Backfire
Page 94
Ramsey said, “Then that telephone message to Molly, that wasn’t Xu, either.”
Savich said, “No. The phone call was meant to terrorize, like the notes.”
“It was a spur-of-the-moment dig at me, and my family?” Ramsey said.
Savich nodded. “That, yes, and more than a little unhinged, like that photo he left of you as Judge Dredd X-ed through under the hydrangea, and the blood he left in the elevator shaft. The man makes plans, but he’s not rational. He’s deranged.”
Sherlock said, “The thing is, Ramsey, he took lots of time to plan this all out, to learn all about you. Lots of time—and that’s the key. We think he was in prison, where he’d have nothing but time to spend in the library. He told the young man who delivered the first note to Dillon to call him the Hammer. That’s a prison moniker.”
Ramsey said, “Do you think it’s someone I put away?”
There was silence in the hospital room, the two guards at the window listening intently.
Savich said, “Maybe, but it’s got to be as much about me because he picked me to send the note to, and he shot my wife. I don’t know why he went for you first, Ramsey. Forgive me, but if I’m to be blamed I would have thought he’d have gone for Sherlock first, but he didn’t. It was you.”
Sherlock said, “There’s got to be a good reason he went for you first, Ramsey. We have to figure out what it is.”
Ramsey said, “It means he’s carrying a load of rage at me, maybe more than he has against you, Savich. It could be over something he thinks we did to him together.”
Sherlock only nodded. Her head felt like a weight was pressing her down. “Yes, but what?”
Savich said, “We’ll have to find out, but not tonight. You both look ready to fold your tents. Get some sleep.”
Savich leaned down and kissed Sherlock’s mouth. “Sleep well, sweetheart. We’ll get this all figured out in the morning. Ramsey, don’t snore so loud you wake her. I’ll be back in a moment,” and Savich followed Deputy Babcock and Deputy Cluney out of the room. Deputy Babcock said, “This is hairier than my mother-in-law’s legs. Two killers, not just this Xu character. Have you told Marshal Maynard?”
“Cheney will.”
“Barbieri called a few minutes ago, said they’d found the Infiniti on one of the winding streets above Sausalito. Sounds like he was on his way to find a doctor to take care of his arm. I hope Xu hasn’t invaded someone’s home. I can’t imagine a doctor would have a fully equipped office in his own home, but I guess he’d have enough stuff to help him with an arm wound. I sure hope he hasn’t killed anyone.”
Savich said, “I hope Xu won’t think it’s prudent.”
“We’ll find out soon enough, either way,” Babcock said.
Savich said, “Xu’s got to be somewhat panicked. No, don’t listen to me, I’m too tired to think straight. He’s survived this long by staying cool and always using his brain. Everyone is focused on small medical offices and walk-in clinics, especially those with a Chinese clientele. He probably knows some doctors who cater to people at the Chinese consulate, take care of their families. I wonder if we can find out who those doctors are.”
“Probably already done,” Babcock said, “I wonder how he expects to get out of here?”
Officer Cluney said, “I would drive out of California, maybe to Utah or Nevada, stay away from the airports for a while.”
Savich said, “You’re probably right, if he’s well enough to drive that far. Now that his cover is gone and we know he didn’t shoot either Ramsey or Sherlock, it’s the second shooter we have to guard against.”
Cluney said, “If they don’t know each other, how lucky is that for Xu?”
Babcock said, “I’ll bet Xu’s putting him in high on his nighttime prayer list. Agent Savich, you can relax. With four of us around the clock, how could this second guy possibly believe he could get to either Sherlock or Judge Hunt in here?”
“How? Remember the elevator?” Savich snapped his fingers. “He came this close to killing Judge Hunt. Don’t forget, this guy prefers the elaborate over the simple and straightforward. The more convoluted and intricate he can make his plans, the bigger the rush he gets.”
Babcock said, “But he’s failed twice. Doesn’t he realize that we all know now he’s the danger and not Xu?”
Savich said, “But the only reason we do know is because he led us right to it, by shooting Sherlock with Xu in sight, and by leaving that note. Now he wants us to know.”
Savich said, “No. The phone call was meant to terrorize, like the notes.”
“It was a spur-of-the-moment dig at me, and my family?” Ramsey said.
Savich nodded. “That, yes, and more than a little unhinged, like that photo he left of you as Judge Dredd X-ed through under the hydrangea, and the blood he left in the elevator shaft. The man makes plans, but he’s not rational. He’s deranged.”
Sherlock said, “The thing is, Ramsey, he took lots of time to plan this all out, to learn all about you. Lots of time—and that’s the key. We think he was in prison, where he’d have nothing but time to spend in the library. He told the young man who delivered the first note to Dillon to call him the Hammer. That’s a prison moniker.”
Ramsey said, “Do you think it’s someone I put away?”
There was silence in the hospital room, the two guards at the window listening intently.
Savich said, “Maybe, but it’s got to be as much about me because he picked me to send the note to, and he shot my wife. I don’t know why he went for you first, Ramsey. Forgive me, but if I’m to be blamed I would have thought he’d have gone for Sherlock first, but he didn’t. It was you.”
Sherlock said, “There’s got to be a good reason he went for you first, Ramsey. We have to figure out what it is.”
Ramsey said, “It means he’s carrying a load of rage at me, maybe more than he has against you, Savich. It could be over something he thinks we did to him together.”
Sherlock only nodded. Her head felt like a weight was pressing her down. “Yes, but what?”
Savich said, “We’ll have to find out, but not tonight. You both look ready to fold your tents. Get some sleep.”
Savich leaned down and kissed Sherlock’s mouth. “Sleep well, sweetheart. We’ll get this all figured out in the morning. Ramsey, don’t snore so loud you wake her. I’ll be back in a moment,” and Savich followed Deputy Babcock and Deputy Cluney out of the room. Deputy Babcock said, “This is hairier than my mother-in-law’s legs. Two killers, not just this Xu character. Have you told Marshal Maynard?”
“Cheney will.”
“Barbieri called a few minutes ago, said they’d found the Infiniti on one of the winding streets above Sausalito. Sounds like he was on his way to find a doctor to take care of his arm. I hope Xu hasn’t invaded someone’s home. I can’t imagine a doctor would have a fully equipped office in his own home, but I guess he’d have enough stuff to help him with an arm wound. I sure hope he hasn’t killed anyone.”
Savich said, “I hope Xu won’t think it’s prudent.”
“We’ll find out soon enough, either way,” Babcock said.
Savich said, “Xu’s got to be somewhat panicked. No, don’t listen to me, I’m too tired to think straight. He’s survived this long by staying cool and always using his brain. Everyone is focused on small medical offices and walk-in clinics, especially those with a Chinese clientele. He probably knows some doctors who cater to people at the Chinese consulate, take care of their families. I wonder if we can find out who those doctors are.”
“Probably already done,” Babcock said, “I wonder how he expects to get out of here?”
Officer Cluney said, “I would drive out of California, maybe to Utah or Nevada, stay away from the airports for a while.”
Savich said, “You’re probably right, if he’s well enough to drive that far. Now that his cover is gone and we know he didn’t shoot either Ramsey or Sherlock, it’s the second shooter we have to guard against.”
Cluney said, “If they don’t know each other, how lucky is that for Xu?”
Babcock said, “I’ll bet Xu’s putting him in high on his nighttime prayer list. Agent Savich, you can relax. With four of us around the clock, how could this second guy possibly believe he could get to either Sherlock or Judge Hunt in here?”
“How? Remember the elevator?” Savich snapped his fingers. “He came this close to killing Judge Hunt. Don’t forget, this guy prefers the elaborate over the simple and straightforward. The more convoluted and intricate he can make his plans, the bigger the rush he gets.”
Babcock said, “But he’s failed twice. Doesn’t he realize that we all know now he’s the danger and not Xu?”
Savich said, “But the only reason we do know is because he led us right to it, by shooting Sherlock with Xu in sight, and by leaving that note. Now he wants us to know.”
