It was shortly past five thirty in the evening when Eleni and Chris parked their car in a nearby garage and headed over to the Intercontinental Hotel. Thankfully, some of the five o’clock traffic had started to ebb, but the roads were still a quagmire of vehicles, and it had taken them longer than expected to reach their destination and find a place to park that was in walking distance of the hotel.
Chris wasn’t thrilled to have Eleni with him as they headed to confront Zach Montgomery, and he’d tried to talk her out of coming during the entire ride over from the FBI building. Even so, his concerns had fallen on deaf ears. Eleni would not be dissuaded, and convinced him that she would follow him over regardless of whether or not they rode together in the same vehicle. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them.
As a result, trepidation flowed through him. This was why victims shouldn’t be involved in investigations. He knew the concept well, but was also doing his best to protect her. With her determination to solve the case, with or without him, he knew he had the best chance of keeping her safe if he kept her close by. Eleni was an investigative reporter with a drive to find the truth that just didn’t stop. She would surely get in his way if he didn’t have her near him. Still, he couldn’t stop the worry and fear for her safety. He had lost his last victim, and the kidnapped child’s murder would haunt him forever. He couldn’t lose Eleni, too.
What would he do if Eleni was harmed?
The thought made him sick to his stomach, warning him that he was getting too close, even though he felt powerless to pull back. There was something special about this woman that he could not deny, regardless of their pledge to remain only friends. Her smile made his heart speed up. The caring in her eyes made him feel strong, like he could conquer the world.
They walked down the sidewalk, stepping around a group of tourists taking pictures with the famous Chicago architecture behind them, and also passing two dog walkers that each held several leashes’ worth of canines in various sizes, shapes and colors.
The first bullet whizzed by Chris’s head and slammed into the greystone building behind him, making a sizable divot while exploding bits of rock and debris flew through the air. He instinctively ducked, and pulled Eleni down with him, then sought the nearest cover. There wasn’t much around that they could hide behind. With few choices available, he pulled her over behind a concrete planter that the city had filled with brightly colored petunias and tulips.
The second bullet hit the ground near where they had been standing only seconds before. The lead ricocheted off the pavement, shattering the glass display window of a store that offered a variety of Chicago tourist items for sale. Another bullet struck a mannequin dressed in a Chicago T-shirt and shorts, carrying a tote bag with the Willis Tower and the Navy Pier Centennial Wheel emblazoned on the side. One leg disintegrated as it took the brunt of the bullet, and the plastic form tilted awkwardly to the left, slipping dangerously close to a shelf displaying several glass paperweights and a rack of sunglasses.
Chaos ensued. The sound of the gunshots sent people running in various directions, even though they didn’t know where the shooter was, or where to find safety. Chris heard screaming, dogs barking and car horns sounding as the people scrambled to get away from the gunshots. He stayed focused on Eleni, his weapon pulled and his body shielding hers the best he could. They huddled together, so close that he could smell the mint on her breath and the lavender on her skin. Her eyes had rounded and her face had paled, making her gray eyes stand out like shards of gray labradorite.
“Are you okay?” she whispered, her voice shaking.
“So far,” he responded. “Are you?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding.
“Good. Stay down and stay still.” His eyes scanned the area. It was a waste to return fire. He had no target to aim at and imagined that the rifleman was in one of the buildings across the street, shooting from one of the higher windows. Just like at the cabin by the lake, Chris knew his pistol had a limited range, and could do little against a high-powered rifle. This area of downtown Chicago was also very congested, and he doubted he could even shoot cover fire to move from their current location without putting innocent people in danger, which he absolutely refused to do. They were essentially pinned down, and if the shooter moved to find a better angle or if there was more than one gunman out there, he knew they didn’t have much of a chance to survive. He felt like a sitting duck. He pulled his phone and reported the incident, making sure they knew there was a plainclothes law enforcement officer on the scene. Then he stowed it again, his eyes still searching for a way to get Eleni to safety.
He began to pray, even as his eyes continued to scan the windows of the apartment buildings opposite them, hoping for some sort of sign where the shooter was scoping them from. He saw nothing—no rifle barrel, no curtain moving. Nothing.
Sirens sounded in the distance. As they started to grow in volume, two more bullets hit the planter they were hiding behind. Slivers of concrete flew into the air, proving the sniper knew where they were hiding and was determined to wait them out. Eleni yelped, but stayed in a tight ball behind the concrete. Chris wanted to shout in frustration. He felt so helpless—so vulnerable. He moved slightly, apparently giving the shooter a better target, and another bullet whizzed by his shoulder, missing him by a hair. This rifleman was obviously much more skilled than the one who had tried to shoot them at the cabin. But Chris was getting tired of being a target, and wanted Eleni to be holed up somewhere secure until this case was concluded. If he had anything to say about it, she wouldn’t be accompanying him for any more interviews. She needed to be in a safe house, hidden away and guarded 24/7 so the killers couldn’t keep taking shots at her. He wanted—no, he needed to keep her protected.
The minutes slowly ticked by. Perspiration popped out on his brow, and his muscles tensed as the emotions swirled within him.
Finally, the sirens got even louder, and suddenly several police cars arrived on the scene, coming from both directions. Chris moved again, but there was no answering gunfire, and he breathed a sigh of relief. With this many law enforcement officers on the scene, the shooter had probably decided it was time to make his escape.
Chris moved again and caught Eleni’s eye. “See that alley there?” He nodded to a narrow space between the Intercontinental’s side door and a loading area where the hotel received deliveries, and she nodded. “Good. When I say go, you run there as fast as you can. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Okay, Chris.”
The look of confidence in her eyes bolstered him even more and he squeezed her hand, then released it. “Let’s do it. Ready? Go!”
She jumped up and starting running toward the loading dock, and he followed close behind her, making sure to keep his body between Eleni and where he believed the gunman had been camouflaged. She slipped slightly on some wet bricks, and he grabbed her arm and helped her maintain her balance. It only took them a few seconds to reach their destination, and no further bullets rang out as they leaned against the wall of the loading area, well out of sight from the road and the shooter’s possible site. Chris felt like this was a much safer place to be. He pulled Eleni close, thankful that they had survived this latest brush with death. She fit perfectly in his arms and for a moment, he just relished the closeness. “We can wait here until the police clear the scene.”
“Yes, that would be a good idea.”
Chris instantly released Eleni and spun around at the sound of the threatening voice. A large burly man wearing black pants and a gray shirt, was standing only a few feet away, holding a .45 pistol on both of them. He had short dark hair and a ragged scar on his right cheek, but Chris didn’t recognize his features. The empty look in the man’s eyes and the grim smirk on his face was enough to show that he was a dangerous adversary. Chris quickly pushed Eleni behind him, and then he saw the second man, also large and brawny, step out of the shadows. This one was wearing jeans and a dark blue shirt advertising the Chicago Bears. He had a tattoo of a tiger on his forearm, and in his right hand, a 9 mm pistol, also pointed directly at them. He had such broad shoulders, Chris actually wondered if the man used to play linebacker for the Bears before he moved into a life of crime.
“Now, why don’t you take your gun out of your holster, there, nice and slow. Then put it on the ground and kick it over to me,” the newer man said, his voice low and ominous. “Use your index finger and your thumb,” he continued. “If I see you do anything else, I’ll shoot you both.”
“I’m with the FBI,” Chris said quietly, hoping to resolve this conflict before it escalated, “and this woman is under my protection. You don’t want to hurt either one of us.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” the first man said as he raised one side of his mouth in a sardonic smile. “Law enforcement doesn’t scare me. And to be completely honest, I don’t really care whether we hurt you or not. One cop’s the same as any other in my book. But the woman there, well, there’s a price on her head, and she’ll be dead by sundown. That’s a promise.”
Chris gritted his teeth, the man’s words chilling him to the bone. He glanced around the area, but even though cops would soon be swarming around, right here and now, they were alone with these two thugs, and he was at a definite disadvantage. He took a step back, then another, pushing Eleni backward as he did so. Stalling was the only tactic that came to mind. “Why? She’s done nothing to you. And you can still walk away. If you shoot either one of us, the other cops will be here in seconds and they’ll be on you like glue.”
“No one’s walking away, buddy,” the Bears fan declared, “unless it’s you.” He took a step toward them. “You’re outnumbered, and no matter how fast you pull, you won’t get us both before we get the two of you.” He smiled, revealing tobacco-stained teeth that made him look even more malicious. “Now put down your weapon, like I said, and you might actually survive this day.”
Eleni couldn’t stop trembling. She was going to die, here, in this filthy loading dock, for reasons she still didn’t understand. It was maddening. Both thugs held themselves with calm assurance that they would win this battle of wills, and there were two of them, and only one of Chris. Even at his best, there was no way he could get them both without one of them returning fire. She glanced at the deadly weapons in their hands and shuddered. Neither of them had a silencer on their guns, but there were blaring sirens and so much street noise that she wondered if it really mattered. Cops would come to investigate, but they would be too late. By the time they searched for the source of the shooting, she’d be dead.
What she didn’t want was for Chris to die here with her. The Bible verse from John suddenly flashed through her mind. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. She suddenly realized that her feelings for Chris went beyond friendship, even though she had denied it to herself and to him, over and over again. She loved him. She couldn’t watch him die, not if she could stop it. They clearly only wanted her. This might be her only chance to save him. “If I come with you quietly, will you let him live?”
Scarface smiled, showing a silver tooth on the left side of his mouth. “How sweet. The lady wants to bargain.”
Chris shook his head and took another step back, and Eleni was now wedged between him and the brick wall behind her. There was literally no place else for her to go. “No, Eleni. Don’t do it. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me,” Chris said softly for her ears alone. “And they can’t be trusted. They’re going to shoot me regardless of what they promise.”
“I’m done talking,” Scarface said roughly, raising his voice. “Put your gun on the ground now, or face the consequences.”
“You’re not getting the woman,” Chris said, his voice equally firm. “And I’m a really good shot. The only question is, which one of you will die first.” He motioned with his head toward Scarface. “My guess is it will be you. You’re the one hoping for the big payday, so you’ll get paid alright. In a way you never expected.” He asked the Bears fan, “How much did he promise you to come along? Probably only a tenth of the total amount he’s hoping to get paid. He’ll get rich, and you’ll get the leftovers.”
The Bears fan sent a suspicious look over to Scarface, and Eleni saw Chris’s hand slowly move toward his hip. Eleni could tell from her protector’s body language that he had absolutely no intention of following their directions or giving up his gun. He was going to die for her, or they were going to die together, and there wasn’t a single thing she could do about it. She felt helpless and nauseated. She was going to lose him, just like she had lost Charlie. Her skin felt suddenly cold, and she stiffened, the fear paralyzing her.
Suddenly, there was a new voice in the mix, and she turned slightly to see who had spoken in a cool, commanding tone.
“Leave them both alone. Now.”
Zach Montgomery had walked up silently from behind the group. He didn’t appear to have a gun like the others, but his presence alone made the terror in Eleni escalate even further, and her heart plummeted. This man had been following her, and had appeared nearly every time her life had been in danger over the last several days. If he was here now, and willing to show himself, then their chances of survival must be nonexistent. Yet if what she’d learned today was true, wasn’t he also her brother? How could a brother hunt down and murder his only sibling? It was barbaric. It was insane. Yet it was playing out right in front of her.
Her thoughts scattered as Scarface turned his weapon on the newcomer. “I’ve got my orders. It was made very clear to me that I don’t get paid unless the job gets done, and gets done right this time.” He sneered at Zach. “You’re not even the one paying my fee. I’ll take you out, too, if that’s what it takes for me to get my money.”
Zach didn’t back down. “I’m giving you new orders. If you want to see even a dime of what you were promised, you’ll do as I say.”