Haunted (Michael Bennett 10)

“That’s right.”

“Never seen him before.” That made his goons laugh out loud.

Now I stepped closer to the porch. I’d had enough of this shit kicker’s attitude. “Why don’t you save the Clint Eastwood bullshit for someone who cares? We’re just here looking for the kids.”

Streeter said, “Just who in the hell are you?”

“Michael Bennett, NYPD.”

“Would you looky here? We got us a real big-city cop. Well, Mr. NYPD, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re not in the city anymore. And if you don’t watch your manners, you can earn yourself an ass kicking. And we’ll be happy to step down there to deliver it.”

Streeter took a step and dropped two feet down off the porch to the ground. Both his men took the stairs by the front door and backed him up. He looked over at Sandy and said, “That goes for you, too, Detective Coles. Last I checked, this house wasn’t in your jurisdiction. You got no warrant. And you’re on my property.”

That’s when I punched him in the face.

Chapter 55

I’ll give Dell Streeter credit. He took a good shot in the face and stayed on his feet. At least for a second. Then he dropped down to sit hard on the ground. Neither of the men behind him knew what to do. They started to help him up, but he shoved them away.

Once he was on his feet again, he looked at me and said, “I’ll give you that one. I didn’t expect it, and you’ve got a pretty good punch. But I’ve got a good memory, and you’re not someone I’m gonna forget.”

Sandy urged me back in the car, no matter how badly I wanted to smack this guy again. Once we were through the gate and back on the long, curving road, she said, “I don’t see how that was helpful, Mike. We could use his help, not his anger.”

“Sandy, you know as well as I do that guys like that are never going to help the cops. They only understand one thing. At least the next time he might show us a little more respect. Besides, I don’t think I can get fired from this job.”

“I’m just so frustrated. That asshole knows something. We’re going to have to talk to him again soon.” Just as we rounded a wide curve around a massive mound of granite, Sandy had to slam on the brakes to avoid two pickups pulled across the road.

Sandy calmly looked straight ahead and mumbled, “This can’t be good.”

“On the bright side, we’re going to get to talk to Streeter sooner than you thought.”

Just then, a Dodge Charger pulled up behind us. Streeter and his two henchmen climbed out of the car. If you counted the two men in the pickup trucks, the odds were not in our favor. I reached toward my pistol.

Sandy turned to me and said, “Keep your cool. Let’s try not to pull our guns unless we have to. Remember, we’re looking for missing teenagers. We won’t help them by being on suspension for a shooting. It won’t help them if the media is focused on us instead of them.”

I climbed out of the car with Sandy, and we immediately faced Dell Streeter. I tensed and left my hand resting on my hip. I hoped there was no way this crazy Texan wanted to get into a gunfight with the cops.

Streeter smiled and said, “Told you I don’t forget easy. Especially when it’s only been a couple of minutes. Now it’s time for a little payback.” He held up his hands, and so did the two men who were with him. “Just a good old-fashioned fistfight, if you’re up for it.”

He stepped closer, but before I could make a move, Sandy swung her left foot up quickly and caught the man at Streeter’s side in the groin. Then she turned quickly and threw a hard roundhouse punch at Streeter’s head. He ducked and kicked Sandy off her feet. She went down hard. She rolled to avoid Streeter’s boot in her ribs.

I moved fast and charged Streeter, but his other goon tackled me from my blind side. It felt like a bus hit me as I went down on the nasty road, too. The solid man with strong legs knocked the wind out of me. The way he stood over me made me think he had played some football in Texas.

I started to rise to my knees, but the man kicked me across the side of my head and knocked me back on the ground. I slid down the loose gravel of the unpaved road a few more feet. Blood started to leak from my nose, and my right hand bled from road rash.

Then Streeter kicked Sandy. No cop wants to see his partner kicked. I sprang up, focused on Streeter again. I barreled toward him. But before I could deliver a blow, the musclebound goon threw a punch and caught me squarely in the head. I tumbled back onto the ground. This time I was dazed when I went down. It’s a terrifying feeling when you know your gun could be exposed if you’re unconscious. Training and habit taught me to reach down and hold my gun in its holster.

Then I heard Streeter call off one of his men as he stepped forward to kick Sandy again. It was the guy who had been on the ground holding his balls. Obviously he wanted some revenge. He looked annoyed at his employer as he stepped away.

Streeter said, “I just gave you a little dose of Texas justice. Next time you come to my house you show a little more respect.”

I struggled to get to my knees. The pebbles under my kneecaps sent new tendrils of pain through my body. I couldn’t even feel my nose, and my left eye was swelling up.

Sandy made it to her feet and squared off against Streeter again.

The Texan chuckled and said, “I like that fighting spirit. You do your department proud. But don’t be stupid, Detective. I run this county now. The sooner you figure that out, the better off we’ll all be.”

Chapter 56