The bullet did its job. Danielson lay dead at my feet.
I rolled the body over and managed to get the keys for the cuffs out of his pocket. I’d just gotten myself free when my cell phone buzzed. It was Ellen Brazile. And she was whispering.
“You need to get out of there.”
“Where?”
“They know you’re in your apartment.”
I crept to the front windows and peeked through a shade. The sedan was still there, but empty. Down the block were two more government-looking cars, also empty.
“How long?”
“They were going to wait for you to come out, but I think they’re going in. Maybe five minutes. Maybe less. It’s pretty crazy here.”
“How did they find me?”
“I don’t know. Danielson’s dirty.”
“Why do you say that?”
“They found money in an offshore account. He’s probably left the country by now.”
I looked down at the pool of blood widening under the agent’s head. “Probably.”
“They found other things, Michael.”
“What other things?”
“I don’t know. Molly and I don’t believe it, but you’ve got to get out of there.”
“Stay on your cell. I’ll call you later.”
I flipped my phone shut and took another look out the window. The cars were still empty. I sneaked around to the kitchen for a peek out back. There were two more cars and three agents in the alley. Ellen was right. Time to move.
I packed up Danielson’s laptop. Then I crept across the hallway and back into my neighbor’s apartment. I was halfway to the kitchen when Mikey Sanders came out of the bathroom in his boxers.
“Motherfucker.” Mikey swung what looked like a nine iron, missing my head by a good bit and crashing to the floor. I wrestled the club away and slipped a hand across his mouth.
“Mikey, it’s me.” I waited for him to settle. Then I took my hand off his mouth.
“Kelly. I was on the can. Heard a noise in the hall.”
“Were you in here earlier?”
“When?”
“Half an hour ago?”
“I was sleeping. How did you get in?”
“Long story. Listen, you know a little bit about what I do?”
“I know you carry a gun and used to be a cop.”
“Right. I got some bad guys downstairs. Gonna be up here in a few minutes.”
Mikey’s eyes flew down the hall to his front door.
“I don’t think they’ll be coming in here,” I said. “Not without a warrant, anyway.”
“Are they cops?”
“More like the feds.” I waited, knew this was the dicey part.
“Fuck ’em,” Mikey said. “What do you need?”
I smiled. “How would you like to get out of town for a few days?”
My neighbor shrugged. “Love to. No ride.”
I held up the keys to my rental. Then I laid out my plan for getting us both out of the building.