Books by Maggie Shayne (6 page)

She opened her mouth to his with a soft groan of surrender.

She slid her fingers into his long dark hair and kissed him back and even moved her hips against him. He was commanding responses from her very soul as he kissed her. The way his hand moved, kneaded, slid. Into her l~ack pocket, and then out again, with the key.

 
He could have slapped her and shocked her less.

He straightened away from her, the key now in his fist. His eyes just.

as alert and sharp as before. His breathing perfectly normal.

While she clung to the wall behind her to keep from falling to her knees, and fought to catch her breath, he went about his business, seemingly unaffected. Her heart hammered. She was cold and she shook with it. He turned, scanning the lot again, unmoved by the chaos he'd just brought crashing down on her.

"Now walk very casually to the car, Alex. Open the passenger door and get in."

She swallowed hard, lifting her chin. He was a bastard. He deserved to be horsewhipped for what he'd just done. But she'd be damned if she'd let him see how much he'd shaken her. She took a step toward the car, then two. -He kept pace on the driver's side.

She reached the door. Bent to it, put her hand onit.

"Not leaving so soon, are you, Palamaro? The party is oaly begi~'nning."

The voice sent cold chills up Alexandra's spine. Itwas too high-pitched, too shrill. She froze, moving only her eyes to find the source of that fingernails-on-a-chalkboard tone. The shockingly pale man stood right behind Palamaro, a gun pressed tight to the base of Toreh's neck. Torch's gaze met hers over the top of the car. There was rage in his eyes. But she sensed it wasn't directed at her. He said a single word, and it dripped with hatred.

"Scorpion."

The man behind him yanked the duffel from Torch's back and slammed it down onto the pavement.

"Your gun, my friend. Drop it."

Torch did. Alexandra heard the clatter of metal against pavement. She tried not to sink into a well of panic, tried telling herself it was all right. There were other guns in that duffel Torch had slung over his shoulder. Lo~s of other guns.

 
The man behind Torch lifted his gaze, and when it met Alexandra's she shuddered in revulsion. Cold eyes. Colorless in the darkness, only igniting with neon fire when the sign flicked and buzzed. But evil, unspeakably evil. She felt its touch when he looked at her. The neon illuminated the scar across his cheek, making it seem fresh. Goose bumps rose on her arms, and she felt a crackle of static race over her nape. His perfectly white hair and glowing red eyes. "Put those lovely arms up high, Ms. Holt, and walk around the car to stand beside your paramour, will you?"

She opened her mouth to tell him she couldn't. She couldn't move. Her feet were frozen to the ground where she stood. But no words came out.

Seemed she was scared speechless as well as motionless. Her gaze jerked back to Torch's, and he sent her a nearly imperceptible nod.

And somehow, she managed to raise her hands above her head and put one foot in front of the other until she stood beside Torch, facing the car, with that monster behind them.

"Turn around," the monster squeaked; His voice made her teeth hurt.

Torch turned to face him. Alexandra stood still, t~mbling. Until Torch's hands touched her should e rs, urging her to turn as Well: The monster smiled. His eyes were pale, pink flashing red when the sign flickered its light on them. His skin was ashen. Shorter than Palamaro, though not by much, he was skinny. His long, narrow face ended in a pointed chin. He seemed to Alexandra to be evil personified.

"Good to see you again, Palamaro. I barely trusted my instincts when my men described the agent who'd run off with Ms. Holt and left them bound like calves at one of your American rodeos on her living room floor. I almost convinced myself it was only wishful thinking. But its you."

"You shouldn't be so glad about that," Torch said softly. "Oh, but anyone else wouldn't even have been a challenge the monster went on.

"I enjoy a worthy opponent, Paiamaro. Makes the game so much more interest ng.

"This is no game, Scorpion."

 
"Of course it is. Shall I tell you the rules?" He laughed softly, toying with the action of the gun as he pressed its barrel to Torch's forehead. Alexandra gasped aloud.

"You have something I want," he said.

"The key to Alexander Holt's safe-deposit box. Give it to me, and I'll consider killing you quickly. Otherw.ise..." He smiled again, a slow, meaningful smile that froze Alexandra's heart.

"It will be slow and extremely painful."

"What makes you think we have the key?" Torch said, and his voice was low, level, dangerous.

The man shook his head.

"Lies will only earn your lady friend more pain, Palamaro."

Torch stared;-never once blinking.

"You think I'd keep the key with me? You forgeti Scorpion, I've dealt with you before."

"And you underestimated me then, too, as I recall. I did think it would take longer for you to take a lover, thought. Is your dead wife a faded memory already?"

She felt Palamaro stiffen beside her, and instantly thought of the woman in the photo. His wife? Dead? What about the boys? Had they been his sons, then? And where were they now?

"No matter," the monster went on.

"I'm going to kill this one, too.

Wil/you forget her as quickly? " His gun moved down over Torch's face, his chin, his neck, finally stopping when it pressed to the center of his chest. The man called Scorpion reached out with his free hand, ran it slowly over Alexandra's hair. She cringed backward, pressed tight to the car, averted her face, but he still reached her. :" I won it kill her fast like I did your wife, though. I believe I'll take my time with this one. Shall I make you watch, Palamaro, when I take her? Would you enjoy that? "

Her stomach heaved and her lungs began to spasm. Alexandra whirled, dropping to her knees and retching on the asphalt.

"A weak stomach, Ms. Holt? Such a pity."

 
She knelt there until she was spent, and when, she finally stopped heaving, she knew she couldn't stand up again if her life depended on it. She collapsed against the duffel, sobs wrenching her body.

Scorpion shook his head disdainfully at her, before returning his attention to Torch.

"You might at least have chosen one who might be of help, Palamaro. I never thought weak women were your type." He sent her a last glance, then dismissed her with a shrug.

"Ah well, no matter. Where is the key?"

"Not here," Torch said ealmly, levelly.

Alexandra felt her bronchial tubes clenching tighter, and she gasped for air. Not now, she prayed. Not now! Her damned asthma might get them both killed. She pawed the spilled contents of the duffel in search of her inhaler, sucking in breaths that couldn't sustain her.

She felt dizzy al- "Where, Palamaro? My patience is running thin."

Torch only shook his head.

"I can't believe you're here alone," he said.

"I thought you never ventured out from under your rock without a half-dozen henchmen at your beck and call."

"For you I don't need help. This is personal now, isn't it, Palamaro?

Just you and I. "

Alexandra didn't find the inhaler on the ground, so she put her hand into the bag itself, still searching, still panting, growing more desperate. for air with every insufficient gasp. She dosed her fist around something cold and metal-lie. Not the inhaler. A gun.

She blinked in stark disbelief. She couldn't do this. She couldn't possibly do this. She gasped and choked, fighting for air, doubling over. And as she did, and her long hair concealed what her hands were doing, she slowly pulled the weapon out of the bag, turned it so the grip was in her palm, closed her fingers around it.

"This is getting tedious," Scorpion whined in his high-pitched, irritating voice.

"I'm going to have to insist your lady join me back in the room here. I have methods for extracting information, you know. It won't be pleasant."

Alexandra didn't know if the gun was loaded. She didn't know anyting about guns, except that one was supposed to pull 'the hammer back before firing. Only this one didn't seem to have a hammer. And if she waited much longer, she'd pass out from lack of oxygen. Her breaths were shallow, noisy, wheezing, rapid.

"It's a shame. A waste of a good man, but I'm afraid I'll have to kill you right away, Palamaro. You understand. I don't need you to lead me to the formula when I have Ms. Holt. And she'll be much more pleasant corn pan" -- She lifted the barrel and squeezed the trigger.

Palamaro's first thought when the shot exploded in his ears, was that Scorpion had shot him. It took only an instant to realize that wasn't the cfise. Scorpion swore aloud and swung his gun down toward Alexandra. But Torch brought his clasped fists down on Scorpion's gun h~/nd, and the weapon dropped to the ground. The man never missed a beat. He 'lunged away, running for all he was worth, heading for the black van at the other end 'of the parking lot. And Torch itched with everything in him to go after him. To kill him. To make him pay. The haunting images of Marcy and Josh and Jason, smiling at him from that photograph he carried everywhere he went, drove Torch to do it. He reached down to Alexandra; yanking the Ruger from her cold, trembling hands.

He made the mistake of glancing at her as he did it, though, and then he paused. The red haze of hatred faded a little, enough so he could see her hunched on the cold pavement, choking for air. Her eyes were wide and glazed in the neon glow, swimming with tears that had left red streaks on her face.

He heard the van door slide open. Damn. No doubt Scorpion had other weapons in there. He bent down, caught sight of the inhaler and grabbed it, lifting it to her lips, fitting it between them. She didn't move.

"Take it." Still no response.

"I said take it, Alex!" Finally her hands closed over his. Damn, she was cold. He stuck the gun into his jeans, bent to grip her under the arms and hauled her to her feet. He wanted to take the supplies, too, but they were scattered and there was no time to gather them all. He settled for grabbing the half-filled duffel as he opened the car door.

"Get in, Alex. Quick?

She blinked twice, staring at the ground, still gasp' rag for breath, though she'd finally shot a blast of medicine into her lungs. All at once she crouched and snatched something up, before finally scrambling across the seat and huddling in the passenger side.

Torch dove behind the wheel. The van had started toward them. He jammed the car into gear, spun the tires as he took off. He sped into traffic, cutting just ahead of an eighteen-wheeler and getting a blast of air horns for his trouble. All the while, one hand was elbow deep in the duffel bag. And he finally found what he wanted, a little cock-taft for his pal, Scorpion. He anchored the bottle between his thighs, worked a lighter from his jeans pocket, flicked the flame to life and touched it to' the cloth. He didn't even open his window.

Just chucked the Molotov right out the back, through the missing windshield.

The explosion mused cars to skid sideways behind him; effectively blocking Scorpion's pursuit. Changing lanes, passing everythifig ahead of him, he managed to leave th{ minivan and the small fire in the distance. But chaos was far behind him, he didn't let up on his S, ~~,. He: was taking no more chances with Scorpion. He couldn t afford to make another mistake.

Some miles later, only beginning to allow himself to feel confident of their escape, he glanced over at Alexandra. She sat utterly still, her pupils dilated. Her breathing had eased, He saw the inhaler on her lap.

And then he blinked. The photo lay there beside it. Marcy and Josh and Jason, smiling from the curling picture. All he had left of them, really.

A horn blew, and Torch jerked his attention back to the highway and swerved into his own lane. She'd grabbed the picture off the ground before they'd left. He gave his head a slight shake. Why?

He looked at her again, keep' rag one eye on his driving this time. She was shaken, may he in shock. White as a sheet. "Alex? You okay?" ~ Her answer was a vague nod. She licked her lips. "Did... did-I hurt him?"

 
"Scorpion?"

The question surprised him. He supposed it shouldn't have, though.

She was a doctor. In the business of healing people, not putting bullets into them, "You missed by a mile, Alex But you got our butts out of one tight spot, anyway. That was quick thinking."

She tilted, her head, frowned a little, finally looking at him. Her expression seemed a little confused.

"You did good back there," he clarified.

She closed her eyes, lowered her head.

"I got sick on the ground and almost passed out."

"Yeah, but you kept your head and used your wits. Not too many women I know could have done that."

She shook her head.

"It was an accident. I was looking for my inhaler, and I found the gun by mistake?"

Torch frowned, wondering why she was so. determined not to take any credit.

"Did you fire it by mistake, too?" "No."

"I rest my case."

She said nothing for a long time. When she did, her voice was almost normal.

"What happens now?"

Torch shook his head slowly.

"They know where the box is ." ' "But they don't have the key."

"Neither do we... not anymore."

He saw her frown. She sat a little straighter, her eyes beginning to clear. Good. If thinking about the task at hand would erase the fear from her eyes, all the better. He'd never seen anyone so afraid.

But she hadn't frozen. The woman had steel she wasn't even aware of.

"I dropped the key through that grate in the parking lot," he told her.

She frowned harder, giving her head a slight shake. "Why? Why throw it away after you... went to so much trouble to take it from me?"

His head jerked around. He couldn't tell if that was pain or anger in her eyes. She was still showing mostly fear, and it camouflaged everything else.