“First off, this Muerto shit will not go unanswered, pal. My setup of Rahil and Sadun went like I wrote the script. I had to kill Rahil, but Sadun is still alive, and in custody. The ploy I practiced with Tim and Grace worked perfectly. Sadun gave us the name in the AG’s office. We, my friend, are free and clear. Tomorrow morning we’ll walk Jean to school, and go see Dimah Kader or the principal. I’ll tutor Jean the whole time we’re on our road trip so we can take a leave of absence for her. How did discovery go with the Point Lobos bad guy mortuary?”
“Very well. Just as you figured, because the van was discovered on the Point Lobos State Reserve, they called in everyone but the Pacific Grove Police Department. They didn’t connect the dots to the Sunset Inn killings. They’re ruling it a gangland slaying because of the extremely bad rap sheet everyone in the van had. You know Tim and Grace will be watching the news from here. They’ll know exactly who was responsible, Muerto.”
“Tim and Grace are at peace about the hired guns. I also wrote nearly five thousand words in the new novel. Jed had a sex change operation, and took the name Jewel.”
“Every cell in your body, Muerto… every cell is rotten… every cell!”
“Let’s stop, get Deke, and walk down to the Monte Café. We’ll have a little something to eat, say hi to Rachel, and then walk down to the Point for a while until we need to meet Jean after school. It’ll be a fun day. I haven’t eaten anything since I left other than the airplane peanuts. What do you say, Guster. I won’t even dog you about the El Muerto tag.”
“Okay… but I’m watchin’ you.”
Nick dropped off his pack while fending off a deliriously excited Deke. Nick managed through patient prodding to get Deke into his harness, and hooked to the leash. As they drew near Rachel’s workplace, Nick saw tourists pausing at the window of the café, drawing back, and then walking on hurriedly. Nick handed Gus Deke’s leash.
“Something’s wrong, Gus. Come slow and quiet.” Without another word, Nick ran toward the Monte Café.
At the Monte Café, a huge guy dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and black shorts had Joe by the front of his shirt, and Rachel pinned against the Café’s counter. Nick walked in, seeing relief wash over Rachel’s features. The big guy turned, halting the epithet laden monologue he was spewing.
“Get the fuck out of here asshole! We’re closed.”
“Can’t do that, Sir,” Nick replied smiling. “That’s my pregnant wife you have pinned against the counter, and an old friend you’re choking. When I leave here, it will be because you’re dead, being loaded into an ambulance, or the police are loading you into a cruiser. The best and most painless thing for you to do would be to lie face down on the floor immediately while we call the police. Anything else you do will lead to a very bad day.”
The man did exactly what Nick hoped he would do. He released Joe, and moved away from Rachel, who immediately yanked the gasping Joe Montenegro into the backroom and locked it. The man who looked to be Samoan sized up Nick with a slightly drunken smile. He pointed at Nick.
“You’re McCarty, huh? I break you, little man.”
Nick turned sideways, waving at the man with his left hand in a come get some gesture, while drawing the twenty-five million volt stun baton he carried out of the holster under his jacket at the back. Nick looked as if surprised by something to the giant’s right. The moment the Samoan looked in the same direction, Nick shot forward, stun baton discharging into the man’s side. It dropped him in a pile with Nick following up. He zapped the Samoan until Gus came running in shouting his name. Only then did Nick straighten away, while Deke growled and smelled the barbeque.
“What was that, some kind of premonition to come over here? You’re getting scary good, Nick.” Gus helped Nick roll the huge Samoan over on his stomach.
The Samoan started groaning, his eyes blinking rapidly. Nick shielded Gus and Deke from the body, and sent another arc into the man until he passed out. “Rach! You and Joe have any duct tape back there?”
“I get you some, Nick,” Joe called through the door.
Rachel opened the back door, saw where the Samoan was, and drop kicked him in the head. She tried to launch another, but Nick hugged her away. “Easy there, Hon. Let me restrain this guy for the cops. Did you call 911?”
“Yeah,” Rachel replied, gasping a little more from the adrenaline rush than shortness of breath. “You should let me kick his teeth down his throat.”
Joe came out of the back room with duct tape, and handed the roll to Nick. With Gus holding the big man’s arms behind his back together tightly, Nick bound him in three spots with the duct tape. Nick added a restraint at his ankles too.
“How the hell did this happen, Rach?”