Maverick Page 25

  Chapter 15

  Maggie’s heart twisted at Melissa’s moan. She’d had three doses of Kevin’s damn drugs. Three that Maggie knew of. Maggie didn’t want to imagine what her head must feel like.

  Kevin was irritated. He’d been pacing for hours now, snarling at her if she so much as stretched out her legs. The news at noon hadn’t mentioned one word about them. Or Jack.

  “Shut her up,” Kevin growled when Melissa whimpered again. Maggie leaned over her sister. She’d eaten some soup earlier, and greedily guzzled water. Pain pills were another matter. Melissa had to wake up to swallow them. She’d swallowed the broth and water eagerly, but in her sleep.

  “That stuff you gave her hurts her head.” She couldn’t help the fury in her voice. Kevin stopped pacing and Maggie’s fingers tightened around Melissa’s hands. “So give her some of your damn pills. Or I’ll give her another dose.”

  “You don’t even know what it’ll do to her,” Maggie shot back. She replaced the cold cloth on Melissa’s forehead, her fingers tracing gently through the wet material. A mistake. Slow careful footsteps brought him to her side. His voice was deceptively soft. “Sure I do, Maggie. The right amount and she’s addicted in another couple of days. Too much—she won’t wake up. Ever. I can arrange either one.”

  She bit down on her split lip and didn’t feel the pain. Kevin resumed his pacing and Maggie found Melissa’s ear. “Melissa, can you hear me? Open your eyes, honey.” Melissa moved restlessly, pulling the cloth from her head.

  “Open your eyes, Melissa. Please, I know your head hurts, but I need you to look at me.”

  She nearly sobbed when Melissa complied. Her beautiful eyes were glazed, the pupils huge, and the light bothered her. But there was recognition. Maggie reached blindly behind her for the pain pills, not willing to lose a second of the conscious contact.

  “Thirsty,” Melissa whispered. “All you want, honey,” Maggie approved. “And swallow these. They’ll help your head.” Mixing her pills with whatever Kevin had given her might not be safe, but it couldn’t be as harmful as another dose of his drugs.

  She helped her sister up onto one elbow, and steadied both Melissa and the glass as she fed her the pills. Melissa drank three glasses of water, then closed her eyes, already back asleep. Maggie stroked her sister’s forehead, but her thoughts were across the room.

  He’d kill Melissa if she didn’t do something. But her own brain was groggy, hungover from the single dose she’d had the night before. Without Melissa, she might have a chance. Which left her with none.

  She glanced at Kevin, still pacing. He had to sleep sometime, didn’t he? What was he waiting for? The drive to Louisiana, holing up in this room—none of it made any sense. Kevin’s roaming brought him to the far side of her bed. She kept her eyes on Melissa’s face. Strictly on Melissa’s face, even when he picked up her sister’s limp hand and held it in his own.

  “She’s so pretty, isn’t she?” She heard his chuckle and resisted the urge to snatch Melissa’s hand away from him. Her fingers fisted with the effort. Explosions wouldn’t help. She had to stay alert and keep him calm.

  “I couldn’t believe it when Billy came home with her. But Billy always got the girls. Especially the ones he wanted for years. And he wanted our Melissa longer than any of them.”

  Maggie lifted her chin slowly, allowing more and more of Kevin into her field of vision. He had a distant look on his face. “He probably would have taken her to California with us, if she’d only shut up. She always did make more noise than anyone I’ve ever known.”

  California? “When did you go to California?”

  He focused on her like he didn’t realize she was there. “You wouldn’t remember—you never even woke up. But Melissa did—screaming and hollering for Maggie. . .” An eery chill swept down her back. “What are you talking about?” “Your car accident, of course. Gotta tell you, Maggie—your old man reeked. Even I know better than to get behind the wheel in that condition.” His gaze dropped back to Melissa’s hand in his, dismissing Maggie. “Yeah, old Billy was right. She grew up beautiful.”

  Surreal. Impossible.

  “Kevin.”

  He glanced her way. He was close enough she could see into his eyes now. They were wild, his pupils contracted to pinpricks. No matter how much beer he drank, Kevin wouldn’t sleep for days. Cocaine? Maybe. Not good—whatever the stuff was. It would make him crazy. Crazy enough to kill, without the slightest hesitation.

  The drugs might also make him vulnerable. Crazy people made mistakes. Crazy people were easily distracted.

  “Tell me what happened.” “We were going to California. Paul wasn’t more than a baby and Nathan and Billy were acting so tough. But it was my idea to take you. ” He grinned. “Good thinking, huh? They only wanted the money. A thousand bucks.” The sudden snap of his fingers startled her.

  “You took us—out of the car?”

  “My idea.”

  “Why?”

  “Ransom.” He nodded, still pleased with himself. “I knew we could get a lot more than a lousy thousand bucks for the two of you.” He frowned. “But she wouldn’t shut up. And you—you never woke up.”

  Stunned, Maggie stared at him. “You took her to that picnic table.”

  He nodded. “Then Nathan got worried when you never woke up. Billy found a hospital on the map. I thought we should have just brought you along.”

  Maggie clenched her trembling hand in her lap. She clenched her teeth, too. What he described just wasn’t possible. . .

  “Billy never forgot Melissa. And the registration said she was from Chicago. He said he’d find her. And damn if he didn’t do just that.” Maggie fought an overwhelming fury. She was an old pro at this hostage business and hadn’t even realized it. And Nathan Mitchell had saved her life when she was just ten-years-old. Melissa had told her once—in the beginning—that Billy had ‘found’ her. Kevin wouldn’t care—the knowledge that he’d nearly destroyed their lives would probably delight him.

  Kevin released Melissa abruptly. “Time for the news. Come sit by me.” She brought a pillow with her. Somehow, someway, she had to get rid of Kevin’s needles. If she could get her hands on them, she needed a place to hide them. Kevin didn’t have to wait long this time. They were the top story.

  Jack faced the camera straight on, eyes clear. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in his voice. Maggie wanted to cry.

  “The game is over, Ms. Chambers. Just like I told you, remember? That Tuesday, in front of that bar at dusk, while you were eating? I may have gotten lucky that time, stumbling onto you like I did, but you won’t be lucky again. And I told you again, on the plane. Trust me on this. Make the call. Turn yourself in or face the consequences.”

  The camera switched to the reporter. Kevin turned down the sound, chuckling. “Does my heart good to see the poor feds begging.” His fingers clamped around her chin, lifting her face to his. “Does my heart good to see the high and mighty Maggie Chambers on the most wanted list, too. You’re just lucky he didn’t have time to take a new photo in Texas.”

  Maggie jerked out of his grasp and buried her face in the pillow. Kevin would think she was overcome by shame. Kevin could think whatever the hell he wanted. Jack lied all the way through that newscast. If he wanted, he had plenty of pictures of her from Texas. Or from Denver. There were video cameras everywhere at the airports. Which meant there was a message there—for her. Fingers fisting in the squishy foam, she scrambled to remember his words.

  “Tuesday, in front of that bar at dusk, while you were eating.”

  Monday, not Tuesday. Behind the bar, not in front. And not dusk, just after ten—full dark. She certainly hadn’t been eating.

  Tuesday, behind something, at dusk, while she was eating.

  The translation made no more sense than the original. Hot, frustrated tears flashed in her eyes and she squeezed them away. Think, Maggie.

  What else?

  “Lucky. . .stumbling onto you. . .“r />
  He’d found her at the bar because he’d bugged her car. Stumbling luck had nothing to do with it. But what did he mean?

  “And I told you again, on the plane.” What had he told her on the plane?

  He’d kissed her on the plane—so she wouldn’t be afraid.

  I’m afraid now. . .

  Sobs overwhelmed her, shaking her shoulders, mocking her attempts to smother them.

  Get a grip, Maggie. You’ve got to think—he laid it all out for you, all you’ve got to do is figure it out. What else about the plane? “Distraction,” she whispered into the pillow.

  And what’s today? Jack’s voice this time.

  What was today? Tuesday.

  She lifted her head cautiously, brushing away tears she didn’t care if Kevin saw. A quick glance at the clock confirmed the time. Five-thirty. Dinner. Forcing her eyes to meet Kevin’s, she didn’t try to disguise the anguish in her voice. Let him think she was despondent. “I’m hungry.” When he only stared at her, she sniffed. “I didn’t eat today.”

  “Not my fault.”

  “But I’m hungry now. We’ve got to eat. I could go get something.”

  He snorted. “Not in this lifetime.”

  “Then we could order something in. You haven’t eaten either, since lunch. Pizza maybe.” Pizza was what she’d had for dinner that night—pizza was all Derek served. Did Jack know that? Did it matter?

  “Pizza’s okay. Find me a phone book.”

  The wait was interminable. Was it possible? Could Jack really know where they were? She frowned. More likely she was reading things into his speech. Kevin made sure they caught the replay on the news at six. Maggie chewed on her bottom lip. This time his words sounded like more of a threat than a warning. But he had to know she was with Kevin—and that Melissa was with them. What did he expect her to do?

  ***

  At five before six, two blocks away from the motel, Jack faced Chuck. “You’re clear?”

  Chuck finished buttoning his borrowed pizza chain shirt. “Crystal, boss. Are you sure she’ll recognize the name?”

  Jack scowled. “Hell, no. I’m not sure about anything.” Chuck’s weathered face split in a grin. “Except you’re ready to have her back, hmm? You sit back, relax and let the master work. Turn on your end and let’s test this puppy one more time.”

  Jack lifted a small headset to his ear and glanced back at Chuck.

  “Testing. One. . .two. . .”

  “Go, already,” Jack growled. He was pacing before Chuck started up the battered two-door sedan. The bright red and black sign atop the car moved slowly down the street before it turned out of sight. “Heads up, Maggie,” he whispered.

  *** The knock on the door came at five after six. Kevin sat down on the bed next to Melissa, out of sight of the door, and tucked the lengthened barrel of his gun under her chin. “Pay the man.” He accompanied the order with a nasty smile.

  Maggie pulled a twenty out of the change she’d received at the motel office earlier, then paused in front of the door for another glance at Kevin. He gave her a nod. The smile was gone. Melissa hadn’t moved. Maggie squeezed her eyes shut and reached for the knob.

  The man at the door had the regulation shirt on and a pizza box in his hand. He looked bored to death until he saw her. Suddenly his keen eyes were alive. Maggie recognized him immediately. She’d served him exactly one double shot of Crown Royal the night Jack came to Shipwrecks. He’d stayed all night long and left her a twenty dollar tip. She knew him as Charles. When his finger brushed the name boldly embroidered on his chest. Maggie’s eyes opened wider. Chuck? Jack’s Chuck?

  “Evening, ma’am.”

  Paper flashed on top of the red and white pizza box. Keep talking to me.

  “G-good evening.”

  A second paper replaced the first before she’d finished stumbling over “good”.

  Where is he? A clock was drawn beneath the words and the man’s finger had made a quick sweep of the circle and started around again before Maggie realized what she was supposed to do. On his second time around, she lifted one finger when he reached four o’clock, indicating that Kevin was behind her and to her right.

  “Wonderful weather we’ve been having, isn’t it?’ More papers flew before her eyes. “Mmmm.” The noncommittal answer was all she could manage.

  “You folks having an early vacation?”

  “Pay the man, Jenna.”

  She started visibly at Kevin’s barked order.

  “Seventeen forty seven, ma’am.”

  Papers moved fast and furiously in front of her.

  “That much?”

  She handed over her twenty.

  “Yes, ma’am. It’s all that extra cheese I imagine.” Chuck opened her hand, laid two dollar bills and some change in her palm. “Anything else I can get for you?” “Do you have soda?” She knew it was risky—knew Kevin could erupt at any second, but she couldn’t help stalling. And Chuck wasn’t finished shuffling papers past her. The caffeine wouldn’t hurt, either.

  “Pepsi, okay?”

  “Pepsi’s fine.”

  She searched his car for a sign of Jack while he retrieved a plastic bottle. Too soon he was back, closing her fingers around the soda bottle, trapping a key in her palm behind the bottle.

  One eyebrow lifted in a final question.

  Maggie could only give him a dazed stare, her brain whirling.

  “You have yourself a good evening, then.”

  She gave an abbreviated, uncertain nod and took the pizza. Closing the door was nearly as hard as leaving Jack at that gas station in Grand Junction. ***

  Jack had the door open before Chuck’s car even stopped moving. “Talk to me.” “Just like I told you. She’s a bright girl. Looks a lot different with her hair all lopped off.” “Was she surprised to see you?”

  Chuck climbed out of the car and began unbuttoning his pizza uniform while Jack slammed the car door. “I don’t think so. Scared spitless, but I don’t think she was surprised.” “Did you give her the key? Did she understand?” Chuck nodded. “She’s got the key. I don’t know if she understands. We didn’t have much time. I hit the important stuff twice. I just hope she can pull it off. That face of hers gives everything away. She might be good at disguises, but she wouldn’t last long in Hollywood.”

  Jack sighed. “I know. But she does have the key? Just in case.”

  “She’s got it. Now it’s your turn.” ***

  The explosion startled her—even though she’d guessed it was coming.

  “Distraction at dusk in the alley.” The note was one of the ones he’d flashed by her twice.

  Louder than she’d expected, the blast knocked a lamp from the table against the back wall. Kevin’s reaction startled her more.

  He lifted the gun, aimed and fired—four shots—right through the wall. Maggie stifled a scream and shoved Melissa to the floor.

  Before she could follow, Kevin grabbed Maggie by her injured wrist. “Go.” She had no choice. He snagged up his duffle bag, yanked Maggie out the door and froze. He snapped her up sharply against him. Backing away from the gun at her throat pushed her into Kevin. She concentrated on not moving at all.

  Nothing else moved either. Not a sign of a police officer, or Chuck or Jack. Had something gone wrong? “Go.” The command was quiet, and uttered directly into her ear.

  “Melissa,” she protested.

  Kevin yanked her right wrist and thrust her forward. She stumbled ahead of him, crying out when pain knifed up her arm. Kevin shoved her into the car. It was parked directly outside the door of their room. He got the car door open, slid in behind the wheel and into the other seat, dragging Maggie after him.

  The gun poked her ear as he shoved in the key and turned on the ignition. “Go.”

  Where was Melissa? She’d been awake—had the explosion hurt her? Or Kevin’s wild shots? Maggie kept her eyes on the open door of the motel as she backed away from it. “What about Melissa?”

  “
Forget Melissa. Drive, damn it.” Kevin filled her right ear with fierce directions, emphasizing with the gun. Muscles coiled tightly, he bounced on the seat, looking behind, ahead, behind again.

  Not until they were on the highway did he lower the gun. He still had her wrist. Maggie watched the rear view mirror and prayed. Something was wrong. The distraction had been planned to save them—not send her back on the road with Kevin. The road behind them revealed only a few cars. No flashing lights. No sirens. No Jack.

  Maggie glanced at Kevin. “What happened? Why did you shoot?”

  Kevin’s grip on her injured arm tightened. “Who knows? Probably a couple of kids with a firecracker.”

  She knew he didn’t believe that. But there was no point in provoking him, either. “Was Melissa hurt?”

  He glanced over his shoulder at the road behind them. “Melissa’s busted is what she is. They’ll think she’s an addict and treat her accordingly.” Don’t think, Maggie. Melissa’s safe. No matter what happens now, Melissa is safe. The relief of that sank in at last and Maggie felt almost giddy. “Where are we going?”: “Just drive,” he growled. “Take the smart route for once. Shut up.”

  ***

  From inside the hotel room Jack stared at Maggie’s pale face behind the windshield. The icy blue of Kevin’s gun at her throat was not as clear. But plenty clear enough. He should have anticipated Kevin firing. The flimsy walls of the old motel proved no determent at all to the bullets. Chuck was still in the alley, taping up his bleeding arm. Melissa started screaming the second Jack came through the window and she hadn’t stopped yet, although a quick check hadn’t revealed anything wrong with her.

  He was losing control of this bad situation—losing his edge.

  “Damn it, Maggie.” The car disappeared and Jack whirled.

  Chuck tossed his heavy case through the window.

  “Use the door,” Jack advised. “They’re gone.”

  Chuck didn’t waste the time going around to the door. Jack already had the machine on. A single steady blimp glowed red. Jack lifted his gaze to Chuck’s, hoping like hell he read the machine wrong.