Chapter 21 #2
In a way, what Tiger said made sense because Peacock may have mentioned something to somebody or even just wrote it down in that code book, hoping that somebody would see it and would see it for what it was.
Hoping that somebody gave a crap enough to check his belongings and to ensure things were in order.
Yet it was pretty obvious that nobody had learned anything about this, nobody knew anything, until Joel himself went through the man’s belongings, one by one.
How sad to think that nobody had picked up on it?
It was just one more example of things that were so wrong, where this case came so close to nobody ever finding out.
“Of course, it doesn’t matter if he did say something,” Tiger muttered.
Joel had to lean forward to hear as Tiger continued his monologue.
“I mean, what difference does it make? He’s dead, and I’ll probably be dead soon anyway.
” Then he laughed. “Not. I don’t intend to die for a long time, and he’s the one who was all eaten up with guilt over things he had to do in the military, things he was ordered to do, forced to do, but not me.
I’m not dealing with any guilt at all. I’ve got no problem with anything I’ve done.
He was the foolish one to get his head twisted up over all that, but not me.
I’m not going down that road, no way in hell.
But look. … I’ve got places to go, things to do, and I need you to get your ass down here so I can get the hell out of dodge. ”
Again, not a sound came in reply.
He looked up at the trees above and started swearing. “I swear to God, if you don’t get your ass down here and do something, I’ll shoot anything and everything I can aim at. Then I’ll go to town and blow people up,” he roared.
When still no reply came from above, Joel could only imagine how Chelsea felt. Tiger started cursing and swearing and moving around like he was looking for some outlet, for something he could kill.
The park was deserted. The animals, the birds, everything went silent, as if they knew a madman was in their midst. Joel had seen things like this crass madness before, and Tiger was obviously worried, upset, and angry, thinking that whatever he had done and was about to do would catch up with him one day.
And it would. Absolutely it would, but it was one of those things that you could never really plan or program for.
This asshole’s days were done; he just didn’t know it. Yet he did know something was afoot, and he wanted to go down in a cloud of smoke, preferably taking as many people with him as he could.
When Joel’s phone vibrated, he pulled it out to see a message from Timber, saying that help was on the way and to stay hidden.
Well, of course they were staying hidden and of course help was on the way because that’s how they operated, that was the kind of men Joel had spent his life with.
No way that they wouldn’t be on the way once they knew.
It also meant Joel and Chelsea had to remain hidden.
Plus, Joel needed to create a distraction when anybody did arrive.
He couldn’t just let them walk in on this enraged sniper, looking for any target he could find.
Every one of them would be dropped without an ounce of thought. And, if Tiger was cornered and believed he was heading into his final battle, he would come out, guns blazing, making sure everybody paid.
Joel needed Chelsea to stay up in that tree for as long as she possibly could, hoping she would understand the message without having to be told explicitly, because he had no way to communicate with her.
He didn’t dare try to text her, without the risk of revealing her position.
It was just one more of those things. If he’d known her longer, they could have set up some kind of a plan in terms of how to handle something like this.
Considering the circumstances, they should have set up something earlier.
Now he had to just rely on her common sense and hoped that she understood just how bad things likely would get—and very, very, quickly.
The gunman suddenly took a couple steps off to the side, and then he started to laugh, almost a chortle, as if something was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
“You guys actually think you’ll beat me,” he crowed, with a sneer in his tone.
“Better men than you have tried, and all of them have failed. That’s all right.
I’ll leave you guys for right now, but you won’t know where I’ll strike, when I’ll strike.
Just know that I’m watching you. You think I didn’t see all the vehicles that came and went?
From both the place where I parked the truck to where you’ve been driving home every day? ” he shared, with a mocking tone.
“Honey, you’ll wake up one night, and both places will be on fire.
Every animal, every person will go up in smoke,” he declared.
“It will be one hell of a way to die, and I really am looking forward to it. Because it won’t be me, it’ll be you,” he said, with a sneer.
“If I don’t catch you at one location, I’ll catch you at the other.
” And, with that, he made a move as if to withdraw.
Again, Joel knew it was just a fake move to get her to show herself and to him preferably.
Joel might not look like your typical dangerous guy, but he had a hell of a lot of training and experience.
Even with the one bad foot, it’s not as if Tiger was doing anything that Joel couldn’t figure out.
He took another step forward to get into a better position, when Tiger’s phone rang.
He pulled it out and glanced down at it, as his expression changed. “What the hell do you want?” he roared. “I told you to leave me the fuck alone. … I already told you no. Just get the hell away from me.”
It was such an odd conversation. He was talking to somebody who refused to take no as an answer.
And yet who? It didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but then again Joel didn’t think Tiger had any normal relationships anyway.
He didn’t think Tiger would even know how to handle a relationship—unless the end of a gun was his dispute-settler.
Joel shook his head and waited, once again hoping that, with the arrival of the others, he could create some commotion to save the cavalry. Yet absolutely no way could Tiger get away. Just then came sounds of sirens. Joel couldn’t believe it. Sirens, really? he thought to himself.
Then he realized that, as far as Richard was concerned, this was all about making sure that Joel and Chelsea got out of here safely, first and foremost, and that catching this Tiger guy was secondary.
But Joel knew that, if they didn’t catch Tiger now, he would go underground.
Then who knew how long it would be before Tiger came back out again?
They couldn’t afford to let him go, not as dangerous as he was, no way.
Joel knew that Chelsea would agree with him totally, yet she had to stay where she was and as safe as possible.
When the sirens grew louder, Tiger stopped, turned, and swore.
Which was interesting because it meant that his hearing was not so great because he hadn’t heard them earlier. Now that was a piece of information Joel could use against the man.
Tiger headed back to his truck.
Tiger needed wheels to go underground again.
Joel came around the side of him, and, as the man moved off, they suddenly came face-to-face. Joel heard vehicles on the other side, people running, separating, and clearing through the path.
Tiger stopped, clearly surprised, and then a slow smile crossed his face.
Joel looked at him and said, “Hello, Tiger.”