Page 31 of Shadows Reel

“To where?”

Cole told him.

“Prove to me that you saw him,” Nate said. “What was he driving?”

“This big truck,” Cole said, his words rushing out. “It was like a, you know, delivery truck. Or repair truck. Shit, I don’t know. But it was big.”

“What was inside of it?”

“Cages. A whole bunch of cages.”

“What was in the cages, Cole?”

“I don’t know.”

“Cole...” He gave the ear a quarter twist.

“Birds! Eagles or something like that.”

Nate looked up at Geronimo. “Do you believe him?”

“I think I do.”

Nate turned back. He released Cole’s ear and dug a wallet out of the man’s tactical pants. There was a Colorado driver’s license in a sleeve and Nate removed it and held it up to Geronimo.

“Take a photo,” Nate said. Geronimo did.

Nate tossed both the wallet and the ID aside and leaned down and said, “Cole of Cherry Creek, I know where you live. I’ve got your parents’ address. If you’re lying to me, I’ll come back for you. I’ll find you and tear you apart piece by piece until you’re begging me to end it all. Got that?”

“Got it,” Cole said. His face was ashen.

Nate stood over the three men. Cole was sobbing. Nate thought about kicking them all before he left, but he had never liked kicking a man when he was down. He didn’t mind hurting them in other ways, but kicking was so... cheap.

Geronimo stepped into the scrum, but not to kick anyone, either. He bent down over Tristan and hauled him up to his feet by the collar.

“We’re taking this one with us,” he said.

“Why?”

“I got questions I need answered,” Geronimo said.

Tristan protested, “Don’t you dare put your hands on me.”

Geronimo slapped the side of his helmet so hard it sounded like a gunshot. Tristan wobbled, but he didn’t collapse. When Tristan raised his hands to plead his case, Geronimo raised his triple-barrel shotgun and aimed it with one hand at Tristan’s chest.

“You have no right to do this,” Tristan said.

Geronimo ignored him. He guided Tristan away from his group and pushed him toward the passage to the alleyway. Nate followed behind them.

—

As they returnedto the Palomino Lounge the way they’d come, Geronimo said, “Well, that was something. I’d heard about the ear thing before, but I never thought I’d see it with my own eyes.”

“Thank you for your help tonight,” Nate said. “I do appreciate it.”

“So you’re going after him?”

“Yes. But what was Soledad up to? Why’d he cache all those weapons? Those assholes we met were all geared up already. Who was the intended recipient?”