CHAPTER

18

THE MOONLIGHT WAS BRIGHT and the ground soft and giving beneath Eve’s feet as she went ahead of Drogan out the back door of the shack and across the sand.

“Here,” Drogan said roughly.

She had almost stumbled into the grave Drogan had dug. She stared down at the open coffin in the three-foot-deep hole.

“Are you afraid?” Drogan asked.

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not afraid of facing what’s beyond. There are times when I’d welcome it.” Because Bonnie was there and would welcome her. “But you should be afraid, Drogan. I think you are. I think that’s what all this voodoo business is all about.”

He was cursing beneath his breath. “Jump down in the coffin and lie down.”

Should she do it? The death he had planned for her was hideous. She could make a move on him now and she might get lucky.

And she might not.

Joe could be near. God, she hoped he was near.

She jumped down into the coffin and lay down. It was narrow and barely held her slender frame. She tensed, waiting.

She didn’t have long to wait.

Drogan dropped the snake on her chest. The rattler was striking in all directions.

Don’t move. Don’t breathe. Don’t give the snake any reason to strike at her body.

Darkness.

Drogan had dragged the lid over the coffin.

She could feel the snake slowly move up her body toward her throat.

*   *   *

BARREN DESERT, CACTUS, MOONLIGHT stark on shadowy dunes.

No shack.

No truck.

No Drogan.

“Try farther east,” Newell said. “It’s got to be near here somewhere.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Joe’s hands gripped the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. “Not if she lied.”

“She wouldn’t have a reason to lie,” Kendra said quietly. “She didn’t like the idea of being involved. You’re not thinking clearly.”

That was without question, Joe thought. The only clarity to his thinking was of Eve with Drogan. It was making him sick to his stomach with fear.

“East,” Newell said.

Joe nodded jerkily. “I’m changing direction. For God’s sake, keep an eye out for that truck.”

*   *   *

THE SNAKE WAS LYING across her throat, and Eve was afraid that the pounding pulse beat in the hollow would cause the rattler to strike out. There was nothing but darkness and the heavy scent of the oil coating the snake’s body.

Don’t swallow.

Breathe shallow so that her neck would not move.

The triangular head of the rattler was in her hair, and it was still.

Why wasn’t it moving?

*   *   *

BECAUSE IT’S AS SCARED as you are, Mama.

Bonnie?

Yes, I’m with you.

Eve could not see her, but she could feel her there in the darkness. Why? Is this the end, baby?

I don’t know, you’re doing all the right things, but sometimes that’s not enough. I didn’t want you to be alone.

I’m not really afraid. I’d be happy to be with you. It’s just that it’s a natural instinct to feel like this. And Joe …

Yes, Joe.

And I don’t like snakes.

They’re just creatures like the rest of us. It’s afraid, too.

Drogan thinks the snake’s a she and may be his mother. Isn’t that crazy?

Pretty silly. Bonnie was silent. Mama, I’m going to leave you for a little while. That snake is too terrified for me to reach, but I may be able to do something inside the shack. Don’t move. Just keep on doing what you’re doing. I’ll be back soon.

*   *   *

BONNIE WAS GONE.

Eve felt a ripple of panic, and she must have swallowed, because the snake draped across her throat suddenly stirred.

She froze.

Keep on doing what you’re doing.

Which was absolutely nothing, dammit. If she was going to die, she desperately wanted Bonnie back with her for these final minutes. What was she doing in that shack anyway?

*   *   *

“I THINK WE’RE GOING AROUND in circles,” Newell said.

“No, we’re not,” Joe said. “That much I know. It just seems as if—”

“Smoke.” Kendra grabbed Joe’s arm. “I smell smoke.”

“I don’t smell anything.”

“You will soon. It’s faint. The wind is blowing it from that hollow over there to the west.”

It was over a minute before Joe caught a whiff of the smoke. “Yes.”

“It could be nothing,” Newell said.

“Or something.” He could only pray it was something. They had come up with zilch, and time was running out. Joe was already gunning the car toward the hollow. He inhaled sharply as they crested the hollow.

A shack, flames blazing, fire devouring it.

“Truck?” He bit out.

“There. To the left of the shack,” Newell said. “I can’t tell what color. It’s dark … could be red.”

“Close enough. We’re going in.”

“There’s someone near that stand of trees,” Kendra said. “Do you see him, Joe?”

Just a vague shadow, but the man was tall and slim.

Drogan was said to be tall and slim.

Joe stomped on the accelerator for the remaining distance separating them from the shack. He screeched to a stop as they came near the burning house. “Both of you get out. See if you can get into the shack and check and see if there’s anyone inside.”

Kendra and Newell were already out of the car and running toward the burning shack.

Joe turned the car and headed toward the stand of trees.

Drogan.

The headlights picked up Drogan in the beam. His eyes were wide, his expression vicious, and he was raising his gun.

Joe ducked as a bullet shattered the windshield. He jammed on the brakes, opened the driver’s door, and rolled out of the car. Drogan was coming toward him, firing.

“Welcome, Quinn,” Drogan said. “My plans were all disrupted, but here you are anyway. It must be fate.”

“Where’s Eve?” From his vantage point all he could see were Drogan’s legs on the other side of the car. “I may let you live if you tell me—”

A bullet hit the hubcap of the car next to Joe’s head.

“No, you wouldn’t let me live if I told you where she is,” Drogan said. “You’d be very angry with me. People seem to have a particular horror of the death I’ve planned for your Eve … and you. I hope I can keep you alive long enough to have you join her in her coffin.”

Coffin. It was what Joe had feared most. “Where did you bury her?”

Drogan laughed. “Guess. Either she’ll suffocate, or the snake I gave her for company will get her. I’ll leave it to your imagination.”

And Joe’s imagination was scaring him to death. If Eve was already in a coffin, he might have only minutes, seconds. He had to put an end to this. He took careful aim under the car. “I’d rather imagine you writhing in hell, Drogan.” He shot out both of Drogan’s kneecaps.

Drogan screamed, and his legs gave away.

Joe was on him before he touched the ground. His hands clutched Drogan’s neck. “You like the idea of suffocating? Let’s try it on you, Drogan.” His thumbs cut off Drogan’s air. “Where is she?”

Drogan gasped, his eyes bulging as he struggled to breathe.

“Talk.”

“Dead.” His eyes burned with malice. “I haven’t heard anything from her for almost ten minutes. She’s dead. Mama … Zela took … her.” He suddenly rolled to the side, breaking Joe’s hold. He grabbed a knife from the holster on his leg and lunged toward him.

The knife nicked Joe’s upper arm before he twisted Drogan’s arm and managed to jerk the knife away from his body. “Where is Eve?”

“I told you. I’m not saying anything more.”

“No?” Joe’s hands closed on his throat again. “You say you killed her. Then you’re of no use to me, and you’re wasting my time. One last chance?”

“You’re a cop. You won’t do anything to me.”

“You’re wrong, you know,” Joe said softly. “Good-bye, Drogan.”