Countdown Read Online Free PDF

had dined the previous night on Japanese hibachi in Crystal City. Another big deal.
    Abner Tookus was a different story simply because there was no story. He’d entered the BOLO Building and never left. Maggie wrinkled her nose. Seventy-two hours inside one building. Knowing Abner, that had to mean he was working on something so red-hot he couldn’t leave. Still, seventy-two hours was a lot of time not to at least stick your nose outside the door. No food deliveries were detected. The bottom line read: “Target possibly dead inside.” Maggie whooped in disgust.
    Maggie craned her neck to look around her desk to see if her office door was closed. It was. She picked up the phone and started calling the detectives one by one. She started with Allison Murdock, Ted, Espinosa, and Dennis’s tail. She wanted to scream when she heard the detective say Ted and Espinosa were inside the Post building, and Dennis had left in the van. A second-tier newbie was following Dennis, and it appeared he was en route to SE Washington. Alone.
    “So, what you’re telling me is you lost Ted and Espinosa. I thought you were a professional,” Maggie shrilled.
    “No, ma’am, that’s not what I’m saying. What I am telling you is that Mr. Robinson and Mr. Espinosa are inside the Post building. They did not leave is what I’m telling you. I am sitting in the garage, and neither one of their personal vehicles has moved. They are inside the building.”
    Maggie gritted her teeth. “No, they are not here. What they did was go to the motor pool, sign out another car, and leave. You allowed that to happen. Get your butt over to the motor pool and see what car they signed out. Not that it’s going to do us any good now. When they bring it back, find out how many miles they traveled. That’s all logged in when you sign out one of the Post ’s vehicles. Are you getting it now, Miss Murdock? They made you! They know you’ve been following them, and they evaded you. Now do something!” she screamed.
    Next, she called Mike Suliman, Harry’s tail, and asked for an update.
    “He’s at the dojo, Miss Spritzer. A busload of midshipmen from Annapolis just arrived, so I guess he has a class. He is inside.” Maggie’s comment was to stay on him.
    Her next call was to Jack Emery’s tail, an older man named Clyde Evers. He sounded frazzled. “You lost him, didn’t you?” Maggie said through clenched teeth.
    “Yes, ma’am, I did. It was traffic. I don’t think he knows he’s being followed. In fact, I’m almost sure of it. I had to pull over for a fire engine, the light turned red for me, but he went through on the yellow and was gone. He was at the BOLO Building for about an hour, then left with a big old dog. For whatever this is worth, there is a group of Asian men installing a rather high-tech iron fence at the entrance and exit to the alley. Two other shopkeepers will be using it along with the tenants of the BOLO Building. The only thing I can do now is go back to the BOLO Building and stake it out.”
    Maggie was seething. She made no comment as she broke the connection. She tried to calm herself down by taking deep breaths before she called Neil Parsons, the tail assigned to Abner Tookus.
    Parsons sounded bored when he clicked on his cell phone. “No sign of activity, Miss Spritzer. I think the man’s dead inside. The building has been under surveillance for the last seventy-two hours, and he has not left the premises. Nor have there been any food deliveries, strangers visiting, nothing. It’s quiet. Workmen are installing what looks like an iron gate at the entrance and at the exit to the alley. Five other males appeared and stayed for about an hour, then left separately. Check with the other operatives on their whereabouts.”
    Maggie bit down on her lower lip. “Stay on it and let me know when he leaves, and I can guarantee you that Mr. Tookus is not dead. There is a kitchen in the building as well as a shower. I’m sure there