“Vietnam was a different kind of war,” Victor said.
“I know. I was there.”
Interested in spite of himself, Victor leaned forward. “Where?”
“I was a PJ.”
Now that was interesting. PJs were pararescue jumpers, men who’d parachuted into hostile territory under enemy fire and pulled out survivors. Everyone respected the PJs.
“I knew some PJs,” Victor said. “They had a saying.”
“‘That others may live,’” Urlacher responded.
“They always said you guys went to Superman school.”
“We did.”
Victor smiled at Urlacher. “I know you ain’t here to rescue me.”
“I’m not. If I had my way, I’d drop-kick you into the deepest, dankest cell I can find.”
“Love the way you sugarcoat things. Must make you a real heartthrob with all the guys you bust.”
Urlacher’s face hardened. “Let’s get something straight, melonhead. I’m not your friend. I’m not going to be your friend. If push comes to shove, I’m going to rip your ears off and feed them to you. Are you hearing me all right?”
“So far. I’ve still got my ears.” Victor took another drag on his cigarette.
“You’ve also got a son.” Urlacher opened the file.
1 1
›› Interview Room
›› Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office
›› Charlotte, North Carolina
›› 1941 Hours
Before he could stop himself, Victor glanced at the file Urlacher had brought into the room. Bobby Lee’s picture was on top. Bobby Lee looked bruised and cocky.
“You don’t want to go down that road,” Victor said quietly.
“Sure I do,” Urlacher stated. “It’s the same road you took getting to my guy.”
Victor didn’t say anything.
“You build a road,” Urlacher said, “it goes both ways. My guy says you threatened his family. Now I’m telling you that I can hit you right back.”
“I never threatened his family. You saw the photos.”
“I saw the ones you wanted me to see. But my guy also says your friend hightailed it with a magazine just before we showed up. So you show some pictures, do a little sleight of hand, then send them away with your buddy. That might fly in a kiddie show, but this is serious business.”
“The FBI’s got no interest in Bobby Lee.”
“No. But more than that, I can make the interest the Marines have in Bobby Lee go away.”
Victor leaned back in his chair. “If I cooperate? Tell you what you want to know?”
Urlacher nodded and smiled. “See? I told you I didn’t think you were stupid.”
Victor didn’t say anything. His thoughts felt scrambled. He hadn’t seen this curve coming.
“Bobby Lee’s pregnant girlfriend ratted him out,” Urlacher said. “She told the Charlotte PD where to find Bobby Lee. The Charlotte PD called Camp Lejeune and talked to the NCIS agents there. You know who they are?”
Victor nodded. “I know who they are.”
“The word I get is that they want Bobby Lee pretty bad after what he did to that Marine.” Urlacher grinned mirthlessly. “You and I both know soldiers. Probably every bit as old school as one-percenter bikers when it comes to taking a pound of flesh back from someone who’s wronged them.”
Silently Victor agreed. “Do they know where Bobby Lee is?”
“Yeah.” Urlacher closed the file. “But so do I. And I’ve got a team headed there now.”
Victor thought about that. “The boy’s green to trouble. He’s not going to know how to handle himself. If your people confront him, surrendering is gonna be the last thing on his mind.”
“Then I guess that’ll just be bad all the way around.”
A million thoughts rattled through Victor’s head all at once. He felt them surge like a tide of writhing snakes, and none of them were friendly or comforting. He kept seeing Bobby Lee shot up and dead. Both of them were caught like rats in traps.
Only Bobby Lee didn’t know that yet.
Let it go, Victor told himself. They’ll bring Bobby Lee in. They’re the FBI. They’re trained for situations like this.
But Victor also knew his son. Bobby Lee envisioned himself as some Old West gunfighter. He was determined to die with his boots on.
And the idea of going to prison for what he’d done to that Marine would have been impossible for the young man at his age.
The emotion that rushed through Victor surprised him. He wouldn’t have believed how much he didn’t want to see his son get hurt. They hadn’t known each other long, but it had been long enough for Victor to see himself in the young man and know that he had a bid for immortality. Especially with a grandson already on the way.
Victor stubbed his cigarette out in the overflowing ashtray. “Let me talk to Bobby Lee.”
Urlacher didn’t say anything.
A curse ripped through Victor’s lips. “Let me talk to Bobby Lee, get him to give himself up. If you do that, I’ll give you my connection.”
And then, Victor knew, the war would be on. He and Tran went back over thirty years. But he didn’t doubt for a second that Tran would have him killed for rolling over on him.
Slowly Urlacher nodded. “I can do that. But if you’re lying to me, I’ll carve the rock they’ll set over Bobby Lee’s grave and stomp it into place myself.”
›› Spider’s Tattoo Shop
›› Doggett Street
›› Charlotte, North Carolina
›› 2026 Hours
Shel stood across the street from the tattoo shop and gazed at the neon blue spider holding tattooing needles in all its legs. As the animation kicked in, the neon spider’s legs blurred into motion, and a cloud of black webbing spurted up.
“Nifty,” Shel said as he adjusted his sunglasses. The sun was still up and would be for another fifteen or twenty minutes. But shadows had already started to steep themselves between the buildings. Pools of darkness spread across the sidewalks.
Remy looked at him. “People still say nifty?”
“Some do,” Shel said. “The really cool people do.”
“I never heard anybody say nifty.”
“I would say that’s because you don’t hang with cool people, but you’re here with me now.”
“I’ve never heard you say it before.”
“That’s because you haven’t been listening.”
“I listen just fine.” Remy turned his attention back to the tattoo parlor. “How do you want to do this?”
Shel studied the area. The tattoo parlor was flanked by a deli and a Chinese restaurant. Both businesses still had customers. So did the tattoo parlor.
“Straight ahead,” Shel answered. “Go in. Introduce myself to Bobby Lee. Then take him down.”
“Oh yeah, I really like how inconspicuous that’s going to be. Especially after Will called to give us the heads- up about the FBI.”
“The fact that the FBI is involved at all is putting pressure on our timetable.” Shel glanced down the street
