46

Parkerson barely heard the shot. Didn’t see the muzzle flare. Saw the target go down and still couldn’t find Lind.

He was watching the target cross the slip to the Kyla Dawn. The big man paused at the gangway, said something to the captain, and glanced back at the Lexus. Then his gaze swept the pier. He looked straight at Parkerson in the big Cadillac and Parkerson ducked back, feeling his heart syncopate.

When Parkerson looked up again, the target was at the top of the gangway, stepping aboard the yacht. He stood on the deck a moment, catching his breath. Then he started across to where the man in the white suit stood, waiting.

There was a pop like a firecracker in the distance. The bearded man staggered backward, his shirt blossoming crimson. The captain stared. A steward hurried out to the deck. Someone screamed. Then the target’s head exploded. Parkerson gasped. “Holy shit.”

The target dropped to the deck. The steward rushed to his side, crouched low, head up, searching for the shooter. The captain drew a pistol. He, too, searched the dock. His eyes fell on Parkerson in the Cadillac. Then kept moving.

Parkerson stayed low. Watched the chaos grow on the Kyla Dawn. More people approaching from aboard other boats. The steward now, shouting something. Gesturing with his hands.

In the distance, on Terminal Island, a little red Chevy backed away from the shore.

LIND MISSED LOW with the first shot. Caught the target in the chest. His second shot put him to bed.

Lind watched the man fall. Kept the scope on him to make sure he stayed down. Then, satisfied, he lowered the rifle and clambered over to the front seat of the car.

He backed away from the shore. Drove out of the parking lot and up the island to the ramp where the road joined the MacArthur Causeway. He drove halfway up the ramp and then slowed and rolled down the driver’s-side window. Glanced in the rearview mirror; the ramp was deserted. Lind took the rifle from the backseat and hurled it over the bridge. It arced far out, over the guardrails, and fell out of sight, just as a green sedan pulled onto the ramp behind him.

Lind rolled up the window and stepped on the gas. Drove up the ramp and onto the causeway and merged with the traffic speeding toward Miami.