Iris Johansen - Dark Summer

"He would never give up the dogs."

"He might. It's my best chance to date."

Devon turned to Bridget. "You're going to let him do this?"

"I told him to do it," she said coolly. "I've been fighting him for too long. We both knew it was only a matter of time until I came over to his side. Marrok wanted me to put you in storage to keep you safe, and it was my chance. You made it easy for me." She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "It's funny how things just seemed to fall into place. Almost as if it was meant to be. I had the opportunity, and I took it."

Devon shook her head incredulously. "You're too smart really to believe Marrok would give up the dogs for me."

"We'll have to see, won't we?" Bridget stared her in the eye. "I have to end this."

"By killing the dogs? You know Lincoln won't guarantee he'll keep them alive. By killing me?"

Bridget flinched. "The dogs have a better chance with Lincoln than Danner. It has to end." She shook her head. "Marrok can't win against the kind of people he's up against. I've known that all along. Now it's all going down, and he can't even see it." Her lips tightened. "And I may as well get my share."

Devon turned back to Lincoln. "She's sold you a bill of goods. Marrok won't bargain for me."

"I tend to believe you. I've not seen anything or anyone that would make Marrok give up what he wanted to keep." He added, "But I could be wrong. I desperately want to be wrong. I've waited too long for a break that would give me the dogs. Bridget was very convincing."

"Why would Marrok give up a fortune to save someone he barely knows?"

Lincoln shrugged. "He's impulsive. Savages are sometimes irrational. And he never really wanted the money the dogs would bring him. He wanted his revenge."

"And to save the dogs."

"Now that would truly be irrational. Even you can see that one doesn't risk everything to save four-footed friends."

"No, I can't see that. The dogs mean more to him than I do."

"You're seeing your own feelings in Marrok." He gestured impatiently with the gun. "And you'd better hope you're wrong. Now shut up and go to the bedroom."

"Do it," Bridget said. "He won't hurt you if you don't resist."

Devon moved slowly toward the bedroom door. What was she going to do? There was no way she was going to let that bastard get away with this. Two more steps and she would be within a yard of where Lincoln stood.

"Devon." Bridget was staring at her expression. "No."

Devon was close enough now. "Go to hell." She threw her shoulder purse at Lincoln's gun and dove for his knees.

"Shit." Lincoln was on top of her, swinging the butt of the gun viciously at her head.

Pain.

Darkness.

"YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO HURTher." Bridget fell to her knees beside Devon. "Bastard."

"I was supposed to do what I had to do to keep the bitch from escaping," Lincoln said as he picked Devon up, carried her into the bedroom, and threw her onto the bed. "Now get out of my way, Bridget. You've done your part."

Bridget slowly got to her feet. "Yes, I've done my part." Smother the anger. It would do no good. "Make sure you keep her safe, or there won't be a deal."

"I won't kill the goose that could lay the golden egg. You'd just better be right about her."

She didn't answer. She couldn't trust herself to speak. She walked out of the house and didn't look back.

THE SUN WAS BLINDING AS MARROKjumped out of the helicopter at Paco's canyon. "Come on, Addie. I'll take you up to visit your old buddies. They're waiting for you."

The golden retriever jumped out of the aircraft and ran ahead.

"Where are you keeping the dogs?" Walt got out of the helicopter. "I don't see anyone."

"You're not supposed to see anyone. I had Larry Farland take a team up on the bluffs first thing this morning. Men are stationed all over the canyon. The dogs are in an enclosure above the cave." Bridget should have called him by now, dammit. It had been hours since they'd left the ranch. What was she doing? "See, Addie knows where they are. She's streaking right up the path toward them."

"I'm surprised Sarah actually let you take Addie. She was definitely hostile."

"I told her I'd bring her back in a few days. If I don't, she'll probably come after her… and me."

"You could have left Addie. No one is going to monkey with the property of a man who could be president of the United States in a few years."

"It has to be all four dogs. Danner wants them all."

"And when do you issue the invitation?"

"I don't, you do. We switched aircraft today to throw Danner off, but tomorrow you go back to Sarah's place and pick up Nick Gilroy. No switch of helicopter then. You let Danner's men follow you here. They'll report back to Danner and watch us for a day or two. We'll make sure they see what they want to see. Four dogs. Not too big a force to keep them from taking them."

"It's still a risk."

Did Walt think Marrok didn't know that? "They're at risk every day. I have to get rid of Danner."

Walt didn't speak for a moment. "Where's Bridget taking Devon?"

"Some place in northern California. She said she'd call me when they got there." But she hasn't called yet, he thought again in frustration.

Walt frowned. "I don't like this, Marrok."

He stiffened. "Too bad. Neither do I. But it's done now."

"Bridget is a professional. She could hurt Devon without even meaning to do it if Devon struggles with her."

"She won't hurt her."

"I'm glad one of us is sure of that."

He wasn't sure, Marrok thought. He knew how easily accidents happened in a fight, and Devon would never give up easily. "What the hell was I supposed to do?" he asked harshly. "Let her stick around until Danner came down on us like a ton of bricks?"

"Easy." Walt held up his hand. "I just wanted to make sure you knew what Bridget can be when-"

"I know what Bridget can be," Marrok interrupted. "But she promised she'd take care of Devon. I have to trust her."

"Whatever." Walt's stride lengthened as he reached the cave. "I'm going to go visit the dogs. They're a hell of a lot better-tempered than you."

Walt was right, Marrok thought. His nerves were stretched to the breaking point, and he wanted to reach out and crush something, anything. He glanced at his watch again.

Bridget, dammit, call me.

SHE'D HAVE TO CALL MARROKsoon, Bridget thought, as she drove around to the other side of the vineyard. He'd be on edge at not hearing from her that she had Devon settled safely. He'd only wait so long before he'd explode. Marrok was a dangerous proposition at any time, but this situation was too volatile to take risks.

But the call would have to wait. She couldn't trust Lincoln not to try to betray her, and she couldn't predict how he'd do it. She parked the car, got out, and crawled up the slope of the vineyard toward the house.

She had a clear view of the winery from this vantage point and lifted her binoculars to her eyes. The windows were long and wide, and she could see the bedroom door through which Lincoln had taken Devon. But where was Lincoln now?

In the kitchen. She caught a glimpse of him standing in front of one of the counters.

She had taken the time to scout the surrounding buildings after she'd left the house and had not run across anyone else on the property. That didn't mean that Lincoln might not be expecting company. He might be playing straight with her, but she wouldn't count on it.

She pulled out her computer and equipment and pulled up the program and made adjustments. Then she settled down to wait.

Fifteen minutes passed.

Thirty minutes.

Forty-five.

Then the digital number came up on the screen.

Yes .

BRIDGET CLOSED THE COMPUTER ANDtucked it into her bag.