Shattered Mirror (Eve Duncan #23)(73)
No fear. Why wasn’t the kid afraid? Since the moment he’d regained consciousness on the plane, Michael had not behaved like any normal kid. He’d started to fight and struggle, but when he realized it wasn’t working, he’d stopped and just stared at Norwalk as if he were some kind of puzzle he had to solve. Even Norwalk telling him what he’d done to the other boys in that ice-cream shop had not caused him to break. He’d just seemed to draw into himself and gotten very quiet.
Now the boy was staring at him with those clear brown eyes that held only curiosity and something else that was once again filling Norwalk with frustration and uneasiness. He instinctively struck out. “You’ll find out. Maybe I’ll let you watch me feed your mother to the alligators first, you weirdo. Yes, I think that would be a great idea.”
“Mama?” Michael tensed as he looked down at the murky waters. “No, I don’t think I could let you do that.” He raised his eyes to meet Norwalk’s again. “Though I would like to see one sometime.”
“Oh, you definitely will.” Norwalk started paddling through the swamp with long strokes. “It’s only a question of when.”
“I guess you’re right. A question of when.” Michael looked down at the waters again. “Alligator…”
LAKE COTTAGE
“Kaskov?” Cara repeated, staring at Eve. Then she nodded her head. “I can see how Norwalk would think any attack should revolve around him. He’d be the best protected, the hardest to target.” Her lips twisted wryly. “And if he wants us there, it appears the ball is in his court.”
“No real choice. He has Michael,” Eve said. Cara and Darcy had listened quietly as Eve had told them about Norwalk’s call, but Eve had been able to tell that Cara was thinking, eagerly searching to put together a plan. “You don’t have to be involved in this, Cara,” she said. “I don’t want you in it. Yes, I know Norwalk will want to use you to bait Kaskov. But I might be enough for him.”
“And you might not,” Cara said. “As you say, he has Michael. Who knows what that monster might do to him to convince you to do exactly what he wants. How could I take that chance?” She added impatiently, “Of course I’ll be involved. I wouldn’t think anything else. I’d be with you regardless of what that son of a bitch wanted. We’ve had a miracle, Eve. Michael’s alive. We just have to follow through to make sure that we get him back.” She smiled. “And that I don’t end my promising career while I’m playing bait.”
Eve gave her a quick hug. “That won’t happen.”
“Of course it won’t.” Darcy broke her silence as she got to her feet. “I don’t have that many friends. I won’t lose you, Cara.” She looked at Eve. “I’m going with you.”
“No.”
“Oh, yes.” Darcy’s smiled sardonically. “Though as usual, I haven’t been given an invitation. Norwalk regards me as unimportant, a nonentity, perhaps just a statement. Do you know, Eve, when we opened that gold box and saw the broken mirror, I thought it was a warning for me? But it wasn’t, he’s through with me. It was to tell you that he was going to kill Michael.” Her lips tightened. “Well, I’m not through with him. I’m not going to let him hurt that little boy as he did Sylvie.”
“I don’t know what you can do,” Eve said quietly.
“I’m very talented and innovative. I’ll find a way to make myself useful. When do we leave?”
She could tell that Darcy would not be dissuaded. Who would have more reason than her to want Norwalk destroyed? “Sometime today.” Eve got to her feet. “Jock and Joe might want some more time here. But regardless, I’ll be in New Orleans by late tonight.”
“I’ll start packing.” Darcy looked over her shoulder. “But I believe it’s time for you to ask Joe to get me that gun we talked about. It could help if innovation doesn’t work.”
Guns, Eve thought as she felt a ripple of shock go through her. Weapons and danger and these two young women who might have to contend with both. All to help her and Michael and rid the world of Rory Norwalk. But it was going to be such a dangerous path. It wasn’t fair to them. What could she do to make it safer? She could think of only one way.
“Eve?” Cara was studying her. “Okay?”
“It will be.” She reached for her phone. “As okay as I can manage right now.”
She dialed quickly. Kaskov answered in three rings.
“I’ve seen the CNN report about the explosions, Eve,” he said quietly. “You have my deepest sympathy regarding your son. I hope you’re not calling because you have some misguided notion that I had anything to do with it.”
“I don’t want your sympathy. I want your help. And I’m going to get it. You probably started most of this, but we’re caught in the middle of it. So I’m going to tell you what’s been happening and what I need you to do. And you will do it, Kaskov.”
*
The embers of the fire at Gwinnet Square were still flaring to life occasionally, but the search and recovery teams were at work when Jock and Joe reached the disaster area. So was a police command center, several police officers and plainclothesmen, and two television crews.