Страница 54 из 64
And then, somehow, convince him he was here to help.
The dashboard clock read seven. No time to waste. His mind was cloaked in static as he stepped out of the car and started across the lawn. The laughter of the trick-or-treaters seemed haunted, foreign, part of a world he didn’t belong in. A reminder of his sins. On the way over, he’d tried to plan what he would say to Richard, to anticipate the man’s response. But now, as his sneakers carved canyons in the dew-wet grass, everything vanished.
He stepped onto the porch and rang the doorbell. The windows on either side of the door showed blackness. He prayed he wasn’t too late, that he hadn’t missed Richard. He rang the doorbell again. Nothing.
Da
He had almost given up hope when he saw a flash of motion down the hall, as though someone had leaned out of the darkened kitchen to check the door. Releasing the bell, he yelled, “Richard!” He banged on the door, shouting his boss’s name again and again, conscious of the stares from a group of children, the wary look from the father escorting them. He didn’t care. He’d bang until neighborhood security took him away.
Finally the shape moved down the hallway. Da
“I need to talk to you.”
“Later.” Richard pushed against the door.
“I know why you can’t talk.” He kept his gaze level, meeting his boss’s eyes. “I know where you’re going. Trust me. We need to talk first.”
The pressure against the door eased, Richard staring back at him. Finally, he glanced at his watch, cursed, and opened the door. “One minute.” He stepped back into the hallway.
Da
“What did you mean,” Richard said slowly, “when you said you knew where I was going?”
Da
Richard gaped at him. “How do you know that?”
Da
Total silence fell humming across the room. Time slowed, and Da
And then Richard lunged, his arms up, his pupils wide. He swung wildly, fists flailing, an angry growl coming from his mouth. Da
His boss ignored him, throwing an awkward punch that set Da
“I’m here to help,” he said. His foot caught on the edge of a throw rug, and he staggered against the wall. Richard stepped forward and wrapped his hands around Da
His mind raced. He could stomp the heel of his foot down on Richard’s arch. He could punch him in the throat and drop him, gasping. He could lean forward and drive his knee into the man’s groin. Breaking an amateur choke was the easiest thing in the world.
But he held still and let his boss squeeze, the pressure on his throat growing. The pain was surprising, blunt and ragged, and he fought to suck air down his windpipe. Automatically, his hands clenched into fists, but he made himself loosen them. Richard leaned close, his face right in Da
Finally, summoning all his strength, he managed to whisper, “Tommy.” For an instant, nothing happened, and then the grip slackened slightly. He spoke again, the words sandpaper on the inside of his throat. “I can help you save him.”
Richard leaned forward, his nose almost touching Da
When he had his breath back, Da
“Where’s my son?” Richard’s eyes glinted in the darkness of the hall.
Da
“Is he all right?”
“Yes.” He paused, forced himself to speak the truth. “At least, he was yesterday.”
Richard’s hands balled into shaking fists. “What do you mean?”
Da
“You kidnapped my son because this man asked you to?”
“I had no choice. He threatened Karen, jumped her in an alley last week.” He paused, made himself meet Richard’s glare. “Evan is impulsive, rash. That’s what makes him dangerous. I knew he’d do it either way. If I didn’t help, he would have hurt Karen. And I thought that if I were involved, I could protect Tommy.”
His boss glared, turned away, then back. “So why are you here now?”
“Because if you deliver the money alone, Evan is going to kill you and Tommy both.”
“How do you know that?”
“He’s killed two people since he got out. One of them was my best friend.” He saw the flicker in Richard’s eyes. Da
Richard turned away, hid his head in his hands. Da
“I’m here to help.” Da
Richard looked up at him, anger in his eyes. “You’ve lied to me for years.”
“Yes.” There was no point in softening it.
“Why should I trust you now?”
“It isn’t just Tommy. He-” His voice broke. “He has Karen, too.”
Richard snorted. “That’s why you’re really here. Not for me, not for Tommy.”
Was that true? Would he be taking these risks if Karen’s life wasn’t also at stake?
He hoped so. Sometimes that was all you had.
“No. I’m here to set things right.” He gambled, put a hand on Richard’s shoulder. “I’m here to get your boy back.”
His boss stared at him, a complex mix of emotions in his eyes. Pain, rage, and hatred. But Da
“Evan called you today,” Da
Richard nodded slowly. “An hour ago. I only know his voice.” His eyes narrowed. “It’s nice to have a name to hate now.”
“When is the meeting?”
“You don’t know?”
Da
Richard stared at him, the calculations clear on his face. Da