Part 78 (2/2)

”I know.”

”How do you want to do this? You want to come to me or you want me to come to you?”

She heard the chuckle in her ear. ”I'll come to you. I wouldn't want you getting wet. We do the deal and then my guys take the stuff from you while we conclude our paperwork.”

”Paperwork. Right.”

”See you in five minutes.”

The line went dead and Annja stuffed the phone back into the glove compartment. She closed her eyes and saw the sword in her mind's eye, right where it should be.

If he was going to come to her, then that might tip the odds in Annja's favor. She could even hold him hostage.

Maybe.

She frowned. Once they arrived, they'd want to finish things up fast and get out of there. No sense hanging around, waiting for the local cops to cruise by.

A set of lights cut through the darkness.

Annja frowned. Had it already been five minutes? She didn't think so. That meant someone else was arriving.

But who?

She started the engine just in case she needed to get out quickly. The car coming across the parking lot slowed down. Annja couldn't see a thing aside from its lights with all the rain sluicing down.

Is this them?

It couldn't be. What happened if they showed up while this car was there? Would more innocent people be killed?

Maybe it's just a pair of high-school kids looking for a place to make out, she thought. Talk about bad timing.

But then the car turned and headed right for Annja. So much for that, she thought.

The car slowed to a stop and the headlights remained on. Annja licked her lips and steeled herself. She checked the sword again and felt a measure of relief seeing it right where it belonged.

This is going to get messy, she thought.

She heard a car door open and then close. In the rainy night she saw a figure walking over, but he seemed completely unconcerned about the rain that must have been drenching him.

Annja heard the tap on her window and nearly jumped through the roof. She lowered the window just a crack. ”Yeah?”

”You going to let me in?”

”Why would I do that?”

A laugh filtered in through the crack in the window. ”Because I'm getting soaked standing out here in the d.a.m.n rain, that's why.”

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