Read Online Dust Up: A Thriller by Jon McGoran - Free Book Online

bullet hole just to the left of the smartphone and shards of plastic littering the shelf.
    Miriam’s arm trembled in my grasp as I led her toward the front door. I went out first, gun drawn, but there was no sign of anyone. By the time we were halfway down the path to the street, Miriam was pulling ahead of me, rushing to get to her car. As we reached the sidewalk, we both flinched at a strange popping, cracking noise. Next to us, a six-inch patch of the brown stucco wall exploded into a cloud of white dust.
    I turned and saw the guy from the alley, leveling his pistol at us. He was the same age as the other one—young—but his style was more Old Spice than Axe. I brought up my gun, and as he ducked back behind the motel, I pushed Miriam forward. “Get in the car,” I said.
    I kept my gun pointed toward at the alley. The streets were deserted, but it was a residential neighborhood. There was a school across the street. I didn’t know what I was going do if Old Spice started firing, but I didn’t want to get into a shootout.
    I crouched behind the wall, keeping my gun raised, but he didn’t reappear.
    I heard Miriam’s car snarling behind me, the engine revving.
    There was no sign of either of the gunmen, but I could feel eyes on me. Glancing down, I saw the pit bull on the other side of the fence looking up at me, his head at a slight angle. He turned away from me at the sound of Miriam’s car speeding away.
    We both watched as she disappeared down the block. The dog looked back at me for a moment. Then he left as well, trotting off and disappearing behind the house.

 
    19
    I kept my gun raised as I walked back toward the alley. As I’d expected, it was empty. Old Spice was gone, and so was his vehicle. I ran inside and back upstairs. My cuffs were lying empty and open on the ratty carpet. The room was empty, too. All that was left was the smell of cheap body spray.
    I was worried about Miriam, hoping she’d gotten away, but there was nothing I could do about that. Part of me thought about just getting the hell out of there, but shots had been fired. At me. And even if none of the neighbors called it in, someone was going to find out. And then they were going to ask why I hadn’t called it in.
    Besides, I needed a ride. I called it in. Then I called Danny.
    The uniforms were there in five minutes—two cars, four officers.
    Danny was there in six, pulling in right behind them. He shook his head as he got out of his car. “So which active narcotics case on our docket were you pursuing out here?” He couldn’t keep a straight face as he said it.
    I flipped him off.
    “Seriously. I’m confused,” he said. “Suarez tells me you said you were stepping off this case. ‘Carrick decided to act like a grown-up for once in his life.’”
    He didn’t sound anything like Suarez. I told him so.
    “Yes, I do,” he said. “I’ve been working on it.”
    “Well, you’d better keep working.”
    He looked indignant for a moment, then he gave his head a brisk shake. “Never mind that. I got the call from the task force. I’m out of town for rest of the week. Leaving tonight.”
    Great.
    He leaned closer. “We’re having work done on the house. The girls are staying with friends. We’d been planning on staying in a hotel, but now that it’s just her, she’d rather not. Nola offered Laura your guest room, but I know how you feel about houseguests. Say the word and I’ll quietly make other arrangements.”
    Even better. “No,” I said with a big forced smile. “It will be great having her.” I owed Danny favors in the triple digits.
    “You’re sure?”
    “Of course.”
    “Great. Oh, and Suarez wants to see you ASAP.”
    It was a perfect day, I thought.
    Then Mike Warren arrived.
    *   *   *
    “So tell me this shit again, Carrick,” Warren said for the fifth time, pretending to take notes. “You were just walking along, minding your own business eating a cupcake—”
    “A