Deadly Games - Cate Noble [45]
Taz quickly cut the connection to prevent Hades from sensing his presence. His eavesdropping.
After crossing the street, Taz moved toward the parking lot and hunkered down beside a large panel van. A few minutes later, a woman left the building, striding purposefully toward the parking lot. She had her keys out and headed toward a dark blue Taurus.
Crouching low, Taz shadowed her. Beneath the sodium lights, her red hair took on a burnished cast. He shifted the ice pick in his grip as he moved up behind her.
“Excuse me, Dr. Houston?”
She gasped and turned, clearly startled.
Even though he had accessed Hades’ memories of this woman several times now, Taz wasn’t prepared for the emotional jolt of actually seeing her. It was more than physical beauty. It’s her eyes, Taz silently acknowledged as he recalled another of Hades’ thoughts about Erin. Angel eyes. So big a man could fall into them.
It was impossible to look at Erin and not feel Hades’ love for her. Which in turn brought forth a memory from Taz’s own past. A hazy reminiscence of Taz’s one true love.
The thought triggered a sharp spike of pain behind Taz’s left eye. Memories of love were forbidden.
Taz quickly refocused his thoughts.
Mission incomplete.
Find Rufin.
Erin tried to back away, but Taz stopped her. Pulling her close, he pressed the tip of the ice pick against her ribs.“No screams. I just want to talk. Pretend like we’re old friends.”
“You’re Taz, right? I’ve seen your photograph,” she said.
He nodded. “I need your help, Erin.”
She relaxed. “We can go inside and talk. It’s more private”
“No. Let’s drive. You won’t be harmed,” he said. “As long as you do as I say.”
Chapter Sixteen
Laredo, TX
October 4, 9:15 P.M.
Rocco was parked outside a twenty-four-hour Walmart.
“You sure you’re up to this?” he asked Gena.
“After everything else I’ve faced the last twenty-four hours? I think I can handle Walmart.”
Her bravado didn’t fool him. She had pretended to sleep during the drive, maybe catching an hour of actual rest. The balance of the time had been fitful.
Rocco wished he knew what she was thinking. About Harry? About Lupe? About him? Her habit of internalizing her thoughts hadn’t changed.
And badgering her about it would only make it worse. Or so it used to.
Right now, she looked exhausted. Fragile. Yet beneath the surface there lurked a smoldering resentment. Compressed heat and fire. He realized he’d never seen her like this: angry.
“I meant we could wait till morning, if you preferred,” he said.
“Seeing as I have nothing but the clothes on my back”—she motioned to her torn shirt—“and even these don’t look so hot.”
“We’ll speed shop. Grab whatever you need for a couple days. We can get more later, if necessary.”
“You really think we’ll be on the road that long?” she asked.
As long as it takes, he thought.
The last time he’d talked with Catalina, he’d learned there was nothing new on Maddy, Travis, or Taz. The wait was frustrating for both of them.
“At this point, it’s hard to say.” Rocco shrugged. “I’m hoping something breaks soon.”
“Hoping? Or wishing?” Gena opened her car door and started to climb out.
Rocco exited the car and came around to help, but she waved him off. He watched how slowly she moved and realized some, if not all, of her short-temperedness stemmed from pain.
They had stopped a second time after leaving the drugstore so he could clean and bandage the rest of her cuts and burns. He’d wrapped her sprained wrist and convinced her to let him check her bruised ribs.
There were probably myriad other bruises and scrapes hidden beneath her clothes. When they’d finally pulled over at a diner, she’d picked at her food, eating just enough to have something in her stomach so she could take more ibuprofen.
Rocco touched Gena’s arm as they approached the store’s entrance. She jerked and moved sideways.
“Don’t flinch when I touch you,” he whispered. “We’re supposed to be married. Remember?”
She glared at him over her shoulder, not