noticed a few minor details that most people would miss.
The first thing was their positioning. They were standing next to a platform that looked over the city and the river below, yet they were facing in the opposite direction. This might have been understandable if they were waiting for a bus or trying to hail a cab, but they were focused on the front of the station, not the traffic on Grandview Avenue.
Next was their posture. Both men were rigid and alert, as if they were standing at attention on guard duty. They kept their heads raised and backs straight as they subtly scanned the area – like hungry wolves looking for prey.
The last and most important thing was their clothes. Those gave the duo away. Though their linen suits were appropriate for the season, they didn’t drape as well as wool. Given his background, it was easy for Payne to spot the telltale bulges of shoulder holsters.
Both of these men were armed.
Payne’s suspicions were confirmed as he made his way to the entrance. He was close enough to overhear a snippet of their conversation. It was more than damning.
‘Is this our backup?’ the first man asked.
‘No,’ the second man replied. ‘He’s sending four guys, not one.’
‘All of this for an old man?’
Masseri was finished with the cat-and-mouse approach. He had a cadre of personnel at his disposal, and it was time to use it. Why hunt with only two pairs of dogs when he could unleash the whole pack?
He ordered four more men to the incline’s upper station. Once they arrived, the two men already in position had instructions to join Masseri in the lower station. He also put a third team on standby. They were to wait in a separate SUV – fully armed – until Masseri could give them Sahlberg’s location. Once his whereabouts were known, all three teams would spring into action. With several men in pursuit, Masseri knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up to their target.
Masseri stared at the delayed satellite feed on his phone.
He watched as the image of Sahlberg entered the upper station.
They were getting closer.
Payne burst through the station’s door like a late commuter rushing to catch his train. The first thing he saw was Darla. She had a half-terrified, half-exhilarated look on her face. Before she could react further, Payne was already standing at her ticket booth.
Her heartbeat pounded, as she wondered what else this day might bring.
‘I’m looking for my neighbor,’ Payne lied. ‘Mid eighties, wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants. He wandered away from home, and we’re worried sick. Any chance you’ve seen him?’
‘Your neighbor?’ she challenged. She looked Payne up and down. He seemed awfully familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. ‘Um, let me think …’
Payne sensed she was stalling. ‘I know you don’t know me, but if you could just point me in the right direction, you’d be helping us out more than you know.’
Before she could respond to Payne’s plea, Sahlberg emerged from the back room. He had been watching the front entrance on the monitors. He smiled at Payne, grateful that he had finally arrived. ‘Allow me to introduce you. Darla, this is my neighbor, Jonathon.’
‘Jon is fine. Nice to meet you, Darla.’
She turned her back to Payne and focused on Sahlberg instead. ‘What’s really going on? Are you sure you’re all right?’
He patted her on her shoulder as he exited the booth. ‘I appreciate all you’ve done, my dear, but I believe we can take it from here.’
Darla shrugged and nodded.
‘To your car, then?’ Sahlberg asked Payne.
‘We can’t,’ Payne whispered. ‘First of all, I didn’t drive. Secondly, there are two men looking for you outside with four more on the way. We have to go down.’
‘There are two men waiting for me at the lower station.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I’m positive. They followed me here from my house. I managed to hide in the back in the nick of time. Darla
The first thing was their positioning. They were standing next to a platform that looked over the city and the river below, yet they were facing in the opposite direction. This might have been understandable if they were waiting for a bus or trying to hail a cab, but they were focused on the front of the station, not the traffic on Grandview Avenue.
Next was their posture. Both men were rigid and alert, as if they were standing at attention on guard duty. They kept their heads raised and backs straight as they subtly scanned the area – like hungry wolves looking for prey.
The last and most important thing was their clothes. Those gave the duo away. Though their linen suits were appropriate for the season, they didn’t drape as well as wool. Given his background, it was easy for Payne to spot the telltale bulges of shoulder holsters.
Both of these men were armed.
Payne’s suspicions were confirmed as he made his way to the entrance. He was close enough to overhear a snippet of their conversation. It was more than damning.
‘Is this our backup?’ the first man asked.
‘No,’ the second man replied. ‘He’s sending four guys, not one.’
‘All of this for an old man?’
Masseri was finished with the cat-and-mouse approach. He had a cadre of personnel at his disposal, and it was time to use it. Why hunt with only two pairs of dogs when he could unleash the whole pack?
He ordered four more men to the incline’s upper station. Once they arrived, the two men already in position had instructions to join Masseri in the lower station. He also put a third team on standby. They were to wait in a separate SUV – fully armed – until Masseri could give them Sahlberg’s location. Once his whereabouts were known, all three teams would spring into action. With several men in pursuit, Masseri knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up to their target.
Masseri stared at the delayed satellite feed on his phone.
He watched as the image of Sahlberg entered the upper station.
They were getting closer.
Payne burst through the station’s door like a late commuter rushing to catch his train. The first thing he saw was Darla. She had a half-terrified, half-exhilarated look on her face. Before she could react further, Payne was already standing at her ticket booth.
Her heartbeat pounded, as she wondered what else this day might bring.
‘I’m looking for my neighbor,’ Payne lied. ‘Mid eighties, wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants. He wandered away from home, and we’re worried sick. Any chance you’ve seen him?’
‘Your neighbor?’ she challenged. She looked Payne up and down. He seemed awfully familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. ‘Um, let me think …’
Payne sensed she was stalling. ‘I know you don’t know me, but if you could just point me in the right direction, you’d be helping us out more than you know.’
Before she could respond to Payne’s plea, Sahlberg emerged from the back room. He had been watching the front entrance on the monitors. He smiled at Payne, grateful that he had finally arrived. ‘Allow me to introduce you. Darla, this is my neighbor, Jonathon.’
‘Jon is fine. Nice to meet you, Darla.’
She turned her back to Payne and focused on Sahlberg instead. ‘What’s really going on? Are you sure you’re all right?’
He patted her on her shoulder as he exited the booth. ‘I appreciate all you’ve done, my dear, but I believe we can take it from here.’
Darla shrugged and nodded.
‘To your car, then?’ Sahlberg asked Payne.
‘We can’t,’ Payne whispered. ‘First of all, I didn’t drive. Secondly, there are two men looking for you outside with four more on the way. We have to go down.’
‘There are two men waiting for me at the lower station.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I’m positive. They followed me here from my house. I managed to hide in the back in the nick of time. Darla
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