James Patterson - Blindside

I said, “Henry is a batshit-crazy criminal. That’s all.”

Natalie said, “No, you’re wrong. Sure, Henry crosses some lines to make some money from corporations. He supports a lot of people. But he’s not a killer. I mean, he doesn’t just kill for no reason.”

“What’s the reason that justifies murder?”

She stared at me without saying a word. I saw my own children in her face. I knew people made mistakes. This girl wasn’t a killer. She probably hadn’t done ten things wrong in her whole life before she met this asshole, Henry. She might say she wanted to be here, but I didn’t think it was true.

I decided to lay it on heavy. I said, “You really think that’s the first person Henry’s had killed? I’ve seen his handiwork in New York. I personally witnessed the two Dutch guys shoot up a coffeehouse. They even hit a witness I was talking to. A witness who knows you.”

Now Natalie looked like a little girl. Her mouth was open slightly, and she was just staring at me. Then with a childlike voice she said, “Who were you talking to?”

“Jennifer Chang.”

She sucked in some breath and steadied herself. “Jen? Really? Is she still alive?”

“Even with a bullet in her back, she pulled through. She’s going to be in the hospital for a good long while. Plus, there were other fatalities at the coffeehouse. And then another witness named Tom Payne. They strangled him and left him in a parking lot near Penn Station.”

Her eyes moved off into space. “Tommy? Dead?” She tried to reconcile what had happened. Finally she was grasping at straws. Natalie said, “Henry didn’t do any of that. He hasn’t been to New York in over a year.”

“Henry ordered it all done. You can’t be this blind. Will you think the same thing after they murder me? See if you can live with that, knowing ahead of time what he intends to do.”

She stared straight ahead. Torn between ignoring what I was saying and recognizing the truth. She looked like the college student I had thought I would rescue: impossibly young and scared.

I was getting to her. The indecision was etched on her face. There was a certain panic starting to run through her as she connected the dots and realized I wasn’t lying. But I didn’t know the extent to which Henry would go. If he was as crazy as everyone claimed, he might change the focus of his criminal organization and go even bigger. He could shut down power grids and really put a lot of people’s lives at risk.

I looked at Natalie and said, “Anything happens from here on out, you’re complicit. I’m not saying you’ll be arrested for it, but you’re a decent girl, raised by decent parents. You know what’s right and wrong.”

“I don’t know how decent they are. My mom is busy with her new boyfriend and my dad has an entire family. No one misses me. No one needs me. Except Henry. He told me I’m one of the only things that keeps him going.”

“Your parents cared enough to spin up the NYPD to look for you. And now it looks like they cared enough that I’m going to be murdered because of it.”

“Don’t say that.”

“The truth is hard to face. That’s why people turn to alcohol and drugs and make all kinds of crazy choices. But it’s never too late to face it. It’s never too late to correct mistakes. Believe me, I know that better than anyone.” Brian flashed in my brain. Suddenly I had an incredible urge to speak to my kids.

I heard someone on the stairs. It didn’t sound like the rushing footsteps of police rescuing me. It was a measured, casual pace.

A shadow fell across the light from the stairs. Then a form filled most of the doorway.

It was the tall Dutch killer, Christoph.

CHAPTER 76

BEFORE THE DUTCHMANcould say anything, I heard another set of footsteps on the stairs. Henry appeared just behind Christoph, stopping on the final step of the staircase, right next to the open door. He had changed clothes. He wore a dark sport coat, like he was going to a party. He stood on the stair above Christoph to make himself look taller. I noticed men who did that kind of shit at the PD all the time.

Henry said, “I hope you have a pleasant trip home, Mr. Bennett. Now that you see Natalie is safe and here of her own free will, maybe her parents will leave us alone. I’m sorry you have to be treated this way. Perhaps if you behave better at other people’s businesses you will be treated better in the future.”

I gave him the best smile I could. I also sat up straight. At least as straight as I could with my hands tied to the eyebolt in the wall. Then I said, “Who are you trying to fool? The only trip I’m going on is a short one. And I’m certain I won’t like the destination.”

It would’ve been easier to play along with him, and his killers might be less vigilant if I kept my mouth shut. But I needed Natalie to see who this guy really was.

Henry gave a nervous glance toward Natalie. “I’m sorry I can’t feed into your conspiracies. Christoph and Ollie will drive you to the airport shortly.”

Natalie looked like she was buying it. She said to me, “See, Mr. Bennett? You have nothing to worry about.” A smile ran across her pretty face. “Have a good flight and tell my dad to leave me alone.” She excused herself and darted past Henry and up the stairs. She’d taxed her view of reality enough for one day.

Henry said, “Excuse me, Detective. We’ve got to get things set up to get back to work quickly. You know how the corporate life can be. Always something. Am I right?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve always been in public service. We’re busy in different ways.”

“Like looking for young women sick of their parents, instead of solving murders.”

The way Henry had said it, I understood why Natalie believed in him. He seemed reasonable and rational. Then again, every good criminal did. No one who was arrested was ever guilty. I said, “You really think I buy into that bullshit?” Now it was just Henry, me, and a known killer. “Let’s be honest. You’re going to kill me, right?”

Henry chuckled as he brushed unseen dirt off his sport coat. Just a way to move and show off his arms. He didn’t look like a computer genius in this setting. He could’ve been any psycho I’d met over my career.

He said, “I don’t kill people.” He started back up the stairs, out of sight. Then he called down, “I order other people to kill. Good luck, Detective Bennett.”

Now it was just me and the Dutchman, Christoph. He looked more imposing up close. Thick arms and no hesitation in his movements. He knew exactly what he was going to do.

He pulled a steel, four-inch, fixed-blade knife from a sheath secured at his waistline. He held it up high, so I could see it and his face at the same time. These younger guys, raised on action movies, loved doing that kind of stuff. Like there was a camera watching their every move.

That didn’t mean I wasn’t unnerved by the knife. That’s the main function of a knife in a criminal’s hands. Stabbing is a last resort. Besides, it was a combat knife. A Gerber. It wouldn’t snap or break when it hit a bone. I shivered at the thought.

Every step he took toward me made my stomach tighten. There were few things as frightening as an edged weapon. Every cop remembers the training video they saw in the academy about defending against edged weapons. The testimonials of cops who’d survived stabbings were horrifying.

Now I realized why the force toughens us up about potential knife attacks. They just want to keep us from panicking at the sight of a blade intended for stabbing. I wasn’t sure how well the training was working right about now.

Christoph stopped directly in front of me with the handle of the knife in his right hand. He didn’t move or say anything.