The Target(87)

Reel turned to Vance. “Can I ask a favor?”

“How can I say no?” said Vance.

“Can I take a couple of photos?”

“Of what?”

“I’ll show you.”

The two women left. Robie turned to Julie.

“You sure you’re okay? They didn’t…you know, do anything to you?”

“Other than smacking me around, the creeps left me alone. But that wouldn’t have lasted. The head guy was a psycho.”

She drew closer to Robie. “Did you know that Jessica didn’t know where her daughter was?”

“No. I just recently found out she had a daughter. She’d never talked about it before.”

“Do you think she regrets it? I mean, giving up her kid?”

“I don’t know. I guess most mothers regret it, don’t they?”

Julie shrugged and looked somber. “Some don’t have a choice. Like my mom. But she always wanted me back.” She thought for a few seconds. “I think Jessica regrets it.”

“I think you’re right.” Robie put an arm around her shoulders. “And I know Jerome will be glad to get you back.”

“Are you going to make this, like, a habit?”

“What?”

“Saving me.”

She was joking, but Robie frowned. “I hope I never have to again, Julie. Considering it was our screwup that got you involved in the first place.”

“We got out okay.”

“No one can count on that to keep happening.” He was about to say something else when a woman appeared in the doorway.

Robie looked at her in surprise.

It was DD Amanda Marks. She smiled and came forward.

“You must be Julie. I’ve heard quite a bit about you from a friend of yours.”

“Jessica?” asked Julie.

Marks nodded. “I’ve been told that everything turned out all right.”

“It did,” said Robie. “And thanks for the assist.”

“I almost never get an opportunity to give back. It actually felt good.”

Reel came back into the room, trailed by Vance. Reel looked relieved about something. Vance actually looked pleased. Reel shook her hand.

“Thanks, this means a lot.”

“I truly hope it works out for you.”

“Oh, I think it’ll work out just fine now.” She looked over and saw Marks. “I’d like to finish this now, ma’am, if that’s okay.”

“With my blessing, Agent Reel. With my blessing.”

Julie glanced sharply at Robie. “What are they talking about?”

“I’m not sure,” admitted Robie.

Reel called out to him. “Hey, Robie? You want to be in on the end of this thing?”

“And what would that be?”

“I’d prefer to show rather than tell.”

Julie whispered to him, “You better go. And you better tell me everything that happens.”

Robie rose and headed toward Reel. “Where to?” he asked.

“Not that far away, actually. We can take a car. But I need to make a phone call first and get things set up.”

“Just one phone call?”

“One is all it takes, if you call the right person.”





Chapter

48



IT WAS RAINING. EVEN IN here Earl Fontaine could hear the drops colliding against the roof of the prison. He could hear the wind howling too. He snuggled more comfortably in his hospital bed. Now that it was over, he knew he could die a happy man. But then again, he might just hang on a little longer. He had a bed, a roof over his head, meds for the pain, three squares a day, even if they were in the form of liquid shot into his gut via a tube, and a good-looking personal doctor to look after him. Not a bad life, actually.

He glanced over at the bed once occupied by Junior. He smiled. He had no idea how such a moron had been able to kill so many people and elude capture for as long as Junior had. Earl had only had to call his “friend” and big Albert had been put on the case, first to hide the knife in Junior’s bed. Then it had been up to Earl to get the idiot to pull it out. Well, that had been easy enough. When Junior’s fingers had touched the knife, his fate had been sealed. Albert had been instructed on exactly what to do. Grab Junior, keep the knife clamped in his hand, pretend to struggle and then kill the little son of a bitch, and kill him good.

And if there was one thing Albert was good at, it was killing. Earl wondered if he had been the one designated to kill Sally. He hoped so. She would be dead as dead could be.

He sighed contentedly and closed his eyes as the rain continued to pound down. He slept for a while, figuring that a nap before his last round of meds would be good.

“Earl?” A hand grasped his shoulder. “Earl?” the voice said more urgently.