“They’ll catch you,” she said harshly. “It’s not only Michael, over fifty people died in that square. Every law-enforcement agency in the country will be after you. They’ll hunt you down and kill you. There’s no place you can hide.”
“Do you think I’m an amateur? I’m very good at hiding, and I’ve had a long time to plan. No one will catch me.” He paused, and said softly, “And I have no intention of going on the run until I finish what I started. Sean would never forgive me. The square was just the opening shot, Eve. Did you know I had a few choice photos taken of you on the scene and sent to me? No, of course, you didn’t. You’ve been devastated by all this, haven’t you? You looked as if you were being tortured on the rack. I enjoyed those photos enormously.”
“Bastard.”
“Now you mustn’t make me angry with you. Be polite. I hold all the cards, Eve.”
Tell me he’s alive. Why didn’t he say the words?
“The game’s over as far as I’m concerned,” she said hoarsely. “All I have left to do is to bury what’s left of my son and find a way to help the police hunt you down.”
“You don’t want the police involved. That would be a mistake. And the game is far from over, this move was just to position all the players conveniently in place.”
“Fifty-two deaths?”
“You’re being overemotional, Eve. You mustn’t fall apart like this. Your son has much more control than you do. I wasn’t expecting that, but it’s far more convenient for me.”
She went rigid. She couldn’t breathe. Was it coming? Tell me. “Are you insane? My son is dead. You murdered him.”
“Did I? Then I wonder who’s staring at me right now with those huge brown eyes. He doesn’t talk a lot, but he stares at me all the time. It’s beginning to annoy me.”
“You’re lying.”
“But there’s the tiniest bit of hope, isn’t there?”
Dear God more than that. She was dizzy with hope. “No, because I realize that you want to bring me up so that you can crash me down.”
“True. But that comes later, after you’ve gone through hell trying to get this fine lad back to your loving arms.”
“You have to be lying.”
“No, I was in the back of the Emporium watching all the joy and frivolity. When the time came to put an end to it, I knocked the boy out with an injection and took him out the back way. We were out of the square a few minutes before it blew.” He added regretfully, “I didn’t really get a good look at my handiwork. It’s lucky that I have the photos.”
Now she could say the words she’d been keeping back. “He’s really alive?”
“Would I lie to you? Yes, I would, but not at the moment. You have to know what you have to do to keep the boy alive. Michael and I are together and will stay together for the foreseeable future. Your next move in the game is to come after him and try to get him away from me before I get impatient enough to dispose of him. Of course, there would be considerable pain before I got to that point. You wouldn’t want that to happen. Your son appears to have great affection for you. As I said, he seems very controlled for a child, and the only time I saw him cry was when I showed him those photos of you at the square.”
She could see how those photos would have hurt and disturbed Michael. “That was terribly cruel.”
“He deserved it. I wanted him to stop—” He broke off and said, “I’m in charge of him. I can do whatever I like. So come and get him, Eve. No police. No FBI. That would mean his immediate death. Step into my parlor. Positioning. I want you here. I want Cara Delaney here.”
“I won’t take your word for it that Michael is alive. Prove it.”
“I’m sending you a photo now with the usual boring newspaper to verify date.” He added, “And now I’ll let you talk to the little bastard.”
An instant later, Michael was on the line. “Mama, it’s okay,” he said in a rush. “No, it’s not okay, but don’t worry about me. Don’t let it hurt you. I’ll be all right. There has to be ways—don’t worry.”
“I’ll try.” She tried to keep her voice steady for his sake. “I’m coming for you. Keep yourself safe. I love—”
“Touching.” Norwalk had come back on the line. “Just exactly the interchange that will bring about what I need from you. Good-bye, Eve. I’ll see you soon.” He hung up.
Joe grabbed her phone and was trying to check on the possible trace he’d set up.
Eve collapsed back on the swing. She felt weak and dizzy … and grateful.
Thank you, God. Thank you, God.
Michael.
“No trace,” Joe said curtly. “But it was Michael?” He fell to his knees in front of her. “It was really Michael?”
She nodded jerkily. “You heard. It was him, Joe.”
“Hey, then why are you crying?” He touched her wet cheek. “You knew it all along, right?” His eyes were also wet. “Just a confirmation…”
Yes, a confirmation.
And the answer to a prayer.
She went into his arms and held him tight for a moment. “And he was worried about me,” she said brokenly. “Yes, it was Michael…” She drew a shaky breath. “The photo. We need to see his photo.” She took her phone back and accessed the photo.
Michael still in his gold jersey and red shorts. He was standing in front of a tree and holding a newspaper. She zoomed in and enlarged it. “Times-Picayune. Today’s date.”
“Times-Picayune.” Joe said. “New Orleans newspaper. Unless Norwalk’s trying to lay a false trail.”
“No, he’s not trying to lay a false trail.” Eve was still gazing feverishly at Michael. He looked pale, there was a bruise on his cheek, but he didn’t look frightened. She hated the idea of that son of a bitch scaring him. “He’s telling us where to come.”
“New Orleans?”
“No, not New Orleans, but probably near there.” She tossed him the sketch she’d made last night. “If we believe Michael somehow managed to reach me to let me know he was alive, I have to believe that dream meant something. Swamp, bayou, those cypress trees. We’ve been down there in those swamps, but we’ve never taken Michael. Naturally, he’d be curious about a bayou.”
“Naturally,” Joe said absently. “There are a hell of a lot of bayous and swamps near New Orleans.”
“But maybe not that many close to Kaskov.” She met his eyes. “He kept saying the word positioning. He wants all the targets in a row so that he can pick us off in the most painful and efficient way possible. But he has to have Kaskov because he’s the one who gave the order to kill his brother. So Norwalk is bringing us down to Kaskov so that he can also use us to get to him. He knows Cara might be useful since Kaskov killed Norwalk’s twin to protect her.” Her lips twisted. “And we both know why I have to be there. He wants to kill Michael in front of me.”
Michael. She couldn’t think of him right now. She was getting too shaky. There was too much to do, and it all had to be done at top speed.
“But that’s not going to happen.” She got to her feet. “I’m leaving for New Orleans today. We have to start right away to make certain we kill Norwalk before he gets too ‘impatient.’”
He nodded. “But you have to know that this is going to spark a massive manhunt. Homeland Security might even become involved if they think terrorists could be involved.”
“And I’d be grateful if I didn’t think it might get Michael killed. Michael will die the moment that bastard feels cornered. We have to find Norwalk before they do.” She headed for the door. “Now I’ll go tell Cara and Darcy that I’m not crazy and that Michael is still alive. They’ll be relieved on both counts. Will you call Jock and tell him we have to know everything possible about Kaskov’s estate down there and the surrounding area? Particularly any swamps or bayous?”
He nodded. “And one of Norwalk’s men was taking photos of the disaster last night. He’s probably not still in town, but if we can find out who he is and a description, it may help to find him.”
She looked over her shoulder. “And I believe that either you or Jock would be able to make him tell anything he knows about Norwalk, don’t you?” She added grimly, “If not, I’d be glad to do it myself.”
She shut the door behind her.
BLACK POOL BAYOU