While he would have liked a few more days to train in the gym, he was confident he could best Statler should it come to a battle. He’d spent years preparing for such a fight. He finished packing and snapped his case closed.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” His wife’s face pinched.
He wrapped her in a warm hug and kissed her forehead. “Good idea? Maybe not. Necessary? Absolutely. You saw what that man did to those women.”
“Yes. I know, but I worry about you. When was the last time you went out on assignment?”
At sixty-two, he always assigned his men the job since a physical confrontation was most likely to occur, but this was something he needed to do himself. “A long time.”
“You’ll have backup, right?”
He kissed her long and hard this time. “Don’t worry. I know how to win a war.”
She dragged a hand down his chest. “It’s the skirmish I’m worried about.”
He smiled down at her. “I’ll win. You’ll see. I’ll call you when it’s over.”
She pressed her head against his chest. “You better.”
“As much as I’d like to stay and convince you that I’m still a virile wolf, I need to leave. Time is of utmost importance. One of our own is being held captive.”
She lifted her head and he recognized how much effort her smile took.
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
With his case in hand, Armand left, ready to take on his deadliest enemy—hopefully for the last time.
* * *
All this speculation about the best method to take down Statler was driving Jay crazy. He wanted to leave Riley with the men in the SUV and find Sarah himself. Where he’d look he didn’t know, but someone had to know something.
Connolly’s cell rang, and he answered it. “Yes, General.” Jay’s pulse soared. “Did he say where? Any particular place in Rapid Rock? Which station? Okay, I will. We’ll be there. Thank you and safe travels.” He disconnected and smiled. “We have a go.”
Jay didn’t need him to be coy. “What did the General say exactly?”
“Statler called him and said he had Sarah. If he wants her back, the General needs to meet him at ten tonight in Rapid Rock, Ontario at a gas station on Antelope Road—alone.”
Jay shook his head. “Statler isn’t stupid. He’ll know the General will come with backup. Hell, he probably saw Ford and Tyson and know they’ll join in the fray.”
“Amen,” Ford and Tyson said in unison.
I’ve known Statler a long time,” Jay said. “He’s the type who likes playing chess with people.”
“What are you saying?” Connolly asked.
“Ten bucks says when we get to this gas station, Statler won’t be there. He’ll either leave a note or call again, telling the General he needs to head to another location. He’ll make us run from one site to another, each time leaving a man behind, which will thin our herd fast.”
Riley shook his head. “You’ve been watching too many movies.”
He hadn’t meant to act like a know-it-all, but Jay had studied Statler. “How far is it to Rapid Rock?”
Ford typed the name into his phone. “About two hours.”
“That’ll give us a few hours to case the joint before the General arrives,” Jay said. He looked around. “If any of you have a better idea, let’s hear it. I’m game.”
“We don’t have many options,” Connolly said. “Let’s split up and take the three cars. It’ll give us better flexibility.”
“Agreed.” Jay wanted to get on the road if only to convince himself he was doing something that would help find Sarah.
Once in the truck, he followed behind Connolly and Ford. “You want to call Trax and Dante and tell them the plan? Also, check to see if they found Elkhart.”
“They would have called if they had, but I’ll let them know not to expect us or Connolly anytime soon,” Riley said.
Once he finished calling, they drove in silence for the next half hour. Trailing behind Ford and Connolly, Jay’s mind wandered to Sarah and thought about how scared she must be. If Statler harmed her, the man would suffer. To hell with letting the General have his revenge. If Jay reached him first, he’d slam Statler against a tree, then draw and quarter him—his enhancement be damned. If the man lived after that excruciating experience, Jay would toss a net over him then cut out his pathetic throat.
“What do you think we’ll find when we get to the station?” Riley asked. “An ambush?”
“I don’t think so. Statler wants the General but he won’t show his face there—he’s a coward. Statler will wait until the timing is right before he picks a fight. Remember, he’s a lawyer, not a trained military man.”