“We took on the gig through two Saudi guys named… ah… Rahil and Sadun. Sorenson had contacted them and worked out a deal for the goofy chip,” Bigalo explained. “Some guy stole the chip off their dead boss, Fahid something. Sorenson was supposed to pass the chip off to us. When we let ourselves into his room, he went ape shit on us. Once we found out the prick didn’t have the chip, we tuned him up and Paulo gutted the girl.”
“You’re a pro,” Garvey told Nick. “It’s just business. What the hell do you care about some bimbo and her crook boyfriend?”
“I don’t. I knew the crook boyfriend, and the bimbo,” Nick replied. He entered the Tahoe’s cargo area. “I didn’t like either one.”
Nick knelt down in between the two men. Their eyes widened in horror as they saw he was dressed head to toe in a disposable plastic suit and booties. He took out a green handled scalpel, and removed the protective blade cover. “I took the job of making you three pay for the crook and the bimbo. You guys understand. Nothing personal. It’s just business. This is going to hurt a bit.”
Gus turned from the van and walked away without a look back as the screaming began.
*
Nick parked the van inside the turnoff for Point Lobos State Park near the thick woods surrounding the entrance from Cabrillo Highway, Route One. He took a last look at the front interior before checking on the three bodies in the cargo area. Nick shined his small Mag-lite at the faces of each man. He had already taken digital pictures of the trio. After closing the rear hatch, Nick tossed the key fob into the woods. Gus was waiting for him at the front turnoff. Once Nick was inside, Gus turned onto the highway in the direction of Pacific Grove.
“Have you decided what you plan on doing with those two Al Mady guys, Rahil and Sadun? It seems they won’t be letting go of the missing chip mystery anytime soon.”
“That’s the best part of this, Gus. I won’t need you along to escort Tim and Grace on their chip journey.” Nick shook the pack he had with him. “I have all the personal belongings our three deceased van minions had with them, including smart phones, a laptop, and a couple tablets. Those pros were into the gadgets. I found Rahil and Sadun on all their gizmos. I already texted Al Mady’s clowns, telling them the three hit-men missed the chip, but are following the Marshals into DC. I want to see if Rahil and Sadun want the chip badly enough to pull some strings, and reveal the inside source at the AG’s office I suspect they have. They’ll have enough time to beat us into DC if they’re seriously considering hijacking the chip. They arrive for the intercept, but instead of getting their chip, they get me instead.”
“That’s good news. I wasn’t looking forward to a coach ride with stops to DC.”
“Timmy and Grace fly coach. We were going first class. Now… since they had the heartbreaking loss of their idiot boss and Lassie, I’ll give them an upgrade to first class.”
“Gee… that’s so sweet of you. I’m still glad you put me on the no fly list.”
“You need a break. Like you were telling me – too many bodies. Once I trap those two Al Mady goons, we’ll hit the road for the book signing adventure. We’ll move so fast, we’ll outrun the complications.”
“I’ll bet we will… not. What do you plan to advise Grace and Tim on the Sunset Inn scene? They can’t leave the bodies lying there.”
“They’ll have to report it. It will look bad if they fly off to DC without complete disclosure. Hey… this bureaucrat life gets complicated, even for feds. Once they show the authorities how Sorenson was going to sell them out, the Marshals will be released to finish business in DC. I’m hoping they’re updating the Attorney General’s office about Sorenson, so my suspected leak there gets involved. The AG will want that chip in the worst way, when he finds out foreign agents hired a hit squad to take out his US Marshal’s team. If the message gets intercepted as I think it will, the game will be afoot, Watson.”
“You may be right, Sherlock, but the locals will be a hard sell, especially when they find the Point Lobos bodies.”
“The PD will think they have a serial killer on their hands because I gutted the three in the van. It’ll be a mystery.”
“They’ll have the serial killer part right,” Gus replied.
“That’s just hurtful, Gus.”
Chapter Fifteen
No Rest for the Wicked
“Come with me.”
“Who are you?” Grace, Tim, and Nick stopped near the intense looking thirty something man holding a sign with Tim and Grace’s name on it in block letters.
“I’m from the AG’s office,” the man answered Grace.
Grace took out her US Marshal’s ID. “I’ll show you mine. You show me yours.”