Matt Hilton - Slash and burn

'I rip him to pieces but anyone asks and I tell them it was you?' Larry's mouth turned downward as he contemplated Huffman's offer. It was a win-win scenario if ever he'd seen one. He'd get his revenge, but he didn't take the fallout for the man's murder. 'What's not to like about that?'

'No one must ever know the truth, Larry.'

'Who am I going to tell?'

'It will mean killing the others.'

'Grade and Wicker? I don't mind doing them.'

'I mean those Hunter has working with him. Someone was out there with a sniper rifle, could even have been two of them judging by the angles of the shots that dropped Souza and Burton. The women will have to die, too.'

'We'll kill them all.'

'But we keep Hunter for last.'

'Whenever.' Larry nodded towards the floor. 'What about your people downstairs?'

Huffman pondered for the briefest of moments. 'They'll tell anyone exactly what I tell them to say.'

'Whatever.'

Huffman reached out a hand.

Larry eyed him quizzically.

'What's wrong, Larry? Don't we have a deal?'

'We have a deal,' Larry told him. 'I'm just checking where the hell you've got that damn razor.'

Huffman grinned. 'That's why I like you, Larry. Did I ever tell you that you were my favourite?'

'Yeah, boss, you did.'

They shook on their renewed partnership.

Pilot Point was deserted as we hit the road in the early hours of the morning. Rink and Harvey were with me in the Windstar, taking up the front seats. Between their large bodies there was little view through the front windscreen. Imogen and Kate were in the back with me, both lost in their own thoughts. Kate had her head on my good shoulder and her soft floral scent made me light-headed. It conjured memories of how we'd spent the last few hours together.

We were heading for DFW Airport to put the women on a plane to Rink's office in Tampa. Rink had organised protection from a couple of ex-cops he occasionally employed. McTeer and Velasquez were good guys I'd shared a beer with on a couple of occasions. They'd agreed to chaperone the sisters on the return flight, then cover them back in Florida. We were meeting them in a couple of hours, then doing a return journey to take Huffman in his lair.

Our time in the cabin had been tender, but when Kate had learned our plans she'd once more become the fiery woman I'd grown to admire. She gave me hell about going after Huffman and the others. I was injured and tired and took the haranguing with a calmness that pissed her off even more. In the end I kissed her again and told her:

'I have to finish this now, Kate. Otherwise none of us will ever be safe. Do you want to go through life constantly watching your back, waiting for someone to turn up and kill you? That's the kind of life I've had to put up with for years… it's not something I'd wish on my worst enemy.'

'I'm frightened I won't see you again.'

'I can handle Huffman.'

She'd gently touched my wounded shoulder. 'You were lucky last time; a couple of inches lower and you'd have been dead.'

'That was different. That time I was trying to save lives, not take them.'

The police officer in her had baulked at my final few words.

'They're evil people, Kate.'

'I know.'

'We have to stop them or they'll just keep on coming. Even if we send copies of the tape to the FBI, Huffman has a long reach. If it wasn't him chasing us, it would be someone else. The other syndicates owe him.'

'You expect me to argue,' Kate had said, surprising me, 'but I'm not going to. I've been thinking: other than those at the ranch, there's no one left alive who can identify us. If they were killed, then that would put us in the clear.'

I'd held her gaze and her eyes were calm and clear.

'You've a ruthless streak I didn't know about.'

'Not ruthless, Joe, I'm just being pragmatic.' She'd laughed at the irony. 'It seems like we've spent too much time together. Your way of thinking's beginning to rub off on me.'

'There are still people at Little Fork who know about us. Aitken and the judge.'

'They're both dead.'

'What?'

'I overheard Huffman; he assumed that you were responsible. I guessed otherwise.'

'There were other police with Aitken when he came to try and catch me,' I said. But then I realised that at that time they were unaware of my name. The locals who had been with the Bolans had no idea who I was either. But I wasn't sure what they'd learned about Kate.

It was as if she'd read my mind. 'Aitken didn't know who I was until after he'd handed me over to Huffman. I didn't tell him my name when I first phoned him, only that I needed to speak to him about Imogen Ballard.'

'Imogen's identity is still a problem. The locals know who Huffman was looking for.'

'But they're not going to say anything, are they? Who's going to admit that they were involved with what happened at Little Fork?'

'True. And no one else knows that Imogen ever turned up here. Which means it's even more important that we stop Huffman and the others now.'

Kate had actually convinced herself that my plan was the correct course of action. She'd shaken her head in mock reproof, then she'd held me again. 'Just make sure you don't get yourself killed.'

'I don't plan on that,' I'd reassured her. But it was always a possibility.

We didn't broach the subject again. We just sat next to each other in the Windstar and stayed connected for the journey down to DFW.

McTeer and Velasquez met us. Both men knew we were up against Huffman, but they knew not to ask any questions about what we were planning next. I hugged Imogen goodbye. Then Kate and I shared a private moment before she waved me away. She linked arms with her sister and – flanked by their new bodyguards – they walked together to the departure gate.

'You OK, Joe?' Rink asked. It's not often he addresses me by my given name. I know that when he does he's at his most concerned.

'I've had worse injuries than this,' I told him, working my aching shoulder. The bullet had got skin and a little of the underlying muscle, but it wasn't a debilitating shot. 'It's not going to stop me. Once the adrenalin kicks in, I won't feel a thing.'

'You know that's not what I meant.'

Letting go of Kate was harder than I'd imagined. I'd barely known her a few days, but I had to admit that she had a powerful hold on me.

'I'll be OK.'

Harvey led the way back to the parking lot. Rink and I walked shoulder to shoulder like we had so many times in the past.

'This is all your fault, you know,' I said.

'How'd you figure that?'

'When we spoke on the phone before Kate went missing, it was you who gave me the kick in the pants I needed.'

'I can live with that.'

'It's a problem, Rink. My lifestyle isn't suited to having a girl along for the ride.'

'Then don't get too serious. Just accept things for what they are. Have a little fun, enjoy yourself for a change.'

'I like her, Rink, but I'm afraid that Kate's the one taking things a bit too seriously.'

'Don't worry, pretty soon she'll see you for the asshole you really are and she'll dump you for someone nicer.'

'Someone like you?'

'Of course.' Rink gave me his face-splitting grin. Then he laid his hand on my shoulder. 'Come on, Casanova. It's time to put all these distractions aside. There'll be time for pretty faces when Huffman's in his grave.'

'Yeah,' I agreed.

Back in the Windstar, I had the back seat to myself and it felt as deserted as an empty hangar. It was difficult getting a certain pretty face out of my mind. In the end, I lay across the seat, snatching a short nap, building my strength for what was to come. I had to be at my best if I ever wanted to see Kate again.