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Authors: Thomas DePrima
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back. I'll watch him and let you know where he goes. Call me as soon as you're ready to move in and I'll give you an update."
"Where are you, Colt?"
"Not too far away, but I can only help with the spotting."
I gave him directions to the house and then sat down to watch events play out.
My cell phone rang when Vinny was ready. I told him the skip was still watching television on the second floor, unaware of what was about to take place. Vinny was wearing a Bluetooth headset phone and would be in constant contact.
As the four enforcement agents busted in the downstairs door, Smith leapt up from the sofa.
"Smith is up," I said into the phone. "He's got a double-barrel break-action shotgun aimed at the door of the apartment." I wished I had a second device so I could see what was going on in the hallway. Rather than moving the image, I continued to watch Smith.
"We're on the second floor," Vinny said. "Is he still here?"
"Yes. Be careful. He's still pointing the shotgun at the apartment door." I moved the event window quickly to the hallway.
The situation was tense as Vinny stood to one side and banged on the door with a broom handle, calling for Smith to come out. I could hear because of the cell phone connection. It was a standoff. The enforcement agents didn't want to move in and get shot, and Smith didn't appear predisposed to surrendering. The situation changed quickly when Vinny used the broom handle to shake the doorknob. Believing someone was standing in front of the door, Smith fired both barrels, blowing a large hole in the center of the door and shattering the broom handle.
I quickly moved the window back into the room. "He's empty," I said, "but he's trying to reload."
As soon as they knew the gun was temporarily empty, one of the enforcement men kicked in the door. Smith dropped the shells he had been fumbling to get into the barrels and swung the shotgun at the head of the nearest man. He missed as the enforcement agent ducked, and he didn't get another try. The four men were on him in a second. After a short struggle, Smith was down and handcuffed.
With the excitement over, Vinny said into the headset, "Colt?"
"Yeah Vinny, I'm here. Good work."
"Thanks for the information about the shotgun. Where are you watching from?"
"I'm not too far away. Glad I could help. Good job, Vinny. Tell Mr. Harris I'll be down to see him tomorrow."
"Will do, Colt. Thanks again."
I turned off the cell phone. As Vinny and his men dragged Smith down the front stairs outside the house, the police arrived, no doubt in response to a call about the shotgun blast. As curious people began appearing from neighboring homes, Vinny showed the uniformed cop a badge in his wallet and a copy of the paperwork from the court. After the cop filled out a report, the four enforcement agents were permitted to take Smith to the station house and turn him over. As a known flight risk, the court wouldn't be setting bail again.
I had just earned a thousand dollars for a few hours' work. I felt like dancing around my flat.
* * *
I arrived at the bail bond office a little before nine the next morning. The woman at the counter buzzed me through without my having to say anything. I walked to Harris' office, knocked once, and entered.
"Good morning, Mr. Harris."
"Morning, James. I have to admit you surprised me yesterday. How did you find Smith so quickly?"
"Just a matter of knowing where to look and who to pay for information."
"I see. Well, I can't argue with success. Here's your money," Harris said, handing me an envelope.
I opened it and counted the fifties. "It seems to be a bit light. There's only five hundred here."
"That's what we agreed on. Fifty percent for you and fifty for the men I had to send for the pickup."
"My share was supposed to be a thousand."
"No, a thousand was the entire bounty."
"You said, 'Find him before Thursday and you get a grand for your effort.' I expect another five hundred."
"You misunderstood."
I
"Where are you, Colt?"
"Not too far away, but I can only help with the spotting."
I gave him directions to the house and then sat down to watch events play out.
My cell phone rang when Vinny was ready. I told him the skip was still watching television on the second floor, unaware of what was about to take place. Vinny was wearing a Bluetooth headset phone and would be in constant contact.
As the four enforcement agents busted in the downstairs door, Smith leapt up from the sofa.
"Smith is up," I said into the phone. "He's got a double-barrel break-action shotgun aimed at the door of the apartment." I wished I had a second device so I could see what was going on in the hallway. Rather than moving the image, I continued to watch Smith.
"We're on the second floor," Vinny said. "Is he still here?"
"Yes. Be careful. He's still pointing the shotgun at the apartment door." I moved the event window quickly to the hallway.
The situation was tense as Vinny stood to one side and banged on the door with a broom handle, calling for Smith to come out. I could hear because of the cell phone connection. It was a standoff. The enforcement agents didn't want to move in and get shot, and Smith didn't appear predisposed to surrendering. The situation changed quickly when Vinny used the broom handle to shake the doorknob. Believing someone was standing in front of the door, Smith fired both barrels, blowing a large hole in the center of the door and shattering the broom handle.
I quickly moved the window back into the room. "He's empty," I said, "but he's trying to reload."
As soon as they knew the gun was temporarily empty, one of the enforcement men kicked in the door. Smith dropped the shells he had been fumbling to get into the barrels and swung the shotgun at the head of the nearest man. He missed as the enforcement agent ducked, and he didn't get another try. The four men were on him in a second. After a short struggle, Smith was down and handcuffed.
With the excitement over, Vinny said into the headset, "Colt?"
"Yeah Vinny, I'm here. Good work."
"Thanks for the information about the shotgun. Where are you watching from?"
"I'm not too far away. Glad I could help. Good job, Vinny. Tell Mr. Harris I'll be down to see him tomorrow."
"Will do, Colt. Thanks again."
I turned off the cell phone. As Vinny and his men dragged Smith down the front stairs outside the house, the police arrived, no doubt in response to a call about the shotgun blast. As curious people began appearing from neighboring homes, Vinny showed the uniformed cop a badge in his wallet and a copy of the paperwork from the court. After the cop filled out a report, the four enforcement agents were permitted to take Smith to the station house and turn him over. As a known flight risk, the court wouldn't be setting bail again.
I had just earned a thousand dollars for a few hours' work. I felt like dancing around my flat.
* * *
I arrived at the bail bond office a little before nine the next morning. The woman at the counter buzzed me through without my having to say anything. I walked to Harris' office, knocked once, and entered.
"Good morning, Mr. Harris."
"Morning, James. I have to admit you surprised me yesterday. How did you find Smith so quickly?"
"Just a matter of knowing where to look and who to pay for information."
"I see. Well, I can't argue with success. Here's your money," Harris said, handing me an envelope.
I opened it and counted the fifties. "It seems to be a bit light. There's only five hundred here."
"That's what we agreed on. Fifty percent for you and fifty for the men I had to send for the pickup."
"My share was supposed to be a thousand."
"No, a thousand was the entire bounty."
"You said, 'Find him before Thursday and you get a grand for your effort.' I expect another five hundred."
"You misunderstood."
I
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