Wanted (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers, Book 1)

by Nick Stephenson

  “And that is?”

  “We have no idea where it is.”

  “And you don’t see this as a problem?”

  “Not one that’s going to stop me.”

  “Is there anything that would stop you?”

  Leopold opened his mouth to reply, but didn’t get chance. Sophie leaned forward and put her hand on his knee.

  “Why do you feel you need to run straight into danger?” she asked. “Why put yourself in harm’s way? You could run, far away from here. We’d be safe.”

  “If I run now, I’ll be running forever.” He looked into her eyes and felt her hand flinch. She pulled it away.

  “Don’t let me interrupt,” said Mary, walking in to the room.

  “How long have you been standing there?” Leopold felt his face get hot and decided to change the subject. “Is Gerard ready?”

  “She’s got a point, you know.” She looked across at Sophie. “You do have a habit of jumping in head first.”

  “It’s worked for me so far.”

  “Debatable.”

  “About Gerard?”

  Mary sighed. “He’s just about ready. He asked me to bring you all through to the living room for the briefing.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Gerard was waiting for them as they arrived. He stood in the middle of the floor, tie draped over a chair, his handgun holstered. “Bon, we are ready,” he said. “We exit the building through the kitchens, the same way you came through. It’s important that nobody sees us leave. Once we’re outside, we can take my car to Dubois’ place. It’s parked around the corner.”

  “If we get split up?” asked Mary.

  “The car is a black Mercedes CLS550. You’ll find it parked along the Rue Lord Byron. There’s a spare key taped to the inside of the driver’s side wheel arch. If we get separated, continue with the plan. It’s priority number one that we obtain the evidence from Dubois’ place. Comprenez-vous? You understand?”

  The three of them nodded.

  “Good. Collect your things and shut down the computer.” He looked at Leopold. “Make sure you set the hard drives to reformat. We need to wipe any trace that we were here. You’d better –” He froze in mid-sentence.

  “What is it?” asked Mary.

  Gerard looked at his cell phone. “We’ve got company. Someone tripped the motion sensors.”

  “That man from the parking lot?” Sophie asked.

  Gerard ignored the question. “Move. Now.”

  As the bodyguard went for his weapon, the consultant heard a crash from the entrance hall, the sound of splintering wood. Mary instinctively reached for her hip, looking for a non-existent gun. Leopold grabbed hold of both women and pulled them back toward the study, dragging them around the corner.

  “Keep down,” he said, pressing his back up against the wall. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, making him a little dizzy.

  “Gerard,” said Mary. “He’s a sitting duck. We have to help.”

  Leopold peered around the corner, but couldn’t see the bodyguard anywhere. Three armored figures moved cautiously through the entrance hall toward the living room, their uniforms marked with the letters “GIPN”

  “I don’t think they saw us,” he said, turning back to Mary.

  “Who the hell are they?”

  “It looks like the police caught up with us sooner than we thought. I saw three of them.”

  “Just three?”

  “There’ll be more out there somewhere.” Leopold inched back toward the edge of the partition wall and glanced at the empty spot Gerard had occupied seconds earlier. He scanned the room. The GIPN officers were out of sight, but the consultant could hear their footsteps on the hardwood floor. Over to the right, a shadow. Someone crouched behind one of the sofas. One of the GIPN inched closer, coming into full view. The shadow moved.

  “Hé, toi!” Gerard drew to his full height and vaulted the sofa. Before the cop could turn around, the bodyguard was on him – one thick forearm wrapped around the man’s exposed neck. His handgun drawn, Gerard used his captive as a shield and took aim at the other intruders. Leopold heard two high-pitched yelps as the bodyguard fired off his shots, both cops hitting the floor clutching at their chests. Gerard kept his grip around the first man’s throat and pulled off his helmet. Using the butt of his gun, the bodyguard knocked his opponent unconscious, letting the man’s limp body fall to the carpet. Stepping over, the bodyguard made his way over to Leopold and the others. “Anyone hurt?” he asked, glancing at each of them in turn.

  “No, we’re fine,” said Mary. “Are they dead?”

  “No, but they won’t be getting up anytime soon. More will be on the way soon. We need to get out of here.”

  “What’s that sound?” said Sophie.

  Leopold looked out toward the hallway. Something small and silver was rolling across the floor in their direction. It came to a rest in the middle of the living room.

  “What is it?”

  “Run. Now,” said Gerard, pulling Leopold to his feet.

  “Where to?” asked Mary. “There’s no way out, in case you didn’t notice.”

  A hissing noise.

  “Merde! What’s that?”

  “Just keep moving,” said Gerard, ushering the three of them toward the laundry room. “They’re using smoke grenades. They’ll try to disorient and separate us. Stay together.” He shut the door behind him. “We’ve not got long.”

  Mary backed up against the washing machine and glared back at him. “And now we’re shut up in here. Way to go, genius.”

  “It’s a defensible position,” said Gerard, holding up his gun. “And who said there was no way out?” He glanced at the laundry chute.

  “You’re kidding me.”

  “It’s big enough.”

  “We have no idea where it goes.”

  “It goes to the basement. Where they collect the laundry.”

  “I know that. I meant, we don’t know… Oh hell, never mind.” Mary pulled open the hatch and looked down into the darkness. She turned to Leopold. “I officially blame you for this.”

  “Understood,” he said.

  “Let’s get it over with.”

  Chapter 34

  THE ELEVATOR RUMBLED to a halt and Reiniger forced himself into the corner, just out of sight of the doors. His knife at the ready, the assassin watched as the metal grate slid open. A man stepped into the car and Reiniger lunged, one hand over the stranger’s mouth. He used his free hand to jab the KA-BAR into the man’s stomach and he doubled over, letting out a muffled groan before sliding to the floor. Reiniger brought the knife handle down hard over the man’s head, knocking him out.

  Looking down at the unconscious stranger, the assassin took a moment to regroup. The sleeping man was dressed in civilian clothing and smelled of expensive cologne. His shoes were clean and dry, his hair slightly damp. Other than a split lip and day-old stubble, his face was entirely unremarkable. The assassin reached down and fished inside the man’s jacket pocket, locating a set of keys. The key ring read “Appartement 230.”

  Reiniger looked out into the hallway. Apartment 230 was just in view, a few feet down the corridor. He grabbed hold of the man’s arms and pulled, dragging him across the carpet toward his own front door. With a brief glance to the left and right, the assassin unlocked the door and stepped through, pulling his host through after him.

  Slumping the body over the sofa, Reiniger checked the rest of the man’s pockets. He found a wallet, complete with driver’s license, and a mobile phone. Tossing the phone, the assassin studied the ID card and slipped it into his own pocket, confident that he looked enough like the photo to use it if needed. He tossed the rest of the contents of the wallet onto the floor and made his way to the kitchen.

  The apartment was small, but well furnished. The compact kitchen was fully stocked, and Reiniger helped himself to a bar of chocolate from the fridge, careful not to leave traces on any of the surfaces. He finished the entire
bar in three bites, glad for the extra energy, and stuffed the empty wrapper into his pocket. A quiet moan from the living room made him look up.

  “Are we awake?” Reiniger asked in French, making his way over.

  The man stirred and opened his eyes. “Wh-what happened? Who are you?”

  “I’m afraid it’s not your turn to ask questions. You and I need to have a conversation.”

  “I-I’m bleeding. What’s going on?”

  “I don’t think you’re listening, Monsieur.” Reiniger unsheathed his knife and held it up. “We’re going to have a little talk. I’m going to ask you a few questions and then you’re going to answer. Depending on how you behave, this doesn’t have to end badly for you.”

  The man’s eyes bulged at the sight of the blade.

  “Are you listening?”

  The man nodded.

  “Good. The wound in your stomach is not fatal. Assuming you don’t die of blood loss, you should be fine once you get to a hospital. Whether or not that happens will depend on how useful you are to me.” Reiniger held the KA-BAR up to the man’s face. “Now tell me, what’s the best way to get out of the building without being seen?”

  “Y-you take the f-fire escape to –”

  “I can’t use the fire escape and I can’t use the main elevator. Try again.”

  “Th-there’s another elevator on the s-second f-floor. They use it f-for disabled access. It g-goes straight to the parking lot. You can use the m-main stairs to get there.”

  “You have a car?”

  The man nodded. “Th-the keys are over there.” He pointed to a bowl near the door. “Take them, take them. They’re all y-yours.”

  “Very good,” said Reiniger, withdrawing the knife.

  “I n-need an ambulance.”

  “We made a deal. I said you could live if you answered my questions, and you held up your end. Problem is,” Reiniger leaned in closer, “I need to make sure you don’t try and follow me or raise the alarm.”

  “I w-wont, I promise.”

  “And I’d like to believe you, but I’m afraid I need to be sure.” The assassin thrust the KA-BAR into his host’s thigh and twisted, pressing his free hand over the man’s mouth.

  “Try not to scream so loud,” said Reiniger. “The pain will fade in a few seconds.” He pulled out the knife. “You’re going to start losing more blood now, but try not to move. You’ll only make it worse.” The assassin pulled his hand away. “Well done. Now listen carefully. Once I make it outside, I’ll call for an ambulance. If I don’t make it, I’m afraid you’ll die here. Try to conserve your strength.”

  The man’s eyelids flickered, his body going limp.

  “Good. And don’t worry, I always keep my word.” Wiping the blade on the sofa, Reiniger took one last look at his host and headed for the door.

  Chapter 35

  LEOPOLD HATED THE sensation of falling. He felt his stomach lurch as gravity took over and thrust out his hands and feet in an attempt to slow his descent. Falling from the sixth floor at full speed, even if he landed on something soft, was not part of the plan. The interior of the laundry chute was cold to the touch, but the friction quickly built up and Leopold could feel his palms burn as he slid down into the darkness. He hoped to hell he didn’t land on anyone.

  The laundry chute spat him out into a dumpster full of dirty clothes and he felt two pairs of hands yank him out. On his feet, Leopold blinked hard and saw the faces of Sophie and Mary come into focus in the low light.

  “You all right?” Mary asked.

  “Never better.”

  A soft thump announced Gerard’s arrival. The bodyguard rolled out of the pile of laundry and onto his feet, pulling out his handgun. “I don’t think anyone followed us,” he said. “They’ll figure it out soon enough, so let’s keep moving.”

  Gerard hustled them toward the door and through into the bowels of the old building. At this time of night, the place was deserted and the only illuminations came from the dim emergency lights fixed into the ceiling. Leopold trod carefully, keeping his eyes on the silhouette of Gerard as they pressed onward. They reached the kitchens and the bodyguard held up a fist as he checked the area ahead.

  “Wait here,” he said. “This is where we took the elevator up to the top floor.”

  “So?” asked Sophie. “I don’t see anything.”

  “Just wait here.” He crept forward, both hands on his gun. He reached the metal gate and stopped. He turned around after a few seconds and walked back.

  “Nothing?”

  “The car must be on another floor,” said Gerard. “We’ll be able to hear if that changes.”

  “Where to now?” asked Mary.

  “Back through the kitchen. Move as quietly as possible. Bon, stay close to me.” He set off, keeping low.

  The kitchen felt smaller than before. Darker, with the dormant ovens lined up against the walls, Leopold felt closed in and vulnerable. Thanks to the galley design there was nowhere to hide, just a clear line of sight. He eyed a cluster of saucepans hanging from a wall hook and wondered briefly whether a cast iron skillet would stop a bullet.

  “Up ahead,” said Gerard.

  They reached the porter’s entrance and the bodyguard edged through. Leopold followed, holding the double doors open for Sophie and Mary. Ahead, just another dark corridor.

  “The back door should still be open,” said Gerard. “I disabled the lock mechanism before you arrived.”

  They reached the exit. The bodyguard opened the door a crack and looked out.

  “Can you see anything?” Mary edged forward.

  “There’s no road block, no cameras. It looks clear.”

  “Why are you saying that like it’s a bad thing?” asked Sophie.

  “Because if this were my show, I’d have the whole damn street locked down,” said Mary. “It means whoever’s in charge doesn’t want word getting out. And that doesn’t usually mean good things for whoever they’re chasing.”

  “Who would have the authority?”

  “Rousseau,” said Leopold. “He’s leading the case. He’s the one with the reputation on the line. But I don’t understand why he wouldn’t call in the cavalry. We would have been rounded up by now.” He glanced at Gerard. “No offense.”

  “None taken. We can talk about Rousseau later, but let’s get to the car and find somewhere safe first.” He stepped out into the courtyard and made his way toward the gate, checking the road outside.

  “Anything?”

  “No. Either someone overestimated the GIPN’s abilities or this operation was deliberately under-resourced. Either way, I don’t want to stick around long enough to find out which. Allons-y.” He waved them forward.

  The air outside was warmer than before and it smelled a little damp. It was lighter too, getting close to dawn. They found the car easily enough, parked discreetly near one of the bistros on the Rue Lord Byron, a dusty back road that ran parallel to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Gerard waited for them to clamber inside before settling into the driver’s seat next to Leopold and starting the engine.

  “The target address is a few miles away, south of the river,” Gerard said. “If we beat the traffic, we’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  Leopold felt his body forced into the seat as Gerard put his foot down. The Mercedes rocketed forward with a low growl from the engine. They hit fifty miles per hour within a couple of seconds. The bodyguard slowed to take a corner and merged with the traffic on the main road back to the river, eventually settling into a moderate cruise between two taxis.

  “We can access the roof via the fire escape,” said Gerard. “And from there, hopefully we can disable the alarm in time. Where is the gallery located?” He aimed the question at Sophie.

  “Top floor. You should see it once we get inside,” she said.

  “Good.” Gerard turned his attention back to Leopold. “This might be our only chance. Are you ready?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

/>   “That will have to do.”

  Leopold felt the car accelerate again, Gerard guiding the sleek sedan between the cars in front. As they crossed the river, Leopold looked out across the water, black and cold. In a brief moment of weakness he wondered whether or not he’d be able to make a swim for it – then quickly pushed the thought from his mind. Whatever happened now, for better or worse, he would see it through to the end.

  Chapter 36

  MARTY JACKSON, PRISONER number 1537, shuffled down the corridor toward the dining hall. The other inmates from his block were lined up at the serving stations, helping themselves to Portuguese knock-off cereals and powdered milk. A few of the junkies were stocking up on bread. In a few minutes the screws would let the other blocks through, once the others got settled. There was less chance of a riot when everyone’s belly was full. The big black guy the guards brought in last night was loitering at the back of the line holding an empty tray. He looked over as Marty approached but didn’t say anything.

  “You took off pretty fast,” said Marty.

  “Jerome,” he replied. “You can call me Jerome.”

  “You’re a little less uptight this morning.”

  “Get some breakfast.” Jerome picked out a bowl and filled it with a portion of Cuétara Flakes, some kind of Portuguese cereal. “This is fresh milk?”

  “The dispenser says so, but I can tell you it ain’t. You wanna come down here on Thursdays. Thursdays is powdered eggs and bacon day. You get more people show up Thursdays.”

  “I need you to show me who runs this place. They come down for breakfast?”

  Marty took a tray and filled his own bowl. “I got a good idea who you mean. Most of them are over in Block B. Should be here in a few minutes.”

  “I’ll need an introduction.”

  “Not gonna happen,” said Marty, helping himself to milk. “Those guys are La Nuestra Familia. They call the shots. If they wanna speak to you, you’ll know about it.”