“Because I know too much?” He spoke to Cara again. “You see, knowing a great deal can be either a good thing or bad depending on the point of view. You can see that Colonel Queen is breaking into a sweat because he thinks it’s a bad thing.” He glanced back at Queen. “We’re confusing her again. She has so little time that I hate to have that sweet head in a whirl.”
“We’ll talk later,” Queen said curtly. “I’ll call you.”
“But that would defeat the purpose. I think it has to be settled now.” He pulled a pistol from his jacket. “For the good of Cara.”
Queen’s eyes widened in panic. “What are you doing? We have a deal. You’d be lost without my help. The police would pick you up in a heartbeat.” He was backing away, his hand inching toward his shoulder holster beneath his jacket. “I’ll double the fee for your next job for me. Put the gun away.”
“I wish I could. I don’t like guns. They lack the personal touch. But in this case…” He shot Queen in the stomach. “I’ll make do.”
Queen screamed and clutched his belly.
Black aimed and shot him in both knees.
Queen fell to the ground, groaning with pain.
Black moved leisurely to stand over him. He fired into Queen’s chest. “You see, even though the pain is there, it’s still only a remote pleasure for me.” He added, “So I might as well just end it.”
He shot Queen in the head.
He turned to Cara. “Dead man. Just as I told you.”
Cara was staring in horror at the remains of Queen’s skull, which had been almost entirely blown away. She started to cry.
“I’m getting very tired of all that weeping.” He reached down and plucked the ledger from Queen’s jacket and stuffed it in his own. “I think it’s time we started the hunt.”
* * *
“FIVE!”
Joe stood frozen, listening for more shots.
“East,” Catherine said tensely. “A little toward the north, but definitely the east.”
And there weren’t any more shots.
Joe whirled and started at a run toward the eastern quadrant of the property.
“You think it’s Black?” Catherine was right behind him.
“Good chance. I’d bet that Queen is no longer with us.” He hoped desperately he was right, that none of those bullets had been aimed at Eve or Judy’s daughter. “But at least we have a clue to his location. Now, if we can get there before he moves on—”
“And it’s east. There’s a chance of cell-tower access. We might be able to zero in on him. But we don’t have much time. He’ll know those shots are a giveaway.”
Which meant Black didn’t care, that he thought he could afford to let Gallo and Eve know where he was. A trap?
But he didn’t know Joe and Catherine were there and tracking him. That could be an advantage.
If there was such a thing in this ugly game.
* * *
“EAST.” EVE’S HEAD LIFTED, her gaze flying to the trees. “Those shots came from the east, John.”
He nodded and jumped to his feet. “Black.” He grabbed his rifle. “Will you stay here?” He answered his question. “No, of course not. Then stay close, dammit.”
He took off at a dead run.
* * *
“WE HAVE TO HURRY ALONG NOW,” Black told Cara as he jerked her after him up a low hill by the ropes binding her wrists. “Those shots were not only unsatisfying, they were dangerous. But what is life without a challenge? Gallo and Eve will be hot on our trail, so I think that I should make them play the game on my terms. I always have to control the play. Queen didn’t realize that, did he? I was right to shoot him, wasn’t I?”
Cara was sobbing. “Dead. Ugly.”
“Yes, death is ugly. But the art of killing is beautiful. It’s power and excitement and everything that life is about.” He pulled her the rest of the way to the top of the rise to stand beside him. “And that’s what you’re going to give me, Cara. Not that shallow little jolt of pleasure I felt with Queen.” He pointed to the high hills bordering the north tip of the lake. “Do you know what’s behind those hills? A little town, houses, stores, a church. I couldn’t touch you there. You’d be safe. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Oh, yes, I can see you would. You’re not at all grateful for the kind way I’ve treated you.” He untied her wrists. “Go on, run. The path is clear to the hill, then you’ll have to scramble through the brush on your own. Try to get to all the people who will save you from me. They’ll even take you to your mother.”
She didn’t move, frozen. “You’re letting me go?”
“Yes.” He squatted in front of her, his eyes holding her own. “But I’ll be coming after you. If you stop, if you hide, I’ll find you and I’ll cut you to pieces like I did your grandmother. You remember that, don’t you?”
He could see the pulse jumping with terror in her throat.
“Yes,” she whispered. “She screamed, but nobody could hear her…”
“But everyone will be able to hear you if I catch you.” He leaned closer. “Run, little deer…”
She gasped and whirled and flew down the path.
Black stood up and watched her run, stumble, fall, and jump to her feet to run again.
He smiled.
The prey had been put to flight.
Now to bring in the other prey to complete the hunt.
He dialed Gallo.
“You sound short of breath. I suppose you heard the sounds of Queen’s demise. Are you hurrying toward me in hopes of saving little Cara?”
“You didn’t kill her?”
“Not yet. That was only Queen, though Cara was a little upset with all the blood. She started sobbing again. You’d think shock would kick in and stop that nonsense. It was annoying me. So I sent her packing.”
Silence. “What are you talking about?”
“I told her that she’d only be safe if she reached the town behind that high hill at the end of the lake.”
“There’s no town there, you bastard.”
“I know, but I had to give her incentive to keep her running. I couldn’t have her collapsing and spoiling the hunt.” He paused. “Just as I’m giving you incentive to join the hunt. If I track her down, Cara will die. Unless you find her in time. Or unless you kill me. Though I’m betting I’ll take you and Eve Duncan out, then be free to finish Cara Clark. Would you like to give me odds?”
“No, you don’t have a chance. I’m going to kill you, Black.”
“You might if you were the same man you were when you came close to killing me all those years ago. You had a divine insanity that gave you power. You knew what you were and what you had to do. Now you don’t even remember that glory, you’re confused and weak.” He chuckled. “But I can’t talk to you any longer. Cara is almost out of sight, and I have to start the chase. But she’s such a little girl I won’t have trouble catching up with her.” He hung up.
“I’m coming, Cara,” he murmured as he started down the path. “I can almost hear your heartbeat. Run…”
CHAPTER
19
“BLACK’S MADE CONTACT,” Catherine said curtly as she hung up from talking to Eve. “He’s turned Cara loose on the hill at the north tip of the lake, and he’s staging some kind of macabre hunt. Eve and Gallo are on their way.”
“And so are we.” Joe stopped and gazed at the hill looming over the lake. “Black and Cara are approaching the hill from the east. Follow them on that route, and we risk an ambush. We need to climb the hill from the west slope and try to surprise Black.”
“But we can’t circle the lake and get on the other side of the hill. It would take too much time.”
“No, we can’t do that.” He gave her his gun and ammunition, but kept his knife. “We split up.”
“What?”
He moved down the bank and took off his boots and shirt. “I swim across the lake and go up the hill from the west side. You follow Black along the east route. One of us should be able
to pick him off.”
“Okay, but I’m calling Eve and telling her I’m on my way to join them. I can help them zero in on Black if I can pick up that tower signal.” She hesitated. “The lake’s pretty wide. I couldn’t swim that distance. Can you make it?”
“Come on. I was a SEAL. I live on a lake.” He jumped into the lake and gasped. Cold. He started stroking. “Hell yes, I can do it. Get moving, Catherine.”
When he glanced over his shoulder, she had disappeared.
Good. No arguments. Just Catherine acting with her usual logic and efficiency. One of them had to stop Black and get the job done.
He swam harder, faster, fighting the cold. Block it out.
He had to get to the other side.
* * *
CARA WAS ALMOST TO THE TOP of the hill, Black noticed.
She was out in the open, and the moonlight shone on her like a pale spotlight.
Black could see her scrambling desperately, slipping on the rocks, falling, picking herself up, and running again. The child had more stamina than he had thought she possessed. Perhaps it was only fear that had seemed to paralyze her and made her appear less than she was.
And if Black could see her so well, then she would be clearly visible to Gallo and Eve Duncan if they were anywhere near.
“Perfect bait,” he murmured. “You’re doing well, Cara. That desperation is enough to wrench the heart. How could they resist?” He moved farther behind the huge boulders. His rifle was loaded and ready. Again, not his preference. He carried other weapons, a pistol, two knives. But a rifle would be safer with Gallo.
Was he still wary of Gallo?
Nonsense. It was just smarter to handle the kill this way. He would take his time and use one of the knives on little Cara later. It would be enough.
That idea would horrify Eve Duncan, he thought with amusement. Come save her, Eve, as you failed to save your own child. Come on, Gallo. Watch the little one struggle and fight for life.
His finger poised over the trigger as he watched the path.
But hurry, I’m getting impatient.
* * *
“OH, GOD, I SEE HER,” EVE said in agony. Poor child. Desperation and panic were in the little girl’s every movement. “But where’s Black? He has to be here.”
“Somewhere close.” Gallo’s gaze was raking the terrain. “And waiting for us. Don’t move. We have cover on the path at this point, but we’ll be wide open if we go another thirty yards.”
“Dammit, where’s Catherine? She said that she could tell us where—”
“Don’t curse the bearer of the Celltec.” Catherine had suddenly appeared out of the shrubbery to the left of the path. She was dressed in black pants and shirt and looked lean and graceful and totally competent. She caught sight of Cara and inhaled sharply. “Bait. He’s staking her out.”
“That’s obvious.” Gallo glanced at her, then looked back at the top of the hill. “You’re Catherine Ling. I’ve heard a good deal about you. Eve thinks you can work minor miracles. I suggest you start.”
“You don’t have the right to tell me what to do,” Catherine said coldly. “It’s because of you that Eve is in this mess, and that kid up there is on the verge of getting killed.”
“Catherine,” Eve said. “Can you locate Black?”
“Yes. I should be in tower range, and I’ll bet he’s close enough.” Catherine pulled out the Celltec. “Come on,” she murmured. “Find the bastard…” She pressed the button.
The beeper went off immediately, then the small screen lit up with coordinates and squared an area. “Jackpot,” Catherine whispered. “The boulders. He’s behind the boulders.”
Eve’s gaze flew to the four huge boulders blocking the path. Steep incline on one side falling to the lake, open terrain on the other, where Cara was climbing. “There’s no way to get to him!”
“There’s a way,” Catherine said slowly. “Just not for us. We have to hang tight.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Gallo said roughly. “You stay here, and I’ll go off the path in the shrubs until I run out of cover, then take off after the kid. You give me protective fire until I can grab her and get her behind that stand of trees.”
“Too risky,” Catherine said. “Hang tight. We’ll have a chance if—”
“Gallo!” It was Black shouting. “I’m tired of waiting for you. I know you’re out there. Perhaps you need a little encouragement.”
A bullet caused the rocks to splinter two feet from where Cara was climbing.
She looked back with panic and frantically tried to climb faster.
“The next bullet will hit her heel. It will probably take her foot off. Do you want to see that, Eve?”
“No,” Eve shouted. “Don’t shoot her, Black.” She turned to Gallo. “You go after her the way you said. I’ll go up the path and try to distract him.”
“Come on,” Black called. “And bring Gallo with you. I was disappointed that I was going to have to use a rifle. This will be much better.”
“I’ll go slow,” Eve said. “I’ll talk to him on the way. Get to her, John.”
Catherine was cursing. “Dammit, stall. Don’t do this.”
“No choice,” Eve said. “He meant what he said. I’m not going to let him blow off body parts while we watch. Go, John. Once she’s safe, we can go after Black.”
“Son of a bitch. You’re right, no damn choice.” John ducked into the shrubbery and was gone.
“Eve, listen to me. I know you’re frantic about the kid, but there’s another chance to—” She shook her head. “But I don’t know if it will be in time.”
“If you get a shot, take it, Catherine.” Eve started down the path. She shouted. “Hold your fire, I’m coming, Black. Gallo doesn’t think Cara is important enough, but I do. Maybe after you have me, you’ll be able to persuade him.”
“Oh, yes, I can be very persuasive with your kind of collateral.”
“Keep on talking to him, Eve,” Catherine said curtly. “Stall. Joe should be here anytime.”
“Joe.” Eve stopped on the path as shock seared through her. “What are you talking about, Catherine? Joe?”
* * *
EVE DUNCAN HAD STOPPED IN the middle of the path and was looking back over her shoulder, Black saw, annoyed. What was happening? Was Gallo trying to talk her out of coming?
“I mean it, Gallo,” he shouted. “Don’t play with me. Maybe I should blow off your lady’s foot instead of the kid’s. I’m aiming right now.”
“But you’ll never pull the trigger.”
His head jerked around to see the man who’d spoken crouched on the rock behind him. He received a wild mixture of impressions as the man jumped him. Bare-chested. Barefoot. Brown hair plastered and damp.
Then he was knocked to the ground and the attacker was on top of him and jerking the rifle out of his hand. It went off as he threw it to one side.
Black was cursing as he reached for his knife in his arm holster. “Who the hell are—” But he knew who he was. “Quinn.” His knife plunged up at Quinn’s abdomen. “Son of a bitch, how did—”
Quinn grabbed his wrist and twisted the knife to one side. “Give it up, Black. I don’t want to kill you yet. You have questions to answer.”
Black kneed him in the groin and rolled out from underneath him. “I’m not going to die, Quinn. I’m never the one who dies.” The edge of his knife tore across Quinn’s upper arm. “I’ll kill you all.”
“The hell you will.” Quinn’s knife sliced down and entered Black’s chest.
Black shrieked.
Quinn sat back on his heels, his breathing hard, harsh. His eyes were glittering wildly in his set face. “Don’t die. I was careful. That shouldn’t have been fatal. I won’t have you dead. I still have a use for you.”
* * *
EVE TORE AROUND THE BOULDER and stopped short.
Joe was sitting beside Black, covered in blood.
Joe’s blood?
�
�Joe?” she whispered. “My God.”
“Stay away from him,” Joe said. “He’s not dead yet, and a viper can kill you with his dying strike.”
“To hell with him.” She came forward anyway. “All that blood…”
“A lot of mine. Most of it is his.”
“Where?”
“Arm.” He bent over Black. “You stay awake. You keep alive, dammit.”
“Oh, I’m alive.” Black’s voice was hoarse, vicious. His eyes were glaring up at Joe. “She’s soft. She won’t let you kill me.”
“I will kill you. It’s only a matter of time.” Joe turned to Eve, and said fiercely, “But he can’t slip away yet. I won’t let him.”
“Joe!” Catherine had come around the rocks. Her gaze went immediately to Black. “Good job. But you should have finished him.” She glanced back at Joe. “Do you need any help?”
“Not now.”
“Then I’m going up the hill and grab that poor kid and bring her down. Eve can take care of you.” She turned and disappeared behind the rocks again.
Eve took another step closer to Joe. “Let me—”
“No, I don’t need you to take care of me.” Joe’s eyes were boring into Black’s. “All I need is for you to listen while this bastard talks to me. It has to end. We both have to be free. He’s going to tell me where he buried Bonnie, or I’ll start cutting him to pieces.”
“Bonnie…” Black was gazing up at him maliciously. “You want to know … where Bonnie is? Screw … you, Quinn.”
“You like making people hurt, don’t you? That kid up on the hill. Her mother.” Joe put the point of the knife at his throat. “You want pain? I’ll show you pain, Black.”
“Joe.”
He didn’t take his gaze from Black. “You’ve got to know, Eve. He’s got to tell you. Where’s Bonnie?”
Black spit in his face.
“Where?” Joe didn’t move the knife to wipe away the spittle.
“Let me have him.” Eve hadn’t realized that Gallo had come and was standing a few yards away. His expression was as grim and savage as Joe’s. No, perhaps more savage. “He’ll talk to me.”
“Gallo.” Black’s gaze was glittering with ferocity. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you. Were you so afraid of me that you had to send Quinn to do your dirty work?”
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