Guardian Angels – An Interesting Life (9)

Paddy knew the moment trouble arrived, even before Evan's comment. But then, that was his job. He left the house with Dom right behind him, heading to one of the windows on the north side.

"Not the brightest bulbs in the pack," Dom commented, as they moved in on the pair of men who were just inching the window up.

"Or they have no clue who owns the house and what he does," Paddy replied. He walked silently up behind the larger of the men, which considering what Paddy was, was no problem. He never made noise when he moved, unless he wanted to. At the moment, he didn't. He grinned when he saw the man was carrying a gun tucked into the back of his waistband. Sorry to do this to you. Not. He pulled the gun free and hit the man sharply on the temple, smiling wickedly when he collapsed on the ground without making a sound. Tossing the gun into the shadows under a low bush beneath the window, he turned to check on Dom.

Dom had been more subtle. He'd wrapped his arm around the other man's throat until he passed out from lack of air.

"Leave them here?"

"Nope, but we have to move fast," Paddy replied, hearing footsteps approaching from both inside and outside the house. "The garage." Instantly the angels and their two captives were gone. As soon as they were in Evan's garage, Paddy dropped his prisoner. "We need somewhere better to hide them while we have a long heart-to-heart about who hired them."

"I saw a house at the end of the block with a 'For Sale' sign."

"That should work, but let me check it out." Paddy left their captives in Dom's capable hands while he went to scout out the house. When he returned, he said, "It'll do."

Transporting the men there only took a couple of moments, which was a good thing, as the one Dom had choked was beginning to regain consciousness.

"Restraints?"

"No problem." Paddy stripped his man of his shirt, tore it into strips and used it to bind his arms and legs. With what was left, he gagged him. Dom got the picture and did the same with his guy.

Then they set to work.

* * * *

"It's obvious someone was here. Why the hell did they run?" Evan asked, when Vic joined him outside.

"Especially since at least one of them was armed," Vic said, pointing to a pistol barely visible under the bush by the window.

Evan bent to pick it up with his fingertips, being careful to hold it by the barrel. "In case there's fingerprints," he said.

"Planning on calling in the cops?"

Evan glanced at Vic. "We should, but no. I get you'd rather keep this between the two of us for now."

"Yeah, since one of the men who might be the blackmailer is a police detective with strong ties to the NRA."

"Ah, finally an explanation for your reluctance to involve them."

Vic smiled slightly. "You thought I was trying to play Lone Ranger?"

"Once I decided you weren't a wanted criminal—yes."