Exit Strategy Part 3

Twigs crackled and I froze. My first thought was "Jack" and hope zinged through me. I could talk to Jack. Get more details, work this out- "Nadia?" a voice whispered. "It's Mitch."

I hesitated, then said. "Over here."

"I didn't want to spook you," he said as he approached. The moon lit his wry smile. "Never a smart move with someone who knows aikido."

I tried to smile back. Probably succeeded.

"You okay?" he asked. "I heard you leave the house."

"Just getting some air. Couldn't sleep. Lagged from the drive, I think."

He moved closer. "You seemed a little off today. Is it what that kid said?"

"Kid?" It took a moment to realize he meant the rookie's comments. "No, no. Just the trip." I managed a smile. "I'll be fine tomorrow, just in time for the shooting range. Gonna kick your a.s.s again."

"Nothing new there." Now he was the one struggling to return the smile. "I know it must be hard for you, still hearing stuff like that, after all these years, but-" He tilted his head, looking away, as if trying to decide whether to continue. "I just-For five years, I've kept my mouth shut, Nadia, not wanting to upset you, but I saw how you were today after that kid's dumb crack, so I'm going to say it. What happened to you could have happened to me or a dozen guys I know. Circ.u.mstances pile up and..." He waved his hand. "Things happen. Maybe you snap. Maybe you slip. Point is, it could happen, and we all see how it could happen."

I nodded. Struggled to look grateful. I knew what he was trying to do, but he saw only that single event. It hadn't been a slip, but an escalation, culminating in one explosive, career-ending move.

I said a few words. Can't remember what. Just token sentiments, meant to rea.s.sure him that he'd succeeded in rea.s.suring me me. He moved closer, on pretext of blocking the cold night air-so close I could feel his breath, warm on my cheek. I knew he was struggling to put words to something else, something more personal, but I pretended not to notice. It was easier that way. Easier for me. Easier on him.

Maybe five years ago, he would have been the answer to my prayers. Today, I knew myself better, and knew there was nothing I could ever really share with a guy like Mitch Dylan.

So I waited until he decided this wasn't the time or the place, then I made some joke-I don't know what, it didn't matter-and led him back inside.

I pa.s.sed the plate of cold cuts to Mitch. Lunch. My first meal of the day. At breakfast I hadn't been able to do more than push food around my plate. After that, I'd kept busy with my guests, hoping the knot in my stomach would wither from lack of attention.

"Would December be too early?" Mitch said as he forked roast beef slices onto his plate.

"Might be," I said. "With this mild of a fall, I wouldn't count on snow until January. Plus we get a busy spurt over the holidays. I don't think you guys want to mingle with the 'romantic country Christmas' crowd."

Pete Moore walked into the dining room.

"Finally," Mitch said. "Get lost on your way to town?"

Moore slapped the day's Toronto Star Toronto Star onto the table. "It wasn't him." onto the table. "It wasn't him."

Mitch shook his head. "Put that away and sit down before all the food's gone."

"Wasn't who?" someone down the table asked.

"The New York subway killing. They've confirmed it wasn't the Helter Skelter killer. Rumor has it some witness was running around claiming he saw a page by the body, but it was just a piece of paper."

"Page?" I said.

"From the book."

I longed to ask "what book?" but didn't dare. A natural enough question under the circ.u.mstances, but I told myself it was still better not to take an interest. I could look it up later.

"So it's only four," one of the businessmen said.

"For now," Moore said, pulling out his chair.

"Well, four murders, the best cops on the case, they must be getting close," I said.

Silence answered. I looked down the table, at the faces of the most seasoned officers there. They concentrated on their plates, eyes downcast as if in reverence for the victims to come. My stomach twisted.

"Nadia's right," Bruce, the corporate guy, said. "They've got to catch this b.a.s.t.a.r.d soon, huh?"

Mitch finished chewing and swallowed. "It doesn't look that easy. He's not leaving them a d.a.m.ned thing to go on."

I speared a pickle. "I heard a rumor he might be a professional killer. That true?"

"A hitman turned serial killer?" Lucy said. "G.o.d, I hope not."

"Or this sure as h.e.l.l won't stop at four," someone muttered.

When the last of my guests trickled out later that afternoon, I spoke to Emma. Something had come up, and I had to leave for a few days. During the week, the lodge would see only a few guests, so it was easily handled.

As for where I was going, she didn't ask. According to Emma, I spent far too much time at the lodge anyway. I should take advantage of slow times to travel and get together with friends-preferably male ones. So when I did slip away mysteriously now and then, she only smiled and told me to have a good time.

I stayed to help with the post-weekend cleaning, then left for Toronto that evening.

I had a plane to catch.

FIVE.

I turned the page on my in-flight magazine and wished I'd picked up a newspaper so I could acquaint myself with the basics of the case. I'd been worried about displaying too much interest in the matter but I seemed to stand out more by not not taking an interest. taking an interest.

The woman in the aisle seat leaned toward her husband, voice low to avoid waking those lucky few who'd managed to fall asleep.

"I'm only saying-" she began.

"That you're afraid," her husband boomed. "Christ almighty, Anne. No one's going to break into the hotel room and kill you while I'm at my conference."

"The newspaper says we shouldn't be alone. That's the one thing all four murders had in common. The victim was alone."

Her husband managed to raise his voice another notch, in case the pilots and first-cla.s.s pa.s.sengers couldn't hear him. "So he's going to pick you? Out of the three hundred million other people in this country?"

"I was just thinking-"

"Well, don't."

I turned from the window. The wife ducked my smile and sank into her seat. I put on my headphones, leaving one fewer witness to her humiliation. But before I could turn up the volume, the husband continued.

"Do you really think these are random killings?"

"The paper says-" she began.

"Bulls.h.i.+t. There's no such thing as random murder. These people, they did something wrong and it got them killed. The police will find the link. Drugs, I bet."

"I can't see that, George. Not that poor old woman in Atlanta."

"Ran a shop, didn't she? Who knows what she was selling? That third one? The Russian? Police admitted he had a record. Then there's the college girl, and we all know what kids do in college."

"What about the second one? The accountant."

"Stockbroker. And black. That says it all-" The man had the sense to stop short and cast an anxious glance around. "Stockbrokers, I mean. How do you think they make so much money?"

"I don't know, George..."

"You don't need to know. I've met my share of criminals and I can tell you, one look at those photos in the paper, and it's obvious those 'victims' were on the wrong side of the law."

A serving cart jangled down the aisle and stopped beside us.

"Two coffees," the husband said. "One cream. Two sugars."

He looked over at me. I tugged the headphones from my ears and smiled at the hostess.

"Coffee, please. Just cream."

As she poured, the husband leaned toward his wife, voice dropping a notch. "You don't need to worry, Anne. If you ever got within fifty feet of a killer, you'd see it in his face."

The hostess held out my coffee. The husband took it and pa.s.sed it to me. Our eyes met.

"Thanks," I said.

He nodded, returned my smile and took his own cup from the hostess.

I exited the plane, swept along in the tide of pa.s.sengers. Inside the terminal, I looked around and groaned. A crowded major American airport, and Jack hadn't specified a meeting spot. Plus he'd be wearing a disguise. Wonderful.

Did Jack expect me to be incognito? I stored all my things in New York, having no need or inclination to play dress-up at home. I took out the pa.s.sport and checked the photo again. Shoulder-length auburn curls. Hazel eyes. Not smiling, but dimples threatening to break through. Yep, definitely me, so he obviously hadn't intended for me to wear a disguise. Hey, where'd he get a picture-? I shook my head. Better not to know.

I looped back toward the exit gate. Halfway there I spotted Jack. Something-maybe his posture or the tilt of his head-tripped a wire in my head. Normally I'd peg Jack at late thirties. Now he'd aged himself another decade, deepening the lines around his eyes and mouth, roughening his skin. His hair was dark blond, pulled back into a ponytail. A Vand.y.k.e beard covered his chin. He wore jeans and a long-sleeved pullover pushed up to his elbows to reveal a garish forearm tattoo. He looked like an aging biker who'd retired from the life, settled down, bought himself and the missus a honky-tonk bar. I really hoped I didn't have to play the missus.

He stood back from the crowd, sipping coffee from a Styrofoam cup. For at least a minute, I stood there, just watching. This was one huge step up from sitting with him in the forest, taking lessons. Could I trust Jack enough to work alongside him? Did I dare dare?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then started toward him.

As his gaze scanned the last trickle of exiting pa.s.sengers, his mouth set in a firm line. The flow of pa.s.sengers petered out. Jack strode to a garbage can and crushed the cup. It wasn't empty, and coffee spurted on his hand. He glared at the mess, pitched the cup into the trash and swiped his wet hand across his jeans. Then he stalked toward the exit. I slipped through a small crowd and put myself in his path. He nearly mowed me down before stopping short.

"Nad-" He rubbed his hand across his mouth, as if erasing the mistake.

"Surprise."

"Right." Pause. "Luggage?"

I lifted my carry-on. "Just this."

He glanced around, as if uncertain what to do next.

"You really didn't expect me to get off that plane, did you?" I said.

"That look you gave me Sat.u.r.day? Figured it was a no go."

"I could get on the next flight."

A slow quarter-smile. "Gotta earn your way home."

"I plan to. Where to first?"

"Breakfast."

Jack offered to grab food while I used the washroom.

When I emerged, Jack was still in line at a bagel place. I caught his attention and waved to a spot out of the through-fares. He nodded and I hefted my bag to my shoulder and walked to stand between a group of young men and a sungla.s.ses kiosk.

"-like I told the cop, it was an accident," one of the young men was saying.

"Yeah," another answered. "b.i.t.c.h's arm got in your way and next thing you know, it's broken. Whoops."

A chorus of snickers. I turned the other way, getting a look at them through the mirrors on the kiosk. Three guys, maybe early twenties, all white, dressed in baggy clothes, do-rags and shades. Gangsta wannabes, trash-talking at full volume, thinking it's cool to brag about breaking a girlfriend's arm.

Then I saw the kid half hidden off to the side. No more than eleven, probably younger, dressed like the big boys-probably a cousin or nephew. He stared up in rapture, absorbing every word.

"...restraining order. Can you believe it? Won't f.u.c.king let me see my own kid, all because she's p.i.s.sed off about a broken arm, and if she thinks that's going to stop me, b.i.t.c.h better think again, because a restraining order ain't no magic security system. Ain't gonna stop me from bustin' into her place whenever I want to, and if she don't like it, a broken arm's gonna be the least of her worries."

"You tell her."

They continued, ignoring the glares from people pa.s.sing. No, not ignoring the glares-reveling in them, because that's what it was all about, getting attention, making people scared of you.

I glanced again in the mirror, focused on the young man doing all the bragging and felt a familiar swirling in my gut.