She had been so shocked that she had not heard his footsteps crossing the wood floor. She was cornered, huddled against the kegs of explosives. “What were you blowing up, Doane? I assume it was you.”
“I’ll take you to see for yourself.” He grabbed the handcuffs on her wrists and jerked her to her feet. “And let them see you.” His gaze raked her face and body. “Look at you, all bloody and scratched as if you’d been crawling through barbed wire. I couldn’t be more pleased. You did me a favor by breaking out of that cupboard. You almost made it, didn’t you?”
“I did make it. I would have been out of here in another few minutes.”
“No, you wouldn’t. I wouldn’t have let you get away.” He was jerking her toward the front door. “And now they’ll see how determined I am to keep you.”
“Who is ‘they’? What was that explos—” She broke off as she saw the flaming wreckage on the ridge road. Through the smoke and flames she could barely make out the figures of two women moving some distance in the rear. Then a Jeep drew up beside the women, and another woman jumped out.
Eve would have known the identity of that woman no matter what the conditions.
“Jane.”
“Yes, Jane MacGuire to the rescue,” Doane said. “So clever. All the people who care about you were so smart about tracking you down. And you’ll notice another car on the road coming down from our former home at the coinery.”
“Who is it?” She moistened her lips. “Tell me.”
“Why, Joe Quinn.” He paused. “And he brought Zander with him. I didn’t have to take you to Canada to see your dear father after all.”
“How do you know?”
“The miracle of technology.” He pushed her out into the street. “But now we have to make sure that everyone sees you … and me. Yes, you’re in full view.” He lifted his gun and fired one shot in the air. “That should do it. Jane MacGuire is coming to the edge of the road and looking down at us. I’m sure that Quinn and Zander can see us, too.” He turned to face her. “Time for a demonstration.”
He lifted his hand and struck her so hard that she fell to the ground.
She could taste the blood from her cut lip as she struggled to sit up. “Did you enjoy that, Doane?”
“Extremely. That hurt you, but I’d bet it hurt those people rushing to your rescue more. Get up.”
She got to her feet. “It doesn’t take courage to strike a woman who has her hands cuffed. Everyone will just think what a coward you are.”
“No, everyone will see how you suffered, and it will make them suffer to remember it.” His head lifted, and his gaze went to the ridge as a black van pulled up behind Jane’s Jeep, and uniformed men poured out of it. “Ah, Venable. Very aggressive. That changes the speed with which I have to work. Fortunately, I’ve planned for every contingency. Have I mentioned before what a superb planner I am?” He lifted his gun and fired one more shot. Then he grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the saloon. “Venable will read that last shot as defiance. It may act as a trigger.”
“You’re cornered. Give up, Doane.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He turned to face her. His blue eyes were glowing with excitement. “Cornered? I’m not the one in a trap. You’re the bait, and they’re all taking it. Zander thought he’d come after you? It only proves that you were wrong about his not caring if you lived or died.”
“No, it doesn’t. It only proves he wants to get rid of you once and for all.”
“Well, he’s here.” He glanced at the bar. “Let him come and get me.”
He was talking about the explosives, Eve realized, chilled. He had set off that explosion on the ridge, and it was clear he had enough left to take down a skyscraper. What kind of booby traps had he set up around this ghost town?
“Don’t do this, Doane.” She knew he wouldn’t listen to her, but she had to try. “Leave this place.”
“Oh, we’ll leave it all right,” he said softly. “I told you that the only way I’d give you up was to Kevin.” His eyes were shining, his face illuminated by a light that held her, frightened her. “What better way to give you to him than have you burned on a glorious funeral pyre and let Zander watch it?” He reached out and touched her bloody lower lip. “And perhaps take him with us.”
She couldn’t take her eyes from him. Doane. Kevin. Who was standing before her? Evil. Pure evil.
Shots outside.
No! She couldn’t just stand here. She had to warn them.
She whirled and broke for the door.
“That’s not in the plan, Eve.” He caught her, brought her down, his hands grasping her throat. “That will be your last escape.” His hands tightened. “Just a little pain, then Kevin will be there to take you.”
Red haze. No breath. Bruising agony.
She was fighting desperately, her hands clawing at his fingers.
Red fading into darkness.
But beyond the darkness … light.
Joy.
Bonnie!
CHAPTER
17
“I’LLKILLHIM,” JOE said between clenched teeth. “Get me there, Zander.”
“Another few minutes,” Zander said. “And in that few minutes, you’d better work out a way to get to the bastard to kill him. You’re not thinking, Quinn.”
Joe knew he wasn’t thinking; he was only feeling. Seeing Eve stand there in the street, bloody, and looking like a holocaust refugee had torn him apart.
And then the son of a bitch had hit her.
“Easy to say,” he said harshly. “You don’t give a damn.”
“Which is the best mind-set for removing obstacles like Doane.” Zander was gazing straight ahead. “And the reason that you should stand back out of my way while I dispose of him.”
Joe gazed at him in disbelief. “And let him kill Eve while you concentrate on killing him?”
Zander said quietly, “That won’t happen, Quinn.”
“Why not?”
“Are you expecting some maudlin emotional statement? You won’t get it. If Doane kills Eve, it will be a victory for him. I’m not allowing any victories.”
“Just get me there, and I’ll go around back and see if I find a way to—” He broke off as the wood sidewalk in front of the saloon was spiked with rifle bullets from the ridge road. He glanced up and saw men swarming down the mountainside toward the town. “What the hell is Venable trying to do?” He dialed Venable. “Get your guys out of there. Are you trying to get her killed?”
“Intimidation,” Venable said. “He’s got to know that we’re on top of him, and he can’t—”
“Get out of there!”
But Venable had hung up.
Joe drew a deep breath, trying to smother the rage. “What do you know about that saloon, Zander? Can I get in from the rear?”
“I didn’t do a thorough scan when I was here. I knew that Doane wasn’t using the place to hold Eve, and I wanted to get on with the hunt. I remember a door and a staircase leading to the upper floor. The staircase was in lousy shape and missing four or five steps.” He glanced at Joe. “You could swing up it, but it will take a bit of effort.”
“Then take me around back.” The gunfire had resumed, and Joe’s hands clenched. “How long?”
“A minute, no more,” Zander said quietly. “I’ll drop you off, then dodge around front and draw Doane out and distract him.” He turned to Stang. “When I jump out, you get in the driver’s seat and get out of here. And stay out of the line of Venable’s fire.”
“I can handle that,” Stang said. “But I should remind you that you’re walking wounded.”
“No, you should not remind me. I can’t think of it right now.” He glanced up the mountain. “Venable’s men are nearly down to the foothills near the town. Once they get there, they’ll head for the saloon, and there will be hell to pay.”
“For Venable,” Joe said grimly. “If he causes Doane to go crazier than he is right now, I’ll take him down.”
“Not Venable’s usual pattern of behavior to go off like this…” Zander murmured. “He’s usually cool, very cool.” He swung the car wide as they entered the town and headed toward the rear of the saloon. “The ground is one giant mud hole. Get ready to jump out and run for it if I get stuck.”