Iris Johansen - Blood Game

“You are brave. You came anyway, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” She opened her eyes. “I had to do it. Daddy told everyone you saved his life. I couldn’t let you die.”

“Your father is okay? I wasn’t sure.”

“He’s in the hospital. He’s worried about you. He’s worried about everything. But I think I made him feel better. Bonnie helped me.”

“Bonnie helped you do what?”

“She taught me how to make him dream. She said that’s the first step. He can’t see me or hear me yet, but gradually it could happen. Then he won’t be so lonely,” she added unevenly. “And I won’t be so lonely. But Bonnie says it can’t be because of me. It doesn’t work that way.”

Mary Lou stirred and muttered something.

Nancy Jo looked down at her. “He’s going to kill her, isn’t he?”

“Unless I can stop him. Unless you can stop him.”

“That’s why I’m here. But I don’t know what to do.”

“Find out where we are. Try to let someone know.”

“But you’re the only one I can talk to.”

Dammit, he knew that and it was frustrating the hell out of him. “Okay, then just tell me. I don’t see any way out from talking to Eve. I can’t have that girl butchered. But I might be able to slip in a reference she’d understand.”

“I’ll try.” She looked around her at the leather chairs and fine oak end tables. “But do you have any idea what this place is?”

“It looks like it might be the anteroom of a church.” His gaze went to the arched windows and the crucifix on the wall. “So much for vampires being afraid of religious relics. He seems to be adapting just fine.”

“You had me look for names on doors and phone books before at that motel.”

“I’ve already looked around. I don’t see anything.”

She got to her feet, bracing herself. “Maybe I could go out there where he is. There could be something there that would tell us.”

He could tell she was scared to death. “He can’t hurt you, Nancy Jo. Not now.”

“I know that with my mind. But I can feel the blood in him, my blood, and I forget.” She moistened her lips. “But I’ve got to remember. He almost killed Daddy. He wants to kill you and Eve and that girl. I can’t let him do that. It’s got to stop.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Now see what you can do about it.”

Her gaze flew to the door. “He’s coming.” Panic tensed her body. “I can’t-”

She was gone.

____________________

“I’M HEADING BACK TO THEcottage,” Caleb said when Jane picked up. “I should be there within fifteen minutes.”

“I take it you didn’t find any trace of him?”

“I found a trace. It was in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. I thought I might have him, but I kept losing the track. I drove around there for over an hour. There was just too much interference.”

“Can’t you try again?”

“Yes, I thought I’d get on the Internet and try to map out the area where Jelak seemed strongest and see if I could see any pattern.”

“I’ll help you.”

“I’ll take all the help I can get.” He paused. “How is Eve?”

“Holding up. She always does. She’s not going to like this news you have to give her. We need something positive.”

“Then we’ll hit the Internet and see if we can find anything that’s even remotely in that category.”

“I don’t like that word ‘remote.’ ”

“Neither do I, Jane. Neither do I.”

“WHAT? SHE’S NOT AWAKEyet?” Jelak looked down at Mary Lou. “I suppose I’ll have to do something about that. Did you know that a knife prick acts like a shot of adrenaline?”

“I didn’t find that when you were slicing at me.”

“But you have a different mentality than this child.” He took out his knife. “Maybe the wrist. What do you think, Quinn?”

“I think that you’ve won, Jelak.”

He shook his head as he lowered the knife. “So easily. You’re disappointing me. I was hoping that you’d hold out for a while.”

“That would give you too much pleasure, and in the end it would be the same. I couldn’t let you kill her.”

He smiled. “Then I suppose I should call Eve and let you talk to her.”

Joe shook his head. “Not until I’m sure this kid is safe. Give her another whiff of that ether and take her out of here. Just a tiny whiff. I want to see her awake once you release her. I want to see her moving away from you.”

“You’re being very demanding.”

“I’m not giving you something for nothing. Take her back to that area where you picked her up. Let her loose and get back in your car.”

“And is that all?”

“No, I want you to video pictures back to my phone. You don’t have to untie me. You can set it up on the table over there. I want to see Mary Lou walking, no, running, away from you. And I want you to keep that camera on as you drive away so that I know you’re not following her.”

“And then when I come back, you’ll do as I say?”

He nodded. “I’ll talk to Eve. I’ll mention something we did together that only we know about. She’ll know that you didn’t kill me. Wasn’t that your complete list?”

“That covers it. Yet how do I know you’ll keep your word after I let Mary Lou go?”

“There would always be another Mary Lou, wouldn’t there? I’m not stupid enough to think that you’ll not keep on playing now that you have a winning hand.”

“Yes, you’re not stupid at all, Quinn. Just exceptionally stubborn.” He stood looking down at the girl. “It’s a pity. I’ve never failed to complete a kill when I was this close.”

“But you said she wouldn’t do you any good.”

“No, but it’s the principle.” Then he shrugged and reached in his pocket and pulled out a small bottle. He knelt. “Just a tiny whiff, you said?”

The deal was struck, and Mary Lou would live. Now Joe had to make sure Eve would have ammunition to fight back.

And pray that Nancy Jo would help them after her panic subsided.

Neither one of those priorities was looking promising at the moment.

EVE’S CELL PHONE RANG TWOhours later.

“I’ve solved my problem,” Jelak said. “I know you were biting your nails worrying if Quinn was alive. Yet I must say you deserved a little anxiety since you wouldn’t believe me.”

“I would have been mad to believe you.”

“Yes, but you’ve wasted a good deal of my time. After all the years I’ve been waiting, I resent even a little delay. That’s over now. I’m going to hand the phone to Quinn now, then we’ll negotiate.”

Her hand was shaking on the phone.

“Eve?” Joe said. “God, I’m sorry.”

It was Joe. Relief surged through her. She hadn’t been absolutely sure until this minute that he was alive. “Don’t be crazy. You have nothing to be sorry about. Are you okay?”

“A little sore in places but otherwise fine. I wasn’t given a choice that either one of us could accept. He decided that grabbing a twelve-year-old kid would force my hand. He was right.” He paused. “He wants you to be absolutely certain that he has me before he starts his damn negotiations. He said to mention something in our past that wasn’t known to anyone else.” He paused. “Several years ago you went to Louisiana and you worked on a reconstruction at that big mansion that looked like Tara. I followed you down there, and we had a fight. Do you remember?”

She hesitated. “Yes, I remember,” she said slowly.