Part 22 (1/2)
Malcolm coughed, recovering. ”And don't run down for her. She's tied like a mummy and weighted. The second you walk away from this window Norma lets the rope go, and down she sinks. You'd never get to her in time, not with your problem about crossing water.”
I could cross water if I had to, but it was slow going. I'd never get to her in time.
Never. I swung back on him, but he read my purpose and didn't look directly at me.
”No fish-eye, Jackie, I gotta stay in sight from now on. Norma has her orders, and if she thinks something's wrong with me, the girl is dead. You understand that? I gotta stay in her sight.”Numbly, I looked down, straight into Bobbi's eyes. They locked helplessly on mine, pleading. I called to her, not sure she could hear me. Her expression didn't change.
”Good,” he murmured. ”Real good.” He took the dress from me, folding and rolling it into a ball. ”I don't blame you. She's a cla.s.sy twist. Nice, like I always wanted to get for myself. She needed a lot of help getting out of this. I had to hold her down while Norma did the honors. I like 'em to fight, y'know? That always gets me going. A body like that must feel good under you, huh?”
”Shut up!''
He abruptly stepped away from the window. Norma pushed Bobbi under. I grabbed for him, but he dodged.
”Say you're sorry.”
”I'm sorry! d.a.m.n it, come back! I'm sorry!”
He eased back. Norma brought her up again. Bobbi's eyes flickered groggily, and her head lolled.
”Again, like you mean it.”
”I'm sorry,” I whispered sincerely, but it was to Bobbi.
”You promise to behave?”
I nodded. Tried to swallow. Couldn't.
His smile returned. ”That's real good.”
”What do you want?”
”Like I said, nothing you can't handle.” In a louder voice aimed at the next room over he called, ”It's all right, you can come now.”
A door sc.r.a.ped open, a rubbing, grating sound crawled over the floor, and she rolled into sight. The harsh yellow light did funny things to colors and Gaylen's blue eyes had faded to a pale, cold gray. She was in her wheelchair with the rubber-tipped cane across her knees. She looked up.
frowning. Malcolm turned to face the window, giving us a kind of privacy.
Neither of us spoke, each holding still like actors at the end of a play before the lights go out and the curtain falls.
At last she drew in a breath and spoke. ”I didn't want to do it this way. I really didn't, but you wouldn't understand, you- ”You asked this of Maureen?”Her answer was plain. There'd been fire in Marza's eyes, but Gaylen's held acid.
Sometime long ago they had argued it all out, and Maureen had realized the truth and run. Her note said, Some people are after me because of what I am... Turned another way, the meaning changed. It was not Braxton she had feared with his cross and silver bullets, it was her sister. Five years ago she'd left to protect me. Had she stayed it would have been me down there with Norma, and Maureen standing where I was now.
”I begged her. It was just one little thing, and I would have left her alone forever had she wished. I asked you, and is it so much? All you can tell me are the shortcomings. They're nothing to what I'm going through now. This body is old and crippled and I hate it! I want to live!”
”You have to die for that-if it works.”
”What's death compared to the pain I feel whenever I move? And as for it working, it must! Maureen changed and I'm her sister, I know it would change me.”
”What about Braxton?”
”I tried to explain to him and he was too pigheaded with his talk of contamination and souls to listen.”
”He was never a danger to either of us.”
”Never?”
”I was taking care of the problem when this... Braxton was a nuisance, but he didn't deserve to die.”
”He did if I wanted to make you understand how serious I am. It could have been anyone else-someone walking next to you on the street, your detective friend- anyone. Time and circ.u.mstances made him a convenient target.” She let that sink in.
My hands clenched and I longed for the luxury of closing them around her neck.
”But that's past and finished. I want you to think about the girl. You've seen her and you know there are no safe alternatives but one, and what I'm asking for is not so terrible.”
I turned away as though thinking. I had no choice but to agree, but she expected reluctance and was getting it. ”You don't know what you're asking.”
But she'd heard that one before and had the same answer ready. ”I do know, and I'm not asking now. Do what I want and the girl goes free. You already know what happens otherwise.”
”You'd let them do that?”
”Yes.”My eyes were on Bobbi's face. ”Will you free her unharmed?”
”Yes.”
”All right.”
She gave a sigh, very much like the one that came over the lines when I'd first called. ”Good, then come here.”
”Let her go first.”
”No.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Malcolm.
She shook her head. ”No. He is to watch. If he thinks anything is wrong, he will take steps.”
”Steps?”
”Whatever he thinks is necessary.” She gave him her cane.
I looked at him. He was watching me, but not smiling as before, and I liked it a lot less.
”Come over here,” she repeated. She extended her left arm, wrist up, blue veins bulging slightly beneath the thin crinkled skin. ”Now. Do it now.”
At least I'd be spared the intimate contact with her throat. To save Bobbi I would have done even that, but the thought of touching her in this way was sickening, and it showed on my face. She waited, though, until I moved a few reluctant steps closer.
Her eyes took in every movement, as did Malcolm's. It was worse than being naked.
”Now, Jack,” she whispered.