were

again. He concentrated on his breathing, tried to make it slow and even.
In a minute, because of Gaby’s damned insistence that she come along, he might have to shoot somebody.
Kill somebody.
He reached the corner of the building, the closest ­approach to the cargo house, and stopped there within its shadow.
A few feet ahead, cars were parked along the sidewalk. Beyond them was the broad four-lane street, and beyond that was the combined warehouse and office he’d seen before. There were no cars parked in front of the ­office. Traffic was not heavy, but the cars that did pass were moving fast.
Across the side street to his right,