“It gets worse,” said Serge. “You have a second problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’ve got Melvin.”
“Who’s Melvin?”
“Another kid that Guillermo apparently got confused with Andy.”
Ramirez fell down in a chair.
“I’m guessing Panama City didn’t stomach well,” said Serge. “You have a conscience, but Guillermo’s out where the buses don’t run. You couldn’t stop Battle Creek, but you can stop this…”
Banging against the wall of Serge’s room. Laughter, shouts, students getting restless and deeper into the alcohol supply.
Serge walked toward the window to hear better. “Listen to me. If I know anything about human nature, this is one you’re not going to be able to live with. There’s a defining point in every life where you have to do the right thing no matter what personal cost…”
Ramirez could no longer face Andy.
“… Tell me where you are,” said Serge. “We’ll take out Guillermo together. And I won’t say anything to Andy or anyone else about our conversation.”
“It’s too late.”
“No, it’s not! I can… hold on-” Serge pressed a hand over his other ear as more noise drowned out the call. A fire engine screamed by with all the sirens and bells, fading down the street. Serge uncovered his ear. “I’m begging: Tell me where you are!”
“I have to go…”
“Don’t hang up!”
From Ramirez’s end of the line, Serge heard a fire engine.
Click.
Chapter Forty-Eight
A1A
A ’68 Dodge Monaco raced south.
Mahoney punched buttons on a cell.
Agent Ramirez’s phone rang. He stared at it for the longest time. Mahoney’s name in the display. Then:
“Ramirez.”
“Where are you?” said Mahoney.
“What’s going on?”
“Please don’t hurt Andy.”
“Andy? Why would I do anything to him?”
“You’re the informant.”
“What are you talking about?” said Ramirez. “I was the one who told you there was an informant.”
“Nice ruse. Like when you’re playing Clue and hold the card for Mr. Mustard but ask other players if they have Mr. Mustard.”
“You’re insane.”
“You’re the one who told Madre about the class ring and the credit card trace.”
“Madre?”
“I know about the convenience store.”
“What convenience store?”
“The work of one of her boys.”
“Her boys?”
“You should be familiar,” said Mahoney. “You’re one of them.”
“What I am familiar with is your hospital stays.”
“Got your juvenile record. Probation lists Juanita as your employer. Fits her MO, grooming young guys out of jail.”
“How many times were you committed?”
“I also know about Andy’s mom. You had a Detroit flight the same day.”
Ramirez’s brain reached overload.
“You still there?” asked Mahoney.
“What do you want?”
“Andy.”
“I have to go.”
“Where are you?”
Click.
The Challenger screamed out of the motel parking lot.
Coleman slammed into the door again. “He told you where they are?”
“No, the fire engine did.”
“What fire engine?”
“Passed our hotel northbound. At that speed and the delay I heard on the phone, it’s a half mile, give or take. Which can mean only one hotel…”-a skidding left up a driveway-“… This one.”
“But how do you know which room?”
“We’ll just have to play that by ear.”
They jumped from the car.
“Coleman! Watch out!” Serge grabbed his arm and pulled him from the path of a speeding Delta 88 that screeched to a stop in the fire lane.
“What a jerk,” said Coleman.
“Guillermo!” said Serge.
“And there’s Melvin!”
Guillermo entered the lobby. Melvin was two paces in front and one to the right, standard separation for someone at gunpoint, unless the gunman’s left-handed.
Serge and Coleman ran for the entrance.
Behind in the street, squealing tires and rubber smoke. Even in darkness, there was no way Mahoney could mistake the distinct outlines of that odd couple running for the hotel.
The Monaco backed up and whipped into the lot.
Guillermo reached the elevators, holding a black leather briefcase in his left hand and staring up at descending numbers. Serge charged through the front doors and immediately saw the pair on the far side of the lobby. Couldn’t risk an all-out assault with Guillermo’s gun still pointed at Melvin. He broke stride and walked casually toward the elevators, mentally walking through the next few moments: standing next to Guillermo waiting for their lift. “Good evening…” Guillermo responding in kind. Then all three getting in the elevator, and only two would get off. Serge just prayed Melvin could hold it together and not give him away.
He was closing fast, walking as briskly as he could without drawing notice. Thirty feet to go. He didn’t count on one thing.
Guillermo and Melvin stepped into an elevator.
“No!” Serge sprinted across the rest of the lobby. The doors closed just before he could stick a hand through the crack and pop them back open.
A thumb mashed the up button.
Coleman arrived. “What’s happening?”
Serge muttered to himself, staring up at ascending numbers.
The next elevator dinged open. “Coleman! Hold that one!”
“I got it.” Coleman stood on the second car’s threshold, its doors repeatedly banging open and closed against his shoulders. “Aren’t you getting in?”
Serge continued staring up. “Just a sec.” The numbers went higher and higher.
Mahoney dashed into the lobby. “Serge!”
Serge watched the elevator numbers pause. “Eighteenth floor!”
He jumped in the second car with Coleman, and the doors closed.
Mahoney ran to the elevators, pressed a button and looked up at numbers.
Agent Ramirez sat on the edge of a bed with eyes closed.
Knock-knock.
Andy flinched. “Who’s that?”
Ramirez didn’t respond, just walked across the room and opened the door.
Guillermo came in with his briefcase and young guest.
“Melvin,” said Andy. “What are you doing here?”
“Not my idea.”
A poke in Melvin’s back. “Over there with your friend.”
He walked toward Andy, revealing the gun behind him.
Guillermo set his briefcase on the dresser. “What’s this business about two Andys?”
“That’s what I need to talk to you about,” said Ramirez.
Guillermo flipped latches and raised the top. “It’s all there, two fifty. You can count if you want.”
Andy backed up against a wall. “Serge was right.”
The agent closed the briefcase.
Guillermo cracked an unfriendly smile. “We always did work on trust.”
“That’s not it,” said Ramirez. “I want to make a deal.”
“Deal?”
“You keep the money. Nobody will ever find out, not even Madre.”
“What do you get?”
“The kids.”
Guillermo laughed.
Andy eyed Ramirez’s weapons spread out on the bed.
“I’m serious,” said the agent. “He was just five at the time, never had anything to do with our business.”
Guillermo turned with his.380 automatic. “Little too late to grow a conscience.”
“Serge was right,” said Ramirez.
“Serge!” said Guillermo. “What is it with that guy?”
“Listen to me,” said the agent. “This accomplishes nothing.”
“Accomplishes revenge.”
“You can’t deposit that in a bank.”
“I always do what Madre wants. You did too, until now.”
Guillermo stepped forward.
Ramirez side-stepped to block his path.
“Have any idea what you’re doing?” said Guillermo.