Felix would do McCarty first and as many of his friends as he could kill in twenty seconds. The kill time frame represented significant study involving his speed and public reaction. He would need a nearly perfect scenario to blast McCarty and his people after they left one of their tourist spots. Being a deadly talented shooter even with hand weapon at fifty to eighty yards, Moreau hoped to wound Nick badly before killing his friends and family. That way Felix thought he could watch the great killer’s eyes as Felix shot everyone. It wasn’t smart to fool around with McCarty, but he wanted to show everyone in the know there was only one top assassin in the world. He wasn’t afraid of the poser. McCarty was just another kill.
Their first choice of tourist spots convinced Moreau the list would include the logical moves depending on their eating and bathroom habits. He decided to follow them for the time being, making sure they acted as tourists and not a hunting party cover for McCarty. When staking out Hutchen’s Granddaughter for the family’s visit to Salem, he had figured correctly they would go on the Salem Trolley Tour. When McCarty’s group journeyed to the Nathaniel Hawthorne House first, Moreau thought it meant he needed to guess their route. Instead, they visited the Hawthorne House and House of the Seven Gables, but then returned to get tickets for the Salem Trolley. This pleased Moreau immensely as he watched their tourist plan unfold. After the Hutchen’s prep work, Moreau knew exactly where he could hit the group and disappear without a trace in the aftermath. The Salem police force were rarely seen because of Salem’s tourist reputation and nearly nonexistent crime rate for anything other than theft. The McCarty hit might cause the Hutchen’s to stay in place or extend their visit until after the furor ended.
Hutchen would have to wait. I know McCarty was suspicious during his woman’s game on the boat which I still can’t figure out. If McCarty heard of a kidnapping right after the meeting on the ferry, I’d have complications I don’t need,” Moreau determined. He grinned. The safest way for me now was if McCarty died.
*
Nick paid for the Salem Trolley tickets with John next to him while Gus remained with the group. “How are we doing?”
“He is on our trail. I do not believe he suspects we know his location,” John said. “I like your Salem Trolley idea. It will depend on if Moreau is familiar with the Trolley route. Are you certain Moreau’s target was the girl?”
“Absolutely. The college girls helped him with something to focus on while prepping for taking the Hutchen girl. It was an easy choice after investigating the ferry’s passenger list. Once we’re on the tour, we’re golden, John. Felix will pick an ambush sight and set in to wait. I’ll drop out of the tour, work my way into a counter assault position and figure the best way to take him depending on the flow of people. There may be an isolated spot on the tour where the street is narrow.”
“I have the route,” John replied. “I will track him until he halts. Then I should be able to determine how many witnesses any ambush he does would have. We are ready to proceed with this. I wish we could entrap this Felix together with Gus.”
“Can’t do it. He’s a pro. We’d need a lot of prep work for a hit on him from a triangular ambush. The reason I may have an edge is my approach to his stationary position.”
“Was Rachel mad that the Trolley Tour has ‘The House of the Seven Gables’ on it?”
“She understood. That was the main reason we didn’t go in on the official tour. I told her it was the logical way to find out if Moreau’s phone moved with us. The kids were the ones a little bent out of shape about a return. When they saw we weren’t going to make them do the inside tour twice, they were okay about it. They liked the building structure and seem curious to know about the inside.”
“Tina T-Rex has been unusually quiet,” John remarked as Nick was handed the tickets. “You don’t think she’s getting ready to blow, do you.”
Nick chuckled. “She’s okay. Gus had a talk with her I’m sure. She knows the score, but you’re right, I could tell she was none too happy about my playing find the next serial killer game on the tour. I’m not either. I may have distracted Moreau from his Hutchen girl target. That is not a bad thing, my friend.”
“I won’t tell anyone if you’re wrong, but where would you hit our group while on the Trolley Tour, Muerto.” John walked beside Nick to their waiting group next to the Trolley’s flag stop.
“Burying Point.” Nick took John’s iPad with the Trolley Tour route on it. He quickly went into a street view of the old cemetery from Google maps. Nick pointed to a spot where beside a surrounding wall, a huge tree grew. “It has an old stone wall around it. Beyond this tree is the open cemetery area. I would lie in wait near the tree for the group to get inside the stone wall. Moreau won’t care about collateral damage. I would be his main target. I’m wondering what he has for weapons.”
“What about your approach?”
Nick smiled. “I have my disguise figured out. It will be perfect.”
“I may not have mentioned this, Muerto. I get as uneasy as Gus when you claim to have a perfect plan for anything.”
“I had a perfect plan when I went in to get you at the Isis compound in Onalaska, John.”
“Point taken.”