Free Exposed - A Thriller Novella (Chandler Series) by J.A. Konrath & Ann Voss Peterson by J.A. Konrath Page A

his neck, below and slightly in front
of his ear. I rotated at the waist, driving all the power I could
muster into his carotid artery, jugular vein, and vagus nerve,
following through.
    His body seized, muscles going rigid, then he
slumped forward.
    I wasn’t sure if he was unconscious or merely
stunned for a few seconds, but either would do. I looped my arm
under his and across his back as he crumpled.
    “Open the back door.”
    Julie stared at me. “Is he … is he dead?”
    “Just do it.”
    I glanced down Broadway. Although I couldn’t
see them, I was sure the Iranians would be here on foot at any
moment. Cops too, after the gunshot.
    “Unlock the back door. Now.”
    She reached in and unlocked it from the
inside.
    I threw it open and shoved Kirk into the back
seat. A quick search of the glove box scored me a handful of zip
ties. I used one to secure his wrists in front of him.
    He groaned and tried to lift his head,
already coming around.
    Traffic moved around us, horns blaring from
behind, a few idiots even having the nerve to yell obscenities. I
tugged my Ruger from the holster and set it on the dashboard. The
driver from the car we’d back-ended stepped out onto the street,
glimpsed the gun, and climbed back behind the wheel.
    I shifted into drive and veered into the
parking lane. Steam rose from under our hood, accompanied by the
odor of scorched coolant. I doubted the Town Car would be running
for long.
    Ahead, traffic stopped again.
    Iranians and cops would be on us any second.
Disappearing was my first priority, getting Julie out of here as
fast as we could. But if I hoped to find out what was really going
on and why I had been lied to, I would have to take Kirk with
us.
    I assessed the surrounding cityscape. We
weren’t far from Lincoln Center.
    “Come on. We’re taking the subway.”
    I shoved the car into park and climbed out,
pulling Julie with me. Opening the back door, I yanked Kirk to his
feet, keeping the gun on his head.
    “You, too.”
    We made it to the sidewalk, him dragging his
feet the whole way.
    “Faster, Kirk.”
    “She shot me.”
    He was gimpy, but he could still walk. I had
no sympathy.
    “Suck it up, unless you want me to
shoot you this time. I won’t aim for your leg.”
    “And I thought we liked each other.”
    He moved a little faster, grunting as he
hobbled, sweat beading on his brow.
    I didn’t know if he was working with the men
I’d seen in the SUV or not, so I kept my mouth shut. We’d covered
about a block when I caught my next glimpse, three of them, running
up the sidewalk. They weren’t holding guns, but I saw bulges under
their sports coats.
    We needed to hurry.
    We reached the next crosswalk, the Iranians
closing the distance behind us disturbingly fast.
    Sirens cut through the air, and a squad
rounded the corner, probably sent to check out the disturbance we’d
caused. The car stopped just twenty feet from where we stood.
    As much as I’d like reinforcements to deal
with my Iranian problem, I couldn’t let police complicate my
operation, and that included letting them take Kirk to the hospital
for his injury or me to jail for the Ruger I had in a death
grip.
    I eyed Julie. “Quiet, hear?”
    To my relief, she nodded.
    I circled my arms around Kirk and gazed up at
him in obvious adoration, the gun to the back of his head.
    “If you signal them in any way, you’re
dead.”
    He returned my loving smile with one of his
own.
    “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I want the cops
involved about as much as you do.”
    Halfway down the block, the Iranians slowed
to a walk, noticed the police car, and then ducked into a bistro
with outdoor seating.
    The light changed, and the cops passed
by.
    We continued across the street with the other
pedestrians. I kept one arm around Kirk, both helping and steering
him, his hands still bound in front of him with the twist tie. We
moved quickly, coming as close to a run as Kirk could manage. As
soon as the officers drove by the