Part 64 (1/2)
It was like the dogs knew something was going to happen moments before the building went up.
Well, he'd heard about animals getting vibrations that people couldn't hear. But that didn't explain why they had wanted to pull a police detective out of harm's way.
Jake made a m.u.f.fled sound. Last night when he'd come to the Easy Shopper, he'd gotten tangled up with a big white bird who seemed pretty intelligent. This morning it was trained dogs. Or maybe not. Some people who had seen the incident thought the dogs looked more like wolves.
His restless mind kept making leaps from one possibility to the next. He'd wondered if psychic phenomena might be involved. But he hadn't been willing to believe Marshall's nut-ball theory. So where did that leave him?
When a team from the Maryland State Police arrived, he pushed himself away from the unmarked and trotted toward them.
”Let's find out what happened here,” he said.
”WHY should I untie you?” Falcone asked Rinna.
”Because I'm not your slave anymore-not here.”
”How do I know you won't try to escape?”
”I came to you in the first place.”
”But that doesn't make me trust you. Not after you blew up the portal.”
”To protect myself,” she said.
He looked like he wanted to slap her. Instead, he stepped through the tent door. When he came back, two of his soldiers were with him.
”If she gets away, you will be responsible,” he said.
Both men stiffened their posture. She felt sorry for them, although she wasn't going to make a run for it. She was too weak to outrun Falcone at the moment, although she wouldn't share that information with him.
”Let me out of this chair,” she said again.
He glared at her, waiting several heartbeats, letting her wonder what he had decided. Finally, he bent and began untying the knots.
When he had freed her, she flexed her arms and legs, restoring circulation to limbs that had been held in one position for too long.
”I'll help you find a house where we can hide,” she said.
”I don't want your help.”
”Suit yourself.”
”I will,” he snapped, but she smiled inwardly when she heard the worry below the surface of his bravado.
274 Rebecca York
”If you find a house with newspapers, be sure it doesn't have a security system,” she said.
Falcone didn't ask what a security system was. He'd figure that out when he came to it.
Turning away from Rinna, he stepped out of the tent and took a breath of air to calm himself.