Part 60 (1/2)

Logan managed to answer with a small negative shake of his head, then allowed Lance to escort him to his SUV.

”Want me to drive?” his brother asked.

”No!” He climbed behind the wheel. The moment his brother was in his seat, he gunned the engine and sped down the drive.

Beside him, Lance fumbled with his seat belt. ”You trying to get us killed?”

”I'm trying to make sure he doesn't follow us.”

Behind him, he heard Cooper's car start. Before the detective could turn his car around and head down the driveway, Logan took a detour into a nearby development, making several turns, then going out the back way so that they were on a different road from where they'd entered.

”Let's hope we lost him.”

”But you and the cop are both going to the convenience store, right?”

”Yeah. Only he's just going to see a couple of big s.h.a.ggy dogs in the woods.” He changed subjects abruptly. ”You got your cell phone?”

”Um hum.”

”Call Ross and tell him we're meeting at the recreational area just west of the Easy Shopper in Mount Airy.” He gave Lance the address of the store and also directions to a parking area on the other side of the woods.

THE soldiers pushed Rinna into the campaign tent, then stood behind her, blocking any means of escape. She struggled not to tremble as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim light.

When she finally looked up, she felt a wave of relief. Falcone was not alone. Two of his adepts were also there-Avery and Brusco.

”Here she is at last,” he said in a conversational tone.

The two men were looking at her in a way that made her stomach knot. They knew something she didn't.

”What are you planning?” she asked.

”Another little psychic operation for you. You're too dangerous as you are. But I believe the three of us can fix it so you won't be threatening the stability of Sun Acres again.”

She looked from one man to the other. ”Is that what he told you? That I'm threatening the stability of his little kingdom? Who says he has the right to rule Sun Acres?”

Avery looked abashed. Brusco gave her a stony stare. He was younger than Avery. Perhaps he hoped for a good place in the new government.

Falcone pushed Rinna into a camp chair, then bound her arms to the chair arms with rope. More rope secured her legs and feet.

When she was secured in place, her captor stepped back and looked at her. She made a subtle try at sending him a suggestion that he wanted to leave her alone. The effort made her head throb, but it had the opposite effect than she'd intended.

”I was ready for that,” Falcone muttered as he reinforced the block he'd put up, then punished her with a wave of pain that he sent directly into her skull.

As the blast hit her, she gasped, going limp in the chair, then tried to collect her scattered thoughts over the ringing in her ears, in her brain.

Making a terrible effort, she stared up at Falcone.

But it was Avery who spoke. ”I felt that jab from her. I thought you made it impossible for her to use that power.”