something that would impact it.
“At least that’s how we have to look at this,” the Judge said.
Wire knew he was right, but something still didn’t feel right.
* * *
Mac had the siren going again, this time pushing traffic to the side along St. Paul’s majestic Summit Avenue, taking the most direct route east across St. Paul. He passed his law school William Mitchell on the left and was approaching the historic University Club on his right. “Why not meet them at the Department of Public Safety?” Double Frank asked from the backseat.
“Agreed,” Lich added from the back. “More protection there.”
Sally took the call from Dixon. “The Judge says his friend is not in a trusting mood after McCormick’s house. The Judge personally vouched for Mac,” Sally reported. “The Judge’s friend said fine, but they had to meet someplace where Mac could trust everyone.”
For Mac, if it wasn’t at HQ, there was only one other place—McRyan’s Pub. The place would be full of cops and family, some one in the same, and Mac would vouch for any of them.
“Hang on,” Mac said as he turned hard right off of Summit Avenue and eased off the gas and let the steepness of Ramsey Street pull the Yukon down from the steep bluff overlooking the city.
“Who’s this friend you’re talking about?” Lich asked.
“I don’t know who it is,” Sally replied. “The Judge is a complicated and calculating man who moves in mysterious ways. But if I had to guess, the Judge has had someone playing a different angle on this than you.”
* * *
“Which place is it, Judge?” Wire asked, having just passed the Xcel Energy Center, traveling southwest through the intersection of West Seventh and Kellogg Boulevard.
“It’s up on the right, two blocks, look for the big red brick building with the shamrock.”
Wire saw it. There had been a Minnesota Wild NHL game earlier in the night. The pub was still packed with hockey fans and off-duty cops, with people milling by the front door. It was Friday night, after all. “Not exactly a discrete place to meet.”
The Judge was nonplussed, “We’ll be fine.” Then he changed the topic. “Kate, can you grab the backpack?”
“Yes,” she answered meekly, pulling the backpack over her shoulder.
“Pull in there,” the Judge ordered.
A four-door sedan pulled away from the front, creating room for Wire’s Acadia. She slid into the opening. Once parked and shut down, Wire looked around. “So, Judge, where is this McRyan?”
“He’ll be here,” the Judge replied confidently.
“He’s right there,” Shelby exclaimed, pointing to a Yukon roaring in quickly from the south on West Seventh, lights flashing.
The Judge pushed himself out of the passenger side and stood up. McRyan saw him, did a quick U-turn and then pulled up another half block past them and into an open parking space.
Wire and Shelby unloaded from the car and joined Dixon on the sidewalk as the three men and Sally Kennedy unloaded from the Yukon. “Which one’s McRyan?” Wire asked.
Shelby pointed, “Mac’s the six-foot athletic blond with the brown leather jacket and jeans walking next to Sally Kennedy.”
Wire looked McRyan over as he approached and noticed his eyes as they narrowed and looked beyond her. Then his right hand cleared his coat back.
* * *
Mac saw the Judge, Shelby and another tall brunette starting to walk towards him. But just past them, back up the block to the north, he saw a black Suburban approaching. The passenger side windows were powering down. There was a black panel van tight behind. The sliding door was opening. They were half a block away.
This wasn’t right.
Mac reached for his gun.
“DOWN! DOWN! DOWN!”
He pushed Sally down to the ground as gunfire erupted from both vehicles, glass from the parked vehicles exploding everywhere. The tall woman had reacted quickly as well, pushing Dixon and Shelby to the ground, lying on top of them.
Mac crouched behind the back bed of a pickup truck and returned fire.
His first two shots hit the Suburban’s passenger door but the third hit the shooter in the front passenger seat.
* * *
“THEY’RE NOT ALONE! THEY’RE NOT ALONE!” Moriarity yelled as Kristoff fired at Dixon and the two women.
Kristoff glanced left and saw the man behind the pickup truck and recognized him immediately.
McRyan.
* * *
Mac locked eyes on the shooter in the panel van and saw the assault rifle turn towards him. Mac got off two quick rounds and dropped behind the pickup as the bullets from the assault rifle ricocheted off the truck and the walls above