The Sentry - By Robert Crais Page 0,44

we can touch it, touch it.”

“So close we can taste it, taste it.”

Their feathery breath caressed his ears.

Daniel bobbed in the darkness, waiting without any real sense of passing time when a flick of black moved at the end of their fence, catching his attention. Another flick, and the black became a shadow at the edge of the water. A glint of light flashed at the top of the shadow, flashed once more, and then the glint and the shadow were gone. Daniel thought about this and decided the glint was light from a house across the canal flashing off the tall dude’s glasses. Had to be. The tall dude had gone to their house.

Daniel waited for the shadow to reappear, wondering who the man was and why he was here. This made Daniel smile because the truth was always the same. He was here for the same reason as everyone else. This would be worth a call to his friends, which Daniel would make in the morning.

Daniel waited another twenty minutes, just to be sure, but the shadow and its glint did not return. Like all good hunters, Daniel was patient, but after a while he determined it was safe to move on.

Daniel whispered, soft as a kiss.

“Be seeing you.”

Daniel had been holding the body for well over an hour, but now he released it. The body rolled over once, a hand rising to wave good-bye, then slid beneath the cold black surface.

Daniel waited, and watched, and wondered who would come next.

Part Three

THE LORD OF WAR AND THUNDER

21

At four minutes after seven the next morning, Pike received the call that changed everything. One minute earlier, at seven-oh-three, he was watching Carla Fuentes’s house from a camellia bush in her backyard, the milky sky overhead promising a hazy day even between the leaves.

Pike had relieved Cole at four that morning, parking a block and a half from Carla’s house in a deep pool of shadow beneath a sycamore tree. He slouched low behind the wheel, safe enough while the neighborhood slept, but he knew people would stir with the dawn. A man sitting in a parked vehicle would quickly draw attention, so Pike found a new position behind the camellia bush well before the eastern sky lightened. He could not see the front of the house, but had a good view of the back door, most of the drive, and the interior of the kitchen through the windows.

A light in the master bedroom came on at ten minutes after six. A few minutes later, the kitchen light followed, and Carla Fuentes entered the kitchen. She was alone, and wore a white T-shirt. She spent several minutes at the counter doing something Pike could not see, then returned to the bedroom. Pike guessed she had put on a pot of coffee. This was confirmed a few minutes later when she returned to the kitchen, poured a cup, and took it into the living room. Pike thought she was probably watching TV.

He saw her twice more before seven-oh-three. During this time, the sun rose, finches chirped through the bushes, and a mockingbird took a noisy position on the garage. Pike planned what he would do if Carla left the house or Mendoza appeared, but by seven-oh-three she had made no move to leave and Mendoza had not arrived.

At four minutes after seven, Pike received the call.

His phone made a soft buzz when it vibrated. It was on his thigh, where he had placed it so he could reach it with minimal movement, wrapped in a soft cloth to muffle the sound. He was surprised when the Caller ID showed CTY LOS ANG. This meant the call originated from a phone issued by the city. Pike debated whether or not to answer, but decided to pick up the call.

“Pike.”

“You answer fast for this time of the morning.”

It was Button, sounding quiet and knowing.

“Did you check out Mendoza?”

“Yeah. I think there’s something to what you said. Did you find him?”

“No.”

“I can help you with that. Got something here I want you to see. Come take a look.”

Button’s voice was so flat Pike knew this wasn’t a friendly request, and something in the nature of his word choice and the early time of the call cut Pike like a desert wind.

“Is it Wilson and Dru?”

“You want a ride, I’ll send a car.”

“Did you find them?”

“I’m at Washington Boulevard where it crosses the canal. Can’t miss me.”

“Tell me if it’s them, Button.”

Button hung up without answering,