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CHAPTER 1

Georgetown, Washington, DC

Tuesday night

Nonfat milk, Fritos, and bananas, Savich repeated to hi lot of Mr Patil’s Shop ’n Go It was after eight o’clock, and Savich was on his way hoood, hiswith Sean, a the bite of fall in the air He looked up at the low-lying clouds that pro a shower in the next couple of hours Nonfat milk and Fritos and—what else?

There was only one car in the parking lot, which wasn’t unusual at this tie play of rapid ht his eye He pulled the Porsche to the far side of the parking lot, out of the line of sight, got out, quietly closed the car door, and walked to the edge of theHe could see aof panty hose, standing in front of the counter, pointing a Saturday night special at Mr Patil’s chest Mr Patil, asn’t more than five-five with lifts in his shoes and was at least seventy-five years old, looked petrified Savich watched his hands shoot into the air above his head He could hear theThen he saw a custoe, wearing a bright red Redskins sweatshirt, jeans, and glasses

Savich felt his heart seize

Pressed against the irl His hands rapped around their shoulders, hugging theainst hiotten

Keep it together He couldn’t call 911, and take the chance of sirens freaking the guy out, not with the kids still in the line of fire He quickly ran around to the back of the Shop ’n Go and heard the engine running before he saw the Chevy I asphalt He saoer’s side to get a partial view inside the store Since she wasn’t wearing panty hose on her head, she obviously wasn’t slated to join the actual robbery; she was just there to drive the man in the store out of here Savich couldn’t see the license plate No matter She hadn’t seen him Good

Forget her, let her get away He crouched down and ran back around to the front of the store He held his SIG at his side and began whistling He opened the door and called out, “Good evening, Mr Patil,” and the , as the little girl yelled, “He’ll hurt you!”

The est instant of tirab the children and hurl them to the floor, and then he fell over theht to the counter Then Savich’s SIG was up, and he fired The rule was always to fire only when you intended to kill, but the bullet didn’t go into the man’s chest, it went into his shoulder Thehis shoulder, and the 22 went flying

Savich listened for the Iine to rev, for the car to roar out of there, but he didn’t hear anything except a car door slaet down!” Savich dropped to the floor and was rolling when the door burst open and a sub bullets He heard Mr Patil screah and she’d hit hi, heard the father’s deep voice, hazed over with fear, saying, “It’s all right, it will be all right” He came up and fired, hit the woun around toward hiun hit the linoleuainst the counter

Savich saw Mr Patil leaning heavily on the counter, a blooht arun off his face He hite, about forty, heavyset, his light brown hair seriously thinning Hehis shoulder, the bullet still in him He was lucky the bullet hadn’t hit an artery He’d survive Savich picked up the 22 and said, “Keep pressing down on that,” and then he went down on his knees beside the woman Like the man, she hite, fortyish, but she was dead Her dark eyes were open A dribble of blood came out of her mouth, and the hole between her eyes was a perfect red dot Blood haloed her head

Please keep their eyes covered

He quickly pulled off his leather jacket and covered the woman’s face He ran back to Mr Patil and exah, thank God “You did great, sir You’re going to be okay” Savich grabbed a wad of paper towels froainst Mr Patil’s arm “Press as hard as you can, sir”