Iris Johansen - Blind Alley

“I'm not afraid.”

“Admit it. You're out of your league, Aldo. I'll be there tomorrow night. Come or don't come. I don't care. I'll have a chance to kill you another day. But this is your last chance. After that press conference it won't matter if you destroy the reconstruction. I'll live on forever.”

“No! It won't happen and I won't be taunted by you.”

“Then don't come. Read about it in the newspapers.” She hung up, drew a deep breath, and looked at Trevor. “How did I do?”

“You could have fooled me,” Trevor said.

She shook her head. “He was very wary.” She paused. “I keep thinking about that video of him in the vomitorium. He looked so triumphant, so at home in that tunnel.” She shivered. “I felt caught, smothered, down there. And you said they were like a maze.”

“But you're not going to have to know anything about the tunnels. And remember, Aldo is in the same boat as you are. He's not familiar with the Via Spagnola tunnels. Even if he's been doing some tentative exploring, it would take months to learn them without a map.”

“Do you think he'll come?”

“If he can find an advantage, if he can see any way he can kill you and survive.”

“It won't be easy. He's going to be suspicious. He knows you and Joe will be trying to trap him.”

“But you threw down the ultimate challenge and he's just nuts enough to try to do it. Isn't that what we've been counting on?”

Madness and that sick hunger to kill. “Yes.”

“And he'll be down there checking out the immediate area. He won't find anything but what we want him to find. Our principal advantage is the temptation you offer and his desperation at the thought of Cira becoming a household name. If anything will draw him out of his hole into the open that will be it.”

She tried to think, mentally going over the conversation word for word. “I have to look vulnerable. He's not going to show his face if I show up armed to the teeth.”

His lips tightened. “There's no way you're going down there without a weapon.”

“Do you think I'm crazy? But no jacket or pockets that could hide a weapon.” She repeated, “I've got to look vulnerable. You'll have to plant a gun somewhere I can get to it fast.”

He thought about it. “Underneath the red velvet throw. Lower right-hand corner as you come out of the tunnel. It will only take you seconds to get to it. And we'll plant another in the coffin itself. Just in case.”

Just in case something went wrong. She didn't want to consider that possibility. “Tomorrow night.” She tried to keep her voice even. “After all this time it seems impossible it's finally—”

“Stop thinking about it,” he said roughly. “If you're going to opt out, do it. I did the best I could but I don't like it. You'll be lucky if we don't get you killed.”

“You don't have to like it. All you have to do is protect Joe and Eve.” She paused. “You keep trying to talk me out of this. You seem . . . torn. Maybe it wasn't only the money. Perhaps this Pietro did mean something to you.”

“How kind of you to grant that I have a few human feelings.”

“How am I supposed to know what you're feeling when you don't let anyone see them? Was it the gold or was it Pietro Tatligno?”

“The gold, of course.”

“Damn you, talk to me.”

“What do you want from me?” His lips twisted. “Do you want me to tell you that Pietro saved my ass in Colombia? That he was the only person I ever knew that I felt I could trust? That he was closer than a brother to me?”

“Was he?” she whispered.

“Hell, no. It's all a bunch of lies. Of course it was the gold.” He stood up and headed for the door. “Let's go tell Eve and Quinn we've made the connection.”

October 21

7:37 P.M.

It was getting dark.

“It's time,” Trevor said quietly from the doorway. “You told me to tell you when Quinn was going down to the tunnel. He's heading for the kitchen now.”

Jane turned away from the parlor window and started for the hall. “You checked out the passageway?”

“I've just come back.” He smiled. “Can't you tell? I look like I've been crawling through a sewer. It's safe. First, Bartlett and I carried the coffin down and positioned it and then I checked out the passage. And I've left Bartlett down there to make sure it stays safe until Quinn gets to his ledge.”

She stopped. “Bartlett?”

“Don't worry. I gave him a shotgun and orders to fire at anyone but me or Quinn. You don't have to have much martial skill to be intimidating with a shotgun. After we get down there, Bartlett is going to stay near the ladder and guard the entrance to the villa. It's best that someone is outside those tunnels to give warning, if something goes wrong.”

If something goes wrong. Yet another qualification that filled her with panic. “I thought Bartlett was going to stay up here with Eve.”

“So did I. But he decided that wasn't going to happen. I arranged for there to be four security men to stay with her instead. Lord knows what other security Quinn's set up.”

“You promised me.”

“And I'll keep it. I won't let Aldo get past me to climb the ladder to the villa.” He nudged her toward the kitchen. “If you want to see Quinn before he goes down, you'd better hurry. He was opening the trapdoor when I left him.”

“We give Joe fifteen minutes and then we follow him?”

Trevor nodded. “That should give him time to get up on the ledge and position himself. I'll be there to back him up in—”

“Eve!” Jane ran toward the trapdoor. “What are you doing?”

Eve was on the third step descending the ladder. “What does it look like?” She took another step down. “Really, Jane. What did you expect? I wasn't going to let Joe or you go down there without me.”

“You were supposed to—” She whirled on Joe. “Tell her— Keep her out of there.”

“Do you think I haven't tried? Can't do it. You know her. All we can hope for is damage control.”

“Why didn't you tell me?” Her voice was anguished. “Why didn't you—”

“Because I knew you'd be upset.” Eve grimaced. “And you are. But now you don't have to stew about it for days. Come on, Joe. Let's get going.”

“Don't do this, Eve,” Jane pleaded. “Please.”

Eve shook her head. “Jane, we're a family. We do things together.” She took another two steps down and disappeared from view.

“No!”

Joe started down the ladder. “You can't budge her. I'll take care of her, Jane.”

“Take care of yourself, Joe,” she whispered. Dear God, she had a terrible sinking feeling. It was only beginning and everything was going wrong.

Joe was out of sight. Lost in the darkness of the tunnel.

“I didn't know,” Trevor said. “As God is my witness, I thought Eve was staying here in the villa.”

“I know you did,” she said shakily. “It almost makes you believe in fate, doesn't it?” She shook her head to clear it. “But not Aldo's version of destiny. We can't let that happen.”

“She'll be with Quinn and me. I'll keep my promise.”

“You'd better.” She wanted to start down that ladder, run after Eve and Joe through the darkness. She couldn't do it, she realized frantically. She had to wait until they got into position on that ledge.

Fifteen minutes.

October 21

8:02 P.M.

“I leave you here,” Trevor said in a low voice as he fell to his knees at the entrance of the passage leading to Joe's ledge. “I'm going to work my way around to where Joe and Eve are waiting. The vomitorium is right ahead.” He handed her a flashlight. “Remember, a thirty-two Smith and Wesson is under the velvet throw and another gun is in the coffin. Joe said you knew how to use it, but don't do it unless you have to. If Aldo sees you with it, he may decide that a long-range killing isn't that bad. When you get up ahead, the torches are lit. But it's best if you try to stay in the shadows.”