On the Hunt - Page 63
That’s exactly what Kira had hoped, but it was clearly not going to happen. “Of course not. That would be foolish of you.”
Suddenly he started to laugh. “Yes, it would. But I’ve just thought of an idea to guarantee that you won’t betray me. Suppose I trade Fiona for you? Wouldn’t that be amusing? Everyone knows that a whore like you would please Harlan more than a kid who is a constant expense and trouble for him. I return his niece and I get unrestrained use of you for the time you’re with me. Twenty-four hours a day, which will also include the use of one of Harlan’s miracle sleds and your services however I see fit.” He was still chuckling. “And all his fancy friends will continue to think how noble he is and what a hard choice he had to make to get his niece back.”
“Yes, very clever,” she said. Diabolically clever, she thought, and she’d have to concentrate every effort to make a plan like that work for her. “As long as you go along with giving me what I want out of the exchange. I can probably talk Harlan into thinking later that I was only doing it for his benefit and get whatever I want from him, but you’ve got to handle it right. Do you understand?”
“Oh, I understand. But perhaps you don’t. I’m going to enjoy this.” He added, “Though I’m not certain that you will. You might change your mind, and that would make me unhappy. I like this idea. It’s an entirely new way to sting Harlan.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
“Women often do, and I’ll think about it. Ah, but in the meantime I believe I’ll let you have a little time to go over the possible ramifications of what could happen to Fiona while she stays on my cruiser at the mercy of my men. She’s such an engaging little thing. How could they resist her?”
“Why should I care?” Kira asked coldly. “She’s not my niece. Though your interference would just make my job more difficult because it would leave Harlan all the more angry.” She added, “We’ll have to do the exchange very quickly. Once Harlan finds out that she’s missing, it will be much more difficult to come to terms with all the details. But I’m sure you’ll see that we both believe it’s the best way to handle the situation.” She paused. “After all, it was your idea.”
Taylor was chuckling again. “So it was. And that makes it doubly possible. I’ll get back to you very soon when I get all the details straight in my mind. Probably in ten to fifteen minutes. Be ready. Goodbye, bitch.” He pressed the disconnect.
Kira felt limp as she hung up her phone. She might have pulled it off, but she had grave doubts. The only person she really wanted to talk to now was Harlan. And that was the one person she couldn’t talk to if she wanted to keep Fiona safe. Because Harlan would immediately go after Taylor to get her back, and that might start a chain reaction that would cause both their deaths. But if somehow she could get Fiona exchanged, she’d only have to worry about Harlan.
And of course herself, she thought wryly. Taylor would be trying to get rid of her at every turn; the only thing that might keep her alive would be the treasure that she’d dangled in front of him. How the devil was she going to keep that lifeline in place and still find a way to survive?
And why was she whining like a child when she had no other choice? she thought impatiently. She would do it because it had to be done and she was the only one in a position to do it.
Kira’s phone was ringing again.
Unknown number. She knew who that had to be.
She answered the call. “You’ve made a decision, Taylor?”
“How could I resist?” Taylor said. “It was such a splendid idea. I’ve already told Fiona that I’d arranged for an exchange for her and she wasn’t happy about it. You’ll find she’s not quite in the same condition as before. I had to punish her for being such a naughty girl. She actually threw a cup at me when I was describing how I’d killed her father. She’s lucky she missed, or I’d have whipped her bloody. As it is, she survived with only a few more cuts and bruises.”
“No!” Kira’s hand clenched on her phone. “I told you, Harlan won’t cooperate with me if you’ve put a hand on her. I need his new sled to retrieve that treasure.” She tried to calm down and steady her breathing. “Look, I’ll be at the pier in forty minutes. Don’t let anyone touch her.”
“Forty minutes,” he repeated. “After that, our deal is off.” He paused for a moment, then came back on the line. “Pier? Why did you mention a pier?” he said softly. “How did you know? Am I going to have to kill Fiona after all?”
“No! You mentioned Fiona was on a cruiser. The only place that could accommodate a cruiser anywhere nearby would be one of the two piers serving Kalim’s island—at Abdullah’s village and on the north shore. And your man killed Abdullah, chief of his village, so you would be very unwelcome there. So I’ll guess the cruiser is anchored at the north pier.”
“Very clever,” Taylor said. “But if you try to turn our meeting into a trap, you’ll find Fiona’s decapitated head displayed prominently on the bridge of my cruiser.”
“It won’t be. Send Fiona down to the pier and I’ll let you keep me within rifle range on the pier until she’s away from that cruiser. After I consider her safe, I’ll let you take me aboard. But if it’s you who’s staging a trap to keep both of us prisoner, I’ll find a way to bring you down. And you can be sure that you won’t get your hands on that treasure even if I have to drown myself in the sea to prevent it.”
She hung up the phone.
The next instant, Kira was dialing Aban and grabbing her bag to run out of the tent. “Aban, I need your help. I’m going to need a lift. Pick me up at the edge of the forest.”
“Isn’t Harlan there? Can’t he—”
“No, he can’t. Not this time,” she interrupted. “I don’t want to ask you, either, but I need someone… Kalim probably won’t like that it’s you—” She drew a deep breath. “Meet me there at the road and bring your motorboat and I’ll tell you everything. Okay, Aban?”
“I’m on my way. Of course. You are my good friend, Kira. It’s not often I get a chance to rescue a damsel in distress. Anything you want.”
“Thank you. I promise it will be all right.” She hoped to heaven she was telling the truth. “I’m on my way.”
CHAPTER
15
Ten minutes later, Kira was sitting beside Aban in the Bentley on her way to the north pier. She was driving.
He gazed at her curiously. “I still don’t understand… Why did you have me bring my motorboat out here earlier?”