I would sure like to talk to him.” And if they did, he wouldn’t live to be arrested. He certainly wouldn’t live to cut a deal with the DA.
Since there was little reason to linger, the group broke up shortly after. Juan and Jack walked out together but Jonas left alone. Johnny’s gaze followed him. “Who brought him into the squad anyway?” His gaze shifted to Hans. “Was he one of yours?”
The older man shook his head. He still had a full head of wavy gray hair, of which he was ridiculously vain. “He was one of Sean’s boys, wasn’t he?”
“Must’ve been.” They’d all been recruited over twenty years ago by either Sean or Hans. “Never did like him.”
“You never liked him because he’s good-looking and women dropped their panties for him. Still do.” Hans tried to get the bartender’s attention. After throwing them glowering looks for the duration, he was now studiously avoiding looking their way.
“Reason enough. But he nags like an old lady. I’m telling you, he’s a weak link.”
Hans looked at him, a frown settling on his creased face. “Will you give it up? He’s nervy. Who the hell isn’t? With Giovanni buying it, I’m gonna sleep with the light on myself.” He waited expectantly, but Johnny wasn’t in the laughing mood.
“Jonas had a point. You and me have focused on one of our various partners being behind this, but you know what a stretch that is. These hits take a coordinated effort, and there’s no coordination behind our different suppliers.”
“What’re you saying?”
Johnny hesitated. It was one thing to think it, another to say it aloud. But he trusted this man, as much as he trusted anyone. And he needed to hear Hans’s reaction to his idea. “Maybe we’re overlooking the obvious. Seems to me the only ones who know who all’s in the John Squad are its members.”
He’d have felt better if Hans had blown off his idea. Talked him down, tried to point out how it couldn’t be betrayal. Couldn’t be one of them. Instead the man pursed his lips. Gave a slow nod.
“It’d be stupid not to at least consider the idea. When’s the last time you talked to Sean or Johnson?”
Johnny lifted a shoulder. “Talked to Sean last year, I think. Haven’t talked to Johnson since he retired and moved away.” Both the men had retired to sunnier locales, one to Florida and the other to California, two and three years ago respectively.
“Let’s check in.” Finally the bartender deigned to leave the bar and approach them with two bottles of beer. He delivered them with plenty of attitude, but he’d remembered their brands, which meant Johnny wasn’t going to be required to do any ass kicking before he left here. They went silent until he’d sauntered back to the bar. “They should be careful, too, until this bastard is found. And maybe one of them will have an idea on this guy’s identity. And whether we should be looking close to home or farther out.”
“Then again, Sean might be the reason for these murders. He made a helluva lot of enemies in his time on the job.”
“Made a lot of friends, too.” Hans took a drink and then regarded Johnny over the top of his bottle. “Some of them in high places. Can’t hurt, especially if one of them ends up having ties to someone on the task force.” Neither of them questioned whether a task force would be formed. Three dead cops, even if one of them had been retired, were going to bring a helluva scrutiny to the case. Which could be both a blessing and a curse. “Be nice to have a friendly ear close to the investigation. Might get lucky.”
Johnny took a drink and nodded. “The way things are going, we’re gonna need all the luck we can get.”
It was after midnight when Nate let himself into the house. He stood inside the door for a moment, working the tight muscles in his neck. Fatigue was edging in, but he knew from experience he needed to unwind before even trying to sleep, regardless of the hour. He
Since there was little reason to linger, the group broke up shortly after. Juan and Jack walked out together but Jonas left alone. Johnny’s gaze followed him. “Who brought him into the squad anyway?” His gaze shifted to Hans. “Was he one of yours?”
The older man shook his head. He still had a full head of wavy gray hair, of which he was ridiculously vain. “He was one of Sean’s boys, wasn’t he?”
“Must’ve been.” They’d all been recruited over twenty years ago by either Sean or Hans. “Never did like him.”
“You never liked him because he’s good-looking and women dropped their panties for him. Still do.” Hans tried to get the bartender’s attention. After throwing them glowering looks for the duration, he was now studiously avoiding looking their way.
“Reason enough. But he nags like an old lady. I’m telling you, he’s a weak link.”
Hans looked at him, a frown settling on his creased face. “Will you give it up? He’s nervy. Who the hell isn’t? With Giovanni buying it, I’m gonna sleep with the light on myself.” He waited expectantly, but Johnny wasn’t in the laughing mood.
“Jonas had a point. You and me have focused on one of our various partners being behind this, but you know what a stretch that is. These hits take a coordinated effort, and there’s no coordination behind our different suppliers.”
“What’re you saying?”
Johnny hesitated. It was one thing to think it, another to say it aloud. But he trusted this man, as much as he trusted anyone. And he needed to hear Hans’s reaction to his idea. “Maybe we’re overlooking the obvious. Seems to me the only ones who know who all’s in the John Squad are its members.”
He’d have felt better if Hans had blown off his idea. Talked him down, tried to point out how it couldn’t be betrayal. Couldn’t be one of them. Instead the man pursed his lips. Gave a slow nod.
“It’d be stupid not to at least consider the idea. When’s the last time you talked to Sean or Johnson?”
Johnny lifted a shoulder. “Talked to Sean last year, I think. Haven’t talked to Johnson since he retired and moved away.” Both the men had retired to sunnier locales, one to Florida and the other to California, two and three years ago respectively.
“Let’s check in.” Finally the bartender deigned to leave the bar and approach them with two bottles of beer. He delivered them with plenty of attitude, but he’d remembered their brands, which meant Johnny wasn’t going to be required to do any ass kicking before he left here. They went silent until he’d sauntered back to the bar. “They should be careful, too, until this bastard is found. And maybe one of them will have an idea on this guy’s identity. And whether we should be looking close to home or farther out.”
“Then again, Sean might be the reason for these murders. He made a helluva lot of enemies in his time on the job.”
“Made a lot of friends, too.” Hans took a drink and then regarded Johnny over the top of his bottle. “Some of them in high places. Can’t hurt, especially if one of them ends up having ties to someone on the task force.” Neither of them questioned whether a task force would be formed. Three dead cops, even if one of them had been retired, were going to bring a helluva scrutiny to the case. Which could be both a blessing and a curse. “Be nice to have a friendly ear close to the investigation. Might get lucky.”
Johnny took a drink and nodded. “The way things are going, we’re gonna need all the luck we can get.”
It was after midnight when Nate let himself into the house. He stood inside the door for a moment, working the tight muscles in his neck. Fatigue was edging in, but he knew from experience he needed to unwind before even trying to sleep, regardless of the hour. He
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