Blood and Fire (McClouds & Friends #8)(101)

“Yes, sir?” Hobart sounded anxious.

“Reggie rigged passive surveillance at Ranieri’s diner,” King said. “Did you recover the footage of Parr and Ranieri’s conversation?”

“Of course I did,” Hobart said. “I’ll send it immediately.”

King hung up, swinging back to look at Ranieri’s expressive face, his defiance. Admirable, really. Ranieri was shaping up to be a worthy foe. Not that King had felt any need for a foe, but there the man was.

He stared at the image for a minute or so, until a soft, musical ping from the speaker showed that the audio of the Parr/Ranieri diner conversation of three days ago had arrived. He was eager to listen to it, but he clng d “replay” once again, as if compelled.

He watched the younger man thrust his hand up again, middle finger extended. So small and ineffectual, yet so vital.

“Fight all you want,” King said to the screen. “You’re mine.”





Lily shivered in the frigid garage. The only light was what spilled out of the door to the house. Bruno and the McCloud men were loading the SUV that Kev McCloud had rented at Sea-Tac Airport on his return from New Zealand. The men worked with a hard, grim focus that made her feel like extraneous fluff. Not strictly their fault, but it still sucked.

“I have a right to be there,” she said again. “I can take turns with the shovel. I can use the geothermal thing. I can keep watch. I can pull the trigger of a gun. You saw me do it. Or, ah, heard me, at least.”

The McCloud guys exchanged looks that clearly indicated how grateful they all were that dealing with her was not their problem.

Bruno looked at his watch. Ten P.M. Full dark. The plan was to ease out, no headlights, hoping to give the satellite eye the slip, driving with an infrared scope for a few miles before turning the headlights on and becoming another anonymous moving light on the highway. Then, back up to the cabin to Tony’s famous pissing tree sometime before dawn. Two to dig. Three to guard. The best plan they had come up with.

Assuming they didn’t drive into an ambush.

Lily hated it. Or more specifically, she hated the fact that the plan did not include her.

Bruno let out a savage sigh. “No,” he said.

Anger boiled up inside her. “Hey. This is not your problem, Ranieri. It’s our problem. What gives you the authority to say no to me?”

Kev, Davy, Connor, and Sean McCloud did the crazy-chick male-sign-language thing. By silent accord, they slunk away into the shadows.

Bruno’s mouth was tight. “It’s simple,” he said. “Is it your car? No. Kev rented it. The thing seats five. The McClouds and me. You think I’m leaving behind one of them to bring you? Ain’t gonna happen, Lily. You’re not invited to this party. Tough shit. Get over it.”

She struggled not to cry out of sheer frustration. “I want to be there when you find that thing,” she said. “I need it.”

“We might not find anything at all.” Bruno hoisted some new, shiny shovels, price tags still attached, and tossed them into the back. A bag full of leather gloves flew in after them. “I’ll tell you what you need. Stay safe. Take naps. Soak in a tub. Drink lots of fluids.”

“Who gives a shit about naps and fluids? So far, I’ve only participated in the problem! I want to be in on the solution, too. You can’t tell me no!”

“Can’t I?” He loomed over her, his lips pressed flat. “I’ve got an extra ten inches and a hundred pounds on you. It doesn’t give me authority, but it gives me an edge. I’ll use it. No problem.”

“You’re doing it again,” she said. “That macho bullshit power tripping. You bastard. How dare you.”

He shrugged, unrepentant. “The one thing I’ve managed to do for you so far is get you to a place where you can rest. So you can goddamn well appreciate this small accomplishment of mine, OK? We have to dig up those bones, and those bastards are going to be watching. It will take hours, plenty of time for them to mbilize. And do you want me to fight like that again? Looking over my shoulder with my heart in my throat? It’s dangerous for me, too, you realize that?”

She bit her lip. She was compounding her uselessness by acting stupid and unhinged. Lovely way to cement a budding relationship and endear herself to his extended family. No way a gun-toting, shovel-wielding six foot four behemoth should stay behind to make room for Lily Parr, who was totally losing her shit.

She was such a practical person. She didn’t even know herself like this. Hands ice cold and shaking. Legs like jelly. So scared that he would drive away and never come back. She didn’t want to be left in the world as it was. That enormous dead silence that would be the universe without Bruno in it. She’d go looking for the bad guys herself. She’d advertise for them. Put up a Web site. Come get me. Hurry, please.

Bruno looked pissed, as if she were trying to manipulate him with her tears. She wasn’t, but the whiny, soggy bitch effect was the same.

Bruno gestured toward the stuff heaped on the floor. Geothermal sensors. An armory, packed in black plastic cases too heavy for her to lift. “Which of this equipment do you feel comfortable using? You plan on taking turns with the shovel, with your strained tendons?”

“OK, I get it. Don’t beat a dead horse.” She mopped her nose. “What happened to your trademark charm?”