Cruz blew out a breath. “It’ll be enough. Any more than that and you two will have to stop me from getting physical anyway.”
To say he had a short fuse was probably a message from Captain Obvious.
Forte straightened and headed for the door leading to the main house. “Let’s get to it then.”
*
Cruz strolled into the kennel where they’d tied up their man with Atlas on a short leash at his side. The streaming video from cameras on this side of the run would show a cut-off time coinciding with shots fired. Completely believable to say a stray bullet had taken out the security feed.
The guy was covered in sweat and obviously frustrated by his inability to get free of the binding keeping him in the metal chair. All he’d managed to do was tip himself over on the concrete floor. For once, Cruz regretted how clean they kept their kennels. He wouldn’t have minded if the guy managed to roll himself in some crap.
They’d all suffered worse.
“Neal Evans. You’ve really lost your edge, man.” Cruz decided to start out conversational but he didn’t have to be nice. “You’re ex-Navy SEAL. Maybe it’s been too long since you got through SERE training.”
Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape. Any special tactics personnel would have been required to go through some level of SERE training prior to selection.
“Fuck you.” The answer carried a whole lot of ire.
Good. Forte, Rojas, and Cruz were all special tactics, too. Every one of them had pitched in to make sure Evans wasn’t getting loose before they were ready. Cruz personally wasn’t sure he could even get out of those bindings on his own. Well, not in the short time they’d taken to converse and decide on a course of action.
Give a man enough time and anything was possible.
“Ah well, we could’ve given you more time, Evans, but we’re running low on patience.” Cruz strode over and yanked the chair back to an upright position. If the guy’s head snapped up at the sudden movement, not a big deal.
“I’m not telling you anything.” Evans was sucking air through his mouth, his breathing labored.
Cruz took a good look at the guy’s face. Evans might’ve tipped the chair over and used his nose to break his fall. Maybe. It didn’t appear to be broken. “I think you will. It’d be your best shot at getting clear of all this with a chance at a live.”
“Ha!” The bark of laughter made Atlas lift his lips in an answering snarl. The man’s gaze darted from Atlas to Cruz back to Atlas and he sobered up quick. “I’ve got a sweet retirement parachute set up for me. Golden. You can’t touch me.”
Cruz tipped his head toward the man. “Thing about golden parachutes, they’re not actually good for saving your life. In the last few minutes, you’ve managed to make yourself a very visible inconvenience.”
Evans gritted his teeth and kept his mouth shut.
Ah, but not for long. “Police are on their way. See, my partner’s kid lives here and with the trespass just last week the police aren’t likely to think this is unrelated. There’ll be a lot of questions. I don’t think it’ll be easy to convince a judge to allow bail. All things considered, I’m pretty certain your employers will consider you expendable.”
“No fucking way.”
Yup. Barely any poking and the man was already back to responding. Even if Evans planned to keep his mouth shut, he was one of those guys who couldn’t.
“You’ve demonstrated you’re sloppy enough to be made tailing a target. Or didn’t you mention our little meeting in New Hope to them?” Cruz shook his head. “Never keep things from Big Brother. You never know who he’s got watching you while you watch someone else.”
Beady eyes widened a fraction then narrowed. “You’re trying to mess with my head.”
Yes. But why lie when the truth was so handy? “You’ve also trespassed on private property in broad daylight with a weapon in hand, opening fire. All captured on security feed. How much do we want to bet your employers are going to consider you too stupid to live?”
“I know too much for them to just leave me out here.” Too stupid just gave an excellent reason for why he wasn’t likely to live much longer.
Cruz nodded. “Yeah. And your face is nice and clear in the video I’ve recovered, too. You know, the one you’ve been convinced Evelyn Jones was going to find eventually.”
“Bitch will give up the video. Probably already has.” Evans sneered.
Cruz clenched Atlas’s leash in his fist. “She doesn’t know anything, doesn’t have the video. But I do and I’m here. I also know what to do with it, whereas she wouldn’t.”
“Trade then.” Evans rolled his head in a stretch. “Give me the video and let me loose, I’ll make sure you get the girl back.”
This time, it was Cruz’s turn to laugh. And he did. “There you go overestimating your value again. I already spelled it out to you. You’re expendable. I could trade the video alone for Evelyn Jones, no issue. Don’t even need to mention your name.”