Long minutes passed before Segal bent down, retrieved something, and slipped it into his pocket. Then he took off down the street again, probably planning to walk around the block. A few minutes later, the door opened, and he stepped inside.
“You’re not going to believe this.” He reached into his pocket and drew out a broken chain—and a key. “She left us a fucking key.”
“A key to what?”
“I’m guessing she thought we’d be smart enough to figure that out.”
They moved the camera gear away from the window and drew the curtains before turning on the light.
“It’s covered in blood.” Segal walked into the kitchen, washed it off in the sink.
Dylan followed him. “Could that be her blood?”
“She didn’t look injured when she ran into the street.”
Dylan took the chain while Segal washed his hands. The chain had been broken by force, the key large, the kind that opened a big deadbolt. “We need to check in, get all of this to Shields and Tower.”
5
After she’d cleaned up the blood, a man they called El Cebo—Bait—brought Gabriela back down to the basement where Dianne and Tim were relieved to see her alive. While El Cebo told Gordito what had happened, she explained the situation to Dianne and Tim in whispers.
“Pitón accidentally shot and killed Topo when he tried to defend me.”
“Dear God.” Dianne took Gabriela’s hand. “I thought they’d killed you.”
“¡Cállate!”Shut up!Gordito looked angrier than usual and got in El Cebo’s face, speaking in fast and furious Spanish. “Pitón is a stupid bastard. Why do all of you follow him? You’re like sheep. You’re cowards.”
Gordito and Topo had been buddies.
El Cebo shrugged. “The boss put him in charge. They’re taking Topo’s body to the river now.”
“Mamagüevos!”Cocksuckers!
Gordito shoved El Cebo aside and bolted up the stairs.
El Cebo stared after him then seemed to realize he was now in charge of the hostages. “No talking!”
Gabriela sat on her blanket, pretending to retreat into the solace of prayer, indistinct shouts coming from upstairs. She drew a breath, tried to let the stress of what she’d just witnessed drain from her. She and the hostages were safe.
They’re going to come looking for that key.
Yes, but they wouldn’t find it.
The guards had left her alone to clean up the blood while they’d moved the body. She’d seen her chance, so she’d taken it, running into the street, dropping the key and chain on the chance that the spec ops guys were watching.
What if they didn’t see you? What if they don’t find it? What if they find it but have no idea which doors it opens?
She refused to worry about it. If theydidfind it, it might make the rescue operation easier. If they didn’t, they were no worse off. They had their own master key in the form of explosive breaching charges.
Gordito returned to his post, visibly enraged. Dianne and Tim settled down to sleep, so Gabriela did the same, worries gnawing at her. She knew when she heard the thunder of boots on the stairs that Pitón was coming for her.
The door burst open, and he appeared, rage on his face, two others following him through the door, El Cebo and another.
Pitón reached for Gabriela, jerked her to her feet. “Where is the key, you little whore?”
“What key?” She looked at him as if he were crazy, addressing him by his real name to take him down a notch. “You’re still drunk, Eduardo.”
“You took Topo’s key to the front door while you were praying over him. It had to be you.” He released her, stepped back, hate on his face. “Gordito, search her. Take off that ugly gray habit. Let’s see what this bitch is hiding.”