Page 81 of The Smart Killer
The window was open, and the drapes billowed. The Asian man’s eyes darted to it. Noah rushed to the window just in time to see Emmett swing down to a balcony, crashing through a window. “He’s on the first floor,” Noah shouted, turning back in. “In an apartment below me. I don’t know which one. Just be careful,” he warned McKenzie over the radio as he ran out and headed toward the stairwell.
Gunfire erupted from below, round after round. When Noah made it down, he found McKenzie on the ground. “McKenzie!” He rushed over, only to find McKenzie gripping his chest. Noah tore open his shirt and sighed in relief — he was wearing his ballistic vest.
“Go. He went out the side entrance,” McKenzie gasped, trying to catch his breath.
Noah rushed toward the side entrance, bursting out into the open. He scanned the terrain around him before moving. There was nothing at the rear of the apartment, nothing at the front. Then he heard a scream, followed by a vehicle tearing away, narrowly avoiding a patrol car from Plattsburgh Police.
As he rushed to his Bronco, Noah’s eyes widened. A pregnant woman lay on the ground, a victim of a carjacking. He glanced to his right and realized it was too late. Even if he could go after Emmett, the chances were he would be long gone by the time he made it out of the parking lot. In the chaos of police arriving, he desperately yelled to one of them to relay Emmett’s direction, but his words were drowned out in confusion, making little sense to the confused officers.
“Get on the floor!” officers yelled at him.
“I’m with State Police!” he yelled as he spread-eagled.
All he could do was watch as Emmett slipped away.
28
Confusion had led to his escape.
Multiple 911 calls by neighbors had led Plattsburgh Police to believe they were dealing with two armed men in suits. It was to be expected. With the rise in shootings across America, people were frightened. Anyone with a gun could be a shooter.
Barring their badge, which they didn’t have time to show — outwardly, there was nothing to indicate they were from State Police or the Adirondack County Sherriff’s Office. It was the downside to being a detective.
After squaring things away with one of the officers on scene and waiting to get a search warrant, Noah learned the stolen sedan had been found abandoned a few miles down the road near Dunkin’s Reserve State Forest. Plattsburgh PD had eyes in the sky, canine out, and was actively pursuing Emmett based on the description they gave.
“I came this close to dying,” McKenzie said, smoking a cigarette and gesturing with two fingers. Noah knew McKenzie hadn’t smoked in years. While he carried a pack in his pocket, he only placed one between his lips occasionally and never lit it.
Until now.
He breathed out a cloud of smoke.
“You’re lucky.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it,” McKenzie said. “After he shot me, he approached and pointed the gun down at me. There was this moment, Noah. I swear.” His hand was trembling. “I thought my number was up. I really did. If it wasn’t for a neighbor coming out…” he trailed off and took a hard pull on the cigarette. He was sitting on the rear step of the ambulance, his ballistic vest off so the EMTs could examine him. Besides having a large welt, one that would go a deep shade of purple in the days following, he was alive and unharmed.
Not far away, the pregnant woman was being lifted into another ambulance to be taken to the hospital. Emmett had dragged her out of her vehicle and slammed her on the ground, face first.
Noah patted McKenzie on the shoulder. “Go home.”
“Go home? Like hell. This is personal now.”
“Which is why you should go home,” Noah said. Right then, a State Police vehicle swerved into the lot, and Declan Porter got out; he spoke with one of the officers who had cordoned off the area and then glanced in Noah’s direction.
“Great. Here we go again,” Noah muttered.
“Let me deal with it,” McKenzie said, rising.
Before Noah could protest, McKenzie was already three steps ahead of him. “Before you open your dumb trap. You listen up, laddie. We might have caught him sooner if it wasn’t for you blurting your mouth off to the press.”
“Oh, so I’m bad the guy here. I’m pretty fucking sure you agreed with me, dumbass.”
“What did you say?” McKenzie slipped off the grey blanket around his shoulders, his hand clenched.
Noah darted in, putting his hands out to keep them back from one another. “You. Go sit your ass down,” he said to McKenzie, then he turned to Porter. “And you, come with me,” he said, crossing the lot.
“Look, I’m sorry. Okay. I figured we had him. I came as quickly as I could. I brought the search warrant,” Porter said, waving it in the air, trying to make it clear that he hadn’t just shown up empty-handed.
Noah pressed on toward the apartments, saying nothing.
