Sin City Assassin (The Bill Dix Detective Series Book 3)

by Swinney, C. L.

  He ripped some of the woman’s shirt to use as a tourniquet. He wrapped it around her thigh while hearing the sound of a dirt bike starting nearby. Damn it! She’s going to get away.

  “Suspect’s on a dirt bike, unknown direction of travel. I need medics for one female victim. Code 30, I repeat, Code 30!”

  It was a term known universally among law enforcement. Saying ‘Code 30’ meant all available law enforcement in the area who heard the call needed to respond with full lights and sirens. It was an emergency call for help and Frazier could see no greater emergency than the suspect getting away. Within minutes, hundreds of state, local, and federal law enforcement members responded to the area around the hospital and park. They set up a perimeter fairly quickly even though radio communication was a problem with multiple agencies being involved. Despite their efforts, the fleeing suspect was not located. An hour later everyone was released from the scene. It was determined the female suspect, a ruthless killer wanted for several gruesome murders, had gotten away… again.

  Frazier slowly walked back to his patrol car, lumbered into it, and drove back to the hospital. The look on everyone’s faces when he walked inside confirmed what he already suspected. Department of Justice Special Agent Michael Andrews was dead. Frazier immediately wanted to see him. The DOJ staff shielded him and tried to console him instead. Frazier felt as low as he’d ever felt in his career.

  “Back off, guys. I’m going to see him.” He pushed his way through minimal resistance and walked into Andrews’ room. Frazier saw blood on the wall and the pillow. He knew instantly what the killer had done. He noticed a gun near Andrew’s hand, and bullet holes all over the room. He grinned. Well, you went down fighting, son. I promise you I’ll avenge your death. The thought of Dix and his partner suddenly flashed in his mind. He crossed himself in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as he exited the room and quickly dialed Dix.

  “Bill, she got him.” He started to tear up. As he blinked back tears, he thought of various ways to kill her once he got his hands on her.

  “Randy, I’m so sorry. I’ll be right over.” Dix wondered how Frazier knew it was a female.

  “Don’t bother, Bill. She got away and she’ll be coming for Petersen next.”

  Dix felt his blood boil. He was so mad he began to see stars. “Randy, I promise you, we will end this… together.”

  “I know Bill, but I’m headed home for a drink. I’ll see you at the hospital in an hour.” Frazier suddenly realized he would need to alert his agent’s next of kin about this. It was by far the worst possible thing for one to have to do in law enforcement.

  “Randy, you don’t need to do this. Take some time, we’re gonna work this out. Go be with your family. When you’re ready, call me.” Dix felt terrible. This case was hitting him in the gut repeatedly. It was ripping his family and friends apart and so far he wasn’t doing jack shit to help stop these murders. He questioned his own motives and wondered if he was too close to the case to think things through properly.

  “Okay Bill, I’ll send several guys your way to help.” Before Dix could respond, Frazier hung up. He felt like things were unraveling.

  Dix secretly felt he may finally be overmatched and above his own ability on this case. It scared the hell out of him. He started to walk toward Petersen’s room trying to figure out what to tell him, and how to say it. Stick with the truth, he thought, even though it’s gonna cause some serious problems.

  Chapter 20:

  Marie’s armed throbbed and caused her great concern. She’d never felt such pain before. She tried not to look at it as she followed her pre-determined route to the safe house. The sirens began to dissipate, indicating she was distancing herself from the hospital and the gauntlet of officers looking for her. She tried to negotiate a curb and failed to lift up the front wheel in time, causing the bike to jolt. The impact reverberated through her body and her wounded arm, causing unbearable pain. She turned her head to the side and threw up, but kept going. Marie shook her head and clenched her teeth. Fight through this. You’ve got more work to do. Just a little further.

  The safe house she’d originally wanted to use would not be sufficient now because it did not have medical supplies. She made a few more turns and dumped the bike behind a dumpster. Marie tried to jog the rest of the way to a secondary safe house, but her body wouldn’t allow it. She felt herself slipping away and knew she’d lost a lot of blood. She tried to dial the weapons supplier to get him to send her a doctor, but she couldn’t focus well enough to dial. Blood dripped on the phone screen and smeared as she moved her fingers around.

  She stopped and looked across the street. The safe house seemed safe enough. She looked to see if anyone was watching it, but at this point, she knew she was running out of time. Confident she was in the clear, she gave everything she had left to make it across the street. She ducked through the alley and entered the house from the back door. Once inside, she frantically looked for medical supplies and whisky. She stumbled into the kitchen preparing to perform surgery on her own arm. She kept herself from falling and then felt a strange presence in the room. Marie looked up with confusion when she saw Richard Blass, aka Robert Laurin, standing in front of her. Fatigue and the damage from the bullet wounds finally subdued her. She collapsed to the tiled floor still staring at him. She tried to get up, but couldn’t. Her eyes closed as she fell unconscious.

  “Shhhhh. Marie, everything will be just fine.” Blass snapped his fingers and two men grabbed Marie’s unconscious body and took her to a room that had been transformed into an operating area.

  A man in all white clothing stepped from the shadows and toward Marie’s body.

  Blass looked at the doctor. “She lives, or you die.”

  Chapter 21:

  Dix strolled into Petersen’s room to find him in excellent spirits. “What are you so happy about?”

  “Nice to see you too, buddy. They just told me my hand’s gonna be fine. We’ll be back together fighting crime before you know it.” Petersen grinned.

  Dix forced a big smile on his face too, even though he rolled his eyes. “Wow, finally some good news.”

  “Yeah, I sure needed it.” Petersen looked over at Michelle and smiled as she leaned in for a hug.

  Dix hesitated about telling Petersen what needed to be said. He didn’t want to ruin the moment, but he had to tell them they were possibly in danger.

  “Steve, I’m sorry to tell you this, but the female who we think shot you just killed the DOJ undercover agent and managed to get away.”

  “What? How the hell did that happen?” Petersen couldn’t believe his ears.

  Dix knew he was pushing them to the limit with further bad news, but it had to be said.

  Michelle looked flabbergasted. “Damn, Dix, way to suck the life out of the room.” She shook her head.

  Dix held his hand up. “I’m sorry guys, but it gets worse.” He shook his head and began chewing on his fingernails.

  “Wait, what? How could it get worse? A man lost his life, and this psycho killer is free?” asked Petersen.

  Michelle looked at Dix with concern and frustration on her face.

  Dix put his hands in the air. “I know, it’s hard to believe. But, based on what we know so far, this female killer is likely a female assassin the locals know as the ‘Praying Mantis.’”

  Michelle and Petersen looked at each other and laughed uncontrollably.

  “Really? The Praying Mantis? An assassin named after an insect?” said Petersen. He and Michelle ribbed each other but stopped when they noticed Dix wasn’t laughing. The grim look on Dix’s face was disheartening.

  Petersen said, “That’s what’s got you all upset? She’s got no idea who she’s playing with. Bill, I have no doubt you’ll nab her.”

  Dix still looked worried. “You need to take this seriously. She’s a stone cold killer. The stuff she’s capable of is unreal.”

  “I’m not making light of that, Bill. She should pay for
what’s she’s done, but what does that have to do with me?” Petersen couldn’t see the connection between the other killings and him.

  Dix looked out the hospital room window and sighed. “You’re next on the list, Steve.” The room went dead silent as his statement hung in the air like clothes drying on a line outdoors.

  Michelle blurted out, “What!”

  “Michelle, calm down, just hold on a second.” Petersen held up his good hand to silence her. “Bill, what are you talking about?”

  “She’s relentless and leaves no loose ends. You survived, as did the UC. She came back and killed him. I think she’ll be back, and this time for you.” Dix felt a pit in his stomach after finishing the statement. It bothered him to think she might be skilled enough to actually make it happen.

  Michelle sat next to Petersen and shook her head repeatedly as if in disbelief. Petersen’s face flushed a deep red, indicating to Dix that he was pretty pissed off as well. As Petersen mulled the information, Dix could see he was beginning to realize the connection to the female assassin was strong and Dix was probably right.

  Dix spoke again. “I’m gonna stay here and the locals are giving us three bodies to take shifts to be with you until you can be released.”

  Michelle and Petersen looked at each other, then back over at Dix.

  “There’s absolutely no way this ‘Mantis’ broad is getting past me. I’ll kill her with my bare hands.” Michelle feigned confidence.

  Dix looked in her eyes and believed Michelle meant what she said, but the problem was, this was personal to her and business to the assassin. Someone wanted all of them dead, and Dix was not so sure he could figure out who she really was or how to stop her permanently.

  “And, I’ve got my good hand,” Petersen chimed in. “We can fend her off together.”

  “Look guys, I know you can handle yourselves. I’m saying we need to try to have calm heads here. She was wounded and maybe she ends up dead. I hope she doesn’t come back. But, I had to tell you that I think you’re in danger.” Dix felt bad for getting them fired up, but he would have felt worse if anything had happened to them and he’d kept his mouth shut.

  Petersen looked out the window. “Bill, we’ve got this. Christ, they’re sending more cops to help us. You’ve got to get out there and solve this one ASAP. I’ve had a bad feeling about this since it all started. I need you focused to put this group out of business, permanently,” he looked back at Dix, then over to Michelle, “Besides, you really think anyone, let alone another female, is getting past my wife?”

  Dix chuckled and looked at them. “I suppose you’re right. Listen, anything weird starts happening around this hospital I expect you to disappear.” He pointed at Petersen. “No funny business, you got it?”

  The couple laughed. Petersen looked Dix in the eye. “I got it, now go get these bastards.”

  “Okay, I’ll keep you posted. Heal up quick so we can head back to Florida with all this behind us,” Dix said as he left the room.

  Petersen gave Dix a thumb up as he exited.

  When the door shut, Michelle stood up and walked to the window. She pulled the curtains shut.

  “Hey, what’re you doing?” Petersen asked her.

  “Relax. I’m trying to safeguard your room until I can get you to another one. I know Dix said the killer was wounded, but I’m going to assume she survived and really is coming for you.”

  Petersen shook his head. “You honestly think that? I think Dix is just emotional about this whole thing. I mean come on, a female assassin named the Praying Mantis?”

  “I’ve never known Bill Dix to overreact or be wrong about something. Never. This time it has to do with you, and I’m not taking any chances.” She tucked him in and kissed him passionately. “Now, relax while I convince the nurses to move you. If this assassin is as good as Dix says she is, she’s gonna know where you should be. I’m going to make sure she has no damn idea where you are.”

  Chapter 22:

  Blass looked at Marie lying peacefully on the operating table with bandages wrapped around her arm and leg. A glass container next to all the accoutrements recently used by the doctor contained fragmented pieces of a bullet. The doctor had dressed the wound after stitching it. He’d cleaned out and sutured her leg wound too. Marie’s fever was beginning to break as the morphine and antibiotics aggressively attacked the infections from the bullet.

  The doctor finished washing his hands and walked over to Blass.

  Blass looked at him. “What’s her status?”

  “Well, she’s lost a lot of blood, but we’ve handled that. The bullet splintered in her arm. I had to dig around quite a bit to get all the pieces. It’s gonna hurt like hell for awhile.”

  “What about her leg?” Blass was hopeful she’d recover fully. He needed her skills, and even though he didn’t want to admit it, he was falling for her.

  “Just a graze wound. Cleaned it out and stitched it up. She’ll be able to walk in a few hours.”

  Blass rubbed his chin. He was impressed with Marie’s ability and strength. He was aware that she’d killed the undercover agent. The manhunt for her was enormous, and he was certain her work would cause Dix to jump into the investigation with both feet. Blass assumed Dix would have briefed his partner about Marie killing the UC, and every available resource that could be spared would be used on protecting Dix’s partner. Even so, he needed to be killed too, as did Dix.

  Blass looked back at the doctor. “What’s the treatment for her now?”

  “Lots of rest, antibiotics, and some pain killers. Other than that, she should be okay to move around in a few days.”

  “You’re confident you got all of the fragments of the bullet out of her arm?”

  The doctor nodded. “Yup. I did some very good work on her arm. Made sure she’d be able to use it again and tried to leave minimal scar tissue.”

  Blass smiled. “You’re a good man. I’ll wire the money to your account in an hour. Hang out in Las Vegas in case there’s complications.” He reached into his pocket and threw the doctor a cell phone. “If that rings, you better answer it.”

  “Understood.” The doctor left the room and exited the safe house.

  Blass stood over Marie and watched her. She began to toss and turn while moaning. He gently stroked her side. “It’s okay baby, you did great. Soon, very soon, we’ll have our revenge.”

  Blass had developed a plan to keep Marie in play and lure Dix to him. Once he had Dix, he’d toy with him and make him suffer. When he grew tired of that, he’d slowly kill him. Blass felt this would cement his status in the underworld as the greatest criminal mind in the history of the United States, Canada, and maybe even the whole world.

  Chapter 23:

  Dix struggled with swallowing all the negativity that surrounded the case. The situation with Petersen, the undercover agent, and the fact his gut told him this ordeal was far from over bothered him tremendously. He sat in a chair with his head hanging low. Dix dialed his old mentor and lifetime friend, Andrew Snead, to see if he had any useful updates.

  On the fourth ring Snead answered. “Yes, who’s this?”

  Dix already felt better just hearing Snead’s comforting southern voice. “It’s me, Bill, how the heck are you?”

  Snead was getting up there in years, almost seventy years old, but he was still full of spunk. “Bill, I already told you, I’m not coming to your retirement party. Why don’t you leave me alone?”

  Dix chuckled. “I know, but it won’t matter now anyway.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You know what it means. I’m not retiring while this case is on-going,” he replied.

  Snead shook his head and whistled. “You mean to tell me you can’t even get retirement right? Have you made any progress?”

  Dix filled Snead in with all the recent updates and asked him if he thought there was something he was missing.

  “No, sounds like you stirred up quite a bit in a day. Pieces of the
puzzle are coming together, but frankly, I think you should protect Petersen, and as soon as the doctors cut him loose, get the hell back home.” Snead sounded grumpy.

  “All right already. I just wanted to hear your grumpy voice to get me motivated again.” Dix laughed.

  Dix had learned much of what he knew as an investigator from Snead, and he admired him immensely. Each time he was in a bind, Snead helped him out of the situation and often gave Dix invaluable information, which led to numerous successful cases over the last twenty years. He was thankful he’d called Snead once again and hoped he’d be able to do so for many more years.

  Dix finished telling Snead the story. “So, that’s about it. Now I’ve got to keep Petersen safe and figure out some type of major criminal operation working between Canada and Las Vegas. It’s got to be big if they’re willing to kill cops to keep it hidden.”

  “Seems people kill cops everyday in the U.S.,” Snead remarked. “Anyway, you know any Royal Canadian Mounted Police? You’re gonna need some boots on the ground up there if this is gonna work.”

  “Not really, that’s why I asked you for help with that.”

  “You did?” asked Snead.

  Dix had known for months that Snead was beginning to forget things. Neither of them wanted to admit he had symptoms of someone with dementia. This was not the time for that discussion, so Dix chose to reiterate his need. “Maybe I forgot to ask. Anyway, check to see if you know anyone in Canada, and see if they would let me call them to talk about this case.”

  Snead began scanning through his enormous list of contacts to see if any were located in Canada. He thought a moment. “Okay. As usual, keep me posted, and I’ll make some phone calls. If I develop any leads, I’ll let you know.”