The Maze

doesn't sound nice," Lacey said. "Why'd you come here, Marlin? Why do you want to kill me? It's a really big risk you're taking. Why?"

    He looked thoughtful for a long moment, but the gun never wavered from the center of her back. "I just knew I had to take you out," he said finally. "No one can beat me and get away with it. I thought and thought about how I could get out of the cage in Boston and then that judge just handed me a golden key. Those idiot shrinks were a piece of cake. I acted all scared, even cried a little bit. Yes, it was all so easy. There was my pa, sent me a message in prison, and I knew where he was waiting. All I had to do was get in Brainerd to the Glover Motel just at the western edge of town. There he was, had clothes for me, everything, a car with a full tank of gas. I knew then that I could get you, take you out, and then I'd be free. Actually, it was Pa who hit that FBI guy in Boston, nearly sent him off to hell where he belongs."

    "I know. Your pa used your driver's license. We got the license plate."

    Marlin wasn't expecting that. "Well, I told Pa to be careful. He was sure he'd knocked the FBI guy from here to next Sunday, but he didn't. He really got the plate, huh? No matter. Everything's back on track now. I just wish that the FBI guy had gotten his."

    Hannah moaned from the kitchen.

    "Now, let me see if you tried to leave any message for that muscle boy you're sleeping with."

    She didn't move, barely breathed. And waited. He poked around a bit, then straightened. "You're smart, Marty. You didn't try anything. That's good."

    Hannah moaned again. They heard Erasmus say something to her. They heard a sharp cry. The bastard, he'd hit her again.

    "You'll come, won't you, Marty? You'll come to me at the center of the maze? My pa will kill her slow if you refuse. It sounds like he's already got started. You got the picture now, don't you?"

    To die for Hannah Paisley, perhaps there was a dose of irony there. No, she'd die anyway. Lacey seriously doubted that Hannah would survive this either. But Lacey naa no choice, none at all. "I'll come." Ten minutes.

    "Let me see if Hannah's all right." "A real buddy, is she? That's excellent. No shit from you then, Marty, or Pa will make her real sorry. Then it'll be my turn to make you even sorrier." "No shit from me, Marlin." "Ladies shouldn't say that word, Marty." She wanted to laugh, realized it was hysteria bubbling in her throat, and kept her mouth shut. When she walked into the kitchen, Hannah was sitting on the floor, her back against the wall.

    "I'm sorry, Hannah. Are you all right?" Hannah's eyes weren't focused, but she was trying. She probably had a concussion. "Sherlock, is that you?" "Yes."

    "Where is this place? Who are these animals?" Erasmus kicked her.

    Hannah didn't make a sound, but her body seemed to ripple with the shock of the pain.

    "This is my place. These men are Marlin Jones and his father, Erasmus."

    She saw that Hannah realized the consequences in that single instant. She also knew that she was going to die. Both of them would die. Lacey saw her trying to loosen the knots on her wrists.

    "Gentlemen," Hannah said, looking from one to the other. "Can I have a glass of water?"

    "Then you'll probably have to go pee, just like Marty here," Marlin said.

    "Marty? Her name is Sherlock."

    Marlin kicked Hannah, just the way his father had. "Shut your mouth. I hate women who haven't got the brains to keep their lips sewn together. I just might do that someday. Get myself a little sewing kit. I could use different colored thread for each woman. No water. Let's get out of here. Who knows who's going to show up?"

    Five minutes, but it didn't matter now. Lacey was bound and gagged, lying on her side in the backseat of her own car,

    a blanket thrown over her. Hannah was behind her in the storage space.

    One of them was driving a stolen car she'd seen briefly, a gray Honda Civic. Then she heard her Navajo revved up but didn't know which one of them was driving. She guessed they'd leave her Mazda at the warehouse.

    Lacey closed her eyes and prayed harder than she'd ever prayed in her life. If Marlin left her hands tied behind her, then there would be no way she could get to the Lady Colt strapped around her ankle.

    Savich stretched his back, then his hamstrings. He heard a woman's voice from the front of the gym and started to call out.

    But it wasn't Sherlock.

    It had been an hour and twenty minutes. In that