by Неизвестный
She punched him yet again. He was still bent over, gasping for air. "No," he managed to get out. "I didn't. Don't hit me again, Molly, I mean it. Remember how I hit you three years ago? I'll do it again."
"You just try it, you worm, just try it." She started to say something else, then just shook her head and walked away.
Ramsey didn't move for some time. People did the most incredible things to each other. He, Judge Ramsey Hunt, without hesitation, walked quickly down the corridor to where Louey Santera was still standing, alternately looking at Gunther and at his own toes.
"Hey, Louey. How's tricks?"
Louey managed to raise his head. "What do you want, you prick?"
Ramsey smiled at him and said in the mildest of voices, "Molly creamed you good. I knew she was strong, but that was quite a demo. You must have really pissed her off."
"She's really tough when her father's nearby or one of his goons. Can you imagine what Gunther would have done if I'd so much as breathed too hard on her? She knew. I had to stand here and let her hit me."
Ramsey kept that smile on his mouth. He lifted Louey Santera up by his shirtfront, straightened him, and sent his fist into his jaw. Louey yowled, staggering back. Ramsey let him go and he hit the wall.
"You're a real piece of work, you know that, Louey? There, that should give you something else to think about. I can't wait to see the back of you. And Molly's right, you know. Mason's just about ready to snap. I have a feeling that when he does, you'll be dead meat."
"You're a bloody judge, a bloody federal judge, and just listen to you. Some officer of the court you are. I'll get you for assault and battery. I'll get you impeached and disbarred, you bastard. I'll get you."
"Hey, you want to try to get me now? I'd sure welcome that, Louey. Anytime you want to play some more, you just come see me." He shook his head. "It looks right now like you hired a child molester to kidnap your own daughter. You probably didn't know that, but it just shows what a real winner you are. You're going to do big time for this, Louey, if you're involved, and that, only if you're lucky. Who knows, maybe I'll see you in my courtroom."
"You're in San Francisco, idiot."
"Yeah, but I've got lots of judge friends." Ramsey walked away whistling. He said over his shoulder, "Sleep well, Louey. Tomorrow will be here soon enough."
He went to his bedroom. He didn't bother turning on the lights. He knew his way around now. He walked to the bed, lay down, and stared up at the black ceiling. Was Louey involved? It seemed fantastic to him. But on the other hand, the man didn't seem to have a moral bone in his skinny body.
"You heard everything he said, didn't you?"
He jerked to a sitting position. "Molly? Why are you here, in the dark?"
"Waiting for you. I saw you lift him off the ground and hit him in the jaw."
"Between the two of us pounding him, just maybe he might dredge up a bit of humanity, although I doubt he can. Why did you ever think you loved him?"
"I was nineteen years old and stupid."
"And he was the big rock star."
"Yes, and I was super-impressed. A friend of mine who knew him introduced us. You heard him. The only reason he asked me to go out with him was because I was Little Miss Sweet Innocence. I didn't go to bed with him that first night, and that was probably why he asked me out again. I didn't go to bed with him at all until one night I smoked marijuana, drank too much- Oh God, that sounds pathetic. Anyway, I just floated off with him to his bed." She shuddered with the memory of it.
"Just leave it be, Ramsey. At least he gave me Emma. I would have danced with the devil if the result was Emma."
"Of course you would have," he said, and rose from the bed. He could see her now, standing by the open window. There was a quarter moon, sending just a sliver of white light into the bedroom.
She turned to face him. "You did hear everything he said, didn't you?"
"Yes. It felt good to hit him, Molly. He's a miserable human being."
"Do you really think he had something to do with Emma's kidnapping?"
"Maybe. If he did, you hit it right on the head. He wanted his money back. But you know, I keep coming back to the same questions. Why all the professionals? Who was tracking us? Remember, the ransom note arrived after we'd gotten Emma back. I got the distinct impression that if they'd found us, we'd all be dead. Why? That wouldn't give them any ransom."
"I know."
They heard a scream, a high piercing cry that had them out of his bedroom in an instant and down the hall into Emma and Molly's bedroom.
Ramsey stood back while Molly gathered Emma to her and rocked her. "It's all right, baby, really, it's all right. That's right, just breathe deeply now for Mama. You're okay. I'm here. Ramsey's here too."
He sat down on the other side of the bed and rubbed Emma's back, saying nothing.
"Was it that awful man, Em?"
Emma nodded against her mother's shoulder. "I woke up when there was this noise. I looked over. He was at the window. He was staring in at me. He was grinning. He had bad teeth, just like before."
Ramsey went immediately to the window and stared out. He didn't see anything. He unlocked the window and raised it. They were on the second floor. There was a ledge out-
side, wide enough for a man to stand on. He looked and looked but there was no movement in the bushes or trees, no shifts in the shadows, no sounds. He didn't see a single one of Mason Lord's guards.
He turned to Emma as she said in a small broken voice, "He won't go away. He's always there, waiting for me. I knew he'd come back for me, and he did. He followed us all the way from California. He's here now."
Molly looked up at him. He shook his head.
"You sure you saw him at the window, Em?"
"Yes. He was grinning at me. I was so scared."
Molly pulled her tightly against her again. "I know, sweetheart. But you're all right. Both Ramsey and I are here with you."
Ramsey said, "He won't come back again, Emma. And he won't be there for much longer, I promise. Now, I'm going downstairs and we're going to look for this character."
He was at the door when Emma called out his name. He turned to her. "Yes, Emma?"
"Thank you for believing me."
He just smiled. "If he's still out there, we'll get him."
She didn't look as if she believed him. Actually, he didn't either since he believed she had indeed dreamed him up out of a nightmare, but he and the guards would all look anyway. He couldn't imagine that anyone could sneak onto the estate without one of the guards seeing him. But it couldn't hurt to look around, to talk to the guards, to make sure they were on their toes.
Emma was sucking her fingers, hiccuping. Molly said, "I'm going to come to bed now, Emma, we can play spoons. We can snuggle real close."
"Can Ramsey come, too?"
He didn't even hesitate. "Sure, Emma. Tell you what, you get settled with your mom and I'll be in soon. I'll hug you both until you fall asleep. I'm going to go look for that
guy"
She sucked harder on her fingers, then pulled them out of her mouth and whispered, "Please be careful, Ramsey. He's a bad man. He even smokes."
"I'll be back soon, Emma. I'll be careful as a judge." The sucking slowed. She sniffed and swallowed. "That was kind of funny, Ramsey."
MlLES knocked lightly on the bedroom door, then quietly opened it. Emma was lying pressed against Molly. Ramsey was sleeping in a chair next to the bed, an afghan pulled up to his chin.
It was late, after eight o'clock in the morning. He paused, not knowing what to do.
"Is that you, Miles?"
"Yes, Ramsey. Should I come back?"
"No, it's time for us all to get up." He sat up in the chair and stretched. "I'm a damned pretzel," he said, and rubbed his neck. He started to get up, then Emma's hand shot out from under the covers and grabbed his hand. Molly awoke. She tried to sit up and not disturb Emma at the same time.
"I'm awake, Mama. I've got Ram
sey."
"I see that you do. Miles?"
"Yes, Molly." He suddenly broke off and turned. "Oh, good morning, sir. As you can see, Ramsey and Molly were protecting Emma."
"This is ridiculous," Mason Lord said. "What the hell are you doing in here, Ramsey?"
Ramsey said quietly, Emma's hand still held in his, "If the two of you will please leave, Molly and I will get ourselves together. In case you're wondering why I'm in here, Emma had a nightmare. I stay close. It makes her feel safe again. Let me go now, Em. That's right." He leaned down and kissed her, then lightly patted her cheek.
Mason Lord turned away. They heard him say, his voice hard and cold and very smooth, "Good morning, Louey. I trust you have a whole lot to say to me this morning."
"So she's sleeping with him, huh?"
"You have a very plebeian mind, Louey. I suggest you go downstairs, have some bacon and toast, then prepare to tell me all about the recent happenings in your miserable life."
"I tell you, I didn't kidnap Emma. She's my daughter, too. Why do you call her Molly's daughter? Listen, you've got to believe me, I-"
Miles, thankfully, closed the door.
RAMSEY called Dr. Loo, telling her about Emma's nightmare that had seemed so real to her. Dr. Loo would see them right away.
Mason Lord stopped Ramsey on the way to the breakfast room and drew him aside. "I had Gunther bring the Mercedes around for you. You can drive it to the doctor's. I also heard about the search last night."
"We didn't find any evidence of an intruder, and no one really expected to. Emma dreamed about the man, then half woke up and saw him in the window. Adults could do that. It shouldn't be too much of a stretch to imagine a six-year-old seeing the bad man at the window. That's why we're seeing Dr. Loo right away while it's still fresh in Emma's mind." Ramsey frowned, looking just past Mason Lord's shoulder.
"What is it?"
"It's very likely that Emma could describe the kidnapper. I'd thought about it before, but I decided she didn't need that kind of stress. It was too soon. Maybe she could do it now. We could get a police artist out here."
"No police. They poke where they shouldn't. I'll get an artist and have him make arrangements to see you at Dr. Loo's."
Ramsey nodded and walked into the breakfast room. Only Emma and Molly were there. It was a charming room done in the Colonial style, with bowed windows looking over the back lawn with its glittering blue swimming pool. He sat down at the cherry-wood table with its hand-embroidered tablecloth, covered dishes set for them.
"I like Dr. Loo," Emma said as she started on her bowl of the special oatmeal Miles had made for her. "Do you really believe I saw him?"
"It's possible you didn't really see him, sweetheart. I hope we can find out what you really saw. Do you mind?"
"No." She sighed deeply. Ramsey hadn't ever thought a child could sigh like that.
Molly stood up and walked behind Emma. "Let me French-braid your hair, Em. It looks a bit ratty."
While Emma ate her cereal, Ramsey drank coffee, watching Molly do the French braid, her hands sure, her motions smooth. He'd have to learn how to do that. He remembered the pathetic braids he'd managed after he'd found Emma.
"Will you teach me that?" he said to Molly, who was twisting a rubber band around the bottom of the braid. She wrapped a pretty yellow puffy bow around that.
"Sure, no problem. Emma, do you mind Ramsey practicing on you?"
"No, Mama. Ramsey can learn anything."
"Such faith," Molly said and kissed her daughter's ear. "If you're finished, sweetheart, it's nearly time to go. I'll call Miles to get the car."
"Gunther already brought it around earlier, according to your father."
They went out of the house five minutes later to see the car parked on the far side of the wide circular drive.
Suddenly, Louey Santera bolted from behind a thick row of bushes, rushed to the car, and jerked open the driver's-side door of the Mercedes.
"He's trying to escape," Ramsey said, shaking his head. "The idiot."
He yelled, "Come back here, Louey. You can't get out of here, and you know that. The drive is gated. There are two guys there, with guns. Stop, you moron. For God's sake, Mason isn't going to pull your fingernails out. All you've
got to do is tell him the truth and nobody's going to hurt you."
Louey gave them the finger. He twisted the key in the ignition.
It was his last act.
18
THE CAR EXPLODED in a ball of flame. Tongues of fire and metal swept upward and outward from the car, shooting into the air, hurtling toward them. Molly grabbed Emma and threw her to the ground, falling over her. Ramsey flung himself on top of them both, gathering them in with his arms, covering them as best he could. He felt the fierce heat of the flames, heard the whoosh of the fire and chunks of metal striking the sidewalk and gravel. Suddenly he felt as if a boulder had slammed into the middle of his back. It was hard and heavy and hot. The pain was intense. Whatever had hit him was still on his back, burning through his sports jacket and shirt. "Hold still, Molly." He quickly rolled off them onto his back. A smoking fragment of upholstery fell to the ground beside him. The pain immediately lessened. He'd stopped the burning.
He looked back at Molly and saw a sharp piece of metal that looked like a spear jutting out of her arm, right above the elbow. "Oh Jesus, Molly, hold still. Emma, you okay?"
"Yes, Ramsey."
"Good. Don't either of you move yet. It's still too dangerous." He ripped off the sleeve of his shirt, took a deep
breath, and without saying a word to Molly, he jerked the metal spear out of her arm. "Good," he said. "Don't move, I'm going to wrap it up."
Molly hadn't made a sound. He didn't know how she'd managed it, but she did. The next minutes ground slowly by. Emma was fidgeting. He said things, silly meaningless things, to quiet her. Finally, the car was burning down, consuming itself, the flames collapsed into plumes of black smoke, which then fell, blanketing everything. The smell of burning rubber was nauseating. The Mercedes was a burning corpse. And what was left of Louey was inside it.
Emma twisted onto her back when Ramsey finally moved and looked up at him and her mother, who was holding her arm. "What happened? Why did our car blow up?"
"It's all right, Emma." He couldn't answer her, not yet. He helped Molly to her feet. "You hanging in there?"
"Yes, don't worry about me. I'm lucky I was wearing a long-sleeved dress. Not much protection, but some." Her sleeve was seared off, the blood from the wound soaking his makeshift bandage and snaking down her forearm.
"Both of us need a doctor."
She was staring at him. "Are you all right, Ramsey? I know you're hurt. How bad is it?"
"I'm all right. Come on, Molly."
She looked away toward the burning car. She turned perfectly white. "Oh God, Louey!" She ran toward the burning wreck, holding her hurt arm. "Louey!"
Ramsey grabbed her around her waist, pulling her back. "No, Molly. He's dead." He blinked. It hit him that Emma's father had just been blown up in front of her. He and Molly were both in shock, not thinking clearly or quickly, but now here was Emma, staring at the car. He came down on his knees in front of her and gathered her against him. "It will be all right, Emma, I promise. I'm real sorry, sweetheart. Someone put a bomb in the car. It exploded when he turned it on."
He heard people's voices behind him, coming from the house, but he didn't turn to see who was there.
There was nothing left of the car. Nothing left either of Louey Santera. Then he saw that the Mercedes hood ornament was still recognizable. He turned then to see everyone standing on the front steps gaping at the twisted, blackened car. There were still small spurts of flame eating into the metal, bursting up now and then into glittering showers.
Emma's piano was smashed. Still she held it against her chest. She looked at her mother, then back at him. "I don't understand."
"He's dead, Emma," Molly said.
; "Oh," she said finally. She looked at the gutted car, at the licking flames. "I don't see him, Ramsey."
"No," he said. He wasn't about to tell her that her father could be picked up in a wastebasket.
Then everyone seemed to be talking at once, patting, soothing, Mason Lord even holding Molly close to his side for a moment. Gunther had his gun out. Miles was trying to edge close to Emma. Guards had swarmed to the burning wreck, their guns at the ready. All of them were young men, fit and strong, each carrying an automatic weapon. Even they stopped to stare at the devastation.