Hour Game

CHAPTER 95

"THIS REALLY HAS BEEN a wonderful evening, Sean."

He and Sylvia had returned to the house and were sitting in the small glass-enclosed patio off the kitchen, observing the bad weather coming in.

"I love watching storms on the lake," she said. "It's even prettier in the daytime, when you can see it come right over the mountain's crest."

She turned to see him staring at her. "What?"

"I was just thinking there's something far lovelier than a storm, and it's sitting right next to me."

She smiled. "Is that a leftover pickup line from your college days?"

"Yes, but the big difference is I mean it now."

They moved closer to each other, his arm went around her shoulders and she rested her head against his chest.

"Like I said before, it's nice to be taken care of for a change," she said.

"You two really make a great couple, you really do."

Sylvia screamed and jerked up. King half rose from the couch before he saw it was pointless with the gun pointed at him. He sat back.

Eddie Battle leaned against the doorway, still in his wet suit, aiming his pistol first at Sean and then at Sylvia. The laser aimer danced across their torsos like a red-hot ember on a puppeteer's string.

"In fact, you're so adorable if I had a camera I'd take a photo."

"What the hell do you want, Eddie?"

"What do I want? What do I want, Sean?"

King moved in front of Sylvia as Eddie stepped into the room.

"That's what I asked."

"You know, I like you. I really do. I'm not pissed that you're the one who ran me down. It was a nice little battle of wits. In fact, I figured it would be you. That's why I tried to take out you and Michelle at your houseboat."

"Why don't you save everybody a lot of trouble and just give yourself up? There's a deputy right outside."

"No, not right outside, Sean," he corrected. "He's at the end of the driveway in his cruiser. I checked. And with the storm howling I could shoot both of you, throw a party, and he'd never even know it."

"Okay, so where does that leave us?"

"That leaves us with both of you coming with me. We're going to take a little spin on the lake."

King edged one hand down and pressed it against the side pocket of his jacket. His new cell phone was in that pocket.

"On the lake? There's a lightning storm!" said Sylvia.

King felt the number pad through his coat. Keep him occupied, Sylvia.

As if she could read his thought, she said, "And you can't get away by water."

"I'm not trying to get away. I gave up on that notion a long time ago."

King found the speed dial number he wanted, pressed it, then felt for and pushed the call button. He would have to time this just right.

As soon as he heard the call go through and the voice started to say hello, he shouted, "Damn it, Eddie, this is crazy. What, you're into kidnapping now?"

"Yeah, I was getting tired of just killing. Let's go."

"We're not getting in your boat and that's it."

Eddie lined up his laser aimer on Sylvia's forehead. "Then I'll just shoot her right here. It's up to you. I don't really give a shit."

"Just take me, then," said King.

"That's not part of the plan, old pal. Both of you."

"Where're you taking us?"

"And spoil the surprise?" In one terrifying instant the countenance of a man who'd slaughtered nine people confronted them. "Now, Sean. Right now."

For some reason that wasn't even apparent to her, after leaving Sava

God, how could you have been so damn blind? But then she remembered what was said about some of the most famous killers in history. That they didn't look or act like murderers. They were charming, fun to be around; you felt compelled to like them. That was the most frightening aspect of all. They were you and they were me.

She straightened back up when her phone rang. She answered it but no one said anything. And then she heard King's voice screaming something, only one word of which she really caught. But it was enough.

"Eddie!"

Still listening and piecing together what was happening at the other end of the wireless co

"They're at Sylvia's-at least I think they are."

"Holy shit. But there's a deputy with Sean."

"He may already be dead."

"I'm on my way."

"Me too."

Michelle put the cell phone to her ear as she raced back to the Battle mansion. She sprinted to her room, grabbed her truck keys and ran back outside. She was about to jump in her truck but then stopped and ran back inside. She hurtled to Sava

"My God, what is it?" asked Sava

"I need your phone."

"What?"

"Give me your damn cell phone!"

Seconds later Michelle was climbing in her truck, her phone still pressed to her ear, straining to hear anything that might help her figure out where Sean was.

Wait a minute. She heard something. What was it?

"Boat!" Sean was asking where Eddie was taking them on the boat. She heard that clearly.

She punched in the numbers on the phone she'd taken from Sava

"Todd, they're on a boat on the lake."

"A boat! Where the hell did Eddie get a boat?"

"There's a bunch of them at the dock here. Including a really fast one."

"Shit!"

"Todd, do you have a boat?" she asked frantically.

"No. I mean the Game and Inland Fisheries people have one, but I'm not sure where it is right now."

"Well, that's just great!" Michelle thought quickly. Idiot. Of course.

"How fast can you get here?"

"What, uh, ten minutes," answered Williams.

"Make it five and meet me at the Battles' dock. It's a hike, but there's a golf cart you can take. The path is lighted, and there are signs pointing the way."

"But what about you?"

"What about me what!" she cried out.

"Don't you need the cart?"

"It'll just slow me down. Now listen really carefully, on your way here you need to get on the horn to the Game people, find that boat and get some armed men out onto the water. Make sure you lock down all roads that have lake access. And call the FBI and the state police and get a chopper up here with a big searchlight pronto. Tell them to roll out SWAT or Hostage Rescue. We're going to need some snipers."

"That'll all take time, Michelle."

"Which we have none of, so just do it!"

"It's a big lake. Over five hundred miles of shoreline. Lots of places to hide."

"Thanks for the pep talk. Just get your ass here."

She clicked off, jumped out of her truck, ran around behind the house and raced at the top of her speed down to the dock along the lighted path. She kept listening on her phone for helpful sounds, but all she could hear was a roar. If they were in the boat, the engines would drown everything else out.