Thirty minutes ticked off. Not a single vehicle drove down his street. I began wondering if I was wasting my time. Had the guy been waiting for all the lights to go out, he would have had to slip around back to see the captain’s bedroom window. Neither of us saw any movement after the remaining lights were killed.
Another thirty minutes. Nothing. I saw a flash of light from Gwen’s position. It was minute, but definitely there. Captain Hastings’ light clicked back on. Gwen must have called him. She saw something. Now I saw something. A man was approaching the back of the house from my side. There was only the one. I expected more. He had something in his hand; a crowbar. He intended to break in as quietly as a cracking door allowed.
I didn’t let him get that far. I snuck up behind him, and placed a sleeper hold on his neck. I always wondered when that technique would come in handy. Disarming him, I took the bar with me around the side of the house. In front were four guys dressed as makeshift ninjas. Each one carried a Samurai sword. Interesting. Maybe they were expecting the man in the back to let them in. Why didn’t he have a sword? Why was he dressed differently, for that matter? They all started trying the windows after realizing the front door was locked.
I heard the deadbolt trip. So did the wannabe warriors. I ran up and took out the closest guy’s legs from behind. The would-be killer beside him turned toward me. He wasn’t fast enough. I knocked him up side the head and he went down. The door flew open, and the captain was in the hallway brandishing his pistol.
“Don’t shoot!” I yelled. “They don’t know what they’re doing. Get back inside.”
To my surprise, he followed my orders. The two ninjas left standing knew they were beat. They took off on a dead run. The third limped away after them. The fourth was out cold. I ran around back. Gwen had that one tied up snuggly.
Within two minutes, four squad cars rounded the corner and two more drove past, headed in the direction of the escapees, I assumed. As the officers gained control of the front yard, Captain Hastings opened his door again. That was a good thing. One officer had brought me around to the front at gunpoint. Gwen was right alongside.
“Captain, could you get this officer to lighten up and fetch the other guy hogtied out back?”
“Let them go. Take the others downtown. I’ll catch up in a few.” He pointed to me. “You two – inside.”
We followed him into the kitchen. His wife was already there.
“How did you know to be here? How did you know those men were coming?”
With a smug expression I said, “If you want to be technical, I sent them here.”
“You mean you planned this?” I saw his anger brewing.
“Planned is a relative term in this case.”
That pushed him over the edge. He reared up and cold-cocked me. I lost balance, slamming my back against the refrigerator. I heard “Myron!” shouted out as I landed on the floor. I brought my hand up to my jaw and worked it a couple times.
“Does this mean you believe me, now?” I asked as I got up slowly.