Jerry interrupted again. “That’s exactly right. Whatever this is, I don’t have time for it. I have a city to protect.”
Xander dropped his hand that was holding his phone down to his lap, rolled his eyes, and took a deep breath. Sam motioned for him to suck it up.
He brought the phone back up to his ear. “A city to protect? What is this, Jerry, a shit episode of some TV cops and robbers show? Who says things like that?”
Sam gave him another look. Xander got to the point.
“Listen, Jerry, Allison is in trouble. I’m headed to her house right now. Meet me there ASAP and I’ll fill you in.
“How the hell would you know if Allison is in trouble? She’s fine. I spoke with her about fifteen minutes ago, so mind your own damn business and leave the detective work to me.”
“Okay. Or I’ll just meet you at her house. I was on the phone with her ten minutes ago, when she called me to come bail your sorry ass out of trouble from a couple of hackneyed thugs. I would have told her to let you flub all of this shit up yourself, but then she saw a Humvee in her driveway, just before the line went dead. So, see you in ten minutes at Allison’s house.”
Xander clicked off the phone. Sixty seconds on the phone with that prick was time enough.
“Making more friends I see, Xander. Good on you,” Sam jabbed at him sarcastically.
Xander skipped over the comment. “What do we know about Bowker and Brancati?”
“Not much just yet, except the obvious.”
“Which is?”
“Which is that Brancati got off scot-free when Bowker went to prison,” Sam explained. “Even though there was an obvious connection between the families that Bowker murdered and Brancati’s little gambling ring.” Sam continued to search for information as she answered Xander.
“So, you think that Brancati had Bowker murder the two families to keep information from coming out about fixing the races? Seems like overkill to me. No pun intended.” Xander was unsure.
“Yes, it certainly does. Allison made an argument in court suggesting that Brancati may be tied in to the drug ring that has surfaced here.”
Xander held on to the door as Kyle wheeled wildly around a curve. “So, she seemed to think that Brancati and Bowker had much bigger things going on than just fixing races.”
“Seems so,” Sam agreed.
“So, what’s the deal now? Brancati busts Bowker out of prison, for what? To get back at Allison? Three Humvees full of armed men tend to suggest a bigger plan. But what could they want?”
“Money, I am assuming, Xander. Contrary to the battles that you normally fight, people in civilian life usual fight about two things: money and revenge. Looks like by taking Allison, they’ve started with revenge. My first thought is that now they are going to use her to get the next part of their plan: money.”
“Ransom?” Xander asked.
“Possibly. It’s also quite possible that they want to make a spectacle of her.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Just a hunch. If they brought in a small army, they are expecting a fight. Is there anything going on in town tonight? Any sort of event?”
“Not that I know of.” Xander glanced in the rearview mirror where he could see Kyle’s forehead. “You know of anything, Kyle?”
Kyle looked up from the road as he changed lanes to speed around a slow-moving car in the fast lane.
“Uh, no games or anything. But when I was texting Kate earlier, she was at this thing with her mom at Rupp Arena. Some big Catholic thing they’re doing. Christian bands and everything.”
“Wait, were you tying to convince her to leave this thing with her mom to come spend the night with you?”
Kyle glanced back into the mirror and caught Xander’s eyes.
“No comment.”
Sam jumped in. “Anyway.” She looked between the two of them. “So there’s loads of people there?”
“Yeah, she said it was packed. So, several thousand at least.”
Sam and Xander exchanged a glance in the backseat. Neither one of them liked the sound of that.
Kyle continued. “But so what? What could that possibly have to do with anything?”
As she researched on her iPad, Sam continued, “Most likely nothing. We are just trying to cover all angles. They’ve got to be up to something, having that much man power and what with kidnapping the DA. Xander, didn’t you shag her?”
Xander smirked. “We’re almost there.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Sam said through a half smile.
Kyle turned the Cadillac left onto Nicholasville road. The tires squalled as he took the turn with a little too much speed. Xander continued to change the subject. “So, what’s the plan when we get here? We know the who—the dynamic duo of Bowker and Brancati.” Xander thought it sounded more like a two-man law firm. “We know the what, so far, which is revenge against the DA who put Bowker in prison. Which I guess could also be the why. Revenge. But what is their angle? It isn’t like she’s swimming in money.”
Kyle spoke up from the driver’s seat as he made a right turn onto Wilson Downing. “Isn’t her dad some big-shot surgeon? Could be looking for a ransom from him.”
“Good call,” replied Xander. “But isn’t Brancati loaded? If not, he isn’t much of an organized crime leader.”
“Right,” said Sam, “he does have loads of money. I doubt this is about that.”
“What then? Back to what you said, Sam? Public revenge? I get why Bowker would want to humiliate her, she put him in jail. But why would Brancati have an interest in doing that? Drawing attention to himself doesn’t seem like something a criminal who is illegally running a crime ring in town would want to do. That would only bring him trouble.”
Sam let out a sigh. “No, you’re right. There has to be something we are missing.” As they pulled up, Sam looked up at the flashing blue and red lights that sat just outside of Allison’s house. She pointed out the window. “Maybe your dear friend there, the sheriff, can help us out with that one.”
Xander let out a long and frustrated breath. “Ironically, helping people in need is not one of Jerry Thompson’s strong suits.”
“Sounds like there’s a story in there,” Sam said as Kyle pulled the Escalade to a stop beside the police cruiser.
“Not much of a story at all really. Just don’t expect him to bail you out if we get in a tight spot.”
Hearing the conviction in Xander’s voice, Sam decided it was best to leave it at that.
3
Allison Freeman’s Only Chance
Xander, Kyle, and Sam stepped out of the Escalade and into the cold December night. The snow continued to fall and had begun to stick to the already frozen blacktop. The forecast wasn’t calling for a lot of snow, just enough for a dusting––maybe even to call it a white Christmas. As Xander rounded the front of his SUV, he immediately regretted being involved in any of this when he saw Jerry Thompson walking out of Allison’s front door. A puffy white cloud shot from his mouth at the sight of Xander, accentuating the flashing lights of the police car. The sheriff hitched up his uniform pants as he walked over to the three of them.
“Make this quick, King. I have to find Allison before it’s too late.”
“Just remember, she called me. Only reason I’m here, and the only reason I am going to be around until we find her.” Xander’s “we” did not include the sheriff.
“Look, I don’t know why she called you, and frankly, I don’t give a shit. Go back home and enjoy your Christmas. You will just be in the way.”
“Listen—”
“No, you listen,” the sheriff interrupted Xander, taking a step toward him. “I told you to go home, and I meant it. You are interfering with a police investigation. I could have you arrested.”
Before Xander could take this little tiff to another level, Sam stepped in.
“Are the two of you quite finished already? Due respect, Sheriff Thompson, but we are only here to
help.”
“And just who the hell are you? Who the hell are any of you, for that matter? Civilians is all. Now, tell me what was said on the phone with Allison and then go home. That’s it.”
Technically, Jerry was right. Xander, Sam, and Kyle were nothing more than civilians at this point. All of Xander’s and Sam’s accolades, though far greater than any the sheriff would ever achieve, still gave them no official reason to have anything to do with this. However, Allison had involved them, and Xander wasn’t about to bow out without making sure she was safe. The reason she called Xander was because she knew he was the most qualified to help. Title or no title, he wasn’t going anywhere. For now, he would just play along.
“We were just sitting down to dinner, she called me, while we were on the phone she noticed a Hummer in the driveway, and the next thing I knew, the line was dead. That’s it. She said this whole thing with Bowker was over your head, and she was afraid that if we didn’t help, more people would die. That . . . is why she called me.”
“Bullshit.” Sheriff Thompson didn’t seem to like Xander’s brutal honesty.
“You asked. I gave you the happy version. Now, what reason would Brancati have to help Bowker take Allison hostage?”
“Brancati? The mob guy? Who says he has anything to do with this?”
“Anyone with a brain, Jerry.” Xander stood, hands on his hips and his chiseled jaw set. At six feet three inches tall, he loomed over the much smaller Jerry. His muscular frame made Jerry look like a boy in comparison. Though Xander’s fitted navy blue peacoat was buttoned snugly around him, it was still cold. The light wind that swirled the snow around them left his legs cold inside his jeans, and the polymer plastic of his Glock 19 was near freezing against the small of his back.
Jerry didn’t like Xander’s remark. That was clear by the look on his face and by his measured silence. Sam decided it was best to continue to play mediator.
“Look, we know that Bowker and Brancati work together. Can we all agree on that?” Sam searched Jerry’s face. Jerry nodded. “So we can assume that he is the bloke that busted Bowker out of prison, at least until information tells us otherwise. Answering the question of why Brancati would help aid Bowker in his revenge against Allison, when on the surface it seems it wouldn’t be in his best interest, would seem to be what will tell us what is going on here. If we knew that, we might be able to figure their next move.”
Jerry shifted his weight to his other leg, then his hands moved to his hips. “Look, this is police business. We don’t know that Brancati has anything to do with this. It sounds like a ransom thing to me.”
Xander scoffed, “Seriously? You think they brought three or four Hummers full of armed men for a ransom? Thank God Allison called me.” He turned his eyes from Jerry to Sam. “We are her only chance.”
Jerry stepped forward and gave Xander a two-handed shove. “Fuck you, Xander!”
The force was barely enough to rock Xander backward. Xander grabbed a fistful of Jerry’s button-down shirt inside of his police jacket and nearly lifted him off the ground. Sam stepped in, immediately removing Xander’s iron grip, and Kyle moved in from behind and pulled Xander back.
“Go home!” Jerry screamed, slobber ejecting from his lips. “If you don’t leave right now, I’ll take you to jail myself!” His face turned red.
“Let’s just go, Xander.” Sam pulled him away. When Xander looked at her, her expression conveyed, Leave it alone, we’ll go on without him. So the three of them backed away toward the Cadillac, but not before Xander had the last word.
“Don’t let Allison suffer because of your pride, Jerry. Let someone who knows what the hell they’re doing find her. Don’t let these bastards hurt her, you hear me?”
“Or what, Xander? Tell me. Go ahead, threaten an officer of the law, I dare you!”
Before Xander could reply, Sam shoved him into the SUV and slammed the door. Jerry was still standing outside of his cruiser, and Sam walked right up to him, her jaw set and her eyes pleading.
“Listen to him, Jerry. Bowker may be a small-timer, but Brancati is different. There is something bigger going on here and you know it. Don’t be foolish.”
Jerry gave her a defiant look as he opened his car door. “Enjoy your eggnog.”
With that, he got back in his cruiser and peeled out of the driveway and on down the street. Sam opened the door and glared at Xander.
“Now what, big mouth?”
4
Party Crashers
Sam shut the door of the Escalade behind her. Xander could feel her glare.
“What?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders. Mister Innocent.
“All right, Xander. Out with it. Why does the sheriff of Lexington, Kentucky, hate you? Other than the fact that you got to his girl first. I have a feeling this goes a bit further back than that.”
Kyle turned to face them from the front seat. He was eager to hear this as well.
“That obvious, huh?”
Sam and Kyle nodded their heads in unison.
“Go on then. Out with it,” Sam said.
Xander rolled his eyes. “It’s not a very exciting story. I embarrassed him at BUD/S. That’s all. Apparently his dad wasn’t happy about it either, and I guess Jerry still holds a grudge.”
“BUD/S?” asked Kyle.
“Yeah, SEAL training in Coronado. Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL school. There was a rivalry with him from the beginning. Not on my end, but because we were both from Lexington, and I was there on my own merit, and he was there because of his daddy, he had it out for me. It only got worse when he showed up out of shape. The instructors were doing everything they could to run him off, because they knew he wasn’t cut out for it. So, they used me to do their dirty work.”
Sam said, “I don’t get it.”
“So, if you fail any of the events three times, they would automatically kick you out of SEAL training and send you back to fleet. If you want to be a SEAL, fleet is not where you want to be, and not where your high-ranking daddy would want his son. Well, Jerry had failed the run event twice.”
“Which was?” Kyle asked.
“Four miles in twenty-eight minutes. In boots.”
“Yikes.”
“Yeah, but it’s not as bad as it sounds if you came to training in shape. Our instructor was tired of Jerry’s mouth, so instead of waiting a couple of days for Jerry to fail the next run event on his own, they decided to embarrass him.”
“They made him run against you, didn’t they?” Sam asked.
“They did. And they made a spectacle of it. Everyone knew he was going to lose. I knew I could beat him running backward. They told him that if he managed to beat me, they would wipe his two fails and he would have a fresh start. Him and this other guy that was like his mini-me, I don’t even remember his name, but they wanted to get rid of both of them. Jerry, knowing he couldn’t win, tried to convince me to let them win. I asked him what was in it for me, genuinely curious what he would say. His answer, and he said this with all seriousness, was that if I didn’t let him win, he would have his father make sure I didn’t make it not only in the SEALs but in the navy at all.”
“Clearly he didn’t know you,” Sam said.
“No. I told him it was him that wasn’t going to make it in the navy. I told him that the story of me outrunning him and his pal in the four miles, running backward, would be a story he would never live down. No matter who his father was.”
“You didn’t,” Kyle said.
“I did. And I was right. It was close, but I beat both him and his lackey running backward. I couldn’t have done that against anyone else in that training, because they were all real soldiers. But Jerry and his buddy were a joke. Later that day, they were both cut from SEAL training, and a month later Jerry left the fleet all together. I have no idea what happened to the other guy.”
“Wow, what a loser.” Kyle laughed.
“Apparently, he still holds a grudge,” Xander added. “So, getting
help from him in this situation is probably out of the question.”
Sam pulled her phone from her pocket. “I’d say, more like completely out of the question. All right, let’s refocus then. Kyle, let’s make our way downtown. Meanwhile, I’ll reach out to a few contacts I have in the FBI. Maybe I can get them to at least keep us in the loop.”
Kyle pulled the Escalade forward and headed toward the exit of the subdivision. He stopped at the stop sign and leaned back over his shoulder.
“You think it’s better to take Nicholasville Road all the way in or hop on New Circle?”
Xander never had a chance to answer.
Two beams of bright white light poured into the Escalade. Xander instinctively pulled Sam toward him and wrapped his arms around her. It was enough to save her life. A millisecond later an explosive crash erupted around them as a vehicle slammed violently into the side of their idled Cadillac. The sound of metal twisting, glass smashing, and tires skidding all came together in a deafening crescendo as the three of them were thrown around the truck like rag dolls. Whatever had hit them was not only not trying to stop but continued to accelerate after impact, and their Escalade was pushed off the road and flung over into a ditch. After a full roll, the Escalade came to a stop, upright, and only the hissing of the damaged engine filled the silence around them. Sam shook her head in a daze in front of Xander, but Kyle wasn’t moving in the driver’s seat. Xander had no time to check on him. He knew this wasn’t a random crash, and when he heard four doors open up on the street where they once were, he slid his hand down the back of his jeans, popped open the door behind him, and pulled Sam out into the cold with him. When his feet hit the ground, they were instantly submerged in almost-frozen water that puddled in the ditch. Sam bent at the knees, and as Xander whispered for her to stay down, he opened Kyle’s door and pulled him out. He had to hold him up because he was unconscious. Blood trickled down his forehead from a cut in his hairline.
Anger boiled in Xander’s veins.
Xander King BoxSet Page 74
