Mind Game

by Iris Johansen

  “Shot at close range in the head,” MacDuff said. “Execution-style?”

  “Santara.” Jock was gazing at the blazing vehicle. “They were family. How long did they work for you?”

  “Since I was in the Royal Marines. I know all their families,” MacDuff said. “Three men. Not a woman. Jane wasn’t in that car when it blew.”

  “But that doesn’t mean that Santara won’t make an example of her later, when he has more time. I don’t think there’s any doubt she was the target.” Jock turned on his heel and headed toward the EMTs’ truck. “Let’s go and see if we can get any information from those witnesses. I don’t want to have to go back to camp and tell Joe and Eve that Jane’s been taken until we know everything we can possibly know.”

  * * *

  “I must have talked to Jane only minutes before it happened,” Joe said to Jock. He added bitterly, “She was worried about us. I told her I’d take care of everyone. I didn’t take care of her, did I?”

  “Because no one thought that Jane would be a target. She was always afraid for Lisa.” Eve moved closer to Joe. In this nightmare, she wanted to feel his warmth. “It doesn’t make sense.” And men who acted without reason terrified her. She had seen too many deaths committed by impulse and revenge on the innocent. “What did the witnesses say, Jock?”

  “Not much. Only that they saw a yellow Hummer drive the Range Rover off the road. It turned over and the driver of the Hummer got out with two other men and ran down the ditch and opened the passenger-side door. Then they heard shots and saw a woman being carried up the ditch and thrown into the Hummer. A few moments later, the gas tank of the Range Rover caught fire.”

  Eve’s fingers dug into Joe’s arm. “Carried?”

  “She seemed limp, probably unconscious.”

  “She was in a car turned upside down,” Eve said jerkily. “She could have a concussion or spinal damage or heaven knows what other injury.” She remembered another word Jock had used. “And thrown? You don’t throw people when they’re hurt or injured; that’s for trash or garbage.” That wasn’t for her Jane. She was suddenly being bombarded by memories of Jane at ten years old; Jane sitting on the floor with Michael, sketching; Jane looking out at the mist as if she were trying to see Cira in the shifting clouds.

  Joe’s arm slid around her waist. “Jane’s tough,” he said gently. “We’ll get her back and she’ll be fine.”

  She nodded jerkily. She had to believe that or she wouldn’t be able to function right now. And she had to function; they had to find out the answers. “Why? If Santara has been stalking Lisa, why take Jane? And why now? Does it have anything to do with Cira’s treasure?”

  “That might be logical,” MacDuff said. “But it’s almost certain that Santara knew nothing about it. Only the people in this camp knew we’d found it.” He grimaced. “And it was a surprise to all of us … except perhaps Jane. Not even the guards knew what we were taking to the bank today. No, he must have had another agenda. And Jane was a target of opportunity.”

  “Jane?” Lisa had suddenly appeared behind them. Her gaze flew from one to the other. “Target? What’s wrong with Jane?” Her eyes narrowed on Eve’s face. “You’re scared. You tell me what’s wrong with her.”

  Eve should have known that Lisa would have seen them talking, noticed Jane was not with MacDuff and Jock, and instantly gone on the offensive. What could she say? She had an idea that beneath that tough facade Lisa kept so firmly in place she had a deep affection for Jane. Which was confirmed by the fierceness of this response when Lisa suspected Jane was in trouble.

  “Tell me.” Lisa’s eyes were blazing. “I should have gone with her. I shouldn’t have relied on anyone else. I just didn’t think that Jane was— And, if she was, I thought you all would be able to—”

  “Easy.” Eve took her arm and drew her a few yards away. “Yes, there’s a problem.” An understatement, she thought bitterly. But Lisa didn’t need to get any more upset than she was right now. Yet there wasn’t any way to avoid the truth, so she told her quickly what had happened. “MacDuff doesn’t think it has anything to do with Cira’s treasure. We’re not sure yet why she was taken.”

  “Aren’t you?” She moistened her lips. “Does Seth know what happened?”

  “Not yet. As I said, he told Jane he was on his way here now.” Her lips twisted. “He was going hunting for Santara. We’ll tell him when he gets here.”

  “No, you won’t. I’ll call him and tell him now. He needs to know.”

  “You’re upset. It could probably wait. What can he do while flying a plane? It will be only a few more hours, Lisa.”

  “A few hours might make a difference with Santara. I don’t know. I’m not smart enough about things like that. But I’m not going to take a chance. Seth will know.” She looked at Eve. “Are you afraid I’ll get all hysterical and upset him and make you cope? I won’t do that. I’ll just tell him and get off the phone. But he has to know.” Her voice was suddenly filled with passion. “Do you think I want to do it? I hate having to tell him, because they may have found a way to get him after all.”

  Eve frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Of course it’s not about the treasure. It’s about Seth.” She reached for her phone. “It’s always been about Seth.”

  * * *

  “Wake up!”

  Jane’s cheek stung and her neck jerked backward with the force of the blow.

  “Open your eyes. She wants you awake.”

  Pain.

  Not only because of the slap.

  Her head was throbbing, Jane realized dazedly.

  She slowly opened her eyes.

  Santara.

  He smiled down at her. “That’s better. Teresa doesn’t trust me. Can you imagine that she’d believe I’d not take care of you in just the manner she ordered? She wants me to keep you awake to be sure that concussion doesn’t cause you to slip into a coma. She has plans for you and wants to make sure you’re healthy and able to perform.”

  Vibration.

  And that low familiar hum of sound.

  A plane.

  She was on a plane.…

  “You’re not saying anything. The queen bitch said I had to make sure that you were coherent. Talk to me.”

  “We’re—on a plane. Where are you—taking me?”

  “That was clear enough. Should I answer?” He pretended to think about it. “Why not? We’re on our way to the land of sun and money, where Queen Teresa wishes to receive you and deal with you herself.”

  “That’s no answer.”

  His hand lashed out and struck her cheek again, hard. “Be polite. I’m sick to death of dealing with you female vipers who think you can tell me what to do.”

  She was dizzy and had to hold on to consciousness.

  “No, you’re this big man who has to prove himself by torturing—a young girl. I’m surprised you didn’t go after Lisa again.”

  “You’re slurring a little. I guess I’d better not hit you again. Disappointing.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Dubai. You didn’t recognize my description?”

  “And you were talking about Teresa Romano?”

  “See, perfectly coherent.”

  She was trying to fight the dizziness and clear her mind. The car … She had been in the Range Rover … “Macauley. What happened to Macauley?”

  “Who?”

  “The driver. Macauley.”

  “He may be alive. His air bag went off and I couldn’t get to him. I didn’t have time to fight that damn air bag.” He smiled. “But his three friends were right there and available to us. It didn’t take any time at all to dispose of them.”

  “You killed them?”

  “It seemed the thing to do. It made a statement. I believe in statements.”

  Caleb had said something like that.…

  “Said Ben Kemal.”

  He nodded. “I don’t know how Caleb got him to talk, but he had to be punished
for it. I would have enjoyed being there to do it myself, but unfortunately I had to deligate. I was busy keeping my eye on the lake.”

  “Do you know—why you’re taking me—to Dubai?”

  Silence. “Why should I tell you?”

  She studied his face. “You don’t know. She’s just using you as an errand boy and doesn’t confide in you.”

  “Bullshit. I’m just done with asking her questions. I’ll do what she wants and then let her pay what I want.” He added roughly, “And I’m done with answering your questions. You’re not going to go into any coma unless I decide to put you in one. So just shut up.” His smile was malicious. “Every now and then I’ll come back and check and give you a reminder that will leave a bruise or two and show Teresa that I always do what she wants me to do.” He got to his feet. “I missed that after you and Caleb took Lisa away from me. Do you know it wasn’t only Caleb I was angry with that night? You were right there with him, another bitch to humiliate me in front of my men. Actually, I’m very glad that Dubai is still a good distance away.”

  She watched him stroll back down the aisle toward the cockpit.

  Vicious. Totally vicious and without conscience. She had known that he was both those things, but this was firsthand experience with him. He liked the pain and terror he could dispense. He wanted her to be afraid.

  Statements. That was an example of his basic philosophy of terror. She had to remember that, in case she could use it later.

  Though it was hard to remember anything with her head whirling like a windmill. Perhaps it would be safe to close her eyes for just a moment and rest.

  Macauley. Was he still alive? She had always liked and respected him. Neither he nor his men would have been hurt if she’d not made the choice to have him take her back to the lake.

  But then MacDuff and Jock might have been the victims. There was no good decision when it came to a murderer like Santara. Unless the decision was for her to crawl into a hole and cower there while they trampled over everything good and clean in the world. How could she do that?

  It was impossible. So the only solution was to fight, and she would do that. As soon as she could shake off this pain and dizziness. Until then, she would lie here and recover and try to figure out why Teresa Romano had decided it was worth her while to choose her as Santara’s target.

  And why she had decided to come forward out of the darkness of the shadows to deal with Jane herself.

  CHAPTER

  16

  “She was unconscious?” Caleb asked tersely as he strode down the slope toward Eve. “Jane was still out when they put her in the car?”

  “As far as we know. We have to rely on a secondhand report from witnesses.” Eve shivered. “And the word they used was thrown. I can’t get it out of my head. She has to have been hurt in that wreck. No one was caring what kind of additional damage they were doing to her.”

  “But she was alive, or Santara wouldn’t have bothered to take her,” he said. “And they won’t let her die as long as they believe she has any value to them.” He met her eyes and the glittering ferocity in his own was overpowering in its intensity. “She’s not going to die, Eve. I won’t have it.”

  She took a deep breath. She had seen Caleb in a rage before, but never like this. He was electrified, every muscle alive and supple, casting out a sheer aura of power. “I hope you’re right. No, I have to believe you’re right. And then we have to figure out what Santara wants and how to get her back.”

  “Money is the usual answer,” MacDuff said as he came toward them. “And you know that I’ll be willing to meet any ransom request. I have a sizable fortune of my own, and once we’re able to process Cira’s treasure, I’ll be able to augment—”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Caleb asked. “Cira’s treasure?”

  “We found it. That’s what we were depositing in Edinburgh,” MacDuff said. “Lisa didn’t tell you?”

  Caleb’s lips twisted. “She said two sentences. She probably didn’t consider the treasure important in the scheme of things. I’m not sure that I do.”

  MacDuff shrugged. “The search of a decade, and it’s not important? That puts things in perspective.”

  “We don’t think Santara knew about the treasure,” Eve said. “Another agenda?”

  “Or the same one.” He paused. “With new bait.”

  Eve stiffened. “Lisa said it was all about you. Is that true?”

  “It could be. Probably. I’ll have to make sure.” He turned to MacDuff. “And I don’t think that you’re going to be contacted for ransom.”

  “But you might be.” Eve’s gaze was searching Caleb’s face. “Money? Or something else?”

  “Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.” He was silent an instant. “If I think it will do any good.”

  Eve felt a chill. “And I’m supposed to let you make that decision? This is Jane, Caleb. One false step and she might die.”

  “Do you think I don’t know that?” His voice was rough, his face tight. “I told you that I wouldn’t let that happen.” He said to MacDuff, “I don’t think that Santara would bring her back to this area after he had her, but I have to make certain. I’m going hunting tonight and I’ll verify.”

  MacDuff nodded. “Jock is already setting up security for the camp while we go take a look in the hills.” He grimaced. “Verification that he slipped through our fingers? Not the hunt that we hoped for.”

  “We’re here and we have to be certain,” Caleb said grimly. “Before we take that next step that Eve is so worried about.”

  “And you’re not?” Eve asked. “You’re about to explode, Caleb. You’d just better not explode where Jane could be hit by the shrapnel.”

  He didn’t answer. He asked instead, “Where’s Lisa?”

  “Over there by the fire. Though she looks like she’s frozen there. She hasn’t said a word since she talked with you on phone.”

  Caleb turned and started toward the campfire. “I’ll be ready to leave in fifteen minutes, MacDuff.”

  * * *

  Lisa watched Seth cross the grass to where she was sitting by the fire. She didn’t want to look at his face, because she knew what she would see there. She forced herself to do it anyway.

  It was exactly what she’d expected.

  “You have to go after her,” she said jerkily. “I knew it. The minute I heard about it, I knew that you wouldn’t be able to help yourself. They’ve got you, haven’t they?”

  “Yes.” He sat down beside her and stared into the fire. “But only to the extent that I’m being forced to play their game. The results are always up in the air in any game.”

  “It’s my fault. I thought they’d go after me again. I didn’t think it through. Jane was so protective of me, and I just accepted it.” She added bitterly, “Why not? I’m always the important one, aren’t I? At least to myself. I shouldn’t have let her go to Edinburgh without me, Seth. I should have been there for her.”

  “You’re not to blame. I thought you’d be the target, too.”

  “Of course I’m to blame. Just because I was the one they took before, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t go in another direction. Santara probably thought I was guarded too well.” She shook her head. “I guess they were smart to choose Jane. Your link with her is so strong.… But I didn’t think that anyone but me realized that. How did Santara know? Did he just take a chance?”

  “I don’t believe he has the option of taking chances. I’d say that the order came directly from Teresa Romano.” His lips tightened. “And I found out a long time ago that Teresa can be very clever about things concerning me. I just didn’t think she’d bother to probe that deep.”

  Her gaze flew to his face. “You did? You’ve never mentioned that about her.”

  “It wasn’t necessary. She was doing what I needed her to do for you, and that was all that was important.” He added, “Or what I thought was all that was important. Evidently, she evolved and decided to use you to get to me
.” He glanced at her. “I’m sorry that I made that mistake. I thought you’d be safe.”

  “Do you think I care if you made mistakes? Everyone makes mistakes. Even me.” She reached out and grasped his arm. “The only mistake I won’t forgive is if you leave me again.” She added unsteadily, “And I won’t forgive you if you get killed, Seth. So that can’t happen.”

  He turned his arm and took her hand. “I’ll keep that in mind. But right now I have to worry about Jane, don’t I?”

  “I’d like to say no.” Her hand tightened on his. “I told Jane once that you were the only one I cared about. I wish that was still true. It’s easier like that.”

  “Yes, but it’s changed, hasn’t it? I could see that before I left. I heard it in your voice whenever I phoned you.”

  She was silent. “She can’t die, Seth,” she whispered. “And Santara can’t do the things to her that he did to me.”

  “He won’t, Lisa. I promise.”

  “How can you promise? She’s already been hurt. Eve doesn’t even know how badly.”

  “But that’s the end of it. I’ll find a way to get to her and keep her safe.” He got to his feet. “I have to go check out the hills, which will probably yield nothing of value. But it’s something to do until Teresa makes her next move.”

  “Teresa? Not Santara?”

  “No, I have an idea that it will definitely be Teresa’s game from now on.”

  “And you don’t think that any move will be here at the lake?”

  He shook his head. “Everything seems to be centered in Dubai. Whatever Teresa wants to happen, she has plans to do it in Dubai. Probably somewhere in or near the American Hospital.” He leaned down and gently brushed his lips across her brow. “None of this was your fault. If there was a mistake, it was one I made years ago. But I’ll make it right, Lisa.” He turned and strode away to where MacDuff, Joe Quinn, and Jock were waiting.

  Lisa gazed after him, her hands clenched into fists as she watched him disappear from sight. Yes, he’d make it right. He’d always made everything right for her. But no one had ever taken the trouble to make anything right for him. He’d never been permitted to make mistakes as a child. She could remember instant, almost savage punishment for any tiny infraction and Seth lifting his chin and just accepting it. She hadn’t realized until later how hard that must have been for him when he had known what he could do and how swiftly he could stop those cruelties.