The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 258: The Death of Douglas]

For several days, Garcia, Carlos, and Lokni split into two groups. One stayed near Natalia's beachfront villa while the other headed to a bar in the Bay Area.

They took a wait-and-see approach, hoping for a sighting of their target. However, the bar yielded no results. Worried that the two private detectives, Garcia and Carlos, might run off, Lokni suggested that they be compensated more for their trouble. With no way to refuse without raising suspicion, the two men reluctantly agreed to the increased pay, silently enduring the situation.

After discussions, the three decided to abandon the chaotic bar scene and focus solely on watching Natalia. They learned through various sources that Natalia and Douglas had not broken up; in fact, they were still dating before Douglas left San Francisco for Los Angeles.

...

Men tended to be more rational, but not necessarily women.

From a surveillance vehicle parked near Natalia's villa, Garcia remarked, "Douglas has been in Los Angeles for a while. By the time he returns, he and Natalia should have met. For a man, holding back for a long time is challenging, and the same goes for a woman."

Lokni asked, "What if they decide to split up?"

Carlos pulled out a photo of a radiant young woman and said, "What does a woman like her see in a man over fifty? This villa isn't even in Natalia's name. If she doesn't get enough out of it, she won't break up with him."

...

Back at the beachfront villa, Natalia contacted Douglas daily, but he always used work as an excuse to avoid visiting. To entice him, she sent alluring photos every day. Successful men were seldom able to stay faithful for long.

With time slipping by, especially in a familiar place like San Francisco, a person's guard might inevitably drop.

...

Days passed, and as the end of the workday approached, two cars protected a bulletproof Escalade as it drove from the Bay Area to the beachfront.

Hidden nearby were two more cars, but there were no followers. Carlos, seasoned in trailing people in Mexico and Los Angeles, parked early in a spot along the main route. Upon spotting the black Escalade with its protective vehicles, he quickly notified Garcia near the beachfront villa.

Although they couldn't confirm if Douglas was in the SUV, similar encounters over the last few days led them to think it could be him. It was better to check and be wrong than to miss out.

"Let's go!" Garcia grabbed his bag and led the way.

...

Lokni, dressed in sportswear and carrying a tennis racket bag, followed Garcia into an adjacent aging apartment building. The two took the stairs instead of the elevator and made their way to the rooftop on the seventh floor.

This building was the closest and tallest to the beachfront villa, providing them a good view. Lokni emerged onto the rooftop platform, while Garcia secured the entrance with a steel bar to make it difficult to open from the outside.

He joined Lokni on the platform, where Lokni was already assembling a rifle and fitting a scope.

Garcia took out military binoculars, stepping into the role of their lookout.

Three vehicles approached from the south road near the beachfront villa, two of which parked in front of the house, while the Escalade turned directly through the gate.

Garcia squinted through the binoculars, scanning intently.

"Is it him?" Lokni asked.

Garcia continued watching. "I haven't seen him yet."

The SUV drove past the front yard and came to a halt at the villa's entrance. A stunningly beautiful young woman stepped forward, heading towards the vehicle.

Lokni raised the rifle to his shoulder, crosshairs centering on her as the barrel followed the SUV's movement.

Although he was a little anxious inside, as a professional hunter, the moment he raised the gun, Lokni's hands became exceptionally steady and his mind was much calmer.

"That's him!" Garcia exclaimed, suddenly alert.

...

The door of the Escalade swung open, and a bodyguard stepped out. Douglas emerged, turning to meet Natalia as she hurried toward him.

She had prepared herself, adorned in a stunning dress, looking absolutely captivating. After weeks apart, Douglas moved forward, eager to greet her.

...

On the rooftop, Lokni and Garcia stayed vigilant, their eyes locked on the pair.

Just as they lost Douglas behind the vehicle's profile, he came back into view.

"Fire!" shouted Garcia.

At that moment, Lokni squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck its target, and he quickly reloaded for a second shot.

Garcia's binoculars confirmed the hit. "Let's move!"

...

Inside the beachfront villa, Natalia opened her arms, running towards Douglas, who suddenly felt something strike him in the chest, sending him stumbling sideways.

A stream of blood erupted from his left side, splattering everywhere. Gunshots rang out.

"There's a shooter!" yelled the bodyguard.

Before he finished his warning, a second bullet struck Douglas's abdomen, causing massive internal damage.

He collapsed, consciousness wavering but still aware enough to glimpse Natalia's blood-stained face as she screamed.

"Hawke Osment!" he tried to yell, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate, the words trapped within. "Hawke Osment! Hawke Osment..."

Douglas recognized the killer's handiwork; the bastard had waited two months before striking.

His vision blurred, fading into darkness just as he heard Natalia's piercing scream.

"Ah..." It struck Natalia, turning her into a frenzy of madness.

The bodyguard grabbed his walkie-talkie. "We are under attack! Repeat, we are under attack! Shots came from the southeast!"

Crouching behind the bulletproof Escalade, he caught a glimpse of Douglas's lifeless form and determined he was beyond saving. He risked a glance towards the source of the gunfire.

There, a six or seven-story building loomed, obviously where the shooter had fired from.

"There's a sniper on the roof of the southeast building!" the bodyguard shouted into his radio.

Outside, a vehicle rounded the corner, heading straight toward that area.

The bodyguard dialed 911 for emergency assistance.

After the call, he returned to Douglas's side, confirming the grim reality.

"Damn it!" he fumed, seeing his employer fall. He seized the walkie-talkie again. "Get them!"

...

On the rooftop platform, after two shots rang out, Garcia quickly stashed the binoculars and yelled, "Let's move!"

Lokni, who had been practicing disassembling the rifle over the past few days, swiftly collapsed the hot weapon with expertise, tossing it, along with the spent cartridges, into the tennis racket bag.

He hopped down from the roof, trailing Garcia as they dashed to the side of the building.

They scrambled down the iron fire escape, and as they reached the second level, Garcia kicked the ladder down with force, using it to propel himself to the ground, turning to assist Lokni.

In front of them sat a plain Chevrolet parked in the fire escape area.

Carlos, still behind the wheel, saw them get in and stomped on the gas, steering the car away from the beachfront villa.

As they veered into traffic, they vanished into the street's hustle and bustle.

...

Nearby, an unmarked vehicle sped toward the apartment building entrance.

Four armed men exited, racing inside.

The leader issued orders, "One with me to the elevator; the other two take the stairs!"

While they moved quickly, it wasn't quick enough.

Upon reaching the floor, they found the hallway doors locked. After a struggle, they forced one open, but there was no one on the rooftop.

Utilizing their experience, they tracked down the sniper's vantage point and, spotting subtle tracks, deduced the shooter had used the fire escape to get away.

They pursued down the fire escape, spilling onto two streets busy with cars, but there was no sign of the shooter.

The sound of sirens filled the air as several police cars headed toward the beachfront villa, dispatched by SFPD to respond to the shooting.

But it was too late to change Douglas Coster's fate.

...

The Chevrolet slipped into a subterranean parking garage, settling in a nondescript corner.

Carlos and Garcia wiped down the scene, quickly changed clothing, and joined Lokni, switching to a different car parked there before heading onto the freeway toward the airport.

Along the way, they pretended to be tourists visiting various coastal spots, discarding gun parts into the ocean.

Upon arriving at the airport, Lokni grabbed two bags he had left at the baggage claim, tossing one to Carlos. "Your payment is in there."

Carlos opened the bag, glanced inside, and said, "Make sure to leave North America quickly."

With the blood feud avenged for his family, Lokni felt elated. "I'm not laying my life on the line for that bastard. I'm out of here soon."

Garcia recognized Lokni's calm during the crisis, impressed by his shooting skills. "Leave a contact number. We might cross paths again in the future."

Lokni agreed, impressed by the private detectives' abilities, and noted they had done the job well -- money guaranteed results.

He shared a phone number usable in Africa.

Later, Lokni bought a ticket for the next flight to Africa, heading straight to Morocco.

Meanwhile, Garcia and Carlos each purchased tickets to Tijuana and Mexico City.

That evening, the three boarded their respective flights, leaving San Francisco behind.

Garcia and Carlos later bought a used car in Tijuana, driving back to California until they reached Los Angeles.

*****

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