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Terri pulled out her phone, dialed, and said, “We’re a go.”
I knew there was a lot to do between now and seven o’clock, when Perry Martin was supposed to show up at the sports bar. And my heart would be skipping beats until it was all over.
Chapter95
I WAS SURPRISEDby the crowd when we entered The Hockey Stick. Thursday nights were busier than I would have guessed. We were in position, sitting at a small table about twenty feet from the main bar. We had a good view of Allie Pritz. And the Tactical Assistance Response Unit outside was ready to go. But I was still nervous.
Terri and I both wore earbuds to monitor the radio and cell phone traffic. Terry’s hair completely covered hers. I had one small blue plastic ball that looked like I might have a hearing aid in my right ear. It was a tiny receiver to listen to Allie’s transmitter. The larger earbud in my left ear monitored the outside surveillance team’s radios. Terri was the only one who could answer the outside team’s radio calls. She had a small transmitter mike hidden in the palm of her hand that was connected to a handheld radio in her purse.
I felt like everything was on track.
Allie sat alone at the bar and knew not to look over her shoulder at us. She sipped a Diet Coke and looked up at a TV playing an old Islanders game. There were only four people sitting at the bar. Two older men together and a younger man at the other end of the bar who looked like he was waiting for someone.
I noticed a bartender with a scraggly goatee linger any time he checked on Allie. Why not? Even dressed semi-casually, she was a knockout. Now any time I looked at her, the only thing I thought was how young she was. I hoped my daughters would feel comfortable talking to me if they got into a situation like Allie had. As I had learned with Brian, it’s tough being a parent and knowing exactly what’s going on with each kid.
I heard the surveillance team we’d sent north to Perry Martin’s house and the Wolfson Academy come on the air.
“This is the north surveillance team. We were not able to pick up the target at either location. Repeat, we have not seen the target. You guys won’t have much warning when he shows up.”
Terri looked at me and bit her lower lip. An anxious habit that few noticed.
I said, “All they were going to do is tell us Martin was on his way. We still have Harry and the tac team outside. They’ll give us plenty of notice.”
Terri nodded as her eyes slowly scanned the entire bar.
I said, “Are you worried that a six-foot-five, 260-pound man somehow slipped into the bar without us noticing?”
“No, smart-ass, I’m wondering if we’ll have problems from anyone if we try to make an arrest. You know how things have been lately. If we start to tussle with this guy, I want to have an idea who might jump in on his side.”
I had to acknowledge her superior tactical thinking. Then I looked around the bar quickly. Mostly younger people, probably from Fordham or one of the other schools close by. One table in the back held medical personnel still in their scrubs. The six of them sounded like they were having a great time. That was good. I wanted attention drawn away from us.
I focused on my right earbud to listen to the transmitter we had on Allie, concealed in her blouse. I could clearly hear the TV she was watching over the bar. That meant the signal was good.
There are always so many details that go into an operation like this. Not only safety protocols but to ensure we get what we need to make a case. The entire time, acid ate at my stomach. I might as well have been on a tower looking over the railing at the ground below. That was about how anxious I felt. I had to pull out my left earbud for a moment just to think clearly. I let the little piece of electronics stay on a napkin for a full minute. I needed the break.
Terry’s eyes cut up to me suddenly and I knew it was time to reinsert the earpiece. Immediately, I heard Harry Grissom’s voice.
Harry Grissom said, “Someone’s coming down the street on the same side as the bar. He’s pretty far away, but I’d be willing to bet it’s our man. It looks like someone put a yellow wig on a minibus.”
I looked across at Terri and said, “He’s not wrong.”
I heard one of the tac team members say, “He just walked past our van. Jesus, Bennett, you need to show more emotion when you’re describing someone. It’s one thing tohearsix foot five, it’s another toseeit.”
Terri giggled at that.
Terri went up to the bar and grabbed some napkins. While she was there, she casually looked over and nodded at Allie.
Allie returned the nod with confidence.
Chapter96
I WAS LOOKINGat the door just as it opened. I kept my head down like I was reading the menu. I didn’t need this guy recognizing me, no matter how small the chance. Perry Martin stood in the doorway just for a moment. It was like something had blocked the exit. If there was a fire and he didn’t want to move, no one would survive.
He noticed Allie sitting at the bar by herself. A grin spread across his face and he ran his hand through his blond hair. I noticed he arched his back slightly and flexed his chest. Not like he needed to. But it was impressive just the same.
I couldn’t keep my eyes from tracking him as he padded across to the bar. I pulled out my surveillance earpiece so I could focus on the transmitter hidden on Allie. Terri turned slightly so she could always keep her eyes on the bar. Martin had never met Terri, so it didn’t matter if he looked over and saw her.
As Martin walked up to Allie, I heard him ask, “Are you Allie?”
