*
“You’ve been very good,” Brukman told Margaret mockingly. “Four hours of travel and you managed to stay on your feet. You deserve a reward. Sit down. Suppose I take that gag off you? There’s no one to hear you scream out here in this wilderness but the parrots and the jaguars.” He untied the makeshift gag. “But you can see how I thought it necessary to be careful when I knew I had to get you across that courtyard and into the forest.”
Margaret drew a deep breath as the confining cloth was jerked off her mouth. “You could have taken it off me sooner. You let me go hours with that thing in my mouth.”
“I thought you should be aware that I’m the disciplinarian and you’re the student. I control your breath and the movements of your body and anything else that I choose. I learned that philosophy from Nicos. But I think you’re beginning to understand.”
“I understand that you have to be an inhuman monster to do the things you did to Patrick.” She tested the leather belt binding her wrists in back of her as she spoke. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Not particularly. It’s just a skill I do very well. Of course, I do get a certain satisfaction when a technique works particularly well on a subject. But Nicos is the one who actually enjoys seeing and hearing the details. We’ve had some long conversations about my work at the detention camp. He’s even asked my opinion on the possibility of sending me other people who have annoyed him.” He leaned back against the tree. “He was particularly interested in what I could come up with to make the torture of John Lassiter new and different. He was entertained by the mental suffering he was undergoing, but he knew that Lassiter would have to take his turn at the camp.” He reached forward and touched her cheek. “And you, Margaret. I’ve heard about you for a long time. Every time a deal went wrong in the past year or so, Nicos seemed to blame it on you. Some raving about voodoo and punishment and dogs. He was torn between getting you back or sending you to me to punish. He was very excited when I described what we did to María Estefan. I believe he was thinking about you.…”
“I’m sure he was. But he’s basically a mercenary and he thinks that I’m more profitable alive than dead.”
“Either way, you have value for him.” He smiled. “And that may have value for me. That’s why I took you with me when I escaped. I was tempted to grab Patrick, but he would probably have died before I’d gone even a mile or two. No, there you were, presumably young and strong and the shining evidence of Lassiter’s triumph over Nicos. You’d do quite well.”
“Do quite well for what?”
“A negotiation tool.” He took a swallow of water. “Lassiter must have told you that Nicos is not a forgiving man. Perhaps you’ve discovered it for yourself?”
“He’s insane. And you’re catering to a madman.”
“But Nicos realizes how valuable I’ve been to him in the past years. I supply a special need. All I have to do is give him a reason to let him continue indulging that need.” He tilted his head, appraising her. “You’re a pretty woman. Not as pretty as María Estefan, but you have a certain … I don’t know … something. Would you like me to tell you what she looked like when we finished with her?”
“No.”
“Squeamish?”
“You’d enjoy telling me too much. I’m sure you’re willing to demonstrate instead.”
“Yes, Lassiter must care something for you if he went to all that trouble of taking you from Nicos. It will be a pleasure … if Nicos permits. I have to bow down to the son of a bitch if I’m to survive.” He finished his water and tossed the bottle aside. “And now it’s time I got down to business.” He took out his phone. “The first nails in Lassiter’s coffin.”
“You’re calling Nicos.”
“No, I’m calling Salva. Salva originally hired me, and if anyone has influence with Nicos, it’s him. He knows how to push his buttons. I’ll let him pave the way. Then I’ll talk to Nicos.” He was dialing as he spoke. “I’m certain he’ll want to speak to you to verify that I have you. If you could shed a few tears, I’m sure he’d like it enormously.”
“Screw you.”
“If I had the time, I could make you weep like a baby, but it’s not worth it. All that can come later.” He spoke into the phone. “Salva, this is Brukman. I have to talk to Nicos and I know he’ll be more receptive if I go through you. I’m going to need you to intercede and keep him from putting a contract out on me. I think you know if you help me, I’ll pay you back in any way you choose. Talk to him and then ask him to call me back with orders. Here’s what’s been happening.…”
*
Margaret felt the tension grip her as the minutes passed after Brukman had ended his call to Salva. If Nicos didn’t call him back, Brukman might just cut his losses along with her throat and take off across the rain forest to the nearest airport, where he could go on the run.
“Nervous?” Brukman asked. “Don’t be. If you could have heard Nicos talk about you, it would reassure you. He’ll probably want you dead later, but you’re a lure and temptation right now. And I’ll do such a good job on you that he’ll be very happy and will tend to forgive me all my so-called transgressions against him.”
“You’re trying to talk yourself into believing that.” Her gaze was narrowed on his face. “You’re frightened, Brukman. I can feel it.”
“Can you? Maybe some of that voodoo nonsense Nicos told me about in the dead of night? I’ll get through this and be fine. I just have to have a little wiggle room. You, on the other hand, won’t be able to survive—”
His phone rang.
He laughed and put it on speaker. “Are you ready, Margaret? It’s the master of your fate.”
“No one is master of my fate but me. I’ve noticed it’s you who are ready to kneel down and kiss Nicos’s feet.”
His smile faded. “We’ll see about that.” He accessed the call. “Nicos, I told Salva that the only thing I could do was make the best of a bad situation. I know you’re probably angry, but consider that I do have Margaret Douglas. She’s right here and I know how—”