Magnificent Folly - Iris Johansen [47]
A slow smile lit his face. “You mean it?”
She nodded, feeling suddenly light as air.
“You bet I will. Tomorrow at ten?”
“At ten.”
The door closed behind him.
She shouldn’t have called him back, she told herself. He had been willing to give her time, and she should have taken it and followed her usual course of caution and practicality. They were moving toward each other too quickly. She had been far too impulsive.
Still, a tiny smile curved her lips and her stride had a decided spring as she crossed the foyer to follow Mrs. Muggins and Cassie to the music room.
Gunner rose immediately to his feet as Andrew strode into the hospital waiting room. “I thought you’d be running over here the moment you were free,” he said grimly. “I’m not letting you see him, Andrew.”
“You can’t stop me,” Andrew said. “This is my territory, not yours. How is Kalom? Have they been able to reach him?”
Gunner shook his head. “They’ve been trying since the plane arrived here this morning. No response.”
Andrew muttered a curse beneath his breath. “What the hell is the matter with him? I’ve never seen anyone so—” He stopped abruptly.
“So what?” Gunner asked. “Twisted? You forget I’m the one who locked him. I know what I saw there, and it was ugly as hell.”
Andrew carefully guarded both his expression and his mind. Gunner evidently didn’t realize Kalom’s mind was more than ugly. The glimpse Andrew had taken had revealed a cesspool of rage and ferocity, of stored-up malice that was almost overpowering. “I can handle Kalom. I’m used to it.”
Gunner snorted skeptically.
He knew as well as Andrew it was impossible to become accustomed to something that changed and evolved from moment to moment. The human mind reflected all facets of life, the beautiful as well as the ugly, but never remained the same.
“Who’s working on him?” Andrew asked.
“The best. Debron and Braily. If they can’t bring him out, no one can.”
Andrew smiled and shook his head. “You know better. I’m the best, Gunner. I can go deeper.”
“Stay out of it.” Gunner’s blue eyes held the chill of a Nordic winter. “He’s not worth it. I won’t have you risking yourself.”
“What would you do? Lock me?”
“No, but I could kill Kalom.”
Andrew stiffened. “You wouldn’t do that.”
“Try me.” Gunner smiled with cold ferocity. “I have the option, and your life is a hell of a lot more valuable than his. Let the team do its work, and stay out of it. It shouldn’t take more than a few days to break through.”
Andrew studied him. “I think you’re bluffing.”
“Then call my bluff. Walk into that therapy room and you’ll find a dead man.”
Andrew hesitated. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll give them four days. After that, I’ll go in.”
“No deal.”
“I’ll go in,” Andrew repeated softly. “And I’ll stay, no matter what you do. Do you want me to be there when he dies, Gunner?”
Gunner met Andrew’s hard stare and then turned away with barely restrained violence. “Dammit, you know he’d take you with him!” He pushed through the double doors leading to the therapy room. “But he’s not going to get the chance. I’m going to tell Debron and Braily they have to break the lock or I’ll skin them alive.”
EIGHT
“IT’S INCREDIBLE.” LILY looked at the Chinese bridge arching over the rushing torrent of water, the rugged stones, the pines on the banks. “This park looks as if it’s been transplanted from a national forest in Oregon, and yet your compound is set squarely in the middle of a desert. How could it be?”
“I told you we have some very talented people.” Andrew opened the door of the car and helped her into the passenger seat. “They like to experiment. In fact, sometimes they go a little overboard. The council had to pass an ordinance demanding to see every plan before it was initiated, or the compound would be a terrible mishmash.”
“I can’t imagine that. It’s perfectly beautiful.” She glanced back at the park. “Different but definitely gorgeous.”
Andrew