Hard to Kill

by C. M. Sutter

  “Good enough. Let’s take a look at that.”

  Chris, Lutz, and the team reviewed the floor plans, the neighborhood, and the power line locations, then Chris explained the drone’s capabilities.

  Just before seven o’clock, they headed out, Lutz and Frank in one cruiser, Phelps and Gaines in another, and Chris Moore in his SUV with the drone. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the designated location. The SWAT team of four was already on site.

  Lutz made the introductions, then the SWAT team leader, Dan Crane, handed him a radio.

  “We need to be in constant contact since we’ll be at the house and you’ll be here guiding the drone. We’ll need the exact locations of the people inside just before we make the breach.”

  “Got it.” Lutz walked to the cruiser, where he unrolled an enlarged diagram of the house’s layout and spread it on the hood. He tapped every entry point. “The front door is secured with a dead bolt and knob lock. Rear entry is a set of glass French doors that lead from the patio into the kitchen’s dining area. Backyard does have lights, and the doors have blinds that may or may not be closed. The overhead door is the only outside access to the garage, and the inner door leads into the laundry area, and finally, next to the refrigerator is a door to the half basement.”

  “Looks good. Now all we have to do is wait a few more minutes for darkness to take over. My gut says if the man in question is watching, he’ll be facing the front of the house, where he can see incoming movement. We’ll have better luck taking him by surprise from the French doors since he probably doesn’t feel the backyard is a threat. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. We need to see where the victims are located inside the house first.”

  Chris set up the drone, and as soon as he got the okay from Dan Crane, he would release it to the sky. There were trees to consider, and Hanna’s house was under a canopy of several large maples.

  “We’ll be able to see the thermal images whether there’s trees in the way or not. I need to get high enough above the trees and power lines, then we’ll be able to follow the drone’s movements since it’s equipped with anti-collision lights. We need to get it up high quickly so even if the perp is watching out the window, it’ll be above his visual field immediately. I’ll guide the drone directly over the house in front of us, through their backyard, over the street, and to the house in question. We already know the shape of the home and the driveway location. I guarantee you we’ll have the right house, even if all the lights are off.”

  With the go-ahead nod from Dan Crane, and guiding the drone with the joystick, Chris watched it rise above the house directly in front of them.

  Lutz and the SWAT leader stood at Chris’s side and watched the monitor as the drone rose above the rooftop of the house across the street. It passed the backyard, flew over the fence, then reached the roof of the house directly across from Hanna’s.

  Frank rubbed his brow. “That’s pretty loud. Can a person hear that from inside the house?”

  “Unfortunately, it’s possible. If your perp recognizes that sound, he’ll be watching for it.”

  “Doubt if he does. He’s been in prison for twelve years.”

  “Then that’s good. If he has a TV on inside the house, that’s even better, but I’ll go up as high as I can without compromising its ability.” Chris looked from Lutz to Dan. “Ready to take it over her residence?”

  Lutz gave him a nervous nod. “I guess we’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

  Chris toggled the controls left and right until he had the drone above Hanna’s house. He slowed down and made a back-and-forth grid over the rooftop.

  “There!”

  Chris set the drone to a controlled hover as they took in what they saw. Three shapes glowed a reddish orange. Two were stationary, and one moved about the interior of the house.

  “That’s them,” Lutz said. From the bulkier size of one of the two shapes, he was sure the one lying on the floor in the kitchen area was Jesse. The other, presumably Hanna, sat on a chair in the living room.

  “Okay, we know the locations of the victims,” the SWAT leader said. “We’re moving in. I’ll let you know when the house is surrounded, and at that time, you have to tell us exactly where the perpetrator is. Our plan is still to breach the French doors, but we’ll make that final decision once we arrive, depending on if the backyard is illuminated or not.”

  “Wait,” Lutz said. “It makes more sense if Chris goes with you. We’ll hang back here and communicate via radio if you need anything from us. It’s better to have the monitor with you so you can see exactly where Josh Stevens is at all times.”

  With an okay from Dan, Chris took off on foot while still controlling the drone. The SWAT team drove off and planned to park several houses away from Hanna’s and then surround the property.

  “Staying put isn’t easy, Boss,” Frank said. “I just want to rush in, beat the shit out of Josh, and save Hanna and Jesse.”

  “I know, and so do the rest of us, but we have to leave that up to SWAT. They’ll get them out of there safely. I have complete confidence in their ability.”

  They watched as the SRT van drove away with the four specialists inside, and the taillights disappeared around the corner.

  Chapter 58

  The house was surrounded, and luckily, the blinds on the French doors were closed. The team had split up—two officers at the front of the house, and Dan, another SWAT member, and Chris, the drone officer, in the back. Dan silently crept up onto the patio and, after engaging the radio, called out to Lutz while watching the drone’s monitor.

  “We’ve got a problem, Commander. The perp is running around inside the house, so it’s likely he heard the drone above the rooftop. We have to create a distraction and fast. It’s obvious that he knows we’re here. We have no choice but to go in with flash bang grenades to disorient him and then the tear gas to disable him. Unfortunately, your detective and his lady friend will suffer the consequences, too, but we have no choice.”

  “Do what you need to do to keep Jesse and Hanna safe. Go for it, Dan.”

  The radio communication ended.

  Looking at the monitor again, Dan saw Josh drag Hanna toward Jesse, likely with the intentions of making a run for it with his hostages in tow. The garage door was just beyond Jesse.

  Engaging the radio again, Dan called out to the officers at the front door. “Get your masks on, and on my go, toss the grenade through the front window and immediately follow it with the tear gas. The perp can’t have a gun in hand while he’s dragging the woman. Get ready—okay, now!”

  Glass shattered as the SWAT officer launched the flash bang grenade through the window. The explosion was ear piercing and gave Dan the opportunity to breach the French doors and make entry. Tear gas quickly filled the living room. Dan spotted the stunned and coughing assailant as he made a run for the bedroom area. Dan tossed a flash grenade right at Josh. The sound rattled the entire house and reverberated off the walls of the hallway. Josh was able to reach the master bedroom, where he slammed the door and locked it behind him.

  Dan yelled to his officer at the back of the house. “Tear gas that son of a bitch! He’s in the master bedroom.”

  The officer shot the tear gas canister through the window then radioed that he would stay put in case Josh tried to escape through the backyard.

  “Be careful. He may have weapons.” Dan called out to Josh to give himself up but didn’t get a response. He radioed to the men at the front of the house. “Petty and Stiles, go help out back and make sure Josh doesn’t try to exit the bathroom window. Watch yourselves. He could be armed.” Dan then radioed Lutz as he waited for some communication from the bedroom. “Commander, I need you to get an ambulance to the house. Josh is holed up in the master bedroom for now, but I want the victims removed immediately for their safety. For all we know, the perp is well-armed, and it could get ugly. You and your team will have to physically get Jesse and Hanna outside and on the other side of the garag
e before the ambulance will pick them up.”

  The sound of gunshots took over. Dan hit the floor as bullets penetrated the walls and rained down on the hallway. He yelled to his officers. “I’m taking on gunfire! Immobilize him now.”

  Return gunfire sprayed into the master bedroom along with more tear gas. Seconds later, the gunshots stopped, and the room went silent. Dan kicked in the door and found Josh lying on the floor, wounded in the shoulder but still breathing. He flipped Josh over, cuffed his hands behind his back, and called out to the officers that the room was clear.

  Chapter 59

  Lutz, Frank, Gaines, and Phelps rushed through the front door when they heard that the scene was under control.

  “Where are they?” Lutz asked.

  Dan rounded the corner from the kitchen and met up with them in the living room. His team, still in the bedroom, kept Josh under wraps.

  “They’re here in the kitchen, guys. Jesse and Hanna are banged up and badly dehydrated, but they’re alive and will be okay after a few days of hospital care.”

  Dan had already removed the tape from their mouths, freed their hands, and given them both water.

  The commander and his detectives entered the kitchen, where Jesse and Hanna, badly beaten and looking exhausted, sat on the floor against the cabinets. Jesse comforted Hanna as she cried against his shoulder.

  Jesse looked up. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

  Lutz knelt at their sides. “We’ve got ambulances on their way.” He jerked his head at Phelps. “Call the emergency dispatch and tell them the scene is clear. They can pull the ambulances up to the house.”

  “Yep, on it.”

  Jesse winced as he tried to stand. “I think my ribs are broken.”

  “Let me help you, buddy,” Frank said. “Put your arm over my shoulder and lean on me.”

  Gaines and Phelps helped Hanna to her feet.

  “Where’s Josh?” Jesse asked.

  Dan spoke up. “Being restrained in the master bedroom. He took a bullet to the shoulder, and there’s a good chance his eardrums have popped. Might have a hard time seeing right now, but he’ll recover.”

  “That’s too bad. I need a word with that son of a bitch.”

  Lutz shook his head. “Let it go, Jesse. He’s done enough harm to both of you. You don’t need to see his face or hear his trash talk again.”

  “No way. I deserve this. That son of a bitch is going to know that justice wins in the end and being a lowlife scum like him is a surefire way to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

  Lutz nodded to Dan, who disappeared down the hall. After the sounds of scuffling and cursing, Jesse saw Josh being dragged into the living room. With Frank’s help, Jesse approached his nemesis.

  “Hey, asshole. Remember a few days ago when you said you were smarter than law enforcement? How’d that work out for you?” Jesse pressed his hand against Josh’s gunshot wound. “Hurts like hell, doesn’t it? Listen, and listen good, you piece of shit. You didn’t kill me twelve years ago, and you didn’t kill me now. I recall you saying that I was hard to kill, and then you laughed and said, ‘Practice makes perfect.’ Well, you failed again because you’re nothing but a criminal who deserves to be in prison for the rest of your miserable life, and I’ll make damn sure that’s where you stay.”

  The sound of sirens got closer.

  Jesse leaned in against Josh’s ear. “You can be sure I’ll enjoy testifying at your trial again, but you? You can enjoy being locked up until the day you take your last breath.” When the EMTs entered, Jesse jerked his head toward the front door. “Get this piece of trash out of my sight.”

  Chapter 60

  Hanna and I were released from the hospital two days later. We would stay at Lee’s house for several weeks as we recuperated, then desk duty was in my foreseeable future—according to Lutz and my doctor—until my cracked ribs were healed. Hanna decided to take several weeks off while her house was being repaired.

  Frank and Lee arrived at the hospital at the same time to pick us up. Hanna would go home with her mother, and I would be dropped off there later, but there were things I needed to do first.

  Frank pushed my wheelchair to the cruiser—hospital policy—even though I was capable of walking.

  “It’s damn good to see your ugly mug again, partner,” Frank said as he helped me into the cruiser.

  After situating myself in the passenger seat, I lowered the visor and looked in the mirror. “Yeah, I do look pretty ugly, but the cuts and bruises will fade, just like the others have over the years. I want to see my house, buddy.”

  Frank raised a brow. “You sure you’re up to it right now?”

  I nodded. “I have to work with the insurance company and get the repairs started as soon as possible. The Fourth of July is only five weeks away. I’m not giving up on our annual backyard barbecue. It’s a tradition.”

  “If anything, you’re optimistic.”

  I stared at him as he fired up the car and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. “It’s really that bad?”

  Frank shook his head. “There are no words, and I’m really sorry, Jesse.”

  I went silent, and the thoughts of devastating loss filled my mind. I wasn’t concerned about the recent remodeling—that could be fixed. What mattered was the loss of personal items, family heirlooms, and memories that couldn’t be replaced. No price tag could bring them back. I sucked in a deep breath.

  “I hear the Camaro is a complete loss.”

  “It is, but you’ve had it for two years. It was time to trade it in, anyway.”

  I chuckled nervously as Frank turned down South Cregier Avenue—my street.

  He pulled to the curb and killed the engine in front of the house. “Hang tight, buddy. Let me help you out.”

  Other than the yellow tape across the front door, from the outside, everything appeared normal. I steeled myself as I grabbed the door handle and pushed it open.

  A patrol unit sat along the curb, and the officers exited their car as Frank helped me out of the cruiser.

  “Glad to see you’re on the mend, Detective McCord,” Foxworthy said.

  I gave him a thank-you nod.

  “Patrol has been on the house since the break-in, and nobody has returned. The front door is unlocked.”

  “Thanks, Foxworthy.”

  Frank and I took the sidewalk to the front door.

  “We can stand here as long as it takes, Jesse. Just tell me when you’re ready to go in.”

  I sucked in a mouthful of air. “May as well rip the Band-Aid off now.”

  “Okay.” Frank pulled down the tape and turned the knob.

  We entered to what looked like a war zone. What used to be my living room with beautiful hardwood floors was destroyed. The sledgehammer that Josh had boasted about using had done its intended purpose—total destruction. The walls were bashed through, and the floors wore heavy slash marks and indentions from the sledgehammer. The TV was smashed, and all the furniture was sliced through like an animal that had been gutted. I rushed to the fireplace, where the family portrait had been, but it was gone. I didn’t see it anywhere. I turned and looked at my kitchen—a total loss. Nothing remained untouched.

  “The whole house is like this, Jesse. He didn’t spare anything.”

  “What about the totes of family pictures downstairs?”

  Frank shrugged. “There might be some that are salvageable, but Josh did a number on everything he knew mattered to you. We’ll go through them when you’re up to it.”

  I held the handrail as I descended to the lower level. A strong odor of alcohol filled my nose as I reached the last step. The man cave, my happy place—where friends had congregated over the years for football games and card parties—looked like a bomb had gone off there. The pool table, foosball table, card table, barstools, and bar had been smashed to pieces. Every booze bottle had been broken. I shook my head in disbelief as I walked to the laundry room, where the built-in shelves held all the
totes with family albums in them. They had been dumped out on the floor and the pictures shredded. I was racked with anguish and broke down.

  Frank wrapped his tree-trunk-sized arms around me and said how sorry he was.

  “We’ll do whatever we can to restore your family memories, Jesse. I can’t even begin to feel your pain. This has to hurt like hell.”

  I brushed away the tears. The rage was beyond anything I’d felt since Jenna was murdered by her husband several years earlier. I vowed to do whatever I could to make sure Josh Stevens received the harshest sentence allowed by the courts.

  “Let’s see the Camaro.”

  Frank opened the garage door, and I flipped the light switch. As I stared at what remained of my car, I felt gut punched again by that maniac. He’d taken everything I had except my and Hanna’s lives, and if my team hadn’t put the pieces together, those would have been next.

  “You know he was going to kill me the next day, don’t you?”

  Frank squeezed my shoulder. “We figured that out. It was the anniversary of the day he began his twenty-year sentence, and he blamed it all on you. I’m sorry we didn’t find you and Hanna earlier, but there was no indication that anyone was in Hanna’s house.”

  I swatted away his comment. “We may be cops, but we’re still mere mortals. You guys followed the clues you had. What counts is that you found us in time. Now let’s go next door so I can pick up my pup.”

  We crossed the lawn to Dean’s house, and I rang the bell. He opened the door and grinned then cautiously embraced me.

  “Bandit is going to go crazy when he sees you, Jesse, but I think you ought to sit on the couch so he doesn’t knock you over.”

  I took a seat and waited as Dean went to the slider and pulled it open. Jackson and Bandit casually entered the house. I grinned at Frank and nodded, then I called out Bandit’s name. He spun, looked around, and saw me. Bandit squealed and, within seconds, was across the room, on my lap, and licking my face.