No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [69]
Galen opened the door. “No bet.”
“What’s in that box on the bed?”
“Your disguise.”
“Disguise? That box is kind of big for a police uniform.” He crossed back to the bed, opened the box, and looked inside. He started to laugh. “My God, you’ve got to be kidding.”
“Ready?” Galen asked Dominic. “You can change your mind. I’ll go in and get him.”
Dominic shook his head. “He wouldn’t trust you. Besides, you’re the getaway man.” He smiled. “That sounds like one of those old gangster movies.”
“The garden is clean and Judd is on watch, but that doesn’t mean something unexpected might not happen.”
“You forget I spent years with the guerrillas. I know that nothing is safe.”
“This had better be pretty damn safe,” Galen said grimly. “Or Elena will go for my jugular.”
“Stop worrying and go do your job.” Dominic opened the garden gate. “And let me do mine.”
Dominic was inside the garden.
Judd’s gaze focused the telescopic sight of his rifle as Dominic moved down the path toward the koi pond.
He was moving quickly, almost eagerly, as he saw Luis Kyler.
Judd suddenly caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. He swung the rifle to the window on the sixth floor of the hotel.
Had the curtain moved?
Dear God, the boy looked terrible, Dominic thought as he drew closer to the bench. “Luis.”
Luis’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to take you away.”
Luis struggled to his feet. “You’re not supposed to be here.” His voice was shrill. “Elena is supposed to be the one. It has to be Elena.”
“We’re going to get you away from here. You’ll see Elena soon.” He stepped closer. “Come with me, Luis.”
“Go away, Dominic. Tell Elena to come.” His eyes were glittering feverishly. “It has to be Elena.”
“You’re hurt. You’re not feeling well. Listen carefully. Elena is waiting for you. You have to come with me.”
“I can’t go. I have to do what they say. They won’t give me anything unless I do what they say.” His voice was shaking. “They haven’t given me anything in two days. I have to have it.”
“Coke?”
“Heroin.”
Dominic felt sick. “We’ll get you off it.” He took Luis’s arm. “Come on.”
Luis pulled away from him. “That’s what I’m afraid of. I can’t take it. I’m … hurting. Send Elena.”
“Why?”
He pulled a pistol from his jacket pocket. “I have to shoot her. I have to shoot Elena.”
Dominic stiffened. “You don’t mean that.”
“They said I had to do it. They said they’d give me my injection if I did it. I have to do it.…”
“She’s your sister. She loves you.”
Luis looked at him in wonder. “Doesn’t matter. Why should it matter? I have to do it.”
Dominic was filled with horror. “Give me the gun, Luis. This isn’t you speaking. Give me the gun.”
“You always interfered. You should have made her come. It has to be her.”
He reached for the gun. “Don’t let Chavez and his drugs do this to you. Let me help you.”
Luis’s lips twisted. “You should have made her come. You’ve ruined everything.”
His finger pressed the trigger.
Pain ripped through Dominic’s chest. Dear heaven, he was shot, he realized. He stared at Luis in disbelief.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s your fault,” Luis said shrilly. He pressed the trigger again and again. “You should have made her come.…”
Three shots.
Dammit. Galen jumped out of the truck and ran into the garden.
Another shot.
Dominic was on the ground and Luis was standing over him.
One more shot and Luis crumpled to the ground.
Where had it come from? No time to check. He had to get Dominic out of here.
He fell to his knees beside him. “Come on, Dominic. Let me help you up. We’ve got to—”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Judd waddled slowly out of the hotel.
The street was humming with activity. Four police cars were parked outside the hotel, and guests were streaming out and being ushered down the block.
Galen was standing beside a truck parked at the curb. Emblazoned in green letters on the side of the white truck was ORLANDO BOMB DISPOSAL.
“Get in.” Galen opened the door to the back of the truck. “We have to get out of here before the real