Hard Target: Elite Ops - Book One Read Online Free PDF

hell out of his trophy wife—and in front of his son, too. Leland sought to quash the red-hot anger that surged through him.
    “You really need to brush up on your assault law before you go out with your nine iron, Mr. Mercado. She doesn’t have to press charges. I witnessed the assault and you threatened me. I don’t care how wealthy you are or how awesome some think your tequila is. You’re spending the night in jail.”
    The elevator door dinged down the hall and two officers stepped out, pulling their weapons when they saw the gun in Leland’s hand. They must have been in the lobby. This was going to get loud fast.
    Leland calmly held up his ID and lowered his Ruger. “My name is Leland Hollis, I’m a DEA agent. This man was attacking that woman with a golf club and threatening me.”
    The officers hustled toward him and everyone started talking at once. Emilio a.k.a. Gorilla Guy tried to scoot to the fire escape but the police had their guns out, and more officers came up the fire escape at the opposite end of the hall almost immediately.
    Apparently the hotel was one block from a police substation. Everyone moved into the room, and suddenly it sounded like a cocktail party. Despite her son’s efforts with the towel, the woman’s mouth and arm continued to bleed like mad. She was taking her sweater off now, and Leland suspected her pain was starting to override the adrenaline rush that had to have come earlier with the attack. The boy grasped her elbow, and the two were deep in conversation as chaos reigned around them.
    “You okay?” she studied the boy as he wrapped another towel around her bleeding arm. But the kid wasn’t making eye contact. Something was going on there.
    Leland stared at them a moment more before scanning the room. By the doorway he spied electronic games scattered beside on overturned paper sack. Nothing like a little bribery from Dad. Leland’s anger flared at Max, but he forced himself to focus and listen to the woman and her son while they spoke to the officers.
    “I was in the room upstairs and heard people yelling. My name is Leland Hollis,” he explained to the police and to her simultaneously as he showed his badge to the city’s finest once again.
    With the blood, broken mirror and golf club lying there, it was fairly obvious what had happened. Two of the four officers wasted no time in handcuffing Max and Emilio and leading them both away, ignoring their protests.
    The woman looked like she was trying to get to the sofa across the room, and Leland took the opportunity to help her. Her son still clung to her other side and glass crunched under their feet.
    “Where are they taking my Dad?” asked Zach.
    “To the police station,” said Leland.
    The boy looked torn, unsure where his loyalties should lie. Leland appreciated the dilemma. This experience would mark the kid for the rest of his life. Crazy parents were difficult, no matter what the economics of the situation.
    “Why do you have a gun?”
    Smart kid. “I’m with the DEA.”
    “Why were you—”
    “You okay? Feeling light-headed?” The woman interrupted her son’s interrogation of Leland and pulled the boy down beside her on the love seat.
    Leland was puzzled. Shouldn’t they be asking if she was feeling light-headed?
    Zach started to shake his head, but finally looked her straight in the eye and nodded. “I’m having a hard time catching my breath,” he admitted.
    This news seemed to really jack mom up.
    She smiled brightly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s alright. It’s just all this craziness. We need one of your white pills.” She started to stand, but the room was filled with more officers replacing the two who’d just left. “They’re on the bathroom counter.” She looked helplessly at the crowd between them and the bathroom door.
    One of the officers, unaware of the small drama playing out, took the opportunity to ask questions of Zach about what had just happened.
    “Stop!”