One Rough Man - Brad Taylor [125]
She waited a second before answering. “Pike, you’re an asshole. Don’t wait too long to call, or I might run just to make you work.”
“I’ll only be a minute. I’m sure they’re wondering who you’re talking to, so act like this’s nothing. One more call and we’re done. Hang in there.”
I hung up and sprinted to the nearest anchor store, a Macy’s. Taking the escalator stairs two at a time, I exited on the second level. Looking around, I thought it would work. I could put my back to the elevator next to the escalator exit and not be seen by anyone coming up.
I gave Jennifer a final call.
“Hey, here we go. This is the endgame. I need you to go to Macy’s. Take the escalator up to the second level. The escalator will act as a funnel. They’ll hang back, so that by the time you exit you should have only one man on you, with the other two staggered behind. Exit the escalator and turn left. I’ll be right there, so don’t jump. Just walk on past into the store. I’ll do the rest. Got it?”
“Yeah. I got it. I act like I’m shopping and you kick their ass. I think I can do that. You sure this’ll work? What if two follow?”
“Then I’ll improvise, but these guys are pretty switched on. I don’t think they’ll pull any amateur shit. Key here is to move naturally. These phone calls have got to be making them antsy. Don’t act like you’ve got some sort of instructions to do something. Whatever you do, don’t look down while on the escalator or look back while walking. You ready?”
“Yeah. See you in a couple of minutes. I’m moving now.”
I pressed myself into the small opening for the elevator door and waited. Four minutes later, Jennifer exited, walking by me at a natural pace, looking like a shopper who didn’t have a care in the world. She didn’t so much as give me a glance, making me think she had missed me. Then I noticed she was giving me an “A-OK” sign with her hand, her arm still swinging easily. I blinked. Huh. Cool as a cucumber.
I moved into a slight crouch, resting on the balls of my feet. Nine seconds later, I could hear the man following talking to someone on a radio. “... no, don’t wait on me. If you have a clear opportunity to kill her and get away, take it.”
Damn. I missed someone. They must’ve had a floater in the mall.
76
The man exited the escalator still giving instructions on his concealed radio, looking a little strange babbling into thin air. “... we’ll link back up at the garage. Just remember, no gunfire....” It was Coke Man. He saw me, the recognition causing his eyes to widen. “... holy shit ...”
Great last words. I grabbed him by his shirt and whirled him around, pinning him against the elevator door. He immediately began to struggle, trying to tie up my arms. Before he could, I reached up with both hands and grabbed his head by the hair. I slammed it as hard as I could against the steel elevator support, hearing his skull crunch. I dropped him and took off in the direction Jennifer had gone, hitting redial as I went.
“Hey, I screwed up,” I said. “They had a floater running around the mall and he’s on you now. Get to a crowded area as fast as you can.”
“I’ll try. I took the first left and I’m in some baby section. Nobody’s here.” She paused, then said, “Oh, shit. Pike, I looked back ... I saw him ... he knows I saw him ... he’s walking right at me. I can’t get out of here without going by him.”
I turned the corner and spied her about seventy-five meters away. The man following her was closing in at a fast walk, giving up any pretense of being a shopper. She was right. The only way out was through him. She was pinned in by a corner wall that opened up to a balcony on the third floor. Unfortunately, no shoppers were up there looking down. The killer would feel safe.
“I see you. I see you.” Too far away. I’m not