James Patterson - Judge & Jury

"You know, I'm actually starting to believe that Witness Protection thing." She eyed him with a coy smile.

The waiter brought their drinks. Andie lifted her margarita. Cavello, his vodka.

"To the end of the world," he said,"and whatever hopes and expectations go along with it."

Andie met his eyes. They clinked glasses."Sounds like a plan."

She took a sip and looked past him into the square. Somewhere out there Nick was watching. That gave her strength, and God she needed it right now.

"So, what sort of hopes and expectations do you have, Frank?" she asked, peering over her sunglasses.

"Actually, I was thinking of you."

"Me?" Andie, nervous again, put down her glass."What do you know about me?"

"I know people don't come this far because they're happy. I know you're very attractive, and apparently open to new things. I know you're here."

"You're quite the psychologist."

"I guess I just like people. How their minds work."

He asked about her, and Andie went through the story that she and Nick had fabricated. About how her first marriage had crashed, and how some Boston restaurant where she was a sous-chef had failed, how it was time for a change in her life-new adventures. So here she was.

A couple of times she touched his arm. Cavello responded by leaning closer. She knew how the game was played. Andie just prayed he hadn't already seen through her act.

Finally Cavello locked his hands in front of his face."You know, Alicia, I'm not the kind of person who beats around the bush."

"No, Frank." She took a sip of her drink.

" No, Frank? " He paused, disappointed.

Andie smiled at him."No, Frank, I never got the impression that you were."

Cavello grinned, too. Under the table she shifted her leg so that it brushed against his.

Cavello sat there staring at her. This was so pathetic-and nauseating.

"You might like to see my ranch. It's not too far away. The vistas are some of the best anywhere."

"That would be nice. I'd love it. When were you thinking?"

"Why not this afternoon? After we eat."

"We could do that." Andie shrugged."I have another idea, though. My hotel is just a few blocks away. Frank, I'm pretty sure I can give you an equally stunning view."

I WAS WATCHING the two of them from the cover of the Land Cruiser parked across the square. As Andie and Cavello rose from the table and started toward the hotel, I felt my heart begin to pound. She had done her job. They were heading to her hotel room.

Cavello nodded toward someone in the lead Range Rover, which I was praying meant, Take the rest of the afternoon off.

It didn't.

Two men stepped out immediately. One was squat with a shaved head and a mustache, the other tall with long black hair, wearing an Adidas warm-up top. The bodyguards fell in twenty yards behind. This wasn't good.

For the first time since Andie and I planned this, reality smashed me in the face. I knew that just the feel of Cavello's hand must be agony for her. His putting his hands all over her would be sickening, and maybe too much for her to take. And now there was the issue of the bodyguards. They were obviously accompanying Cavello to the hotel.

I touched the grip of my Glock, loaded and ready in my jacket. Then I stepped out of the Land Cruiser.

The question exploding in my brain-did I try to take them out now?

ANDIE WAS JUMPY as she turned the key to the hotel room door. Cavello barely gave her time to catch a breath."Let me," he whispered, close to her ear.

He took the keys out of her hand and, a second later, pushed her up against the wall inside, pressing his body hard against hers. He put his tongue into her mouth.

Andie almost gagged.

Then Cavello had his hand underneath her T-shirt, pawing at her breasts.

Oh, God. This was Dominic Cavello. He was Jarrod's killer.

Andie closed her eyes, then felt his hand slowly slide down her stomach, slipping underneath her panties.

"You're all hot." Cavello pulled away, grinning luridly.

"Yeah. Let's not rush this, though, Frank. We have all the time in the world."

He pulled her denim jacket off, tossed it on the floor."You know the second I saw you I wanted this to happen. I wanted to take you right in that store."

"Does that mean the trip to the ranch is off?" Andie said, trying to be cute.

Cavello laughed again, pulling her in to him, cupping his hands over her breasts again. She wanted to kill him right now.

"I need a couple of seconds." Andie gasped.

"Not right now." He pulled her T-shirt up, started licking her breasts and shoulders. He began to grind against her thigh. Then he ripped her bra off in a violent tug and started fondling her bare breasts.

"Please, I need a second," she said."The bathroom."

Cavello looked into her eyes."You don't want to back out now?"

"Who's backing out?" Andie tried to laugh, but Cavello grabbed her by the wrist and flung her onto the bed. He seemed out of control. She tried to calm herself, but she was thinking of the knife. She slid herself up to the pillow, where it was hidden. She'd cut through that melon. She could cut Cavello.

Cavello thrust himself between her legs. He was trying to get her jeans off.

"Slower," Andie said, pretending to help him, shuffling back until the pillow was under her head. She reached behind, feeling for the blade. She stretched out, pretending to enjoy Cavello undressing her. She prayed that Nick would come through the door. Where was he?

She felt the handle of the knife under the pillow. She had to get him a little closer. She fixed her eyes on Cavello's neck-the spot where Nick taught her to plunge the blade.

"What's the name of your ship?" Cavello said, startling her.

"What? E-excuse me?" she stammered.

"The name of your ship, Alicia." He had her wrists pinned. She couldn't move."The one to Antarctica."

Andie froze. She stared back into his eyes. Her heart thumped as she struggled for an answer.

"Nothing goes out this time of year. They leave in the spring, not winter," Cavello said."You're a fox, Alicia." He dug one hand into her throat."But now I think it's time you tell me who the hell you are."

THEY'D BEEN UP THERE for seven minutes. I knew I couldn't wait any longer. It didn't matter that the bodyguard in the Adidas warm-up was smoking a cigarette in front of the hotel entrance. Or that the other one, with the shaved head and mustache, had followed Cavello and Andie inside.

I had to go in.

Los Pelicanos wasn't exactly a five-star. It was sleepy and quiet, with a tiny lobby and a single clerk behind the desk. A cramped three-person elevator served its five floors.

I went around back to a small alleyway. I couldn't chance going into the lobby. Above me, there was an old fire escape, the kind with the lowest platform hanging from the second floor. I jumped, latched onto a grate, and yanked myself up. The window facing me opened to what looked like a hallway. But the window was locked.

I cocked my elbow back and hit the pane. Shards of glass shattered all over the floor. I squeezed my hands through the splintered pane and lifted the frame. The window rose. Then I ducked inside the hallway, the Glock in my hand.

In front of me was the elevator landing and a narrow staircase leading to the upper floors. That's where Andie was, on three. I made my way up the stairs.

I stopped on the third-floor landing. I saw Shaved Head leaning against the wall. He had his back turned to me and was gazing out a hallway window.

I rushed him-and he must have heard me coming. In a frantic motion, he fumbled for his gun.