Page 36 of Necessary Evil

Ryder snorted. “IED just means ‘improvised explosive devices.’ ”

“Well, excuse me for thinking the worst,” Warden said.

“So that’s it, then?” Evil said. “She jams the signal and we’re good?”

“I wish.” Sentinel cracked his knuckles. “He’s got slow burners and chemical bombs in there, among other things. Plus this won’t stop the trip wires in his house or anything he’s carrying. But if he comes out wearing an explosive vest, it’ll stop that.”

Wonderful.

“What are the details of your plan?” Evil said.

“I’m going to be in range but out of blast radius,” Ryder said.

“Warden is going to be in a tree tonight with a sniper rifle, hoping to get a shot if he passes by the window. If he takes out the target, I’ll come in the back and disengage the traps. I’ll put the body in the trunk of his car and drive it out of the garage. You pull in and we load up the puppies and smuggle them to a no-kill shelter in Connecticut.”

“Why don’t we let the police handle the puppies?” Evil said.

Ryder glared hot death at him. He tried to outstare her, but looked away first.

“Because we’re not going to inform the police of anything and the dogs will starve before anyone comes to investigate Barton. He’s a recluse,” Sentinel said.

Evil grunted. “And if Warden doesn’t get a shot tonight, what’s plan B?”

“We stake out the house,” Sentinel said. “When he leaves, I’ll disarm the traps and we rescue the dogs. Then I ambush him when he comes home.”

“Tell me again why SWAT and the bomb squad aren’t handling this,” Warden asked.

Evil had been asking himself the same question, but after hearing Sentinel relate what was in the house he understood. “The minute they smash through the door, all hell will break loose. We are the law on this one.”

Sentinel nodded. “He’s got enough on trip wires and traps to level this entire nice residential neighborhood. The stacked explosion will take out Barton, the SWAT team, and the house and crater a two-block radius.”

“What the crap does he have in there?” Warden said. “C-4?”

“Household shit, pipe bombs, dynamite on launchers.”

“Fuck.” Evil closed his eyes.

“Unlike SWAT and the bomb squad, we don’t need a warrant. We can be stealthy and strike with a quick, small force. We don’t have to follow rules or procedures,” Ryder said.

“And if the shithead settles in tomorrow to binge-watch Breaking Bad?” Evil asked.

“We wait until Sunday. He goes to church at ten a.m.,” Sentinel said.

“The van is going to be noticeable,” Warden said.

“Just keep it out of Barton’s sight and we’re good,” Sentinel said.

“And if the neighbors phone in a suspicious-looking white van trawling the neighborhood?”

“Leave that to me.” Ryder waggled her fingers. “I can reroute any calls to the police and take them myself.”

Evil sighed. “So, worst-case scenario is I spend the weekend in this van with you three assholes?”

Ryder looked up from the keyboard. “No, worst-case scenario is Barton shoots his load and everyone dies.”

Well, when she puts it that way…

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