Cold Justice (31 page)

He rounded the corner, heading past the garage, and toward
the front of the residence. As he reached the front, he saw Hoffman on the
other side of the property, streaking toward the woods.

Hoffman had a long lead, but Jake vaulted over a short stone
wall and chased after him. His quarry disappeared into the dimness of the
forest, and when Jake reached the tree line, Hoffman had vanished. He stopped
to listen. He could hear the snapping and crackling of twigs and leaves, but it
was hard to tell exactly from which direction. He cocked his head and listened,
but the sounds faded quickly, and then died out.

Jake continued on slowly, stopping often to listen, but the
only sound he heard was the hissing of the wind, and the twittering of birds as
they chattered among themselves.

Chapter 56

Friday, August 19th, 3:40 PM

AS HOFFMAN jumped from the table and ran, Annie swung
around, aiming the Glock toward him. But before she had enough time to react,
he was down the hall and had disappeared into one of the rooms.

She searched from room to room, finally entering what
appeared to be a den, or an office. There was a door leading out to the side of
the house. It was wide open.

She ran outside, just in time to see Hoffman tearing across
the clearing, heading for the bush. Jake was some ways behind him. She turned
and came back into the house, through the den to the kitchen. Philip was still
outside the double doors leading to the patio. He had been watching the chase,
and he turned as she unlocked the door and let him in.

“It’s great to see you’re ok,” Philip said. “Jake and I were
extremely worried.”

Annie smiled. “I’m ok now. He had the gun on me, and we had
a struggle, but I was able to get the gun and here I am.”

“So now what?” Philip asked.

“I don’t know. The problem is, even if Jake is able to catch
Hoffman, we have no real proof he’s the killer.”

Philip nodded and then cocked his head. “Do you hear that,”
he asked.

Annie listened. She could hear the faint sound of an engine.
Maybe a lawnmower. Curious, she went into the living room and looked out the
large front windows.

“It’s somebody on a motorcycle,” she called.

Philip came up behind her and looked out. “It’s Tommy
Salamander,” he said. “Jake showed me his picture. I’d recognize that mean
looking scumbag anywhere.”

Annie frowned. “Who’s Tommy Salamander?”

Philip filled her in with as few words as possible as they
watched the rider step from the bike. He was heading toward the front door.

“If he’s the one who killed Samantha Riggs, then he’s our
proof,” Annie said. “We have to grab him.”

Philip looked uncertain. “That’s, uh, not really something I’m
very good at.”

“It’s our only chance. We have to get him.” Annie thought
quickly. “You answer the door when he comes and I’ll corner him in from behind.”

She ran from the room to the door leading to the garage,
through the garage, and around to the front of the house. Salamander was just
climbing the steps to the porch. She moved across the front and stood at the
bottom of the steps behind him, holding the gun ready.

Salamander rang the doorbell, and Philip opened the door. “Come
in,” he said.

“Who are you?”

Annie stepped up behind Salamander and shoved the gun in his
back. “Don’t move. Put your hands up.”

Salamander spit out a string of curses and did as he was
told.

Annie looked at Philip. “There’s some rope in the garage.
Run and get it.”

As Philip turned and ran, Annie said, “Get down on your
knees.”

Salamander didn’t move.

“Now,” she said, in a voice that meant business.

Salamander reluctantly went down on his knees.

Philip returned dragging a coil of yellow rope. He tied
Salamander’s hands securely behind his back, as Annie held the gun to
Salamander’s head.

“Stand up,” Annie said.

He stood.

She prodded him into the living room, the gun at his back. “On
the couch,” Annie told him.

He did as he was told, and sat sullenly while Annie covered
him with the gun.

“Philip, tie his feet. We don’t want this guy to try
anything.”

Philip grinned and knelt down, tying Tommy’s feet securely.

She sat on a footstool, holding the gun, waiting for Jake to
return.

Friday, August 19th, 3:44 PM

DR. BORIS HOFFMAN moved through the trees as quietly as
possible. Jake was behind him somewhere, and he wasn’t sure what to do now. He
had gotten himself into a real mess, but he was certain with the right lawyer,
the circumstantial evidence they had against him would never stick. He cursed
himself for not having his cell phone with him. He decided to go back to the
house and see if he could sneak back in. If he could be the first one to call
the police, perhaps that would be in his favor.

He swung around to the right and then circled over and
forward again, staying in the thick trees that separated his property from the
neighbor. He had outwitted his pursuer, and now he was close enough he could
see his house. There was a distance of a couple of hundred feet between him and
the building, but he had to take a chance.

He frowned as he saw a motorcycle coming up the driveway.
The idiot wasn’t supposed to come until later. Now, he had to decide what to
do. He dashed across the lawn, safely reaching the front corner of the house.
Salamander was already climbing the steps to the front porch. He opened his
mouth to call to him and instead he muttered a string of curses.

Annie was just coming across the front of the house. She had
a gun in her hand. Hoffman watched helplessly as she stepped up behind
Salamander and poked the gun in his back.

Now he had a real problem. If his stupid nephew had that
letter with him, then he had to get it, and destroy it.

He slipped along the side of the house to the same exit
where he had left a few minutes ago. He opened the door quietly and stepped
into his den. He could hear Tommy cursing in the other room. He crept carefully
to his desk and swept up the phone receiver, dialed 9-1-1, and ducked under the
desk.

“9-1-1. What is your emergency?”

“There are intruders in my house.” He gave them his name and
address.

“A car is on the way. Get out of the house if possible, and
the police will handle it.”

No, he wasn’t going to get out of the house. He had to get
that note before the police came.

He tiptoed to the doorway, into the hallway, and keeping
low, he peered around the corner. He could see Annie sitting on a footstool,
her back to him, holding the gun on Tommy.

He stepped quietly onto the antique Persian rug. He made no
sound as he moved toward Annie. Tommy looked up as he approached, and Annie
caught his look and swung around. Hoffman jumped the last few feet and pounced
on her. She was no match for him this time, and he wrestled the gun from her
hand.

“Uncle, watch out," Tommy yelled. "There’s another
guy in the other room.”

Hoffman lifted the gun and turned, just as Philip Macy came
in from the kitchen.

Hoffman jumped up and waved the gun. “Don’t move,” he said.

Chapter 57

Friday, August 19th, 3:45 PM

JAKE HAD GIVEN up the search for Hoffman. He was never going
to be able to track him down among all these trees. He turned and jogged back
the way he came.

As he ran from the dimness of the forest, he saw Hoffman
running toward the house. What was he up to?

Jake increased his pace. It took him a couple of minutes to
cover the distance to the side door of the mansion. He eased it open and peered
inside. He saw a large office, but Hoffman wasn’t in sight.

He stepped inside and crossed the room to a doorway that led
into a hallway. He could hear voices. As he crept cautiously up the hall, he
heard Hoffman say, “Don’t move.”

He peeked around the corner. Hoffman was standing with his
back to him, a gun in his hand, aimed at Annie and Philip. Salamander was
sitting on the couch, all trussed up with yellow rope.

He stood back and thought. Salamander must have come to the
house, Annie and Philip captured him, and then Hoffman came back and somehow
got ahold of the gun.

Now what?

He peered around the corner carefully. Tommy couldn’t see
him unless he turned his head. Annie could see him if she glanced this way, but
her eyes were intent on the wavering gun.

“Tommy, give me the note,” Hoffman said.

Tommy dropped his chin, pointing to his breast pocket. “It’s
in my pocket. I can’t reach it.”

Hoffman stepped forward and dipped his fingers into Tommy’s
jacket pocket. He pulled out an envelope and slipped a piece of paper from it.
He looked at it with satisfaction. “Ah, finally.”

Jake frowned. What was in that note? He had no idea, but it
seemed important to Hoffman. He had to do something.

Hoffman ripped the paper in two.

Jake stepped into the room. “Hoffman,” he shouted.

Hoffman spun around and fired as Jake ducked behind a chair.
The bullet sung as it smacked the wall above his head.

“You can’t get away,” Jake said.

Hoffman fired again. The bullet snapped helplessly into the
ceiling as Annie dove into him. The gun hit the floor. The papers fluttered in
the air.

Hoffman recovered and lunged for the weapon as Philip dove
and swept it up. Philip lay on his side, holding the gun unsteadily in one
hand.

Hoffman stood up slowly, his eye on the gun.

Philip’s hand shook, his eyes boiling with anger, as he
glared at the man who took his wife.

Hoffman gritted his teeth and rushed at Philip.

Philip fired, and the bullet slammed into Hoffman’s chest.
Hoffman stopped, his mouth gaping open, his hand clutching his chest. He went
down on his knees, his bulging eyes staring at the face of the man whose wife
he had killed, and who had now gotten his revenge.

Epilogue

Saturday, August 20th, 10:12 AM

ANNIE AND JAKE were getting some much-needed rest when the
doorbell rang. It was Hank.

“I see you guys have been busy while I was away.”

Jake laughed. “Come on in.”

Hank followed Jake into the kitchen and dropped down at the
table. Annie poured Hank a cup of coffee and slid it in front of him.

“I talked to Philip this morning,” Jake said. “He’s in
pretty rough shape, but I think he’s doing a bit better now that Hoffman has
been caught.”

“Abby’s funeral is this afternoon,” Annie said, as she took
a seat. “We are planning on going. Philip needs all the support he can get.”

Hank took a sip of coffee and nodded. “I think I may drop by
as well. He didn’t get much police support and it might help to show we’re
behind him now.”

“You were always behind him,” Jake said.

“Yeah, I was. But it seems like I was the only one.” Hank
laughed. “The Captain was a little timid with me this morning. I think this
took him down a peg or two.”

“Any news on Salamander?” Annie asked.

“By the time our guys got through with him,” Hank said, “he
confessed everything. He’ll be going away for a long time.”

“And how’s Hoffman doing?” Jake asked.

“He’ll recover. He’s lucky the bullet missed any vital
organs.”

“Do you think he’ll confess?”

Hank shrugged and leaned back. “Doesn’t matter. He’s going
to be given some free room and board as well, no doubt about that. I’m sure the
letter Abby wrote is going to be the thing that puts him away. That, and the
blood in his trunk. And, of course, the video from that silly hat of yours. I
don’t think there’s any jury that won’t convict him on all three murder
charges, especially with Salamander’s testimony. The crown offered Salamander a
deal if he testifies against Hoffman.”

“Oh, he will,” Jake said. “He’ll do anything to save his own
skin.”

“Speaking of saving skin,” Annie put in. “My crazy husband
almost got himself shot trying to save my skin.”

Jake shrugged. “Better me than you. Besides, I knew if I
could draw Hoffman’s attention away, you guys might jump him. And you did.
Perhaps you saved my skin.”

“You might not be so lucky next time.”

Jake grinned. “Yeah. Maybe not.”

###

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Also by Rayven T. Hill

Blood and Justice

The First Book in the Series