No Way Back(Jack McNeal #1)(75)
“A simple break-in. Sprayed some synthetic opioid into her ear. It’s known on the streets as Pink. Then fentanyl in her carotid. She collapsed and died. I sprinkled some pure coke around her lips. And I dropped a variety of sleeping pills around her body.”
“You did it?”
“I did. But I was only following orders.”
“Whose orders?”
Nicoletti winced, as if not wishing to divulge any more. “I don’t know . . .”
Jack punched him twice in the face, blood spurting onto his shirt.
“Graff! Henry Graff!”
“Graff gave you the go-ahead?”
Nicoletti spat out some more blood, one of his eyes blackened, swollen, unable to see. “Yes and . . . no.”
Jack pressed his foot down onto Nicoletti’s face, partially submerging it in filthy water. “Don’t fuck with me!”
Nicoletti spluttered and spat out the water.
“Let’s try again. What does that mean?”
“Meyer was Henry’s wife, man. Don’t you understand? Sophie Meyer. He was married to her.”
“I know that. But he wasn’t the only one that wanted her dead.”
“A lot of people wanted her in the ground. She was a threat. She fucked everyone in DC if they had money and influence. A lot of people wanted her out of the way.”
“What kind of people?”
“Important people!”
“People in high levels of government? Who? Give me names!”
“I don’t know exactly who,” he mumbled. “But that’s right. Look, man, I’m just a guy that does wet work. I don’t know the big picture. I’m just a foot soldier.”
“Did Graff know the big picture?”
“Yeah, he did.”
“Were you the first point of contact?”
“No.”
“What if I said I don’t believe you?”
Nicoletti was shivering uncontrollably. “Get me to a hospital, you sick motherfuckers!”
“Just as soon as you talk.”
“The approach was made to a woman first. And she approached me. That’s how it all began. I swear to God.”
McNeal knew who he was alluding to. “A woman?”
Nicoletti nodded.
“I need a name.”
“Do you work for her?”
Jack shook his head.
“I don’t know her name.”
McNeal aimed his gun at Nicoletti’s other knee. He fired two shots. The screams echoed through the mine.
Nicoletti passed out again.
Peter slapped him repeatedly until he came to. He yanked at Nicoletti’s hair, keeping his bleeding nostrils above the water. “You’re not checking out on us yet, pal.”
Nicoletti’s eyes rolled around in his head. He began to moan and sob as new waves of pain took hold.
“I need a name. I won’t stop until you give me the name.”
“Feinstein! Karen Feinstein. She runs a black ops crew.”
Jack looked at Peter, whose face was filled with pent-up fury.
Peter said, “Company name?”
“Fein Solutions, motherfucker!”
“Is she connected to Graff?”
“They go way back. We all go way back. Agency. Look, man, I need fucking medical help or so help me God . . .”
“So, you did the wet work required by Feinstein or Graff?”
Nicoletti scrunched up his eyes and began to scream. “Yes! Yes! Motherfucker!”
Jack took Nicoletti’s cell phone out of his pocket, tapped in the eight-digit code, and pulled up all the contacts. Three contacts. He saw Graff. Feinstein. But there was a third name that caught his eye. “Tell me about Ted Outcrow?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I don’t know the guy. Karen knew him. And she gave me his number. For emergencies.”
“It’s a weird last name.”
Nicoletti nodded as he began to sob, shaking, bleeding.
“So, was Karen contacted by Ted Outcrow?”
“Karen was the only one who knew Ted’s true identity. That’s what I know. It began with Ted making the call to Karen. That’s all I know, man. I didn’t have any dealings with him. Nothing direct.”
“This is a bullshit name, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know, man. I’m cold. I need to go to a doctor.”
McNeal pressed his foot hard into Nicoletti’s right knee as Peter did the same with the left.
Nicoletti writhed in agony.
“Tell me the truth! Who the fuck is this guy?”
“I can’t say any more. Ask Karen.”
“We will, don’t worry. But now we’re asking you.”
Nicoletti shook his head wildly, as if having a fit.
Peter gave a knowing look to Jack.
Jack bent over and grabbed Nicoletti’s right foot as Peter grabbed the left. They dragged him a few more yards deeper into the cave.
Nicoletti’s face partially submerged in the shallow water.
The brothers got to the edge of the mineshaft. They lifted Nicoletti up over the rim, holding him headfirst, slowly lowering him down.
Nicoletti’s head dangled into the darkness.