Wild Card

33

Stone sat and thought after Jamie had hung up. This wasn’t supposed to happen. It was too risky for the Thomases to try such a bold move in a public place; the fact that they had worried him. He called Bob Cantor on his throwaway phone, but all he got was a beep.

“Bob,” he said, “this is Stone. Please call me right away. The opposition made a move on Jamie.” He hung up and waited. And waited. He checked his watch. They had had time to get to Brooklyn, even if they had stopped at Bob’s house to pick up some things.

After a couple of turns around the block, Bob pulled into his garage and closed the door behind them. “I need to pick up some clean clothes,” he said to Sherry. “You want to come in?”

“Sure,” she replied.

They left the car and went inside. Bob went upstairs to pack a bag. Fifteen minutes after their arrival, they were back in the car while Bob checked the outside cameras on his iPhone. No threats.

Bob drove to Brooklyn, to the tree-shaded street where he had bought and renovated a house years before. He rented out apartments on the two lower floors, both to cops, and occupied the top two. He drove around the block twice and saw nothing of interest, then he went back to the house and parked in front. They each took two bags from the trunk and started up the front steps.

Bob heard a slight noise, then Sherry collapsed on the stoop while he dove into the doorway and freed a weapon. He reached out, got Sherry by an ankle, and pulled her into the shelter of the doorway. Her head left a bloody trail behind her, and she was unresponsive.

Bob got out his throwaway and saw a missed call on the screen.

“I was worried,” Stone said.

“You had good reason,” Bob replied. “Sherry has taken a bullet to the head. I can’t tell how bad. She’s alive, but unresponsive. I need an ambulance now. I also need two squad cars. I can’t move her into the wagon while the threat is still out there.” He gave Stone the address.

“I’m on it,” Stone said. He hung up and called Dino.

“Bacchetti.”

“It’s Stone. We weren’t careful enough. Bob’s at his place in Brooklyn with Sherry, and she’s taken a bullet to the head. He needs an ambulance and a couple of cars for protection while they load her.”

“Address?”

Stone gave it to him.

“Three minutes, tops,” Dino said, then hung up.

Stone thought he should go to Brooklyn, but then thought better of it. He called Bob back.

“Yeah?”

“Help is on the way. I don’t know which hospital they’ll take her to, so call me as soon as you find out, and I’ll meet you there.”

“Don’t do that,” Bob said firmly. “There won’t be anything you can do, and if we start breaking cover they’ll be all over us.”

“Good point.” Stone could hear an ambulance in the background. “How’s Sherry doing?”

“She’s moving a little, but still unconscious. Here’s the ambulance and a squad car; I can hear another one on the way. I’ll call you when I know something.” He hung up.

Stone called Viv on her cell.

“I’ve already heard about Jamie,” she said. “Precautions have been taken.”

“You haven’t heard about Sherry.”

“What about Sherry?”

“Bullet to the head. Still alive, but it looks bad. Dino responded, and she’s on the way to the hospital. I just wanted you to know that the Thomases are throwing caution to the wind. I expect I’ll be next.”

“I’ll have some people at your house in twenty minutes,” she said.

“Thank you.” He hung up.

Bob was walking rapidly down a hospital hallway beside Sherry, who was on a gurney, holding her hand. Suddenly, she squeezed it. He bent over her.

“It’s okay, babe, you’re in the hospital.”

Sherry whispered something and he put his ear to her lips. “Don’t let them cut off my hair,” she said.

Bob laughed. “You’re gonna be fine.”

The gurney was wheeled into the ER and into an examination area. A doctor pushed him out and pulled a curtain.

“She says don’t cut off her hair!” he yelled at the opening in the curtain.

“Got it!” the young doctor yelled back.

Bob went out into the hall, where an NYPD sergeant walked up to him. “The commish got involved,” he said. “She’ll be moved to a protective custody area when they’re done. For witnesses, and the like.”

“Thank him for me,” Bob said.

The cop nodded, and Bob took a seat and called Stone.

“It’s Stone.”

“We’re at Bellevue. She squeezed my hand and told me not to let them cut her hair.”

“That’s sounding good,” Stone said. “I’ll speak to Dino about a round-the-clock guard.”

“Not necessary. Dino has already arranged for her to be put in a room in the protective custody area.”

“That’ll be locked and guarded twenty-four-seven,” Stone said. “Have you talked to a doctor yet?”

“It’ll be a while, I think. They’ll have to do X-rays and tests.”

“Keep me posted.”

“What are you doing about security?”

“Viv has people on the way.”

“And Jamie?”

“They went after her at LaGuardia, but Viv’s people got her out unharmed. She’s in Atlanta.”

“That’s a better place to be than here,” Bob said.

“Did you look over the neighborhood before you got out of the car?”

“Yeah. Nobody at my house and nobody here. I think somebody had built a nest across the street and was just waiting for us.”

“I hope it was a small-caliber round,” Stone said. “Were you hit at all?”

“No, I’m still in one piece, but that’s more than anybody will be able to say about the Thomases when I’m done with them.”

“Easy, Bob. Don’t go off half-cocked.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“Just put that out of your mind. We’ll talk when you’re done there. Come back here then. Don’t go home.”

“We’ll see,” Bob said.