Dead Aim (29 page)

Salazar nodded absently, his gaze focused on the TV set and the miners being carried out of the shaft.

Ten minutes later Al Leary walked into the bar.

Morgan didn't have to see Salazar's signal to know Leary was in the room. He blew in with his customary swagger and immediately began to talk to the bartender.

He was on the hunt, Morgan thought. He had seen Leary operate in dozens of cities around the world and it was always the same. Make contact with the bartender and let him know he was available, then get a line on the most attractive men who frequented the place.

He was turning toward Salazar, Morgan realized. He'd thought that would be his response to Salazar's dark good looks. Leary was all flashing white teeth and aggressive charm as he sat down on the stool next to Salazar.

Fifteen minutes later Morgan got up from his booth and moved toward the bathroom in the rear of the bar. It was empty, but no telling how long it would stay that way. He cracked open the door so that he could see the bar.

Come on, Salazar. Get the show moving.

As if he'd heard Morgan, Salazar got off the bar stool and touched Leary's arm and said something to him. Leary and Salazar left the bar and strolled toward the bathroom.

"It's good stuff," Salazar was saying as he pushed open the door. "Enough to give you a high but not interfere with--"

Morgan's arm encircled Leary's neck and jerked him backward.

Leary gasped, gurgling helplessly as he tried to breathe.

"We're leaving," Morgan said in his ear. "We're going to go out the back way and then get in the car in the alley. When we leave this bathroom, my arm's going to be around your shoulders and my hand is going to be affectionately on your neck. If you're not equally quiet and affectionate as we go through that crowd, I'm going to stop being affectionate and give you a shuto blow to the back of the neck and kill you. It will be over almost before you know it. You've seen me do it before."

Leary's eyes were wide with terror as he tried to speak.

"Go and start the car, Salazar." Morgan loosened his arm around Leary's neck. "We'll be along in a minute."

"Morgan." Leary's voice was hoarse. "Don't kill me. It wasn't my--"

"Easy does it. This isn't the time." His arm slipped around Leary's shoulders. "Now, let's go. Salazar's arranged a place for us to have a little talk."

Chapter 14.

November 10

8:45 P.M.

"Danley tells me you're in position, Runne," Betworth said.

"Of course. We made a deal."

"You checked in at Z-3 last night. But no one's seen you since then."

"If they'd seen me, I wouldn't be doing my job, would I?"

"I want you to report to Danley again tomorrow. I have to know that you're ready. Not that I don't trust you."

"Just have that helicopter ready to get me out of there. I'll handle the rest."

"Report to Danley tomorrow or there won't be a helicopter."

"Don't bluff me. You want me out of there as much as I want to get out. When do I get Morgan?"

"He's still on the loose. Who knows? You may run into him at the Kettle." Betworth hung up.

And he might not, Runne thought. The surer bet was still the woman. He had been disappointed that she hadn't shown up at the mine. Time was running out. He'd been running back and forth between the mine and Z-3 for the last few days to placate Betworth and Danley, but now there were only two days left.

If he was going to have the opportunity to get Morgan, it might be necessary to escalate matters.

He reached for his phone.

9:05 P.M.

Kettle.

Dammit, Alex had stared at the atlas of the northeastern United States until she was almost blind. No mention of topographical features anywhere in this area that might fit. No lakes or rocks that could be--

Screw it.

Her phone rang.

"Alex. This is Sarah." Her words came bullet-fast. "I'm only going to talk for a minute because I don't know if he's found a way he can trace the call. Hell, I don't know how he got my number. He must have finessed someone at rescue headquarters."

"He?"

"Someone called Runne Shin. He said you'd probably know who he was."

Alex stiffened. "Oh, yes."

"Look, I didn't even want to call you. But I decided I didn't have the right. I wouldn't want to be kept in the dark if it were me."

"In the dark about what?"

"He said that there was going to be another disaster worse than Plummock Falls if you didn't stop it. He said to tell you he didn't care about Betworth's plans. He only wants Morgan."

Shock rippled through her. "And how am I supposed to stop this so-called disaster?"

"He said to call him. He gave me the number." She rattled off the phone number and then paused. "And now that I've given you that bastard's message, I'm giving you one of my own. Don't be crazy. You can't be held responsible for the actions of this asshole. Stay away from him."

He only wants Morgan.

"That may be difficult to do."

"I'm hanging up now. I don't want to take any chances. But I'm calling John and telling him about this Runne Shin."

"He already knows about him."

"He doesn't know that he's setting you up," Sarah said grimly before she hung up.

Sarah was right. Alex would be stupid not to realize that Runne would do anything he had to do to her to draw Morgan.

Yet if she didn't call Runne, she was neglecting an opportunity to stop another tragedy and perhaps find a solution to this insane puzzle. She stared down at the phone number she'd jotted in the margin of a page of the atlas.

He only wants Morgan
.

Well, he couldn't have him. She wasn't giving him up.

But Runne didn't have to know that. She quickly dialed the number Sarah had given her.

"What kind of disaster?" she demanded when the phone was answered.

"Alex Graham? I've been very eager to meet you since I've heard you're very close to our mutual friend. I trust Morgan has told you about me."

"Yes."

"I thought he would. You must be on intimate terms."

"That's none of your business."

"I know Morgan wouldn't have stayed with you for any length of time if he hadn't formed an attachment. I'm a little disappointed in him. After he killed my father, I studied his files and grew to admire his cool objectivity. I was going to model my lifestyle on him after I cut his throat, but I'm not sure now. You may have tainted his image."

"Too bad. Where's the Kettle?"

He chuckled. "You know that much? I'm impressed."

"It's Z-3, isn't it? What's going to happen there?"

"What do you think?"

"Another Arapahoe Junction?"

"Nothing so cataclysmic. Morgan and I don't indulge in mass murder. We save ourselves for the special tasks. But I believe you'd consider this particular job a true disaster."

"But you're not going to tell me what it is."

"I'll tell you where it is. Well, not exactly tell. I'll take you there tonight."

"I saw what you did to Powers's wife. Do you think I'd trust you?"

"Of course not. But you're a woman who can't resist running to comfort the suffering. You'll find a way to get around your doubts so that you can do that."

"And you'll use me to get Morgan."

"If possible. I'll give him a better chance than he gave my father. There are two hundred acres of woods and mountains near the Kettle. I'll give him a head start and then track him. It will bring back the memory of old times and be much more satisfying than a quick kill. I've been waiting too long to have it over in a hurry." He chuckled. "And I'm sure you'll use me to try to save him and the target I'm going to take out the day after tomorrow."

"Where are you?"

"Very close to Plummock Falls, but I leave here in two hours. Let me know." He hung up.

Jesus.

She couldn't do it. There was no way she could be the bait in the trap that would snap on Morgan.

I believe you'd consider this particular job a true disaster
.

We save ourselves for the special tasks.

She was starting to shake.

True disaster . . .

Dear God in heaven.

.

Guatemala City

"Let's get this very clear, Leary. I need answers," Morgan said. "Why, when, and where."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Leary moistened his lips. "I was just sent down here undercover. Matanza is causing all kinds of flak at the White House, and Danley thought if I came down and pretended to be a turncoat that--" Leary arched in pain as Morgan pressed on the nerve at the base of his neck. "I tell you, I don't know any--"

"You know." Morgan's tone was without expression. "And you'll tell me. It's only a question of whether it's before or after. Do you remember that Al Qaeda bastard we were assigned to find in India? He was very talented. No one is better at torture than a fanatic. Do you recall what the Marine he was holding as hostage looked like when he got through with him?"

"Yes."

"And do you remember what I did after I tracked that son of a bitch down and caught him?"

Leary swallowed. "Yes."

"I was very angry then, but that's not a patch on what I'm feeling toward you right now. Do you understand?"

"You can't get away with this. Cordoba will have all the Matanza searching for me. I'm valuable to them."

"Not when Salazar arranges to have them find out that you went off with your latest conquest for a weekend in the country."

"He'll contact Danley. Danley will send--" He screamed as Morgan applied pressure. "Damn you. I told them you should have been killed right after Fairfax. But that prick Danley didn't want to risk any suspicion within the Company." He shrieked in agony. "Screw you. I'm not talking."

"You will," Morgan said softly. "Believe me, you will, Leary."

10:15 P.M.

Alex drove thirty miles south of Huntington before she phoned Runne. "I thought it over, and I've decided I'll let you lead me to Z-3."

"I said I'd take you, not lead you."

"But that would put me entirely in your power. I'd be foolish to even think about doing that. Will I be able to identify this place as the Kettle when I see it?"

"Definitely."

"Then when we reach there, I'll take off and you can try to catch me. If you do, then you'll have your bait for Morgan. I know it's him you want to hunt, but I may not be as easy prey as you think. I'm at the gas station at the intersection of Highways 5 and 22. What kind of car are you driving?"

"A tan Toyota 4Runner."

"Then when I see you, I'll leave the station and follow you. I'm sure you'll reconnoiter to make sure no one but me is around to trail you. But I have a gun, and if you try to lead me down a wrong road, either literally or figuratively, I won't hesitate to shoot you."

"Then the odds seem to be in your favor. Why should I go along with it?"

"Because I'm not a professional. I don't know how to hunt down and kill anyone. Morgan told me that you were an expert. Once we reach the Kettle, don't you believe that you can turn the tables on an amateur like me?"

"Oh, yes. With great certainty."

She felt a chill at the absolute confidence in his tone. "And after you catch me, do you think you'll be able to force me to call Morgan and beg him to come?"

"It will take no time at all."

"Then come and get me."

"There's a problem. I only have one day to track Morgan before I have to commit to my other duty. This small charade with you is going to eat into my time."

"But you're so sure that you'll get me in a heartbeat, and you said Morgan was the only thing that was important to you."

There was a silence. "And what do you hope to accomplish by this?"

"I hope to kill you."

He chuckled. "The hunted turned hunter?"

"Or I hope to remain free long enough to give Morgan a chance to kill you."

"A slightly greater chance."

"I'll call Morgan when we reach the Kettle and tell him where I am. He won't tell anyone else, because he'll be afraid that you'll kill me." She paused. "And he'll come after me. Isn't that what you want?"

"It's very tempting." He thought about it. "On one condition. Give me Morgan's phone number so that I can communicate with him. I'll be the one to call him from the Kettle and tell him where to come. You call Morgan right now and tell him what a tender sacrifice you're making for his sake. Don't think I'm fool enough to trust that you haven't had your car bugged so that you can be traced. There's a very simple device that will detect the signal and I'll use it."