End of Days (Pike Logan #16)(72)

Pike finally looked at Lia, saw her condition, and said, “What the hell, Carrie? Cover her up. You’re going to leave her exposed?”

Carrie? She said her name was Shoshana. Lia saw the woman inwardly retreat at the words, just as Pike had earlier. Experienced at reading people as an inspector, she studied them both, trying to understand who had entered the room. They might be just as crazy as the man who’d left. They might even be working together with him.

Warily, her eyes went from one to the other. They’d just saved her life, so she was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but she wasn’t convinced she was out of danger.

Pike averted his gaze from her exposed breasts, then left the room, going to the back again. Shoshana covered Lia, and while she did so, Lia said, “Why does he call you Carrie? That’s not what you told me your name was. Is that your real name?”

She said, “No. It’s a nickname he’s given me. It’s from some crazy person who has the ability to physically alter her world.”

Shoshana bent down to use a key on the handcuffs and Lia said, “Like Carrie from Stephen King?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Shoshana stood up and dropped the handcuffs in her lap, saying, “Because I have the ability to alter my world. But I’m not crazy.”

She draped a blanket over Lia’s shoulders and Pike came back in, saying, “He’s gone, damn it. Aaron thought he had him, but he didn’t.”

A man appeared at the front door. Pike said, “Aaron, meet Lia. Lia, this is Aaron, the one who should have captured your tormentor.” Pike looked at Aaron and said, “Where did he go?”

Aaron smiled and said, “Said from the guy who’s left at least three bodies outside here. As for the target, I honestly don’t know. I saw a shadow on the fire escape, backed up into an ambush position, and he never appeared. My bet is he’s in an apartment below us, but unless you want to start clearing from top to bottom, we should just go.”

Pike pointed at Lia and said, “She’s got an explosive neck ring. I’ve got the denotator, and I’d go at it, but you have more experience.”

The smile left Aaron’s face. He went to her, studying the explosive collar like a botanist looking at a new bud. She said, “Do you know what you’re doing?”

He gave her a reassuring smile, soothing and just. He said, “Yes. I think Shoshana told you I’m from Israel. Trust me, I’ve done this a few times before, and not only in training like your police.”

He touched her cheek and said, “Please lean your head back slowly.”

She began to calm down, doing as he asked. He took about ten seconds looking, then said, “Pike, all I need are a pair of scissors. This is not complex. It’s a simple device.”

Lia said, “Second drawer on the right.” Pike went to the left in the kitchen and she said, “Right. Go to the right.”

He found the scissors and returned. Aaron said, “If you two would go in the bedroom, I’d appreciate it.”

Lia said, “Why? Why are you sending them away?”

“Because I’m not God. There’s no reason for them to be in the blast radius.”

She jerked upright and said, “Call the police. Call them right now. We have explosive ordnance personnel.”

I said, “Relax. We’re not leaving the room, and the reason is I trust him more than anyone you could bring to this fight.”

Shoshana approached and said, “I told you I’m not leaving. And you’re not going to die.”

Lia started to cry, the tears coming unbidden. Aaron stroked her cheek, saying, “Shhhh. This isn’t that bad. It’s easy. Lean your head back.”

She did so, and before she knew it, he’d snipped a wire, then reached around her neck and unfastened the buckle. He stood up, holding the necklace of explosives like the tail of a rat.

He said, “Well, that worked.”

Incredulous, she said, “You didn’t think it would?”

He smiled and said, “You never know.”

I said, “Time to go. Her police will be here soon, and we have no sanction here.”

Lia stood up, saying, “Wait, what? You’re going to leave? I have to report this. I mean, we just met the killer. He’s real. I have a face now. I can’t let you just leave, even if you saved me. We need to find this guy, and I need what you know.”

Pike said, “I understand that, and we’re going to find him, but the ‘we’ part doesn’t include you. I’m sorry.”

Lia said, “Are you crazy? The killer just tried to murder an Italian inspector by placing an explosive device around her neck. And that person was me! You aren’t going anywhere.”

She looked at Shoshana, who in turn waited on Pike. He said, “I’m sorry, but we’re leaving. And if you mention us saving you to anyone, we’ll disappear like a bad dream. You knew we weren’t State Department the minute you met us. And we aren’t. We’ll find that guy for you, but we can’t do it in the open.”

They started walking to the door. Incensed, Lia said, “I have your names. I’ll contact the United States State Department. I’ll find you.”

They stopped at the door. Pike said, “You won’t find us that way. I promise.”