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Two bullet holes starred the windshield. Jantz had a chance to snap off one desperate shot from
his precarious position. A hole appeared above the bald man's left eyebrow. He slumped over, pulling
the steering wheel to the left and locking it with the weight of his carcass a microsecond before the
intertwined vehicles would have gone off the road. It continued out into traffic, dragging Jantz's car with
it. A red pickup was unable to avoid them and smashed into Jantz's car, tearing them loose from the
SUV. There was a final slam, then a series of minor bumps and thumps from other impacts as the ruined
vehicle ground to a halt. Finally they were still, surrounded by crumpled cars, and pickups, and outraged
drivers.
Jantz paused long enough to see that Dee and Mary were shaken, but unhurt. Then he ran
toward the wreck of the SUV, holding his gun and trying to loose his badge from his pocket as he went.
"FBI!" he shouted. "Stand away! Stand back!"
He held his pistol ready, but it wasn't needed. The bald thug was dead, the other occupant unconscious.
He yanked at the door and surprisingly, considering its condition it opened, almost throwing him on his
ass. He ran his hand quickly over both men, relieving them of their weapons. His hand came back bloody
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from frisking the second man. He examined him more closely. There was an entrance wound under his
ribcage. Bloody bubbles popped from it. Sirens sounded in the distance, coming closer.
It took some time for the locals to get an ambulance and patrol cars through the traffic and
wrecked vehicles. Jantz showed his badge to the first one through while he was still talking on his phone
to Reeves. Brenda had put him through immediately.
"Both all right, just a few lumps and bruises. The shooter is dead. I don't know who got the
other, but he's unconscious with a sucking chest wound. Both were armed, silenced Sig-Saurs." Jantz
listened a minute, then spoke again. "Frankly, Jim, I can't figure out what in hell they thought they were up
to. If they had run us off that embankment they might have been able to pass it off as an accident, but I
doubt it. Too many witnesses, and some of them involved in the pileup." Another silence, then, "I agree.
Tonight, for sure. See you."
A Kingwood policeman tapped him on the shoulder. Jantz showed him his badge, while
simultaneously reading his nametag, "Corporal Staley. Could we get you to put the driver of that SUV
under guard when he's transported to the hospital? He is a suspect in a very important case."
The officer brushed at the goatee under his lower lip. "Reckon I could, but it won't do you no
good."
"Why not?"
"Because he's dead."
"Aw, shit. All right, but ask the coroner to hold off on the autopsy if you would, please." Jantz
handed him one of his cards.
"You can tell him yourself. Here, I'll give you his number." The officer checked his watch while
giving Jantz the Chief Pathologist's card. "He's probably at the hospital already."
"All right, thanks. One more favor: we need that SUV."
"Fine by me, but you'll need to talk to the captain." He tapped his two chevrons. "I don't make
those decisions."
Stymied on all fronts, Jantz retreated to the wreck of his two-year-old Mercury. Its heavy frame
and their seat belts had probably saved them from serious injury, but it was worthless now. He stared at
his former car trying to remember when the air bags had deployed. He came up blank. Mary and Crystal
were standing together being questioned by another cop. Mary was dabbing at a bruise on her elbow.
Crystal was shaking from adrenaline overload.
"We need to go," he announced. "Get your things out of the car and give the officer your cards
so they can contact us later."
"Not so fast. We have one, and possibly two homicides, justifiable or not. You're all going to
have to give statements."
"We will, but not now."
"Yes, now. Those badges don't mean nothing here."
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Exasperated, Jantz got out his phone and dialed the Kingwood precinct. The officer's eyes
widened as he asked to speak to Captain Webber. After a moment's wait, Jantz handed the phone to the
officer.
"Here. Someone wants to talk to you."
The policeman listened while his face turned red. He subconsciously adjusted his body so that he
was standing at attention. His conversation consisted entirely of, "Yes, sir. No, sir. Right away, sir."
Mary and Crystal rummaged in the wreckage of the big Mercury for their purses and Crystal's bag.
Jantz retrieved a few items from the glove compartment. As he did, he finally figured out that the driver of
the SUV must have been accidentally shot when his bullet hit his passenger; either that or he had fired
twice and didn't remember the second shot. The officer handed the phone back to Jantz.
"Captain Webber said he would call you when you're needed. Sorry for the inconvenience, sir."
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