Jack Stratton: Jacks Are Wild Part 42

A favor When the burner phone rang, it danced on the table like water dropped in a hot skillet. Jack flipped it open before the second ring.

"Yeah?" He walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Jack, they called." Ilario sounded out of breath. "They want twenty million dollars by two o'clock this afternoon."

"Where?"

"The base of Big Blue. A parking lot of a walking trail."

"Anything else?"

"No. It sounded recorded." Ilario must have switched ears with the phone. "I wrote it down. Twenty million dollars. Two p.m. Base of Big Blue. South side. Parking lot. Then-they hung up."

He's holding back.

"Ilario. There's something else. What happened?"

"They...they put Angelica on. She was crying."

Jack wanted to put his fist through the wall.

"Did she say anything?"

Ilario sobbed. "Just my name. Twice."

Jack walked into the bathroom. "Listen closely, Ilario." Jack looked at the clock: 6:30 a.m. Big Blue is a twenty-minute drive. "I need you to be there at nine thirty. Got it?"

"Why? I don't-"

"You have to do this, Ilario. Nine thirty."

"I don't know if we can get the money by then. We only have five million cash with us."

"Bring that. We need to make a big show of it. Three cars minimum. SUVs. Big ones."

"Okay," Ilario replied.

"You have to be strong for Angelica. Repeat it back, what time?"

"Nine thirty. Base of Big Blue."

"Right. If you hear anything else, call me."

Jack hung up the phone and stepped out of the bathroom. All three women were watching him.

"Get ready," he announced.

Replacement jumped out of bed, groaned, wobbled, and headed for the bathroom.

He picked up the five shot .380 and frowned at the five-round chamber.

Kiku walked over to her backpack, reached inside, and pulled out another seventeen-round Glock.

Jack's lips pressed together. "One of them has a semi-automatic. We're outgunned, but the plan isn't to get into a shootout. We're going to follow Prescott there and call in the cavalry."

Jennifer nodded.

Kiku lifted out the half-empty fifth and took a swig from the bottle, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and grinned. "What?" She smiled roguishly.

Jack headed for the door.

Replacement hurried back into the room.

He held up his hand. "I'm getting the Impala. I need to walk."

Jack headed out the door and broke into a jog. The cold air felt good on his face. His feet tapped on the pavement as his speed increased. His lungs took in huge gulps of air, and he smiled as he felt the power of his own muscles.

Jack broke into a sprint and let go. He stopped thinking, stopped hurting, and just ran. Carl's garage came into view too soon for Jack, and he slowed to a trot and then started to walk until he caught his breath.

He pulled out the burner phone and dialed.

"Undersheriff Morrison." Morrison's voice was still groggy with sleep. "Stratton?"

"Sir, I need to ask a favor."

There was a long pause. "You can ask."

"Sir, according to regulations, you have the authority to schedule emergency response drills."

"What?"

"You have the-"

"I heard you, Jack, but I don't understand where you're going with this. Actually, I do understand where you're going, but I don't know why."

"Sir, I need you to call out a drill...this morning."

"This morning?" Something fell to the floor in the background.

"Right now." Jack tipped his head. "Everyone in full tactical. Vests, masks-"

"Full tactical? What're you prepping for? War?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a long pause.

"Did you find her?"

"Not yet, sir. But we will this morning. I need only our men on this, sir. That's why I need everyone in personal cars. No cruisers. No police radios. The gather point is Westbrook School. Oh eight hundred."

"Westbrook?"

It's five minutes from Big Blue, but far enough not to attract attention.

"Not to sound selfish, Jack, but I just left my wife sleeping in our bed, and I'm not going to throw away a career unless you give me something."

"Walter Prescott's the one behind it. He placed Marisa here. He came to Darrington the day she was taken, and he's using guys from witness protection as his crew. I have photo evidence from the tolls. If I'm wrong, you're just running a drill. If I'm right, then your career might take a hit because you helped me."

"Hold up, Jack. I need to think."

Jack walked over to the garage doors and undid the chain.

Undersheriff Morrison cleared his throat. "I'll call the drill and make sure Prescott doesn't know, but Jack, don't be a hero."

"Yes, sir."

That's Amore Jack had gotten the Impala from Carl's garage, and parked down the street from the Hometown Suites. Replacement was in the pa.s.senger seat, Kiku behind her, and Jennifer in the back next to her.

He looked at Replacement and the laptop in her hands. "Is it working?"

She nodded. "I have a strong signal. His car is still there."

Jack held up his hand and dialed his phone.

"Prescott," Walter answered.

"It's Jack."

"Stratton? Where the h.e.l.l are you? You've got half the police force looking for you after-"

"Shut up, Prescott. The Mancinis got a call."

"So now you want to try cooperating? I haven't heard anything about a call."

"They called me afterward. Listen. It's going down at ten o'clock."

There was a brief pause. "Ten?"

"Ten o'clock this morning. They told them to bring ten million dollars to the base of Big Blue. It's right-"

"I know where the h.e.l.l Big Blue is. Who told you this?"

Jack exhaled.

Wait. Let him stew.

"Marisa's little brother."

There was a long pause.

"It's seven twenty now. I need to...get a team together."

"I'm going to be there," Jack said coldly.

"Yeah, sure. I'll...I'll keep you informed."

Jack hung up the phone and exhaled.

"Brilliantly played, Officer." Kiku grinned in the backseat.

Jennifer nodded. "He'll think they're double-crossing him. But why do you think he'll go there?"

Jack pulled down the rearview mirror. "If you thought someone was going to rip you off for millions, would you just call and ask or would you go there?"

"Good point," Jennifer said.

"Why did you say ten million when they wanted twenty million?" Kiku asked.

Replacement answered. "Lies work best in layers. Now he thinks they're changing the time to cut him out and taking a smaller cut because it would take the Mancinis awhile to raise twenty million. It adds credibility, right?" She looked hopefully at Jack and beamed when he winked at her.

"That was a nice touch." Kiku leaned forward and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Jack's very good at lying." Replacement looked at Kiku's hand and shot Jack a dirty look. "Most of the time. Except when he's caught with his pants-"

"Not the time, kid."

"When would be the right-?" She looked down at the screen. "He's moving."

"That was fast." Jack put the Impala in gear and pulled away from the curb.

"Can I ask why we're trying to follow him in this big boat of a car that everyone knows?" Jennifer exhaled.

"I know my girl, and I'm not taking some unknown car on this."

"Know your girl?" Jennifer's eyebrow arched.

Replacement shook her head but kept her eyes on the laptop. "Don't go there. Trust me. It's a no-win. Left on to Wellington."

"Took the bait. He's heading out of town." Jack grinned. "Strap your seat belts on, ladies."

"He's pulling away," Replacement announced. "Jack, step on it."

Jack punched the gas and settled back into the seat.

Prescott's on the go. He'll head straight there.

"This is the plan. We follow him to wherever they're holding Marisa, and I call the cavalry."