Part 42 (1/2)
A favor When the burner phone rang, it danced on the table like water dropped in a hot skillet. Jack flipped it open before the second ring.
”Yeah?” He walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
”Jack, they called.” Ilario sounded out of breath. ”They want twenty million dollars by two o'clock this afternoon.”
”Where?”
”The base of Big Blue. A parking lot of a walking trail.”
”Anything else?”
”No. It sounded recorded.” Ilario must have switched ears with the phone. ”I wrote it down. Twenty million dollars. Two p.m. Base of Big Blue. South side. Parking lot. Then-they hung up.”
He's holding back.
”Ilario. There's something else. What happened?”
”They...they put Angelica on. She was crying.”
Jack wanted to put his fist through the wall.
”Did she say anything?”
Ilario sobbed. ”Just my name. Twice.”
Jack walked into the bathroom. ”Listen closely, Ilario.” Jack looked at the clock: 6:30 a.m. Big Blue is a twenty-minute drive. ”I need you to be there at nine thirty. Got it?”
”Why? I don't-”
”You have to do this, Ilario. Nine thirty.”
”I don't know if we can get the money by then. We only have five million cash with us.”
”Bring that. We need to make a big show of it. Three cars minimum. SUVs. Big ones.”
”Okay,” Ilario replied.
”You have to be strong for Angelica. Repeat it back, what time?”
”Nine thirty. Base of Big Blue.”
”Right. If you hear anything else, call me.”
Jack hung up the phone and stepped out of the bathroom. All three women were watching him.
”Get ready,” he announced.
Replacement jumped out of bed, groaned, wobbled, and headed for the bathroom.
He picked up the five shot .380 and frowned at the five-round chamber.
Kiku walked over to her backpack, reached inside, and pulled out another seventeen-round Glock.
Jack's lips pressed together. ”One of them has a semi-automatic. We're outgunned, but the plan isn't to get into a shootout. We're going to follow Prescott there and call in the cavalry.”
Jennifer nodded.
Kiku lifted out the half-empty fifth and took a swig from the bottle, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and grinned. ”What?” She smiled roguishly.
Jack headed for the door.
Replacement hurried back into the room.
He held up his hand. ”I'm getting the Impala. I need to walk.”
Jack headed out the door and broke into a jog. The cold air felt good on his face. His feet tapped on the pavement as his speed increased. His lungs took in huge gulps of air, and he smiled as he felt the power of his own muscles.
Jack broke into a sprint and let go. He stopped thinking, stopped hurting, and just ran. Carl's garage came into view too soon for Jack, and he slowed to a trot and then started to walk until he caught his breath.
He pulled out the burner phone and dialed.
”Undersheriff Morrison.” Morrison's voice was still groggy with sleep. ”Stratton?”
”Sir, I need to ask a favor.”
There was a long pause. ”You can ask.”
”Sir, according to regulations, you have the authority to schedule emergency response drills.”
”What?”
”You have the-”
”I heard you, Jack, but I don't understand where you're going with this. Actually, I do understand where you're going, but I don't know why.”
”Sir, I need you to call out a drill...this morning.”
”This morning?” Something fell to the floor in the background.
”Right now.” Jack tipped his head. ”Everyone in full tactical. Vests, masks-”
”Full tactical? What're you prepping for? War?”
”Yes, sir.”
There was a long pause.
”Did you find her?”
”Not yet, sir. But we will this morning. I need only our men on this, sir. That's why I need everyone in personal cars. No cruisers. No police radios. The gather point is Westbrook School. Oh eight hundred.”