Chasing the Night - Iris Johansen [95]
“First, separate yourself from Duncan and Quinn. I want our meeting to be one-on-one as I’ve always intended it to be. I’ll attend to them at a later date.”
“What else?”
“No arguments?”
“They’ve tried to help me. Why should I want to pull them into a trap? If they’re not with me, then they have a chance.” She paused. “And I have to make sure Luke has a chance, too. Which means I have to have my chance. You can’t have it all your own way. I’m not walking up to you and letting you line Luke and me against a wall for a firing squad.”
“How could you believe I would have so little imagination? That would be no fun at all for me. I have to have my final game of cat and mouse before I bring the two of you together. Unfortunately, I have little time so the game must get under way with speed and dispatch.”
“I’ve no objection.” She could see Eve sitting straight and tense across the room, waiting.
Make up your mind, she told herself. Do it or don’t do it. It was time to decide.
What the hell. She’d already decided. Take charge. Don’t be a victim. That would be the supreme mistake if she was going to have any chance at all. The telephone call. She had to set up the telephone call. “So I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’ll separate myself from Eve and Joe as you’ve told me to do. It won’t be easy. They’re both very protective. I’ll slip away and go to the Danilovsky Market. It’s a huge open-air market, and I can move around there in the crowd, and I’ll be able to see you or any of the slimeballs you might send after me. At two P.M., you’ll call me and tell me where I’m to go from there.”
“You’re being very demanding. I’m not sure I like that, Catherine.”
“It’s time I was demanding. What have I got to lose? You’ve had me under your thumb for years and enjoyed every minute of it. Right now I’m not afraid you’re going to kill Luke if I don’t bow down before you. You’ve already told me that you want your cat-and-mouse game to come to a glorious conclusion. You want cat and mouse? I’ll give it to you. But it can’t be all your own way. If I can grab Luke away and rid the earth of you at the same time, I’ll do it. You should be happy. It will make your game all the more exciting.”
He chuckled. “You’re magnificent, Catherine. I admit I enjoyed making you subservient. It pleased my ego. But this may be still more stimulating.”
“I’ll be at the market. Call me at two.”
“Don’t be pushy. I’ll be in touch.” He hung up.
Catherine gazed at Eve as she hung up. “I could have blown it at the end. It was hard to strike a balance. I didn’t even know if he’d let me get away with setting up the call at the market. I still don’t know if he’ll call or not.” Her lips twisted. “Or if it will be at two P.M.”
“You did the best you could,” Eve said. “I wasn’t sure until you did it that you’d actually set up that call.”
“Neither did I.” She shook her head in despair. “There are so many variables. Is he close enough so that Joe can get to his location quickly after the call is tapped? And how do we know he’ll call from where he’s staying so that we can get at those records? It’s a mobile world.”
“We need luck. But if Joe can’t find his actual permanent location, then he can at least zero in on his cell phone and go after him from that angle.”
“That’s why I’m afraid,” Catherine said grimly. “I know Venable. He wouldn’t be able to resist sending someone to pick up Rakovac to try to squeeze the information out of him. I can’t let that happen. Rakovac will do anything to win. He’d arrange for Luke to be killed if he was caught or captured. I went along with this because I know it’s right, but it’s tearing me apart.” Her lips firmed. “But Joe has to promise me that he won’t let Venable get his hands on Rakovac. He can follow him if they get the chance, but he can’t touch him until I have Luke.”
Eve nodded slowly. “You must trust Joe a lot if you’re willing to take that risk with Luke.”
“I’ve never known anyone I’d trust more. Joe is…special.” She met Eve’s gaze. “You’re very lucky, Eve.” She got to her feet. “Now