Tightrope (Burning Cove #3)(84)

But Eugene had evidently planned that aspect of the situation in advance.

“Get in on the passenger side,” he said.

She opened the door, scrambled over the gearshift, and got behind the wheel. All the while the long black necklace dug into her throat. Eugene settled into the passenger seat and closed the door, never once losing his grip on the beaded garrote.

“Drive,” he said.

She turned the key in the ignition and put the Hudson in gear.

“Where?” she asked.

“Go down to that road that runs along the top of the cliffs and turn right,” Eugene said, snickering. “I saw a nice cove not far from here. We’ll find out if you really can fly.”

Amalie drove sedately out of the driveway and turned right on Cliff Road. She knew this road, she thought. She had driven it frequently since arriving in Burning Cove. She changed gears and drove faster.

“Slow down, you stupid woman,” Eugene said.

Amalie obligingly braked as she went into a turn but when she drove out she put more weight on the accelerator. Eugene yanked hard on the black necklace.

“Stop that,” he ordered.

“Why should I?” she asked. “I’m going to die anyway. Might as well take you with me.”

She drove faster.

“Slow down,” Eugene shouted.

He tightened the necklace and leaned toward her so that he could press the point of the knife into her side. There was a sharp, lancing pain. She caught her breath and kept her foot on the accelerator.

“Do that again and I’ll probably lose control of the car,” she shouted, raising her voice above the wind.

“Slow down or I’ll kill you,” Eugene screamed.

There was panic in his voice.

“Let go of the necklace and throw the knife out of the car and maybe I’ll stop,” she said.

The Hudson’s wheels shrieked as she drove out of the next turn.

Eugene sat back quickly, pulling the knife away from her side. “You’re crazy. Fucking insane.”

“I used to work without a net, remember? Of course I’m crazy. There’s a steep cliff up ahead right around the next curve. We’re going over the edge together. We’ll find out which one of us can really fly.”

“Stop.”

“Let go of the necklace. Get rid of the knife.”

She roared into the curve. The Hudson’s tires shrieked in protest.

Eugene screamed and released the necklace.

“Stop the car,” he yelled. “Stop.”

“The knife,” Amalie shouted.

He tossed the knife out of the car.

“Stop,” he pleaded. “You have to stop now. We’re going to die.”

He started to scream and he kept on screaming. Amalie found the sound extremely gratifying.

The Hudson came out of the curve very fast. She slammed on the brakes. The car went into a skid.

She remembered to steer into it but the maneuver brought the vehicle perilously close to the edge of the road on the cliff above the crashing surf.

The Hudson finally slammed to a stop inches from the sheer drop. Amalie had been braced for the abrupt halt but even so, she barely avoided being thrown against the steering wheel.

Eugene was flung forward. He hit the dashboard and bounced back. When he turned toward Amalie, she saw a bloody mask of a face.

The Hudson rocked forward a little. The hood dipped down.

Eugene, evidently too dazed and enraged to realize what was happening, started screaming again.

Amalie did not dare get out on her side of the car. The Hudson’s door was heavy. The sudden shift in weight might be enough to send the vehicle plummeting over the edge.

She twisted her legs out from under the steering wheel and got to her feet on the seat in a single, sleek movement. She vaulted over the rear of the Hudson and landed lightly on the ground behind the trunk.

The Hudson groaned.

She turned in time to see the car rock forward another couple of degrees.

The shock and horror on Eugene’s bloody face made it clear that he had finally registered the full magnitude of his disastrous situation. He was frozen in panic, one leg over the back of the seat.

He had probably intended to follow her to safety but it was obvious that he had lost his nerve. He was afraid that any movement might send the Hudson over the edge.

The howl of a powerful car traveling at great speed boomed in the distance.

Eugene gazed at Amalie with an imploring look. “Help me.”

“Give me one good reason,” Amalie said.

“You gotta help me. You can’t let me die like this.”

“Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover that you can fly.”

“You can’t do this to me, you crazy bitch.”

“Watch me.”

The big maroon Packard screamed to a halt a short distance away. Matthias leaped out from behind the wheel. He was not alone. Luther bolted out of the passenger side of the vehicle. Both men ran forward, taking in the situation in an instant.

“Help me,” Eugene screamed. “You gotta save me. That crazy bitch tried to kill me just like she did Marcus. Get me out of this car before it goes over the edge.”

Luther had his gun in his hand. He went forward at an unhurried pace.

“Let me think about this,” he said.