Part 26 (1/2)

Alves kept his eyes closed for a moment.

He felt no pain.

”Motherf.u.c.ker,” Connie shouted.

Alves was not dead. He felt more alive than he had felt since Connie first choked him out. Had Connie missed with the shot? No. Alves's ears weren't ringing. He opened his eyes. Connie had backed away from him.

Connie was bent over, holding his side. ”You are going to die for this.” He raised the blood-soaked Glock toward Alves.

A second shot.

This time Connie dropped the gun and stumbled backward, falling onto the hard turf.

Nearly thirty yards away, Sergeant Ray Figgs stepped out of the shadows and moved toward Connie, his gun pointed at Connie. Alves could see that Connie was barely breathing. A pool of blood was glistening in the moonlight. Figgs kicked the Glock away from Connie's reach.

”How did you find us?” Alves shouted at Figgs.

”I've been watching him,” Figgs said. ”I never bought that thing with Stutter Simpson and the .40. And ADA Conrad Darget is the only one who could have planted that gun.”

”Well, you could have got out here sooner.”

”I lost you when you came in close to the stands. I had to move slowly. I never had a very good angle. But I had no choice when he put the gun to your head. You okay?”

”Yeah.” Alves could feel his head spinning. Maybe it was the beer. Maybe it was how close he had come to dying. Maybe it was the knowledge of what Connie had done.

Figgs put his gun down on the bench and helped Alves to his feet. It felt good to have the blood flowing again.

Another shot went off.

Alves had never been shot before. The bullet hit his left arm, near his shoulder. It burned as if a red hot poker and been driven through him. Figgs pushed him down. Both of them managed to roll behind a steel trash can. Alves held his shoulder, trying not to make any noise. G.o.d, it hurt. He could see Connie up on one knee. He had a small gun in his hand. The two-shot derringer. Alves reached for his ankle, praying that his lifesaver was still there. He got a firm grip on his snubby. He handed the gun to Figgs.

Figgs stayed close to the ground. ”Don't move,” Figgs said.

”It isn't supposed to end like this,” Connie called. ”I have been chosen to do this work.”

”Drop the gun or I'll shoot.”

”I can't let you do this,” Connie said, struggling to stand and aim.

Figgs fired a shot into Connie's chest and Connie fell onto his back. He didn't move. Figgs walked over and kicked the derringer away.

EPILOGUE.

Alves stopped to adjust the sling. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get his arm into a comfortable position. But he felt guilty thinking about his discomfort, considering what Mooney was going through. Alves continued down the corridor until he reached the cul-de-sac of recovery rooms in the ICU. He paused outside and watched Mooney lying with his eyes closed. Should he bother him? Would a visit agitate him? couldn't get his arm into a comfortable position. But he felt guilty thinking about his discomfort, considering what Mooney was going through. Alves continued down the corridor until he reached the cul-de-sac of recovery rooms in the ICU. He paused outside and watched Mooney lying with his eyes closed. Should he bother him? Would a visit agitate him?

Mooney opened his eyes. ”What're you, a Peeping Tom, skulking around outside people's rooms?”

”Yeah. Actually, I got bored checking out the hot babe in the room down the hall who was getting a sponge bath from two s.e.xy nurses. I thought it'd be more fun to watch a cranky, old-fart cop taking his afternoon nap.”

Mooney smiled. That was all Alves needed to get out of him.

”How're you doing, Sarge? Hey, Leslie.” She was sitting in a chair by the window.

Mooney raised his thumb.

Not bad, Alves thought, considering Sarge had lost a section of colon and a chunk of his liver. And he'd lost a lot of blood. Those small-caliber bullets did more damage than a big gun.

”The twins are having fun feeding Biggie,” Alves said. ”He's quite the mac and cheese fan.”

Mooney almost managed a smile.

”I'm just glad you're okay,” Alves said.

Leslie stood and came forward to give Alves a hug. ”I could use a cup of coffee. I'll leave you two alone, but no work talk. Doctor's orders.”

Leslie hadn't even disappeared down the hall when Mooney managed to ask, ”What about Darget? Figgs was here earlier, told me what happened. Said Darget took two in the ten ring.”

”Connie's in critical. Paramedics on scene said he was nothing but body parts.”