Silver Falls - Anne Stuart [95]
“I imagine she’ll take care of that by herself.”
Caleb wanted to hit something. “You’re keeping an eye on her, aren’t you?”
“We are. Right now she’s at home, asleep.”
“And where’s my brother?”
Maggie looked guilty. “I don’t know. On the record we have no reason to follow him.”
“And off the record?”
“We both know what’s going on. But I can’t move unless I have probable cause, and right now I have shit,” Maggie said. “Your brother doesn’t know I see through his games. I’ve always seen through his games. He’ll think he’s won, and he won’t be wanting to make any mistakes.”
“Maybe,” Caleb said, doubtful. “He’s closer to the edge than you think. He fucked up, and he knows it. I need a car.”
“I don’t want you going anywhere near him.”
“I’m not. I’m going up to my house to pack.”
“So you’re just going to leave? Just like that?”
“Go to hell,” Caleb snarled. “You know I can’t do that.”
“You can take Rachel’s car. It’s drivable, they fixed the brake line, and maybe it’ll make you think twice about half-assed schemes to scare people that can backfire.”
“It worked. I had her where I wanted her.”
“You had her where you wanted her an hour before we got to the hotel, asshole. If you’d kept it in your pants we wouldn’t have had this problem. He wouldn’t have flipped out.”
“Yes, he would have. I just made it happen sooner.”
“And what about Rachel? How do you think she’ll feel, married to a monster, used by his brother?”
“She’ll be glad she’s alive,” he said, his voice flat and cold. “Where’s her car parked?”
“Out back. The desk sergeant will give you the keys. And don’t go thinking you’ll find her and ‘explain.’ I don’t think she’s going to listen, and I don’t want to tip David over the edge. Sophie’s safe at my house, Rachel thinks you’re a crazed killer, and David thinks he’s gotten away with it. Let’s leave it like that for now. Understood?”
Caleb said nothing.
“I can throw your ass back in jail,” Maggie warned. “I’m sick of the whole lot of you. Rachel’s my friend and you’ve fucked her over, and I don’t take kindly to that.”
“I’ll leave her alone,” Caleb said. And he’d try. Because Maggie was right—for the moment David thought he’d managed to fool everyone. But he was dancing on a razor’s edge, and it would take very little to push him over.
“Give me a call when you get up to your place and let me know if anyone’s been there,” Maggie said. “If I don’t hear from you I’ll be sending someone after you.”
Caleb shook his head. “He won’t be up there. He has no interest in killing me. Taking everything I care about, yes. Making it look like I’m responsible, of course. But he doesn’t actually want to hurt me.”
“Everything you care about, huh?” Maggie said. “Well, if you care so damned much about her you better find a way to explain all this to her. I’ve got a feeling she’s not going to be listening to me. Just don’t try to do it now.”
Shit. “I didn’t say—”
“Just shut up. Take the Volvo and get the hell out of here. And call me!” she shouted after him as he took off.
The Volvo looked pretty damned good for a car that had had a close encounter with a tree. The streets were empty at midday, and he drove too fast. Maggie was right—things had stabilized for the time being, there was no immediate danger. David thought he had gotten away with it, and Stephen Henry had even backed up his alibi. If they all played it very carefully then nothing bad would happen for the time being, and maybe they could stop David before he lost it completely. Before he hurt anyone else.
But he didn’t really believe that. He knew his brother, knew the calm glint of madness in his pale blue eyes. There was no pulling back. Safety was only an illusion.
At least Sophie was safe. Rachel was another matter. He was going up to his house, taking the fastest shower on record, and grabbing the gun he’d stashed behind the mouse-eaten towels.
He knew how to use it. He had a license, which Maggie hadn’t bothered to check, and he wouldn’t hesitate. It would be like shooting