Chapter Eighteen
Austin
An explosion rocks the house sometime before dawn. I roll to the floor and reach for my gun, which is in a fingerprint-controlled drawer in the nightstand. My cell phone rings and I grab it too. It’s Andreas and I connect the call while staying low beside the bed.
“We have a breach. Kendrick is down with a bullet in his stomach. They blew the east side of the house with some kind of rocket launcher. We’ve taken out at least four of their men.”
“It’s Fernandez. The police will be here shortly, so be ready.” He knows I mean stash the guns as soon as it’s safe. Fernandez’s men should back off when they hear sirens. I don’t have close neighbors but taking out a wall of the mansion won’t go unnoticed. “They’re in the house,” I tell him when heavy boots sound outside the bedroom.
I shoot the first guy who enters and the rest of his team falls back. I punch bullets through the wall into the hallway and hear a grunt before they storm away. Shots ring from the front of the house seconds later. The police sirens sound in the distance. I give it thirty seconds before charging out of the bedroom into the hallway.
“Boss, it’s me.” I pull my gun up when Andreas races around the corner. “Total of eight down, but the rest got away. We used handguns and the only heavy artillery they’ll find belongs to the other side.”
“The police will be here in seconds. Have the men lay their weapons down.” Andreas speaks into his radio relaying my orders. He’s in military fatigues; whereas, I’m in nothing but boxer briefs. “I’ll grab some pants and meet you at the front door.”
I grab a shirt too without bothering to add shoes. If they take me to jail, someone can grab a pair for me or the police can take me barefoot. The alcohol from last night is quickly leaving my system, but I’m still groggy. A cup of coffee would be perfect right about now, but there’s no fucking time.
Within two minutes of the police’s arrival, my men and I are handcuffed and sitting on the floor of the living room. It takes them another hour to clear the house and ascertain that I was attacked by unknown assailants. I called my attorney before meeting Andreas at the front door, and he’ll arrive shortly.
A minute later, I hear Ray’s loud voice demanding to see me. “My client’s been attacked and you have him in custody?” he yells.
“We don’t know who’s a threat and who isn’t,” a senior officer tells him. I know it’s a senior officer because he’s the only one who’s asked questions up to this point.
“And who the fuck are you?” Ray demands. He was Victor’s attorney and he’s worth every cent I pay him. Ray comes around the corner while he’s talking and his expression turns from annoyed to infuriated. “You have my client in cuffs. This is his home, which he’s been attacked in and you’re treating him like a criminal.” He takes out his cell and begins snapping pictures of us sitting on the floor.
“We’ve just finished clearing the home and your client will be released if he agrees to come down to the station for additional questioning.”
“My client won’t agree to any such thing. He is not the bad guy here. His home has been attacked, and you need to gather your men and get the fuck off his property.
“I’m Sergeant Wilkins. This property is a crime scene and we have eight men dead,” he fumes. I actually enjoy seeing his frustration. None of my explanations got through to him. Yeah we all know I’m a criminal, but I have no record and everything on my side of this happened within the parameters of the law.
“It’s not a crime to defend yourself in your own home when someone decides to bomb it. Or maybe the law has changed and I haven’t been keeping up,” Ray says sarcastically.
“Let them go,” the sergeant says with a sour look on his face. Our weapons are legal, we have the required permits and there’s nothing he can do about our right to protect ourselves. He walks toward me. “This house is a crime scene and you and your men cannot return until our investigation concludes. Are we clear?”
I know better than to speak and Ray doesn’t disappoint. “My client will cooperate with law enforcement. We expect an immediate phone call when you release the premises.” Ray helps me stand. “Sergeant, tell one of your men to grab my client a pair of shoes from his closet. He isn’t walking out like this.”
“The black loafers,” I say and receive a glare from Ray. I shrug and give him a tight smile. The loafers are comfortable and they’ll match pretty much whatever I buy. Shoes are the least of my problems, though.
Is this hit connected to Moon? Did he set me up after taking Melina? It doesn’t make sense. Victor trusted him and for Victor that was huge. Moon’s more the type to shoot you while facing you. Gomez is the same. Sending a team to take me and my men out is a Fernandez move. It doesn’t mean I won’t keep Moon on my list until this shit is straight, but I just don’t see him helping Fernandez.
With that solved in my head, I only have one thought. I need to get to Melina.