She nodded. “I didn’t do this on purpose. Please don’t hurt him.”
“He’s already hurt. Don’t think I won’t tell Jazz to kill him.”
“I won’t.”
He smiled, stood up. “There, that’s better. I knew you were all right. Let’s go get this paperwork out of the way, then we’ll go relax at the beach. How does that sound?”
“Great,” she said, struggling to make her voice stop shaking and sound normal.
What she couldn’t do was stop the rest of her from shaking. God, how she wanted to, but her body wouldn’t obey. Even when they got back to the office where the papers waited in neat order, she couldn’t hide the way her hand trembled as she picked up the pen.
“If you’d like to wait until you feel better,” the bank executive said, “it’s no problem.”
She looked at Ed, then at the man. “Mr. Granger, I’m sorry. It’s not going to be better later. I’m agoraphobic-do you know what that is?”
“A fear of being in public, yes?”
She nodded. “I know I need to sign these papers in person, but it’s difficult for me. I’m just sorry to trouble you with my problems.”
“There’s no problem at all. In fact, once you’ve signed at the X’s, there’s no reason we can’t do everything else for you and your uncle. We have his information, and I’ll have Joseph give him the new account number right now.” Granger picked up the phone.
While he made the arrangements, she signed each line following a red X. Fifty million dollars would be transferred from her account to Ed’s, and that would be that. Even if he was convicted of all his crimes, she didn’t think the bank could reverse the transfer. It was the Caymans after all, and from their standpoint everything was being done according to the law.
She didn’t give a damn about the money, except that it would hurt her father to realize what had happened. He would have given the bastard the fifty million from his own funds given the choice.
As she signed her name for the last time, it was very clear to her that she was signing her death warrant. Michael was hurt. He wasn’t going to be able to carry out his part of the plan, and she’d botched her part…What was left but for both of them to die?
All she could hope for at this stage was to stop Michael’s pain. If she simply went along with everything Ed said, there was a chance they would be merciful. What a thing to wish for.
“CHRIST, MIKEY, I DON’T want to do this. You know that. You’re my brother, for God’s sake.”
“Then put the gun down.”
“I can’t.” Charlie wiped his nose with the side of his arm. “He’ll kill me.”
“He” was Jazz, standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest, his big teeth shining as he smiled like a child on Christmas morning.
“He’ll kill you anyway, you idiot.”
“No, no. You don’t understand. I brought them this deal. I’m just clearing my debt.”
“You know too much, Charlie. They can’t let you walk away. What if you decide to blackmail them later?”
“Are you crazy? It’s Ed Martini. No one double-crosses Martini.”
Michael took one step toward his brother. “That’s ’cause no one lives long enough. There’s no way you’re getting off this boat, Charlie. Not onto dry land.”
“Shut up. You think you know so much. You didn’t even know I could get into your safe, huh? You didn’t know I watched you that night when I was sick. You thought I was sleeping, but I wasn’t. I was behind the door and I watched you type in the numbers.”
“That was pretty slick, there, Charlie. You sure had me fooled.”
“Yeah, I know. You think I’m an idiot, but I’m not. I thought of this whole plan all by myself.”
“Dad would be so proud.”
Charlie lifted the gun and waved it at Michael’s face. “You don’t talk about him. He trusted you. You were supposed to take care of me-and look what you did. You’re the reason I got to pull this trigger. It’s not my fault.”
Michael felt so incredibly tired and he hurt so goddamn much that he almost wanted Charlie to pull the trigger. Only there was someone much more important he had to think about. Besides, he didn’t want to give Jazz the satisfaction. “Charlie, put down the gun. I’ll get you out of this. Alive.”
Jazz laughed, but Charlie didn’t see the humor. “You fucking liar. You just want to be with your rich girlfriend. Well, screw you!”
“It’s not about her, Charlie. It’s about Dad. About the promise I made him. I don’t want to hurt you. And I don’t want them to hurt you.”
“I’m the one with the gun.”
“You are, but Charlie,” he said, his voice growing calm and quiet, “you’ve never been very good in this kind of situation.”
“See? There you go again.” He stepped closer and pushed the barrel of the gun into Michael’s chest. “I am not an idiot!” he screamed, sending spittle and fear into Michael’s face.
“Oh, Charlie,” Michael whispered. “I don’t know why it had to be so hard for you.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, buddy.”
“It’s too late now.”
“I know, but I’m sorry anyway.”
Charlie looked down at the gun, and Michael spun half a step back, then knocked Charlie’s feet from underneath him. He grabbed the gun, turning it sideways, and as Charlie fell, Michael put a bullet right into Jazz’s chest.
Charlie looked up at him with shock and hurt in his eyes. Michael pointed the weapon at his brother. “I’m sorry,” he said again, but this time it was to his father. He fired once more.
“I’M SORRY, MS. BAXTER, there’s one more thing we need to complete before we can let you go.”
“That’s okay,” she said, trying not to panic. She looked at Ed and willed him to understand this wasn’t her fault.
“What’s the hang-up?” he asked.
“In order to transfer this amount of money, Ms. Baxter and you need to fill out statements that will go on record here. As a cooperating member of the international community, we have to have a signed statement that the money will not be used in money-laundering schemes or for any purpose that could be construed as terrorism or supporting known terrorists.”
“Sure,” Ed said. “We’ll sign whatever you like.”
“Excellent.” He put the papers down in front of them, but Tate noticed there was a slight bulge under hers, toward the bottom. She looked up to find Mr. Granger staring at her. He glanced pointedly at the paper.
She moved the top sheet aside and saw a note in faint script. Are you in trouble?
She wanted so badly to say yes. She looked at him again, smiled as earnestly as she knew how and shook her head.
He nodded. She signed. It was over. At least this part. She still had to make it back to the boat. To find Michael, to help him, no matter what condition he was in. Just thinking about his hands made her sick. What was she going to do if they’d done worse?
AT THE LAST SECOND he moved the gun. The bullet hit inches from Charlie’s head.
Michael couldn’t stop to figure out why he’d done it. He just had to make sure Charlie didn’t call out to Danny or the other one. He dropped to his knees right next to his brother and pulled back his left arm. When Charlie hoisted himself up into the right position, Michael hit him in the temple.
Charlie went down hard. It probably was a good thing Michael’s right hand was out of commission. There had been no kidding around with that punch. It was meant to silence. Sometimes it happened that the silence went on forever. He didn’t think Charlie was dead and he wasn’t going to check. Not right now.
He rose once more and looked at Charlie’s gun. It was a Sig Sauer P-226, a gun Michael particularly liked. He had to use his teeth to check the magazine, which was full. He locked the mag back in the gun.
Jazz had fallen in the doorway, and by the time Michael got to him, he must have bled out-if the shot hadn’t killed him on impact. Michael had wanted to do him slowly, to make him suffer, but he’d take what he could get. He stepped over the scumbag and went on the prowl.