The minutes went by… two… three… four…
With everyone hidden from view, other senses became heightened. Decker saw Chris close his eyes. Both of them were professional enough to know not to make the first move.
When in doubt, wait it out.
Five… six… seven.
It didn’t even take that long. That was the way it was with amateurs: overeager because the pups just had to inspect their handiwork. They had to see the damage, to gloat about it. And with glass crunching beneath their shoes, they might as well have announced their arrival over a PA system. Though Donatti’s eyes remained closed, his lips broke into a smile, widening as the noise increased in volume.
The lids snapped open and he patted air, indicating for Decker to stay down. Then he ticked off the seconds with five splayed fingers.
Five, then four… three… two… one.
A quick peek from around the boxes, then two shots fired.
And that was that.
Decker couldn’t see them, but he heard them drop, the horrible crack of bone slamming against the cement.
Donatti whispered, “You can get up.”
Taking great care, Decker managed to balance on his legs, still squatting, still waiting. His hands were crisscrossed with small cuts, his sneakers and rain jacket sparkled like glitter. The darkness abruptly faded as a wedge of yellowed light cast its shape on the floor. Crunching accompanied the thuds of footsteps along with the sound of something being dragged. Heavy breathing could be heard.
“Caldwell?” A pause. “Caldwell, are you there?”
Donatti and Decker mouthed the word simultaneously: “Merrin.”
“Caldwel-”
The smashing underfoot stopped. Donatti shifted his position until the police chief came into view. “He’s looking at the bodies.” He turned to Decker. “He’s got your brother-in-law.”
“What do you mean?”
Donatti took his gun and put it at his temple. “I’ll take him down if you want.” A smile. “Or do you want to warn him?”
Decker’s brain was moving too fast to digest his thoughts. “I’m going to try to talk him down.” He got to his feet. “Stay back, all right?”
Chris shrugged indifference.
“Just be there to back me.”
Another apathetic shrug.
“What does that mean?”
“Time’s ticking, Decker. Either do it or let me handle it.”
Decker stepped out and aimed his weapon. “Hey, Virgil.”
Merrin jumped around, one hand holding a Smith & Wesson.32 caliber pistol with its bore buried in Chaim’s temple, the other hand clamped over Lieber’s mouth, muting his sobs and wails. Decker’s eye went from Chaim’s face, over the teenage corpses, then came back to the chief. “Sorry about your boys.”
“S’right. I got others to take their places.” A piggish grin was plastered across his ugly face. “It’s mighty nice for you to show up. Makes things easier all around.”
“I’m very tired,” Decker said. “Drop the gun-”
“You can’t be serious. Matter of fact, I was going to ask you to do that very thing.”
“Merrin, my nine millimeter is pointed at your chest. Your piece is pointed at Lieber’s head. That means I have the advantage.”
“You shoot me; I shoot him.”
“Then shoot him,” Decker retorted.
Merrin’s smile sagged, his face registering pure shock.
“So,” Decker told him, “either drop the gun or I’ll shoot you.”
“You’re bluffing-”
“Try me, Chief.”
Without warning, Merrin’s lips turned upward into a venal grin. “I suggest you drop the gun, Lieutenant, because I do reckon that the odds just shone in my favor.” His eyes went past Decker’s head, focusing on something behind him.
No one spoke.
Then Decker said, “I don’t know, Virgil. Donatti’s a loose cannon.”
Donatti laughed. “That’s certainly true. Because neither one of you knows whose side I’m on.” A pause. “Maybe I’ll kill both of you.”
No one moved.
“I’m about ten feet behind you, Decker,” Donatti said. “And, at the moment, my nine millimeter is pointed right at the base of your spine. I suggest you listen to the chief.”
Slowly, Decker turned around.
Chris wasn’t lying, except now the gun was aimed at Decker’s Adam’s apple. Donatti shrugged. “Nothing personal… well, maybe a little personal. But primarily it’s business.”
Decker looked back at Merrin-at his porcine expression filled with malice and evil-then returned his attention to Donatti. The gun remained on him-a fixed, permanent object.
“If you don’t do it now, Decker, I’ll shoot you in a five countdown. If you cooperate and slowly lower the gun to the floor, you stand a slim chance of talking me out of it.”
Decker weighed his options, two against one-the professional cop and the sharpshooter. Maybe if he ducked, they’d shoot each other. He smiled internally, but found his body had been seized by the shakes. In the end, he bent down and placed the gun on the cement floor. Then he straightened. He’d given the snub-nose and its one bullet to Jonathan. How he wished he had that gun now.
“Keep your hands up and where I can see them,” Donatti said.
Decker raised his hands to his shoulders. “Is this the part where I try to talk you out of it?”
“No, this is the part where you shut up and listen. Kick the Walther over to me.”
Decker did as told.
Instead of picking it up, Donatti kicked the weapon at least fifty feet behind him, out of anyone’s reach. “One less firearm to go off in my face. Now it’s your turn, Virgil. Put the gun in your holster. I don’t want any fuckups.”
“You don’t want me to do him? The Jew boy?”
“Why would you do him? You’ve got him precisely where you want him. He’ll shit on command for you. Learn to take advantage when fortune shines on you.”
“Now, that’s a very good point, Mr. Donatti. A very good point.”
“And because I’ve been so generous with you, you’ll send something my way, huh?”
“You better believe it, sir.”
“Can I talk now, Chris?”
“No, not yet. And don’t you dare act familiar with me.” He shot the floor, an inch away from Decker’s foot, pulverizing cement into dust. To Merrin: “Didn’t I tell you to put the gun away?” Donatti became suddenly impatient. “You’re pissing me off. Do it!”
Quickly, Merrin stowed the gun, keeping a firm grip on Chaim’s throat.
“Push him on the floor,” Donatti told him. “Let him feel what it’s like to crawl like an insect. Because that’s what he is… a fucking bug.”
Merrin grabbed Lieber by the collar and pushed him to the ground, stepping on his back to flatten him out. Chaim was sobbing.
Merrin grinned. “I don’t know of any bug that cries, Mr. Donatti.”
“Everybody cries, Virgil.”
Three bullets in rapid succession-one in the forehead, one in the throat, and one in the groin. Merrin didn’t even have a chance to react. He just stared out of vacant blue eyes, the same hoggish expression on his face, then collapsed onto Chaim, a sprinkler of squirting blood. Lieber let go with ear-piercing screams-uncontrolled and at maximum volume-flailing his arms and legs, pushing the body from his back. Freeing himself from the corpse, Lieber remained on the floor, heaving deep, big gulps as if he were being choked.
Decker could hear himself breathing.
Donatti was speaking to him. “Back up and keep your hands up.”
“I don’t…” Decker shut himself up. He was trembling so hard, it took all his concentration to remain on his feet. He did as instructed.
“Now go pick up your brother-in-law from the ground. He stinks. I think he shit in his pants. Can’t anyone take a little pressure anymore?”