Page 98 of Fish in a Barrel
He heard her let out a breath and realized what he was asking.
“I mean, Henry and I can do it. Maybe Christie and de Souza. You and Jimmy have done plenty, Adele. I’m sorry, I was just—”
“Just expecting people to be their best selves,” she said, her voice dry. “I hear you. You talk to Cartman. I’ll have Jimmy try to get hold of Christie.”
The next voice he heard on the line was Cartman’s. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t—”
“Because I’ll find the dirt, Cartman,” Jackson told him, his voice low and venomous. “You stay there. You wait until we get this situation under control. You let us step in and save your worthless, gutless, brainless ass, and I’ll let the DOJ have you and you can consider yourself off easy.”
“Don’t you threaten me—”
“One word to the press,” Jackson continued as though he hadn’t spoken. “One attempt to try to spin this on Brentwood, on Boehner, even on Goslar, God rot his soul, or on Ellery, or anyone I know, and I will find the dirt. I’ll findallthe dirt. Did you grope a secretary’s ass ten years ago? I’ll have it on the front page. What porn do you like, Cartman? What do you whack off to at night? Which waiters do you stiff? Who do you vote for? Who shows up at your family barbecues that you wish wouldn’t? What’s your favorite TV show? Who in your political party has deemed it inappropriate? Have you looked at any children lately? How long? Why? What was the last dog you kicked? You think you know how to put pressure on people? You think you know how to make them look bad? That’s what Ido,you sonuvabitch. There is no skeleton in your closet that I won’t find, and there’snowhereyou can hide the bodies that I won’t dig them up. It took me one night—one night—to blow a hole in your prosecution’s case. Give me a week, and if I can’t find enough to throw you in a supermax, you canbetI’ll find enough to crucify you in the press, on social media, hell—you’ll have an entire TikTok channel devoted to what a puppy-eating bastard you are. You’ll be the most hated man in the state, I guarantee it.”
“What do I have to do?” Cartman asked, seething, if Jackson knew his douchebags.
“Sit down, sweetheart, and shut the fuck up. Like I said, the DOJ will find plenty, but unless you want me to help them, you will sit down, shut up, and let us work today. You don’t know how to do this fuckin’ job—”
“And you do? I have a law degree, for Christ’s sake—”
“So does Ellery. And he’s got me. So you sit down, shut up, and let us get the sniper out of the city. If I get wind of one cop tipped off, one order given on your behalf, one bad decision that you personally had a hand in, I will smear your cockcheese all over the internet and the whole world will know how bad it smells.”
Cartman made a sound—a helpless sound—and Jackson had to hope that was enough.
“Give the phone back to Adele,” he snarled.
“Sac City,” she said. “Engall Goslar runs the track there. Likes to think he’s an athlete. He should be there for another half an hour.”
Fuck. A school on a weekday. “Call the administration. Have them clear the community college away from the track. And I take it back, send in units to help clear the school quietly and without panic. Call it a drill. Have them leave on the side away from the track. I know that campus. You can evacuate ninety-eight percent of it out of the north and east entrances, leaving the track and stadium alone.”
She grunted. “Fair enough. I’ll have units there in ten—no lights, no sirens unless there’s shots fired.”
“We’ll be there in fifteen,” he said. “You tag Christie?”
“Done. He’ll meet us there.”
“Good. Update him on the sitch and the strategy for me. Ellery and I are on our way as soon as we know the judge is okay to be left alone. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for Henry. Don’t want him shot.”
“I’m sure he hears that alot.Be safe,” she added.
“You too. Out.”
And with that he hung up. He dialed Crystal, and while he was waiting for her to pick up, he texted Henry. It usually took her a minute to pick up, and Henry had responded before he heard her voice.
I’ll be there. Should we lock down the school?
In progress. Christie, de Souza, Fetzer, and Hardison are the only ones who should be in the stadium.
Word. Do you want me to get in position?
Jackson slow-blinked and then did it again. Henry meant shouldheget in position to take the sniper out. It hit him what a terrible responsibility he’d laid on the shoulders of all his friends in telling Cartman to sit in the back seat.
Get equipment and permission from Christie and de Souza,he texted.We should be on site before you go.
Roger that.There was a pause, and Jackson was about to round up Ellery when his phone buzzed again.Don’t be afraid to use me, Jackson. I was good at this. Not Burton good, but good.
Nobody’s Burton good,he texted, referring to their friend in covert ops who had helped them out on many occasions.Be safe, padawan.
Always, sensei. Out.
