David Morrell - The Covenant Of The Flame

'But that'll be three hours from now!'

'I've already figured that. Drive to Washington. Take a tour of the Capitol Building. With so many guards there, no one would dare try to get at you. Just be careful when you leave and return to your car.'

'Be careful? Since last night, being careful is all I've been trying to do.'

'Well, try even harder . And in the meantime, I'll contact the Alexandria police. I'll tell them what's going on.'

'No! If this gets on their radio…!'

'Tess, you've got to trust me. I'll talk to their chief. I'll make sure he keeps a lid on this. I won't tell him where you are or where we're going to meet. All I want is to organize a team to take you to a place that's secure.'

'There isn't such a place!'

'Believe me, there is. A house. A hotel room. A farm. Whatever, wherever, I guarantee you'll be smothered with guards. Just keep control! Please. A few more hours, and this'll be over .'

'No! You're wrong!'

'I don't…'

'They'll always be waiting. They'll never give up. This won't ever end!'

'It will if we can find out why they want to kill you. Once their secret's out – whatever it is – they won't have a reason to stop you from talking.'

' If we can find out what they're so afraid I know. If. If! If ! '

'I'm telling you, keep control.'

'But it doesn't stop just with me!' Tess said. 'I'm not the only one in danger!'

'I don't understand. Nobody else is…'

'Wrong! Don't forget! Craig, you were with me. You heard me talk about Joseph! You went with me to Joseph's apartment! You saw what was in his bedroom! If the killer's followed both of us, to protect their secret they might come after you! '

Craig didn't answer for a moment. 'So let the sons of bitches try.' He coughed again. The Marriott near the airport. Two-thirty. Drive past it until you see me. I'll recognize your car.'

'You make me feel…"

'This isn't the time to be evasive.'

'Confident. I'll be as clever as my father. I'll be there.'

She hung up the phone, studied the strangers in the parking lot, felt vulnerable, and hurried to get into the Porsche.

Drive to Washington, Craig had said. Take a tour of the Capitol Building. But the idea of being in so public a place, even in the presence of guards, made her nervous. There had to be a less dangerous alternative.

As she drove from the shopping mall, Tess checked her rearview mirror to see if she was being followed. Several cars left behind her. With a deep breath, she again touched her purse, feeling the reassuring bulk of the pistol inside.

Abruptly the pistol made her recall the men she'd killed last night, and the memory sickened her. But anger and fear were stronger. She hadn't counted how many times she'd fired. In this morning's confusion, she'd failed to remove the pistol's magazine to see how many rounds were left. Her father would definitely not have approved. The gun might be empty, for all she knew.

I've got to be able to defend myself!

A quick glance toward the side of the road made her notice a cluster of stores. One store in particular caught her attention.

She steered sharply toward it, parked in front, and hurriedly entered the building, slowing when she closed the door, doing her best to look calm.

'Yes, ma'am?' the muscular, sporting-goods clerk asked. Behind the counter, he cast his eyes up and down, assessing her face and figure, smiling – almost leering – with approval. 'How can I help you?'

'I need two boxes of ammunition for a SIG-Sauer nine millimeter pistol.'

'You must have plans for some heavy shooting.' He made the remark sound suggestive.

'The instructor in my target-practice course insists that we buy our own ammunition.'

'Well, I can promise, if you were in my class, I'd give you the ammunition and the lessons for free.' The clerk raised his eyebrows.

'In that case, I guess it's too bad you're not in my class,' Tess said.

The clerk was too absorbed by her braless breasts beneath her thin blouse to detect her muted irony.

While he turned his back to get the two boxes of ammunition, Tess reached in her purse to pull out her wallet, taking care that the clerk wouldn't see the handgun.

In the process, her fingers brushed the packet of photographs. As if she'd been jolted by an exposed electrical wire, she remembered that Craig had insisted last night that she have copies made and Fed-Exed to his office. But everything was different now! She didn't have time to obey Craig's orders, and for damned sure, she wouldn't feel safe waiting for the copies to be developed! She had to keep moving!

'Would you mind? Have you got an envelope?' she asked the clerk. 'Can I buy a stamp from you? I'd really appreciate it.'

'For such a pretty lady, why not?'

Thanks. I'll make a point of coming back.'

'Believe me, you'd be welcome. There's a range past that door. We could do some, what you might call, private shooting.'

Tess struggled to tolerate his banter, her mind in a turmoil. 'And I bet your aim's on target.'

'Never had complaints.'

Give me a break! Tess inwardly screamed. She managed not to cringe, paid for the ammunition, then took the envelope and the stamp. The negatives! she thought. I'll mail Craig the negatives. At least, they'll be protected.

At once the thought of the photographs – and the vivid recollection of the grotesque sculpture in Joseph's bedroom – made Tess's stomach burn with the forceful realization of where she had to go next.

It certainly wasn't the Capitol Building.

Craig slammed down the phone.

Captain Mallory, startled by the furious determination on Craig's face, jerked up his arms. 'Well, now I've heard everything. A lieutenant giving orders to a police chief.'

'Hey, it worked, didn't it? The Alexandria department's cooperating.'

'If you want to call it that. Even over here, I heard him shouting. When he gets his hands on you…'

'Tell me about it. What did you expect? I didn't have a choice. I couldn't… I didn't dare … give him specifics about my rendezvous with Tess. The killers are too well organized. If even one patrol car talks about the Marriott hotel on its radio and if their transmissions are being monitored, Tess'll be shot when she arrives.'

'But apparently you got the Alexandria chief to prepare a safe house. I have to admit I'm impressed. There's just one problem, Craig.'

' Only one? I see so many, I - '

'Yeah, a problem. I haven't given you permission to leave. You don't run this division. You're way beyond your authority.'

'I told you, I'm going!'

'Even if I suspend you?'

'Do what you have to! Fire me for all I care!'

'You stubborn…!'

'I don't have time to argue! All I do have time for is to grab a taxi and get to LaGuardia before that plane takes off!'

'In noon-hour traffic? Lots of luck finding a cab.'

Then I'll take a patrol car!'

'No!'

'What?'

'Wrong! You won't take a patrol car.'

'Don't get in my - !'

' Tony will. He'll drive you to the airport.'

Craig blinked in surprise. 'Did you just say…?'

'Get moving, Craig. Watch your ass. And if the Alexandria chief gives you trouble, tell him to phone me.'

'I can't believe… I don't know how to…'

'Thank me? By getting back here alive. By doing some work for a change. Tony, if traffic's really lousy, use the siren.'

As the patrol car squealed from One Police Plaza, two men watched intensely from a perfect duplicate of a telephone-company van parked down the street. Each had a ring in his pocket, a gleaming ruby overlaid with a golden insignia of an intersecting sword and cross.