Vengeance

35 TIMONIUM, MARYLAND

A block from the Carver Construction worksite on the outskirts of Timonium, Lonnie Mixell waited in his SUV as the day drew to a close and workers headed home. When only a single car remained in the parking lot, Mixell put his car into drive and entered the expansive complex, parking behind a large warehouse. A man was waiting at the rear exit.

Craig Daniels unlocked and pushed the door open for Mixell, and the two men strode silently down a hallway. Few words would be required today. The deal had been previously arranged via secure messaging and the price agreed upon — a hefty sum for Daniels but peanuts considering the fee Brenda Verbeck was paying.

Daniels swiped his badge and pushed open a set of double doors, and the two men entered a secure storage room. Carter Construction specialized in building roads through mountainous regions, the type of work that required a large quantity and variety of explosives. The two men stopped as Mixell took in the scene: several rows of explosives stacked floor to ceiling.

“I have what we agreed to over here,” Daniels said as he grabbed a hand trolley leaning against the wall. From a chest-high shelf, he transferred two large wooden crates and a smaller one onto the trolley.

“I appreciate your business and the payment, of course,” Daniels said. “I’ve verified the funds have been deposited. Here’s fifty pounds of C-4 and three dozen detonators, as requested.”

Mixell could see the curiosity in the man’s eyes, but Daniels wasn’t the type to ask questions. The only real question was in Mixell’s mind — should he kill Daniels?

Fifty pounds of C-4 doesn’t just get up and walk away. However, Daniels had assured him that the missing C-4 wouldn’t be discovered; he had already ordered a replacement batch, which would arrive before the next inventory. The computer record of the order would be deleted the moment the explosives arrived, ensuring the computer and stock-on-hand quantities agreed. Still, things could go wrong, and if the discrepancy was discovered, authorities could tie Daniels to Mixell.

Perhaps it was better if he killed Daniels, eliminating any possibility of connecting the fifty pounds of C-4 to himself. On the other hand, Daniels’s death might prompt an inventory when responsibility for the explosive material was transferred to his replacement.

Neither solution was foolproof, and after having debated the issue for the last few days and moments, he made his decision.

“Thanks, Craig,” Mixell said as he tilted the trolley back on its wheels. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”