Your Next Breath

by Iris Johansen

“How do you…” He stopped. “That’s not true.”

  “It’s true. I took a long look at all the people trusted to care for Jane. You were high on my list of suspects. Let’s check it. Give me your phone.”

  “No. You have no right to—”

  But Caleb had already grabbed Chalce’s cell from his pocket and was going through the directory.

  “Why me?” Chalce asked. “Why would you think I’d do it?”

  “You’re so nauseatingly wholesome. That automatically sends up a red flag to me. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s nothing the least wholesome about me. I was going to steal your cell anyway, but you moved too fast today.”

  “Steal?”

  “It’s easy for me. I seem to distract people when I get near them.” He nodded. “Here it is. Manuel Dorgal.” He shoved the cell back to him. “I want you to use that phone right now.”

  “Why should I?” he said defiantly. “Why should I do anything you want? This is all guesses and lies.”

  “Why should you?” Caleb’s hands were suddenly on his throat. “Because I’m very angry with you. Because you might live a little longer if you give me Dorgal. Tell me what you were supposed to do after you killed Jane.”

  “I didn’t kill her.”

  “Don’t lie.” His hands tightened on John’s throat. “That annoys me, and you don’t want me annoyed any more than I am right now. Do you feel the blood pumping in the veins of your throat? So fast … Soon it will be even faster, and the pain will start.”

  It was starting now, and so was the panic. He couldn’t keep his eyes from Caleb’s. “I … didn’t mean to kill her. Dorgal made me.”

  “Liar. Tell me what you’re supposed to do.”

  “Leave the hospital and call Dorgal. He has orders to personally validate the death. I think he wants to take pictures or something.”

  “When?”

  “Right away. Tonight. Though they might do an autopsy since the death was unexpected.”

  “Completely unexpected,” he said grimly. “She was on her way back.”

  “I had to do it. I was afraid.”

  “You should be afraid right now.”

  He was terrified. He had never seen anything like the ferocity that Caleb was showing him. And the blood was pounding, choking him, causing his eyes to bulge in their sockets. What was the bastard doing to him? “Please…”

  “I’m going to take my hands away from your throat. You’re going to make that call. You’re going to tell Dorgal that everything went well, and she’s ready for her close-up. You’re going to sound absolutely normal, then you’re going to hang up. Do you understand?”

  He nodded. “Anything you say. And then you’ll let me go?”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. I might exchange one murderer for another. But you won’t have a chance if you don’t do what I tell you.”

  “I’ll do it.” He grabbed his phone from his pocket. “It was Dorgal who’s to blame. It’s not my fault.” His hand was shaking as he dialed Dorgal’s number. Two rings, and Dorgal picked up. “She’s dead,” John said. “No problem. I’m leaving for the airport now. Transfer the rest of the money into my account in Grand Cayman.”

  “You’ll get it after I verify that you did the job.” Dorgal paused. “You sound a little breathless.”

  “I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m glad it’s over.”

  “I hate working with amateurs.”

  “Just give me my money.” He hung up. He looked at Caleb. “Okay?”

  “Good enough.”

  “Then let me go.”

  Caleb shook his head.

  Panic. “You said that maybe you’d do it.”

  “You told Dorgal that you were glad it was over. Did you think how Jane might feel as she took those last breaths? You didn’t care whether she lived or died as long as you got your money.” His hands closed on his throat again. “But I care, Chalce. Do you feel how much I care?”

  Blood pounding.

  Heart pounding.

  Was he dying?

  Darkness.

  4:22 A.M.

  The morgue was cool, almost cold.

  The lights over the three metal tables brilliant and glaring.

  And on one table, a figure covered by a white sheet.

  Dorgal moved quickly from the door toward the table.

  Shoot the damn photo and get out of here. The place was beginning to stir, and he’d noticed that there was a light on in the small reception office across the hall. He wouldn’t have risked going through with the damn verification if Santos hadn’t insisted. He’d said that it would be more effective if he could show Ling a photo of the actual body.

  And he would show MacGuire’s body, and Santos would realize once more what a valuable asset Dorgal was to him.

  Quick.

  He flipped the sheet down and aimed his phone at that beautiful, peaceful face.

  One picture.

  Two.

  Three.

  Enough.

  He jammed his phone back in his pocket and started for the door.

  “Dammit, he’s getting away, Caleb. Do something!”

  Dorgal froze.

  What the hell?

  He whirled back around.

  Jane MacGuire’s eyes were open, and she was glaring at him. She said softly, “Surprised?”

  He reached for his gun.

  And tumbled to the floor as Seth Caleb sprang from behind one of the file cabinets and tackled him. “I was getting to it, Jane.” His fist crashed into Dorgal’s jaw. “I wanted him to get a little farther away from you.”

  “I didn’t want to wait. I felt … violated.”

  “Bitch.” Dorgal grunted. He was struggling wildly. “Chalce sold me out?”

  “Not in the beginning. He didn’t know. I switched the poison you so kindly provided him.”

  “Fool. I’ll kill him. I’ll kill you.” He rolled sideways and broke free. Suddenly, there was a knife in his hand, plunging at Caleb. He made contact, but Caleb slid away. And then the knife was gone, skittering across the floor toward the door.

  The door was opening, and the knife was being snatched up by the man standing there.

  “Get off him, Caleb,” Joe Quinn said grimly. “I want my turn with him.”

  “Not now. We still have a use for him.”

  “Tell that to Eve. She’s had enough of this charade. She wants someone to pay.”

  “Later. Give me your cuffs.”

  Joe reluctantly tossed his cuffs to Caleb. “He took the photos?”

  Caleb nodded as he cuffed Dorgal’s hands behind him. “He was in a big hurry.”

  “Santos will kill all of you,” Dorgal could feel the humiliation and fear tying his stomach in knots. Make a deal, then find a way to take them down. “He missed MacGuire this time, but he’ll get her the next. If you want to live, you need me.”

  “Do I?” Caleb got to his feet and moved back toward the metal table where Jane MacGuire lay. “You’re right. You wouldn’t be alive right now if I didn’t have a use for you.” He looked down at Jane. “How do you feel?” he asked quietly. “Was it too much for you?”

  “No.” She looked him in the eye. “Not exactly where I’d choose to spend the night. But it was necessary, wasn’t it?” Her gaze shifted to Dorgal. “He’s the one who gives the orders for Santos? He’s probably the one who arranged for me to be shot in the first place.”

  “There’s a good chance,” Joe said. He looked down at the knife in his hand. “Maybe just a few minor but painful cuts?”

  “No, not unless he doesn’t cooperate.” Caleb’s gaze had never left Jane. “We’ve got to get her out of here. Eve’s talked the doctor into ordering her to be slipped into an isolation room for the next couple days. Questionable, high-level contagion. Strictly limited access. As far as anyone but three members of the hospital staff on the ICU floor are concerned, Jane died of a drug reaction and remains here for the time being.”

  “High-
level contagion?” Jane repeated.

  “Atlanta has the CDC. Lots of bad stuff. Even the hospital staff would be scared,” Caleb said. “A good choice.”

  “Thank you.” Eve pushed open the door and came into the room. She scarcely glanced at Dorgal as she hurried past him on the way to Jane. “Hi.” She gently pushed a strand of hair away from Jane’s face. “How are you doing? He didn’t hurt you?”

  Jane smiled. “No, I just held my breath when I heard him coming toward me, as Caleb told me to do. But then I thought he might get away when he started hurrying out, and I ruined my death scene.”

  “She couldn’t resist expressing her displeasure with me,” Caleb said. “Only to be expected.”

  Eve looked at Dorgal for the first time. “I would have been worried about his getting away, too. After all Jane had to go through for us to stage this little drama, I would have jumped him the minute he got near her.”

  “I had to have the photos,” Caleb said. “That’s what this was all about, wasn’t it, Dorgal?”

  “We need to make a deal,” Dorgal said. “Okay, you’ve got me, but I’m no good to you. Santos is the only one who can call off the killing.”

  “Are you offering us Santos?”

  “I can’t do that. Look, if you think that because you have me that you can bargain with Santos, you’re crazy. He doesn’t trust me. He doesn’t trust anyone.” He paused. “But I might be able to tell you where he’s located.”

  “That’s no longer a valuable bargaining chip. Catherine knows where his compound’s located.”

  “Then perhaps I can persuade Santos to—”

  “I don’t believe that Santos is persuadable,” Caleb said. “Let’s call Catherine and see what she thinks, Eve.”

  Eve reached into her bag and pulled out her iPad. “I promised I’d call her on Skype when it was over anyway. She was scared to death something would go wrong.”

  “Skype?” Jane said.

  “She wanted to see you,” Eve said. “Because she knew that she’d probably be forced to see Santos’s photos he received from Dorgal.” She made the connection. “Catherine. Everyone’s safe, and we’ve got Dorgal.” She turned the iPad toward Jane. “You see, she’s fine. In a few minutes, we’ll be taking her to a safe room in the hospital and tucking her in for the rest of the night.”

  “Thank God,” Catherine said. “I’m sorry, Jane. I seem to be always putting you on the spot.”

  “You’re trying to get me out of this particular spot. Stop giving yourself guilt trips.” Jane made a face. “And at least it was more interesting than lying in bed and feeling completely useless. Though when you called Eve and told her that you’d found out that Dorgal was heading for Atlanta and you thought that he and his henchmen were going to make another try at killing me, I admit I was a little shook.”

  “I was tempted not to even involve you,” Eve said. “But Catherine said that she needed a reason to make Santos think that she was so terrified that she’d turn herself over to him on the condition he wouldn’t kill anyone else she loved.”

  “So I had to be involved,” Jane said. “And preferably dead.”

  Eve shuddered. “Don’t say that. This whole day has been a nightmare.”

  “You did a great job pretending that nightmare was real,” Joe said. “Tears, near hysteria.”

  “That wasn’t all pretense,” Eve said curtly. “After Caleb zeroed in on Chalce as Dorgal’s likely accomplice, I was terrified. I was scared to death that maybe Caleb hadn’t managed to switch that poison he found in Chalce’s apartment. That maybe we’d killed her.”

  Caleb shook his head. “I would never have left her alone with him if I hadn’t been sure she was safe.”

  Eve shrugged. “I was running every bad-case scenario on the planet.” She said to Catherine, “Anyway, Jane is safe. When Santos tells you that she’s dead, it’s a lie. We’ll keep Dorgal from doing any more damage. Go play your game with him and blow the bastard out of the water.”

  “I’ll do my best.” She paused. “You’ve all been wonderful. When I called and gave you that hideous job to do, I wasn’t certain that—” She stopped. “But I should have known better. You’ve never failed me.” She smiled. “I’ll call you when I know something. Or after I give Santos his gift from you. Take care.” She hung up.

  “What gift?” Jane asked, puzzled.

  “Just a little remembrance.” Eve turned to Dorgal. “I’m sure he knows what she was talking about. Perhaps we should give one to you, Dorgal.”

  “Maybe later,” Caleb said. “He has a few things to do first.”

  “What things?” Dorgal said warily.

  “First, you’re going to e-mail those photos of Jane to Santos.” He looked down at Dorgal’s cuffs. “Or I’ll do it for you. You appear to be incapacitated.” He took Dorgal’s phone out of his jacket, dialed up Santos, and texted, “Just a brief message. Chalce’s mission verified. Know you’ll be pleased.” He pressed the send on the photos. “Death does please Santos, doesn’t it? Sometimes it pleases me, too.”

  Darkness. Violence. Ferocity. All were in Caleb’s face as he was looking at him. For the first time, Dorgal was afraid. “What are you going to do to me?” he asked hoarsely.

  “I’m thinking about it. Nothing at the moment. I’ve got to go with Eve and see that Jane is safely settled in that isolation room.” He turned to Joe. “Will you take Dorgal to my car and wait with him until I get through? Please don’t kill him. I have a use for him.”

  “I’ll try to restrain myself,” Joe said coolly. “It won’t be easy.”

  “Where are you taking me?” Dorgal asked. “We should deal. I have money.”

  “Blood money. I’m going to take you for a ride up the interstate to Louisville. I’m sure you have men there who are on watch at Catherine’s home. You’re going to identify every one and tell me what you have in mind for them if Santos decides to attack that house. You won’t miss even one because I’ll know.”

  “How?”

  “Why, I’m a hunter. Violent. Ruthless. Deadly. Not at all a nice guy. Ask Jane.” He turned and headed for the door. “I’ll go get that bed we stashed in the other office and wheel it in here.”

  “Caleb.”

  He looked back at Jane. “What?”

  “You are a hunter. You proved that tonight. We might not have survived if you hadn’t.” She paused. “But that’s not all you are.”

  “But you’re not sure what else I am.” He shrugged. “Maybe someday you’ll figure it out. Or maybe not.” He opened the door. “Why should I care? Enigmas are so much more interesting.”

  * * *

  “They did it.” Catherine turned to Cameron, her eyes shining with excitement. “I can’t believe it. They not only set up Santos, but they removed Dorgal as a threat. I only asked Eve to protect Jane and try to make it logical that I’d go along with Santos’s suggestion to put myself on the chopping block.”

  “And they did much more.” Cameron smiled. “Why are you so surprised? You’ve surrounded yourself with extraordinary people. It’s natural they would behave in an extraordinary manner and go the extra distance.” His smile faded. “But there’s still a threat to Luke and the others. Dorgal might be forced to reveal Santos’s plans to kill them, but all he has to do is leave out one element, and they’re dead if Santos gives the word.”

  “He won’t give the word.” But his words had quenched her exuberance. Yes, everything had gone well, but they wouldn’t be home free until Santos was dead. “Eve and the others have done their part. Now it’s time for me to do mine.” She moved over to the window overlooking the harbor. “I should be hearing from Santos soon. Shouldn’t you be getting out of here? You told me that Dario and his men had arrived at the airport.”

  “I have some time. Dario is capable of equipping his team and arranging for transport to the island.”

  “But you don’t like to rely on anyone but yourself.” She smiled crookedly. “You’re sure that no
one can handle anything better than you do. It’s that control thing.”

  “You mean arrogance.”

  “I used to believe that was at the bottom of it. Sometimes, I still do. But I’m leaning toward thinking that you have a king-size sense of responsibility that won’t let you give up authority.”

  “Except to you.”

  “Which you still managed to skirt.” She glanced over her shoulder. “And I’m thinking that responsibility is kicking in right now, and you’re reluctant to leave me to my own devices. Get out of here, Cameron. You know I can take care of myself.”

  “Of course you can.” He moved across the room toward her. “But I find I’m having a problem with letting you go right now.” He stopped before her, and his hand reached out and touched her throat. “We could change the plan. Instead of Dario and I taking out Santos’s men on the island. You could go with us, and we could—”

  “No.” She stared at him in exasperation. “You know that it’s better and less risky for me to zero in on Santos. Divide and conquer, dammit.”

  “Conquer?” His hand tightened on her throat before it loosened and fell away. “Why am I having trouble embracing that concept? All I can think about is Santos cutting your throat after he finishes torturing you.” He leaned forward, and his lips brushed her throat with infinite sensuality. “And not being able to do this ever again. So shortsighted of me.”

  My God, the feel of him. That face, those light eyes that told so much and yet nothing at all, that strength that she wanted to draw inside her until all the madness was over.

  Then he was stepping away from her and moving toward the door. “So I’ll just have to make sure that Santos doesn’t have a chance to cheat me. Go ahead and play your game with Santos as Eve told you. I’ll step in and referee if it gets too rough. Call me when Santos contacts you. It’s the least that—”

  Her cell phone rang.

  “Or maybe you won’t have to call me,” Cameron said grimly. “Santos?”

  She nodded, drew a deep breath, and punched the access. “You bastard. What kind of monster are you? Jane was helpless.”

  “You sound upset,” Santos said mockingly. “But I tried to tell you that you couldn’t stop me. How was your friend, Eve, when she told you about her dear, Jane?”