“Exactly how I feel about chocolate.”
“Different strokes.”
I’d been so focused on warming up, I hadn’t noticed the man who’d entered the coffee shop until he broke away from the two women he’d been holding the door open for and headed in our direction.
“Ronnie!” I hissed out her name in warning, but it was too late.
A heartbeat later, Barry was sliding into the booth next to me. Without pausing, he lifted his arm to rest around my shoulders and pressed close. The movement was punctuated by the sharp jab of what I knew was a gun barrel being pressed to my ribs.
I suppressed a wince, but could tell from Ronnie’s expression she knew what was going on.
His eyes roved around the room in that unsettling way I’d noticed before. Finally, he said to Ronnie, “So glad to finally meet you, Veronica.”
I was trying really hard not to panic.
“How did you find us?” I asked, hoping if I got him talking for long enough I’d be able to calm down and start thinking clearly.
“I found you and followed you, of course,” he said dismissively. “Now, we’re going to chat politely for a few minutes, without making a fuss. Aren’t we?”
He pressed the gun harder into my side.
I gritted my teeth.
“Yes,” Ronnie said hastily.
I pressed my lips together and nodded.
“Good. I’d hate to hurt an innocent bystander.”
An instant later his threat was amplified when the plump, pink-cheeked woman who’d served us our coffee stopped by the table and smiled at her new customer.
“Can I get something for you, sir?” she asked Barry.
“A regular coffee, please,” he told her.
“Coming right up.” She smiled cheerfully and bustled away.
“You took my mamere.” Ronnie spoke the words with quiet calm but there was enough acidity in her tone to let Barry know what she thought of him.
“Miss Hallowell is with us, yes.”
“Why? Why are you doing this to my family?”
“You must know how special you are.” He looked at me as if expecting me to back up his declaration. When I didn’t he said, “What she can do—it’s very unique.”
“What am I,” I said, unable to help myself, “chopped liver?”
Nerves make me babble, and right then, with a gun barrel stabbing me in the ribs, I was feeling pretty darn nervous.
“You?” He looked down his nose at me and I noticed his left eye had started to twitch. “Aside from leading us to Veronica, you’ve been rather disappointing.”
“You wouldn’t say that if she had her guard dog,” Ronnie said, emphasizing the last two words.
“I’m not worried about that,” Barry said. “In fact, I’m not sure Miss Wilde here can do what she says she can do. In any case, she’s expendable. Just keep that in mind.”
“You’d shoot me in a coffee shop in front of witnesses?” I said incredulously.
“To keep her—yes.”
“Why? What’s so special about me?” Ronnie asked.
The conversation paused as the woman brought the coffee and set it on the table.
“I’m sure you know,” Barry said when the woman left. “You’re a remote seer, like your grandmother, but what’s more, you can sense others like you.”
“And you want to kill me because of it?”
“Of course not.” He looked genuinely shocked at her accusation.
“Can’t blame her for thinking that,” I said in the most conciliatory voice I could manage. “You did kill her uncle.”
Ronnie’s face displayed several emotions in rapid succession, finally settling on anger. “You killed my uncle?”
“That was a different situation.” Barry waved the question off as if it were a bothersome fly.
“Right. Is this where you tell her you won’t hurt her if she comes with you willingly?”
“No. This is where I tell her I won’t hurt you if you both come with me willingly.”
“No deal,” I said, trying to keep my tone blasé. “I know where I stand with you. You’ll shoot me and dump me in an alleyway as soon as you get her out of here.”
“Very good. Yes, you’re right.” He smiled at me like a teacher might when a typically dense student gets a question correct in class. Well, if we were at Freddy Krueger’s school for the completely crazy.
“I’d rather not, of course. Keeping you both would be ideal.”
“Keeping us both for what?” I asked.
“Research, of course. I’d find out soon enough if your ability is real.”
So much for Logan’s advice.
It wouldn’t have mattered if I’d claimed to be a fraud—it seemed old Barry-boy was keen on “research.” Yippee.
I heard a buzzing noise and Barry touched his free hand to his ear. Glancing over, I saw something I recognized.
An oversized earpiece, exactly like the one Cornelius had seen on the man who was tying up . . . whom? Hattie or some other poor, terrified woman he believed was psychic?
A woman I was supposed to save.
Suddenly, the coffee I’d so enjoyed a minute ago felt like a glob of molten acid in my stomach. Bile rose into my throat. I swallowed it back.
“You’re experimenting on psychics?” Ronnie asked.
“You wouldn’t believe the advances I’ve made.”
“So this is all for the greater good—that’s your pitch?” I scoffed.
“It’s the truth.”
“Call me ignorant, but I don’t see how murdering people is for the good of anybody.” I lifted my hand to stop his reply. “And you can spare me the ‘good of the many’ Wrath of Khan speech. You’re not doing this to advance humankind. You’re doing this for you.”
The tic in his left eyelid became more pronounced as he narrowed his eyes.
“What have you done with your gift, Miss Wilde? What good do you spread? You help little puppies and kitties find good homes. Save the occasional traumatized terrier? What a waste of your talent.”
“Not to the terrier,” I replied.
“Haven’t you ever wondered what more you could contribute? There are scientists all over the globe studying any number of animals in an attempt to benefit mankind.”
“Yeah,” Ronnie said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “It would be a shame to break out after using that expensive makeup.”
“I’m talking about real science,” Barry said. “Understanding echolocation in bats or how homing pigeons navigate. Countless hours have been spent on these pursuits when you could go to the source. You can simply ask the bird, ‘What do you see? How does it work?’ Instead, you contribute nothing.”
I was loath to admit it, but he kind of had a point.
“You both have the ability to tune into a frequency most others can’t detect.” His eyes were zipping around even faster. “Do you know only four percent of the universe is made up of atomic matter? Molecules, air, dust, planets. What we think of as real. The rest—” He paused for effect. “Ninety-six percent, is comprised of dark matter and dark energy.
“It connects everything,” he continued. “If we can crack the code, we can tap into the vibration of the universe itself.”
Something in Ronnie’s expression had changed. She seemed almost contemplative. She couldn’t be buying into his nonsense.
Making sure to catch her eye, I said, “And all it costs to climb aboard the crazy train express is your life.” I turned to look at Barry. “I’d rather you shoot me now than be strapped to a table and used in an experiment.”
His eye twitch intensified.
“It would be short-lived if I’m right about you.” He focused on Ronnie. “Am I right about her?”
She looked at me, clearly not knowing what to
say.
“It’s okay, you can tell him the truth,” I said.
“Grace is a telepath.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. I could tell when I touched her.”
Bingo. That was exactly what Barry was waiting to hear. And exactly what I needed to make her understand what was at stake.
“Magnificent.” He smiled. “We will be able to accomplish so much more now.”
“You know why he’s so stoked, right?” I asked her. “He’s not going to kill you, because he’s going to use you to find other psychics. He’ll probably use your mamere as leverage. Hurt her a little to keep you compliant.”
Ronnie’s gaze slid over to zero in on Barry.
“Enough.” He jabbed the gun into my ribs, and this time, I didn’t hide my wince.
“Just like he’s doing with me,” I hissed.
“I’m losing patience with you, Miss Wilde.”
“You can walk away,” I told Ronnie. “He won’t shoot you. Just get up and walk out of here.”
Her gaze flicked back to me. “He’ll kill you.”
“Not if you find me first.”
Barry did something I hadn’t expected. He laughed.
“She’s not going to find you,” he said. “I’ve made sure of that, at least. So your little show of bravado is pointless. Don’t believe me? Try it. Go ahead, try to sense her ability.”
Ronnie took a slow breath, licked her lips nervously, and focused on me.
I waited for the burst of heat I’d felt earlier.
It didn’t come.
Ronnie’s eyes widened, then she winced and brought her hand to her temple.
“Ronnie?” I said.
“It didn’t work,” she said.
“What did you do to her?” I asked Barry.
He ignored my question. “You’re both coming with me. Now.”
Ronnie started to slide out of the booth.
Still keeping the gun against my side, Barry grabbed my arm with his other hand and pulled me to my feet.
“Not that way,” he told Ronnie when she reached the front door. He canted his head toward the back of the coffee shop. Then in a lower tone he said to me, “I’d hate to have to shoot your dog in front of such a sweet little girl.”
I’d kept my mind shielded from Moss for just that reason—if he’d sensed my fear, he would have reacted. I had no doubt someone would have gotten shot, maybe more than one someone.
So I walked past the glass front door and didn’t say good-bye to my friend. I didn’t even look at him.
Tears pricked my eyes. But I swallowed the lump of emotion thickening in my throat.
What I was about to do wouldn’t work with tears streaming down my cheeks. I was going to have to be calm and cold as a glacial lake.
Lucky for me, I’ve had a lot of practice with bringing on the deep freeze. Emotionally, anyway.
We stepped out the back door into a small parking area. The cars, which probably belonged to the employees, were unoccupied. At least out here, no innocent coffee drinkers would get shot.
“I meant it, you know.” I glanced at Barry, but my words were for Ronnie. “What I said before. I really would rather you shoot me now.”
Ronnie stopped, her back still to us. I saw her hands were in her pockets.
“Are you sure about that?” Barry asked, pointing the pistol more firmly in my direction.
“Yes.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ronnie start to move. She pivoted, the stun gun ready. I stepped to the side, spun, and dove for cover behind a pair of trash cans.
An electric tick-tick-tick sounded, followed by a gurgled cry and a thud.
No gunshot.
“Ronnie?”
“I got him! Grace, holy smokes, we did it!”
With effort, I detangled myself from the stack of cardboard boxes I’d landed on and stood.
Sure enough, Barry was laid out, facedown on the ground, moaning.
“Should I hit him again?”
Why not?
“Do it,” I said.
Ronnie placed the Taser on his calf and zapped him again. Barry went rigid and was still.
“Don’t move, asshole!” she said.
“Where’s his gun?” I gasped, trying to pull my phone out of my pocket with useless, fear-frozen fingers.
“I think he’s on top of it.” Ronnie was breathing as hard as I was.
“Secure the gun. I’m going to call Kai.”
The sound of tires on pavement made me look up. From around the side of the building, the front of a white van glided into view, like the nose of a great white shark.
Anya.
“Ronnie, we’ve got to go.”
“What?” Straightening, she looked over her shoulder and froze.
Anya had assessed the situation in less than a second. She’d slammed on the brakes and was getting out of the car.
I grabbed Ronnie’s jacket and yanked her toward the coffee shop’s back door. We tumbled through it and slammed it closed. Ronnie fumbled with the dead bolt for a second before managing to click it into place.
We backed away from the door, both jumping as it rattled on its hinges when Anya banged against it. We glanced briefly at each other, then turned and ran.
Just as we rounded a corner into a small kitchen, a trio of bullets slammed into the door.
“So much for them not shooting me,” Ronnie said.
“I was talking about Barry. I guess Anya’s not as much of a humanitarian.”
Throughout the shop, there were shouts and confused cries but no more gunshots. I assumed Anya had decided it was time to gather her fallen comrade and get gone.
“Come on.” I led the way through the front door and ran toward Moss.
“What was that noise?” the girl’s father asked.
“Gunshots,” was all I had to say. He handed me Moss’s leash, scooped his daughter up, and ran.
“Where do we go?” Ronnie asked.
“Hattie’s.”
“But that’s the first place they’ll—” She broke off as understanding dawned. “We have to warn Jason and Kai.”
I was already on the move.
CHAPTER 16
I’m not really built for speed, but I run a lot more often than most people and my body knows the drill. Ronnie was in pretty good shape—she could almost keep up. Moss, of course, had no problem running.
We sprinted down the block. I was praying that the fact that Anya would have to deal with a confused and unsteady Barry would give us enough of a head start.
I could have tried to call Kai, but it would have taken about as much time.
Charging through the kitchen door, we thundered up the stairs into the attic.
“Where’s Jason?” Ronnie asked between heaving breaths.
Kai caught her arm before she could run back down the stairs.
“He left. He had to sign and fax some paperwork so I could get copies of your uncle’s autopsy photos.”
“Oh.” She nodded.
“What’s going on?” Kai asked, looking at me.
“Trouble,” I said. “Anya and Barry are on the way. They’ll be here any minute. Crap! The bookcase. It’s still open.”
Ronnie dashed out of the attic into the hall landing. She returned a moment later.
“That was fast,” I said.
“There’s a lever up here to close it.”
“I love this house.”
Our discussion ended a moment later when we heard a car door slam.
“They’re here,” I whispered. As if everyone weren’t aware of that.
Kai put his fingers to his lips and lifted a piece of sturdy-looking pipe he’d picked up while I had my back turned.
Ronnie
held her stun gun at the ready.
I squatted next to Moss, took a calming breath, and, sinking my fingers deeply into his fur, opened my mind to his.
Moss could hear Anya and Barry far better than us humans, so I urged him to stay quiet and still and asked him to listen.
Moss listen.
Good boy.
I closed my eyes and tried to pinpoint where the sounds Moss was hearing were coming from.
There were two sets of footsteps, as I’d expected. No voices.
The floor creaked and the rhythm of their movement changed. I opened my eyes and looked at Kai, then used my fingers to mime walking up an imaginary staircase, trying to indicate to him that they’d moved up to the second floor.
He nodded and shifted his gaze to Ronnie.
Our pursuers hadn’t found the entrance to the hidden staircase in the library, which meant if they made it into the attic, they’d be coming through the door in front of Ronnie.
She nodded her understanding and, face grim, held her ground at the attic door.
I listened as Anya and Barry moved slowly from room to room below us, then heard a man’s voice murmur, “They must be in the attic.”
No response from Anya. No movement.
My heart was slamming hard in my chest. Moss had started panting a little in reaction to our connection and my fear. The sound seemed unbelievably loud but I knew that was partly that I was hearing through both his ears and my own.
Still, it would be better to calm him down. I focused on regulating my breathing, and after a few moments he quieted.
The sound of a shuffling footstep came from the other side of the attic door.
Ronnie didn’t react, and I wasn’t sure if she’d heard it or not, but it didn’t matter, because I knew she was aware of the doorknob being jiggled a second later.
Silence followed.
Then shuffling feet.
Bam! The door rattled in its frame as someone tried to kick it in. We all jumped. But no one, not even Moss, made a sound.
A second kick slammed into the door.
“What are you doing?” Barry said, no longer trying to be quiet. “Don’t you see the cobwebs? That door hasn’t been opened in years.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Anya said. “They did not have time to escape.”
Take the Monkey and Run Page 24