The Villa

off the table, and snagged her robe on the run.
     
    As Jerry had predicted, they poured out of the house. Raised voices, running feet. From the shadows of the garden he counted the figures wrapped in white robes that raced down the path and out across the vineyard.
    "In and out," he whispered to Rene. "Piece of cake. You lead the way."
    She'd given him the location and setup of Sophia's room, but he wanted her going in first. She might have made a mistake. She claimed she'd only slipped into Sophia's room once, but that was once more than he'd managed.
    He couldn't risk turning on the light, though he was sure his flashlight would be enough. He only needed to plant the package at the back of her closet where the police, even if they were idiots, would find it.
    He moved up behind Rene, up the terrace steps, glancing over his shoulder. He could see the bright orange and gold of the fire against the night sky. A brilliant sight. It illuminated the figures rushing like frightened moths toward the flame.
    They'd put it out, of course, but not quickly. It would take time for them to realize the water had been turned off for the sprinkler system, time for them to gather their wits, time for them to watch helplessly as precious bottles exploded, as equipment was ruined, as their god of tradition burned to hell.
    So he didn't have the guts to do his own dirty work? Gingerly he flexed his hand. It still twinged now and then. They'd see who had the guts when the sun came up.
    "Jerry, for God's sake." Rene hissed at him from the terrace outside Sophia's room. "This isn't a tourist attraction. You said we had to hurry."
    "Always time for a moment of pleasure, darling." He stepped, swaggered, up to the terrace door. "Sure this is hers?"
    "Yes, I'm sure."
    "Well then." He pushed open the doors, stepped inside. And drew a deep, satisfied breath of her scent just as Sophia dashed through the opposite door and slapped on the lights.
    The sudden glare slashed across his eyes, the shock froze his brain. Before he could recover from either, he was fighting off a hundred and ten pounds of enraged woman.
    She leaped at him, blind fury catapulting her across the room. Even as she sank her teeth into him, the edges of her vision glowed red with blood lust. Her only clear thought was to inflict pain, monstrous pain. And when he howled, the feral thrill of it spurted through her like lava.
    He struck out, caught her across the cheekbone, but she didn't even feel it. She went for his eyes, freshly manicured nails already tipped red, slashed out, missed by a breath and scored like the tongs of a rake down his cheek.
    The burn of it maddened. With no goal but to free himself, he tossed her aside and sent her into a shrieking Rene. He could smell his own blood. Intolerable. She'd ruined all his careful plans. Unforgivable. Even as she scrabbled to her feet, prepared to leap at him again, the gun was out of the pouch, in his hand, with his finger sweaty on the trigger.
    He nearly ended it then, with one quick twitch of his nervous finger. Then her body jerked to a halt and her eyes cleared of rage and filled with shock and fear.
    Finally, he thought, face-to-face. And he wanted more than survival. He wanted satisfaction.
    "Now. Isn't this interesting? You should've run out with the others, Sophia. But maybe it's fate you end like your worthless father. With a bullet in the heart."
    "Jerry, we have to get out of here. Just go." Rene pushed herself to her feet, stared at the gun. "My God! What're you doing? You can't just shoot her."
    "Oh?" He thought he could, and that was a revelation. He didn't believe he'd have any trouble with it at all. "And why not?"
    "That's crazy. It's murder. I'm not having any part of murder. I'm getting out. I'm getting out now. Give me the keys to the car. Give me the damn keys."
    "Shut the fuck up." He said it coolly, and in an almost absent gesture smashed the gun into the side of her head. When she went down like a stone, he didn't even glance at her, but kept his eyes locked on Sophia's.
    "She was a pain in the ass, on that we can agree. But she's useful. And this is perfect. You'll appreciate the spin on this, Sophia. Rene started the fire. She's had it in for you all along. She went to the cops a few days ago, tried to convince them you'd killed your father. And tonight, she came here, fired the winery and broke into your room to plant evidence against you. You caught her, you struggled, the gun went off. The