Chapter 42
Parker concentrated on the lock.
His client had been right in believing there were only a few people who could pick them. It just happened that Parker was among that select group.
His experience was limited to two previous locks, however. He’d defeated the first in a controlled environment, under the tutelage of an ex–French intelligence agent. It had taken him two hours and multiple attempts before he’d gotten it right.
The second had been for a job and had taken fifteen minutes.
This time, he was aiming for under five.
He closed his eyes and mentally pictured what he was doing.
Just a little more on the…
He felt the lock give, and he turned the key slot, sliding the bolt out of the jamb.
Smiling, he checked his watch. Three minutes. That was on par with some of the best in the world.
There was another lock in the knob, but it was much easier to solve. In less than a minute, he’d twisted the doorknob and slowly pushed the door inward until there was a narrow gap between it and the jamb.
In the dimness beyond, he could see part of what appeared to be a small room.
He looked back at the client and Frank. The client smiled eagerly, but Frank looked pensive.
As quietly as he could, Parker said, “The others?”
Frank shook his head and mouthed, Nothing.
That didn’t sit well with Parker. For the first time, he began to wonder if they should abort.
The client clearly had other ideas, though. He gave Parker a what-are-you-waiting-for look and jutted his chin at the door.
Not finishing the job would mean Parker would only collect half the fee, plus it wasn’t like he really cared about any of the men Richter had sent him. All he needed to do was terminate Dame Felicity and get the hell out of there.
He should probably make sure the client got out, too, but he could handle that. The rest of the team was dispensable, as far as he was concerned.
The client shook Parker’s shoulder, his eyes narrowing as if he was expecting Parker to bolt.
Parker motioned for him to calm down, then he eased the door open and crept inside, the client and Frank following closely behind.
Felicity pressed the radio’s Talk button. “Carly, status.”
“I had to move a few things, but I’m finally at a vent on the back side of the house. It’s going to take another minute to move the louvers out of the way.”
“Understood.”
Felicity lowered the radio and glanced at the front door, wondering how long until Stone and the others returned. She noticed Jillian standing nearby, the gun in her hand shaking slightly.
Felicity had learned about Jillian’s history from Lance and knew that she was a skilled computer hacker and data analyst. Her weapons training came only after she’d joined the CIA a few short months ago.
“Perhaps it would be best if you waited this out with Seth and Mary,” Felicity said to Jillian.
“No, madam,” she said, her French accent thicker than usual. “My place is here.”
“Very well. But do try not to accidentally shoot me.”
Jillian looked aghast. “I would never.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Over the radio, Carly said, “I have eyes on the back. I can’t see directly below me, though. Only from about twenty feet out from the house, then all the way to the water. The area’s clear.”
“Copy,” Felicity responded. “Thank you.”
“I have a suggestion,” Jillian said.
“Go ahead.”
“We should be able to safely slide open one of the second-floor bedroom windows and get a look at the part of the yard she can’t see.”
“That’s an excellent idea. Let’s do that.”
They headed up the stairs.
As Stone, Dino, and Ed approached the back of the house, Ed motioned for the other two to hold position, then he crouched as low as he could and leaned out so he could see the rear of the house.
Within seconds, he was standing again and waving for Stone and Dino to join him.
They followed him around the corner. There was no one behind the house.
“If they’re not here, where are they?” Stone whispered.
“Could they have gotten inside?” Dino asked.
“Only if they could pick the locks,” Stone said. “Which I have been assured would be near impossible.”
Ed headed along the back until he reached the door to a mudroom that led into the laundry and linen storage room. It was a vestige of days gone by, when it had provided quick access to where clotheslines used to be.
Ed gave the door a gentle push, and it swung open.
“Near impossible, but not completely,” Dino said.
“I think I should check my warranty,” Stone said.
From inside came the boom of a pistol, followed a few seconds later by the unmistakable spits of silenced gunfire.
The trio hurried through the doorway.
Felicity and Jillian had just reached the second floor when Felicity paused, her senses telling her something had changed.
She motioned for Jillian to move out of direct sight of the first floor, then pressed herself against the wall where she still had a view all the way to the bottom of the staircase. If the lights had been on, she would have been easily seen, but in the darkness, she hoped she blended into the wall.
For several seconds, she neither saw nor heard anything that should have triggered her internal alarms.
But then came a hushed whisper, so low that if she hadn’t been paying attention, she would have missed it.
A moment later, a leg appeared at the edge of the area in her view, then disappeared just as quickly.
More whispers, louder this time, but still not loud enough to be understood.
The meaning of what had been said became clear enough a few moments later, however, when a man appeared at the bottom of the stairs and started coming up, gun at the ready.
The shadows Felicity was hiding in would become less effective the closer the man came. But if she tried to move, he would notice her right away.
Which left her with only one option.
He was three steps up when his gaze stopped on her position, his brow furrowing as if he were unsure whether or not he was seeing things.
His eyes suddenly widened in recognition, but before he could aim his gun, she shot him center mass.
Parker was heading toward the kitchen when the gunshot went off. He turned back just in time to see Frank tumbling into an unmoving heap at the base of the stairs.
“Shit!” he muttered, then fired two shots up the stairwell to prevent the shooter from coming down.
“That has to be Felicity,” the client whispered.
Parker wanted to tell him to go after her himself if he was so sure, but he held his tongue.
Unfortunately, his nonresponse didn’t seem to satisfy the client.
Looking exasperated, the Russian turned to the stairwell and said in a loud voice, “Is that you, Dame Felicity?”
Parker gawked at him. What the hell did this idiot think he was doing?
From above, a voice Parker assumed was the target’s said, “Hello, Leonid.”
The client looked surprised that she knew who he was, but he kept his voice controlled when he said, “It’s been a long time.”
“Not long enough, if you ask me.”
The client actually laughed. “I suppose I’d feel the same if I were in your shoes. But there’s no reason you need to worry about it too much. We both know how this is going to end. Why not come down now so we don’t have to drag things out?”
“If you’re in such a hurry,” Felicity said, “why don’t you come up? I’m sure we could settle things just as quickly.”
Parker glanced around to pick out the best way to make a quick exit. But instead of noting escape routes, his gaze was drawn to movement coming from the hall he and the others had just entered through.
He immediately ducked to avoid being seen, which was the only reason he didn’t die on the spot, from a bullet that pierced the air right where he’d been standing.
“Fuck this,” he whispered.
Staying low, he rushed toward the front door.
Behind him, the gun that had nearly taken his life went off again. He heard the client cry out and something hit the floor, but he didn’t look back.
He reached the door just as someone outside opened it. Not recognizing the man, he barreled into him and sent the guy sprawling to the ground. Parker then sprinted away from the house, acutely aware he needed to find cover as soon as possible.
Ahead to the right, he spotted the open side door to the garage and veered toward it.