Home Invasion - J. A. Johnstone [102]
That left one man unaccounted for. There was really no way of knowing who it might be, but Alex hoped it was J. P. Delgado. Then she felt an immediate twinge of guilt, because if Garaldo was telling the truth, and if Delgado was alive, that meant Clint Barrigan was dead and Eloise was a widow.
But it was possible none of them would survive this bloody Sunday, she reminded herself. Highly likely, in fact.
Garaldo had her taken on into her office. Hands pushed her down into a chair in front of the desk, while Garaldo himself went behind the desk and sat down in the comfortable old leather chair. He drew his pistol, a heavy Colt.45 automatic that looked like U.S. Army issue, and laid it on the desk in front of him. Then he made a shooing motion with his hand. The men who had brought Alex in withdrew, closing the door behind them.
She was alone with the general now. She gauged the distance between them and tried to figure the odds of her being able to grab that gun before Garaldo could pick it up and kill her.
Of course, even if she was successful, the men in the other room would just rush in and shoot her to pieces.
“You probably are wondering why I don’t simply kill you as we have killed the rest of your police force,” he said as he pushed his campaign cap to the back of his head. He was a stocky, ugly man with the very dark skin, hair, and eyes that said he had a lot of Indian ancestors in his background. “I’ve given orders that as many of the city leaders are to be left alive as possible. The citizens will remain calmer if they know the mayor and the police chief are cooperating with us.”
“I’m not cooperating with you,” Alex pointed out. “I’m your prisoner.”
Garaldo inclined his head. “True, but in a little while you’ll be coming with me. We will drive around town, and using the speaker on my vehicle, you will tell the people to stay in their homes and not cause any trouble. When we have what we want, we will leave and no one else will have to be hurt.”
“What do you want?” Alex asked. “Why have you and your men invaded my town?”
“Your town,” he repeated with a grin. “I like that. I would feel the same way if I were in your position, Chief.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“And why should I? I am in charge here, not you.” Garaldo shrugged. “But what can it hurt? We have time … time to kill, as the old saying goes. The shipment will not be here for several hours yet.”
“Shipment?” Alex frowned. “What sort of shipment? Drugs? One of the other cartels is bringing through a big load that you’re going to hijack?”
Garaldo put his head back and laughed. “This goes far beyond drugs, Chief Bonner. What we are after today is nothing more or less than destiny.” He clenched a fist and thrust it out in front of him. “Destiny! For Rey del Sol, and for me, and for all of Mexico! Destiny, in canisters not much bigger than a tank of oxygen….”
And as Alex listened in horror, General Jose Luis Garaldo continued to talk.
“Hang on to him! Get his gun! Don’t let him up!” “Then help me, for God’s sake!” Jack fought back wildly as the men yelled and grappled with him. Then a woman screamed, “Look out for the others!”
Jack heard a grunt, and the weight that was on top of him went away. Chairs toppled over with a clatter and a crash. A face loomed over Jack, and he struck instantly, driving his fist into it. The man rolled away, groaning in pain.
Jack scrambled to his feet. He saw Rowdy wrestling with another man next to one of the library tables. A pretty woman with disheveled blond hair grabbed one of the overturned chairs and lifted it like she was going to hit Rowdy with it.
“Jimmy, grab her!” Jack said. “Don’t let her hurt Rowdy.”
Jimmy did as he was told, looping one arm around the woman’s waist from behind and grabbing the chair with his other hand. She screamed again as he lifted her off the floor.
With clenched