Going on green, I followed the road under the Crosstown Expressway as though I was going to head out on to Harbour Island, but before I reached the Garrison Channel I took a left and headed for St. Pete Times Forum, a hockey stadium I’d been to a couple of times with my friend Rink. The sedan followed me on to Ice Palace Drive toward the arena with the benefit of only one car between us. I flicked on my indicators to show I was pulling over into a turnout adjacent to the public park opposite the stadium.

There was no game today, so the parking lot across the way was almost deserted and nobody was wandering through the park next to the water. It was a good place to get myself killed if the men in the sedan were better than they looked. But I didn’t think they were. When weighing up the seclusion against my own needs, it was just the spot I needed to get to the bottom of things.

The gray sedan drove past. As it did, I played at being interested in the park. From under my shirt I pulled out my SIG-Sauer P226 and racked the slide. Normally I’m good to go with one in the chamber, but it wasn’t a great idea to be driving around with the gun ready to discharge, particularly when my modified gun comes with no safety.

Waiting for the road to clear of traffic, I watched the sedan draw to a halt twenty feet in front of me. As soon as it did, I walked quickly up to the driver’s window and slammed it with the butt of my gun. Even as glass sprayed over the driver’s legs, I pressed my gun against the man’s neck.

“Show me your hands.”

Both men threw their empty hands in the air, stunned by the manner of my arrival.

“Okay. Both of you get out of the car now.”

They clambered out. I kept my gun close to the driver and made the other walk around toward me. He did so without lowering his hands. There was a car passing the front of the ice stadium but it was going the other way. I glanced at the nearby Marriott Hotel, but we were unobserved. I waved them in the direction of the park with a jerk of the gun barrel. Then I concealed my gun beneath my shirtfront—just in case.

They went without argument, as if perhaps they were expecting this from me. I quickly glanced about, searching for any other car I might have missed. There was nothing evident.

Winding gravel paths snaked their way around the park. We followed one until we were at the water. I made them get down on the grass while I stood over them.