Janet Evanovich - Full Tilt

"I'm fine. She just winged me. The bullet grazed my shoulder, honey. It hurts like hell, but at least she didn't hit the gas tank."

"I thought you were dead!"

"I only pretended because I hoped she wouldn't fire again. Untie the boy, sweetheart. And give Choo-Choo a hug."

* * * * *

Mitzi and Lenny, who'd overheard the whole thing while in the process of trying to get into the building undetected, looked at one another and blinked.

"Do we really want to get in the middle of this, Mitzi?" Lenny said. "They've got guns in there, and they're not afraid to use them. We're going to get killed."

The hard look in Mitzi's eyes had been replaced with fear. She looked at the gun in her hand. Finally, she dropped it. "To hell with it, man. I'm going home."

* * * * *

Ten minutes later, the municipal building was surrounded by police cars and several ambulances. Swamp Dog lay in one, his body draped with a sheet, and a bleeding Annabelle had just been whisked away in another ambulance to the emergency room. A paramedic tended to Frankie's wound while Deedee fussed with her husband like a mother hen. Max, who'd already placed a call to Alexa, had lifted Danny onto a large bulldozer, and the kid was having the time of his life pretending to drive it. Jamie and Beenie watched with a smile.

Alexa cried out when she spotted her son, and Max helped Danny down and into the arms of his frantic mother.

"I'm not hurt, Mom," the boy said, as Alexa searched for wounds.

Alexa looked up at Max, her eyes swimming with tears. "I thought—" She shuddered.

Max smiled gently. "Take your son home," he said. "He'll be safe now."

She nodded and led the boy from the building. Lamar came through the door and shook Danny's hand on the way out. He spotted Max and hurried over.

"The FBI is on the way." Lamar grew serious. "You took a big chance coming here on your own, Holt. You could have been killed. The hostages could have been killed."

Max kept his mouth shut. It wasn't the first time he'd been taken to task over interfering with an investigation, and it wouldn't be the last.

"I have something for you," Max said. "There are certain documents in my car that should be in your possession before the FBI arrives and takes over. My computer is trying to open files in a financial institution in Delaware. Once we get a hit, you'll probably have the location where the town's tax dollars have been going, as well as who all the players are." I'll get them to you before we leave.

"Is Annabelle Standish involved?"

"I suspect she's the queen bee of the operation."

Lamar sighed. "Man, I hope she lives. I'd love to lock that snooty woman behind bars." He looked at Max. "You know, this whole thing has been confusing. I'm still trying to figure out how that Vito guy got involved."

"I have every confidence that you'll succeed," Max said.

"Thanks." Lamar offered his hand, and they shook. "For everything." He started to walk away, then slapped an open palm against his forehead. "Blast it, I almost forgot. I'm just not used to all this action. Every time I turn around there's something else going on, you know?"

"What is it?" Max said.

"I just got a call from the fire department. Swamp Dog's houseboat is burning out of control. The fire chief says you can see the blaze for miles."

Max simply nodded.

"You don't look surprised."

"Nothing would surprise me at this point."

Lamar joined the other officers and Max walked over to Jamie and Beenie who were deep in conversation, Beenie gesturing with his hands as he spoke. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Beenie's just ticked off," she said.

"She's right," Beenie said. "I'm sick and damn tired of people pushing me around. I may be gay, but that doesn't mean I can't defend myself. After all, I was John Wayne for a while, you know? He used to be my hero."

"You don't have to take crap from nobody," Jamie told him.

"I think you were very brave," Max said. "You really told Annabelle Standish where to get off. And she was holding a gun on you."

Beenie looked thoughtful. "I think there are probably worse things than being shot." He looked at Jamie. "Like having people make fun of you all the time. I'm not going to tolerate it anymore." He sighed heavily. "But right now I just want to slip into my Calvin Klein jammies and sleep for a week."

"You deserve it," Jamie said.

Suddenly, Beenie looked up in alarm. "Oh, God, Jamie, you're going to hate me when I tell you what I did to your car."

* * * * *

Three nights later, Frankie climbed the stairs to the bandstand in the courthouse square.

The crowd broke into hearty applause at the sight of him. Jamie and Deedee smiled at one another.

"My Frankie is so brave," Deedee whispered. "I know his shoulder hurts like the dickens, but he would die before he'd let on."

"What about me?" Beenie whined. "My head still hurts, but nobody cares about that."

Max stood there quietly, watching his brother-in-law get ready to give the most important speech of his political career. Alexa and Danny had joined the group, as had Snakeman, Big John, and Choker. Vera and Mike stood in the front. Mike was getting the speech on tape while Vera snapped pictures for the newspaper.

Frankie beamed at the roaring crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began. "As you know from reading the newspaper and watching TV, our town is undergoing tremendous changes. I promised to look into your missing tax dollars, and with the help of a number of good people and our fine police chief, we have already managed to get most of the answers."

More applause.

"The investigation continues," Frankie said, "and I promise that everyone involved in the corruption will be prosecuted. I will see that justice is served." He was forced to pause again as the crowd cheered.

"Tomorrow, when you go into that voting booth, I only ask you to remember one thing. As mayor of Beaumont, I will keep my promises. I will cut taxes and fight wasteful spending, and I will do everything possible to see that the fraudulent tax dollars that were stolen are returned to each and every one of you. It's your money. You earned it."

The crowd went wild.

Max looked at Jamie. "Guess we know who's going to win the election tomorrow."

She nodded. "It would be kind of hard for him to lose, seeing as how the present mayor is under investigation for embezzlement."

Max smiled. "That does better Frankie's chances."

"Uh, Max, we need to talk," she said. "My lawyer called me this afternoon and—"

"Why don't we talk later?" he suggested. "I don't want to miss the rest of Frankie's speech." Max felt someone nudge his arm and found Police Chief Lamar Tevis by his side.

"We done good, Holt," he said. "Why don't you sign on as one of my deputies? I've got my work cut out for me, you know. Can't even find the time to do a little fishing."

"From what I hear, you've been a busy man the past couple of days."

"Yes, well, I have friends in high places." He winked, and then grew serious. "I guess you heard a couple of our town's finest packed their bags and hightailed it out of here in the middle of the night."

"Nobody has seen hide nor hair of Grimby," Alexa said. "Talk about job security. I'm practically the only one left on my floor."

"Alexa has been a big help to me," Lamar said.

"Just don't keep her too long," Max said, smiling at the woman and ruffling Danny's hair. "I know you need her right now, but she's got a job waiting for her elsewhere if she wants it."

"She'd make a fine city auditor," Lamar said.

Max arched one brow as he regarded Alexa. "Are you considering it?"

She shrugged. "Old man Grimby is obviously on the run, so I need to hang around and get this mess sorted out."

Max took her hand and squeezed it. "You do what you need to do. You have my card."