Blind Alley - Iris Johansen [108]
Just in case something went wrong. She didn't want to consider that possibility. “Tomorrow night.” She tried to keep her voice even. “After all this time it seems impossible it's finally—”
“Stop thinking about it,” he said roughly. “If you're going to opt out, do it. I did the best I could but I don't like it. You'll be lucky if we don't get you killed.”
“You don't have to like it. All you have to do is protect Joe and Eve.” She paused. “You keep trying to talk me out of this. You seem . . . torn. Maybe it wasn't only the money. Perhaps this Pietro did mean something to you.”
“How kind of you to grant that I have a few human feelings.”
“How am I supposed to know what you're feeling when you don't let anyone see them? Was it the gold or was it Pietro Tatligno?”
“The gold, of course.”
“Damn you, talk to me.”
“What do you want from me?” His lips twisted. “Do you want me to tell you that Pietro saved my ass in Colombia? That he was the only person I ever knew that I felt I could trust? That he was closer than a brother to me?”
“Was he?” she whispered.
“Hell, no. It's all a bunch of lies. Of course it was the gold.” He stood up and headed for the door. “Let's go tell Eve and Quinn we've made the connection.”
October 21
7:37 P.M.
It was getting dark.
“It's time,” Trevor said quietly from the doorway. “You told me to tell you when Quinn was going down to the tunnel. He's heading for the kitchen now.”
Jane turned away from the parlor window and started for the hall. “You checked out the passageway?”
“I've just come back.” He smiled. “Can't you tell? I look like I've been crawling through a sewer. It's safe. First, Bartlett and I carried the coffin down and positioned it and then I checked out the passage. And I've left Bartlett down there to make sure it stays safe until Quinn gets to his ledge.”
She stopped. “Bartlett?”
“Don't worry. I gave him a shotgun and orders to fire at anyone but me or Quinn. You don't have to have much martial skill to be intimidating with a shotgun. After we get down there, Bartlett is going to stay near the ladder and guard the entrance to the villa. It's best that someone is outside those tunnels to give warning, if something goes wrong.”
If something goes wrong. Yet another qualification that filled her with panic. “I thought Bartlett was going to stay up here with Eve.”
“So did I. But he decided that wasn't going to happen. I arranged for there to be four security men to stay with her instead. Lord knows what other security Quinn's set up.”
“You promised me.”
“And I'll keep it. I won't let Aldo get past me to climb the ladder to the villa.” He nudged her toward the kitchen. “If you want to see Quinn before he goes down, you'd better hurry. He was opening the trapdoor when I left him.”
“We give Joe fifteen minutes and then we follow him?”
Trevor nodded. “That should give him time to get up on the ledge and position himself. I'll be there to back him up in—”
“Eve!” Jane ran toward the trapdoor. “What are you doing?”
Eve was on the third step descending the ladder. “What does it look like?” She took another step down. “Really, Jane. What did you expect? I wasn't going to let Joe or you go down there without me.”
“You were supposed to—” She whirled on Joe. “Tell her— Keep her out of there.”
“Do you think I haven't tried? Can't do it. You know her. All we can hope for is damage control.”
“Why didn't you tell me?” Her voice was anguished. “Why didn't you—”
“Because I knew you'd be upset.” Eve grimaced. “And you are. But now you don't have to stew about it for days. Come on, Joe. Let's get going.”
“Don't do this, Eve,” Jane pleaded. “Please.”
Eve shook her head. “Jane, we're a family. We do things together.” She took another two steps down and disappeared from view.
“No!”
Joe started down the ladder. “You can't budge her. I'll take care of her, Jane.”
“Take care of yourself, Joe,” she whispered. Dear God, she had a terrible sinking feeling. It was only beginning and everything was going wrong.
Joe was out of sight. Lost in the darkness of