Hot Rocks

Stay at the speed limit.”
    She sped up until she hit sixty-five. “Nice pickup. I’ve never driven a Mercedes. It’s heavy.” She ran a hand over her throat as if nervous and babbling. “Smooth though. Looks like a diplomat’s car or something. You know, black Mercedes sedan.”
    “You won’t distract me with small talk.”
    “I’m trying to distract myself, if you don’t mind. It’s the first time I’ve been kidnapped at gunpoint. You broke into my house.”
    “And if I’d found my property, we wouldn’t be taking this little trip together.”
    “You made a hell of a mess.”
    “I didn’t have the luxury of time.”
    “I don’t suppose it would do any good to point out that you already have half the take when the deal was a quarter? And to say that once you get past, oh, say, ten million, the rest is superfluous.”
    “No, it wouldn’t. You’ll take the next exit.”
    “Three twenty-six?”
    “South, to One forty-four East.”
    “All right. All right. Three twenty-six South to One forty-four East.” She glanced over. “You don’t look like the sort of man to spend much time in state forests. We’re not going camping, are we?”
    “You and your father have inconvenienced me considerably, and added to my expenses. He’ll pay for that.”
    She followed his directions, carefully repeating them. She had to believe the call to Max had gone through. That her phone’s batteries were still up, that she hadn’t dropped out of range.
    “Alleghany Recreation Park,” she said as she turned off the macadam and onto gravel at Crew’s instructions. “Really doesn’t fit the Mercedes.”
    “Take the left fork.”
    “Cabins. Rustic, private.”
    “Bear right.”
    “A lot of trees. Deerwalk Lane. Cute. I’m being abducted to a cabin on Deerwalk Lane. It just doesn’t sound menacing enough.”
    “The last, on the left.”
    “Good choice. Completely sheltered by the trees, barely within sight of the next cabin.”
    She had to turn off the phone. He’d find it, she thought. He was bound to find it, and if it was on when he did, she’d lose even that slim advantage.
    “Turn off the car.” He slapped it into Park himself. “Give me the keys.”
    She obeyed, turning her head, meeting his eyes, holding them. “I don’t intend to do anything that gets me shot. I’m not going to be brave or stupid.” As she spoke, she slipped her hand into her pocket, ran her thumb over the buttons and pushed End.
    “You can start by climbing out this way.” He opened the door at his back, slid out. The gun remained pointed at her heart as she hefted her hips over the console.
    “Now, let’s go inside.” He nudged her forward. “And chat.”
     
     
     
    He’d made good time, Max thought as he strode across the terminal toward the exit. He’d be able to pick up Laine from Jenny’s after he tucked Jack away. He didn’t think it the best idea to take his future father-in-law to a cop’s house.
    The problem was trusting him.
    He glanced back, noted Jack was still wearing a sickly tinge of green. They’d caught a prop plane out of Columbus to the local municipal, and Jack had been varying shades of green since takeoff.
    “Hate those tin cans—tin cans with wings, that’s all they are.” His skin was still gleaming with sweat as he leaned against the hood of Max’s car. “Need to get my legs under me.”
    “Get them under you in the car.” Because he felt some sympathy, he opened the door, helped Jack settle his bulk inside. “You puke in my ride, I’m going to kick your ass. Just FYI.”
    He rounded the hood, got behind the wheel. He figured Big Jack could fake all manner of illnesses, but it took more talent than he could possess to change color. “Here’s what else is going to happen. I’m taking you to Laine’s, and you’re staying there until I get back with her. You take off, I’ll find you, haul you back and beat you senseless with a stick. Clear on that?”
    “I want a bed. All I want’s a bed.”
    Amused, Max backed out of his parking slot. Remembering his phone, he dug it out of his pocket. He’d had to turn it off during the flight. Switching it back on, he ignored the beep that told him he had voice mail and called Laine, cell to cell. He heard her recorded voice tell him to leave a message.
    “Hey, baby, I’m back, heading out of the airport. Gotta make one stop, then I’ll be by to pick you up. Fill you in when I see you. Oh, got a few things for you.