I noticed the same thing. The driver swerved at the last second when he could have hit us. And his shots were aimed down at my tires, not up into the crowd. He lifted the sleeve the paramedic had cut up to the elbow. In fact, I think the bullet that caught me was a ricochet. Janie could have been hit someplace a lot more vital if it hadnt deflected off me first.
Janie? Keirs eyes narrowed as he geared up to ask another question.
But Thomass oldest son, Duff, walked up, stuffing his detectives notebook into the pocket of his jeans. He grinned at his brother. Hey, Pipsqueak.
Muscle-head, Keir deadpanned. The two had been teasing each other from the time Keir was old enough to toddle after his older siblings. And hed never once let his bigger, brawnier brother intimidate him. The normalcy of the exchange elicited a smile Thomas hadnt felt all evening. Keir answered with a grin of his own. Call me as soon as you know anything, Dad. Kenna and I will stay at the house with Grandpa and Millie until you get home.
If Thomas didnt know better, hed think Seamus was a little sweet on Keirs fiancée. Certainly, the high-powered attorney Keir had rescued from a stalker was sweet on Keirs grandpa. Hell like that. Thanks, son.
Keir nodded to the older man walking beside Duff before turning away to escort Seamus and Millie to his car.
Duff patted the shoulder of the old family friend Thomas recognized, and pulled him into the conversation. Look who I ran into while I was canvassing.
Al. Thomas reached out to shake the mans hand and was immediately pulled in for a backslapping hug.
Long time, no see, Tommy boy.
That had been Al Junkerts nickname for him since the two had been young hotshots fresh out of the academy. He and Al had started in patrol together, made detective the same year and were well on their way to running their own precinct when the tragic end of a high-speed chase had put Thomas in the hospital, fighting to keep his leg, and scared Al into leaving the investigations bureau of the department and going back to school to earn his business degree. Hed been a fixture in the KCPD administrative offices for years now, working in public relations. Al had been there when Mary died. He was Olivias godfather and a Dutch uncle to all his children. His graying hair looked white against the deeply tanned skin at his receding hairline, earned from too many hours out on the golf course.
When Al pulled away, he was frowning. Sorry to reconnect under these circumstances, though. I thought you were safe teaching seminars at the academy. The bad guys are still taking shots at you, huh?
Thomas propped his hands at his waist, shaking his head at the clear lack of a motive here. Ive made a few enemies over the years, but I cant explain this one yet. Were you at the restaurant? I didnt see you. Shirley with you?
Yes and no. I was in the mood for Kansas City barbecue. But unfortunately, Shirley and I didnt work out. Im on date number two with a gal I met at one of those charity fund-raisers. Al nodded toward the black-and-whites and flashing lights beyond the yellow crime-scene tape. I may not make it to date number three. Hearing all the gunshots rattled her. When I told her my old partner was the target, she visibly scooted her chair away from mine, like she thought whatever happened to you was catching.
Thomas laughed along with Duff, but his gaze slid over to the ambulance again. The medic was bandaging Janes arm now. He couldnt forget the frantic insistence in her voice when theyd argued about who was saving whom. He was after me. Maybe his injuries were the collateral damage instead of the other way around.
That woman was afraid of something. He could feel it in his bones. And he intended to find out what or who could make a strong, independent woman like Jane shut down and pretend she hadnt blurted out that fear.
He reached out to shake Als hand and thank his buddy for checking on him, eager to get to work on finding out the truth about something tonight. Sorry about the date. Show her that fancy office of yours and remind her that you and I dont work together anymore. She should be safe from any fallout.
Al grinned. I dont know. This ones skittish. Shes not like Mary was. Your Mary was a strong onehandled any crisis life threw at her. Except for that last one, of course. His grin faded and he swiped his hand over the top of his deep forehead. Im sorry, Thomas. That didnt come out right. I just meant that was the one fight she couldnt win.
Its okay, Al. Its been a long time. We can talk about Mary.
Seems like yesterday that you and me, Mary and my first wife would all hang out.
A lot has changed since those days.
Your kids are all grown up. Im looking for wife number four. Well, Id better get back to, um... He snapped his fingers, trying to come up with a name. Renee. Id better get back to Renee. He patted Duff on the shoulder of his black Henley shirt and nodded to Thomas. Dont be such a stranger. Lets meet up at the Shamrock some night and catch up. He glanced over at the bench where Keir was helping Seamus stand and find his balance. Im going to say hi to your old man before I take off. Good luck catching this one, boys.
Sounds like a plan. Thomas waited for Al to head back down the sidewalk before turning to Duff. What did you find? Did anybody in one of the other restaurants or bars see anything? I know this neighborhood is packed with traffic and pedestrians on a Friday night.
Duff adjusted the strap of his shoulder holster and tugged down the sleeves of the cotton knit shirt. The days might still be heating up with the dregs of summer, but fall was creeping into the September nights. Were damn lucky we didnt have a hit-and-run. About the only thing anybody on the street out front can agree on is that the driver was going fast. But Ive got reports of a white SUV, a navy-blue sedan and a red convertible with the top up. The driver was Latino, a man with a stocking mask or a woman with long black hair.
It was a white van. At least a decade old and driven pretty hard, judging by the rust on the chrome trim and dent in the passenger door. The shooter was white, a man from the size of the hand on the steering wheel. The gun was a
Forty-five mil. His middle son, Niall, walked up with an evidence bag in his hand. Although he was a medical examiner with the crime lab and he didnt report to crime scenes unless there was a dead body, like all Thomass sons, hed shown up shortly after the all-points broadcast that had mentioned his name. The only reason Olivia wasnt here, too, was because she was attending a profile training seminar in Saint Louis. The driver wasnt interested in cleaning up his rounds. Niall handed the bag with the bullet to Thomas, who inspected it through the clear plastic window before handing it off to Duff. He was also a lousy shot, judging by the fact that he didnt hit anybody but you and your truck.
Theyd all noticed the same thing. A drive-by shooting with no dead bodies didnt add up. This wasnt a gang neighborhood, but even if it was, a gang member would be aiming for a particular target or targets. Duff handed the evidence bag back to Niall, to assure the chain of custody. Richard Lloyd, the hired gun who shot up Livs wedding, didnt hit anything but Grandpa, either. I dont like coincidences like that.
Neither do I. And you could be right about the mask, Thomas speculated. I didnt see his face. Just the hand holding the gun through the open window. Do you think whoever hired Lloyd has got someone new on his payroll?