Silence stretched between us.
“Let me do it,” he said.
“No. This is my decision. My responsibility.” I took the bag out of his hands and tossed it back into the car. “Guide me up the ramps.”
He crossed his arms over his broad chest, legs planted like tree trunks. “I ain’t leavin’ ya alone with him. If somethin’ goes wrong an’ he gets free, me an’ Dave’d be drivin’ around clueless while he does whatever he wants to ya.”
Cold fear weakened my backbone, but I jerked it straight again. “Nothing will go wrong. I have the trank gun-”
“No.” Hellhound’s face was set like stone. “Ain’t happenin’, an’ that’s final. Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna get in the trailer an’ guide ya up the ramps from inside. You’re gonna call Dave an’ tell him to close us in. Anythin’ that happens after that, we’re in it together.”
“Arnie, no. I don’t want you involved. And…” Sudden foolish tears burned the backs of my eyes. My voice came out so choked he had to bend down to hear me. “I… don’t want you to see me do this. I didn’t want you to know…”
I stared down at my hands twisting in front of me.
Too late. He already knew.
Already saw the monster I had become.
“Aydan.” His hand was gentle on my hair. “Sometimes good people gotta do bad things. It ain’t gonna change the way I feel about ya.” His fingertips coaxed my chin up and he brushed a kiss across my lips. “Get ready to load.”
He straightened and strode up the ramp into the trailer before I could swallow the giant lump in my throat.
A few minutes of white-knuckled manoeuvring later I engaged the parking brake, eyeballing the inches of space between my car mirrors and the sides of the trailer. Easing out a breath, I punched the speed dial for Dave’s cell phone and held my voice steady. “Change in plans, Dave. Arnie’s riding with me now. Come and close us in, and then go back and start driving.”
“’Kay.” The single word vibrated with tension, and a few moments later he appeared at the rear of the trailer, his bushy brows nearly meeting above his nose.
The clang of the door latches reverberated like the knell of Judgement Day.
I drew a couple of deep breaths that failed to calm me before squirming out the passenger window to sidle to the back of the car, my shopping bags held high. In the murky interior lighting of the trailer, Hellhound’s bruised face was dark and forbidding.
“What now?” he asked.
I swallowed against the papery dryness in my throat. “First this.” Tearing off a short strip of duct tape, I popped the trunk and plastered the tape over Sharkface’s eyes, trying not to wince at the thought that he’d probably lose both eyebrows when it came off.
A bleak smile wrenched my lips. With what I was planning for him, ripped-out eyebrows would be the least of his worries.
Hellhound had already unfolded the tarp and spread it in the front corner of the trailer. He appropriated the duct tape to shape the tarp into a shallow pan at the bottom and attach the top edges partway up the walls of the trailer. “That oughta catch most of it,” he grunted as he straightened.
My stomach lurched and I turned hurriedly back to Sharkface. Staring down at him, I summoned all my anger and hatred. All the pain and fear of the last nine months. All the terror I’d suffered at his hands.
“Let’s get him stripped and onto the tarp,” I snapped. “Before he wakes up.”
Staggering against the movement of the trailer, we half-dragged, half-carried Sharkface to the tarp. The sight of his naked body turned my stomach, but I kept my face impassive. Hellhound and I avoided each other’s eyes while we worked in silence to secure Sharkface’s hands behind his back again.
As Hellhound bent to secure his feet, I stopped him. “Legs apart. We can attach the rope to the tie-downs on the wall.”
His face twisted for a bare instant before smoothing into emotionless composure. He nodded and we bent to our work.
When we were finished we turned away together and I tottered as far away as possible to sink to the floor of the trailer. Hiding my face in my hands, I concentrated on breathing.
In. Out. Nice and slow. Just like ocean waves…
Hellhound sat down beside me and his palm traced slow circles on my back. “Ya don’t hafta do this, Aydan,” he whispered. “Let me do it. I’m already as fucked up as I’m gonna get.”
I clenched my fists in my hair. “No. I have to do it.”
“But, darlin’-”
His argument was cut short by a groan from Sharkface, and I gathered my trembling legs under me and leaned on Hellhound’s shoulder to stand wavering against the motion of the trailer.
When he began to rise I pressed him back to the floor. “Please stay here,” I whispered.
“We’re in this together.” He stood and clasped my hand in his.
Tension vibrated between our palms while we navigated back to where Sharkface was beginning to spew remarkably intelligible obscenities.
Standing in front of him, I drew a deep breath and reached for the hard cold weapon of my anger. Choosing between Sharkface and Kane wasn’t even a contest.
Do it.
I kicked Sharkface’s foot. “Shut up!”
His generalized swearing altered to a shower of violent abuse, his voice rising to a shout.
I stepped forward and planted my foot none too gently on his naked genitals. “I said shut up.”
He yelped and jerked at the contact of my icy hiking boot, but he shut.
“That’s better.” I kept my voice as cold as the slush dripping onto his balls. “Now we’re going to have a little talk.”
Dave braked and I staggered, hurriedly shifting my weight to avoid crushing Sharkface’s nuts to a pulp.
Oh, yeah, I was a real badass, all right. Could I even do this?
I stiffened my spine.
Yes. All I had to do was imagine what they were doing to Kane right now.
I sank down on the floor before my shaking legs could drop me.
“Tell me where Kane is,” I snapped.
“I don’t know. And I want my lawyer.”
My laugh sent a quiver of uncertainty over his face. “Your lawyer,” I mocked. “It’s far too late for that. You should have talked to the cop while you had the chance. Then you’d be safe in a nice cozy jail cell right now.”
“You’re not going to do anything,” he sneered. “Your cop friend already told you not to leave a mark on me.” His blindfolded face searched the air. “Where is he?”
“Long gone. Along with my patience. If you tell me where Kane is right now, I’ll call the cop back and let him arrest you. Otherwise, you’re going to feel pain like you’ve never even imagined.”
His mouth flattened. “Take off this blindfold. I already know who you are anyway. Let’s do a deal. You tell me why you want Kane, and I’ll see if I can help you.”
The muscles in his big shoulders rippled as he worked at the restraints behind his back. I handed my trank gun to Hellhound with a nod in Sharkface’s direction. The metallic sound of the magazine ejecting made Sharkface freeze, his face snapping in that direction.
Hellhound gave me a grim smile and extracted a dart, holding it at the ready.
“Recognize that sound?” I asked. “Good. Then maybe you won’t be quite so eager to piss me off. Here’s the only deal you’re going to get. I’m going to tell you a little story. Then you’re going to tell me where Kane is.”
His face hardened, but he said nothing.
“You underestimated me, you dumb fuck,” I snapped. “You and Parr and all you other testosterone-drenched idiots. Do you know what that bottle really was?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. And do you know why Parr doesn’t have it right now?” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Because George Harrison works for me and he took it out of the country while you idiots were busy chasing Kane. I’m the only arms game in town now. And I’ve been worki
ng with my own developer, too. I have a few new weapons that nobody else knows about. If you don’t tell me where they’re holding Kane, I’m going to introduce one of them to you.”
He twitched as I ran my fingertips over his hairy ankle. I dropped my voice to an ominous growl. “I guarantee you won’t like it.”
Please let this work.
“You’re bluffing.” He didn’t sound sure.
“You wish. Tell me where Kane is.”
“If I help you, Parr will kill me.”
“If you don’t help me, you’ll be begging for death long before Parr ever finds you.” I delved into my shopping bag, the rustle of the plastic making Sharkface whip his blindfolded face in that direction.
Then he leaned back, his mouth firming. “You’re full of shit, just like your so-called cop friend. Give it up, bitch. And let me go, or you’ll regret it.”
“I’m done talking,” I snapped. “Say hello to a brand-new weapon. It causes excruciating pain without leaving a mark on your skin. So my cop friend will still be happy if I decide to turn you over to him afterward.”
My anger bubbled up and I flicked the switch, generating a chattering hum from the device in my hand.
“And I can make it last for days, bitch,” I hissed, and swiped the business end across his ankle.
Chapter 42
Sharkface’s scream was so horrible I jerked backward, adrenaline slamming into my veins. Beside me, Hellhound made a strangled sound and clapped his hand over his mouth.
“Who’s there?” Sharkface’s voice was a couple of octaves higher than normal. “Cop, is that you? Make her stop! I know my rights-”
“I told you, the cop is long gone,” I snarled. “It’s just you and me and this big fucking wimp who’s supposed to be my hired muscle.”
I glared at Hellhound, who scrubbed his hands vigorously over his grin. When he spoke, his rasp was wobbly with suppressed laughter. “Jesus, that’s fuckin’ sick.”
I brandished the electric depilator I’d purchased from Canadian Tire’s health and beauty section. “You think that’s sick? Wait ‘til I get started a little higher up.” I leaned over to touch the rotating head to Sharkface’s knee, the depilator growling and flinging uprooted leg hairs in all directions.
He screamed again, jerking against his bonds so hard I was afraid they might snap. A wave of guilt drowned my fierce amusement and I swallowed hard.
Yeah, he was a vicious killer. Yeah, he’d do much worse to me and enjoy it. But intentionally causing pain and fear sickened me.
I put on my snarl again. “Oh, and did I mention that this weapon kills whatever it touches? When the pain starts to fade, you’ll know the nerves are dying. Then after a while the tissue just rots and falls off. Doctors think it’s an infection, but antibiotics won’t touch it. Do you remember when that flesh-eating disease was big news a few years ago? That was when we were testing this weapon. And nobody had a clue.”
I moved the device in widening circles on his knee, generating a flurry of hysterical shrieks and thrashing.
“Make her stop, make her stop!” Sharkface babbled. “Please, I don’t know where they’re holding Kane, I swear! I don’t know…”
“Jesus,” Hellhound choked. “That’s just wrong!”
“Shut up!” I snapped, afraid to even glance at him in case he burst out laughing. “Do you like having a dick, Barnett? I hope not, ‘cause you’re about to lose it. Where’s Kane?” I raked the depilator high across his inner thigh.
His scream held the mindless terror of a dying animal and his bladder and bowels released. The sudden stench made me double over gagging as my oldest nightmare flashed before my eyes. The horrible screams, the smell of shit from ruptured intestines…
Hellhound’s grin vanished and he pulled me into the shelter of his arms.
Sharkface’s blubbering was still audible even muffled by Hellhound’s embrace. “I-don’t-know-I-don’t-know-I-swear-to-God-I-don’t-know-oh-please…”
I gulped hard, trembling violently while I clung to Hellhound. Gulped again and again, willing the hot bile down from my throat.
After a long moment I managed to draw a breath without my stomach heaving. I straightened, and Hellhound stroked my cheek with gentle fingertips.
“Go sit in the car,” he whispered. “I’ll do it.”
I shook my head and turned back to Sharkface, holding my voice flat. “Tell me who would know.”
“I d-don’t know f-for sure b-but-”
I flicked the depilator on, letting it buzz like an enraged hornet. “Names. Phone numbers. Addresses. Now!”
The names poured out of him so fast his tongue tangled, the information interspersed with sobs and pleas for mercy.
When he ran down at last, I shot a glance at Hellhound and he nodded. All data stored.
“Who should I start with?” I ground out.
“W-Willis Arlington. H-He should know…”
“Good. You’re going to call him for me. Set up a meeting so I can snatch him. Then I’ll give you a nice shot of anaesthetic and you’ll go to sleep. If he comes to the meeting, you’ll wake up safe in the hospital and you’ll only lose a few little patches of skin where I touched you. But if he doesn’t show up…”
I moved the buzzing depilator close to his face and he reared back, whimpering. “…you’ll wake up right here. And I’ll use this all over your body. And you will suffer for a long, long time. But you won’t die. By the time they find you, they’ll have to amputate your arms and legs and dick and balls and most of your chest and face. You’ll be nothing but a helpless lump of flesh. For the rest. Of. Your. Life.”
I leaned closer, putting as much menace as possible into my voice. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
“P-Please, th-that’s all I know, I s-swear…”
“Okay. I’m going to give you a minute to get yourself together. And then you’re going to call Arlington.”
I dragged myself to my feet to stagger to the far end of the trailer and punch the speed dial for Dave’s cell.
He answered on the first ring. “Everything okay?”
“Yes.” I braced myself against my car as my stomach heaved again. “Where are we?”
“Westbound Stoney Trail at 14th Street.”
“Okay, we’ll stop soon. I’ll call you back with a location.”
“’Kay.”
I wobbled back to the other end of the trailer, the smell of Sharkface’s excrement twisting my guts into nauseated knots.
“It’s time,” I snapped. “You’re going to tell Arlington that I’m bringing you the weapon but some idiot ran into your car in traffic and you can’t meet me because you can’t leave the scene while the police are there. Describe me. Tell him I’ll be waiting in front of the liquor store in Crowfoot Crossing at…” I consulted my watch. “Two-thirty. Got it?”
“Accident. C-Crowfoot liquor store. Two-thirty.”
I flipped the switch and he flinched at the buzz of the depilator. “Keep still,” I crooned. “Very, very still. Because I’m going to hold this right next to your nuts while you make the call.” He went rigid and a keening sound leaked from his throat as I knelt beside him.
“You’re not going to do anything stupid, are you?” I asked softly.
“N-No… P-please don’t…”
“And you’re not going to sound scared at all when you talk to Arlington, are you?”
“N-No…”
“You sound scared. Try again.”
He drew a short breath and cleared his throat, the muscles of his thighs vibrating against the strain of the ropes. “No.”
“That’s better. Are you ready to make the call now? The sooner you do it, the sooner you get to a hospital.”
He cleared his throat again. “I’m ready.”
Hellhound punched the number into his phone and held it next to Sharkface’s ear. I held my breath while the phone rang.
Please, God, let this work…
A ‘he
llo’ crackled from the speaker and Sharkface spoke, his voice faint but steady. “Arlene Widdenback has Mr. Parr’s item but some fucking idiot ran into my car and I can’t leave the scene while the cops are here. Can you get it from her? She’ll be in front of the Crowfoot liquor store in Crowfoot Crossing at two-thirty. Tall redhead. Long hair, brown eyes.”
A torrent of protest came from the phone and muscles rippled in Sharkface’s jaw. “I don’t trust anybody else. It’s got to be you or we’re both fucked…” The word trailed off with a tremor and I growled softly beside his ear.
“Do it, Arlington,” he snapped. “Gotta go. Cops.”
Hellhound punched the disconnect button and I turned off the depilator at the same time.
“Good job,” I said. “Here’s your anaesthetic. You’d better hope you don’t wake up here.”
Hellhound pressed the dart into Sharkface’s neck and his rigid body went limp.
My legs gave out as though the trank had been injected into me instead. Slumped on the floor of the trailer, I wrapped my arms around my churning gut and concentrated on taking slow, even breaths.
Hellhound knelt beside me and gathered me into his arms. “Ya okay, darlin’?” he murmured.
“No.” The word wavered out and I jerked my chin up. “But I will be. As soon as we get John back safe and sound.” I hauled out my phone again and punched the speed dial. “Dave, head for Crowfoot Crossing. Park in a loading bay where we can pull the car out without attracting attention, and then let us out.”
“’Kay. Gonna be about ten minutes.”
I hung up and burrowed into Hellhound’s arms, but Sharkface’s reek made my stomach do backflips. Pulling away, I hauled myself to my feet and wavered over to the shopping bag.
When I pulled out a second tarp, Hellhound nodded comprehension and rose to help me unfold it. As I reached for the duct tape, his hand closed over mine. “Ya look pretty green around the gills, darlin’. Why don’t ya go sit in the car an’ let me do this?”
I leaned my head against his chest. “Thank you.”
He dropped a kiss on the top of my head, and I tottered back to squeeze through the window into my car again.
Spy Now, Pay Later Page 32