Warm satisfaction began to bubble up replacing the feelings of discontent that Sanders had been feeling. Everything was starting to come together. He didn’t know why he ever doubted. Good things always came to the hard workers. Waiting had never bought him anything. A trunk full of munitions promised that tonight’s little gathering at the coffee house would be memorable. He had received a message form one of his people that they had a location for Matt’s little woman. She had used her cell phone and Chief DeWitt was going to send out one of his men to get her.
Then there was the matter of the detective. He’d wanted DeWitt to have the man killed, but thankfully the man had failed him. Sanders would punish him brutally for that later. As he recalled Mrs. DeWitt spent a good deal of her time in their house alone. That was very dangerous. Now he was able to use Winston’s weakness for a woman against him and York. He never understood why men would betray almost anything to keep their women safe. Love was as foreign to him as a bird in the Marianas Trench.
Of course the information that Winston provided him may well be as useless as the “antidote” and if so that was fine. He’d still have York’s woman as an ace in the hole. After tonight he would be back on top. Some time away was probably still wise. The city would be far too busy for a good while and even though a number of men and women in the right places owed him fealty there were still enough independent and contrary players to make everything complicated.
He thought about the likelihood of taking some company with him on his little jaunt. He would wait and see how everything played out. No need to be greedy. He chuckled loudly at his own little joke as he drove to his final destination, before going to the bookstore.
Lee called the doctor back, but got her voicemail. “Doctor Jolson, this is Detective Winston. I’m going to get the antidote for Sara. If you get this message in the next hour call me back.”
The directions that Sanders had given him would take him across town. Getting it, delivering it and hauling ass back to the shop would make him late for his appointment, but maybe not too late. The more he drove the more he began to curse himself. He had to at least call Matt and tell him what he’d done. A few button pushes called up Jose’s number. The phone rang half a dozen times before Jose’s voice answered, but it was just a recorded voice. It wasn’t his day to reach people. “Matt, Jose this is Lee. Sanders knows that Matt is coming. He doesn’t know about Jose. I may not be able to make it on time. Call me and let me know when you get this message.” He hung up. He almost wished that he believed in something he could pray to. Instead he jut drove and drove grinding his teeth together.
Hours passed while Robin went back and forth between watching the video feed and cruising the net trying to ferret out information. Her eyes were growing heavy as she fought sleep. She decided to take a shower after all. Everything was proceeding according to plan so she could spare a few minutes. Soon the bathroom was filled with steam and her voice echoed off the walls. It was tempting to stay in there all day, but she didn’t. All too soon she was dry and back in her slightly grimy clothes. She reminded herself that tonight she could probably take time to wash what she had on if everything went just right. She prayed, not for the first time and probably not for the last that God would protect everyone at the shop.
Strobing lights flashed through the room’s thin curtains. It was brief, but eye catching. She moved quickly to the front window and looked out. A police cruiser sat parked just outside the motel office.
A few minutes later two police officers and the hotel clerk came up the walkway. One of the uniforms said, “Look sir, we’re not here to arrest her. We’re concerned that she’s in danger.”
“Yeah,” his partner said “and if she’s hurt in any way because you drag your feet then you’re liable.”
The young man barely out of his teens didn’t want to make trouble. He fished for the key to her room trying to find it in the midst of its dozens of practically identical brethren. Finally he produced it. “Shouldn’t we knock first?”
“No. Someone might be in there with her.” Both men drew their guns. “Now open the door.
He did and then stepped rapidly out of the way. The first cop entered, his partner covering him. The room was empty except for a few clothes on the bed and a cell phone on the night stand. “Clear.” He went the rest of the way in. “Miss, if you can hear us you need to come out of the bathroom. His partner checked the tiny closet, but it was empty save for jangling hangers set in motion by opening the door.
The first cop went to the bathroom door. His pistol pointed up, he tried to twist the knob but it wouldn’t give. He nodded at his partner and stepped back. One well placed kick drowned out the clerk’s protests. The door banged against the wall and almost shut itself again. The bathroom too was empty, but a steamed mirror and a narrow window left open a crack spoke to recent occupation.
Robin cranked the jeep to life and drove slowly out of the parking lot. She fought the urge to gun the engine, in case the policemen heard it. One eye on the road and the other behind her she started out for the city. It wasn’t until she was fifteen minutes out that she realized her phone wasn’t on her. She had grabbed the laptop though and almost everything else she had was in the very back. That left her without any way of contacting the guys and letting them know about her predicament. The city was a good three hours away. There was no chance that she’s get to the shop before things heated up. Hopefully in this case late was better than never.
Sanders pulled up into a parking spot across from the shop. A long look around revealed nothing suspicious. He was early, but that was the way he liked to do things. Based on the information he had at hand he didn’t expect that his hounds would be joining him. That was alright. He felt that he could handle the situation well enough by himself, but just in case things didn’t go according to plan he had a little insurance. A man in his position could call upon some rather extraordinary forces if things warranted it. He patted his jacket and felt a rather thick little book, his little black book though it had nothing to do with dates, to make sure it was in place.
The trunk opened and he retrieved what looked like a traveling salesman’s sample case. It was a cube approximately thirty inches on each side and quite heavy. He sat it on the sidewalk and extended the handle. It would roll easily on its two casters. Next he pulled out two large pistols. Custom made by an old, old friend, not only did they look intimidating, they were rather effective. A round from one of these could go through a brick wall and still make a messy hole in a man standing on the other side. Each held eight rounds and fit in snug holsters under his coat. Finally he pulled out a large attaché that went over his shoulder. It was this bag that he had picked up last and was perhaps the most important bit of insurance.
He strolled lazily across the street and walked into the shop. The fair Susanna and another young lady, a name tag proclaiming that she was Donna, were behind the counter. A small table was occupied by three customers; two young men and another young lady. There was no one else that he could see in the cozy little café.
Susanna looked up and a dark cloud crossed her features. It was that Detective, Baker she thought his name was. “Hi, welcome back to E-brew-lient. Were you able to find anything out about Robin?” She wondered in the back of her mind why a detective would need so many bags.
Sanders smiled at her. “Why yes actually. She is in good hands by now I am certain.” He looked at his watch. “In fact everything is coming along well in this little case.”
“Great!” she effused. “I hope she’ll be back soon. I don’t think I’m quite cut out for this gig.”
“No way.” Donna said. “You’re doing fantastic.”
“You really think so?” Susanna shook her head. “Cause it’s just so much responsibility.”
Sanders really wanted to shoot them both now, but that would be rushing things. He did pull one of the long black guns though. “Ladies, please be quiet.” He had their rapt attention and that of the three customers. One of the men started to stand. “I wouldn’t recommend that.” He reached behind him and turned the little thumb latch. “If you would all be so kind as to raise your hands that will make things run smoothly. And if you want to live then you certainly want things to run as smoothly as they can.”
Everyone complied. None of them possessing a shred of doubt that this man would do nasty things if they didn’t.
Sanders reached into a slit in the attaché and pulled out several long plastic ties, the sort you might use to close industrial strength garbage bags. With his gun he gestured at the man that had tried to stand. “You sir. What might your name be?”
The tall, lanky blond answered, “John.”
“Well John, come here. You’re eager to be involved I can tell.”
John stood and walked over, slowly.
“Now John, you take these and use them to bind the hands of your friends and these two nice young women behind the counter.” John hesitated briefly and then looked at the gun. He took the plastic strips and walked back over. “Do it tight now. I hate sloppy work.”
He stepped over to the large window and lowered the shade that ran its length. He never took his eyes off the group. He also took the opportunity to flip the cheery “We’re Open” sign around to its sad little “Closed” side.
Susanna was the first one to break the silence. “Why…what’s going on? You’re the police. Why’re you doing this?”
“Well let’s just say that I’m feeling a little petty and leave it at that shall we? Now talk again without my leave and I’ll cut out your pretty tongue.” He watched as John finished putting the bonds on everyone present. When it was finished, Sanders told him to sit back down. “Now John, I’m going to set my pistol down so that I can tie you. Remember that while I do this I am still capable of snapping your neck with one strike and I will be behind you the whole time.”
John nodded.
“Good. Very good.” He put the gun down on a nearby table and used two of the ties, drawing them closed until the man whimpered in the base of his throat. He then went around and checked each of the others after retrieving the pistol. “Oh you did good work young man. Not your first time tying young ladies up I would wager.”
His next step was to take some of the coffee shop’s linens and blindfold each person. He lingered behind Susanna, taking in the exquisite perfume of her innocence. “Oh my. I thought as much before, but now I know. You’re a virgin aren’t you my dearest?”
She blushed to the tips of her ears. Shame and fear clutched at her heart. She nodded, but said nothing.
“Good.” He crooned into her ear. “That may well come in handy later.”
They heard curious sounds of chairs and tables being moved and low mumbling.
