Up ahead, the end of the block came into view. It was blocked off from the next block by a steady stream of traffic. The suspect tried coming to a hard halt in order to turn left again, but doing so caused him to lose his footing. He gained his balance before hitting the ground but the misstep allowed Rachel and Jack to catch him before he could start down another street.

Jack bore down on him, and Rachel fell in behind the suspect. They had him cornered and they both had their hands positioned over their holstered Glocks.

Whats your name, sir? Rachel asked between gasps for breath. She hadnt felt just how much the sprinting had taken out of her until she started speaking.

The man looked up at them with wild, bewildered eyes. Youre running me down in the street and dont even know my fucking name? Whats wrong with you?

Your unlisted phone number has been present on the phone records of a number of recently murdered men, Jack said. Wed like to know why.

Murdered men? What are you even talking about?

Well explain everything in a moment, Rachel said. For now, youre going to need to come with us.

And if I dont?

A formal arrest for running away from a federal agent. Your choice.

The man thought it over for a moment, looking back and forth between the agents. With defeat and, Rachel thought, a bit of fear in his voice, he said, Fine. Ill talk.

Good, Rachel said. Again, what is your name?

Alberto Spears, he said. He didnt so much say this as spit it out.

And what do you

Oh, I think theres been a misunderstanding, Spears interrupted. You have my name, and thats it. Ill talk…but not until Ive contacted my lawyer.

Have it your way, Jack said, reaching for his cuffs. But usually people dont ask to speak to a lawyer until theyre officially under arrest.

Spears looked at Jack almost teasingly and offered his forearms. Then here you go.

Jack didnt hesitate to slap the cuffs around his wrists. They escorted Alberto Spears to their car with Rachel feeling at odds with just how easy this all suddenly seemed.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Spears didnt talk for very long. In fact, once he was in the back seat of the car, he clammed up. In the silence, Rachel noticed Jack sending a text on his cell phone. She saw that it was going to Detective Branson and, at a stoplight, saw what he was sending. He was requesting that a unit be sent to Alberto Spearss address to see if anything of importance could be found in relation to the four victims. Not aware of this, Alberto sat in the back and maintained his silence all the way to the precinct, and even during his escorted walk to an interrogation room.