River Road

by JoAnn Ross

  "A little. He's not an easy nut to crack."

  "No, I imagine he wouldn't be. I also imagine the effort will be well worth it, in the long run. I hope you don't mind me telling you that there were times I wished I could fall in love with him."

  "But you couldn't."

  "No. Oh, I dearly love Finn, but it's the same way I do Nate. As brothers. My heart's always belonged to Jack."

  "You're a lucky woman."

  "Boy, do I know that. Though Jack sure didn't make it easy. But I suppose anything—or anyone—worth having is worth a little effort."

  The front door slammed. "Hey, Mom," a young voice called out. "Guess what me and Holly did while you were gone."

  "I'll be downstairs in a second, darling." Dani's smile touched her eyes, revealing gold flecks in the soft hazel. "Looks as if the honeymoon's over; it's time to return to real life. I'm so glad to have met you, Julia. We'll have to make sure we have lots more time to visit when you return to Blue Bayou."

  "I'd like that. Oh, and I hate to argue, when you've so generously given up your room and lent me this drop-dead gorgeous dress, but I think you're wrong about something."

  Dani lifted a blond brow. "Oh?"

  "I'd say your honeymoon's not likely to ever be over."

  "What a lovely thing to say. I'm going to have to thank Finn for the gift of such a wonderful sister." Dani hugged her, exchanged another smile with Peace, then left the room.

  "Holly and I," Julia heard her correcting her son as she went down the curving staircase to the first floor. "Come into the kitchen and we can make some fudge while you catch me up on everything."

  "Holly's got a boyfriend . . ."

  "I do not," a teenage girl's voice countered. "We're just friends."

  The conversation faded as the kitchen door closed behind the family trio. Julia had been too focused on her career these past years to really think about children. But now that she was in love, she definitely wanted to have children with Finn. Someday.

  There was no point in rushing things, she reminded herself. After all, Finn hadn't even broached the L word, except for that evening she'd talked him into going shopping, and he'd seemed appalled at the idea. She hoped that would all change tonight.

  Thirty minutes later, Julia was growing impatient. How long did it take to drive into Baton Rouge and back?

  Leaving her packing, she wandered out into the garden outside the ballroom. The long Southern day was finally drawing to a close; the perfume of roses and jasmine hung seductively on the still air.

  She'd bent to sniff an unfurled scarlet rose when she realized she was no longer alone. She turned, the welcome smile fading on her face when it wasn't Finn, but one of the local movie crew. The snug T-shirt hugging a muscled chest read Louisiana Lighting Lights Up Your Life.

  "Hello," she said, a little surprised. She'd thought everyone had packed up and left.

  "Hey, Miz Summers." His voice was friendly, molasses thick with the sound of the South. "I didn't mean to bother you."

  "You're not. I was just enjoying the sunset."

  "Sure is a nice one," he said agreeably. "And this is a real pretty place to spend it." He gestured toward the rose she'd been smelling. "That'd look awfully nice in your hair. Go real well with your dress. Want me to cut it for you?"

  "Oh, that's not necessary." She'd already taken Dani and jack's bedroom; she wouldn't feel right about raiding their garden.

  "No problem." He whipped a knife out of his pocket and moved toward her.

  Chapter 30

  Damn, that sure as hell felt good," Jack said as he and Finn returned from Baton Rouge.

  "Yeah. Not as good as putting my fist through the guy's face, but it's nice to know he's going to be spending a lot of years as a guest of the state."

  "Maybe he can start a little theater group in Angola," Jack suggested. "That actor and his brother were something, weren't they?"

  They'd been caught by a state trooper as they'd been racing for the Texas border. "Dumb and Dumber," Finn agreed. "But the older one looked like he could be dangerous."

  "Julia was smart to escape. Beauty and brains are a great combination." Jack grinned. "And I should know, having an exceptional woman of my own."

  "Dani would have to be exceptional to put up with you. And yeah, Julia's pretty damn special, too."

  "I sorta figured that out, since it'd take more than a drop-dead gorgeous face to bring my big brother down. So, are you gonna pop the question tonight?"

  "No."

  Jack shot him a surprised look. "Why not? It's obvious you're crazy about her. It's just as obvious she thinks you hung the moon. You're both single, unattached, available. And let's not forget she's leaving for Kathmandu in the morning."

  "Which is only one of the reasons why I'm not going to ask her to marry me."

  "Excuse me if I've got things a little confused. I'm still running on Hawaii time and probably a bit jet-lagged, not to mention worn out from days of hot, steamy sex with my bride on every private beach we could find.

  "But while Nepal is admittedly not right around the corner, it's still on this planet and planes do fly there. Besides, it's not like she's going to be moving to the place permanently."

  "It wouldn't work out."

  "Christ, and Mom always thought you were the smart one. How do you figure that?"

  "My life is with the Bureau. In D.C. Hers is in Los Angeles."

  "Big deal. So get yourself transferred. I've no idea why you'd want to stay in the Bureau after the past few years, especially after what that Jansen woman did to you, hut the FBI does have a field office in L.A. Or maybe you could just set up housekeeping somewhere in the middle."

  "Like here?"

  Jack shrugged. "It's a nice little town. A good place to raise a family."

  "In the first place, I can't transfer to L.A. because I've got to track down Lawson. In the second place, I doubt the newest Bond Girl is real eager to start having kids."

  "No reason to hurry," Jack said easily. "Have you even talked to her about it?"

  "Hell, no."

  "Then you have no way of knowing, do you?"

  "We're too different."

  "Mais yeah, you are. You're a man; she's a woman. It's what keeps life interesting, cher."

  "She's rich."

  "So am I. Probably a lot richer than her. And you're still willing to put up with me as a brother."

  "I don't have any choice. You're family. I'm stuck with you. Besides, it's different when the woman has the money."

  "Bullshit. I loved Dani when she was rich, I loved her when she was poor, thanks to that lying son of a bitch she let her daddy talk her into marrying, and I love her like crazy now. Money doesn't have a damn thing to do with it. Never knew you to be a quitter, you. Aren't you the one who was always tellin' Nate and me that obstacles were just opportunities in disguise?"

  "That's what Dad used to say."

  "And he was right," Jack said as they pulled up in front of Beau Soleil. "The woman loves you, Finn, which is amazing, when you stop to think that she's one of the most gorgeous, soon-to-be famous females on the planet, and not only do you lack my smoldering dark good looks or Nate's boyish sex appeal, you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

  "Thanks."

  "If a brother won't be honest with you, who will? Don't let her walk away. Not without giving it your best shot. Because believe me, you could end up spending years regretting it."

  Finn knew that Jack was speaking from personal experience. It had taken more than a dozen years for him and Dani to find their way back to Blue Bayou and each other. "I'm taking her out to dinner."

  "That's a start. You goin' dancing, too."

  "Yeah. I figured we might."

  "Good." He nodded approvingly. "Women like that. Not only is it the closest a guy can get to a female without gettin' horizontal, if you pop the question on the dance floor, she's less likely to turn you down, bein' how it's more public and all."

  "I
told you, I'm not popping any question. I'm in no position to get married, what with Lawson on the loose again."

  "Nobody says you have to go to the altar tomorrow," Jack pointed out. "The idea is to make things official before she goes off to Kathmandu, meets some guy who isn't afraid of commitment, and gives up on you."

  "I'm not afraid of commitment." It was Nate who'd rather go skinny-dipping in a bayou filled with hungry gators than allow himself to be tied down. "But I don't have any right to ask any woman to put her life on hold for however long it takes me to track Lawson down."

  "I'm bettin' she'd be willing to wait."

  "Maybe. But I don't want to force the issue and put her on the spot. Especially since we agreed going in to keep things casual."

  "If you fight crime with the same speed, I'm amazed you ever get anyone behind bars."

  "Good point. I sure as hell took too long with Lawson."

  Jack grimaced. "Hell, that's not what I meant."

  "I know." Finn sighed. "It's just proving real hard to put behind me. Especially now that the sick son of a bitch is on the loose again."

  "You can't say the guy isn't providing you with job security."

  "Yeah." The thought of resuming the hunt that had gobbled up his entire life for so long was goddamn depressing.

  In a rotten mood for a guy in love, Finn went up to Jack and Dani's room, irritated to find Julia gone.

  "She's in the garden off the ballroom," Dani told him. "At least she was, last I saw her."

  Determined to make the most of their time together, Finn vowed to put Lawson out of his mind. At least for tonight.

  Until he entered the country garden and saw the object of all his vexation chatting easily with Julia, who seemed unaware of the fact that the Brad Pitt look-alike holding that rose out to her was one of the most infamous murderers since jack the Ripper.

  * * *

  Julia could not understand what was happening. One moment she was chatting pleasantly with the friendly lighting tech who'd cut a rose for her, the next she was being pulled against his chest, the glittering blade of a knife held against her throat.

  "Hello, Special Agent Callahan," the man holding her drawled. "Fancy meeting you here."

  "Funny. That's what I was about to say to you." Finn determinedly kept his voice calm even as banshees screeched in his head.

  "It's such a small world, isn't it?" Ronald Lawson said pleasantly, as if they'd merely met in Beau Soleil's fragrant garden for an evening chat.

  "And getting smaller by the moment. How about you let the lady go?"

  "Surely you jest. And don't go making any heroic moves, Callahan. Or I'll slice her fragrant white throat."

  Finn's remarkably calm eyes met Julia's. "How are you doing?"

  Following his example, she struggled against rising hysteria. "I've had better days."

  "Haven't we all," he murmured. "It's going to be all right."

  Because it was Finn, Julia believed him. "I know."

  "So it's true what they said on Entertainment Tonight about this being your woman?" Lawson asked.

  "Yeah. And. you harm one hair on her head and you're a dead man."

  "Is that any way to talk to someone who's gone to so much trouble to come visit you?" Lawson's arm tightened around her. Julia fought the dizzying vertigo that was accompanied by a metallic taste of fear and forced herself to stay still. If she allowed herself to so much as tremble, she could die. "Besides, you're not exactly in a position to be making demands now, are you, Special Agent?"

  "Let her go, Lawson. She doesn't have anything to do with this. It's between you and me."

  "Just like old times. But there's one important difference now."

  "And what's that?"

  "Before, you didn't have any real weakness. Indeed, there were times when I wondered if you were even human, the way you kept doggedly tracking me, day and night, week after week, month after month. Bringing me down was all you appeared to cared about."

  "It was."

  "But now there's something else. Someone else. Which is what's going to make my revenge all the sweeter. When I first decided to escape, I was interested in only two things. Being free. And killing you. But now I've decided to let you live."

  "That's real big of you."

  "Thank you. I rather think so, as well. Unfortunately, you may not be so appreciative after you've watched what I have in mind for your girlfriend."

  "Let her go," Finn repeated.

  "Why would I want to do that? It's not as if I've anything to lose. I'm already under indictment for all those other killings."

  "The reason you don't want to do it, is that whatever sick tortures you could possibly conceive will pale in comparison to what I'll do to you."

  "You'll have to catch me first." The sly smirk in Lawson's voice turned Julia's stomach. "Besides, you'd never do anything outside the law. You're Mr. Black and White, go-by-the-book, law-and-order Special Agent."

  "I'm not a Special Agent anymore."

  "Of course you're not. And I'm not one of the country's Ten Most Wanted."

  "It's true." Finn held up a broad hand. "I'm just going for my wallet here. So, don't go getting upset or jumpy or anything."

  "I'm not at all upset. Actually, I'm almost giddy with anticipation."

  Finn pulled his wallet from his jeans and flipped it open. "See. No shield."

  Lawson's eyes narrowed. "Mary Hart didn't say anything about your quitting the FBI."

  "Obviously she doesn't have the latest scoop, which isn't all that surprising, since Entertainment Tonight isn't exactly investigative hard news. So, is that how you knew where to find me?"

  "It was quite serendipitous, actually. When I was taken to the infirmary for a heart irregularity, one of the nurses had the television on. Imagine my surprise when your ugly face showed up on the screen."

  "There's not much that surprises me these days, but I'll admit I wouldn't have expected you to get away with that old infirmary escape ploy," Finn said dryly.

  "You've always underestimated me, Callahan. The same way my attorneys did. They actually believed I was insane."

  "I never thought that."

  "No, you always understood that my proclivities were merely a lifestyle choice. My new attorney didn't believe me mad, either. She understood how I'd been framed by a desperate FBI that was under pressure to make an arrest."

  "You weren't framed. You tortured those women for no other reason than your own amusement. Then when they were no longer entertaining, you killed them You know it, I know it, and if she'd had half a brain, your attorney would have known it, too."

  "Well, the hitch doesn't know anything now."

  "You killed her." Finn's tone was flat. Unsurprised.

  Lawson shrugged. "She'd served her purpose by getting me moved to the infirmary. Once I was out of the hospital prison ward, she was superfluous baggage. It was a shame, really."

  "That she had to die?"

  "No. Her death was predetermined from the start. The pity was that I didn't have time to do it right, to play with her, watch her beg. One snap of the neck and she was gone. It was like stepping on a roach."

  Julia had meant to keep her mouth shut, but that cold disregard for a life, for a woman who'd foolishly made a fatal mistake, drew a soft moan from between her lips.

  "I'd conceived a much nicer time for us," he assured Julia. He touched his lips to the cornet of her tightly set mouth without taking his eyes from Finn. Her skin crawled. "Unfortunately, it looks as if I'm going to have to alter my plans. Again."

  "You're not a stupid guy, Lawson. You've got to realize you'll never get away with this," Finn warned. "So why don't you just put that knife down and we'll end this right now. Before it gets deadly."

  "Haven't you ever heard of suicide by police? The way I see it, my options are beginning to narrow. I can take your slut with me as a hostage, but she'd only slow me down. Though I would so enjoy knowing that you'd have to live the rest of your life with the
knowledge that you put her in harm's way in the first place."

  "Just let her go," Finn said doggedly.

  "I could get this over with quickly," Lawson mused aloud. "If I slashed her throat, you'd have to shoot me. Which would make it a win-win situation for both of us. You'd get your man—again—and I'd avoid years lingering on death row followed by an immoral, state-supported murder, where the small-minded people who could never conceive a brilliant widespread crime spree like the one I pulled off, would take my life as easily as they might put down a rabid dog—"

  "Good comparison."

  "Well, well." Julia's blood, already ice, chilled several degrees colder when Ronald Lawson actually chuckled like the monster he was. "It appears I misjudged you in one respect, Special Agent."

  "What's that?" Finn asked with the rigid self-control that had frustrated her from day one, but which she'd learned to respect. The same control that she knew would allow her to escape this nightmare.

  "I never would have taken you for a man with a sense of humor, even a dark one. Particularly at a time like this. Here's a little test for you, Callahan. Lets see if you still have the speed you did when you were a running back. Why don't you try to stop me before she dies?"

  Julia felt the warning prick right below her earlobe, followed by a warm trickle of blood.

  Fighting panic, she looked at Finn, whose icy blue eyes counseled her to remain still. Ceding control wasn't easy, but Julia trusted him with her life. Then she felt another prick of the glittering steel blade beneath her jaw.

  "You should have paid more attention to your history classes, Lawson." Finn's words were directed at the killer, but his eyes were on Julia's. "You would have learned about the fate of a certain Captain Farragut of the Union army, who made the mistake of overstepping his bounds. Of taking more than was offered to him."

  With the synergy of mind they'd seemed to share, Julia recognized what Finn was referring to: they were going to act out the scene she'd played with Shane. But this time the bullets in the gun were going to be real.

  "Farragut was a sick son of a bitch who got off on abusing his power," Finn continued conversationally. "Sometimes he traveled with Sherman, other times he went on ahead as a scout, or came in behind as a one-man looting machine. He saw the spoils of war as his just reward for preserving the union. He also had a personal plan that could have come right out your playbook, Lawson. Rather than slaughter all the women prisoners, he'd turn them over to his troops for a bit of entertainment. For some reason, those men felt empowered by rape and plunder."