Iris Johansen - Eight Days To Live

“What temple?”

“I don’t know.” He groaned, twisted in a ball. “Stop him. Stop-Caleb. I don’t know .”

Jane whirled on Caleb.

He shrugged. “Just a little nudge.” His gaze shifted to Weismann. “The name of the man who sent Millet the photo?”

He didn’t answer.

Then he screamed. “Alan-Roland.”

“Ah, the man pulling strings behind the scenes,” Gavin said. “What do you know about Hadar’s Tablet?”

“I know that bitch Adah had it. I know Millet wanted it.”

“But what is it?” Jane asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe some artifact Millet thought was valuable. He grew up in Syria and did a little smuggling before he formed the Sang Noir.” He looked in panic at Caleb. “That’s the truth. I swear that’s the truth. Millet sent me to Adah and told me to pretend that I was a wealthy businessman and try to find out where she was keeping it. No problem. I’m good with women. She was easy. It was in the safe-deposit box, right?”

“Yes,” Jane said. “But I can’t believe she didn’t realize what scum you were.”

“I had her. The bitch was going to take me to get the tablet, and she thought we were going to go away together.”

“And you were going to give the tablet to Millet.”

“Maybe. I hadn’t decided.”

“Are you through with him?” Caleb asked.

“Don’t be impatient,” Gavin said. “I can understand your dislike for him, but I don’t believe Jane is going to let you have your way.”

“You don’t understand anything about me,” Caleb said curtly. “Neither does she. It’s my nature to be impatient. He’s no use to us.”

“Back off. I can’t let you murder him in cold blood,” Jane said.

“Not cold blood, hot blood,” Caleb said. “That’s the problem.”

“He’s a freak.” Weismann moistened his lips. “Don’t let him near me.”

“We’ll do our best. Alan Roland,” Jock said. “What do you know about him?”

“Not much. I overheard Millet talking to him on the phone a couple times. I got the impression they’ve known each other for a long time. I think he lives in London.”

“More,” Jane said.

“There isn’t any more. Just something about an Offering.” He shrugged. “They don’t like each other. But I think Roland had something on him.”

“And Jane was part of the deal?” Gavin asked.

Weismann nodded. “Roland threw her to Millet as a kind of appetizer, but she wasn’t the main course.”

“How humiliating,” Jane said ironically. “My life isn’t even that important in the scheme of things. Well, it’s important to me, dammit.”

“It’s important to me, too,” Caleb said roughly. “Or I wouldn’t have brought this bastard here gift-wrapped. But he’s told you all he can.”

“How do you know?” Gavin asked.

“I don’t. The only way to make sure is to go inside and take a look. But if I did that, I couldn’t promise you that he’d come out of it intact. He’d probably be a vegetable. I don’t have much control right now. Any resistance, and I’d burn him away.” He glanced at Jane. “But I don’t mind, if you don’t.”

The words are cool but they are the only thing cool about him, Jane thought. Kneeling there in the moonlight, she could almost feel the heat emitting from him. No, not heat, fire. His muscular body was taut, his eyes dark and glittering, and she somehow felt as if she could see him surrounded, enveloped, in flames. She couldn’t look away from him. She felt as if he were drawing her close, closer, into the fire that he was generating. She was dizzy with it. She wanted it.

“He’s just scum,” Caleb said softly, coaxingly. “He was going to kill all of us. Let me go inside. Just say yes.”

She could feel herself sway, yield. After all, he was right.

No, he was wrong. She finally managed to tear her gaze away from him. “I believe he’s told us everything he knows.” She turned to Jock. “Will you call Venable and have him send someone to pick Weismann up?”

Jock nodded. “And I’ll take him to the toolshed and find some rope to tie him up.” His lips lifted in a half smile as he glanced at Caleb. “You lose.”

Caleb didn’t look away from Jane. “I didn’t expect to win. She’s very strong. But I had to try.” He got to his feet in one graceful motion and turned toward the door. “Be careful with him.”

“You’re worried about me? I can handle him.”

“No, I meant don’t let him get loose. It isn’t over.”

What isn’t over? Jane wondered. His bloodlust, which was nearly visible in intensity? His attempt to persuade her that had been almost a seduction of the senses? She shook her head to clear it. “Lina. I need to get back and see if anything she’s translated has any connection with what Weismann told us.”

“We can make a deal,” Weismann said jerkily. “I’ll go back to Millet and find out whatever you need to know.”

“No deal.”

His lips curled. “Venable won’t be so reluctant. Go ahead. Turn me over to him. I’ll win anyway.”

“I don’t think so.” Caleb opened the door for Jane and stepped aside to let her precede him into the cottage. “You were very stupid with Adah Ziller. I can’t see you coming out of this in one piece.”

He closed the door behind them. “You’re sure that you don’t want me to take care of him now?” he asked Jane wistfully. “It would be no trouble.”

“I’m quite sure.” She looked away from him. She was still too aware of that disturbing aura of electricity that seemed to surround him. “He may be a murderer, but I don’t have to be one.”

“Very commendable. In the abstract. But there’s a streak of savagery in you, too. Would you feel the same if he had killed your Eve?”

“No, I’d squash him without a qualm,” she said bluntly. “But that’s different.”

“No, that’s selective savagery,” he said. “My selectivity range is just wider than yours.”

“Much wider.” She looked around the room. “Where’s Lina?”

“Here.” Lina Alsouk came out of the bedroom, an AK-47 cradled in her arm. “What have you been doing, Caleb? Did you think I wouldn’t hear all that caterwauling out there?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t.” Caleb glanced at the AK-47. “And my second hope was that you wouldn’t come out with that weapon blazing.”

“It’s not blazing.” She gave him a cool look. “But I’m ready. I’m always ready these days. I don’t intend ever to be caught with my guard down again. What’s happening?”

“Nothing that concerns you. We have it under control.”

“Everything that occurs here concerns me. You’re in my space, Caleb.”

“Of course, it concerns her,” Jane said. “Stop being soothing. We were followed, Lina. Caleb caught him. We’re calling someone to come to get him.”

She was silent, then slowly lowered the weapon. “How soon?”

“Right away. Immediately.”

“Then I suppose it will be all right.” She paused. “But I want you off my property as soon as possible. You’re as close to a friend as I have, Caleb, but you’re not welcome here right now.”

“We understand,” Jane hesitated. “In the meantime, could you finish that translation?”

Lina studied her face. “You’re pushing.”

“I want to live. I want the people I love to live. I have to know what I’m up against. These people are crazy.”

Lina nodded. “After translating the last of that ledger, I don’t have any doubt of that.” Her lips tightened. “I don’t want to have anything to do with them. Which means anything to do with you. I know men who would kill their own families for the chance to get their hands on something this priceless. People would claw at each other, destroy everyone around them to touch it. I won’t be caught in the middle of that madness. I want my peace.”