“You mean your effect isn’t as scientifically perfect as Hu Chang’s? I beg to differ.” He turned away, and she watched him distribute cash, smiles, and a few words to the EMTs before he walked back toward her. “Yes, a bonus big enough to keep them quiet and out of Solano’s sight for the foreseeable future. But I’d already arranged it with them before you made the suggestion.”

“I just thought that—” She shrugged. “I haven’t worked with anyone in a long time. I’ve gotten used to running things.”

“I noticed.” He got into the driver’s seat. “But I didn’t resent it. I found it very interesting watching you work in a civilized venue. You came across as Cleopatra meets Lara Croft.”

“I hope only to you.” She began to pin her hair back into a chignon and reached into the backseat for her black pants, shirt, and boots. She couldn’t wait to get out of the gown. “Both of them are wily and strong. It was important that I be helpless and pitiful to disarm Solano.”

“And sexy enough to keep his mind on his dick and not on what was happening.” He started the car. “Personally, I think your magic potion was better than Hu Chang’s.”

She heard a muffled groan from the backseat. “Jacobs is beginning to stir.”

“He’s a minute late.”

“No, your watch is probably wrong.”

He gazed at her with amusement. “I won’t argue with you.”

“Where are we taking Jacobs? You said you’d rented a house in the bayous somewhere?”

“Yes, it’s about eighty miles from here and very deep in the bayous.” He was no longer smiling. “And it will give us the privacy we need to have our discussion. I only hope that he can tell us what we need to know.”

“You said that he knew everything that Queen knew. That means he would know who killed Bonnie.”

He was silent. “And what if he says it’s me?”

“Then we decide if we want to believe him or not.” Her lips tightened. “Stop borrowing trouble. There had to be a reason why he hired Nixon to kill you.”

“Because he knew I’d probably be on his ass for the rest of his life.”

“Or maybe there was another reason. We won’t know until he talks to us.” She glanced back at Jacobs again. “Let’s get moving. He’s going to be squealing and cursing as soon as he’s conscious enough to realize what we’ve done. I’d rather be off the road and away from the local police.”

*   *   *

IT TOOK THEM OVER TWO HOURS to reach the rental house. The fog had returned and was layering a thick blanket that made driving a nightmare.

“I’d swear we’ve been driving along this bayou for the last hour,” Catherine said. “It seems as if the road is going in circles along this swamp.”

“No, the land is in the shape of a hook. The house is in the curve of the hook, and the road continues on from there. It should be right around the next bend. Yes, there it is.”

“At last.”

The large cedar house was no more than thirty years old but, as Gallo had said, it hovered close to one of the bayous. The surrounding trees were over a century old and draped in Spanish moss that added a touch of ancient decadence.

“What is this place? Where are you taking me?” Jacobs screamed from the backseat. It wasn’t the first time. Catherine had profoundly regretted the potion hadn’t lasted longer. She had given him another injection about an hour ago, but she hadn’t wanted to make it too strong. She didn’t want to knock him out for too long. “You can’t get away with this.” Jacobs started cursing again. “The police are looking for you, Gallo. Do you think that you can just walk into my life and kidnap me?”

“It seems that’s what we did,” Gallo said. “So I guess the answer is yes.” He pulled into the driveway of the house. “Quiet down, Jacobs, you’re beginning to annoy me. You don’t want to do that. You and Queen have told me for years how unstable I am. You used that for your own benefit, but you were careful to make sure that it was never turned on you.”

Jacobs was silent a moment, fuming. “It wasn’t my fault. Queen was always the one who ran the show. You can’t blame me.”

“Oh, I think he can,” Catherine said. “Did you step forward and tell anyone when they threw Gallo into that North Korean prison? And when he escaped, did you try to stop Queen from sending him out on suicide missions? No, you were sitting fat and happy, pulling in your share of the profits.”

“I’m not talking to you, bitch,” Jacobs said venomously. “Queen and I knew you were going to be trouble. Everything was going fine until you started digging.”

“Be polite.” Gallo got out of the car. “I’ve never told you exactly what those bastards did to me in that prison, but I’m tempted to show you.” He opened the rear door and pulled Jacobs out. “I have a number of questions to ask you. If you answer, you may live.”

“We can make a deal.” Jacobs moistened his lips. “Let me go. What do you care about me? It was Queen who caused all your problems. Look, I have all kinds of contacts. I know every important drug dealer in the Middle East. You may have money, but I can make you richer.”

“We’ll talk about it.” Gallo pushed him toward the front door. “The key is supposed to be in a lockbox under the fourth windowsill, Catherine.” He glanced at her and saw that she hadn’t moved. “Catherine?”

Her head was lifted as she gazed out at the fog-shrouded bayou.

“Catherine,” he repeated.

She shook her head as if to clear it. “It’s … eerie here. For a minute I thought—” She turned away and moved quickly toward the house. “Fourth window.” She retrieved the key and opened the front door. “Pretty obvious. It’s a wonder that the place hasn’t been burgled or trashed.”

“It’s fairly isolated.” He pushed Jacobs ahead of him. “I’ll take him to a bedroom and secure him. Then we’ll let him be alone for a while to anticipate.” He added softly, “That was one of the techniques I became very familiar with while I was in prison. It always heightened the pain to have to look forward to it first for a time.”

“You won’t have to hurt me. I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” Jacobs said. “But you have to remember, Queen was always the one who called the shots.”

“That’s hard for me to remember.” Gallo was pushing him up the stairs. “Isn’t a silent partner just as guilty? The only difference is the lack of guts in execution.”

Catherine stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched until they disappeared around the landing.

Gallo was furious. She shivered as she remembered his expression as he had taken Jacobs upstairs. His lips had been set, his eyes glittering and reckless. She had been looking upon the capture and questioning of Jacobs as a job, a project. She had forgotten all that Gallo had suffered at Jacobs’s hands. Jacobs might be backpedaling and trying to absolve himself, but he was as guilty as his partner. Considering all that Gallo had suffered, it might be hard for her to defuse that rage.

And did she want to do it? She was beginning to be angry as well. Gallo had not deserved the atrocities he had experienced. Someone should pay.

But the reason they were here wasn’t so that Gallo could get his revenge.

She turned away and looked around the living room. Flowered wallpaper, an ornate wood fireplace, and furniture draped in sheets. The house had obviously not been rented in a long time. She went over to the window and gazed out at the bayou.

Fog. Moss draped trees. Shadows.

She tensed. Shadows. Of course, there were shadows. It was foggy as hell out there. Nothing was clear or defined.

“I tied him spread-eagled on that big four-poster bed in the master bedroom.” Gallo was coming back down the stairs. “Nothing makes you feel more vulnerable than being in that position. Trust me, I’ve been there.”

“And you’d hate to be vulnerable.” Her gaze was still fixed on the bayou. “But now you have a chance to get your own back.”

“I thought that was bothering you.” He was suddenly standing behind her at the window. “You’re afraid of what I’m going to do to him.”