The Bullet

by Iris Johansen

  “You bet I’m not.”

  “Then let’s go back to square one. Poor little virgin victimized by an irresistible cad and unable to defend herself from the lustful fiend.” Her smile faded. “First, I was a virgin, and I do find you irresistible, but I had to fight to get you to seduce me. And I’ve made it plain I’m grateful you went to the bother of doing it. In addition, I welcome and delight in that lust. If I’d wanted to defend myself, I would have had no problem.” She tilted her head. “You’re still frowning, I’m not convincing you. Okay, I should have known that the pregnancy idea would scare you on my behalf. You persist in thinking that I’m too innocent and inexperienced to consider the consequences and was just carried away.” She shook her head, and said bluntly, “I thought about it before I went to you that night at the hotel in Atlanta. I didn’t know what was going to happen when I saw you again. All I knew was that I loved you, and I had to make it work somehow. Sex was always a possibility, and I’m not an ignorant child.” She leaned forward, her gaze holding his own. “I didn’t care if I got pregnant, Jock. Not then, not now. It was always my choice. I thought of it as a win-win situation. I knew if it did happen, and everything else went wrong, I’d at least have your child.” She added softly, “And what a wonderful gift that would be to me.”

  “Oh, shit.” His silver-gray eyes were glittering with moisture as he reached over and pulled her back into his arms. “You’re crazy,” he said thickly as he tucked her head into the hollow of his shoulder. “Completely out of your mind.”

  “No, don’t you see? Win-win.”

  “Maybe for me.” His voice was uneven. “But not for you. You’ll forgive me if I hope that wonderful ‘gift’ is put on delay for a considerable time. I won’t have you cheated.”

  “You still don’t understand.” She lifted her head to look at him warily. “And does that mean you’re not going to want to have sex with me again tonight? There’s such a thing as closing the barn door too late, Jock. I don’t want—” He was kissing her, deeply, hotly. She could feel the muscles of her belly clench. “Yes?”

  “Not until we get you protected, which will be the first thing in the morning. I don’t give a damn about barn doors. No more taking chances.” He was leaning over her, looking down at her. “I went nuts before, I won’t make the same mistake this time.” He kissed her again. “But there’s sex; and then there’s sex.” He opened her robe. “Let’s experiment. There are so many ways…”

  LAKE COTTAGE 2:10 A.M.

  “There you are.” Eve breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Michael curled up on the porch swing. “And what are you doing out here at this hour?”

  “Just listening to the wind in the trees.” He sat up as she came toward him. “I was thinking that Dad might be listening to the wind in the trees where he is now. But it’s probably a different sound from here. When we were on that last camping trip, Dad told me that different elevations and lakes make sound travel thinner or fuller. He’s in the mountains, isn’t he?”

  “You know very well he is. You spent hours going though those West Virginia maps before you went to bed tonight.” She sat down beside him. “And then you scoot out here at two in the morning without saying a word to me? Not good, Michael.”

  “I didn’t want to wake you. I didn’t think you’d worry.” He looked down at the blue Subaru and black Lexus parked a short distance away beside the lake. “You knew Mr. Kaskov’s men wouldn’t let anything happen to me. You said that’s why they’re here, to keep us safe.”

  It was true she was growing a little more confident about the two Russians she’d reluctantly permitted to keep an eye on Michael and her. They were like unobtrusive shadows, and Cheknof seemed very conscientious about staying close to Michael. He’d even insisted on taking Michael to school in the morning and waiting all day to bring him home.

  “I’d still prefer you let me know when you decide to wander.” She slid her arm around his shoulders. “Why can’t you sleep? Are you worried about your dad?”

  “Sort of.” He looked thoughtfully out at the lake. “Maybe not yet. I just keep thinking about him. I feel as if I’m with him. I know he’s in the mountains, but maybe he’s near a lake? Not a medium-size lake like ours, bigger, and there are woods all around him.”

  She was silent, then said carefully, “Of course he could be near a lake. After all, he’s in the middle of a wilderness. And it’s natural that you would associate his location with elements that you and your dad have in common.” Her words were entirely practical as a mother’s should be when grounding an imaginative ten-year-old. But who knew how much was imagination and how much was pure mystic Michael? “But it’s nice that you feel that you’re with him. I wish I could feel like that right now.”

  Michael frowned. “But you’re always with him. Whenever I’m with him, I can feel you there. Didn’t you know that?”

  “Yes.” But she hadn’t realized that Michael was aware of the strength of the bond between them. “But that’s kind of an always thing, much vaguer than what you were talking about.”

  “It doesn’t feel vague. It feels … warm.” His gaze was still on the lake. “I don’t want him to be alone. I want to be with him.”

  “You said that you felt like you were with him,” she said gently.

  “No. Really with him.”

  “You know that’s impossible.”

  “Is it? He wouldn’t say that if I were out there alone.” He glanced at her face. “Or you, Mom. He’d never leave you anywhere alone. He couldn’t stand it.”

  “I hear what you’re saying.” She made a face. “You have to realize he doesn’t want us with him. It’s his job. We have to try to understand.” Though she was not having much success. She hadn’t been able to reach Joe more than twice in the last day as he moved in and out of cell-tower reach. She was distinctly on edge. “He’s smart and tough and better at what he does than anyone I know. We have to trust him.”

  “I trust him.” He was still frowning. “But it’s not enough. Not this time. Maybe I’ll be able to figure out something so that we can help him out a little.”

  “Maybe you will.” She got to her feet. “But how about coming back to bed and getting a little sleep before you have to get up to go to school? You have soccer practice this afternoon.” She smiled. “You said you never have nightmares, but perhaps this will be one of those times when you get a little help figuring out stuff.”

  He smiled. “Okay.” He followed her to the door but stopped abruptly to turn and look at her. “He’s tired, Mom,” he said softly. “He’s missing us. He wants to come home. But he thinks he’s very close now. He’s excited, and he’s looking at a funny-looking house across the lake and wondering if that farmer’s truck might be in woods near there.”

  She went still. “Really?” She tried to smile. “Maybe you don’t need help figuring out anything tonight. You appear to have everything under control.”

  He shook his head. “It comes and goes.”

  She put her arm around him as she drew him into the house. “Be sure you let me know if anything interesting comes your way,” she said lightly as she locked the door. “I miss your dad, too.”

  “He’s safe right now, Mom,” he said quietly. “Like you said, he’s very smart.” He looked back at her as he headed down the hall to his room. “I won’t let anything hurt him.”

  “Not your job, young man.” She was turning out the lights. “I took on that duty when you were two years old on that day in Scotland when your dad and I were married. Leave it up to me.”

  “But how can I?” His smile was suddenly luminous. “When Dad said that I had to take care of you? It’s all one, isn’t it?” He turned away. “Night, Mom.” He disappeared into his room.

  She shook her head as she went past his door to her own bedroom. It had been a strange several minutes, and she still wasn’t sure what had occurred. Could it be that Michael was in some kind of psychic contact with Joe? He had never indicated before that
it had ever happened, but she and Michael had possessed such a bond for the first few years of his life. It had gradually disappeared, and she had thought that it was because the contact was no longer necessary. Admit it, she had never been certain about anything concerning Michael except that he was special and beloved. That was enough for her; anything else would set him apart, and she feared the loneliness it might bring him.

  But if Michael was in contact with Joe, it might mean that her son felt the bond might be necessary to protect his father. The thought sent a chill through her. It was a bizarre idea, but maybe some force out there was trying to find a way to keep Joe alive and with them.

  What force?

  “Bonnie?” she whispered. “I don’t like the idea of being closed out of this private club you seem to have with Michael. But I’ll take it if that’s how it has to be. Just please stick around and give Michael and Joe a hand now and then…”

  LAKE KEDROW, WEST VIRGINIA 5:45 A.M.

  Joe slowly lowered his binoculars after gazing across the lake at the forest on the other side.

  No sign of anyone in those woods. No sign of that farmer’s truck on which he’d been getting tips on sightings for the last two days.

  Are you out there, you son of a bitch?

  Every instinct was telling Joe that he might be very close. But instinct was never enough. The only approach to those woods and the ranger station was the road around this lake or a canoe. Either would be clearly visible from the opposite bank. He’d have to leave the car here and go the rest of the way on foot or risk being spotted. That would take him several hours and put him near that forest in midday but he could always wait for darkness to strike if there was an obvious threat.

  He put on his knapsack and started to walk down to the overgrown path that led around the lake. His eagerness was growing with every step after only going a quarter of a mile.

  It felt right.

  Yet he knew instincts could fail you and prove deadly so he needed to be very careful. Even if he didn’t feel like being careful. All the stored-up energy and bitterness of the hunt was streaming through him as memories of what Cara had been put through by Svardak flowed through him. His pace unconsciously quickened.

  I’m coming for you, bastard. Just a little longer …

  HOLIDAY INN 11:55 A.M.

  So far, so good, Cara thought as she moved silently from the bathroom toward the door of Jock’s room. Jock was lying on his side, his eyes closed just as they’d been when she’d left his bed ten minutes ago. Now all she had to do was get out of here and to her own room before he—

  “And where do you think you’re going?”

  Busted.

  She sighed and turned to face him. He still hadn’t moved from his position, but his eyes were now open, and he had a faint smile on his face. She grimaced. “I should have known that I wouldn’t get away with it. You’re looking entirely too smug. How long have you been awake?”

  “Since you slid out of bed.” He held out his hand to her. “I missed you. I’m sorry you found me so unsatisfactory that you decided to skip out on me. Come back to bed, and I’ll try to do better.”

  Unsatisfactory? She could still feel her body throbbing with heat just looking at him. The tan skin, that tousled fair hair and teasing smile … He knew very well what those hours of erotic experimentation had done to her. She wanted nothing more than to run to him and jump back into his bed. “I thought I’d go to my room to shower and get dressed.”

  “Later,” he said softly. “I’ve just thought of another way to prove myself to you. You have to let me try to redeem myself. It’s only fair.”

  “I think I should go now. It’s almost noon. I meant to leave much earlier and you know it. I was lying there beside you and I thought how hard it was going to be the longer that I—” She stopped short as she caught a flicker of expression cross Jock’s face. She suddenly stiffened. “And that’s what you meant to do, isn’t it? I believe you’re the one who’s not being fair. Isn’t that true? You’re taking advantage of the fact that you nearly drove me crazy last night, to use it to delay what I told you I had to do.”

  He was silent. Then he shrugged and sat up in bed. “Guilty. You weren’t the only one who went a little crazy last night. And I went a little more insane when I saw you heading for that door. I’d been waiting for you to come back to me, then I saw you leaving, and I remembered you’d told me you were going after Joe this morning. The rest was pure instinct.” He met her gaze across the room. “I won’t lie to you, it might happen again. I’ll use any weapon I have to keep you safe. And I would have made certain that particular weapon would have pleased us both.”

  That would have gone without saying. How could she be angry with him? Wouldn’t she do the same to keep him safe? She thought helplessly. “It still wasn’t fair. I told you what I had to do, Jock.”

  “And I tried to distract you from doing it. Aye, it wasn’t honorable, it was only expedient.” He asked warily, “What are you going to do now? Am I going to have trouble with you?”

  “I believe there’s no question you are. You have to realize that I’m very vulnerable where you’re concerned, and you have to be honest with me. I’ve trusted you all my life, and I can’t lose that just because of all this sex stuff.”

  His lips twitched. “All this sex stuff? You weren’t treating it so casually an hour ago.”

  “I’m serious, Jock.”

  His smile faded. “I know you are. Come over here.”

  She hesitated, then slowly went to stand beside the bed.

  He took her hand and lifted her palm to his lips. “You can trust me forever, and I won’t use sex again. But you’ll have to keep an eye on me with anything else that’s involved in keeping you alive. Consider it a challenge.”

  His lips felt warm and soft on her palm, and she felt the beginning of a sensuous tingle in her wrist. It was starting again. “You’re always a challenge.” She forced herself to pull her hand away. “But I guess that will have to be good enough for the time being.” She turned and headed back toward the door. “And you asked what I’m going to do now? I’m going to my room to shower and pack. I want to get on the road in the next hour or so.” She turned to look at him as she opened the door. “I invited you to go with me. You never answered me.”

  “You knew I’d never let you go alone.”

  She smiled faintly. “But you hoped you’d never be forced to do it, that you’d be able to send me home so that you and Joe could team up again.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Sorry. You’re stuck with me. I’ll see you in forty-five minutes.”

  “Make it an hour. I want to give Nikolai another call and check on how many of Svardak’s men they’d managed to capture and interrogate.” He got out of bed and strode naked toward the bathroom. “Then I need to see if I can reach Joe so that I can see where the hell we should be heading.” He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. After those last curt, brusque words, his mischievous grin came as a surprise. “Would you consider that I was using sex as a weapon if I asked you if you wanted to share the shower with me? We haven’t done that yet.”

  The words were solemn, the sexuality tamped down, and the humor like a gentle nudge. This was a cross between Jock, the best friend, with all the knowing intimacy of Jock, the lover. She knew he meant it to make her fully at ease with that relationship. She grinned back at him. “It would come very close.”

  He sighed. “I was afraid you’d say that.” He closed the door behind him.

  LAKE KEDROW 12:10 P.M.

  Joe lifted his head and breathed in the scents of the forest, mentally separating out the scents. Nothing suspicious, it could be hunters or campers. Or it could be someone very suspicious. He hoped to hell it was.

  He went a few yards farther, then stopped beside a brook and knelt as he’d been trained to do when tracking prey in an open area. It was best not to announce his presence until necessary.

  He sniffed the air a
gain. A campfire burned nearby, perhaps two miles away. He couldn’t see a smoke trail in the sky, but judging from the wind, the campsite was probably due west. Not a bad place to start. He bypassed the trail and headed into the dense forest, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of human life. Aside from a couple long-overgrown campsites, there was none.

  The fire’s odor came and went with each turn of the wind. The air was increasingly damp, and the clouds darkened as he pushed farther into the woods. A misty rain began to fall. After about two and a half miles, he stopped. The trees had abruptly thinned, revealing a large cedar structure with a flap pole on one side of the large porch.

  “Can I help you?” The deep, craggy voice came from within the structure. In the next instant, a tall man stepped out onto that sizable front porch. He was wearing the uniform of a U.S. National Forest Service ranger.

  Joe nodded. Of course. He’d run smack into a ranger substation. That must have been the rather peculiar structure he’d noticed from across the lake. “Just out for a hike,” he said.

  The man looked at him doubtfully. “Going off the beaten path, aren’t you? We recommend hikers stick close to the trail.”

  Joe shrugged as he glanced around. “I know what I’m doing.”

  The man smiled and adjusted his ranger hat. “The last time someone said that to me, I ended up loading him onto a medevac with a pair of broken legs.”

  “That won’t be me.”

  “Confidence isn’t always a good thing, especially out here.” He waved his hand back toward the door. “Come inside and have a cup of coffee. I’ll give you some good maps that’ll save you a lot of problems.”

  “Sounds great.” Joe cocked his head back toward the forest. “I left my backpack on a rock back there. I’ll go get it and be back in ten or fifteen—”