Err on the Side of Violence: Terribly Acronymed Detective Club Series (Book 3)

Chapter Sixty-One: Joe, Monday

Joe's phone rang as he watched Rachel walking away with Detective Pak, feeling his stomach drop, as if his friend and one-time lover were walking the plank instead of a trail to the beach. He drew out his phone and saw it was Lauren. 

"Lauren?"

"Joe, where's Rachel?" Lauren whisper-shouted, as if she was trying to stay quiet.

"About to go drop off the money."

"Shit."

"Why? Didn't you try calling her?"

"Her phone was busy when I tried."

"She was talking to Al and Emma before she went. You know, just in case."

"Fuck!" she hissed, sounding panicked.

"What's going on?"

"The just in case may very well be happening!"

His heart began beating in his throat. "What's going on?"

"We followed the car all the way to the destination, which is Barnet Marine Park."

"That's where we are."

"I know. Joanie's been in contact with the Emergency Response Team this whole time. We're in a different part of the park. It's a big park, bigger than I thought it would be. From what I gathered, we're in two distinct bases."

"Okay, so the car you followed went to the other base? Are we talking McTeague?"

"Yeah, they're in the parking lot for the Burnaby Sailing Association."

"Don't tell me you drove into the lot."

"Of course not, we're not idiots. We parked way back and walked in. We're peeking at them from the tree line."

"Jesus, Lauren, that's dangerous, what are you doing?"

"Joanie and I both agreed to do it, and she has authorization from her superiors because this is a protection of life and limb situation. She has her gun if we find ourselves in trouble."

"Please don't reveal yourselves unless you absolutely have to."

"Okay, so, two things," she said, ignoring his admonition. "One, we were right about another boat. They're unloading Logan on to a dinghy and rowing him to shore. McTeague's with him, holding a gun to his head. I think it's her, anyway, from the way you described her when you saw her at Playland that time."

"How are you seeing them if you're in the trees?"

"I brought my camera with its telephoto lens, remember? I'm taking lots of good shots too."

"What's the other thing?"

"That other car? It was following the car we were following. The man driving it got out further down the way from us, and just as we were running in, we noticed he was pulling something out of his trunk and putting it together. We didn't see what it was because his back was to us and we had to stay back, but we're pretty sure it's a rifle."

"Fuck. Meant for Logan, you think?"

"We have to assume the worst."

"Has Joanie told her superiors this?"

"Yes, and they've sent a team our way. We followed the guy in, and we can see him crouching at the foot of a tree, just watching for now, probably waiting for Logan to get close enough. Joanie's authorized to shoot if we see him raise a rifle. Our range isn't very good from here but we hope we can at least distract him from his task long enough to get Logan away. As soon as one of us starts shooting, though, it's going to be a firefight."