CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The bass of the music rattled Mitch’s teeth. Pathetic, grown men with slack jaws and tired eyes ogled half-dressed women. Neither looked like they were having any fun. It’d been a long time since he’d patronized a strip club. He didn’t miss it.
“Budweiser.” He plopped a twenty on the bar and began a slow scan of the patrons. The only Hispanic man he saw was on his cell phone at the far end of the club. Mitch sat on a stool and took a long swig.
The woman on stage was easily close to forty. Her bare breasts were beginning to sag, but that didn’t stop them from bouncing all around as she danced. Mitch had never seen the allure in watching a show like this.
Now a one-on-one thing, that finished with a happy ending, that was a different story.
Thoughts of Maggie, topless in the hot tub, filled his mind.
He could have had her topless a half an hour ago.
The memory brought a smile to his face. He’d gained a lot of respect for Miss Margaret lately.
She was scared but taking all the bullshit that had come her way in stride.
Damn it, this woman would be the death of him. Pull it together, MacDonald. He stood and started toward the back hall. The restrooms were labeled, but there were several other unmarked doors. That was where he needed to check.
Unsure what he was looking for, he made his way to the first door and leaned on it. If anyone came around, he’d pretend to be drunk and head to the restroom. He didn’t hear anything behind the first or second door.
As he approached the third door, it opened quickly. The Hispanic man he’d seen on the phone stood, pointing a gun right at his chest.
“Well, look who’s here. Officer Mitch. Come on in,” the man gloated.
Shit. Shit. Shit. What an idiot.
“The defense department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.” The famous line from the movie Top Gun popped into his head. Why hadn’t he told someone he was coming here? Rookie mistake.
“Hey, what’s up, Jose?” Mitch took in his surroundings. If this was the only…no such luck. Three more of Manuel’s goons sat around a poker table. Two empty tequila bottles gave him hope.
“How’d you know my name?” Jose asked, surprised.
“I didn’t, stupid. It was supposed to be stereotypical and insulting. Any of you seen Manuel?” He tried to play it cool. “I’ve been looking for him for a while.”
“He ain’t here, asshole,” one of the men at the table slurred. Drunk.
“I told him we was gonna get you. You made it easy coming to us. He said to bring you to him so he can kill you.” One of the other men let out a raucous laugh. Also drunk.
“Cállate, you idiot! The boss would kill you if he heard you talkin’ like that.” Not that drunk. Take him second.
“God, you guys are a bunch of rocks,” Mitch said. “How does Manuel get anything done?”
Jose cocked the gun and put it next to Mitch’s head, making him rethink his decision to be a smart ass. Also not drunk, already planning to take him first.
“Sorry, man, you seem like the brightest one here. Where you gonna take me?”
“Shut up, shit for brains. Like I would tell you.”
“Well, if you’re going to kill me anyway, does it matter?”
Jose paused to think, then ignored the question. “We’re going out the back door. No funny business or I’ll finish this now.”
He believed him. Jose might be stupid, but stupid could still be lethal.
Jose pushed Mitch ahead of him. The two-foot gap made it impossible for Mitch to overtake him without the risk of being shot.
At the door, Jose motioned for Mitch to precede him.
Right outside the door was a black car with the engine running.
“Yeah, I think I’ll pass on the ride,” Mitch said.
“Who’s got the gun, asshole?” Jose pushed him toward the car.
“I’ve got a gun. Can I play?” Adam stepped out from the shadows, and Mitch heaved a sigh of relief. Thank God. The split-second distraction was all he needed. He had Jose disarmed and in a headlock before he could even respond.
“Hey, man, fancy meeting you here,” Mitch said. “You already take care of whoever’s in the car?”
“Yeah. He’s tied up in the back seat. You are a complete dumbass. You know that, right?” Adam countered.
“I had him right where I wanted him. We gotta hurry. There are three more idiots inside.”
Jose was struggling to get free. Adam holstered his gun and put a pair of flex cuffs on him. Mitch let him out of the headlock, grabbed his arm, and squeezed hard.
“I asked you something earlier, and I’m still waiting for an answer,” Mitch growled. “Where’s Manuel?”
“Fuck you!”
“Your loyalty is inspiring but misplaced. You think Manuel would think twice before giving you up if he were in your shoes? He’d sell you out in a second.”
Jose said nothing.
“Got any black and whites coming?” Mitch asked.
“Didn’t have time. Put him in the back with his buddy.”
He opened the back door and pushed Jose in. “Stay.”
As soon as the door closed, Adam quickly outlined a plan he’d hatched while waiting. Mitch loved it.
He opened the door, and Adam threw the keys onto Jose’s lap. Then they shut the door and walked away.
“You sure this is going to work?” Mitch was getting impatient.
“Not at all, but it was the best I could come up with on such short notice. When I found out the driver’s plan to take you to Manuel, I almost let them. But after weighing the what ifs, I decided I’d better save your ass sooner rather than later. You’re welcome, by the way.”
They were sitting in Adam’s truck waiting for the black car to leave, assuming it would eventually lead them to Manuel. The two idiots must’ve been having a hell of a time getting free. He wondered how long it would take the three stooges inside to come help.
“Oh, yeah, thanks for that. I mean, I had it handled, but you did come in handy.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Hey, I understand this probably isn’t the right time, but since you’re trapped here…shall we talk about the elephant in the room?”
“No.”
“I love her, Mitch. I know it seems sudden, but I’ve been searching for her my whole life. The old saying, love at first sight is not just a cliché. From the second I saw her, I knew.”
“Shit. You have a barf bag in here?” Mitch opened the glove box and made a show of rummaging through it.
“I know it sounds crazy. If I weren’t living it, I wouldn’t believe it, either.”
“What about all the women in Boston? Did you love them at first sight, too?” The bitterness came through loud and clear.
“I told Jenny, and I’ll tell you. My reputation in Boston was a bunch of bullshit. I’m not sure how it spiraled so far out of control. I did date a lot of women, but that’s because I was looking for, I don’t know, someone.” Now he just sounded sappy.
“So, you’re not a lean, mean fucking machine?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve had sex with about a dozen women in my life and the majority of those I was in a committed relationship with.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. I would never hurt her. You have to know that. And I think the world of the boys. I don’t want to replace Jimmy, but I think I’d be okay at helping to finish what he started. I’d be honored to take care of his family.”
Mitch was letting that sink in when movement from the black car got their attention. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum had finally freed themselves and were getting into the front seats. Adam put the truck in gear and waited.
“It’s times like this I wish I drove a Honda. A truck in New York City is hardly inconspicuous.”
“Why do you drive a pickup?”
“You can take a man out of Texas…,” he said, and Mitch chuckled.
Leaving several cars in between, Adam followed them straight to a nondescript, four-story building downtown. The address wasn’t marked, but they could find it again with no problem. When the black car parked, they kept driving.
Adam drove Mitch back to the strip club to get his car. On the way, they made plans for what would happen after they captured Manuel. Before he got out of the truck, he swallowed his pride.
“Hey, man. Thanks.” This time he was sincere.
“No problem. Don’t do this crap without telling someone, eh? You scared the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, well, before you, there was no one I could tell. When I say thanks, I mean for everything…not just saving my ass tonight.”
Adam gave an easy smile. “Go take care of Maggie. I’ll handle the rest,” he said.
“Will do.” He jumped out of Adam’s car and into his own. Making sure they weren’t being tailed, Mitch headed home, and Adam went straight to the station.
***
“What do you mean he got away?” Manuel threw his glass against the wall, spittle coming from his mouth. “Did you or did you not have him at gunpoint?”
The driver, Humberto, did not envy Jose one bit and was backing out of the room slowly, an inch at a time, trying to go unnoticed.
“And what about you?” Manuel rounded on him. “Tied up in your own back seat? Fucking idiots. I ought to kill you right now!”
Jose was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. Humberto, not so much. “He came from nowhere and stuck a gun in my face. What was I supposed to do?”
“Not fucking just give in, you pussy.” Manuel picked up the only thing within reach, a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels, and hurled it at Humberto’s head. His cat-like reflexes failed him, and the bottle hit him square in the forehead.
“What the fuck you do that for?” yelled Humberto, digging himself in even deeper.
There was a long pause. “What did you say?” Each word was enunciated and laced with malice. This time Manuel took the time to go to his desk and get a real weapon. He came around the desk with his gun pointed at Humberto. Jose was now the one backing away.
“Nothin’, boss, never mind. I shoulda done better,” Humberto stammered.
Manuel made a show of lowering the gun, and Humberto heaved a sigh of relief.
“Ah, what the hell?” In one smooth movement, Manuel leveled the gun and fired. Humberto fell to the floor, clutching his stomach.
“Let’s go. Cops will be here within the hour.” A wide-eyed Jose stayed rooted in place.
“You just got promoted to driver,” Manuel said to Jose, nodding to Humberto’s still body. “Better grab the keys.”