by F J messina
“You bitch” Xin Li hissed. She reached out to grab the emails away from Sonia. Sonia spun and turned her back to the Medical Examiner, hunching over, avoiding the attack and protecting the emails. The next words she heard came from an unexpected voice.
“Everybody freeze!” It was Steve Hollings.
Looking over her shoulder, Sonia saw that in the commotion of Dr. Li’s yelling and grabbing at her, Steve Hollings had pulled out a semi-automatic handgun that looked a lot like the Glock she owned, just smaller. It was only a moment later that Alexi Dimitrov yelled, “Hands up!” as he drew a small, silver-plated revolver.
There was an incredible moment of silence as each of the seven people in the room came to grips with what had just happened. Sonia quickly realized that not only were Hollings and Dimitrov pointing their guns, Brad and Robbie had theirs raised as well.
Sonia watched a certain calmness come over Robbie’s face. “Okay, gentleman. Kudos to you both. Nice move. Unfortunately, with several DEA units surrounding the building,” he nodded at the blond man, “the very ones who followed you down from Cincinnati this evening Mr. Dimitrov, I don’t think that this little display is going to get you very far. Are you really going to kill several DEA agents and then try to walk out of this room alive? I don’t think so.”
“Maybe not,” Hollings said. The black weapon in his hand shook while beads of sweat appeared on his brow. “But I just might be able to use this situation to my advantage. Just let me say that—”
An idea flashed through Sonia’s mind. She looked at Brad. “Brad, Brad. It was her.” She glanced over her shoulder at Dr. Li. “She didn’t just cover up the murder. She was in on it. She’s probably the one who ordered it, and Sofia, he just came down to give his final approval.”
Hollings words followed Sonia’s quickly. “That’s right.” He waved the gun toward Brad and took a step forward as if to make a point. “And let me tell you something else. I can tell you that─”
Suddenly, a voice exploded from behind Jet, through the barely opened door. “Police! Drop your weapons!” One second later, BLAM! A gunshot exploded in the room. Another second, BLAM! Another gunshot.
Sonia stood frozen. But she sensed from the movements around her that both Hollings and Dimitrov had fallen to the ground behind her. Time slowed to a crawl for Sonia. For the first time in her life, she had been in a small, tiled room while her unprotected ears were being exposed to the sound of a large-caliber handgun being discharged. She couldn’t believe the ringing in her ears, the fact that, for a moment, she could hear nothing else. The smell of cordite and smoke filled the room. She turned, as did everyone else in the room, toward the door from which the gunshot had come. She was stunned when she saw who stepped into the room. His name crossed her lips silently.
Sonia was shocked out of her stillness when Dr. Xin Li grabbed her and pulled her backward. Sonia’s eyes bugged open, but all she could see were the shocked looks on the faces of Brad and Robbie . . . and Detective Sergeant Johnny Adams. Their weapons were all pointed right at her.
Sonia felt an incredibly sharp blade being pressed against her throat. She knew immediately that Dr. Li had somehow gotten her hands on a medical instrument, probably a scalpel, from a tray of surgical instruments that had been on the metal table.
Dr. Li’s voice was cold with precision, hot with intensity. “Do not think that I don’t know exactly where to use this blade, gentleman. My training has been very complete. And if you do not let me take this beautiful young thing and walk away, you will see how well a trained surgeon can inflict damage on a lovely young face.” She snorted. “After that, if need be, you will see how I can slice the carotid artery, causing a flow of blood that will leave her dead in less than thirty seconds.”
As she felt the razor-sharp edge of the scalpel against her throat, Sonia’s mind scrambled, clawed, for some thought of how to escape, how to free herself from almost certain death. Mindlessly, her left hand clutched the paper copies of the emails she had thought would be such a powerful weapon. But her right hand, frozen, hung empty at her side. Empty, until her mind filled it with the object that so often resided in the right pocket of her vest. The symbol of her parent’s love, old-school as it was.
Dr. Li turned her attention to Brad, momentarily removing the scalpel from Sonia’s throat and gesturing at him while she spoke. “By the way, you, the one with the panicked look on your face, her lover. You should know that when that has happened no life-saving efforts would ever be able to save her.”
As Dr. Li’s voice cut through the air, Sonia slipped her right hand into her pocket, tightly grasping her Cross pen. Still, she remained stuck, her mind unable to push the idea of attacking the woman from thought into action.
The Medical Examiner’s voice dripped venom as she almost smiled into Brad’s eyes. “She would be dead before you could hold her in your arms one last time.”
It was those words that launched Sonia into action. Spinning, raising her left arm as hard and high as she could, Sonia knocked Dr. Li backward and off-balance. Snatching her pen out of her pocket, she swung it in a great arc, driving the pen deep into the woman’s throat.
Sonia had no thoughts as to whether or not the pen had found the carotid artery, but she did know two things. First, blood was spouting out of the woman’s neck, soaking her clothing, spilling over the floor, specks flying in Sonia’s face. Second, Dr. Xin Li’s eyes were stretched wide, blazing with hatred, and directing the scalpel in her hand to the precise point in Sonia’s chest that would lead it to her heart.
Sonia gasped. Suddenly, her ears were racked with pain as once again a large-caliber handgun roared in the pristinely-tiled room.
54
Sonia watched as Dr. Li’s head rocked back and her body crumpled instantly to the ground. The roar of the firearm in her ear, she was unable to hear the clank of the scalpel as it hit the tile floor. She turned. Sonia’s eyes focused on the black weapon that had launched its deadly projectile into the brain, the mind, of the woman who was about to kill her. In a flash, they shifted to the brightness behind that weapon, the eyes of Brad Dunham.
Before Sonia could say or do anything, she heard Johnny Adams speak, the roar in her ear dissipating. “Everybody freeze. Let’s get those hands in the air.” Everyone obeyed.
Sonia stood motionless, her mind still reeling, trying to grasp what she had done. Her hands shook. Her body trembled. But it had been necessary. She was sure of it.
Robbie spoke up, still looking forward, his hands in the air. “I’m DEA. Give me a chance and I’ll show you my credentials.”
“First,” Johnny was moving around to the front of the group, “every weapon on the floor. Slow and easy, I want every weapon on the floor, and everyone’s hands in the air.”
Brad and Robbie both bent and laid their weapons down. Sonia watched as they stood up and put their hands in the air. Jet as well.
Still standing in front of the autopsy table from which the implement that nearly caused her death had been taken, Sonia watched Johnny as he surveyed the cold, sterile room, a room still filled with the smoke and smell of firearm discharge. “Okay, let’s see those credentials.”
Sonia looked across the room. “Johnny?” Her voice was small, pitched upward. Her hands were still in the air.
Johnny nodded to Sonia as he stepped forward and took Robbie’s credentials out of his hands. He gave them a cursory glance then handed them back.
By then, Robbie’s backup had piled into the room, three men and a woman─all wearing Kevlar vests and yelling. They quickly took positions pointing their weapons at Johnny and indicating that he put his gun on the ground. He complied.
Sonia stood at one end of the room. Across the room, next to each other, were the two men she had kissed in the last few days, the two men who had each saved her life. For just the slightest moment she was caught between her feelings for both men. Suddenly, she was completely overcome by the depth of her feelings for Brad. As she rus
hed toward him, Brad reached out and scooped her up.
He held her in his arms, the side of her head pressed against his. “Why, Sonia? Why did you come in here?”
She pulled back and looked into those bright blue eyes. “Because I had to, Brad. Because, just like you, I had to.”
He did nothing to break the connection between them. “I guess I’m going to have to get used to that, aren’t I?” Touching her face gently, he wiped away specks of blood.
She smiled. “Well, I guess that depends, Captain Dunham. If you want me around . . . .”
“Oh.” His fingertips ran lightly down her face. “I very much want you around.”
Sonia quivered at the sheer intimacy of the moment. “And why is that, Captain Dunham?”
Brad didn’t say another word, but Sonia was pretty sure his eyes were saying, Because I love you, Sonia Vitale. Then he pulled her close and kissed her.
Tears welled up in Sonia’s eyes, tears of joy, her own unspoken response.
Finally, as his people watched, Robbie turned to Johnny Adams and said, “And I guess you won’t mind showing me your badge?”
“Sure,” said Johnny, reaching for his shield.
Jet walked up behind Sonia, smiling at Brad as she did. She put her hands on Sonia’s shoulder and nestled her forehead in Sonia’s hair.
Sonia half-turned, put her arm around Jet, and pulled her close, relishing the feeling of being held simultaneously by her best friend and the man she loved. A long moment later, she turned. “Johnny, what are you doing here? How did you know?” She let go of Brad and Jet and turned fully to face Johnny.
Johnny answered slowly, haltingly. “Well, it’s kind of hard for me to say it now, Sonia, but I was hoping you and I, maybe . . . .” He looked around the room. Every eye was on him. “I’ve been so worried about you that I’ve been following you as much as I could ever since you got back to town. So tonight, after I’d followed you out to the castle and then back into town, I somehow sensed you were on your way into trouble. I’m just glad I managed to get here in time. In time to, well, you know . . . .”
By then, Robbie’s DEA agents were dealing with the bodies of Alexi Dimitrov, Steve Hollings, and Dr. Xin Li. Several Lexington police officers had entered the room as well and the room had become a noisy, confusing scene. The officers and the DEA agents exchanged credentials and tried to make sense of what had happened.
Sonia walked over to Johnny. She gently put her hands on the chest of the tall, handsome man. “I’m so sorry. It’s just that . . . .”
He shook his head. “You don’t have to say anything. I can see that you and Brad, well . . . .”
Sonia stepped back as some LPD officers came to collect Johnny’s weapon. He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. “All part of the normal procedure after an officer fires his or her weapon.” As he walked away with his colleagues, Johnny looked over at Brad and mouthed, Take good care of her.
Brad nodded, then looked across the room at Sonia. Their eyes met and they walked slowly toward each other. Sonia stood tall and whispered. “Do you think we could get out of here?”
“If it’s okay with Robbie.” He looked at his friend. “Can we tie this up in the morning, Robbie? I’m beat, and I’d like to get a little rest.”
Robbie grinned. “I’m not sure that’s what you’re going to get tonight old friend.” He shrugged. “But I’m sure we can tie up the details tomorrow.”
“Problem is,” said Brad, “I don’t have a car.” Then realizing the truth of his own statement, “No seriously, I really don’t have a car.”
“That’s alright,” laughed Sonia. “I’m sure one of these nice policemen will give us a ride somewhere.” She reached up and touched his face then slipped out of his arms. “Oh, but we’ll have to give Jet a lift home.”
“No need for that,” Robbie interjected as he tugged briefly on his slacks. “I can give her a lift. Plus, there are still some questions I need answered for my report. You guys go on.”
Jet pulled her ever-present ponytail through her hands. “Yeah, you guys go on. I’ll be okay.” A silent message passed between Jet and Sonia.
Brad took Sonia by the hand. “Come on, babe, time for you and me to get a lift back to my place.” Then he bent down and whispered in her ear. “Or your place. It doesn’t really matter much to me.”
55
At ten the next morning, Sonia walked into Magee’s as she always did. This time, however, she was leading Brad by the hand. They greeted Jet, who was already there, and who was holding one of the larger tables for them. Instead of her perpetual ponytail, Jet’s hair hung softly down around her shoulders.
Walking up to the counter, Sonia smiled at Hildy, who responded with a special smile of her own and asked, “Your regular?”
“Yes please.” Sonia glanced back over her shoulder at Brad. “But make it a double, would you?” Hildy smiled even more broadly.
Croissants and coffees in hand, Sonia and Brad joined Jet. Three or four minutes later, Roberto “Robbie” Alvarez walked in, got himself a pastry and some coffee, and sat down at the table. “Everyone get some good rest last night?”
Brad gave Sonia a quick smile. “Slept like a baby.” Then he turned to Robbie. “And yourself?”
Robbie lifted his cup in a tiny toast then took a quick sip. “Couldn’t have been better.” His eyes darted to Jet and back.
For a moment or two, there was a pleasant silence at the table as everyone enjoyed their treats. Then Brad asked Robbie, “What do you think about Adams? He going to be okay? That was a pretty fast shoot, wasn’t it?”
Robbie rocked his head back and forth once or twice and pursed his lips forward. “Oh, I think he’ll be alright. You know. Bad guys. Guns drawn on innocents. No way you take the chance they fire first. And Hollings. Looked to me like he was about to lose it, maybe go ballistic on us. I think this goes down as a justifiable shoot.” Robbie took another sip of his coffee. “And you’re pretty lucky yourself, Brad. With Adams and me vouching for you, you weren’t even taken into custody. That’s pretty sweet.”
Jet took a sip of coffee then turned to Brad. “Brad, I know things worked out, but with Sonia and Dr. Li standing almost on top of each other, I can’t believe you took that shot. How did you know you wouldn’t miss and hit Sonia by mistake.
Sonia looked at Brad and quickly turned back to Jet. “Training, ma’am, training.” She gave Brad a big smile. He responded with a tiny grin of his own.
After a quick laugh, Sonia asked Robbie, “But what about the case? Did we ruin the case?”
“Not really.” Robbie flicked his coffee cup with his fingernail. “Look, you never get it all. But with Dimitrov and Hollings showing up in response to your brilliant email scheme we had no trouble getting some search warrants this morning. I’ve got teams executing those warrants at Allegro Imports, Dimitrov’s home, Hollings’ home, and Dahlia Farm as we speak.” He looked at Brad. “We’ve already been inside the hub down in Memphis. We got the location of the distribution point in Louisville from the driver we picked up.” Robbie turned his attention back to Sonia. “Thanks to you and Brad we know some of the drop off points in Southern Kentucky as well. We’re putting an awful lot of stuff together. And we’ll get more as we squeeze all the different players we pick up.”
“But what about Toro? What about the point of origination?” asked Brad.
“Well, unfortunately,” Robbie responded, “right now we don’t know if Sofia worked for Toro or if Toro worked for Sofia. Again, we’ve got three different drivers who worked out of Memphis, and the guys from the Memphis hub itself. I’m pretty sure somebody’s going to make a deal with us and tell us how it was all set up.”
“That brings up something else,” said Jet. She raised her coffee cup. “How about a toast to Sonia, for having figured out that Dr. Li, not Steve Hollings, was Forty?”
There was a round of “Here! Here!” at the table. Sonia blushed. And as the congratulatory sounds rang
in her ear, she couldn’t help but think of how all that she had experienced in the last few weeks had changed her. She knew she was still the same person. Yet, she was now more convinced than ever that whatever her new job, her new life, demanded of her she would be up to the challenge. She raised her coffee cup. “And let’s hear it for having to practice writing Roman numerals over and over again in elementary school.”
When the laughter died down, Brad looked at Robbie. “But that does leave one other question. Why was Alexi Dimitrov using a woman’s name as his code name?”
“I think I know the answer to that one.” Robbie looked around the table and paused before continuing. “He wasn’t. Ever since Ms. Sonia gave us that license plate and we tracked down Allegro Imports, we’ve been doing some research on Mr. Dimitrov. It turns out he’s Bulgarian. Would anyone here like to guess where he grew up?”
Everyone at the table was silent, looking around at each other.
“Well then, let me tell you. Alexi Dimitrov grew up in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia,” He pronounced it “Sew-fee-ah.”
Sonia noticed that although Robbie was answering everyone’s questions, his eyes kept making contact with Jet. Finally, she broke in. “So, that’s it. I guess you’ll be leaving today to go back to DC and wrap up all the loose ends on this case, right Robbie?”
“I don’t know.” Robbie’s eyes flashed to Jet for the briefest moment. “I haven’t found a place in DC that makes an almond croissant that compares to this one. I may just have to stay around a day or two to see what other delicious treats a man can find in this backwater town.”
Sonia sent a silent message in Jet’s direction and received one back. “You may just have to do that.” Then she added, “And me, I’ve got a phone call to make.”
Jet furrowed her brows. “To whom?”
“To Teresa Torres, who I’m sure is not related to, and probably never will be related to, Marcos Torres.”
