Cara was sobbing. “Dead. Ugly.”

“Yes, death is ugly. But the art of killing is beautiful. It’s power and excitement and everything that life is about.” He pulled her the rest of the way to the top of the rise to stand beside him. “And that’s what you’re going to give me, Cara. Not that shallow little jolt of pleasure I felt with Queen.” He pointed to the high hills bordering the north tip of the lake. “Do you know what’s behind those hills? A little town, houses, stores, a church. I couldn’t touch you there. You’d be safe. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Oh, yes, I can see you would. You’re not at all grateful for the kind way I’ve treated you.” He untied her wrists. “Go on, run. The path is clear to the hill, then you’ll have to scramble through the brush on your own. Try to get to all the people who will save you from me. They’ll even take you to your mother.”

She didn’t move, frozen. “You’re letting me go?”

“Yes.” He squatted in front of her, his eyes holding her own. “But I’ll be coming after you. If you stop, if you hide, I’ll find you and I’ll cut you to pieces like I did your grandmother. You remember that, don’t you?”

He could see the pulse jumping with terror in her throat.

“Yes,” she whispered. “She screamed, but nobody could hear her…”

“But everyone will be able to hear you if I catch you.” He leaned closer. “Run, little deer…”

She gasped and whirled and flew down the path.

Black stood up and watched her run, stumble, fall, and jump to her feet to run again.

He smiled.

The prey had been put to flight.

Now to bring in the other prey to complete the hunt.

He dialed Gallo.

“You sound short of breath. I suppose you heard the sounds of Queen’s demise. Are you hurrying toward me in hopes of saving little Cara?”

“You didn’t kill her?”

“Not yet. That was only Queen, though Cara was a little upset with all the blood. She started sobbing again. You’d think shock would kick in and stop that nonsense. It was annoying me. So I sent her packing.”

Silence. “What are you talking about?”

“I told her that she’d only be safe if she reached the town behind that high hill at the end of the lake.”

“There’s no town there, you bastard.”

“I know, but I had to give her incentive to keep her running. I couldn’t have her collapsing and spoiling the hunt.” He paused. “Just as I’m giving you incentive to join the hunt. If I track her down, Cara will die. Unless you find her in time. Or unless you kill me. Though I’m betting I’ll take you and Eve Duncan out, then be free to finish Cara Clark. Would you like to give me odds?”

“No, you don’t have a chance. I’m going to kill you, Black.”

“You might if you were the same man you were when you came close to killing me all those years ago. You had a divine insanity that gave you power. You knew what you were and what you had to do. Now you don’t even remember that glory, you’re confused and weak.” He chuckled. “But I can’t talk to you any longer. Cara is almost out of sight, and I have to start the chase. But she’s such a little girl I won’t have trouble catching up with her.” He hung up.

“I’m coming, Cara,” he murmured as he started down the path. “I can almost hear your heartbeat. Run…”

CHAPTER

19

“BLACK’S MADE CONTACT,” Catherine said curtly as she hung up from talking to Eve. “He’s turned Cara loose on the hill at the north tip of the lake, and he’s staging some kind of macabre hunt. Eve and Gallo are on their way.”

“And so are we.” Joe stopped and gazed at the hill looming over the lake. “Black and Cara are approaching the hill from the east. Follow them on that route, and we risk an ambush. We need to climb the hill from the west slope and try to surprise Black.”

“But we can’t circle the lake and get on the other side of the hill. It would take too much time.”

“No, we can’t do that.” He gave her his gun and ammunition, but kept his knife. “We split up.”

“What?”

He moved down the bank and took off his boots and shirt. “I swim across the lake and go up the hill from the west side. You follow Black along the east route. One of us should be able to pick him off.”

“Okay, but I’m calling Eve and telling her I’m on my way to join them. I can help them zero in on Black if I can pick up that tower signal.” She hesitated. “The lake’s pretty wide. I couldn’t swim that distance. Can you make it?”

“Come on. I was a SEAL. I live on a lake.” He jumped into the lake and gasped. Cold. He started stroking. “Hell yes, I can do it. Get moving, Catherine.”

When he glanced over his shoulder, she had disappeared.

Good. No arguments. Just Catherine acting with her usual logic and efficiency. One of them had to stop Black and get the job done.

He swam harder, faster, fighting the cold. Block it out.

He had to get to the other side.

*   *   *

CARA WAS ALMOST TO THE TOP of the hill, Black noticed.

She was out in the open, and the moonlight shone on her like a pale spotlight.

Black could see her scrambling desperately, slipping on the rocks, falling, picking herself up, and running again. The child had more stamina than he had thought she possessed. Perhaps it was only fear that had seemed to paralyze her and made her appear less than she was.

And if Black could see her so well, then she would be clearly visible to Gallo and Eve Duncan if they were anywhere near.

“Perfect bait,” he murmured. “You’re doing well, Cara. That desperation is enough to wrench the heart. How could they resist?” He moved farther behind the huge boulders. His rifle was loaded and ready. Again, not his preference. He carried other weapons, a pistol, two knives. But a rifle would be safer with Gallo.

Was he still wary of Gallo?

Nonsense. It was just smarter to handle the kill this way. He would take his time and use one of the knives on little Cara later. It would be enough.

That idea would horrify Eve Duncan, he thought with amusement. Come save her, Eve, as you failed to save your own child. Come on, Gallo. Watch the little one struggle and fight for life.

His finger poised over the trigger as he watched the path.

But hurry, I’m getting impatient.

*   *   *

“OH, GOD, I SEE HER,” EVE said in agony. Poor child. Desperation and panic were in the little girl’s every movement. “But where’s Black? He has to be here.”

“Somewhere close.” Gallo’s gaze was raking the terrain. “And waiting for us. Don’t move. We have cover on the path at this point, but we’ll be wide open if we go another thirty yards.”

“Dammit, where’s Catherine? She said that she could tell us where—”

“Don’t curse the bearer of the Celltec.” Catherine had suddenly appeared out of the shrubbery to the left of the path. She was dressed in black pants and shirt and looked lean and graceful and totally competent. She caught sight of Cara and inhaled sharply. “Bait. He’s staking her out.”

“That’s obvious.” Gallo glanced at her, then looked back at the top of the hill. “You’re Catherine Ling. I’ve heard a good deal about you. Eve thinks you can work minor miracles. I suggest you start.”

“You don’t have the right to tell me what to do,” Catherine said coldly. “It’s because of you that Eve is in this mess, and that kid up there is on the verge of getting killed.”

“Catherine,” Eve said. “Can you locate Black?”

“Yes. I should be in tower range, and I’ll bet he’s close enough.” Catherine pulled out the Celltec. “Come on,” she murmured. “Find the bastard…” She pressed the button.

The beeper went off immediately, then the small screen lit up with coordinates and squared an area. “Jackpot,” Catherine whispered. “The boulders. He’s behind the boulders.”

Eve’s gaze flew to the four huge boulders blocking the path. Steep incline on one side falling to the lake, open terrain on the other, where Cara was climbing. “There’s no way to get to him!”