Douglas Dorow - The Ninth District

The FBI dispatched a tactical team to Jack’s location and took up positions on the west side of the river to provide protection to the paramedics who were tending to Patty. Jack and the tactical team’s lead waited at the ambulance parked on the bike trail at the top of the river gorge, next to the road. Somebody had given Jack a t-shirt and he sat on the bumper of the ambulance, trying to recover from his time in the river and the effects of the adrenaline leaving his system.

The lead was listening to a report from the radio, the earpiece keeping Jack from listening in.

“What is it?” Jack asked.

“A couple of things. Your running partner is going to be OK. She’s on her way to HCMC. She’s pissed and says you owe her.” The lead smiled. “She’s feisty.”

“That word fits. What else?”

“They found the shooting site. The shooter positioned himself in the sand on the other side of the river. Looks like he was laying behind an old tree on the riverbank. That’s it, no shooter, no gun, nothing else.” The lead stood in front of Jack, arms crossed over his Kevlar vest. “There’s a vehicle in the parking lot above there. May have been the shooter’s. We’re checking it out.” Drivers on their way to work slowed their cars as they drove by on River Road to see what was going on. “What do you have for me, Jack?”

“It’s got to be the Governor, the bank robber. He was waiting for me. I usually run alone along this route in the morning. I don’t know why he shot Patty. Hit her by accident or just messing with me.” The words poured out of Jack. “They haven’t found anything?”

“Not yet.”

“Where’s Ross?” Jack asked.

“He’s coordinating services from the office. You want to talk with him?”

Jack leaned back against the door of the ambulance and closed his eyes. He started shivering.

“Hey, Miller. You OK?” The lead shook Jack by the shoulder. “Jack.”

Jack opened his eyes. “Yeah, I’m OK. Just really tired.”

“You’re wet, a little dehydrated, and coming down from the adrenaline rush.” The lead kept a hand on Jack’s shoulder to make sure he didn’t faint or fall to the ground. “Let’s get you home to your family; you need to sleep a little.” The lead motioned to the paramedic to come to the back of the ambulance.

Jack’s head snapped up at the mention of his family. If the Governor knew who he was, he may know he had a family. “Get me Ross on the radio.”

The lead handed Jack his radio and earpiece. Jack asked him to get him a ride to his house and then spoke into the radio. “Junior, it’s me.”

“What’s going on out there? You OK?”

“I’m fine. Listen. Get the St. Louis Park police to go by my in-laws’ house and watch it, but not to go in. I want to make sure Julie and the kids are fine and stay that way. Tell the police I’m coming to check out the house.”

The Mercury Cougar skidded to a quick stop in the driveway. Jack was out before it had rocked back into place and settled. On the way over, he had called his in-laws and nobody had answered. Then he tried Julie’s cell phone and it went straight to her voice mail. He cut the twenty-minute drive to fifteen by speeding the whole way, but it still seemed to take forever. Jack had called ahead to the patrols that were around the house and had them looking for any individuals that didn’t seem to belong. All was quiet and Jack told himself that everything was fine. The Governor was after him, not his family, and probably wouldn’t know they weren’t living with him.

Jack got out of the car wearing his FBI windbreaker over his running gear. The jacket, blue nylon with the three letters on the back in gold, was the only clean thing Jack was wearing. Two police officers followed him up to the door, pulling their guns from their holsters and holding them down at their sides, taking Jack’s lead. They looked at him as he stood there and exchanged a look. Jack was still muddy from the top of his head to his shoes. He smelled of sweat, river mud, and adrenaline and he had a look in his eye. He hadn’t said a word to them yet. He tried the door and found it locked.

One of the officers cleared his throat to get Jack’s attention. “What do you want us to do?”

Jack looked through the window of the front door and then turned. “We’re going to go in and clear the house.”

“Do we have a warrant?”

“Something better.” Jack tipped up a flowerpot on the corner of the front step and grabbed something from under it. “We have a key.” He glanced through the front window again. “Here’s the deal. My in-laws live here, a couple in their late sixties. My wife and children are visiting. I believe they may be in danger.” Jack looked from one officer to the other. “I think the house is empty, but we’re going make sure. You ready?”

Both officers swallowed and nodded.

“OK, let’s go. And try not to shoot each other.” Jack slid the key into the lock and slowly opened the door.

The house was quiet and the air was cool from the air-conditioning. Jack went first, searching through the living room and kitchen. He sensed nothing. It didn’t feel like there was anybody there. Everything was in its place. He noticed a couple of the kids’ things in the house, reminding him that they were living here now. Lynn’s book, a fantasy, lay open on the kitchen table and Willy’s toy cars were parked under the coffee table. The officers went down the hall to the left and checked out the bedrooms and bathroom. Jack opened the door leading to the attached garage and looked around. It was a two-car garage with the items of suburban life stored neatly inside. The lawnmower and snow blower were against the far wall. An extension ladder and a six-foot ladder hung on the wall next to snow and garden shovels. A Chevy Malibu was parked in the spot closest to the door where Jack stood. The spot next to it was empty. Julie’s dad’s pickup truck that parked in that spot was gone.

“Anything?” one of the officers asked from behind Jack.

“One of their cars is gone.” Jack turned and pointed at the officer that was doing the talking. “You stay here. We’re going to check out the basement.”

The basement was dark and just as quiet. Sunlight came in through the small windows. Clean clothes were neatly folded in clothesbaskets in the laundry room. The officer rejoined Jack after checking out the shop area under the stairs. He sniffed audibly once, cleared his throat, and backed a step away from Jack.

“Do I smell?” Jack asked.

“Maybe a little.”

Jack pulled out the windbreaker from his chest, stuck his nose down inside it, and sniffed. “Maybe more than a little. Sorry, it’s been a long morning.” He shook his head. “There’s nobody here. Let’s go.”

Out on the lawn, Jack thanked the officers and asked them to keep an eye on the house in the future. He put the key back where he found it and sat down on the front step. Where the heck was everybody? His in-laws may be at their cabin. They never planned their time away. They just went. But, they weren’t answering their phone. Julie and the kids should be around. He pulled the left sleeve of the windbreaker up so he could see his watch. He wiped off the mud-covered face with his thumb so he could read it. Just two hours since he woke up this morning. Where were they? He was just about to call Ross and update him when the phone in his pocket rang. He fumbled around in his pocket for it, flipped it open so he could see who was calling, and hit talk. “Jules, where are you?”

“Jack, I got your message. What’s going on?”

“Where are you? Are the kids with you?” Jack was pacing back and forth in front of the house.

“We’re in St. Paul. We went out for breakfast on our way to the Como Zoo.” There was silence between them as Jack didn’t answer, relieved that they were OK. “Hello? Jack, you still there?”