He started to turn his head to look at her, but at that instant his phone buzzed.

“Damn,” he said. “That’s my emergency number. No one uses it unless there’s a real problem.”

He hit the speaker button. “Drake Sebastian.”

“There’s trouble at the para-psych hospital, Mr. Sebastian. Zara Tucker has escaped to the roof with a hostage. Tucker is asking for a helicopter, a lot of money . . . and you.”

“I’m on the way,” Drake said.

Alice groaned. “I knew she was going to be a problem.”

Chapter 47

ALICE STOOD WITH DRAKE IN THE DOORWAY OF THE rooftop stairwell. Together they looked out at the scene unfolding on top of the twelve-story hospital.

Zara Tucker stood at the edge of the wide circle that marked the helicopter landing pad. She was dressed in the oversized green scrubs that she had stolen from a supply cupboard. Her blonde hair was blowing in the snapping breeze. She held a mag-rez pistol on her hostage, a middle-aged woman named Dr. Harriet Metford.

Drake glanced back over his shoulder at the small crowd in the stairwell. The hospital administrator, two para-psych doctors, a couple of strong orderlies, and the guard who had lost his weapon to Zara were crammed into the space.

“What’s the status on the helicopter?” Drake asked the guard.

“The chopper is on standby on the roof of Sebastian, Inc. headquarters, as you ordered. The FBPI negotiator and his team are on the way.”

“Trust me, she won’t wait long enough to allow you to get into extended negotiations,” Drake said. “Tell the pilot to take off and hover over the hospital. Tell him to be ready to land as soon as I raise my hand.”

The guard asked no questions. Responding to Drake’s cool air of authority, he immediately turned away to speak into his phone.

Drake looked at Alice. “Ready?”

Who was ever actually ready to confront a madwoman with a gun? Alice wondered.

“I might have a mild touch of stage fright,” Alice admitted. “But they say that sharpens the act.”

“No kidding?” Drake looked grim. “What about a case of stark terror? Does that work? Because that’s what I’ve got.”

Alice gave him her best stage smile. “Don’t worry, this trick never fails. The audience goes wild every time.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Drake said. “You’re the magician this time. I’m just the box-jumper.”

He moved out of the stairwell doorway. The sharp sunlight sparked and flashed on his mirrored glasses.

“You always had a flare for the dramatic, Zara,” he said. “But you’ve definitely outdone yourself this time.”

“I thought you would appreciate the theatrics,” Zara said. “Where is your lovely new bride?”

Alice moved out of the shadows of the stairwell to stand beside Drake. “I’m here.”

“Excellent.” Zara smiled. “Wouldn’t be the same without you. Stay right where you are. One wrong move and I will start shooting Dr. Metford in various parts of her anatomy.”

“I understand,” Alice said.

The whap-whap-whap of a helicopter’s rotor blades sounded in the distance. Zara tipped her head to one side. Then she gave Drake a glowing smile.

“Sounds like our ride is here,” she said. “Time for us to fly off into the sunset together. Take off your glasses.”

Drake did not move.

“Take off your glasses,” Zara screamed. “I want you totally psi-blind, you bastard.”

Slowly Drake raised one hand and removed the sunglasses. Alice glanced at him and saw that he had closed his eyes against the blinding radiation of normal sunlight.

“That’s better.” Zara looked at Alice. “Your turn. Pick up his glasses and throw them over the edge of the roof.”

Alice hesitated.

“Do it now or Dr. Metford pays the price.”

Alice bent down and picked up the sunglasses. She moved slowly to the side of the roof and tossed the glasses over the edge. The mirrored lenses caught the bright light in one last flash before they fell out of sight.

The helicopter cruised toward the rooftop and started to hover.

Zara looked at Alice. “Come here.”

“Me?” Alice said.

“Don’t worry, we’re going to make a trade, but it’s not quite the bargain that Drake expected. You’re the one who is coming with me, not him. And don’t even think of pulling your disappearing act or I will kill Metford first and Drake second.”

“No,” Drake said. “That wasn’t the arrangement.”

“It wasn’t?” Zara smiled. “How forgetful of me. Come here, Alice North.”

Alice walked slowly toward her. When she was a couple of feet away, Zara shoved Dr. Metford aside. The doctor stumbled and went down hard on her knees.

Zara aimed the pistol at Alice. “I’m holding the gun on your bride, Drake. Signal the pilot to land the helicopter.”

“There’s no need to take Alice,” Drake said.

“There is every need to take her,” Zara snapped. She took a syringe out of her pocket. “As long as she is with me you won’t try to do anything stupid. Call in the helicopter.”

Drake raised his arm. The helicopter eased in closer to the rooftop and started to descend. The downdraft from the blades whipped Alice’s hair into a froth. The roar of the engine swamped all other sound.

“Magic time,” Alice said quietly.

Houdini leaped from her shoulder where he had been perched. He sprang straight at Zara’s throat, becoming visible the instant he lost physical contact with Alice.

For Zara, the moment must have been surreal, Alice thought. Without warning, a fierce creature with four eyes and a great many teeth was suddenly flying at her out of midair. She screamed and stumbled backward.

Houdini landed, drawing blood.

Zara screeched and clawed wildly at him.

“Down, Houdini,” Alice said. “Now.”

Houdini bounded out of reach of Zara’s flailing arms, landing nimbly.

Drake was on Zara before she could aim the pistol. He snapped the mag-rez out of her hand. She crumpled, screaming in frustrated rage. She pounded her fists against the rooftop.

Drake looked at Alice.

“Good trick,” he said.

“Thanks,” she said. Her pulse was pounding. She scooped up Houdini. “But I think I prefer the old knives-in-the-box routine. You always know where you are with knives. Bullets, not so much.”

“We’ll keep that in mind for our next trick.”

Three men wearing FBPI jackets charged out of the stairwell, heading for Zara.

Zara rose slowly to her feet. She stared at Drake in disbelief. “You’re blind in daylight. You can’t see without your special glasses. You’re day-blind, damn you. I destroyed your talent.”

“You altered my talent,” Drake said. “You didn’t destroy it.”

“You’re psi-blind!” Zara shrieked.

She flew at him. Alice watched, cold with shock, because she knew what was going to happen next.

Drake waited until the last possible instant and then he stepped out of Zara’s path. She shrieked again and tried to change course, but it was too late. Carried forward by her own momentum, her knees struck the edge of the low parapet. She toppled forward and flew over the edge of the roof.

Her scream echoed forever, a shrill, keening counterpoint to the drumbeat of the helicopter blades.

And then it was over.

The helicopter settled onto the roof. The pilot shut down the engine.

Alice hurried to Dr. Metford and peeled the tape off her mouth.

Metford took several deep breaths. “There was a heavy sedative in that syringe. She said she planned to use it on you so that you wouldn’t be able to pull any of your tricks. Once she was in the clear she was planning to push you out of the helicopter. She wanted to use you to hurt Mr. Sebastian.”

“Yes,” Alice said. “We assumed that might be her plan.” She reached down to help Metford to her feet. “Are you all right?”