The Watchman

44

BARKLEY came down the drive with an expression of blustery outrage, but the men were confused. They probably thought he was a neighbor and would have to shine him on, but Pike knew their confusion wouldn’t last.

Pike accelerated through the carport. He covered the distance silently and fast, knowing it would go bad. Barkley looked at him, and both men turned to see what Barkley was looking at. Pike hit the nearest man with his gun, but the second man lurched sideways, barking out a shout-

Something behind Pike exploded and another man shouted as Cole pushed through the hedges. The two missing men were at the front door, one behind the other, the first man firing again-bam, bam-when Cole shot him in the chest; the shooter crumpling even as the man behind him shoved the door closed on his dying friend. Pike knew he would run to the back of the house.

All of it happened in glimpses: Barkley striding closer on abnormally stiff legs; Bud Flynn appearing at the top of the drive; Cole moving on the second man in a two-hand stance-

– only now the second man was on his knees with his hands up, staring at Cole.

Pike started for the house-

“Larkin-”

Cole said, “Go-”

Pike ran back the way he had come. Inside, the front shooter would be screaming about what happened; Vahnich would be confused, then afraid; he would make one or both of his hitters return to see what was happening; and then Vahnich would make a decision-

Middle of the day, a bright sunny day, and the world was gone to hell. Their only choices were bad-bad for Vahnich, bad for the girl, and bad for Pike. Vahnich could shoot it out in a hostage situation, or run. Vahnich didn’t know how many people were on him, whether he was surrounded, or whether the police were involved, but the hostage card was a loser; if Vahnich stayed he would be trapped. Running was the best of the bad choices, so they would run-out the back and into the neighborhood, run and gun if they had to, invade a home in broad daylight, steal a car, and pray-but it was their last, best, and only chance.

Pike ran hard for the end of the house, and heard more shots as he ran. One shot would have been an execution, but multiple shots gave him hope. They were shooting at the front door to stall off a breach; this meant they were going to run.

Pike believed Khali Vahnich would kill Larkin, but he wouldn’t kill her until they were outside the house. Vahnich didn’t know what he would be facing and might need her as a shield. If the way was clear, he might kill her just before he went over the fence, but he wouldn’t kill her before. He would kill her to punish her father, and he would kill her to punish Pike.

Pike took cover in the orange trees beyond the house just as the window came up. The big man climbed out first, dropped to a knee, then said something into the window. They pushed Larkin through; she fell straight down and landed with a sharp gasp. Vahnich landed on top of her, and then the final man came out, a short muscular guy with a bandana tied around his head, everyone tangled together, and then Vahnich pulled her close.

Pike steadied his gun against the orange tree.

When Cole came around the far side of the house, the bandana saw him, popped off one shot, and Cole fired back. The bandana went down with a high keening whine, but pushed to his knee and fired again. Cole dropped for cover as the sliding glass doors flew open, and Bud Flynn came out, gun up and ready. Bud must have forgotten himself.

He shouted, “Police!”

The bandana swung toward Bud, and Pike shot him in the head.

Vahnich and the big man saw Pike, and Vahnich jerked the girl in front of them for a shield as they scuttled backwards toward the slope. The big man fired at Flynn, then Cole, but the shots were wild and pointless.

Pike said, “You’re done.”

Bud was behind a heavy clay pot, shouting.

“Drop your weapons! Drop’m now!”

Conner Barkley came through the doors. He had no gun and did not look for cover. Maybe he didn’t know that’s what you were supposed to do. He stormed past Bud into the yard and stopped-out in the open, in front of Bud, and alone.

Spittle flew from his face when he shouted.

“You let her go! Let my daughter go!”

The big man shifted out from behind the girl to fire. He only moved an inch or two, but the sight picture was perfect, like a dot on top of an i. Pike shot him before he could fire, and the big man fell like a sack.

Bud was still screaming, but he had crabbed sideways so he wouldn’t shoot Barkley.

“Drop your weapon, goddamnit! Put it down! You’re done, you sonofabitch! Down!”

Barkley was screaming, too; screaming as if he was having a tantrum.

“You let her go. Let GO!”

Pike stepped out from behind the orange tree. Vahnich caught the movement and angled to watch him, keeping the girl between them. Vahnich had drawn himself as small as possible behind her, and peeked from behind her head. His gun was pressed hard into her neck, but Pike couldn’t have that. He moved into the open, set himself, and lined up on Vahnich’s eye. He found the rhythm of Vahnich’s fear. The eye moved, the gun moved; the eye and the gun became one.

Pike said, “Dead man.”

The first kiss of sirens whiffed up the hill. Bud and Barkley were still screaming. Pike did not see Cole but trusted he was on target. He did not look at Larkin because she might see his fear. Pike saw only Vahnich’s eye and the eye looking back.

Vahnich dropped his gun. The gun fell, but nothing else moved. Vahnich had made his decision. He would take his chances with the courts.

Vahnich called from behind the girl.

“I dropped it. I’m giving up. I surrender.”

Bud shouted the instructions Pike had heard a hundred times.

“Raise your hands above your head. Raise them high! Lace your fingers on your head!”

Vahnich raised his hands. He laced his fingers on his head. The girl still had not moved, and neither had Pike.

Pike said, “Larkin. Go to your dad.”

She started toward Pike.

“Go to your father.”

She ran to her father.

Vahnich said, “I give up!”

Bud had come out from behind the pot. Cole was covering the men they had shot. Pike crabbed sideways across the yard until he was between Vahnich and the girl, his gun never leaving the eye.

Behind him, Bud said, “Joe. Son, the police are coming.”

Pike said, “Larkin, you okay? You good?”

“He was going to kill me. He was-”

“I know.”

Bud said, “Officer Pike-”

Pike pulled the trigger. The gun made a loud pop that sounded hollow in the open air. The body fell.

Pike walked over to secure their weapons. He checked the bodies. All three were dead.

Bud was staring at him with his hands at his sides as if he had been drained of life. Conner Barkley was holding his daughter. Cole tucked his own pistol into his waist as he came over.

Cole said, “You okay?”

“Sure. How’s that leg?”

“Better. At least we didn’t get shot this time.”

Pike went to the girl. Conner watched him coming, and Pike saw he was crying. Billionaire tears looked like everyone else’s.

Pike placed his hand on Larkin’s back and whispered.

“I won’t let them hurt you. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

She turned to him then and hugged him. She buried her face against his chest, and Pike rested his chin on her head. Bud was watching him. Bud looked sad and disappointed.

Pike said, “I still hate bullies. Live with it.”

Pike was holding the girl when the police arrived.