Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 20

 

 

Glenn took Joey's plate, setting it on the coffee table. “Come here.” When Joey did he put an arm around him, pulling him carefully against his chest. “It’s been a rough couple of days for you.”

 

“For both of us.”

 

“Yeah, but more for you. You’re not used to things like this as much as you think you are.”

 

“But I should be,” Joey protested. “I’m a cop, it… as they say it comes with the territory.”

 

“Not to deny what you said but you’ve only been a cop for a little under three years, in a small town where nothing really happens. That plus the fact you had to shoot someone, I think it’s catching up with you big time now that you’ve had a chance to think about it.”

 

Joey looked up at him. “Was it this bad the first time you killed someone?”

 

“Honest answer?” Joey nodded. “Not really, but then I was taking out one of the men who murdered my parents. All I could think of was getting my revenge.”

 

“Does it ever bother you? No, don’t answer that. I shouldn’t have asked.”

 

“Of course you should have, now that you’ve been through it.” Glenn gently stroked Joey’s hair. “Yes it’s bothered me but to be blunt, very rarely. I couldn’t have done what I did, been what I was, if I’d let it get to me. That sounds cold I know but it’s the way it was.”

 

“And now?”

 

“Now I’m doing it for the right reasons.” Glenn paused before saying. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the kind of man who lives to kill. I’m just very good at what I do. It’s… a talent I suppose. I can’t say I regret what I did in the past, although I probably should. It was a job and I did it, and made out quite well in the process. Damn, I’m beginning to sound like… like some sort of feral animal that should have been put to sleep.”

 

“A bit, yes.” Joey pulled away to look at him. “Sorry if that hit a nerve.”

 

“It did, but it’s still the truth.”

 

“The thing is, it was just a part of you, not the whole you. If it had been, you wouldn’t have helped us when my father showed up.”

 

“A weak moment maybe?”

 

“Not even! You said, later, much later, you’d already cut your ties with the people who would send you jobs. That was before you helped us.”

 

“I was old and tired of living out of suitcases.”

 

“Will you quit!” Joey moved back to rest against his chest. “You’re never going to convince me you were someone evil. I know better. Misguided maybe…”

 

“Misguided?” Glenn laughed. “I sort of like that description.”

 

“You know what I meant.”

 

“Yeah, I do.” Glenn kissed his forehead. “At least I saw the error of my ways so to speak, thanks to you. Now I’m all for truth, justice and the…” He chuckled when Joey clapped his hand over his mouth, pulling it away. “Okay, maybe that was a bit extreme. And how the hell did we get on this anyway?”

 

“Because I asked. I guess I needed to know that what I did was something I could learn to live with.”

 

Glenn cupped his face in his hands. “What you did was necessary. You not only saved my life, you probably saved the lives of all the people he would have been hired to go after had he gotten away. Don’t ever doubt your decision. It was the right one no matter what you may be feeling at the moment.”

 

“I know,” Joey said so softly Glenn could barely hear him. “I really do.”

 

Glenn kissed him gently. “You’ll be fine, I promise. But now I think we should head to bed. We’re both tired and drained and need to get some sleep.”

 

“Yes we do, you especially.” Joey sat back and shuddered. “You’re still wearing that shirt. They should have given you a pair of scrubs or something.”

 

“They offered, but…” Glenn shrugged and stood, holding out his hand. “Come on. You can get me out of my bloody shirt and the rest of it.”

 

“And tuck you into bed because for damned sure that’s all I’ve got the energy for.”

 

“What, you’re not going to ravage the wounded hero?”

 

Joey snorted as they headed to the stairs. “I doubt either of us is in a ‘ravaging’ mood at the moment.”

 

“Around you, I always am, but I think we’ll put it off until we’re well rested.”

 

“That works for me.”

 

                                                                The End

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 19

 

 

Several hours later, well after midnight, Glenn and Joey finally made their escape from the clinic and Chief Leades. The man Joey had shot had no ID on him. The car he’d been using this time had been reported stolen earlier in the day from a town a few miles south of them.

 

While they were at the clinic so Glenn could get checked over and stitched up, Joey went to check on Nate. He was asleep, as was Rory who was in a chair by his bed. Rory work up enough to tell Joey that Nate was going to be released in the morning.

 

“He had a slight concussion which is the only reason they’re keeping him here overnight,” he explained.

 

“Alright. Let him know I stopped by?”

 

“I will.” Rory put his hand over Nate’s, almost protectively before asking why Joey was there at such a late hour. Joey gave him a brief rundown on what had happened. When he finished Rory nodded. “At least we don’t have to worry about his coming after Nate again. That’s a relief.”

 

“I know,” Joey agreed. “Okay, I’ll see you both later I’m sure. Now I have to go get Glenn before he thinks I’ve left without him.”

 

Rory chuckled. “The day you do that is the day the earth stands still.”

 

Laughing, Joey headed back to find Glenn.

 

* * * *

 

Now they were both back at the house. Glenn had wanted to drive back on his own, with Joey following in his car, despite the fact he was dosed up on pain killers. Joey had put his foot down.

 

“Not happening. You’re in no condition to drive no matter what you think, and you know it,” Joey had told him in not uncertain terms.

 

“I would have been fine,” Glenn grumbled fifteen minutes later as he got out of the car.

 

“Probably, but I wasn’t going to take the chance,”

 

Glenn laughed tiredly. “I’ll admit I like that you’re concerned.”

 

“Of course I am!” Joey muttered, unlocking the front door.

 

“I know.” Glenn smiled, patting his shoulder as he followed him in and carefully sat down on the sofa.

 

“Nuh uh, up to bed.”

 

“No supper? We missed it in case you’ve forgotten.”

 

“More like breakfast time now. Don’t move and I’ll see what I can come up with.”

 

He came back twenty minutes later with two plates of eggs, bacon and toast only to find Glenn sprawled across the sofa, asleep. Putting the plates down on the coffee table, Joey carefully removed Glenn’s shoes before going to get a blanket to cover him.

 

When he returned Glenn cracked one eye open. “So where’s my food?”

 

“Right here but you have to sit up because for sure I’m not feeding it to you.”

 

“I’m not feeling the love here,” Glenn wisecracked as he carefully sat up. Joey handed him his plate, frowning when he didn’t start eating. “This is not finger food, well the eggs aren’t at least,” Glenn pointed out.

 

“Ouch, yeah, hang on.” Moments later Joey was back with utensils, and two glasses of milk which he put down before sitting beside Glenn, his plate in his lap. He looked at the food, pushing it around but not taking a bite.

 

“Not hungry?” Glenn asked softly.

 

          Joey shook his head. “Not really I guess.”

 

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 18

 

 

Glenn did as he’d said he would, pulling onto the street then into a space directly in front of the building. As he got out he looked back to see Joey on one knee, ostensibly retying his shoelace. He looked so young and innocent that for a second Glenn was torn between beckoning to him to get back in the car where he’d be safe, or at least safer, or continuing on with their plan. Then common sense prevailed.

 

This ends now, one way or the other.

 

He moved swiftly down the cut-through on the other side of the building from the parking lot. Silently he made his way to the back corner of the lot, his gun now in his hand. As he watched Joey strolling with apparent casualness toward his car, Glenn saw a slight movement in a car parked in a space next to the building. It was just behind Joey’s, only a few feet separating them.

 

Even as he inched his way along the wall, squeezing between it and another parked car, Glenn saw Joey arrive at his car and heard a muttered oath when Joey saw the flat tire. Looking pissed as hell in the dim light; Joey went to the back of his car and opened the trunk.

 

Instantly, but quietly, the door to the car which had caught Glenn’s attention opened. The man must have unscrewed the overhead light because it didn’t come on, not that Joey would have seen it any way from where he was standing.

 

A head appeared above the roof of the car and a voice, low but threatening, said, “Move and you’re dead. Put your hands behind your head.”

 

Joey did as he’d been told.

 

The man stepped into the aisle between the two cars. “Now back toward me. Do not turn around.”

 

Glenn was of two minds, shoot and wake the neighborhood or just capture the man and deal with him in a more remote spot later. Common sense prevailed, again. He slid around the back of his car, coming up behind him.

 

“I think you’re the one who should put their hands behind their head, after dropping you gun,” he said menacingly as he pressed his gun to the man’s back.

 

Joey spun around, reached for his gun and pointed it at the man’s chest. “Do as he says, please.”

 

Glenn would have laughed at Joey’s politeness if he’d had it in him at the moment. “I said, hands behind your head, and then turn around, slowly,” he ordered.

 

The man turned, but not slowly. He whipped around and fired, the bullet cutting a line across Glenn’s side as he twisted to avoid being shot. Before the man could get off a second shot, Joey fired. His shot hit home and the man dropped to the ground, still clutching his gun in his dead hand.

 

Joey was beside Glenn seconds later. “How bad?” he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.

 

“A flesh wound, nothing more.” He holstered his gun before asking, “How are you doing?”

 

“I’m…” Joey looked at the dead man at their feet. “I killed him,” he whispered, then turned, bent over and threw up.

 

Glenn rested his hand on Joey’s back in commiseration. “The first one’s always the worst.”

 

Shaking, Joey straightened, his face pale. “I guess…I should call this in.”

 

“Might be a good idea although they probably heard shots fired since we’re less than half a block from the station.”

 

“But still…” Joey called it in anyway, his hands trembling as he punched in the number. When the dispatcher answered he told her he’d shot the man who had kidnapped Nate, gave her the location and hung up.

 

Glenn wrapped his arms around him finally, ignoring the pain in his side. “You might not think so right now but you did good.”

 

“I guess.” Joey shivered, resting his head on Glenn’s shoulder. “I just… I never ever want to have to do that again.”

 

“Chances are you won’t. It’s not like you get a lot of killers coming to town.”

 

Shuddering, Joey took a deep breath before pulling back. “What do we tell them?”

 

“Simple. We got to your car, you saw the flat and went to get the spare. The man appeared out of nowhere, pointed his gun at us, said something about you screwing up his plans when you found Nate and then fired. Heroically…” Glenn grinned, “I stepped in the way, he hit me and you shot him.” 

 

“I guess that works.”

 

“Let’s hope, because we’re about to have a lot of company.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 17

 

 

“Stay here, don’t get out,” Glenn said fiercely as he pulled the car to a stop across the street from the lot where Joey had parked his car earlier that day. He reached under the seat, coming up with his Ruger 22/45 in its holster, and the scope for it. After attaching the scope he holstered the gun again, clipping it to his belt.

 

“Hand me my blade.”

 

Joey flipped open the glove compartment, slid aside a panel and took out the sheathed knife. Glenn strapped it to his forearm and pulled down his sleeve.

 

“There’s another gun under your seat. Get it out just in case.”

 

“Mind telling me what’s going on?”

 

“Look at your car.”

 

“Yeah, and? Oh shit.” He realized it was listing slightly and knew one tire was flat.

 

“Oh shit is right. You might just have picked up a nail but it’s doubtful, all things considered. I’m betting he knows about you and that you’re connected to me. He’s moved faster than I expected.”

 

“He might have seen us together, yesterday in the cut-though when we were checking the roof or when you picked me up tonight.”

 

“Either way it looks like he was planning on grabbing you for bait, so wait here.”

 

“Which would make me a sitting duck. Nope, I’m coming with.” Joey got out the gun, finding it was a match to Glenn’s, checked it thoroughly which earned him an approving nod from Glenn, then stuck it at the back of his slacks under his jacket. “How are we going to play this? He has to be watching somewhere.”

 

Glenn agreed. “Best bet, he’s in one of the other cars there. Too bad he isn’t driving the Ranchero; he’d be easy to spot.”

 

“We should be so lucky.” Joey looked at the cars closest to his. Some he recognized immediately, but there were three which could have belonged to any number of people in town, or to the hitman, they were so generic. Unfortunately it was too dark to see the license plates so he couldn’t make a determination as to who’s they might be. 

 

“There’s a good chance he saw us drive up so pretend to kiss me.”

 

“And then?” Joey moved closer, turning enough to shield the fact they were talking.

 

Glenn frowned, obviously running through possible scenarios. While he did Joey put one hand at the back of his head, shifting slightly to try to explain why they were still in that position.

 

“Okay, given where we are I only have to pull the car a few feet forward and I’ll be out of sight from the lot. Get out and then stand as if you were watching me drive away. Give me time to park and get out before you head to your car. Do something to stall like…”

 

“Bend and tie my shoelace.”

 

“That’ll work. Stay well away from the building just in case we’re wrong about where he’d hiding.”

 

“All right. Say when.”

 

Glenn took a deep breath. “Now.”

 

          Joey paused just long enough to actually kiss Glenn and then he was out of the car.

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 16

 

 

Joey leaned back on his hands, staring up at the darkening sky. “He won’t come marching up to the door.”

 

“No shit. He won’t even come up the lane unless he’s totally lost his mind.”  

 

“But we have to lure him to where we want him.” Joey sat up as something occurred to him. “I’m calling in sick until this is over.”

 

Glenn laughed. “That was my plan originally, only it was your mom who was going to be sick so you had to take over for her.”

 

“Dumb plan.”

 

“It would have worked.”

 

“As if. I’m not stupid. Man in town hunting for you, mom ‘conveniently’ getting sick, I’d have figured it out before the words got out of her mouth.”

 

“Yeah, probably.”

 

“Definitely.”

 

‘Well I had to try, being me.”

 

Joey shook his head. “Next time… Don’t.”

 

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time, but just in case I think I know better now.”

 

“Fast learner, I like that.”

 

“Smart ass.” Glenn grinned, then sobered. Picking up a stick he began drawing the outline of the house in the dirt, added a wriggly line to represent the trees surrounding it, and another for the lane. “The house itself is well protected, the perimeter, not so much.”

 

“And there’s no time to change that.”

 

“So we use it to our advantage.”

 

“How?”

 

“We make it look as if one of the perimeter motion-sensors has bitten the dust, one which will lead him in where we want him.”

 

“Come on, won’t he suspect it’s a trap of some kind?”

 

“That’s the beauty of it, he will. And if he’s anything like me he’ll go to the other side, as far away from it as possible, disable a sensor and make his way to the house from there.”

 

“Big ‘if’ you know.”

 

“Of course, but we have to figure he thinks the way a halfway decent hitman should. I know I keep calling him stupid but he can’t be as dumb as he’s seemed so far. No one would send an idiot after me.”

 

Joey smiled a bit at the ego behind that statement but he knew it was the truth nonetheless. Still… “We don’t know who sent him, an ex-rival or some who hates you for killing a family member.”

 

“It can’t be the latter. There’s no way they could know it was me.”

 

“You found the ones who killed your parents.”

 

“That was different, I had connections.”

 

“Glenn,” Joey growled, “if you did, someone else could too so don’t discount what I said out of hand.” He rubbed his fingers over his forehead. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound the way it did.”

 

“Not a problem.” Glenn went back to the diagram he’d drawn in the dirt. “We’re better off getting him to come this way. I’ll have a clearer shot from the roof.”

 

“The roof?”

 

“Yeah, where else?” 

 

“You’re just going to take him out without finding out who sent him?”

 

“What, you want me to capture and torture him? Because that’s the only way he’d give me that information.”

 

“Well… no.” Joey chewed his lip, turning away from the tight anger in Glenn’s voice. He heard a sigh then Glenn’s arms went around him.

 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have barked at you.”

 

Joey leaned into his hold. “We’re both tense.”

 

“It’s still no reason…”

 

“Shush.” Joey made certain he did by kissing him. “You’re forgiven. Maybe we should leave here though? It’s almost dark.”

 

“Good idea.” Glenn stood, pulling Joey up after him. “We’ll finish our plans when we get home.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 15

 

 

“Thank you. It’s not like I don’t know you have a strong protective streak so it doesn’t really surprise me, and I bet it was mom who changed your mind,” Joey said.

 

“She laid out what I already knew but wasn’t willing to admit in this particular case. You’re an adult, you know you job, and you are half of our partnership. You should be allowed to make your own decision on whether you want to be involved in what might, or might not, happen.”

 

“At least you knew it,” Joey replied somewhat acidly.

 

Glenn winced. “Yeah, I know. I was being stupid.”

 

“No, you were being ‘you’.” Joey moved closer so he could hug him. “I should be pissed, you’re right, but honestly I’m not. Well, not too much anyway.”

 

Glenn took the opportunity to give him a kiss before he explained what he’d done. Joey listened, nodding occasionally, until Glenn was finished.

 

“What makes you think he’s going to come after you at the house? Why wouldn’t he just take you out in town?”

 

“First off, other than dropping you back at your car, I don’t intend to go to town again until this is over.”

 

“But that’s presupposing it is you he’s after. If it’s someone else he’ll just hit and run.”

 

“The more I’ve thought about it the more I’m certain it's me for that very reason. He might or might not know Nate was found, but either way it would’ve behooved him to make the hit as soon as he stashed him, or this morning if he needed time to get to wherever he planned on doing it. Make sense?”

 

“Yes. But by that same logic you were in town today so why didn’t take his chances then?”

 

“I’m not some civilian wandering around with my head up my ass. I was well aware of my surroundings and made damned good and sure he wouldn’t have the chance.”

 

“Yeah, right. You were waiting outside the station house when I got off.”

 

“And where was I?”

 

Joey thought about it. “Leaning against one of the pillars, facing the door, so he’d have had to walk up to you in order to get in a good shot.”

 

“Exactly. And I moved you to the car as fast as you’d let me. God’s, sometimes your stubbornness drives me crazy.”

 

“Well like I said…”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, with feelers out, and very publicly, that I’m looking for the Ranchero, I’m hoping he gets wind of it. That also gives him my name.” When Joey growled under his breath, Glenn patted his knee. “That’s the whole idea. He has to know it so he can ask about me when I don’t show up in town. He’ll find out where the house is and, God willing, come after me there.”

 

“It could be a day or two before he does. It’ll take that long for him to figure out you’re holed up there.”

 

“Possibly. Then again if he asks the right questions he’ll know my being in town at all is a rarity.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 14

 

 

Glenn was waiting outside the station house when Joey got off his shift. Joey instantly panicked because Glenn had never done that before. But if it was an emergency he’d have called he told himself. It didn’t really help. Glenn must have seen it in his face because he pulled Joey into a hard hug.

 

Joey leaned back to look at him in shock. “What are you doing?”

 

“Just letting you know you’re part of my life everywhere, not just when no one’s looking. Does it bother you?”

 

“Hell no!” Joey grinned. “And in case you haven’t picked up on it, which maybe you didn’t because you don’t come into town that much, it’s not really a secret anyway. But…”

 

Glenn cocked an eyebrow when Joey paused.

 

“I have the sneaking suspicion there’s more to this than just proving I’m yours, and vice versa.”

 

“Aren’t you the clever young man.”

 

“Occasionally.”

 

“Usually.” Glenn slid his arm around Joey’s waist, hustling to his car. When Joey balked, pointing out he’s brought his own car, Glenn nodded. “And we’ll come back for it later.”

 

“So what’s going on that we can’t talk about at home, which I suspect it the reason you’re kidnapping me.”

 

“I’ll tell you when we get where we’re going.”

 

Knowing he’d get nothing more until Glenn was ready, Joey got into the car. When they headed out of town he was doubly puzzled, but still didn’t ask until Glenn pulled off the road onto a narrow lane much like the one leading up to their house. This lane however ended at a small grassy area with a stream running through it.

 

“We’re having a picnic,” Joey quipped as they got out of the car.

 

Glenn chuckled as he led the way to the edge of the stream. “Nope, but only because it didn’t occur to me.”

 

“Either you’re feeling romantic, or this is going to be a very serious discussion and you don’t want anyone overhearing it.”

 

“The latter I’m afraid.” Glenn sat, waiting for Joey to join him. “Okay, first off you’re not to get pissed at me.”

 

“Not an auspicious start. What did you do, or not do, or are planning on doing that would piss me off.”

 

“Two things. First I’ve done all I can to make the hitman come after me on my terms, which means drawing him to the house if I’m lucky.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Joey nodded. “And I can guess the second thing. You were planning on making sure I was out of the picture when that happened.”

 

“I was, until I talked to a very smart woman who pointed out I was being stupid.” Glenn smiled, though barely. “I wasn’t going to tell you the second part since I’d changed my mind, but I knew I owed it to both of us to be honest about it.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 13

 

 

“You want me to what?” Joey’s mother, Miriam, stared at Glenn as if he’d lost what few marbles he had left.

 

“I want you to get sick. So sick you can’t go into work. That way Joey will have to step in since he knows how to run the coffeehouse almost as well as you do. Mary can take days like always, he can take evenings after he gets off his shift.”

 

“Glenn,” Miriam growled, “pardon my English but what the hell is going on?”

 

“It has to do with what happened to Nate. You have heard he was found I hope.”

 

“Yes, Joey called me. Probably right after calling you.”

 

Glenn chuckled. “Or before.”

 

“I doubt it. Now, tell me why you want to keep him busy, although I’ve got a feeling I can guess and I don’t like the idea.”

 

“I want to keep him safe. I think, in fact I’m pretty certain, the man who took Nate is a hired killer. I talked to Harv and he says as far as he knows no one in town has any sort of real grudge against anyone else. Would you agree?”

 

Miriam didn’t reply immediately. Instead, from the look on her face she was giving his question serious consideration. Finally she nodded. “People are people, they get angry with each other sometimes, but I can’t think of anyone who would go so far as to hire someone to kill the person they’re upset with.”

 

“I thought as much. And yet the man is here for a reason.”

 

“Glenn, how would he know where to find you, because I think that’s what you’re saying, or implying?”

 

“As I told Joey, nothing is written in stone. I’ve done the best that’s humanly possible to keep my presence here a secret from anyone who might be looking for me. Even the people I work for now don’t know, other than the man I report to. And no one knows my real name outside of this town other than him. If I had my way only your family would know but that’s not possible, obviously. To the rest of the world I’m someone else. Several someone else’s actually.”

 

“But you still think this man is here because of you.”

 

“I do, which is why I want Joey down here where it’s safe, or at least safer. Harv’s letting it out that I’m interested in finding where the perp got the car he used to kidnap Nate, since I’d be willing to bet he stole it from around here. Again that’s just a supposition but a logical one. I want my name linked to the search for him in a way that makes him able to find out where I live. My guess is all he has is a description and nothing more than that. And he’d have to have gotten that from one of the very few people I used as middle men back when.”

 

“You guess, you suppose, you think, but you don’t know.”

 

“No, Miriam, I don’t know. I do know there’s a hitman out there looking for someone and I intend to stop him before he kills them.”

 

“So whether it’s you or… who knows who, you’re making yourself the target.”

 

“That’s the plan.”

 

With a sharp shake of her head she said. “Glenn, if you keep Joey out of this, if you try to protect him, you’re going to do so much damage to your relationship…” She sighed deeply. “He is not a kid any more. He’s a trained peace officer who knows what he’s doing. If you treat him like a kid you’ll be right back to where this all began, with his thinking that you think he’s too young, too naïve to be trusted. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

 

“But damn it, Miriam, if he gets hurt…”   

 

“He could get hurt breaking up a bar fight, or stepping in to stop a robbery. It’s all part of what he is, of what he does. This is no different. A potential killer has to be caught. That’s his job as much as it is yours, if for different reasons. Don’t deny him the right to be by your side when you do this. Not if you really care about him as a person as well as someone you love.”

 

Glenn scrubbed a hand through his hair then paced across her office to the window, staring out at the blank wall across the alley. She’s right, but… He turned when he felt her hand on his shoulder.

 

“Two heads are better than one,” she told him softly.

 

“I know, I know. Alright, I’ll talk to him and tell him what I’m planning and let him make his own decision.”

 

“You know what it will be.”

 

“Yeah I do, damn it!”

 

Miriam chuckled. “He’s stubborn, just like you.”

 

“Worse than me. He believed in us when I didn’t and made it happen.”

 

“And you don’t regret one second of it.”

 

Glenn smiled. “Not even, not ever.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 12

 

 

“Thank goodness. That’s one less thing to worry about,” Glenn said when Joey called to let him know Nate had been found and was going to be alright. “Did he see the perp?”

 

“No. He said he glanced up from where he was standing in the street and saw something on the edge of the parapet that looked like a rifle barrel to him, just like we thought. He was going to sneak up the stairs to the roof to see who was there but the perp must have seen or heard him because he surprised Nate at the bottom of the stairs, hit him over the head and that’s the last he remembers until he came to in the basement. He tied him up ‘like a Christmas turkey’ according to Nate, and left him in the dark. He tried to get to his phone but couldn’t so he just lay there and hoped someone would find him before he starved to death.”

 

“Okay, so I’m still working blind.”

 

“Glenn, this isn’t your job. Now that we know Nate’s safe the chief’s got us all on the lookout for the man with the Ranchero. He’s sending some of the guys back to checking the rest of the vacant properties outside of town.”

 

“Joey, this is anyone’s job that has the skills and the know-how, and I’m one of them,” Glenn retorted.

 

“Yeah, but…”

 

“I’ll be fine.” He paused for a second. “You did good. I’m proud of you.” Before Joey could reply he hung up and then turned his phone off.

 

So either you’ve been in town for at least a few days, to know that house was empty at the moment, or you’re working for someone here in town. I’m betting it’s the former.

 

He wasn’t certain why he thought that, mostly instinct he figured. If the man had been around for a few days he’d have cased the area for a safe place to go to ground until he’d finished the job. Obviously he wasn’t staying at the house where he’d left Nate. From what Joey had said the cops went through the place and found nothing to say he’d done more than dump Nate there.

 

For sure you didn’t drive around after you took him looking for a vacant house. You headed straight there, got rid of him and then… Where did you hide the car? Not too far away I’m betting. It’s too distinctive. Why the hell did you...?

 

Glenn snapped his fingers. Stupid, stupid. Turning his phone on again he called Harv.

 

“You’ve got the in,” he said as soon as Harv answered. “You said you’d never seen the Ranchero before, but what if someone had it stashed away. You know, like working on it, or just some relic from their past?”

 

“Possible…” Harv replied slowly. “It’s more likely someone had it in their garage, just storing it. If they were working on it they’d have noticed it was missing. I’ll make a couple of calls and see what I come up with. You want me to tell Chief Leades what I’m doing?”

 

“No. I want the word to sort of leak out that I’m the one interested in the information, not the cops.”

 

“Hang on a second. You taking this on on your own?”

 

“Yes. My gut says this guy’s after me. I want to draw him to the house, not have him taking potshots at me here in town where other people might get hurt. If he knows I’m getting close, hopefully he’ll do his best to find out where I’m living.”

 

“What makes you think he doesn’t know already?”

 

“If he did he’d have already shown up there. I suspect whoever sent him knows my general location but that’s it. Our perp could have been in and out of a lot of the towns around here before he hit on this one. Chances are he got lucky and saw me when I came into town a couple of days ago and now he’s winging it more or less.”

 

“Joey’s going to kill you when he finds out you’re going all ‘lone wolf’ on this.”

 

“Hopefully he won’t know until after it’s over.”

 

“Right,” Harv said with a small chuckle. “Okay, I send out feelers and make it unobviously obvious you’re behind them.”

 

“Thanks, Harv.”

 

Now I have to figure out how to get Joey out of the house long enough to make this work. And that is going to be the biggest problem of all.

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 11

 

 

“Ready?” Eck asked, taking the keys when Joey handed them to him.

 

Joey nodded, standing to the side of the front door while Eck unlocked it, his gun to his side. Two more deputies were stationed behind the house. He wondered if they felt as nervous as he did. Probably not. They’ve been cops for a lot longer than I have.

 

Eck inched the door open first, then shoved it the rest of the way, dropping to one knee, his gun at the ready. Silence greeted them and Joey felt foolish. Then they heard a muffled sound which seemed to come from the basement.

 

“There,” Eck mouthed, pointing to a door they could barely see through the arch to the kitchen.

 

They inched forward, the crepe soles of their shoes silent on the linoleum of the kitchen floor. When they reached the door Eck tested the handle then opened it slowly. With no lights on, they could barely see the flight of stairs leading down.

 

Eck signaled for Joey to stay where he was and then, testing each step, he went down to the basement. Joey’s finger tightened on the trigger of his gun. He forced himself to relax even as he waited tensely, certain that at any second he’d hear gun shots.

 

Instead, a few minutes later, Eck called out, “Found him. He’s alive.”

 

Somehow that didn’t ease Joey’s fears as he raced down the stairs, almost tripping over the last of them, realizing as he did he should have turned on the light. Alive doesn’t mean he’s alright.

 

He saw an open door to the right, a dim light showing. Taking a deep breath he entered what looked like a small storage room. Eck was kneeing over a prone form, hiding most of it from Joey’s sight.

 

“Call it in, and get an ambulance out here.”

 

Stepping to the side so he could see, even as he made the call, Joey sighed with relief. Nate looked like hell, blood caking his hair and one temple, but his eyes were open and when he saw Joey he smiled weakly.

 

“Remind me next time I get nosy to ignore my instincts to see what’s going on,” Nate murmured.

 

Joey chuckled. “I have the feeling Rory’s going to tell you that more times than you want to hear it.”

 

By then Eck cut had the ropes binding Nate’s wrists and ankles. When Nate tried to sit up Eck put a firm hand on his shoulder to stop him. “You don’t move until the EMTs tell you it’s okay. Got it?”

 

“Can he talk?” Joey asked, kneeling down beside Eck, brushing Nate’s hair back off his forehead as much as the dried blood would allow.

 

“Depends. If you want him to tell us what happened, no. I think that should wait until the bigwigs are around to take his statement.”

 

“Alright. I just wanted to know,” Joey looked at Nate, “did you see who did this to you.”

 

“No.”

 

“That answer’s that.”

 

There was the sound of sirens and moments later the EMTs came down, turning on the lights on the way. After checking Nate over they loaded him on a stretcher and got him upstairs and into the ambulance to take him to the clinic. Once there, the doctors would make a decision whether he needed to be transported to the county hospital in the next town.

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 10

 

 

“Any word?” Harv asked, looking up from his desk when Glenn walked into the office at his garage.

 

“Not that I know of, no.” Glenn leaned against the edge of the desk, glancing out the window across from him at the interior of the auto repair shop. “Have you heard anything?”

 

“Not ace-duce and trust me I’ve been keeping my ears open. Nate’s disappearance is the prime topic of conversation but no one has mentioned seeing anything out of the ordinary.” Harv chuckled. “Believe me if they had they’d have said something. Nobody’s happy about the idea he could have been kidnapped, or worse. We don’t get things like that happening around here. Well except the thing with Joey’s father and that was almost three years ago.”

 

Glenn nodded, his thoughts going back to where he’d set up surveillance if he was here on a job. So far, and he’d only walked half the downtown area, he hadn’t spotted anywhere he’d even consider using except the rooftops.

 

As the silence lengthened, Harv shoved the bills he’d been working on into a pile and stood up. “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s got you off in the stratosphere. I’ll leave you to it.”

 

“No, wait. I need to know if there’s anyone in town who might be holding a grudge against someone else. One bad enough they’d act on it if they thought they could get away with it.”

 

Dropping down in the chair again, Harv shrugged. “This is a small town so most everyone gets along pretty well on the whole. Yeah there’re spats sometimes but nothing major.”

 

“Such as?”

 

“The usual. Someone’s dog making a nuisance of itself and the owner doing nothing about it, a neighbor cutting a limb off a tree where it’s hanging over his fence. Mr. Hawkins down the street had two kids arrested for shoplifting. That didn’t sit too well with their parents. They though he should have come to them first.”

 

Glenn smiled slightly. “Typical small stuff, and nothing more major than that?”

 

“Not that I’ve heard, and I would have I think. You can always check with Miriam. She might know something I don’t. Doubtful, but…” He grinned.

 

“Yeah, I will.” Glenn pushed off the desk. “Thanks and…”

 

“If I hear anything you and Chief Leades will be the first to know.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 9

 

 

Joey drove slowly, keeping his eyes open for anything out of the norm. He might only have been a cop for a couple of years, and a small town one at that, but after living with Glenn for the past six months he had some idea of what he should be looking for.

 

Not that I’ll find anything, but it doesn’t hurt to be even more aware of the surroundings than I usually am.

 

He really wished he’d been sent out with the searchers to check the vacant buildings outside of town. At least then he’d have felt a bit more useful.

 

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Think about what Nate’s going through.

 

He slowed in front of one house where he knew the owners were on vacation and scanned it carefully to be certain no one had tried to take advantage of the fact and break in.

 

Hell, that’s something we never considered.

 

Getting on the radio immediately to tell Chief Leades, he shook his head when the man told him to check on the houses of the other residents who had left notice with the department they would be out of town. 

 

That’s what I get for opening my big mouth, he thought in amusement.

 

He was about to drive on to the next one when it occurred to him a man with even half the skills Glenn had would know how to break in without leaving any evidence. Pulling into the driveway, he got out and did a more thorough check, walking slowly around the house, looking for anything which said someone might be inside. Satisfied no one was he went back to the car and headed to the next one on the list.

 

Six homes later and he decided it was a wild goose chase. Every one of them was, as far as he could tell, empty.

 

But… what if...?

 

He started over again, needing to canvass neighbors on all sides of each house in question to see if any of them had noticed anything out of the ordinary.  

 

On his third stop he hit possible paydirt. The older couple who lived next door said they were night owls. The man had stepped out into his yard for, as he put it, ‘a breath of fresh air’ and thought he’d seen the curtains moving in the house in question.

 

“I put it down to maybe they forgot to close the window all the way,” he said, “and forgot about it until just now.” 

 

Of course Joey knew all the windows were closed. That was one of the first things even a rookie would have checked. He thanked the man and called in to report to the chief.

 

“We have a set of keys,” the woman told him when he’d hung up. “In case of emergencies you know. The Reynolds are our age so we sort of keep an eye on each other when we’re all home.”

 

When he asked, she went to get them, and then he went back to his car to wait for backup.