“What will you tell your father? Or will you just let him think you ran away, and leave him to wonder for the rest of his life?”
“He won’t. He doesn’t give a damn about me.”
“If that were true, he wouldn’t care what you did. He wouldn’t worry himself half-sick over you the way he does.”
The boy looked troubled.
“Shut up,” the man warned. Kate, as Rand had known she would, ignored him.
“And you know that’s not true. He does care what you do, because he loves you.”
“I told you to shut up!” The man lifted the handgun as if to strike her with it, even though she was out of his reach. Rand got his feet under him, ready to spring, and the man swung the gun around to point at him.
Something in the angle, or the expression, finally made the pieces tumble for Rand. You run more to ruining lives, he’d said. Draven. Redstone Vail.
And then he had it.
“Talbert,” he said.
The man’s eyes narrowed. “So. You do know me.”
“Sure,” he said. Right now he’d do whatever it took to keep the man’s attention on him and away from Kate. “William Talbert. Draven nailed you for ripping off the resort guests at the Redstone Vail Resort.”
“That damned bastard,” the man said, his lip curling upward like an angry jackal. “Why couldn’t it have been him they sent out here?”
So that was it, Rand thought. He had a major grudge against Draven. And since he couldn’t get to Draven, anybody from Redstone security would do.
“He thinks he’s so damned good,” Talbert said.
He is, Rand answered silently. He’s the best there is.
“But you’re the smart one,” Rand said aloud, making an effort to sound impressed. “Nice little scheme you had going, collecting home addresses and key impressions for your accomplices. The victims didn’t know a thing until they got home to find their house ransacked. And by then the trail was cold.”
“It worked for years,” the man said.
So Draven had been right. He had suspected Talbert had been at it a while. He’d gotten things rolling too quickly to be starting from scratch. He’d gotten himself hired at Redstone using a name and work record he’d stolen from a man he’d worked with at another hotel, and although they couldn’t prove it by then, Draven suspected he’d been behind similar thefts from guests there.
“So, how did you get out of jail?” Rand asked. “The usual breakdown in the justice system, letting slime seep through the cracks?”
Talbert swore. Rand was just quick enough to dodge the full force of the man’s swing at him, but the hit was solid enough to darken the edges of his vision. The front sight on the gun caught his cheek, tore, and he felt the hot trail of blood start. He ended up on the floor of the van, his ears ringing from the blow.
“No!” Kate cried out. She scrambled over and dropped to her knees beside him.
“Don’t,” he whispered. Her brow furrowed and she leaned closer. “He can’t know.”
He saw her frown, then figure it out; if this man knew they were more to each other than simply Redstone colleagues, he would have yet another weapon to use on both of them.
“Are you all right, Mr. Singleton? You’re bleeding.”
Her tone held the formality of a mere acquaintance. That quickly, she saved it, he marveled. He wanted to grin at her, but settled for a surreptitious wink, to let her know he was fine.
“I’m…a little dizzy.”
“Oh, dear.” She looked at Talbert. “You’d better get him to a doctor, fast, or you’ll be in even more trouble than just for stealing!”
“Sure, I’ll just do that.”
The sadistic amusement in Talbert’s voice told Rand all he needed to know. The man indeed planned to take his revenge on the Redstone man he had, in Draven’s place.
The van began to slow, and Doug spoke hesitantly. “We’re at the top, what do you want me to do?”
“Park it,” Talbert ordered. “Okay, everybody, let’s get out and take a look at the scenic wonders.”
Kate looked at Rand. He nodded; they’d have a better chance outside than stuck in the van. He shook his head slightly; his vision had cleared, but his ears were still ringing. He could feel the blood streaming down the side of his face, soaking the neck of his sweater. He did nothing to wipe at it; the more blood Talbert saw, the more he’d believe Rand wasn’t a threat anymore.
Once they were all out, Talbert glanced toward the end of the road, where a few trees clung stubbornly to the edge of the world. He smiled, that very unpleasant smile. Then he looked at Rand, and the unholy anticipation was clear in his glittering eyes.
A hundred and fifty feet, Rand thought.
“You know, I think this might just be better than having Draven himself here. Just think how he’ll feel when he learns about you, and that it was me who did it.” That cackle came again, and it was sounding more and more unhinged. “He’ll feel like it was his own fault. He’s got that Boy Scout mentality, just like the rest of you.”
And he’ll hunt you down and kill you, Rand thought. But if Talbert hadn’t thought that far yet, he certainly wasn’t going to plant the idea.
“Get them out of here first,” he said instead.
“Now, why would I do that?”
“Your beef’s with me. There’s no reason to make them watch.”
“Watch what?” Doug asked.
But Kate didn’t ask. She was looking at Rand, an expression of pure horror on her face. “No,” she said, her voice small. She looked a little wildly at Talbert. “That’s crazy! You’ll never get away with it.”
“As long as they don’t see you do it, if you get caught there’s only hearsay,” Rand said. He had no intention of letting the man simply toss him over the cliff, but he wanted Kate safe first.
“Do what?” Doug asked again.
Kate snapped at the boy. “Did you think this was all a game?”
“What do you mean? What’s he gonna do?”
Talbert chuckled. “He is a fool, isn’t he?”
The boy’s glance flicked to Talbert, then to Rand. And then, finally, toward the end of the road where the world dropped off to the icy water. His eyes widened, and he began to back up.
“Yes, that’s right,” Talbert said conversationally. “I’m going to kill him. And I’m going to enjoy it.”
Chapter 22
“Hey! No way, man.” Doug kept backing away, his hands in the air. “You never said nothing about killing anybody. I don’t want any part of this.”
“Be quiet, Doug, or you’ll end up next on his list,” Rand told the boy.
Kate’s heart was hammering in her chest. Her mind was racing at an even faster pace. Her first instinct was to protect, even this foolish boy who was neck-deep in this mess. But more important than that was the simple fact that she wasn’t about to stand by and let Rand be killed. Nor was she going to save herself at the cost of his life, no matter what he said. Or did.
And the realization of just how far she’d go to accomplish that stunned her. And made her face for the first time the reason why.
The acknowledgement of her own feelings welling up inside her, she looked at Rand. Felt her stomach clench at the sight of his bloody face. And then they locked gazes, and she immediately knew she had to postpone dealing with this; he was planning something. She could see it in his face, in his eyes, in the way he was standing. He’d just been trying to get her and the boy to safety first. And, she had to admit, give himself two less people to worry about. And his ready posture reminded her that this man was one of Redstone’s crack security team, and more than likely quite able to handle a lone, armed suspect.
But a little help wouldn’t hurt.
“Now, all I have to do before you take your little swim,” Talbert said with unsettling glee in his voice, “is decide exactly what body part I’m going to lop off of you to send a message to your boss. I’d say your head, but that would be so me
ssy to package.”
“You’re crazy, man!” Doug yelled. “I’m outta here.”
Talbert looked to his right, toward the boy. “You move and I’ll drop you right here.”
“Instead of later?” Rand asked.
The boy must have seen the answer in Talbert’s face, because he went pale all over again and started stumbling backward. Talbert shifted the gun, aiming it at the boy. Kate knew she’d never have a better chance.
“No, don’t shoot!” she shouted as dramatically as she could, and ran toward the boy. Talbert instinctively turned toward her. She grabbed Doug and pulled him to the ground. Talbert took a step toward them. And for that moment, the gun was no longer trained on Rand.
As Kate had hoped, it was all Rand needed.
He launched himself at Talbert. The two men went down in a heap. They rolled, each one seeking to pin the other. As she untangled herself from Doug and tried to get to her feet, Kate could see that Talbert had managed to hang on to the gun. Fear rippled through her. Rand might be stronger and better, but that wouldn’t help against a bullet.
They rolled into the shadows of the trees, and Kate couldn’t tell who was on top. The fallen leaves beneath them rustled and crunched. Twigs snapped. She heard the sound of blows, and of rough, masculine grunts. Exertion or pain, she couldn’t tell. She’d never seen anything like this, a real hand to hand battle with full intent. A fight to the death. The old phrase rang in her mind, and she knew that this was what she was seeing.
Don’t just stand here, do something!
She wasn’t fool enough to think she could do anything to help with her bare hands. She looked around, seeking some kind of weapon. A downed branch, a rock, anything. The only branch big enough broke when she picked it up, rotted away after months on the ground.
“Wait,” Doug said, and turned around to climb in the van. Just seconds later he was back, a tire iron in his hand. Kate grabbed it and ran.
They were still on the ground. Talbert was on the bottom, the gun still gripped in his right hand. Rand’s fingers were locked around the man’s right wrist. It was clear that Talbert was straining to get the weapon turned from where it was pointed back toward the van, to where he could shoot Rand. Only Rand’s fierce grip was stopping him.
Talbert jerked his arm. A tiny scream broke from Kate as the gun went off wildly, the sharp report echoing in the quiet night. In that same instant Talbert somehow got purchase and rolled, pinning Rand. They were perilously close to that fatal drop-off.
Kate crept closer, trying to see clearly in the shadows. If she did this wrong, both of them could end up going over the edge. Rand seemed to be holding his own, at least Talbert wasn’t succeeding in turning the gun.
She thought she saw Rand glance her way. Then she knew he had when, with an effort that made him grunt, he managed to push Talbert and roll until they were a couple of feet away from the drop.
Talbert was on his side now, his back to her. With that she took her chance.
She tightened her grip on the metal bar. Swung. Connected. Talbert screamed. The gun fell. Kate crouched, grabbed the pistol by the barrel, and scrambled back out of reach. They rolled once more, and this time Rand came up on top. Talbert tried to throw him off. In a move so quick it seemed like a blur to her, he clipped Talbert across the jaw with his fist. The man gave up, sagging back and whimpering, cradling his right arm.
Rand got one knee on the ground, keeping the other pressed into Talbert’s belly. Never taking his eyes off the man, he reached out toward Kate. Gingerly, she placed the gun in his outstretched hand.
He handled it with the ease and assurance of long familiarity and practice. He pulled back the metal part on top, the slide, she thought, glanced down, then let it slide back.
Talbert was still moaning. Rand slid at sideways glance at her. “Where the heck did you hit him?”
“I was aiming for his funny bone.”
Rand’s mouth slowly curved into a grin, and then he laughed. “I’d say your aim was pretty good.”
His praise warmed her, but now that things were under control she could worry. “Are you all right? You bled so much….”
“I’m fine. And I’m looking forward to a nice scar to counter those baby-face jokes.”
She laughed then, and felt her tension ease.
“Get me that wire out of the van, will you?”
She vaguely remembered seeing the small spool of shiny silver wire, and ran back to the van to grab it. She ran back to Rand and handed it over. He unreeled a length of the wire and rolled Talbert over to tie his hands behind him. The man let out a wail as Rand pulled on his right arm.
“Shut up, whiny,” Rand said. “It’s not broken.”
When he finished, he rolled Talbert back over. He flicked a glance at Kate, then looked back at their thief.
“By the way,” he said, “that shipment you stole? It’s empty.”
Talbert scowled. “What are you talking about?”
“The only thing in those boxes,” Kate said, “are pens.”
“In other words,” Rand said with evident pleasure, “you were set up. And you bit like a flounder.”
And now he was gaping like one, unable to quite believe he’d been trapped so neatly. For the first time, Kate felt her pulse begin to slow. She took in a deep breath.
“I’m so relieved,” she said.
“Me, too,” Rand said.
“I thought…I was afraid my mentee was involved. She’d been acting so strange, I actually started watching her. Sitting outside her house, even.”
Rand looked at her then. “So that’s what you were doing.”
She blinked. “What? How did—” It hit her then. “You were watching me? While I was watching her?”
His expression became wary. The absurdity of it hit her, and she laughed. “No wonder you thought I was up to no good.”
Rand relaxed. “Speaking of kids, where’s Doug? He take off?”
She had barely thought about him, Kate realized. “No, he was here,” she said, looking around, “he got me the tire iron, but I—” She broke off. “Oh, no,” she whispered.
She ran to the crumpled figure lying against the back wheel of the van. She saw the blood on his shirt before she got to him, and dreaded what she would find. But as she knelt beside the boy, she saw that he was still breathing.
She yanked open the front door to the van, and searched the cab anxiously. She found her phone on the floor where Talbert had tossed it. Quickly she dialed 911.
In a moment, Rand was there. While she’d been explaining where they were, he had dragged the unresisting Talbert over and tossed him in the back of the van. Then he came back to crouch beside Doug.
“I don’t know what happened to him,” she said, kneeling down once more.
Rand leaned over the boy, put a hand to his neck. “Pulse is steady. A little fast, but then he’s lost some blood.”
He tugged up the boy’s T-shirt, peeling the blood-soaked fabric away from his chest.
“Uh-oh.” Rand reached around and felt along Doug’s back. The boy moaned slightly.
“What?” Kate asked anxiously. The boy had been partly responsible for all this, but he’d also helped them at the end, and she didn’t want to see another young, precious life cut short.
“Looks like he caught that round that went off.”
Kate’s breath caught. “You mean he was shot?”
Rand frowned. “No exit. At that distance, it should have gone straight through.”
Kate winced at the image that gave her. She didn’t want to think about the fact that Rand knew this kind of thing, and probably a lot more things that never occurred in her safe little world.
He inspected the wound closely. Kate bit her lip; it was all she could do to look at all. Then he straightened up. He quickly pulled off his jacket, then his sweater and shirt. He folded the cotton shirt up into a pad and placed it over the boy’s wound.
“Hold this, keep pressure on it,�
� he said to her.
She shifted so she could do as he asked. When she had a good hold, he pulled his sweater and jacket back against the chilly air. Then he looked around, back toward where he and Talbert had been. He reached into the van and turned on the headlights, lighting the area. Then he walked that way. Kate kept quiet; this was his bailiwick, certainly not hers. In the distance she heard a siren, and hoped the paramedics got here soon.
Rand stopped at the spot where they’d been when the gun had gone off. He turned, looked back toward them. Then he scanned the area from side to side, obviously searching for something. She wondered what it was.
His gaze seemed to snag on something, and he strode forward. He knelt beside a basketball sized rock. He studied the rock for a moment in the glare of the headlights, reached out and touched a spot on it, then stood up and came back.
“I think it ricocheted. Hit that rock first.”
“Is that good, or bad?”
“Probably good. Spent a lot of velocity hitting the rock. It’s messier, because the bullet’s misshapen when it hits, but it’s probably going to save him.”
As she continued to keep the pressure on Doug’s wound, Kate let out a long breath. It was over. It was finally over. And at last she let in the thought that had been flitting around the edges of her consciousness, that she was glad, not that Doug had been hurt, but that Rand had not. Selfish, she thought, but true.
By the time the paramedics had arrived, she realized just how much trouble she was in. Her effort to keep her heart safely locked away had failed miserably.
“Ms. Crawford!”
Doug’s expression was one of shock. He looked frail, lying in a hospital bed with an IV in his arm and various monitors hooked up to his body. He also looked scared, and she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
“I didn’t think you’d ever want to see me again,” the boy said, his tone beyond humble.
“You made the right choice, Doug,” she said. “It took you a while, but you did.”
The boy’s eyes widened as Rand walked in behind her. “Oh. I get it now,” he said.
In His Sights Page 19