No One to Trust

by Iris Johansen

  Barry!

  Then the truck was gone, traveling at high speed down the road.

  “Catch him.” Her hands clenched into fists. “We’ve got to catch him.”

  “I know.” Galen’s wheels screeched as he backed out of the parking space. “Fasten your seat belt.”

  By the time they reached the road, Judd was almost out of sight.

  Galen’s foot jammed on the accelerator and the car jumped forward.

  Faster.

  Gas stations, convenience stores.

  Faster.

  She couldn’t see the black truck any longer.

  One mile.

  Two miles.

  Where was that damn truck?

  “Where is he?” she whispered.

  “We lost him. He must have turned off somewhere.” He turned around. “We’ll go back and go down some side streets.”

  They spent the next hour crisscrossing the main road.

  No black truck.

  No Barry.

  Galen finally pulled over to the side of the road. “He got away from us.”

  “I know that.” Her disappointment was so sharp it was almost physical. “We were so close.”

  “We’ll get there again.” Galen moved the car back into the flow of traffic. “What now?”

  She tried to think. “Motels. They had to be staying at a motel in the general area. Let’s find a phone book and go check them.”

  “A slim chance.”

  “So was the carnival.”

  “Good point. I’ll pull over at the first convenience store and we’ll go through the phone book.”

  They called thirteen room clerks at various motels before they struck pay dirt. Ten minutes later they were standing in front of the check-in desk.

  “That’s Mr. Donovan,” the woman said. “Real pleasant gentleman, and his son was a charmer.”

  “Did you hear him call the boy by name?” Galen asked.

  She wrinkled her forehead. “Larry, I think.”

  “Barry?”

  She smiled. “That’s it.”

  “What room is he in?”

  “Forty-two. But he checked out earlier this evening.”

  “Could I see the room and look around?”

  She lost some of her friendliness. “Why?”

  “I’m hoping to find some clue to where he’s going next. I need to find him.” He gestured at Elena. “They’re in the middle of a very nasty divorce and he’s taken their son.”

  The woman glanced at Elena. “I’m sorry. I could see you were upset.”

  “Yes, I am. Could we see the room? We’ll be only a few minutes.”

  “I’ll have to go along and stay while you’re there.”

  “Fine.” Galen turned toward the door. “Let’s do it.”

  The motel room was really a suite with a living room, bedroom, and kitchenette. The maids had obviously not cleaned up. There were newspapers on the coffee table and soda glasses on the sink.

  And on the nightstand a piece of paper with a tiger and flowers scrawled in orange crayon. She picked up the paper and agony shot through her.

  I saw lions and tigers.…

  “Take it easy,” Galen said beside her. “There’s an envelope underneath it.” He picked it up and opened the envelope. “It has my name on it. It seems we were expected.” He scanned it and handed it to Elena. “No help.”

  Galen,

  Sorry we missed you. Good work, though.

  Judd

  “We can’t do anything more here,” Galen said gently. “Let’s go back to the cottage. Ready, Elena?”

  She nodded jerkily and thrust the note back at him. Then she carefully smoothed Barry’s picture and carried it to the door. “I’m ready. You’re right, there’s nothing more we can do.”

  I saw lions and tigers, Mama.

  “Thirty million,” Judd said crisply. “Not a penny less.”

  “You’re crazy,” Chavez said. “I won’t pay more than ten.”

  “Yes, you will. Thirty million is a drop in the bucket to you. You can get that on a small shipment of coke to Miami.”

  “Because I can get it is no sign I will.”

  “What I’m selling you is priceless. You can’t get it anywhere else.”

  “I won’t pay it.”

  “Did you get the photograph I sent you?”

  “Yes.”

  “The next one I send you will show you a dead boy. Then no more dreams of a father-and-son business. No more child to mold.”

  “You would kill a child?”

  “Did you check my background? A kill is a kill. Do you want the boy or not?”

  “Fifteen million.”

  “I need more than that. As you probably found out, I’m very hot. It will take a lot of cash to cool me down. Thirty.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “I’ll give you twenty-four hours. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He hung up.

  “Judd,” Barry called from the bathroom.

  “Coming.” He stood in the doorway and looked at Barry in the tub. “Problem washing behind your ears?”

  “No.” He floated the rubber crocodile on the water. “I was just lonesome. Are you ever lonesome, Judd?”

  “No, I guess I like my own company too much.”

  “I miss Mama and Dominic.”

  “Aren’t you having a good time?”

  He nodded. “But I worry about Mama.”

  “Sometimes it’s best to get used to being without people. Then it doesn’t hurt so much.”

  He shook his head emphatically. “Not Mama. When she had to go to the city to work, I never got used to it. Maybe we should—”

  “Your mama wants you to have this adventure. She’ll be disappointed if she thinks you’re not happy.”

  Barry frowned, troubled. “I guess so.”

  “Then get out of that tub before you turn into a prune.” Judd grabbed a bath towel and held it for him. “You need to get to sleep. Tomorrow we’re going to a petting zoo. Would you like that?”

  Barry’s face lit up. “Oh, yes. Will they have llamas? I saw a llama once.”

  “I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out together.”

  “And I can talk to Mama and tell her about it?”

  He draped the towel around him. “Absolutely.”

  “That’s good.” He ran out of the bathroom.

  Well, there wasn’t much else good in this entire scenario, Judd thought wearily. The whole business was making him a little sick. Not that the nastiness of it would cause him to back down.

  Thirty million dollars was good. Being free to live his own life was good. He could swallow the filth and do whatever was necessary.

  “Come on, time for bed.” Galen helped Elena out of the car. “Judd will call tomorrow and maybe we’ll get another clue as to where he is.”

  “Yes.” She clutched Barry’s drawing as she started up the stairs. “He promised, didn’t he?”

  “Yes.” He led her through the dark house to her bedroom. “And he’ll keep his promise.” He took the drawing from her clenched hand and set it on the nightstand. He started to unbutton her shirt.

  “I can do it.”

  “Sure.” He finished unbuttoning her shirt. “But you’ve had a knockout punch. Let me.”

  She didn’t care. It didn’t matter.

  He quickly undressed her and tucked her beneath the blanket. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get you a couple aspirin.” He gave her the aspirin and then slipped into bed beside her. “God, you’re cold.” He cuddled closer to her. “Try to go to sleep.”

  She closed her eyes. “Lions and tigers … Barry has a book about a tiger named Sarina. It was a very playful tiger, and I wondered if the writer shouldn’t have given a hint about how dangerous they are. But I thought it was okay because you don’t run into tigers every day.”

  “Very rarely.”

  “But Barry has run into a tiger, and no matter how playful he seems, the danger is there. T
here’s no telling what Judd could do.”

  “Nothing’s happened yet. I agree Judd is an enigma, but we have to hope for the best.”

  “The best is for him to give me back my son. He’s not going to do that.”

  “No.”

  “I’m going to sleep now. It hurts to stay awake. It’s so lonely. Dominic is gone, Luis is gone, and now Barry.…”

  “How many times do I have to tell you? You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again. Trust me.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m whining. I’ll be better in the morning. Good night.”

  “Don’t close me out. Let me come in. I’ll warm you.”

  He was warming her, but not enough to melt the ice. “Good night,” she said again.

  He gave an exasperated sigh and his arms tightened around her. “Okay, but I’m here for you. Know that.”

  She nodded. In some remote part of her mind she knew that as truth and it brought her comfort. She had to get over this deadly malaise. It made it difficult for her to function. It was an enemy. “I’ll be better. I have to be better. I have to get Barry.…”

  “You’ll be tough as nails after you get some sleep.” He pressed his lips to her temple. “I promise you.”

  Chavez called at four in the morning.

  “He wants to talk to you,” Galen said. “You’re not in any shape. Let me handle him.”

  She shook her head and took the phone. “We have nothing to talk about, Chavez.”

  “I disagree. We have a good deal to discuss. You didn’t tell me that you no longer have my son.”

  “I do have Barry.”

  “I’ve had talks with a man who says that he has custody and is willing to give him to me for a price.”

  “He’s lying. You’d be a fool to deal with him.”

  “I never act the fool. He sent me a picture of Barry and demanded thirty million dollars.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “That’s a lot of money. Naturally, I told him that I wouldn’t pay it. Do you know what he said? He told me the next picture he sent me would be of a dead boy.”

  She inhaled sharply as pain knifed through her.

  “Oh, that got you. I hoped it would. So, you see, it’s up to me whether the boy lives or dies. I’m really tempted to let Morgan kill him just to see you suffer.”

  “Morgan won’t kill him.”

  “Wishful thinking. He’s capable of anything. He’s killed countless times. I researched him thoroughly, and his background is very nasty indeed.”

  “He won’t … do it.”

  “Oh, he will, if I don’t pay the money. Should I do it? Is it worth it to me? You’ll have to wonder, won’t you?”

  “You want my son. It will be worth it to you.”

  “Your voice is shaking. I feel quite stimulated by this conversation. It’s almost as satisfactory as having you here with me. If I do decide to ransom my son, I’ll be in total control of his life or death. If I decide that you’ve spoiled any potential he might have, then I’ll get rid of him.”

  “To hurt me.”

  “Oh, yes, that’s my prime goal.”

  “I don’t believe you. You’re bluffing. It would be stupid of you to kill him. That would be a defeat for you.”

  “But you have to have the tiniest doubt. In the meantime, I’ll leave you to wonder whether I’ll really pay Morgan. Maybe I’ll have him send that next picture to you.” He hung up.

  “I told you I should talk to him. What is it?” Galen asked as he took the phone from her lifeless hand.

  “Thirty million dollars or Judd threatened to kill Barry.”

  Galen swore. “Chavez could be lying.”

  “I don’t think so. He was getting too much satisfaction out of hurting me.”

  “Is he going to pay?”

  “He wouldn’t tell me.”

  “He’ll pay.”

  “I … think so.” She compressed her lips to keep them from trembling. “I have to think so.”

  “Even if he doesn’t, Judd could be bluffing.”

  “Judd never impressed me as a man who bluffs.” She got out of bed. “We have to find him.”

  “He’ll call today. Where are you going? We can’t do anything right now.”

  “I can’t stay in this bed. I have to do something, anything.”

  He studied her for a moment and then slowly nodded. “You’re right. You have to do something.” He got out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. “Get dressed. I’ll meet you downstairs in five minutes.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Outside. It’s not the barn, but it will have to do.”

  “No holds barred.” Galen threw his shirt beneath a tree. “Come and get me.”

  “I don’t want to fight you.”

  “You won’t hurt me. I’m probably as good as you are.”

  “What is this? Some kind of therapy? This is useless.”

  He made a lightning step forward and swept her legs from under her. She crumpled to the ground.

  He ran toward her and she automatically rolled over, grabbed his ankle, and twisted it. She jumped to her feet and gave him a roundhouse kick to the abdomen as he got up.

  He grunted before grabbing her foot and yanking it, bringing her down.

  She felt a surge of anger mixed with sheer adrenaline as she dodged to the side and attacked again.

  It was not like sparring with Judd. Galen was better, quicker, and he seemed not to feel the punishment she was inflicting.

  “Is that all you can do? Maybe you’d better pretend I’m Judd. It might give you more incentive. Or maybe Chavez.”

  “I don’t need an incentive.” She ducked and attacked again.

  Fifteen minutes passed, and she was breathless and no longer sure whom she was fighting. Judd. Chavez. Galen. They were all whirling before her as she attacked and attacked and attacked again.

  “Okay. Okay.” Galen was breathless as he finally backed away from her. “I give up. I don’t need any more damage.”

  She stood there, her breasts rising and falling with every breath. “You’re … done?”

  “We’re done.” He wiped his sweaty face on his shirt. “Let’s hit the shower. I have some bruises I need to take care of.”

  “I hurt you?”

  “No more than I expected. I imagine you’ll find a few bruises too.” He held the screen door open for her. “If you don’t, I’ll feel more of a failure than I do now.”

  The haze of adrenaline was gradually ebbing and she was able to think again. “You didn’t want to beat me. You were acting as a punching bag.”

  “The hell I was.” He winced as he flexed his arm. “That was purely a side effect. Come on. Shower.”

  She didn’t move. “Why?”

  “Because I stink?”

  “Why did you do it?”

  “What else can you do at four in the morning? Don’t answer that. I’m trying not to think of the alternatives.”

  “So you decided to knock me around.”

  “That’s right. I needed to release my inner hostility.”

  “Bullshit.”

  He smiled. “How do you feel?”

  She thought about it. “Strong. Very strong.”

  “Not defenseless?”

  “No way.”

  “Then I’ll postpone the shower and make some coffee while we decide what you want for breakfast.” He moved toward the kitchen. “Or maybe not. Caffeine may rouse the tiger in you again.”

  I saw lions and tigers.…

  The memory brought pain but not the terrible feeling of helplessness.

  “You have an unusual way of handling depression, Galen. You see a woman who is down and out and try to pound her into the ground.”

  “Whatever works. Tender loving care wasn’t doing the job.” He flipped on the kitchen lights. “You can function now. Lord, can you function.”

  Yes, she could function. She could feel the blood flowing through her veins, and her mind was alert
. Galen had given her release and confidence. God, what enormous gifts in this time of need.

  She tore her gaze away from him. “You weren’t so bad yourself.” She went to the cabinet and took down two cups. “Okay, now we have to decide whether to stake out Chavez or continue to go after Judd.”

  “I’ll pay it, Morgan,” Chavez said. “But I want a little something extra.”

  “You’re getting what you pay for. Nothing else.”

  “Thirty million is an exorbitant fee for one little boy. I think I deserve more. It won’t be anything you’re not accustomed to doing.”

  “And what is that?”

  “I want Elena Kyler. Alive preferably, but I’ll accept her dead if it proves impossible.”

  Judd was silent a moment. “Why should I give you anything?”

  “I’m reluctant to give you this much money. I can stretch our negotiations out for a long time, and you want them over. You’re probably tap dancing to keep ahead of Galen and Elena right now. All you have to do is give me Elena and it’s a done deal.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “I’ll add another five million dollars to the pot if you bring her to me alive. I’ll also put pressure on a few senators I have in my pocket to take the heat off you.”

  “It’s an interesting proposition.”

  “And one you won’t get from me again. It will be easy for you. I don’t even know why you’re hesitating.”

  “I’ll let you know.” He hung up the phone.

  It will be easy for you.

  It was natural for Chavez to believe that betrayal and murder would be simple for him. It had been his life for too many years. How difficult would it be to slip back into the habits of the past?

  Chavez was right. Judd needed to be done with these negotiations. Galen and Elena had almost caught him last night at the carnival. He was lucky that Barry had not seen them. He needed the money. He needed to be rid of the kid.

  So what to do?

  Chavez thought he knew what his decision would be. Was he right?

  Betrayal and murder …

  15

  “What are we waiting for? Judd’s not going to call.” Elena stood at the window gazing blindly out at the lake. “I think we should go to Miami to get Chavez.”