Iris Johansen - Pandora's Daughter

"No!"

"Yes." He stared her in the eye. "If you want him back then you have to give me something in return. I think you know the terms I'll accept. You want Phillip Blair, I get you. Unless you show up here tomorrow alone without Grady or Harley or that other freak, Renata Wilger, anywhere in the background you won't see Blair again alive." He glanced around the cemetery. "My men told me that Grady and Harley came with you. I'm sure they're still somewhere close. I was willing to let you feel safer tonight. Tomorrow is different. I want you to feel vulnerable. No, frightened. I want to taste your fear. Steven was frightened that night before he died. He whimpered and cried."

"You promise you'll let Phillip go?"

"I told you I would, under certain circumstances."

"I'm willing to make a trade, but I won't risk my life for nothing." She moistened her lips. "You bring Phillip to that open field just north of the cemetery and I'll arrange for a helicopter to pick him up and take him back to Bellehaven in Atlanta. When the helicopter takes off, you can come and get me."

"That's not satisfactory," Molino said.

"Hell and damnation," Sienna said. "Stop bargaining. What do you care about Phillip Blair? You'll have the woman and that's what you want. Let's put an end to this."

"So eager," Molino said. "Sienna, I can't decide whether you're pissed because I made you risk your sanity by holding hands with our little Megan or you're just eager to get her in bed." He smiled at Megan. "I did promise him he could rape you as a fringe benefit. That should give you something to anticipate for the next twenty-four hours."

"Send Phillip to be picked up in that field."

Molino was silent. "Very well. Sienna is right. I don't really care about anyone but you." He turned and started down the hill. "Let's go, Sienna." He added maliciously, "Tell me, are you feeling dizzy or light-headed? Any delusions?"

"Sorry to disappoint you," Sienna said dryly. "I'm normal as I've always been. This whole business is a bunch of baloney and she's a phony."

Molino's smile faded. "But her mother wasn't a phony. Steven was as sane as I am before she poisoned his mind."

"If you say so."

"I say so." Molino looked back at Megan. "I'm glad we came to an agreement. I'm sure if Phillip Blair was anything but a useless carcass he'd appreciate it too."

"Keep him warm and on those tubes," she said. "If he's in a deteriorated condition when I see him, I'll get on that helicopter with him."

"And I'd blow you both out of the air. Don't threaten me, freak."

She watched him walk away. She had never before encountered ugliness like she'd seen tonight. She glanced down at her hand that was still tingling with pain. Sienna's brutality had been the least of the horror of these minutes. She had suspected Molino's instability, but tonight it had been clear. His malice and viciousness had shaken her more than Sienna's cruelty.

"Oh, I just remembered something of interest to you." Molino had turned and stood looking at her. "I got the call just before I arrived at the cemetery tonight."

She stiffened. She had thought it was over. It wasn't over. She could tell by the malice in his expression that this horror of a meeting was not at an end.

He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and dropped it on the ground. "I told you I couldn't understand how you could be drawn into my net by that vegetable." He started back down the hill.

She stared after him in shock. What was he up to?

She ran over to the piece of paper he'd dropped on the ground.

Not a piece of paper. A photo.

She snatched it up and turned on her flashlight.

No!

She flew down the hill after Molino. "Stop, you bastard."

He turned and smiled. "Oh, that did hurt you where you live, didn't it? I thought it would be much better insurance for me than Blair. Such a cute little fellow."

"You're saying you have Davy?" Her voice was shaking. Her whole body was shaking. She felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach by an iron fist. "It's a lie. I received an e-mail from his father yesterday and he would have told me if something was wrong."

"My men took him tonight. They went through the window of his room while he was sleeping. We have a good deal of practice at that kind of thing. His parents don't even know he's gone." He added softly, "Call them. Tell them where their little boy is spending tonight."

"You son of a bitch. Don't you lay a finger on him."

"I believe I'll let you worry about that. Though I do prefer little girls, I might force myself to-"

"I'll kill you ."

"No, you'll show up in that field tomorrow and if you're lucky I'll give you both the old man and the child."

"It has to be both. I won't bargain for one without the other." She paused. "And if you hurt Davy I won't go through with the deal."

"Damaged goods?" He frowned. "Yes, I understand the loss of value on damaged goods. I'll think about it." He turned and strode down the hill.

"Oh, God," she whispered. Don't let it be true. Let it be a lie.

She dialed Scott's number. It rang seven times before he picked up. "What are you thinking, Megan?" He sounded as if she'd woke him from deep sleep. "It better be important. I've got to be at the hospital at six in the morning."

"I hope it's not important. I'm praying it's not important. Look, Scott, do me a favor and go and check on Davy."

"YOU LOOK AS IF YOU'VE BEEN run over by a bulldozer." Grady met her as she was coming down the hill. "What the hell did he do to you?"

"It's not me. He has Davy too." The tears were running down her face. "That bastard has Davy."

Grady muttered a curse. "You're sure?"

"I hoped it was a lie. Molino was toying with me. He dropped it on me as he was walking away. But I called Scott and-They didn't even know Davy was gone. Molino let me tell him they'd taken him. Scott and Jana are scared to death. I'm scared to death. Do you know what that son of a bitch does to children? Yes, of course you do. You're the one who told me."

"He may not-"

"And he might." Her fists clenched. "He might, Grady. I let him see how scared I was. I shouldn't have done that. My only hope is that he thinks of children as something to buy and sell and damaged goods aren't as valuable. He didn't understand why I'd want to save Phillip. In his eyes he wasn't a prime specimen any longer. He might think I'd refuse to go with him if he hurts Davy." She said unevenly, "I feel so damn helpless. I've got to find a way to help them."

"We'll work it out." He took a step toward her with his hand outstretched. "There's got to be a-"

"Don't touch me." She knew he only wanted to comfort her but she felt as if she would splinter like broken crystal. She couldn't risk any weakness. "Not now."

His hand dropped to his side. "Okay, I understand. How can I help? What else happened up there?"

"I told Molino he had to bring Phillip to that field to the north and I'd have him airlifted out by helicopter. When he told me about Davy I told him he'd have to bring him too or it was no deal."

"And the deal?"

"After Phillip and Davy are gone Molino can come to the field and pick me up."

"The hell he can." Repressed violence vibrated in Grady's voice. "No way."

"It's the only way I can be sure Phillip and Davy will be safe and not used to hurt me. They have to be totally out of the picture."

"So you're going to walk in and put your head on the block?"

"Yes, and it's your job to make sure it doesn't get chopped off. He's not going to kill me right away. If he'd wanted to do that, he wouldn't have taken Phillip and Davy." Her pace quickened. "But I'm not looking forward to being raped and tortured while you spin your wheels. You won't be able to get near me after he picks me up, so you'll have to know where we're going. Renata said she'd be able to find him."