Ambush

Chapter 33

Alex Martinez took Avianca flight 244 directly from Bogotá to New York. It was a flight known for being watched by the DEA. Now that drugs came in by the truckload across the border, the flight had lost some of its mystique.

That night, Alex wasted no time checking into an older, funky hotel she liked, the Skyline Hotel on West 49th. There was something about the retro feel of the place that gave it charm. And the hotel had a decent indoor pool.

In the morning, Alex immediately started researching her next target.

Alicia Toussant was an attractive middle-aged Canadian woman who financed much of the violence the Canadian mob used to keep people in line. She was here in New York gauging her organization’s efforts to control the synthetic drug market.

Alex preferred not to take contracts on women, but she felt that if a woman was in some kind of nasty trade like drugs, then all bets were off.

Alex knew that no one would show her mercy if she was ever targeted because of her job.

After only a short time conducting surveillance on the woman, Alex discovered that Ms. Toussant had a security man who stayed well out of the way and out of sight. It was the mark of a true professional, not drawing any extra attention to herself.

Alex first noticed the man when she started following the Canadian from her hotel. She appreciated her choice of the Hotel Giraffe on Park Avenue South and 26th, which was under the radar but boasted a good restaurant and comfortable atmosphere.

The man was dressed in casual clothes, his loose shirt probably covering some kind of weapon. He was in his midforties and had a little extra weight on him. He wasn’t there to scare people; he’d been chosen because he was discreet and knew his business. Alex wouldn’t take any chances when the time came.

Alex knew the hotel and the area well. It would be difficult to get into the woman’s room at the Giraffe. That meant she had to find a spot in the open to do it — rarely a good idea in New York City.

She conducted the rest of her surveillance a little farther back than she normally would to keep both the bodyguard and Alicia Toussant in view.

The Canadian seemed to have hourly meetings. She was a hard worker. Alex admired that. They were all short face-to-face meetings with white or Hispanic men. Alex didn’t care what each meeting was about. Because some time after sunset tonight, any agreements struck would be null and void. That’s how things worked in the narcotics business.

Later in the day, Alex followed while Ms. Toussant strolled down Fifth Avenue. Alex had enough photographs of her to create a pretty good biography in pictures. It was the necessary preparation for any assignment.

Only once did Ms. Toussant have any contact with her bodyguard. She bought something small from a jewelry store, then turned and walked directly to him. He stuck whatever she had bought in his left front pants pocket.

Alex noticed that the sun was setting and some of the city lights were slowly coming on. Her target turned and started to stroll back toward the Hotel Giraffe.

Alex fell in behind the bodyguard. She had both her stiletto and her 9mm pistol in her Vera Wang purse, which had a strap that slipped over her shoulder comfortably. She was as ready as she would ever be.

First she had to deal with the bodyguard.