Double Jeopardy (Stone Barrington #57)(51)

“Have they killed us yet?” Dino asked. “They’ve certainly had the time.”

“Then they began firing. We ducked, in the hope they would stop, but they didn’t, so we returned fire. That is, you returned fire, Ed. You’re the one with the nightscope.”

“Good by me. Now shut up and listen.”

They listened and heard engine noises in the distance.

“Running fast,” Ed said.

“Too fast for in the dark,” Dino agreed.

As if they had taken Dino’s advice, the power out there was reduced, and they came into the harbor more slowly.

“You just let me know when you’ve got a positive ID,” Ed said. “I’ll take it from there.”

Everybody rammed in magazines and worked their slides.

“I hope they didn’t hear that,” Ed said. “That was not an inviting sound.”

“Good,” Stone said. “We had hoped it would warn them off, but it didn’t work.”

The engines were reduced to idle and a dim form appeared at the outer edges of their vision.

“Hold your fire,” Stone said. “I see a hull.”

“We all see a hull,” Dino replied. “But is it the right one? Does the boat have a name painted on the hull?”

“Yes,” Ed said.

“What’s the name?”

“I’m trying to remember.”

Stone trained his night glasses on the hull. “Could it be Argo?”

“Yes! That’s the name,” Ed responded. “Is that a positive ID?”

“Yes, but only of the boat,” Stone said. “I can see a figure at the helm, slightly lit by the instrument panel lights. There’s another figure standing in the cockpit, at the stern.”

“They’re less than a hundred yards out now,” Ed said. “I can see the two guys through my scope.”

“Can you identify either one?” Stone asked. “I figure we only have to ID one, since they’re identical.”

“Good point,” Ed said, “but not yet.”

“The one not driving just stood on something and is leaning on the cabin. Oh, shit.”

“‘Oh, shit’ what?” Dino asked.

“Oh, shit, they’ve got a nightscope, too. I just saw the green flash.”

Then the shooting started.





45

A round tore across Stone’s left shoulder, and he hit the deck. They only got flesh, he thought, but a few inches lower and he would no longer have had a working heart.

“It’s the twins!” Stone shouted. “Positive ID.” He didn’t actually have a positive ID, but whoever was out there was hostile enough to warrant shooting at.

Ed Rawls obliged. They were fifty yards out now, and he got a piece of somebody, who yelled, “OW!”

Dino’s barrel was resting on the boat’s gunwale, and he was firing short bursts, making his ammo last.

“You want some of this, Stone?” Rawls yelled.

“Yes!”

“Then get off your ass and return fire!”

Stone obliged, opting for short bursts like Dino. “Ed, are you finding anybody in that nightscope of yours?”

“They pop up like ducks in a shooting gallery,” Ed said, “but they’ve been too quick for me. Hang on, I’ve got an idea.”

“I’m glad somebody has an idea!” Dino shouted.

“Where’s my canvas bag?” Ed demanded.

“I don’t see your canvas bag,” Stone said. “What’s in it?”

“A surprise, if we’re lucky.”

“I hate surprises,” Dino said.

“You’ll like this one.” Ed emptied his bag onto the deck and rummaged through the contents. They still had regular incoming rounds. “Got it!”

“What is it?” Stone asked.

“This will only work if they’ve got that explosive of mine on their boat.” Ed held up a small radio and pulled out the antenna. “I rebuilt this, and I remembered the frequency.”

“What are you waiting for?” Stone asked.

Ed held up the unit and pressed the button. The plastique exploded. Unfortunately, it didn’t explode on the boat. The boom came from the southwest, across the island. Everybody turned and looked in that direction.

A fireball lit up the sky. During those few seconds, the Hinckley in the cove revved its three engines and tore out of there, toward the open bay.

Ed jumped out of the boat onto the dock. “Let’s get over there and greet them when they get home!”

Everybody took their weapons and ran toward the house. Primmy saw them coming and opened the door. “What was that noise?” she asked.

“Something exploding on the other side of the island!” Stone shouted. “We’re going over there and find out what. You stay here.”

“Why do you get to have all the fun?” she yelled at his back as they ran through the living room and out the front door.

They took Ed’s Range Rover, and he did the driving. They tore through the sleeping village and saw Billy Hotchkiss on the front porch of his store in an ankle-length nightshirt. “Hey!” he yelled as they drove past.