Pike studied Larkin and felt an enormous sense of relief. He had lost her, but now had found her. She was sitting with her knees together, and her hands behind her back. Pike couldn’t tell if she was tied, but he wanted to know; if she was bound, her movement would be limited. She didn’t seem uncomfortable or injured. Her head was up, her eyes were open, and she was looking toward the front of the house. The choppy black hair made her look tough and good to go. Pike wondered if she would grow it out again and go back to the red. She was saying something to whoever she was looking at. Pike decided she was angry, which made his mouth twitch. He settled back, thinking, You are one damn fine young woman.

Pike opened his phone to dial Vahnich, and Vahnich answered immediately.

“Yes?”

“He’ll transfer the money. He’s setting it up now.”

“This is a wise man. He has made the right choice.”

“I’m supposed to make sure you didn’t cut off her hand or hurt her. He wants to be sure. Put her on for a second.”

Vahnich didn’t object.

A man entered from the right, squatted beside the girl, and held a phone to her head. It was Vahnich, and now Pike knew Larkin was tied.

Her voice came to his ear.

“Joe?”

“I won’t let him hurt you.”

“He says to tell you he hasn’t hurt me.”

“Stay groovy.”

Vahnich came to the glass with the phone. Pike wasn’t alarmed. Vahnich was simply looking out over the Glendale Freeway toward the Verdugo Mountains. Pike could have killed him, but three other men were still inside with the girl.

Vahnich said, “She is well, you see? I am a man of my word. I will honor our agreement.”

“His business guy says it’s going to take another few minutes to compile this much money for transfer. They have it spread all over hell and back.”

“I understand.”

“I’ll call you again. At that time, her father will want to personally hear her voice. Just to be sure. Then they’ll hit the button.”

“Of course. I have no problem with that.”

“Good. You won’t have any problems.”

A reasonable terrorist. Polite and considerate.

Pike ended the call, then dialed Cole. While he was waiting for the ring, Vahnich turned away from the sliding doors and exited to the left. Pike didn’t like it. Now he had Vahnich somewhere in the back of the house, another man in the front, and two men in unknown locations.

Cole answered.

Pike said, “She’s here. Two men are out front by the cars. The girl is inside in what looks like a family room or den at the back. At least three more men are inside, but I can’t say where.”

“You see Vahnich?”

“That’s affirm.”

“So Vahnich is confirmed in the house.”

“Yes.”

“Bud says he’s calling the police.”

“Whatever. Where are you?”

“We’re across the street.”

“How about you come up from below to watch the front? Bud can coordinate with the police and stay on the drive-stand by-”

A big man Pike hadn’t seen before came from the front of the house and pulled the girl to her feet. He shoved her toward the back. Pike didn’t like the rough way he treated her, but he also didn’t like it that she was being moved. Pike returned to the phone.

“They’re moving her. I’m going to see what’s up.”

Pike closed the phone, then made his way back across the slope to the far side of the yard, then to the walkway behind the house. Pike edged to the window, listened, then took out his gun. Pike didn’t have to jack the slide or check to see if it was loaded like they do on TV. Pike kept one locked in the box and good to go. He knew it was loaded because it was always loaded.

He raised up enough to peek in the corner of the window. Larkin, the big man, and Vahnich were in an empty bedroom. Larkin was back on the floor with the big man standing nearby. They were watching Vahnich, who had a laptop open. He was getting ready for Pike’s call. He had the girl ready to speak to her father, and his computer to confirm the transfer. After the transfer was confirmed, Vahnich would kill her. Vahnich or one of his men would likely cut her throat or strangle her, then they would drive to LAX and immediately leave the country. Pike wondered if Vahnich would do it himself.

Pike continued on to the carport. As he got closer, he heard the two men. He looked past the LeBaron. The two men had closed the hood, but were still by the car, talking. These two, Vahnich and the big man with Larkin, left two men who might be anywhere. Pike wondered if Cole could spot them from the other side of the house.

Pike drifted back a bit, then phoned Cole again, whispering.

“Where are you?”

“Front of the house. I’m in some holly, downhill from the drive. How about you?”

Holly bushes lined the property directly across from Pike.

Pike said, “You see the two men by the Bel Air?”

“Twenty feet in front of me.”

“Look at the LeBaron. Now look past the LeBaron.”

“Got you.”

“Vahnich plus one with Larkin, plus these two are four. Can you locate the missing two from your side?”

“Stand by-”

The two men by the Bel Air suddenly straightened and looked up the drive. Pike knew something was wrong, but he couldn’t see what they were looking at. He lifted the phone-

“What’s on?”

“Dunno. I’ll look.”

Pike raised up to see for himself just as he heard Cole’s reaction.

Cole said, “Oh, shit.”

Conner Barkley stalked down the drive.

44

BARKLEY came down the drive with an expression of blustery outrage, but the men were confused. They probably thought he was a neighbor and would have to shine him on, but Pike knew their confusion wouldn’t last.

Pike accelerated through the carport. He covered the distance silently and fast, knowing it would go bad. Barkley looked at him, and both men turned to see what Barkley was looking at. Pike hit the nearest man with his gun, but the second man lurched sideways, barking out a shout-

Something behind Pike exploded and another man shouted as Cole pushed through the hedges. The two missing men were at the front door, one behind the other, the first man firing again-bam, bam-when Cole shot him in the chest; the shooter crumpling even as the man behind him shoved the door closed on his dying friend. Pike knew he would run to the back of the house.

All of it happened in glimpses: Barkley striding closer on abnormally stiff legs; Bud Flynn appearing at the top of the drive; Cole moving on the second man in a two-hand stance-

– only now the second man was on his knees with his hands up, staring at Cole.

Pike started for the house-

“Larkin-”

Cole said, “Go-”

Pike ran back the way he had come. Inside, the front shooter would be screaming about what happened; Vahnich would be confused, then afraid; he would make one or both of his hitters return to see what was happening; and then Vahnich would make a decision-

Middle of the day, a bright sunny day, and the world was gone to hell. Their only choices were bad-bad for Vahnich, bad for the girl, and bad for Pike. Vahnich could shoot it out in a hostage situation, or run. Vahnich didn’t know how many people were on him, whether he was surrounded, or whether the police were involved, but the hostage card was a loser; if Vahnich stayed he would be trapped. Running was the best of the bad choices, so they would run-out the back and into the neighborhood, run and gun if they had to, invade a home in broad daylight, steal a car, and pray-but it was their last, best, and only chance.

Pike ran hard for the end of the house, and heard more shots as he ran. One shot would have been an execution, but multiple shots gave him hope. They were shooting at the front door to stall off a breach; this meant they were going to run.

Pike believed Khali Vahnich would kill Larkin, but he wouldn’t kill her until they were outside the house. Vahnich didn’t know what he would be facing and might need her as a shield. If the way was clear, he might kill her just before he went over the fence, but he wouldn’t kill her before. He would kill her to punish her father, and he would kill her to punish Pike.