No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [74]
“You’re lying.”
“No, he thinks he’s on an adventure and that you know all about it.”
“What?”
“I lied to him. I talked him into coming with me. He didn’t think it was that odd, considering you’d made a lot of hasty exits lately. I told him we were pretending to be Indians. He thought it was fun sneaking out in the middle of the night. He grabbed his bow and arrows and crept down that hall like a second-story man.”
“You lied to him?”
“Would you rather I’d chloroformed him and taken him by force? This is much better for him.”
“You were planning this when you made that bow and arrows for him. My God, and I was grateful to you.”
“Bring him back, Judd,” Galen said.
“Sorry. I want to stay alive.”
“You’re going to sell him to Chavez?”
“Chavez won’t hurt him. It’s Elena he wants to kill.”
“You can’t do that,” Elena said.
“Look at it my way. I’m on borrowed time. If I don’t do it, they’ll catch up with me and kill me. If I do it, the kid will be upset, but he won’t die. You may even have a chance to get him away from Chavez after I pick up my money.”
“It will make it a thousand times harder,” Galen said.
“You always liked a challenge,” Judd said. “Elena, I’m going into the next room so you can talk to Barry. I’ll be listening on the extension, and if you ask him any questions I’ll take the phone from him. I don’t want to do that. I want to keep him calm and happy. Let him think that you know all about our little adventure and that you couldn’t be more pleased about it.”
“Go to hell.”
“You’re upset. Think about it. I don’t want Barry scared and neither do you. It’s up to you to save him from that.”
Elena was so angry that she couldn’t speak for a moment. “How do you think he’s going to feel when you turn him over to Chavez? He’ll be terrified.”
“I know. I don’t like it. So let’s put it off for as long as possible. Will you talk to Barry?”
There was no other choice. But she would try to get as much as she could from Judd. “I’ll talk to him. But not only today. I want you to call me every day and let me talk to him. I want to know he’s safe.”
“And try to find out from him where we are?” He suddenly chuckled. “Good idea. Okay, but it won’t do you any good. We’ll be moving around.” She heard a door open. “Hey, scout, want to talk to your mama?”
Barry was laughing as he came on the line. “Mama, you should be here. I saw lions and tigers. And there were monkeys and funny men in skirts.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time, baby.”
“But when are you coming?”
“I’m a little busy right now. Are you okay?”
“Sure. Judd and I are going to go to a carnival tomorrow night. He said there are Ferris wheels and crack-the-whip and booths where you can win prizes. He’s going to buy me cotton candy.”
“That’s nice. Don’t eat too much.” Dammit, she was starting to cry. “I love you, Barry.”
“Mama?”
“Galen’s on the line,” she said hurriedly. “He wants to talk to you. Galen?”
“I’m here, Elena.”
“Good-bye, Barry. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She hung up and closed her eyes. Damn Judd. Damn him to hell.
“Barry sounds okay,” Galen said as he came back into the room. “Happy as a lark.”
“Why shouldn’t he? He thinks he’s on this grand vacation. Which will end abruptly when Judd sells him to Chavez.”
“Judd’s a hard nut, but he’s fighting for his life.”
“Don’t you defend him.”
“I’m not defending him. I’m trying to explain his thinking. I’m mad as hell at him.”
“Then let’s go after him.” She sank down into a kitchen chair. “If he’s making a deal with Chavez, then he’ll want to remain in the general area. Barry said he’s going to a carnival tomorrow night. How can we find out where there are carnivals playing in the Southeast?”
“Local licensing bureaus? Internet? I’ll try both.”
“He talked about lions and tigers. Could they be near a wildlife park?”
“If they are, then it will narrow the field down.”
“Is there a computer here at the cottage?”
“Yes, it’s in our hostess’s, Eve’s, workroom. Can you use a