Nauti Intentions (39 page)

The electronic edge of the voice was gone now.

“Augusta, why?†She moaned painful y. “Where’s Hoyt?â€

“Hoyt!†Augusta yel ed out his name as Janey lifted her head, turning her body enough to al ow the link to work, if it was working, for Alex to know

where she was.

Another door opened.

“Mother, what you doing in the basement? It’s time for your medication.â€

A light snapped on, nearly blinding as Janey jerked in reflex and pul ed the edge of her jacket over the communications device.

God, she wanted Alex. She was terrified.

Squinting, fighting the mind-numbing drug that had obviously been in that dart in her shoulder, Janey tracked the other woman in the basement as Hoyt

moved slowly down the stairs.

Augusta wasn’t very old. Forty-five or forty-seven, Janey forgot which. A tal , raw-boned woman with sharp cheekbones and dul hazel brown eyes.

She had been pretty once, before the death of her husband several years ago in Iraq. Janey had heard Augusta had gone a little crazy at the news of his

death. Evidently, it wasn’t just a little crazy.

“Oh, Mother, what have you done?†There was weary resignation in Hoyt’s voice now as he stepped into the basement.

Janey noticed he didn’t get there in a hurry. Not at work, and not here. He moved slowly to the couch and bent beside her, brushing her hair from her

face and checking her pupils.

“You drugged her?†he accused.

“Your father’s dart rifle.†Augusta shrugged her shoulders beneath the man’s heavy jacket she wore. “He always said I would never

know when I needed to use it. I guess he was right.†Her laughter was evil, slightly crazed.

“Hoyt. Help me,†Janey whispered desperately. “You’re Alex’s friend. Natches’s.â€

“Stop trying to use your wiles on him, bitch,†Augusta barked. “Trust me, Hoyt’s not going to listen to you, are you, Hoyt?â€

He lifted his head and breathed in roughly, sorrow and weary pain mixed in his expression as he rose to his feet.

He was stil wearing the slacks and shirt he’d worn at work. His black leather shoes were dusty and scuffed.

“How long have you not been taking your medication, Mother?†he asked her.

“You sound like your father.†Affection and amusement fil ed Augusta’s voice. “I don’t need the medication, Hoyt. I just need her dead.

That’s al . Kil her and everything wil be right again.â€

“Do you real y want to hurt Alex like that, Mother? I told you; he cares for her.â€

Augusta paused, her gaze flicking over Janey. “I helped Alex raise Crista.†She smiled fondly. “Those stupid parents of his were never there

to help him or to help him with Crista. I’d watch her if he had to do something of the evenings. Alex is a good boy.†She frowned. “Too good for

the likes of you.â€

“Alex loves her,†Hoyt stated. “You should see them together, Mother. I think we’re wrong about her.†There was a hint of misery in his

expression as he turned away from her. “And Natches, he’s her brother. He loves her like a brother. She doesn’t act like Dayle.â€

“We can’t take the chance.†Augusta shrugged her jacket off, revealing a man’s flannel shirt and jeans. She wore military boots, and

there was a handgun holstered at her side. “Besides, I didn’t agree to anything.â€

“You didn’t take your medicine.â€

“Get off my back about the medicine, Hoyt,†she snapped, brushing back her brown hair. “I told you, we can’t let her infect the lives of

those we care about. Alex is almost like a brother to me. He hasn’t even come to see me because of her.†A thin finger pointed accusingly at Janey.

“And the gossip is already flying. He’l never make chief of police with that bitch on his arm, and you know it.â€

Janey watched Hoyt. She kept her eyes on his face, pleading. He looked saner than his mother, but he looked resigned. As though he knew he

couldn’t keep Janey alive.

“Oh, Mother.†Hoyt raked his fingers through his hair as he sat down on an abandoned kitchen chair and glanced back at Janey.

His gaze flickered to her waist, and misery was reflected in his face. He saw the communications device. She knew he did. Her heart was in her throat

as he shook his head sadly.

“Hoyt, you know what’s going to happen. We’ve discussed it.â€

Augusta meant to kil her and Janey knew it. She could feel her stomach cramping with the fear. Fear for Alex, because she knew he was looking for

her. Fear for the child she might be carrying, because if she died, so did the baby Alex wanted so desperately. Desperately enough to pledge himself to

her.

“You promised you would let it go.†Hoyt sighed wearily. “After you nearly got caught tossing those bombs in her house, you swore you would

let it go.â€

“I can’t let it go,†she yel ed furiously, her lined face twisting in anger. “I waited at his house with the tranquilizer gun. I wasn’t going to

hurt him. He would have slept right through her death. But he had to try to trick me. Him and those queers he’s running with. You saw the pictures,

Hoyt. She’s making him just like those two men are. Fucking her ass like some fairy. He’s losing his manhood.â€

Augusta paced the basement now. She tried to push the fal en strands of brown hair into the clip at the top of her head, but they kept fal ing free. Her

face was flushed with fury, her hazel eyes were flat, dead. The anger was more a show for Hoyt. The woman facing them was cold. Hard.

“You’re nothing like your father, Hoyt,†Augusta sneered then. “When Jimmy and I were in the Army, he was the strongest man in his group.

He taught me everything he knew and he tried to teach you. I tried to teach you. What happened to you?â€

Hoyt shook his head. “I’m not a kil er, Mother.â€

“Your father wasn’t a kil er; he was a patriot,†she yel ed.

Hoyt stared around the basement, his expression so fil ed with grief that Janey felt tears fil her eyes. She had always liked Hoyt. He was a hard worker,

quiet. But he’d never seemed crazy; he’d never seemed devious.

“Mother was in the Army for a while,†he told her quietly. “Her and Dad worked together sometimes. They were a hel uva team.â€

Pride transfused Augusta’s face. “Jimmy was so strong, wasn’t he, Hoyt?â€

Hoyt nodded. “Yes, Mother, Dad was very strong.â€

“Until he died.†Her face twisted in grief, her hazel eyes final y lit with emotion, with pain. “They took him away from us in Iraq. Bitches like

her!†She pointed a sharp, thin finger in Janey’s direction. “Traitorous sluts.â€

Hoyt looked back at Janey. “They made it look like Father was having an affair.†Bitter knowledge glittered in his eyes. “He was found in a

bed in a filthy little hovel with a young Middle Eastern woman. They were both dead.â€

Janey swal owed back the bile in her throat.

“Traitorous slut! Black-haired little whore. Your father wouldn’t have touched her, Hoyt. That little tramp lured him there and he kil ed her for it.â€

Augusta swung around to Janey. “And her father put her up to it. Just like yours put you up to destroying Alex and Natches.â€

Janey shook her head. Everything felt detached, wavy. Whatever had been in that dart, she hadn’t jerked it out fast enough. It was distorting reality,

making her weak.

“I did . . .†She swal owed against the thickness in her throat. “I tried to protect Natches. I did what Dayle told me to to protect him.â€

“She’s a liar!†Augusta snapped.

Hoyt drew in a deep breath and rose to his feet. “I’l get your medicine, Mother.â€

“Hoyt, don’t betray me.†Augusta slid the weapon from her side and aimed it at her son. “I told you, son, you’re going to have to

choose sides. Now’s the time to choose.â€

“He’s your son,†Janey whispered tearful y. “Augusta, he’s your only son.â€

The other woman swung around to her, eyes blazing now, fury fil ing them. “Do you think I don’t know that, you little tramp? But every man has to

choose sides. His daddy told him that. I know he did.â€

Hoyt lowered his head and Janey saw the misery, the knowledge on his face. His mother was insane. As crazy as Dayle Mackay had been.

“Mother.†Hoyt stepped toward her. “Come upstairs with me. Let’s get your medicine and we’l talk about this. You said it was easier

to talk when you take it. Let’s discuss how to do this first.â€

For a moment, Augusta’s face was transformed. She looked younger, almost vibrant in her love for her son.

“You were such a disappointment to your father,†she whispered. “But I always loved you, didn’t I, Hoyt? I always took up for you.â€

“Yes, you did.†Hoyt blinked against the pain.

“Even when he hit me for it, I defended you, didn’t I, Hoyt?â€

He nodded slowly. “You did, Mother.â€

She lifted the pistol. “I never realized how right he was,†she sneered then. “You’re pathetic.†And she pul ed the trigger.

Janey screamed and launched herself from the couch. Stumbling, she threw herself at Augusta as the gun discharged and Hoyt slammed backward.

“You bitch!†Augusta backhanded her as Janey scrambled to hold on to her gun arm.

“Mother, stop!†Hoyt’s voice was weak. At least he was alive.

Janey gripped Augusta’s arm, fighting to hold it out of the line of fire in Hoyt’s direction, or hers.

Augusta wasn’t as strong as she looked. She was angry, though, and Janey was drugged. She was crying, fighting to breathe, when she felt herself

jerked back and heard a weapon discharge again.

She watched the dark, neat little hole that bloomed in the center of Augusta’s head as she flew into the shelves behind her, then slowly slid to the

floor, leaving a trail of blood on the wood.

“Janey. Baby. Oh God. I’m sorry.†Alex was holding her, turning her into his chest, one broad hand pressing against the back of her head.

“I got here as fast as I could, baby. Hel . I’m sorry. Janey, I’m so sorry.â€

She held on to him, feeling the weakness she had been battling rushing through her now.

“I think I’m gonna pass out,†she mumbled.

She felt her legs go first. Her arms. She slumped against him, darkness closing around her as she heard him curse.

Â

Â

Â

“She’s fine.†Mark was stil groggy as he checked Janey after Alex laid her back on the couch. The adrenaline he had managed to inject into

himself after Janey was dragged away had kept him conscious, but weak. He’d managed to drag another communications device from his bag and

fol ow Janey’s assailant on foot while directing Tyrel and Alex his way.

He’d been hit with the dart first, and a moment later the second had pierced the side of Janey’s shoulder. Mark had seen her jerk the dart from

her arm after pul ing the one from his neck. It could have kil ed him. She had saved Mark, and she had saved herself. And Alex hadn’t been there when

she needed him. He’d never forget that.

Outside the house they heard the scream of tires, the slam of doors, a siren blasting through the night. Hel , this was happening too damned often in

Somerset. Fucking stalkers, homegrown terrorists, and insane citizens.

“Fuck.†Alex looked to where Tyrel was checking on Hoyt.

Augusta had shot her son in the chest, though not directly through the heart. Alex hoped one of those sirens was an ambulance.

“I tried to stop her.†Hoyt’s muffled sob was painful to hear. “She went crazy when Dad died. As long as she was medded up . . .†He

coughed. The sound wasn’t pleasant. “As long as she stayed on the pil s, she was okay.â€

“Rest, son,†Tyrel told him gently. “Help is coming.â€

“I told her about the stairs at the restaurant, in the banquet room,†he wheezed. “Then she started slipping in there when no one was looking.

When she used the bombs, I knew. I couldn’t stop her. I should have said something.â€

“Hoyt, hang on,†Tyrel growled. “You have to hang on for us, son. We need to know what happened.â€

“Nothing can help. Journal. My journal has it al ,†Hoyt whispered and coughed again. The rattle in his breathing had Alex cursing. He moved to

where Tyrel was trying to stabilize him, and watched as Hoyt stared back at him. “I’m sorry,†he whispered. A second later, Hoyt Napier took his

last breath. The young man’s face lost its somber, worried expression. It fil ed with a sense of peace as Alex hunkered down beside him and glanced

at Tyrel .

The other man’s face was heavy, lined.

“This is why I wanted out,†Tyrel whispered heavily. “Kids dying in my arms. Fucking crazies fil ing the goddamned world.†Anger colored his

voice. “This is why we left, Alex.â€

Alex gripped the other man’s shoulder before rising and making room for Mark. The other two men didn’t touch. They didn’t embrace or

cry. But the bond between them was so damned strong it was almost humbling. And for a second, just a second, Tyrel let his head rest against

Mark’s hard shoulder as they stared at Hoyt.

As raised voices and the creak of the cel ar door were heard, they straightened and rose to their feet, tucking their weapons out of sight. State police

officers were the first to rush into the cel ar, fol owed by a harried Timothy. Behind him were the Mackays and the sheriff.

Timothy moved straight to Janey and stared down at her, his expression creasing in concern, eyes twitching as his lips thinned and a sense of fear fil ed

him. Alex had never seen Timothy frightened.

“Janey!†Natches was pushing through, his expression tormented, his green eyes dark with rage and worry as Dawg, Rowdy, and Ray fol owed