Jack’s meeting with Sarah Cartwright began professional, regular afternoon meetings, twice weekly in her office. Two months later after some progress and even more flirtations than found in a shrink’s office, the meeting place changed to a more formal setting.
Striding into Sam’s coffee house, Jack eyed the steady flow of customers before the early morning commuter rush began. A quarter of the tables and booths taken up with solitary coffee drinkers. There was no queue as Jack approached the counter and ordered two Americano coffees, to go. Sam himself served Jack. A burly man, overweight, thinning hairline and a scar on his left cheek, Sam now spent his days pouring hot drinks in his establishment rather than serving his country with death on the battlefield.
“You look like shit Jack.”
“At least I’m not fat.”
“Just more of me for Lisa to love.”
“Not what she was saying last night Sam; then again, she did have her mouth full. Said she hadn’t seen your cock in years; couldn’t find it under all the rolls of fat.”
Jack and Sam stared each other down. Neither flinched from the standoff. Both were arrogant men but had mutual respect for the other. Sam’s lips quivered first. Jack soon followed as together they burst into laughter with a hearty handshake.
“Why do you always have to bring my wife into it?”
“Got to treat her delicately like fine china otherwise she’ll break.”
“You expect me to take relationship advice from you Jack. I’ve watched you coming in here every week for the past four months to have coffee with the cute blond.” Sam nodded his head to the corner booth where she sat. “You asked her out yet?”
“I only see her on a professional level and anyways Sam, it’s none of your goddamn business. Now where’s those coffee’s?”
Jack took the two Styrofoam cups, bidding his friend a good morning. Placing himself in the booth facing Sarah, he slid one of the cups in her direction.
Sarah kept her head lowered to the table. “Happy New Year to you too Jack.”
As she looked up, the first thing Jack saw were her eyes. Large blue orbs, piercing and full of life. Her smile radiated warmth that enveloped him. Around Sarah, Jack relived his lovesick teenage years, he could truly be himself.
“Don’t you look a picture of health this morning?” Sarah said as her eyes lay upon Jack’s tired face. “Trouble sleeping or up all night partying?”
“Something like that, you decide,” Jack replied sipping his coffee.
“What’s with the red marks on your head?”
“Slept on the couch again, laid on some books. I tell you, not as comfortable as a pillow.”
Sarah moved the conversation on with a slight roll of the eyes. “The suspension going well then?”
“I’m keeping busy.”
“Hope it’s all legit?”
“What do you take me for Sarah?”
“Let’s see what I know. Former Detective and now just plain old officer Jack Starke of Chicago PD. Suspended from duty pending the conclusion of an investigation into the theft of contraband money. A career with questionable ethics. Your record shows two sides to the page. One says you are the best ever to grace the department. The other says you side more with the criminals in Chicago, rather than those trying to put them behind bars.”
“And which side of the page do you read Sarah?” Jack didn’t wait for a reply before changing tact. “Allow me to ask this, why did you call me this morning?”
“You’ve not heard yet then? First National Bank was broken into last night. They came in from an old entrance in the sewers. How they got into the vault is still open for debate presently. Two codes and two fingerprint scanners couldn’t keep these bastards out. Police are en route to the manager’s home as we speak.”
“What makes you say there was more than one person responsible?”
“Two different sets of prints were found inside the vault where the money was stolen. Currently being run through AFIS.”
“And why are you telling me this Sarah?”
“I don’t know, maybe I want you to sit there and tell me you’re not responsible. That somehow, this has nothing to do with you and that it’s just a coincidence that whilst you’re on suspension, someone breaks into the vault and steals the evidence that could see you go to prison for a very long time. I like the Jack I have gotten to know over the past few months. Why do I attract all the bad guys?” Sarah’s last sentence said aloud to herself.
“Who said I was a bad guy? You’re condemning me with no evidence.”
“Then tell me, just how did Jack Starke see in the New Year?”
Jack slammed his closed fist down upon the table, rattling the cutlery that sat untouched. “With a bang.”
“Did you steal the five-million dollars Jack? Strange that out of everything in the bank, it was the police’s contraband money they stole.”
“There are far more riches in that vault than five million dollars Sarah.”
With a resounding crash, Jack Starke’s life changed.
Sirens wailed outside, red and blue flashing lights lit up the early morning gloom. Police cruisers arrived outside Sam’s coffee house from all sides. Jack’s eyes danced between the growing scene on the street and Sarah Cartwright’s face. Sarah’s eyes were full of sorrow. Jack found all he needed to know in them. There was no need for words.
Jack found himself frozen stiff. He wanted to move, his brain and body uncommunicative.
“Run you fool.”
Those were the last words Jack heard as he thrust himself from the table as two police officers rushed through the front door.
“Jack Starke! You are under arrest. Put your hands in the air and do not move.”
“Now where’s the fun in that?” Jack retorted.
And with that, Sam’s coffee house erupted in gunfire. Jack dived for cover as bullets flew past him, burying themselves in the cushioned seats, blowing out the foam inside. Jack had no time to lose. With his Glock 22 now in hand, he rose from concealment. The two officers went down with a pop-pop of the trigger finger.
Two bullets, two kill shots. Precise and deadly.
It was not how Jack wanted it. Only ever going to be one outcome when it’s your life of theirs. No turning back now, he was a cop killer. There should have only been one decision for Jack to make. He did not disappoint. Jack never looked for the easy way out. It’s what they wanted. A trap would be waiting. It was only five months ago that he had been on the other side, catching people like himself. He still thought like a police officer. Life was a little different these days.
Instead of heading behind the counter and through the door into the kitchen, which in turn would deliver him to an alleyway and an exit, Jack headed for the front door. Four police cruisers stood outside; six officers in total. More on the way a certainty.
Jack be nimble. Jack be quick.
He took them all by surprise. Seeing their fellow officer’s fall, red mist clouded their vision apart from one. Daniels, a rookie cop, now found himself on the front line, staring down a wanted criminal. As Jack threw the door open, they locked eyes. Jack had seen it before. Five simple steps to aid his escape; fear, uncertainty, youthfulness, hesitation, opportunity.
Any other officer in the rookie’s position would have taken Jack down, no questions asked. His failure to do so was all to Jack’s advantage.
Jack came out firing, his Glock 22 held a magazine of sixteen bullets and one in the chamber. Jack emptied the full clip in the direction of the cruisers. Windows shattered, siren lights broke, doors and car hoods pinged and dented. As bullets flew, Jack moved speedily to his left, his last bullet leaving the chamber as he vanished from sight around the corner.