Iris Johansen - Eight Days To Live

“How delightful to hear from you,” Roland said. “Though I admit I expected it. My friend, Millet, said he was going to phone you and make you an offer you couldn’t refuse.”

“It wasn’t an offer, it was a threat. You knew it would be.”

“Millet is a little on edge. Time’s running out for him. If he doesn’t produce you after he promised the members, then he’ll lose prestige. He’s seen other Guardians start that slide, and it scares him. He doesn’t want someone to suggest that he’d make an excellent Offering.”

“I can’t imagine a more fitting ending for the bastard.”

“Neither can I. But he has his uses, and he’s not sharp enough to cause me any real problems.” He paused. “But you didn’t call me to listen to my assessment of Millet. You have your own by now. What is it? Begging? Pleading? Tears?”

“He’s going to hurt Eve. He may be doing it now. I want you to stop him.”

“Do you? But you have to understand that Millet derives a monumental amount of pleasure out of exercising that side of his character. It’s one of the ways I have of controlling him. So it wouldn’t do for me to attempt to curb him.” He chuckled. “As a matter of fact, I recall I once suggested that Eve Duncan would be a wonderful candidate for his games.”

“You bastard.”

“You’d do better with pleading than name-calling. Though neither is going to do you any good. I’ll have to let Millet run his course unless you can persuade me that it would be to my advantage to stop him.” He added softly, “You know what I want, Jane. I think you’re on the trail and may be very close. If you’re close enough, then we may have something to talk about. I do hope that’s the case because otherwise Eve Duncan doesn’t stand a chance. I won’t lift a finger.”

“I didn’t expect anything else of you.”

“Then tell me what I want to know. Are you going to be able to find the coins?”

“No.” She paused. “I’ve already found them.”

He inhaled sharply. “The hell you have.” Then he said, “You wouldn’t be trying any desperation tactics, would you?”

“I am desperate, or I wouldn’t have called you. That doesn’t mean that I’m not telling the truth. I’m going to send you three photos.” She pressed the button on her phone to make the transfer. “Look at them, then we’ll talk.”

“Oh, I intend to look at them…”

She waited.

He came back on the line. “Interesting,” he said cautiously. “But that doesn’t mean I can be sure they’re authentic. And I can’t decipher the script on that scroll.”

“I couldn’t either. But I’ve been informed that in the upper right-hand corner is the name Judas followed by the letters I and S. You’re a powerful man who has been hunting for the Judas coins for years. You have to have contacts who can look at these pictures and tell you whether or not they’re counterfeit. Call them and tell them to get the hell over there right away.”

“I’ll consider it.”

“Don’t consider it, do it,” she said fiercely. “I’ll not have that son of a bitch torturing Eve because you can’t get your act together. And if he kills her, there won’t be a chance in hell of your getting your hands on the Judas coins. I’ll throw it into the ocean before I let you have that pouch.”

“No reason to become so upset. I believe I can accommodate you.”

“No more than an hour, Roland. And while you’re checking up on me, find a way to keep Millet busy and away from Eve.”

“Don’t give me orders, Jane.”

“One hour, Roland.” She hung up.

“You were very tough.” Jock handed her a cup of tea. “I was impressed. Now sit down and relax for a little while. It’s been a roller-coaster night for you. But I think that Roland knows that he’s been in a battle.”

“Only a skirmish.” She sipped the tea and dropped down on the couch. Yes, she would try to relax. It was the intelligent thing to do. Certainly not the easiest thing when her nerves were strung this tight. “But the war has officially begun.”

ROLAND CALLED HER FIFTY-FIVE minutes later. His voice vibrated with excitement. “Where are they?”

“You got a confirmation on the coins?”

“I got a highly probable. The expert I called in said the script appeared to be carbon-based as was common during that period. But it’s not the correct number of coins.”

“Don’t be greedy. I could tell you where the other two coins went.”

“Where?”

“I could tell you. I won’t do it without a cast-iron deal.”

“Where is that pouch?” he asked. “And I’ve been told that writ of sale could disintegrate if care isn’t taken.”

“Safe. Hadar stuffed it in a bottle near the Field of Blood. I couldn’t chance opening it, so I had someone do opaque digital X-rays. It’s now protected in an airtight container. If you want to verify, you’ll have to have your expert do a digital scan when I hand it over. I guarantee it will remain intact if you agree to my terms.”

“You’re not in a position to dictate terms. You’re too vulnerable. Millet has Eve Duncan, which means I have Eve Duncan.”

“Those are my terms. I want Eve freed, and I want both of us to walk away from this nightmare. If you can find a way to rid the earth of Millet, I’d consider it a bonus.”

He was silent for a moment. “And I get the coins and the scroll with no conditions?”

“With no conditions.”

He suddenly chuckled. “Good God, I wonder if Eve Duncan will ever appreciate how valuable her life has turned out to be. You’re willing to give up billions.”

“Her life has a value you can’t even imagine, Roland.”

“I couldn’t be happier that you feel that way. In fact, I’m positively giddy. Do you know how long I’ve searched for those coins?”

“You told me it was years. I don’t give a damn. When can we arrange a trade that doesn’t involve either Eve or me ending up on that slab in the temple?”

“I’ll have to think about ways and means. You may well get your bonus if I can’t figure a way to pluck Eve out of Millet’s hands.”

“You’d better think fast. Millet gave me six hours to agree to his terms. I only have a little over four hours left.” She paused. “Did you call Millet and tell him that Eve’s not to be touched?”

“If I gave him orders, then he’d be certain to do the opposite. I phoned and let him brag a little, then said that you’re obviously an overemotional woman, and if you saw signs of mistreatment, you might blow up and ruin the trade. He can’t afford to have that happen. He’ll back off.”

“You told the truth. I’m very emotional, and I’ll react accordingly. You might remember that when you make your plans on getting Eve out of Millet’s hands.”

“I remember everything about you.” His voice lowered silkily. “You’re an unusual woman. I enjoy emotion. I was disappointed that I had to throw you to Millet to butcher. I much prefer the prospect of getting together with you at some future date. I could show you a few very exciting games.”

“In your dreams.” She hung up before she realized what she had said. Dreams, again. That response had come out of nowhere.

“He’s going to cooperate?” Jock asked.

“He’s telling me that he is. He could go either way. He wants the coins so bad that he can taste it. But if he thinks he can get the pouch without endangering his position within that cult, then he’ll have no compunction about serving me up to Millet.” She added wearily, “I realize we can’t trust him. I just had to have his help with Millet to keep Eve safe while we scramble to help her.”

He smiled. “And are we prepared to scramble?”