Hot Rocks

by Nora Roberts

  added to my expenses. He’ll pay for that.”

  She followed his directions, carefully repeating them. She had to believe the call to Max had gone through. That her phone’s batteries were still up, that she hadn’t dropped out of range.

  “Alleghany Recreation Park,” she said as she turned off the macadam and onto gravel at Crew’s instructions. “Really doesn’t fit the Mercedes.”

  “Take the left fork.”

  “Cabins. Rustic, private.”

  “Bear right.”

  “A lot of trees. Deerwalk Lane. Cute. I’m being abducted to a cabin on Deerwalk Lane. It just doesn’t sound menacing enough.”

  “The last, on the left.”

  “Good choice. Completely sheltered by the trees, barely within sight of the next cabin.”

  She had to turn off the phone. He’d find it, she thought. He was bound to find it, and if it was on when he did, she’d lose even that slim advantage.

  “Turn off the car.” He slapped it into Park himself. “Give me the keys.”

  She obeyed, turning her head, meeting his eyes, holding them. “I don’t intend to do anything that gets me shot. I’m not going to be brave or stupid.” As she spoke, she slipped her hand into her pocket, ran her thumb over the buttons and pushed End.

  “You can start by climbing out this way.” He opened the door at his back, slid out. The gun remained pointed at her heart as she hefted her hips over the console.

  “Now, let’s go inside.” He nudged her forward. “And chat.”

  He’d made good time, Max thought as he strode across the terminal toward the exit. He’d be able to pick up Laine from Jenny’s after he tucked Jack away. He didn’t think it the best idea to take his future father-in-law to a cop’s house.

  The problem was trusting him.

  He glanced back, noted Jack was still wearing a sickly tinge of green. They’d caught a prop plane out of Columbus to the local municipal, and Jack had been varying shades of green since takeoff.

  “Hate those tin cans—tin cans with wings, that’s all they are.” His skin was still gleaming with sweat as he leaned against the hood of Max’s car. “Need to get my legs under me.”

  “Get them under you in the car.” Because he felt some sympathy, he opened the door, helped Jack settle his bulk inside. “You puke in my ride, I’m going to kick your ass. Just FYI.”

  He rounded the hood, got behind the wheel. He figured Big Jack could fake all manner of illnesses, but it took more talent than he could possess to change color. “Here’s what else is going to happen. I’m taking you to Laine’s, and you’re staying there until I get back with her. You take off, I’ll find you, haul you back and beat you senseless with a stick. Clear on that?”

  “I want a bed. All I want’s a bed.”

  Amused, Max backed out of his parking slot. Remembering his phone, he dug it out of his pocket. He’d had to turn it off during the flight. Switching it back on, he ignored the beep that told him he had voice mail and called Laine, cell to cell. He heard her recorded voice tell him to leave a message.

  “Hey, baby, I’m back, heading out of the airport. Gotta make one stop, then I’ll be by to pick you up. Fill you in when I see you. Oh, got a few things for you. Later.”

  Jack spoke with his head back, his eyes closed. “It’s dangerous to drive talking on one of those things.”

  “Shut up, Jack.” But because he agreed, Max started to put it aside, when it beeped for an incoming. Certain it was Laine, he answered. “You’re quick. I was just . . . Vince?”

  When fear bounced like an ice ball into his belly, he whipped the car to the side of the road. “When? For Christ’s sake, that’s more than an hour ago. I’m on my way.”

  He tossed the phone on the console, punched the gas. “He’s got her.”

  “No, no, that’s not true.” Even the sickly green had died away, leaving Jack’s face bone white. “He can’t have her, not my baby girl.”

  “He got her out of the shop just after five o’clock. Vince thinks they’re in a dark sedan. A couple of people saw her get into a car with a man, but he doesn’t have a good description of the vehicle.” He had the Porsche up to ninety. “Jenny’s got a good description of the guy. Long brown hair, ponytail, soul patch, sunglasses. White male, forty-five to fifty, six-foot, average build.”

  “The hair’s a blind, but it’d be him. He’s got to get to me to get the diamonds. He’ll hurt her.”

  “We’re not going to think about that. We’re going to think of how to find them and get her back.” His hands were ice cold on the wheel. “He needs a place. If he thinks the stones are here, he won’t go far. He needs a private place, not a hotel. He’ll contact you, or me. He’ll—shit!”

  He fumbled for the phone.

  “Give it to me. You kill us, we can’t help her.” Jack snatched it away, punched for the voice mail.

  “You have two new messages. First new message received May eighteenth, at five-fifteen P.M.

  They heard Laine’s voice, dead calm. “Sixty-eight East is a long road. Are you adding interstate abduction to your list?”

  “Smart,” Max breathed. “She’s very smart.” He shot the Porsche like a bullet onto an off-ramp, spun it like a top and rocketed to backtrack toward the interstate.

  He listened to every word, blocked the fear. When the call ended, he had to order himself not to tell Jack to replay it just so he could hear her voice. “Get Vince back, give him the vehicle description and the destination. Alleghany Recreational Park. Tell him we’re en route and that Crew is armed.”

  “But we’re not waiting for the cops?”

  “No, we’re not waiting for them.”

  He flew toward the forest.

  Laine stepped into the cabin, looked around the spacious living area with its stone fireplace and dark, heavy wood. It was time, she concluded, for a change of tack.

  Stalling was fine, it was good. Anything that kept her from getting shot or beaten was fine and good. But it never paid to depend on a last-minute cavalry charge. Smart money depended on yourself.

  So she turned, offered Crew an easy smile. “First, let me say I’m not going to give you any reason to hurt me. I’m not into pain. You could, of course, hurt me anyway, but I’m hoping you’ve more style than that. We’re both civilized people. I have something, you want something.” She strolled over to an overstuffed checked sofa, sat, crossed her legs. “Let’s negotiate.”

  “This”—he gestured with the gun—“speaks for itself.”

  “Use it, get nothing. Why don’t you offer me a glass of wine instead?”

  He angled his head in consideration and, she thought, reevaluation. “You’re a cool one.”

  “I’ve had time to settle down. I won’t deny you scared me. You certainly did, and still could, but I’m hoping you’re open to a reasonable dialogue here.”

  She flipped quickly through her mental file of what she knew of him and what she could observe.

  Towering ego, vanity, greed, sociopathic and homicidal tendencies.

  “We’re alone, I’ve got no way out. You’re in the driver’s seat, but still . . . I have something you want.”

  She threw back her head and laughed, and could see she’d surprised him. Good. Keep him off balance, keep him thinking. “Oh God, who would have believed the old man had it in him? He’s been second-rate all his life, and a serious pain in my ass. Now he comes along with the score of a lifetime. Hell, the score of ten lifetimes. And he drops it right into my lap. I’m sorry about Willy though, he had a sweet nature. But, spilled milk.”

  She caught a flicker of interest on Crew’s face before he opened a drawer, took out a pair of handcuffs.

  “Why, Alex, if there’s going to be bondage fun, I’d really appreciate that wine first.”

  “You think I’m buying this?”

  “I’m not selling anything.” And maybe he wasn’t buying, but he was listening to the pitch. She sighed as the cuffs landed in her lap. �
��All right, your way. Where do you want them?”

  “Arm of the couch, to your right hand.”

  Though the idea of locking herself up had her throat going dry, she did what he said, then sent him a sultry look. “How about that drink?”

  With a nod, he walked over to the kitchen, took a bottle out of a cupboard. “Cabernet?”

  “Perfect. Do you mind if I ask why a man with your skills and tastes hooked up with Jack?”

  “He was useful. And why are you trying to play the hard-edged opportunist?”

  She pretended to pout. “I don’t like to think I’m hard, just realistic.”

  “What you are is a small-town shopkeeper who has the bad luck to have my property.”

  “I think it’s remarkably good luck.” She took the wine he offered, sipped. “The shop’s a nice, steady game. Selling old, often useless items at a nice profit. Also gives me entry into a lot of places that have more old, often useless and very valuable items. I keep my hand in.”

  “Well.” And she could see that while he hadn’t considered that angle before, he was now.

  “Look, you’ve got a beef with the old man, fine. He’s nothing to me but an albatross. And if he ever taught me anything, it was to look out for number one.”

  Crew shook his head slowly. “You walked out of that shop with me without a sound, primarily to protect the clerk.”

  “I wasn’t going to argue with the gun you were shoving into my side. And you’re right, I didn’t want you to hurt her. She’s a friend, and for God’s sake, she’s nearly seven months pregnant. I’ve got some lines, Alex. I steer clear of violence.”

  “This is entertaining.” He sat, gestured. “How do you explain the fact you’re having an affair with Gannon, the insurance investigator?”

  “He’s terrific in bed, but even if he was a wash in that area, I’d have gotten him there. Keep your friends close, Alex, and your enemies closer. I know every move he makes before he makes it. And here’s one for free, show of good faith: he’s in New York today.” She leaned forward. “They’re cooking up a scam to smoke you out. There should be a press release by tomorrow, claiming Max recovered a portion of the diamonds. Max’s bright idea is that will set you off, push you into doing something rash. He’s smart, I’ll give him that, but so far, he can’t get a handle on you.”

  “I guess that makes me smarter.”

  “I guess it does,” she agreed. “He’s closing in on Jack, and God knows dear old Dad won’t shake him for long. But he hasn’t got a clue how to run you down.” Ego, ego, ego. Pump his ego. “He’s trying this Hail Mary pass.”

  “Interesting, but an insurance investigator hardly concerns me.”

  “Why should he? You took him out once already. I had to kiss his hurts.” She chuckled. “And doing that, I’ve kept him busy enough to give you room.”

  “You want me to thank you. Consider the fact you’re not currently in any pain my thanks. Where are the diamonds, Ms. Tavish?”

  “Let’s make it Laine. I think we’re beyond formalities. I’ve got them. Jack’s and Willy’s.” She shifted on the seat, put a purr in her voice. “What are you going to do with all that money, Alex? Travel? Buy a small country? Sip mimosas on a beach somewhere? Don’t you think all of those things, all of the lovely, lovely things people can do with big, fat piles of money is more fun with a like-thinking companion?”

  His gaze drifted to her mouth, back up to her eyes. “Is this how you seduced Gannon?”

  “No, actually, in that case, I pretended to let him seduce me. He’s the type that needs to chase and conquer. I bring a lot to the table. You can have the diamonds, and you can have me.”

  “I could have them both anyway.”

  She sat back, sipped. “You could. I find men who enjoy rape the lowest form. If you’re one of them, I’ve misjudged you. You could rape me, beat me, shoot me. I’d certainly tell you where the diamonds are. But then . . .” She sipped again, and put a wicked gleam in her eye. “You wouldn’t know if I was telling the truth. You could waste a great deal of time, and I could suffer considerable discomfort. Not very practical when I’m willing to make a deal that gives us both exactly what we want, with a little extra.”

  He rose. “You’re an intriguing woman, Laine.” Absently, he pulled off the wig.

  “Mmm, better.” She pursed her lips as she studied his pewter hair. “Much better. Could I have a refill?” She held out her glass, waggled it gently from side to side. “I’d like to ask you something,” she continued when he went back for the bottle. “If you have the rest of the diamonds—”

  “If?”

  “I’ve only got your word you do. I don’t consider my father a reliable source.”

  “Oh, I’ve got them.”

  “If you do, why not take the bird in the hand and fly rather than beating the bush for the rest?”

  His face was stone, the smile carved onto it, and the eyes dead. “I don’t settle for half of anything.”

  “I respect that. Still, I could make sharing very pleasant for you.”

  He filled her glass, set the bottle on the table. “Sex is overrated.”

  She gave a low, throaty laugh. “Wanna bet?”

  “As attractive as you are, you’re just not worth twenty-eight million.”

  “Now you’ve hurt my feelings.” Get him closer, she thought, get him closer and distract him. It’ll hurt, but it’ll only hurt for a minute. Bracing herself for it, she leaned forward for the wine, then shifted so the phone in her pocket slapped against the arm of the couch.

  He was on her like fury, yanking her hair to drag her down, tearing at her pocket. There were floating black dots of pain and fear whirling in front of her eyes, but she pushed herself up shakily and stared in what she hoped passed as disgust at the wine stains on her pants.

  “Oh, for God’s sake. I hope you’ve got some club soda.”

  He backhanded her so that the black dots exploded into red.

  CHAPTER 16

  Max angled his car across the gravel road, just out of sight of the last cabin on the left. If Crew tried to run, he’d have to go through the Porsche first.

  It was quiet and near dusk. He’d seen little activity in the woods, or in the cabins he’d passed. Hikers would be back by this time of day, vacationers settling in for dinner or a drink.

  He shut off the engine, then leaned across Jack to unlock the glove box.

  “We can’t just sit here.”

  “We’re not going to just sit here.” Max removed his gun, a second clip, then tossed a pair of binoculars in Jack’s lap. “Keep an eye on the place.”

  “You go in there with that, somebody’s going to get hurt. Guns are trouble,” Jack added when Max merely looked at him.

  “Right on both counts.” He checked the clip, slapped it back into place, shoved the spare into his pocket. “Cops are on their way. It’ll take them some time to secure the area, set up for a hostage situation. They know he’s armed, they know he has Laine. They’ll try to negotiate.”

  “How do you negotiate with a fucking lunatic? My girl’s in there, Max. That’s my baby girl in there.”

  “She’s my girl, too. And I don’t negotiate.”

  Jack swiped the back of his hand over his mouth. “We’re not waiting for the cops here either.”

  “We’re not waiting.” Since Jack had yet to use the field glasses, Max took them, focused in on the cabin. “Closed up tight. Curtains are pulled over the windows. From this angle, I see one door, four windows. Probably a rear door, couple more windows on the other side, couple in the back. He can’t get out this way, but if he gets past me, he could swing around the other side, take one of the side roads and loop to the main. I don’t think we’re going to let that happen.”

  Once again, he reached into the glove box. This time he pulled out a sheathed knife. When he drew the leather off, the blade was a sheen of bright silver with a vicious jagged edge.