Ain't Your Bitch(41)

“Well, I know that the reason you’re not getting the police involved is that it’s not a coincidence. It’s not some madman who picked my name out of a phone book. So it doesn’t matter how many men in twenty miles of me hunt. It only matters how many I know. Isn’t that right?”

Noah set down the shirt he’d been fussing with. She certainly did have a point. It wouldn’t stand up in any sort of civilian court, but if it gave a clue where to start dealing with the situation it was hardly smart to ignore what she had to offer.

“Let’s say you’re right—”

“I’m right.”

“Saying you are. What does that mean to you?”

“Not much. I’ve never been big on hunting.”

“Thanks, you’ve been a great help.”

Noah started to walk restlessly. There had to be a point to all this discussion, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. She was trying to get to some sort of point, he suspected, but she’d better get to it soon.

“No! I just. I know one guy. It’s stupid though.”

“Well, stupid is better than nothing, Jacqui. So lay it on me.”

“My… brother hunts sometimes. I’m told he’s not bad at it. He smokes, too. I don’t really know the brand, could be these.”

“Your brother.”

Noah couldn’t help but feel a little bit doubtful. Why would someone so aggressively go after their own sister?

“We’re not close, and… I come from money, you know? Well, he’s not in much position to see anything between my sister and I both being older.” Jacqui spoke haltingly; clearly, she found what she was saying as disturbing as Noah did.

“So it’d be easier if there were fewer of you, is that what you’re suggesting?”

“I don’t want to think it, but he’s the only person who comes to mind.”

“Alright, then. What’s his name?”

“Manus.”

“Your parents really didn’t like him, did they?”

Jacqui blinked angrily at that. Noah pulled his phone out and punched the numbers again.

“Hey, Maggie. Can you get some information for me? Of course, of course. The usual rate. Where could I find a… Manus Jones?”



Noah wrote down the address and repeated it back into the phone.

“Yeah, thanks, Maggie. You’re a lifesaver.”

He could see without needing to ask that Jacqui knew where it was, had probably been there before. Perhaps she’d known her brother lived there and the call had been wasted. More likely, though, she thought, or even knew, that he’d moved on from the place. She didn’t make him wait long to find out which.

“Are you sure that’s current, Noah?”

“No. Did you think people were watched twenty-four-seven to make sure their information is accurate?” He regretted it as soon as he said it. It was rude, he knew, but his mind was buzzing, between the stress of the past few days and the last lingering traches of electricity from their dalliance in the bath.

“Well I just…” She trailed off.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, I suppose you shouldn’t have.” Noah could see in Jacqui’s eyes that she was still a bit offended, but she had a handle on it. “Manus isn’t living in that complex any more, not the last time I went there. I asked about a forwarding address, and they gave me an address downtown.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“You called before I had time! It’s not my fault!”

Noah looked at her agape. She was right, of course. He’d just assumed. But why hadn’t it even occurred to him to ask her where her own brother lived? He stood, walked over to a different chair, and dropped unceremoniously into it.

“So did you go there?”

“Of course I did!”

“And?”

“I didn’t see him, but I found the room. He was out, I guess. The owner said he was living there, but out.” Jacqui made a face. “Though, he didn’t use those words exactly.”

“Well, I mean…I can go, but your brother’s seen me. He came to my house, Jacqui, and he’s clearly ready to commit murder. I think he’d just kill me and come looking for you.”

Jacqui’s face was drawn in thought. When she sat back, Noah could see the curve of her breasts through the robe. He turned away, trying with all his might to forget they were there at all.

“And if I come along, what’s to stop him from killing me then and there, I presume. And we can’t have the police involved on such flimsy evidence.”

“You’re seeing the long and short of it. There’s nobody who would go in on such little evidence, and we can’t get more without letting him get another shot at you.”

“So we’re the only people who can really do anything about it, then?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, then, Mister Walker.” Jacqui laid back. She knew, he decided. The way she was laying, the way the cloth fell, the way she didn’t try to cover herself. She was doing it on purpose. “It’s time for bed.”

“I’ll be down the hall.”

Jacqui stuck her chin out a little bit, and Noah had to suppress a grin. If he could frustrate her half as much as she was frustrating him, that would be enough.



“So, let me get this straight.” Noah’s posture didn’t show the stress he was feeling. He formed a shell in his mind, keeping everything out except for the next task at hand. “We know nothing about the situation, except that we’re hoping we don’t get killed. Is that…”

“Well I wouldn’t have put it that way if I had a choice in the matter, but you’ve essentially got the idea.”

Noah nodded. He could see the high-rise already, rising out of the mist and dark of the early morning. Two more miles and they’d be there. Noah sighed, reached across the car.

“Open the glove box,” he waited. “Now give me the gun. You’ve got your talents, but all I’ve got is my good looks and personality.”

“I can see why you need the gun.”

A wry smile crossed Noah’s face. No clever response came to mind, but he opened his mouth just in case. When Jacqui put the gun in his hand he felt the weight of it, even as he focused on the driving, turning into the lot and parking. He checked the magazine, though he knew it would be full simply from the heft. The gun went into his coat pocket.

Hopefully, if all went well, they’d come in on the fellow sleeping, and he’d listen to reason. Having the weapon in his hand meant that right away, Manus would be on the defensive. Noah couldn’t tell how many people he’d seen run from the police simply because the cops were chasing. Then things would get violent; backed into a corner, someone would get hurt, when all that truly needed to happen was for a group of adults to sit down and have a conversation.

On the other hand, things could go badly. Then the gun would need to be ready if Noah hoped to get out alive.

The place was empty. Noah had a bad feeling since they left and it flared up worse still now. He briefly considered turning back, telling Jacqui that something wasn’t right and they needed to leave. In the back of his mind, though, a voice whispered that this was it. He may fail here, but things couldn’t stay.

Something had to get straightened out, and it would have to get straightened today. If they ran, they would need to keep running, because this was the first and only time they were on even footing. It was a leap of faith or a slow descent, but the fall, he thought, was inevitable.

“That’s the one.”

Jacqui gestured at a door, and Noah put his hand in his pocket. The gun fit into his hand like it was made for him in particular, and then he nodded. Jacqui touched the door and he heard a soft “click” of the deadbolt sliding open. The doorknob turned in her hand easily, silently. Perhaps, he thought, they’d get out of this easily.

The main room was empty, and they moved in silently. Though he had briefly considered that Manus might be there, ready for them, or that he might have fled, the room seemed undisturbed. It was as if they had come in while their quarry was out of the house getting coffee. He gestured toward the only closed door in the small apartment, at the end of the hall. It had to be the bedroom; the bathroom and kitchen were both open.

They stood outside the door, crouched, waiting for the right moment. Jacqui touched the knob, then turned it slowly, silently. Then she started to open it and all hell broke loose.



Noah woke, a moment later. The room was hot, and he could tell there was fire behind him, though he didn’t turn to look. He needed to get out, to get Jacqui out. That was the only answer. Whatever they needed to do, the first step would be getting out of here alive. But when he touched the knob it didn’t turn.

Noah put his shoulder into it, but it didn’t budge. A second time, and then a third, but to no avail. The door was reinforced, and somehow, someone had locked it. It wasn’t the handle lock or the deadbolt, at least not that he had access to. But try as he might, the door would not open.

He didn’t hear Jacqui come up behind him, but she put her hand on the door. He knew what she was trying to do, and when he saw the expression that crossed her face he knew, even if she didn’t, that it would not work.