Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

Russo nodded and hurried from the room.

Rakovac closed the file, and his gaze shifted to the photo of Catherine Ling. “It’s starting,” he said softly. “I’d love to stretch our finale out to the limit, but I may be getting pushed. Do hurry along, won’t you?”

Joe’s eyes flicked open.

A car was starting outside the house.

He stared into the darkness, listening.

Unmistakable.

He checked his watch-3:05 A.M.

He slid silently and swiftly out of bed, careful not to wake Eve. He grabbed his gun from his case and moved out of the bedroom and through the living room.

No Kelsov on the couch. Only a carelessly thrown blanket on the floor beside it.

Joe was out of the house in seconds.

But the car was already moving down the road, and he could only see the red taillights.

His hand clenched on the handle of his gun.

“Where the hell are you going, Kelsov?” he muttered.

They had no other vehicle, so he couldn’t go after him, and again he felt that irritating sense of helplessness. It had to stop.

Was Kelsov betraying them?

He had no idea, and that made him even angrier. It was definitely a surreptitious and suspicious move, but this was Kelsov’s territory, and sometimes actions weren’t what they seemed. The only thing he could do was wait and be on alert for any danger to Eve and Catherine. But he was going to have a few choice words for Kelsov when he returned.

No, he was too pissed for words. Action. Definitely action.

The decision caused the adrenaline to start pumping through his body. He felt alive and purposeful for the first time since they had landed at that airport. He’d check the barn and surrounding woods to make sure there weren’t any surprises waiting. Then he’d stake out the cottage and wait for Kelsov.

He turned on his heel and went back into the house to get dressed.

The first dim light of dawn was starting in the east when Joe saw the headlights of Kelsov’s Mercedes.

One car.

No one following him.

But he had been gone almost two hours.

Forget it and approach him diplomatically at a later time?

Hell, no.

He faded into the shadows beside the door.

The car slowed and came to a stop in front of the cottage.

Kelsov got out and came around the front of the car, but didn’t come toward the door. Now he was beside the passenger seat and moving-

Someone was in the backseat!

Joe leaped forward and brought him down.

Kelsov rolled over and was reaching inside his jacket.

A knife.

“Oh, no.” Joe flipped him over and his arm encircled his neck, using him as a shield against whoever was in the car.

“Let him go.” The muzzle of a gun was pressed to the back of Joe’s head. “Hurt him, and I’ll shoot you.”

Natalie. Her voice was shaking but the gun she was holding was not.

“No. Put down the gun. I won’t break his neck if he stops struggling.”

“Screw you,” Kelsov said.

“Stop it.” The back door of the car swung open. “All of you. Stop it. Joe, he’s not doing anything wrong. Let him go.”

“Kelly?”

The girl got out of the car. Her face was pale and she was shaking. But she was standing with hands clenched, her gaze on the other woman. “And you, you’re shaking so badly that you could blow his brains out by accident. Kelsov, tell her to put it down.”

“Some accidents are sent by God.”

“And how would she feel?”

He was silent. “Put it down, Natalie.”

She didn’t move.

“Joe,” Kelly said.

He reluctantly released Kelsov.

Natalie stepped back, but she didn’t lower the gun.

Kelsov sprang catlike to his feet and whirled on Joe.

Joe blocked the first karate chop and kicked Kelsov’s legs out from under him.

“No!” Catherine was standing in the doorway, an automatic weapon in her hand. “Freeze. Or I’ll shoot you both in the knees. It’s not something I want to do since I may need you, but I’ll do it.”

Natalie swung the gun in her direction.

“No, Natalie!” Kelsov dove forward between her and Catherine. He took the gun away from her. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay,” Catherine said. “What is happening here?” Then her gaze fell on Kelly standing beside the car. “Oh, for Pete’s sake.”

“Hello, Catherine,” Kelly said.

Catherine whirled on Kelsov. “What’s she doing here?”

Kelsov shrugged. “Venable called me tonight just after midnight and told me she was on her way and to pick her up at the airport.”

“Dammit, why didn’t you tell me?”

“He told me you wouldn’t like it.”

“But you did it anyway.”

“It’s a tough world. Venable is valuable to me, and he doesn’t like me helping you. I have to strike a balance. I do a few things he considers as favors, and he turns a blind eye to a few things that tend to annoy him. It didn’t seem much of a favor just doing a pickup and delivery.” He turned and glanced at Kelly. “But he didn’t tell me she was just a kid.”

“But, again, you would have done it anyway.”

He nodded. “It’s a tough world,” he repeated. His expression hardened as he looked at Joe. “What the hell do you think you were doing?”

“Taking down a threat. What was I supposed to do when a prick like you sneaks out of the house in the middle of the night? Catherine may trust you, but should I?”

Kelsov glared at him. “It doesn’t matter. It’s my-” He stopped. Then he slowly shook his head. “Not unless you’re a fool. Put away the gun, Catherine. I’m not going to kill him tonight.” He took Kelly’s wrist and pulled her forward. “Here’s your package from Venable. Delivered as promised.” He turned to Natalie. “Suppose you go in and make us coffee. The task is a little mundane and tame compared to bluffing Quinn with a threat to send him to meet his maker, but we could all use-”

“I was not bluffing,” she said simply as she turned toward the door. “I could not let you die.” She went past Catherine into the house.

“I’m sorry I caused all this trouble,” Kelly said. “Venable said it would be no problem getting me here.” She smiled unsteadily. “He said all the trouble would come later. I guess he was wrong.”

“I guess he was.” Catherine stepped aside. “Come in and tell us why the hell Venable dropped you in the middle of Russia like some kind of atomic bomb.”

“He said he had to do it. He didn’t want me to come, but he-”

“Not out here.” Catherine pulled her into the house. “Good heavens, Kelly, how could you do this? I thought when you left the lake cottage that you’d be safe.”

“I know you did.” She glanced at Joe. “I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble. I didn’t know Mr. Kelsov wouldn’t tell anyone he was picking me up.”

“Then it was his fault, not yours.” He smiled. “And the night wasn’t all that bad. I enjoyed parts of it.”

“I bet you did,” Catherine murmured.

“But now I’ve got to go and wake Eve and tell her what-”

“Wake?” Eve said grimly. She was standing in the bedroom doorway. “I think you should have done that some time ago.” She glanced around the room. “I seem to be the only one who was sleeping.” She shook her head as she looked back at Kelly. “I can’t believe it.”

“You thought you got rid of me. I must be the bad penny.”

“Not bad,” Catherine said gruffly. “Just damn stubborn.” She looked at Eve. “Venable sent her.”

“Not again? Not here?”

“Don’t ask. I don’t know.” She took Kelly’s elbow and led her toward the table. “But we’ll find out. Sit down. I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”