“Of course. Whatever you like.”
Her eyes narrowed on his face. “But you have no intention of going with me?”
“I prefer to be the backup plan. I admit Norwalk’s proposition is intriguing me.” He lifted his hand. “But you needn’t set Jock on me. I will not endanger your son or Cara unless it becomes necessary.”
“You will not do it at all,” she said harshly.
“The backup crew sometimes has to make its own rules.” He took out his phone. “But if you all do a superb job, and I’m not needed, then the point is moot.” He dialed Nikolai. “You’d better get down to the dock. Nikolai will have that speedboat at your disposal within five or ten minutes, and it appears you’re on a four-hour time constraint.”
Eve gazed at him in frustration mixed with suspicion. But she would not stay here when she had a chance to go to her son. She had to be there if he needed her. She turned and walked quickly toward the French doors. “Don’t do it,” she said curtly. “Let us get Cara out. He’ll kill you.”
“I’m touched that you’d care.” He inclined his head. “I’m sure we’ll be in communication. Be safe, Eve.” He spoke into the phone. “Nikolai, you have a small job to do in the matter of obtaining a speedboat…”
* * *
Kaskov stood at the French doors and watched as Nikolai helped Eve into the speedboat. Nikolai stepped back and waited while Eve gunned the engine and tore down the bayou toward open water. Then he turned, lifted his hand to Kaskov, and started back toward the house.
“Am I allowed to come out now?” But Darcy had already come out of the office and was standing at the doorway of the parlor. “Has she left?”
“Yes. Off to the rescue.” He smiled mockingly. “And I’m certain that you would have erupted out of that office if you’d wanted to do so. I just gave you a place and the ability to observe and listen without having to interact. Isn’t that what you told me you wished?”
She shrugged. “It was what was best. It was better that I fade into the background where Eve would like to keep me. She’s having enough stress.” She met his eyes. “And don’t you make fun of her because she’s willing to do anything to save the people she loves. She’s one of the good guys.”
“You’re being impolite. I wonder why I put up with your lack of respect.”
“I don’t know why either. But I can’t let it matter to me. There’s no time to tiptoe around you.”
“Even though I’m not one of the good guys?”
“Compared to Norwalk, you’re not so bad.”
“Oh, you’re so wrong, Darcy.” He suddenly chuckled. “But I find being compared to Norwalk is not pleasing to me. It makes me want to destroy the object of that comparison.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “Was that your aim?”
“Maybe. You’re thinking all the time. You’re very smart, very reasonable. I don’t want you to be reasonable about Norwalk.” She added simply, “Because then you might not help me kill him.”
He tilted his head. “Have I been demoted to a secondary position in this endeavor? That’s not how I operate.”
“You know better. Everyone else wants to keep me safe and away from Norwalk. I have to rely on you to take me to him. You’re going to do it, aren’t you?”
He was silent. “I believe I am.”
“Why?”
“Does it matter? You’ll get what you want.”
“I think it does matter.” She was frowning. “I’m not sure why. I’m very persuasive, but I don’t think that would sway you.”
“It might.” He smiled faintly. “Or it might be that you’re wrong about how reasonable I am. Perhaps I have a deep passion for revenge and feel a certain kinship for you. Or it could be that I understand the value of family and that it has to be protected at all costs. But that would reveal a weakness of which Nikolai would disapprove.” His lips twisted. “So we’ll have to discard that possibility. Suppose we leave it to the fact that I am as ruthless as Norwalk, and it amuses me to see you risk that very beautiful neck.”
“Okay.” She drew a deep breath. “Then let’s get to it. If you’re going to take me along, then you must be planning on substituting me for Eve. Right?”
“It occurred to me when Eve decided that she wasn’t going to accompany me.”
“Me, too,” she said. “And I knew it would be the first thing you’d consider since I tried to convince you that you should use me as bait for Cara.” She made a face. “But that wonderful black wig won’t work now. I’m sure that Nikolai will be able to get me a red-brown one that will do the job. He appears to be able to pull anything out of his hat. Eve is a little taller, but I’ll wear dark clothes, and that always increases the look of height.” She turned toward the stairs. “But the makeup will be more difficult. I’m too damn good-looking. It will be hard to get rid of that impression and just be very interesting and attractive.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have time for plastic surgery.”
“Tell Nikolai to get a wig that will hang straight and shadow my cheekbones. I’ll manage the rest.” She was taking the steps two at a time. “I have almost four hours…”
BLACK POOL SWAMP
“Cara, I think someone—” Michael whispered as he rolled closer to her. “Someone’s … near…”
“Shh.” She drew him into her arms. “Try to sleep, Michael. We don’t want Norwalk to come back in here.” All that poison and ugliness he’d spat at her earlier had upset Michael, and it had taken her almost thirty minutes to quiet him. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“No. That’s not it.” His voice was a breath close to her ear. “Not hurt … Good…”
“What?”
“Someone’s close … Help. I thought maybe … earlier. But now very close…”
She went still. Eve had been sure that Michael had reached out to her the night of Gwinnet Square, and Cara had told her that she would believe anything that Eve wanted her to believe. But now she was faced with believing Michael himself. “It could be a dream, Michael.”
“No, don’t be scared.” He cuddled nearer. “Close, Cara. He’s so close…”
“He?” She paused. “Who?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. But I thought I’d tell you so that you wouldn’t be afraid.”
She was trying not to begin to hope, but it was all they had right now. And wasn’t it reasonable that someone would come after them and not stop until they found them? “Sometimes you can talk to your mama. Maybe it’s her?”
“No, not yet.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “But she loves you and me, she’ll want to be—”
“On your feet, Cara.” Norwalk was standing in the doorway. “I want to show you off to the subjects of your kingdom. They’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
Michael stiffened, and his arms tightened around her.
She had to get away from here quickly, or he might try to protect her. She gave him a quick kiss on his temple. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered as she pushed him aside and got to her knees. “It’s okay, remember?”
He shook his head. “Not safe. Just close…”
“Get out here!” Norwalk was cursing as he strode across and jerked her to her feet. “You’ve already caused me too much trouble today.” He pushed her out into the darkness only lit by the light affixed to the cypress tree rooted in the waters off the island. “Everything was supposed to go smoothly, then Brazoff screwed up.” He was shoving her down to where the stagnant water was lapping against the bank. “Nothing goes right with you. Sean died, and now this Brazoff—”
“I can hardly be blamed that the man you hired to kidnap me almost killed me,” she said dryly. “That’s unreasonable even for a maniac like you, Norwalk.”
“Very brave when the boy isn’t around,” he said between set teeth. “You’re very careful around him I notice.”
“Because I don’t want him frightened. I’m not brave. I just know that nothing I can say or do will change
what you intend to do to me.” She turned to look at him. “Why did you bring me out here, Norwalk?”
“I told you, I wanted to show you what’s in store.”
“I think that you’ve already made that clear.” She looked down at the vest around her body. “What did you say? I’m just a toy that can be broken whenever you press that button? You’ve blown your punch line. I don’t believe you can think up any threats that would scare me more than that.”
“You underestimate me. Let me try.” He pointed to the island several hundred yards away. “You see those red eyes glowing in the dark? Alligators. They’re restless tonight. They’ve already had a very satisfying breakfast, but they’re always looking for fresh meat.”
Don’t let him see the fear. He would enjoy it too much. “You can’t have it both ways, Norwalk. Are you going to throw me to the alligators or blow me up?”
His hand tightened on the remote control. “Arrogant bitch. You’re just like that weird kid. But when it comes down to that last minute, you’ll both know that I was the one who made it happen.”
“That ‘weird kid’ has more strength and courage than you’ll ever have. And I think you must know it, or he wouldn’t disturb you so much.” She met his eyes. “And I’m not trying to be arrogant. I told you that I’m not brave, and I’m just trying to get through this.”
“So young and talented,” he said mockingly. “So much to live for. I hear everyone thought you were going to be famous. Too bad all that music is going to go to waste when you end up in more pieces than Sean.”
“You’ll be disappointed there,” she said quietly. “You might be able to destroy me, but not the music. Just because I’m not here to play it doesn’t mean that there’s not going to be someone else out there who will be able to hear what I heard and let it flow out of them. I don’t believe the music ever goes away.”
“And what if I break these fingers?” He reached out and grabbed her hand. “I can take it away from you in one second.”
She tried to stifle the panic. “And what good would that do? It just proves that you can’t make up your mind. You said you were going to blow me up anyway.” Distract him. “Or have you decided on the alligators?”
He threw her hand down. The next instant his fist lashed out and struck her jaw. “Do you think I’d let you spoil my plans?” He was breathing hard, his eyes wild as he watched her drop to the ground. “I was just playing with you. No, you’re still going to face your fate in the true Viking tradition. The alligators aren’t for you, they’re for the boy. I’ve been saving him for them.”
She shook her head to clear it. The bitter taste of blood was on her tongue from her split lip. “When I saw that you hadn’t given him one of these vests, I didn’t think that you meant him to join me.” She raised herself on one elbow. “And he told me that you kept talking about the alligators. He’s not afraid, Norwalk.”
“But you’re afraid for him. That will be enough for right now,” he said. “The fear’s coming to all of you.” He jerked her to her feet. “And Sean and I are the ones who are bringing it. Now go back and cuddle that little viper for the next few hours. It might be the last opportunity you’re going to have. And it will make it harder for him when I tear you two apart. He’ll feel so alone. Like I feel without Sean.”
Next few hours.
The words echoed in her mind as he roughly pushed her back up the incline. Not much time left. How to get Michael free before that time ran out?
But Michael had said that someone was close who could help.
Close enough, she thought desperately. And was it only hope and imagination ignited by the horror and stress Michael had been going through all this time?
She involuntarily cast a glimpse over her shoulder at the darkness of the surrounding swamp across the bayou.
He?
Jock? Kaskov? Joe?
She wished she could feel something, anything that Michael had felt. But she was only aware of that murky darkness and the silence broken only by the sound of the swamp creatures.
“Taking a last look at those alligators?” Norwalk asked mockingly. “They’re still there, waiting for the boy.” He pushed her inside the shack. “By all means, think about them.”
She couldn’t bear to think about them. Instead, she would think about Michael and all the joy he brought them. And she would try to think of a way that she could save him.
And wonder if that fragile hope that Michael had sensed was close enough to do them any good.
* * *
Control.
Jock’s hands dug into the stock of his Remington until they turned white.
Then he forced himself to slowly release his grip. No killing. Not now. No quick ending.
But he had hit her.
And Jock had seen the blood.
Breathe deep.
Forget how Cara had looked in that moment.
Embrace the ice as he always did.
Impossible. He was hot, he was burning. He had come back here by himself to scope out the shack where Cara and Michael had to be held because Joe wanted to be available to guide Eve to their location. He was already searching for a way to stop Norwalk’s attack on Kaskov. But Jock had brought the Remington because he’d thought he might even be able to stop Norwalk in his tracks with a single bullet.
Until he’d seen the belt of explosives around Cara’s body.
He still felt the shock that had torn through him. It should not have done that to him. There had always been that possibility. Optimism had nothing to do with reality. Admit that he’d not thought about it because he had known he’d have this reaction. Then seeing the son of a bitch hitting Cara had compounded the response.
Don’t think about it. Think about what he’d learned tonight. Think about how to make it work for them.
He took out his earpiece, shimmied down from the cypress tree where he’d been setting up the shot, and moved away from the island. He had to phone Joe. He had to plan and function. He wasn’t going to be good for anything else until he got his head back together.
He had hit her.
“Eve just got here,” Joe said as soon as he picked up. “Tell me it’s going to be easy to take Norwalk down so that I can keep her out of it.”
“Cara has a vest of C-4, and Norwalk has a remote he’s carrying around with him.”
“Shit.” He paused. “Michael?”
“I didn’t see him, but I don’t think so. Cara said something about her being the only one.”
“You spoke to her?”
“No, but I’d already set up the audio in the trees in the swamp across from the island. The bayou is very shallow and narrow there, and it’s only twenty or thirty feet from the swamp to the island dock. I was lining up my shots when Norwalk brought her down to the bank of the bayou. I was able to hear pieces of the conversation she was having with him.”
“Then we’ll have to take that vest into consideration. I was hoping that—”
“Screw hope,” he said harshly. “We should have assumed that Norwalk would do it when I saw all those explosives. We just didn’t want to think about her being that helpless, about us being that helpless. Well, it’s here, and we’ve got to deal with it.”
“And we will,” Joe said quietly. “And the first thing to deal with is that Eve said we can’t trust Kaskov not to meet with Norwalk and try to take him out. He’s not going to trust anyone but himself.”
Jock muttered a curse. “Then maybe I should take Kaskov out before he gets here. I can’t let him interfere.”
“And cause Norwalk to press that remote button because he has no reason not to do it if Kaskov is already dead?”
Jock knew that was the truth. He just wasn’t thinking straight. “Then call and tell Kaskov about that vest so he can be prepared not to do anything that might get her killed.” He added bitterly, “Providing he gives a damn.”
“And in the meantime, we try to take care of business ourselves,” Joe said. “Anything
else Kaskov should know?”
“Norwalk won’t attack him while he’s in the swamp. He’ll do it on the primary bayou where the waters are broad and deep. Probably right before he actually goes into the swamp.”
“How do you know?”
“He was taunting Cara. Something about the Vikings. You’re familiar with how the Vikings prepared to go to their Valhalla?”
“Sure. They’re sent out to sea in a boat while their bodies burn on a funeral pyre on deck,” Joe said.
“And how better to destroy Kaskov than to have his only granddaughter sent out to meet him in a boat that will explode and kill both of them as soon as Norwalk judges her close enough to cause maximum damage?”
Silence. “Twisted as everything else about Norwalk.” Joe paused. “But I’d judge Kaskov should be on his way by now. That means that he should be here in four or five hours. You’re coming back here?”
“I’m on my way. We have to come up with something to work around that damn vest. And I’ll need more weapons to take down those guards. I left my automatic rifle at the boat because I hoped that I could concentrate on Norwalk.” He hesitated. He knew Eve was there listening, and he didn’t want to hit her with another horror prospect, but he had to prepare her. “And then we need to talk about Michael.”
“What about Michael?” Joe said quickly. “You said that he wasn’t wearing that damn vest.”
“He isn’t.” Later. “I should be back there in another twenty minutes.” He hung up.
And by the time he got to Eve and Joe, he had to have a plan that would keep Cara and Michael alive.
Explosives.
Detonator.
Use all that Reilly had taught him about killing and try to make it work for him.
Clear your head and come up with an answer.
What destroyed bombs?
Explosions that also killed.
Discard.
Think. Review. What else?
Detonator?
Remove the hand on the button.
And that could still press down and kill just as a reflex action.
Discard.
Or not …