Eve - Iris Johansen [73]
“Queen will probably be too savvy for that. We’ll see how it goes.” Joe moved toward the front door.
Catherine was able to unlock the door for him a few minutes later. “Give me a minute.” She went around the side of the building, traced the alarm wire, and disabled it.
When she came back around to the front, Joe had already gone inside and disappeared. It didn’t surprise her. She was right behind him, moving silently through the foyer and up the stairs.
She heard a curse, then a solid thump from one of the bedrooms on the second floor.
Silence was clearly no longer necessary.
She took the rest of the steps two at a time and reached the open door of the bedroom seconds later.
Nate Queen was naked, on the floor beside the bed, and Joe was straddling him, his hands around Queen’s throat. A stream of obscenities was issuing from Queen’s mouth.
“Shut up,” Joe said between his teeth. “I’m not ready for you to talk yet. You’re not saying the words I want to hear.”
Joe was mad as hell. Time to enter the scenario before Joe’s grip on Queen’s throat proved lethal. Catherine turned on the overhead light. “Let him up, Joe. We wouldn’t want him to catch cold.” Her gaze wandered farther down on Queen’s naked body. “Or suffer a serious inferiority complex.” She picked up a brown robe from the chair and dropped it down on Queen’s face. “Move very carefully, Queen. My friend’s not in a good mood.”
“Or don’t.” Joe released Queen and got off him. “I’d just as soon that you didn’t.” He glanced at Catherine. “He gave me a few problems. He was awake. You’d think he was expecting us.”
“Not you. Do you think I’d be scared of you?” Queen jerked the robe off his face and sat up. His heavy-jowled face was flushed with rage as he glared at Catherine. “What is this, bitch? Since when do you bring your scum to—”
“Careful,” Catherine said. “He brought me. I’m just here to try to keep you alive long enough to get the information we need. It’s not going to be easy for me. I’m almost as angry with you as he is.”
“We’re wasting time.” Joe dug his hand in Queen’s hair and pulled him toward the chair a few feet away. When Queen began to struggle, he punched him in the stomach, then heaved him into the chair. “John Gallo. Tell me where he is. Now.”
Queen’s expression changed, became wary. “Catherine, I told you that I couldn’t help you out. My source folded on me.”
“I heard what you told me,” Catherine said. “I didn’t believe you then. I sure as hell don’t believe you now. You’re dirty, Queen. You’re working hand in glove with Gallo. Talk.”
“Go screw yourself.”
Joe’s hand was suddenly on his throat, his thumbs on the carotid muscles. “Be respectful, Queen. You’re not going to die yet, but you’ll hurt. I’m really good at pain.”
Queen’s face was turning beet red, and his eyes were bulging. “Catherine, stop him from—”
“Let him breathe, Joe. At least for a minute or so.”
“What are you doing to me?” Queen gasped. “You’re a government agent, Catherine. We’re on the same side.”
“I’m not on your side,” Catherine said. “You lied to me. I want to know where Gallo took Eve Duncan.”
“Eve Duncan?” Queen moistened his lips. “I don’t know anything about her. Or Gallo.”
“Gallo knows a lot about you. He told Eve that he owned you.”
“That son of a bitch.” Queen’s expression turned ugly. “Crazy, arrogant bastard. Someday, I’m going to find a way to cut his heart out.”
“Stand in line,” Joe said. “The problem may be moot. Where’s Eve Duncan?”
“I told you, I don’t know anything about—” His head snapped back as Joe’s fist crashed into his jaw. “Shit.” He shook his head to clear it. “He never mentioned Eve Duncan. You were the one who was causing problems, Catherine. I thought he might go after you.”
“And you didn’t warn me?”
“I tried to convince him to leave you to me.” He was gazing at Joe. “How could I know he’d go after her? It was Catherine who was stirring up the trouble. Catherine can take care of herself.”
“Where is John Gallo?”
He shook his head. “I can’t talk about