Page 176 of The 6:20 Man

Devine nodded at Montgomery, who rushed over and found and turned off the device.

“Call an ambulance,” said Devine.

Montgomery turned her phone back on and called 911. Devine turned on his phone, texted Campbell about what had happened, and then put the phone away.

“And now, Cowl, sit down, compose yourself, and start talking.”

“I’m not telling you shit.”

“Okay, but since you just tried to kill us, it doesn’t matter how much you gave the mayor and governor for their last elections.”

“You came up here and shot the shit out of the place.”

“Right, taking on four armed guys in a place that only you have access to.”

“Who are you?” screamed Cowl.

“Right now, a seriously pissed-off guy.” He pointed his gun at Cowl’s head, and the man covered his face with his hands.

“Don’t, sweet Jesus, don’t shoot.”

“I’d like to hear about Area 51.”

“You say nothing, Cowl!” screamed Hancock.

Devine pointed his gun at him. “Shut up or I’ll take out the other knee. Then you bleed out before the EMTs get to you.”

Montgomery put her phone way and joined him. She was pale and avoided looking at the dead men.

“Area 51?” said Devine.

“You’ve seen it, asshole,” spat Cowl.

“I’d like to hear your version.”

Cowl’s tone changed and he spread his hands wide. “Look, I’ve got people to answer to. We can make a deal.”

Hancock shouted, “You say one word, you are dead, Cowl. You know who I’m talking about.”

Devine slugged the man on the head with the butt of his gun and Hancock fell unconscious to the floor. Then Devine looked at Cowl. “You were saying?”

“You came here to get rich, right? Well, I can make you so rich you’ll never be able to spend it all. You can buy your island and have the bitch there in bikinis twenty-four seven, and ten more like her.”

“I never really liked making money,” confessed Devine.

“Then what the hell were you doing here?” snapped Cowl.

“Area 51?”

“This is more than me, Devine. It’s more than all of us.”

“Well, we have to start somewhere. But let me throw you a bone. Anne Comely equals Clean Money. How’s that?”

Cowl looked at him and snorted. “Maybe you could have done well here.”

“I don’t think there’s a here left, Cowl.”

Montgomery used Cowl’s phone to let the EMTs in when they arrived minutes later. They confirmed the deaths of the other men, then stabilized the still-unconscious Hancock and took him away. A contingent of federal agents appeared a few minutes later, with Campbell leading them.