The Devil's Anvil (40 page)

The black guy was propelled through the arch, going to his hands and knees by the force of a push. He had a livid bruise growing on his forehead that matched the shape of the stock of the Mossberg shotgun Rink wielded as he strode into the kitchen. Erick looked at his pal, then shook his head in regret. I moved round the counter, never lowering my gun, until I stood a few feet before Erick, who, still on his knees, peered up at me. He swore under his breath as he checked out my friends all standing around us. ‘You knew we were coming,’ he said.

I rocked my head to one side. ‘You took your time. Hell, how much setting up should a trap take? I lay out on that bloody hammock for long enough waiting for you to make your move, so there was nothing for it. I had to go for a run just to give you an opening to take.’

‘I should’ve shot you when you first suggested it,’ Erick said.

‘Yeah, you should have. But you missed your opportunity.’

Rink offered a grin of his own. ‘If you had, you wouldn’t have walked outta here alive. Not pulling that trigger was the best decision you ever made, buddy.’

‘So what happens now?’ Erick returned his attention to me. ‘You have me on my knees; are you going to execute me the way I planned for you?’

‘I’m tempted,’ I said.

But I also recalled Billie’s words as she’d tried to vindicate her murderous actions. ‘Can you really blame me, Joe?’ she’d asked. ‘You’re a man who will use violence when necessary. I’ve seen you use it, seen what you’re prepared to do for what is right.’

Right or wrong, executing Erick Jaeger in cold blood didn’t fall into that category. Instead I exercised my civilian power of arrest. I gave McTeer a nod, and he took out his cell phone and punched in the number for the local ATF field office: Jaeger and his scalded friend could be added to the criminals I’d already sent their way.

THANKS

With grateful thanks to Luigi Bonomi, Alison Bonomi, Oliver Johnson, Anne Perry, Alice Wood and all the team at Hodder, and to all Joe Hunter readers new and old. This book would not be here without all your efforts.