“I heard ya,” Allister said calmly. “And that’s why I’m doing this.” His tires barked and he sped up, plowing over the poor little façade of an old woman without so much as hitting the brakes.
He sped away and circled back around.
“Oh my God,” Justin said, paling. “Did I really just watch that?”
“He didn’t have much of a choice,” Gabe said, acknowledging the still body mere inches from the intercom post.
“No movement here,” Gabe reported, calling the main line and connecting with Markie.
“We’ve got a direct shot, sugar. I’ll take it.” He pumped a few bullets in the fallen form and sighed. “And that will be that.”
“Markie, he was probably already dead.”
“Well I guess we’ll never know. I could’ve sworn I saw movement. In fact, I’m sure of it, hon. Poor thing lifted her hand right up and made a peace sign. Besides, Allister has enough to worry about. He didn’t need death on his conscience.”
Gabe sighed, disconnected the line, and looked straight ahead. “And here everyone thought he was the lucky one, the smart one.”
“Give him props for the outfit. If we hadn’t been following him since dawn, I wouldn’t have picked up on this. How about you?” Justin looked at Gabe.
“Of course he would’ve,” Curt said, slapping Gabe’s shoulder. “He’s an intuitive somebody.”
“How’s that?” Gabe asked, glancing in the backseat.
“You’re the one who said Justin hadn’t been in Heather’s bed. Turns out you were right.”
“Yeah and what happens when I finally get there?”
“I didn’t hear you complaining last night,” Gabe told him.
“And you won’t hear me complain in another fifteen minutes either,” Justin said, cranking the truck.
Gabe spotted the detective at the gate. “Fifteen?” He grunted. “Try a couple of hours. Detective Brice has a way of screwing up a happy ending.”
Chapter Twelve
“Let me guess. You only offer a safe place to sexy ladies with legs that run for days?”
“I know you aren’t talking about Heather in that tone of voice,” Gabe said, standing over Rons Vance.
The detective grinned. “She’s a looker but not quite my type.”
“Understand if that doesn’t hurt my feelings,” Gabe said, nudging Rons with his foot and flipping him to his back.
“No respect for the dead here?”
“Not when they come this close to our gates wearing that much dynamite.”
“The stupid fuck would’ve done well to blow himself up,” Detective Brice said, squatting next to the body.
Allister had been talking to one of the beat cops when he finally decided to step closer to his handiwork. “Hate it had to go down like this, Detective.”
Brice looked up. “You apologizing to ease your conscience or because you think I care?”
“You don’t?”
The detective stood erect again. “Let me get one thing straight. I had a sister. She died. She was the apple of my eye, twelve years difference in us. I remember when she was born. Everyone loved her, including scumbags like the Vance brothers. I’ve driven by this place on several occasions. Always wanted to go inside.” He looked back at the gates. “If my sister Carolyn had perhaps had an option like Trouble, she wouldn’t be in the ground today.”
Justin shifted his weight and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Real sorry to hear about your sister.”