Iris Johansen - Deadlock

"The glass is a little cloudy right now," Irana said. "I think that I'll stick around and see if it clears up. If you don't mind?"

"Don't be silly. You're always good company, Irana."

Irana gazed at her for a moment, then said flatly, "I was going to be patient and go along with you until you got around to confiding in me, but that isn't going to happen." She stood up and faced her. "And this is too important to worry about being diplomatic. You're scared about risking Garrett. I can understand that because you care about him. Maybe more than you even realize. You're scared about risking me. You think that you'll be responsible if Staunton hurts me. So that leaves you alone." She shook her head. "I won't let you be alone, Emily. I won't ar¬gue with you about keeping Garrett out of it, but I'm going with you. Staunton is an evil man; He hurt you, he hurt me, and he killed the bishop, Nemid, Kafir, your friend, Joel. I'm sure there were many oth¬ers. I can't let him kill anyone else. Now tell me what we're going to do to get Staunton."

Emily stared at her in despair. She had tried to deceive Irana, but she would not lie. "You don't want to be involved in this, Irana. I've never meant to catch Staunton and put him in a jail somewhere. I wouldn't take the chance of his escaping or getting off on a technical¬ity. I'm going to kill him." She smiled crookedly. "Just as he's going to try to kill me if he gets the chance. He'd rather toy with me for a month or two, but he will kill me if he has no other option."

"Yes, I know." Irana moistened her lips. "He described what he'd do to you in some detail while he was… hurting me. I think he thought it would add to the-" She stopped and drew a deep breath. "I don't know if I could kill Staunton. It would be against who and what I am. But I know that I can, in all good conscience, hunt him down and pro¬tect you or any other of his victims." She added, "So I repeat, how are we going to get Staunton?"

Emily gazed at her in frustration. She was not going to dissuade her, and there was nothing she could do but accept her help and try to keep them both alive. "I have a chance if I can get him to meet me in the open somewhere. Fields, swamps, or woods with plenty of cover."

"What good would that do?"

"I'm very good in the woods. I used to go on photo expeditions with my father, and we'd spend weeks tracking and setting up for shots." Her lips tightened. "I'd stack my woods savvy against Staunton's any day. Plus, I'm an excellent shot, and my motivation alone should carry the day."

"I can see that it would."

"I'd take two weapons. I'll hide one weapon when I enter the for¬est in case I might be forced to give up the other." She looked at Irana. "After that, I'll play it by ear. One thing my father taught me was that you could never be sure which way the prey was going to jump."

"Providing you can persuade Staunton to meet you where you want him to meet you."

Emily nodded. "I have a chance. He's hungry. He's arrogant. He thinks of me as the prey. Those are all factors I can manipulate."

"We can manipulate," Irana said. "And I take it that's not the only factor you're hoping to manipulate."

She nodded. "I'll need a car, someone who knows the city, and someone to watch my back."

"I'll watch your back." Irana tilted her head. "You're going to bring Joslyn into this, aren't you?"

"He has his own car. He's lived in this city for years."

"And you're not opposed to letting him run a little risk."

"Not if it will help me keep Garrett out of it." She paused. "Do you have a problem with that?"

She slowly shook her head. "Joslyn wants to help you. He needs to make amends, and driving a car shouldn't be too dangerous. I'll talk to him."

"Be my guest. But having Joslyn cooperate won't mean a thing unless I find a way to contact Staunton." "Pauley?" Irana asked. The key to unlock all doors. "Pauley."

PAULEY'S HAIR WAS RUMPLED, and his expression was abstracted as he opened his door. "Garrett's not here, Emily. I think he went to see Joslyn."

"I know he did. Irana asked Joslyn to keep him with him for thirty minutes or so." She came into the room. "How is the work going?"

"Good. It would be better without interruptions," he said point¬edly. "I could concentrate."

"I'll just be a moment. How soon before you get Staunton's num¬ber?"

"Five, six hours. But it's going to take me a hell of a lot longer to get that satellite fix."

"When you get the number, don't tell Garrett. Give it to me."

The abstraction in his expression became wariness. "Don't tell Garrett? Why not? He pays my salary."

"I just want you to delay telling him for a few hours. You'll still be earning your money." She met his gaze. "And there's no reason for you to do as I ask. I'm not offering you anything. I'm just asking you to do me a favor. I promise it won't hurt Garrett, and it will mean a great deal to me."

"I don't like it," Pauley's expression was skeptical as he gazed at Emily. "And Garrett isn't going to like it either."

"I know," Emily said. "I can't worry about that. I won't let Garrett take any more chances for me. I have to do this myself."

He was silent, studying her. "You're going to go after this Staunton. Garrett would strangle me if I did what you asked. You could get killed."

"I won't get killed. I like life too much. I'll make sure this isn't a suicide mission." "You'd go alone?"

"No, I'm taking Irana. She won't have it any other way. And Joslyn says he wants to make amends." She smiled crookedly. "I'm go¬ing to let him prove it. He's the one person that I won't mind risking."

His brows rose. "You're more ruthless than I thought."

"Where Joslyn is concerned. It will be safer if I have someone who knows the area. Will you help me?"

He tilted his head. "Why do you think I would? As you said, you're not offering me anything."

"I'm taking a chance that there's something that would tip the scales and make you give me what I want. You're an unusual man and wouldn't do it for the usual reasons. You're brilliant, and you can al¬ways get money." She grimaced. "Sex? Not a chance. You like to play at the game, but it's just a game. I saw you with that desk clerk down¬stairs. It's like the money; you don't have any problem getting it."

"Were you considering it?" He smiled. "Don't give up on that. Maybe I'm just discriminating."

"I did consider it. I'd do anything to keep Garrett safe. Sex? Gar¬rett's life? No contest." She met his gaze. "But that wouldn't tip the balance. You tell me what would."

"I'm a loyal employee. I like Garrett."

"Tell me."

His eyes were suddenly twinkling. "You're a persistent woman. Get thee behind me, Satan."

"There's only one Satan you have to worry about."

"But Garrett won't let me worry about Staunton. He closes me up in this room and makes me delve into boring cyberspace."

Her eyes narrowed on his face. Pauley's expression was now radiating an excitement and vibrancy that was mesmerizing. "I don't be¬lieve you find it boring."

"Not generally. But I've been exposed to something more interest¬ing lately." He dropped down in a chair and spread his legs casually out before him. His shirt was open at the throat, and he reminded Emily vaguely of one of those Regency rakes on the cover of a Pseudo-Georgette Heyer novel; lazy, elegant, slightly wicked. "You see, from the time I was a kid and everyone found out what a whizbang I was at all the mental hijinks I was herded in that direction. I guess I went along with it because I liked to be a star. I don't have the small¬est ego in the world."

"Really? I didn't notice."

"You noticed." He grinned. "But you also noticed what a kick I got when Garrett took me hunting. I'm addicted. I liked that rush I felt. It made me want more."