Holdin' On for a Hero (71 page)

She got out of the car and watched as he drove away. The day was cold with an overcast sky. She shivered and hurried to the glass entrance of the market. The enormity of her situation was sinking in and for a moment she considered getting in the car when it arrived and just driving as fast and as far as she could.

Jackson Township

Konnor was just entering the house when the phone rang. Leaving the door standing open, he bounded across the kitchen and snatched up the cordless. “Yeah?… I’m on my way.”

He slammed down the phone and ran out of the house. The call was from the police department. His martial arts school was on fire. As he raced down the driveway, he considered the possibility that the fire was not an accident. It was possible that their enemies were sending him a message. On the other hand, the threat might be coming from closer to home.

Slater had told him, in so many words, that if he discovered that Konnor was double-crossing him, there would be hell to pay. It was not the first time Slater had questioned his loyalty, or issued a threat. If this was his way of making a point, then Konnor had a reply. To hell with him and his threats. He would not back off and he would not stop until he was sure Senna was safe.

Lost in his own thoughts, he paid little attention to the traffic around him. If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed Ryan Dalton pass him going in the opposite direction.

Ryan pulled up in front of Konnor’s house. There was no car in the drive, but he went to the door, anyway. He got no answer. He pulled a notepad from his jacket and scribbled a note, asking for Konnor to get in touch with him. Just as he tore the page off the pad, he heard a car coming down the driveway.

A dark green BMW stopped in the bend, just in sight of the house. The windows were darkly tinted and Ryan couldn’t tell who was driving. He walked toward his car and the BMW backed up.

His first thought was that someone had gone to the wrong address. He walked toward the car, thinking that he could at least give the driver directions if he was lost.

Senna sat for a moment, staring through the windshield. She had not expected to find Ryan here. She almost turned the car around to leave. Maybe it would be best not to speak with Ryan until she had spoken with Konnor. Then again, maybe it was best to just get it over with.

She opened the door and stepped out. Ryan’s eyes widened when he saw her. A moment later he was running toward her. She barely had time to close the car door before he had her wrapped in his arms.

“Thank god!” he whispered against her hair as he held her. “I was beginning to think…” Abruptly he drew back. “Where the hell have you been?”

“I just needed to get away for a while.” The lie was out of her mouth before she realized it.

His look told her quite clearly that he didn’t believe her so she elaborated on the lie. “Ryan, things have been…well, you know. So much has happened and it all seemed to just crash in on me. I felt like if I had to deal with one more thing I would explode. So I went to stay with a friend for a few days to have time to sort things out.”

“What friend?”

“That’s not really important.”

“I think it is.”

“Just a friend.”

“Are you aware that there’s been another murder?” His question sounded more like a reprimand.

She looked down. “I heard about Harlan.”

“And Ian?”

She didn’t have to pretend to be upset. “Yes. I saw it in the paper this morning. That’s why I came back.”

“Senna…” He stroked her face gently. “I know this is a bad time, but I really need some answers and I think you’re the only one who can give them to me, so I’m asking you to be honest.”

“I’ve always been honest with you, Ryan.” She felt she should have crossed her fingers behind her back or something. While she had been completely honest with him when they were involved, lately she had not been.

“I want to know what you can tell me about the cuneiform on the notes we found on the victims.”

“I’ve already told you that I’m not an expert in ancient languages.”

“But you do recognize the writing.”

“What makes you think that?”

“We’ve known each other a while. I saw it on your face at the station when Paige showed you the copies. You know something.”

She started to lie, but decided the best course was to be honest without divulging too much. “I recognized a name.”

“A name?”

“Yes. Enlil. He was a Sumerian god.”

“So I’ve been learning.” His comment brought a look of surprise to her face.

“Seems like our murderer is using an ancient bronze sword to do the killing,” he explained. “The experts think it predates an artifact housed at the Metropolitan.”

“And?”

“And that sword has an inscription that names Enlil. It seems to me that our killer is trying to leave us a clue.”

“Or trying to mislead you,” she said.

He looked at her thoughtfully and she looked away. Something in that gesture gave him a sinking feeling in his gut. For the first time since he’d known her, he thought she was being dishonest with him.

“I need to know the truth. Were you in any way involved in the murder of Dr. Pierce-Warner?”

Senna had not expected that question from him. But she answered it anyway with a nod and heard him draw in his breath sharply. “As an officer of the law, I am obliged to inform you of your rights.” He looked like he was about to be sick.

“Ryan, I didn’t say I have anything to do with him being killed. I said I think I’m involved. How can I not be? I knew him. Just like the others. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that I’m the only person in this city who knew all three of them. So that has to make me involved.”

“But you don’t know anything about the actual murders?”

“No. All I know is that people I know and care about are being killed and it scares me. Like Ian. Did he really commit suicide?”

“There’s some question about that.”

“I knew it! Ryan, listen to me. You have to stay away from me. Do you understand? I don’t know what’s going on or why, but everyone around me seems to be a target for whoever this…this lunatic is, and I don’t want you to be on the list of victims.”

“I can take care of myself,” he said with a hint of a smile.

“This isn’t a joke, Ryan.” She didn’t understand why he was smiling.

“I know.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

“I guess I like the fact that you’re worried about me. It shows you still care.”

“Well, of course I do.”

“So do I.”

She realized he had misinterpreted her concern. She tried to think of a way to set the record straight but before she could find the words he kissed her. She pulled away.

“Senna, you don’t know how much—”

“Please,” she cut him off. “Don’t.”

“It’s Konnor, isn’t it?” He sounded more angry than hurt.

“Partially, yes. But not entirely. Mostly it’s me. I need to be sure for myself. Do you understand? I have to find out what’s right and real for me.”

After a moment he nodded. “Okay, I understand. You need some space. I can do that. Just don’t cut me out of your life. That’s all I ask.”

“Ryan, you’ll always be important to me. It’s just that—”

“Don’t say it,” he cut in. “Like you said, you need some time. Besides we can talk about it later. We did have a dinner date for tonight.”

She had forgotten about her promise to have dinner with him and at that moment all she cared about was finding Konnor.

“We are still on, aren’t we?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” She tried to think of another excuse to get out of it. He obviously had not been paying attention to what she’d said about people around her ending up dead.

“I really think we need some time together, Senna. Besides, as much as I hate to do this, I have to point out that suspicion has been raised concerning your involvement with the murders. I really don’t want to have to go to the captain and tell him I’ve spoken with you and that you don’t have an alibi for the time of Pierce-Warner’s death.”

Senna was shocked that he would resort to that kind of underhanded threat. “Are you blackmailing me, Ryan?”

“No. Just trying to make a point. There are a lot of things we need to discuss and that’s one of them. I’d really like to be able to go to the captain and give him a plausible reason not to suspect you in these murders.”

“All right,” she gave in. It would increase the risk of Slater finding out she was back, but she supposed she owed Ryan that much. “Where and what time?”

“Eight,” he said with a smile and pulled his notepad from his pocket and jotted down an address. “It’s a new place. A guy who used to be on the force owns it. As a matter of fact, he isn’t officially open for business yet. He doesn’t even have a sign up, but he’s invited a few of us over to try out the place.”

She read the address on the slip of paper. “Okay, I’ll see you at eight, but right now I have to go.”

“Yeah, me too.” He leaned over to kiss her and she shifted slightly so that his lips contacted with her cheek. “See you later.” She opened the car door and slipped inside.

She didn’t wait for him to return to his car before she started the engine and backed down the driveway. She opened the glove compartment. Sure enough, there was a cell phone inside. She took it and dialed the number of Konnor’s martial arts school. It rang twice then a recorded message came on saying that the number was out of order. She tried his home phone and got his voice mail.

“Hi, it’s me. I stopped by your house but you weren’t home and I can’t get through to your school. Some trouble on the line. I’m on my way to Minora’s, so if you get this message please meet me there. I’ll wait for you.”

It didn’t occur to her that Slater might have Konnor’s phone tapped. She was thinking only of seeing Konnor.

Southeast Charlotte

Konnor stood and watched the fire-fighters battle the blaze. The building was destroyed. By the time they got the fire put out there would be nothing to salvage. The flames reflected in his dark eyes from the fire were not nearly as hot as the fire that raged inside him. He had no doubt who had set the fire. He had spotted one of Slater’s men watching when he arrived.

He got in his car and drove away. It was time he and Slater had a talk. It took almost half an hour to reach the private estate where Slater was staying. When he arrived, he was surprised that no one was on watch. It was not like Slater to be so lax in his security.

When he reached the front door, he understood. The place was empty. Slater had moved his operation. The fact that no one had notified Konnor of the change was a sure indication that Konnor was out of the loop. He was now as much under suspicion as anyone, which meant he was on his own.

That didn’t scare him. At least not for himself. He had been on his own most of his life and knew how to survive. But he had more than just himself to consider. There was also Senna.

He drove home. He would have to move. His house was no longer secure. Slater knew the location. But there were things he needed to get from the house.

When he walked inside, he snatched up the phone at the same time he saw Shen sitting on the couch. “Why are you here?” he asked as he pressed buttons on the phone to retrieve his messages.

Shen didn’t reply, but watched as Konnor listened to Senna’s message. Konnor tried to keep any trace of emotion from his face, but inside he was in a knot. Slater no longer trusted him, which meant he would have already arranged to have his phone and house bugged. That meant that Slater knew Senna was back and where she was going.

“I have to go,” he told Shen.

Shen nodded and followed him outside. Konnor was surprised when Shen got into the car with him. “You’re going with me?” he asked as he backed up.

“We have reached a critical stage,” Shen replied. “I had hoped it would not come to this, but I find that we have no choice. If we cannot succeed in misleading Slater then he will have to be eliminated. We cannot afford his interference.”

“Excuse me, but right now I have more important things to consider,” Konnor argued with him for the first time. “I have to get to her before he does.”

“Slater is an obstruction, but not an indomitable one,” Shen said. “If he takes her he will not kill her. She holds the keys to all he covets. He may use unethical or even painful methods to extract the information from her, but he will draw the line at destroying her. If she dies, the knowledge dies with her and he will not take that risk. Our adversary, on the other hand, would rather see her dead than let the knowledge fall into our hands. If you want to concern yourself with someone, I suggest you turn your attention to the arena where the real danger lies.”

“Adversary?” Konnor barked. “Arena? Why can’t you just come out and say it? Who is this adversary? Tell me who he is and what he looks like and I’ll find him and eliminate him once and for all, but don’t keep telling me about some elusive goddamn phantom that I can’t be sure even exists, and expect me to endanger her life from a very real and concrete threat!”