twenty minutes ago.”
She turned to Ethel, who already had her gun out. The woman held her index finger up to her lips. She nodded. No talking. Be quiet. She brought out her own gun from her purse, praying she wouldn’t have to use it.
* * * *
Matt watched Jason pound on the door again. In his gut, he felt something was wrong. His instincts had never failed him in the field before. What was Mitrofanov up to?
Jason pointed to the door. “Time to bust this down.”
“Let’s try the doorknob first.” Nicole turned it. “Unlocked.”
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
Something is definitely wrong. But they had to keep moving forward. This was the mission.
Cautiously, they all walked into the house.
“This is Sheriff Wolfe,” Jason shouted as they all scoped out the room. “I have a warrant for Niklaus Mitrofanov. Show yourselves. Don’t do anything stupid.”
No answer.
Nothing.
They walked through the place, staying alert.
“The bastard and his men are gone,” Nicole said, holstering her weapon.
“Fuck,” he said aloud. He looked at the coffee pot on the counter. It was half-full and still steaming. “We must’ve just missed the bastards.”
“How many cameras does a mobster need?” Nicole shook her head. “They are all over this room.”
“There were several outside, too,” Matt added.
“Come on in, fellows,” Jason yelled out a back window to Sean, Black, and Dylan.
“Matt, do you know what this is,” Nicole said, motioning to something behind a chair.
He came around to get a better view of the device and instantly recognized it.
A bomb.
* * * *
“I’m telling you both, I’m the only one here.” Shannon’s voice came through the closed door to Jena’s ears, fueling her already racing heartbeat.