Page 35

CHAPTER 35

“Can you see anything?” Kristopher asked Bailey. “And how many people are in the house.”

The officers Miller had gathered hovered at the edge of the woods behind the house across the street from David’s. The new moon’s dim light was obscured by clouds and even the stars were faint.

Bailey raised his special issue night binoculars to stare at the vacant house. “There are three people,” he whispered. “A guy moving around in an upstairs room. He’s got a big red tattoo on the back of his head.”

Dembowski!

“What else?” Kristopher asked.

“Looks like two people downstairs, but it’s dark,” Bailey described. “Could be a woman and a kid tied together, but her head is down. Wait. Holy shit. It’s Suzanne.”

“And David.” Kristopher said and knew instinctively that he was right.

“Okay, Dembowski is moving,” Bailey warned. “Miller? What’s the word on Bogdan? Where is he?”

“Seen in the penthouse at the Bradley and there’s a whole bunch of girls there,” Miller whispered. “Bastard’s gotten cocky if he’s showing himself. Probably wants to pick out his on kids. Okay, fellows. On my signal, move toward the den door. One. Two. Go.”

The finest of the Knoxville Police Department moved forward as silently as wind through the grass, with Kristopher, his heart in his throat right behind him, grateful to have Bailey by his side.

From somewhere inside a light flashed on, followed by heavy footsteps clumping down the stairs. Dembowski staggered as he reached the last step and paused to steady himself against the wall. Then he reached into his vest and took out a large, ugly knife. He stepped toward Suzanne and–

“Now!” Miller shouted as he kicked in the door. Dembowski turned, grabbed a pistol from the back of his pants and leveled it at the entering men. Miller shot twice, striking Dembowski in the knee and stomach, sending the screaming man to the ground.

Kristopher pushed back the officers to wrap his arms around the woman he loved. “Suze?” he whispered. “Are you alright?”

She looked up at him and blinked. “Howie?”

“Kristopher,” he corrected and bit back a laugh at her vacant gaze and slurred speech.

“Oh, yeah,” she muttered “Hi. Hey, Kristopher with a K, look! I found David.” She gestured with her head to the sleeping boy tied against her. “He’s kind of tired. So am I. Guess it must be that stuff Stan made us smell. He’s not a nice person, Kristopher with a K. I think–” she blinked twice– “that you should arrest him! Or make him stop yelling ‘cause it’s giving me a headache.”

“He’s got the tattoo alright,” Bailey called as Kristopher used his own knife to cut Suzanne and David’s bonds. “Is she loopy or what?”

“She is indeed,” Kristopher laughed again as he listened to the wail of approaching sirens and one of the officers checked David’s vitals. Miller was trying to Mirandize Toby-Stan, but the prick was cursing in Romanian so loudly, Kristopher doubted if he heard a word Miller was saying.

“You can drop the act, Dembowski,” he called. “We know you’re English. Nice accent though.”

“Screw you!” Dembowski shouted.

“Definitely English,” Bailey commented.

“Are we going home now, Kristopher with a K?” Suzanne asked dreamily as he lifted her in his arms.

“That we are, my dearest Suze,” he whispered as his tears caressed her hair. “That we are.”