David Baldacci - Deliver Us From Evil

Now Shaw felt fear like he hadn’t in a long time. But it wasn’t for himself.

“How did you get this number?” He already knew the answer and yet he was hoping beyond all reason that he was wrong.

The next voice he heard destroyed this possibility. “Shaw, stay away. Do not do what this guy says. Just stay away.”

Katie sounded scared but also resolute. In those few words Shaw was reminded starkly of how courageous the lady was. She was sitting next to one of the great psychopaths of the ages and she was telling him to just let her die. Frank had been right; he didn’t deserve her.

“Mr. Shaw?” said Kuchin.

“How did you get to her?”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Kuchin. “I have her. Now I want you and the woman.”

“I can only speak for myself.”

“You and the woman,” repeated Kuchin.

“And you’ll let Katie go? Right, sure. I’ll come. Just me.”

“If it’s just you, don’t bother. Your friend here will not be alive to greet you.”

“I’m telling you I don’t know where she is.”

“Then I suggest you try very hard to find her.”

“And if I can’t?”

“I have a box, Mr. Shaw. It’s from my days in my home country. In that box are some very persuasive tools that I employ from time to time. Indeed, I just used them on another acquaintance of mine. I have to tell you that he did not seem to enjoy it. I do not often pull out my little box, but I will for your friend if you do not do as I say. I will videotape my work and send it to you.”

“What if I can find her? What then?”

“I will call you back on this number in two hours.”

“That’s not enough time.”

“In two hours,” repeated Kuchin. “Then I will tell you exactly how and when this will happen. And I would advise you strongly not to let this conversation go beyond you and ‘Janie.’ Such a tactic would be fruitless and will ensure your friend’s death in the most painful way I can possibly achieve. You saw the pretty pictures on the wall beneath that church. You know what I’m capable of.”

“Listen to me-”

But Kuchin was gone. Shaw stared down at the phone like it was a live grenade that he needed to throw himself on to save everyone else. But it wasn’t a grenade, it was a phone. And he apparently couldn’t save anyone. And Reggie? He couldn’t ask her to do it. He wouldn’t ask her to do it.

He would tell Kuchin when he called back that he had found Reggie. They would arrange the meeting. He would go alone, make an excuse, and do his best to get Katie out alive. That was all he could think of.

He looked up when something thumped against his door.

“Yeah?” His voice broke on the simple word.

“It’s Reggie. Can we talk?”

Shit.

“I was just getting ready to crash,” he called out.

“Please.”

He hesitated, but finally opened the door and motioned her in. She eyed him curiously.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to vomit.”

“I’m fine.”

She sat in a chair, he on the couch.

“What’s up?”

Reggie started talking, but he wasn’t listening. Shaw knew that Kuchin was too smart for something as simple as his plan. He would want proof that Reggie was coming. He would ask to speak with her. Shaw would never get the chance to save Katie unless…

“Shaw? Shaw?”

He looked up to see Reggie standing next to him, poking him in the shoulder.

“Yeah?” he said in a bewildered tone.

“You haven’t listened to one bloody word I’ve been saying.”

“I’m sorry. Look, this is just bad timing.”

She eyed the phone still clutched in his hand and looked at him suspiciously. “What’s going on?” she demanded.

“Nothing is going on.”

She knelt in front of him, her hands on his knees. “Something is going on and you’re going to tell me what it is.”

Shaw could barely form words. Indelibly painted on his brain were the images of Katie and Kuchin. “It’s nothing. I’ll handle it.”

She pounced. “Handle what?”

“Will you please let it alone?”

“It’s him, isn’t it?”

“Who?”

She grabbed his thick shoulders and shook them. “Oh for God’s sake. Talk to me.”

He stood abruptly, causing her to fall on her backside, and walked away. “I said I’ll handle it.”

She rose, followed him. “How?”

“I’ll think of something.”

“He has someone, doesn’t he? Someone you care about?”

He whirled, terrible suspicions running through his own mind now, but none of them made sense. “How did you-”

“I guessed,” she said. “I don’t think you’d ever be scared for yourself. So it had to be somebody else. How did he get to them?”

Shaw sank down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t know.”

“Who is it?”

“Her name is Katie James.”

“I’ve heard of her.”

“Journalist.”

“Right, that’s right. He’s got her? You’re sure?”

“Too sure.”

“And what does he want?”

“Me.” He hesitated, licked his lips. “And you.”

“The package?”

“I told him I didn’t know where you were.”

“But that wasn’t good enough, was it?”

“What do you think?”

“So where and when?”

“Reggie, don’t even go there.”

“I’m already there, Shaw.”

“I’m not going to let you do this.”

“Are you kidding? This is the best thing that could’ve happened.”

“What?” he said in a shocked voice.

“I don’t mean for your friend. I’m very sorry about that,” she added quickly. “But we were never going to find Kuchin. And now the guy is inviting us to come to him. This is our opportunity. Our shot.”

“It’s hardly an invitation, Reggie. He’s going to kill us.”

“No, he’s going to try and kill us,” she corrected. “And we’re going to do the same to him.”

“Well, given the circumstances, I think the odds lie with him.”

“It’s still our only chance.”

“Do you understand that if you come with me you’re most likely going to be murdered in some sadistic, painful way? Do you get that loud and clear?” He pointed to the door. “Just walk out and keep going.”

Instead Reggie sat down next to him. “I guess I could say something cute or flippant to show that I’m not scared, even though I am, but I think I’ll try the truth.”

This got Shaw’s attention. He stared over at her.

“Part of me never wants to see Kuchin again, Shaw, never again. I see the man in my head all the time. I wake up with him in my brain. I see him over my shoulder. I came one instant from dying that night. I saw his eyes. There was nothing there. I might as well have been a gnat. He didn’t give a shit. There’s no way for a normal, sane person to match something like that.”

“And you still want to go?”

“I can’t live while that guy is still breathing. That’s the bottom line. I want him as badly as anything I’ve ever wanted in my life. I will kill him with my own hands, if I have to. He’ll have to kill me, because I will never stop going for him.”

“The guy is the monster.”

“No, he’s a monster. He’s not the first, and he’s not the last. And he has to be dealt with.”

“Why the hell do you do this?”

She stood. “Just tell me when it’s time to go. I’ll be ready.”

The two hours came and on the dot the phone rang. Shaw was correct in his thinking. Kuchin asked to speak to Reggie.

“Hello, little Janie,” he said after she had confirmed she was on the line. “Our last meeting was cut short. I look forward to visiting with you again.”

Reggie said nothing else and simply handed the phone back to Shaw.