Page 105 of Long Past Deadly

No matter what, forcing this to work their way was not an option. They had to be ready for anything.

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The person who said too many cooks spoiled the broth couldn’t have been more right. They quibbled about the wording on the message they were leaving in the homeless areas.

Whit had an opinion, then retired to nap. Alanna had firm ideas that defied argument. He didn’t want it too obvious. Mackey’s solution had no subtlety. It was finally Kerry who cut through all the bullshit and gave them a direction.

You keep screwing the pooch. You know how to find me. Let’s do this. “Give it to the priest to give him.”

Kerry’s suggestion, a manhunt pushing every dark corner, and a team practiced and ready should get results. The wording could be Alanna or it could be Whit. For this scenario, it didn’t matter. Whit was with Alanna. But Mercer could interpret it however his pathology required.

Kerry’s final statement on the way out the door for lunch – “He’s not playing with all his bullets loaded, so let’s quit acting like he is” – sealed it.

Quaid stood in the middle of Operations, Alanna directly across from him, and spoke the most important truth. “Kerry’s right. He’s either going to read the message and come at you, read it and laugh figuring it’s a trap but come anyway, or walk away.”

“Further, we can’t keep the manhunt going at this intensity for very much longer. A day or two at the most.” Mackey checked the ding on his phone. “Frank. He’s waiting for our strategy to get the word out.”

“We tell Father Eli, then spread the word in the neighborhood where Whit has been hiding? Isn’t that dangerous for the Father? How does this draw him to us?” Harrison looked at each of them. “Not trying to mess with Open Doors and their homeless program.”

Alanna sighed. The lines under her eyes showed the strain. “Is he watching us already? He was before.”

“Shit, have we missed something?” Quaid swiveled to the security cams.

Mackey slapped his shoulder. “Chill, bro. Security was the first thing I tightened. He even breathes on this neighborhood, we’ll get an alert. We have cameras and patrols.”

Quaid settled himself by walking away to study the manhunt data coming across the computer screen. The threat to Alanna was real and he couldn’t stand it.

Harrison went back to the original discussion. “We could plant a man at Open Door for protection. Delaney comes to mind. As long as he doesn’t have to get physical.”

Mackey shook his head. “Talking and walking is one thing. Being armed and having to protect is another. His shoulder isn’t operational yet.”

“I made myself pretty obvious when I was hunting for Whit. Why can’t we use the same technique for Mercer? Pass out my card again. Include Father Eli with specific instructions. Only for anyone who asks.” Alanna pulled out Kerry’s chair and sat.

Harrison eased into the chair in the next cubicle with a groan and rubbed his back. “Tell me again why we’re including Whit? Seems like an unnecessary risk.”

To her credit, Alanna kept her temper. “He wants in. And I’m not sure of the sequence. Did he attack Whit originally to draw me out or is he after me to draw Whit back out? Or is it me not him? I have no answer. It’s logical to bait the trap with both of us.”

“God save us from the plotting of a serial killer,” Mackey muttered. “Let’s go with the business card again. Your FBI card or a QM one?”

Quaid turned back from the board. “QM could be valid. He missed us both here. And his bombing both times, while doing building damage, didn’t do much else. It will give the message a ‘missed me’ sarcastic tone.”

Harrison snorted. “Taunting an assassin. Stellar strategy.”

But Alanna was nodding her head. “Taunting, but subtle. I like it.”

Mackey opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of simple QM business cards. “Get busy writing, Doc. Time’s a wasting.”

“Who delivers?”

Mackey pointed at her. “You do. It’ll be part of the rumors that get back to him. And stick one in the alleyway where the other attack was.”

Quaid rubbed Alanna’s back, then wandered over to Hunt where he stayed arms crossed viewing all the activity.

“Are we getting there?”

It was a moment before he answered. “The tell is in whether it works. This kind of taunting doesn’t go into my missions. We arrive, survey, rescue, kill, blow up, and get out.”

“There are differences for sure.”