Read Online Jack and Joe: Hunt for Jack Reacher Series (The Hunt for Jack Reacher Series Book 6) by Diane Capri - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diane Capri
Tags: Thrillers, Crime, Mystery, Military, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Hard-Boiled, Conspiracies, Serial Killers, Thrillers & Suspense, Spies & Politics, Vigilante Justice, Assassinations, Financial
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floodlight wash that revealed the dancer, laid out on the floor of the stage. She was riddled with gunshot wounds. I counted six, but there could have been more. Her body had fallen onto her left side and dead eyes stared. Blood pooled under her stringy blonde hair.
I now realized it was the woman who had delivered my dinner from the truck stop a few hours ago. The medical examiner would sort out the bullets and determine which ones caused her death, but a shot to her head alone could have been fatal.
I kept my weapon ready as I squinted through the smoke layers. The two men on the ground with military haircuts that I’d seen from the doorway were not the only casualties. At least two more had fallen, from the looks of things while rushing the shooter.
He was dead, too. He’d been blown back against the far wall, and now sat slumped over at the waist. The top of his head was missing.
Only Alvin and Junior, behind the bar, were still standing. I pointed my puny Sig Sauer directly at them, wishing I had a missile launcher, and, taking advantage of a comparative lull in their insane sound system’s assault, shouted as loud as I could, “FBI! Guns down! Hands in the air!”
“Or what?” Junior bellowed, waving his weapon my way, muzzle up. “You’re no bigger than a minute. What do you think you can do to me?”
Good question. My bullets might slow him down or even stop him. But he’d have plenty of time to kill me first.
Alvin raised his injured right arm and swung his open hand and slapped Junior on the ear hard enough to knock him sideways. “Watch your mouth and do what she told you.”
Junior regained his balance. As the music surged with renewed fury around us, he placed his weapon on the bar and raised his hands. Alvin put his down and raised one arm slightly. The other arm didn’t seem functional. Maybe the slap to Junior’s head had triggered additional damage to it. Blood ran down onto his hand and dripped onto the floor.
“Turn that music off!” I yelled.
Junior reached to the side of the bar and pressed something. The instant silence was a shock to my system. My blood had been pounding with the music’s rhythm and the sudden stop hit me like a quick side-fist punch to the heart.
“Come out from behind the bar. Slowly.” My voice sounded muffled and weak and raspy, probably from all the yelling. Or maybe my voice was normal and the problem was damage to my eardrums. “Keep your hands high.”
They walked as instructed. Alvin limped badly on his right leg, but I couldn’t see a bleeding wound anywhere. I didn’t have handcuffs with me, but even if I had, they’d never have encircled Junior’s massive wrists.
“Sit down here.” I pointed to two chairs close enough to the exit that I could hastily retreat, should the need arise.
They sat. As long as they wanted to do what I asked, we’d be fine.
How the hell long can it possibly take to get some squad cars out here, anyway?
“Don’t worry,” Alvin said. His shoulder was oozing blood, but he acted as if he couldn’t feel it. “Ain’t nobody left inside here to cause more trouble tonight. Everbody’s run out or dead. You call the sheriff and the medics?”
“They’re on their way.” I didn’t lower my gun or move my gaze even a fraction.
“Good.” Alvin lowered his chin to his chest like he’d run out of steam.
The last thing I needed was to lose him now. But if I moved any closer to deliver any kind of emergency aid, I’d be within easy striking distance. If Alvin clubbed me the way he’d clubbed Junior on the side of the head, he’d knock me into next week.
The best I could do was try to keep him talking.
“Tell me what happened here tonight.”
Alvin lifted his head and shifted in his seat to look at me. The move pulled his head out of the shadows into a blue wash pulsing spotlight and I got my first clear look at him. I clamped my mouth shut to hold back the gasp.
His face was covered with old straight
I now realized it was the woman who had delivered my dinner from the truck stop a few hours ago. The medical examiner would sort out the bullets and determine which ones caused her death, but a shot to her head alone could have been fatal.
I kept my weapon ready as I squinted through the smoke layers. The two men on the ground with military haircuts that I’d seen from the doorway were not the only casualties. At least two more had fallen, from the looks of things while rushing the shooter.
He was dead, too. He’d been blown back against the far wall, and now sat slumped over at the waist. The top of his head was missing.
Only Alvin and Junior, behind the bar, were still standing. I pointed my puny Sig Sauer directly at them, wishing I had a missile launcher, and, taking advantage of a comparative lull in their insane sound system’s assault, shouted as loud as I could, “FBI! Guns down! Hands in the air!”
“Or what?” Junior bellowed, waving his weapon my way, muzzle up. “You’re no bigger than a minute. What do you think you can do to me?”
Good question. My bullets might slow him down or even stop him. But he’d have plenty of time to kill me first.
Alvin raised his injured right arm and swung his open hand and slapped Junior on the ear hard enough to knock him sideways. “Watch your mouth and do what she told you.”
Junior regained his balance. As the music surged with renewed fury around us, he placed his weapon on the bar and raised his hands. Alvin put his down and raised one arm slightly. The other arm didn’t seem functional. Maybe the slap to Junior’s head had triggered additional damage to it. Blood ran down onto his hand and dripped onto the floor.
“Turn that music off!” I yelled.
Junior reached to the side of the bar and pressed something. The instant silence was a shock to my system. My blood had been pounding with the music’s rhythm and the sudden stop hit me like a quick side-fist punch to the heart.
“Come out from behind the bar. Slowly.” My voice sounded muffled and weak and raspy, probably from all the yelling. Or maybe my voice was normal and the problem was damage to my eardrums. “Keep your hands high.”
They walked as instructed. Alvin limped badly on his right leg, but I couldn’t see a bleeding wound anywhere. I didn’t have handcuffs with me, but even if I had, they’d never have encircled Junior’s massive wrists.
“Sit down here.” I pointed to two chairs close enough to the exit that I could hastily retreat, should the need arise.
They sat. As long as they wanted to do what I asked, we’d be fine.
How the hell long can it possibly take to get some squad cars out here, anyway?
“Don’t worry,” Alvin said. His shoulder was oozing blood, but he acted as if he couldn’t feel it. “Ain’t nobody left inside here to cause more trouble tonight. Everbody’s run out or dead. You call the sheriff and the medics?”
“They’re on their way.” I didn’t lower my gun or move my gaze even a fraction.
“Good.” Alvin lowered his chin to his chest like he’d run out of steam.
The last thing I needed was to lose him now. But if I moved any closer to deliver any kind of emergency aid, I’d be within easy striking distance. If Alvin clubbed me the way he’d clubbed Junior on the side of the head, he’d knock me into next week.
The best I could do was try to keep him talking.
“Tell me what happened here tonight.”
Alvin lifted his head and shifted in his seat to look at me. The move pulled his head out of the shadows into a blue wash pulsing spotlight and I got my first clear look at him. I clamped my mouth shut to hold back the gasp.
His face was covered with old straight
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