Killer Dreams (3 page)

She tensed. “It’s necessary, Michael. You can’t do without it. Maybe in a few weeks, we’ll be able to do without the thumb pulse-ox.”

He nodded and looked away from her as he headed for the door. “I know. I was just talking. I don’t want to do without it yet. It gets pretty scary. ’Night, Mom.”

“Good night.”

She watched him walk down the hall. He looked so small and vulnerable in those blue flannel pajamas.

He was vulnerable.

Vulnerable to pain and terror and even death.

Pretty scary?

Terrifying.

And he was managing to deal with it and survive. She had told him she was proud of him, but that was an understatement. He fought the confusion, threat of death, and ugliness with a courage that amazed her. Any other boy would have been beaten down, crushed, and completely destroyed by the punishment Michael took.

Jesus, she hoped the terror didn’t come back tonight.

“You look tired,” Kelly said as he watched Royd stride out of customs at Washington National. “Did I push you a bit?”

“I pushed myself,” he said curtly. “And, hell yes, I’m tired. I’ve gotten maybe three hours’ sleep in the last two days.”

He looked it, Kelly thought. Royd’s broad, high-cheekboned face always had an expression of tenseness and alertness, but his dark eyes were strained and glittering restlessly and his mouth was tense. In the worn jeans and khaki shirt he wore, his big, powerful body looked as if it should belong to a lumberjack. “As it played out, they’re not moving as fast as I thought they would,” Kelly said. “You could have taken a little more time.”

“No, I couldn’t. It was driving me crazy.” Royd asked, “What did you find out about her?”

“Not much. Everyone at the facility is pulling twelve-hour shifts to get ready for the move and I was only able to get to the current file room once. She’s a sleep therapist and practices at Fentway University Hospital.”

“Sleep therapist.” His lips tightened. “Oh, yes, that would fit. Do you have an address?”

Kelly nodded. “She has a house in a suburb of Baltimore. Close to the hospital.”

“And close to the facility?”

“Right.” He paused. “You’re definitely going after her?”

“I told you I was. Did you find out anything else?”

“Not really. She’s divorced and has a ten-year-old son.”

“Is there anyone else in the house?”

Kelly shrugged. “I told you my info was scanty. I’ve been too busy to stake her out. It would be better if you wait until I can find out—”

“And risk her flying the coop?” He shook his head. “I’m moving now. Do you have a photo?”

“An old one from the personnel records.” Kelly reached into his pocket and handed him a photocopy. “Nice-looking.”

Royd glanced at the photo. “Yes, do you know if she sleeps with Sanborne?”

“I told you that I haven’t had a chance to—”

“I know. I know. Just a thought. When you’re checking, look into it.” Kelly had paused beside a car and Royd gazed at the photo as Kelly unlocked it. “Maybe not. She looks like she’d be hard to push around and he’s into sexual power games. He killed a prostitute in Tokyo a few years ago.”

“Charming. You’re sure?”

“I’m sure. There’s not much I don’t know about Sanborne. Check it anyway.” Royd got into the car. “Are you going back to the facility?”

Kelly nodded. “That’s what you’re paying me for. Things are in a bit of a turmoil with the move. I might get a break.”

“And you might get your neck chopped.”

“I’m touched by your concern.”

Royd was silent a moment. “I am concerned. I don’t want to serve up any more lives to Sanborne than he’s already taken.”

Kelly grinned. “Besides, you like me.”

“Sometimes.”

“That’s a concession from you.” Kelly added, “And after I’ve only been laying my ass on the line for you for almost a year.” He grimaced. “I’ll be okay. I’ve been careful. And this might be my last chance to get my hands on those formulas. Are we sure that there aren’t other copies?”

“Sanborne wouldn’t chance copies floating around. The value of REM-4 lies in exclusivity. He was almost fanatical about his secrecy and control over the process when I was under his thumb. But we may be able to get hold of them through the Dunston woman.” Royd’s lips tightened. “I’ll know tonight.”

“You’re going straight there?”

“I’m not going to chance letting her slip through my fingers.”

“You could wait at least until I find out more about her.”

“I’ve waited too long already. You’ve told me that she was a key figure in the initial experiments. There’s a good chance she knows where in the facility those files are located. That’s all I need to know to go forward.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“You do what you’re good at. I’ll do what I’m good at.” His lips twisted. “Thanks to Sanborne.”

“And maybe Sophie Dunston.”

“Like I said, she fits. I’ll call you if I find you can opt out of the search for the files.”

“If you can force her to talk.”

Royd’s answer was only a cool glance but it was enough. That had been stupid, Kelly thought. Besides being one of the most lethal sons of bitches he’d ever run across, Royd was a driven man. There was no question he’d do whatever he had to do.

And heaven help Sophie Dunston.

3

I
’ve talked to MacDuff twice in the last two days,” Jock said, when Sophie picked up the phone. “He wants me to come home.”

Sophie tried to smother the surge of disappointment. After all, this was what she had wanted, wasn’t it? “Then go. I don’t need you. I was hoping when you didn’t show up for the last few days that you’d taken me at my word.”

“Stop trying to get rid of me. I told MacDuff I’d come if I could work things out. That hasn’t happened yet. You’re being very stubborn. How is Michael?”

“He had an episode last night, but I woke him up pretty quickly.”

“Damn. It doesn’t get any easier. Tell him I’ll be by tomorrow to take him to the new sci-fi flick he wanted to see, or we could just go to Chuck E. Cheese’s if he wants.”

“Jock, I’ll take him. He doesn’t need a big brother. Go home.” She paused. “His father asked about you.”

“Fine. A little competition for the boy’s affection may stir him up. I’m not admiring your choice in husbands. It’s a wonder Michael turned out so well.”

“Dave has many fine qualities.”

“But I’ve noticed he appears to care more about going for the big bucks than he does Michael.”

“Money is important to Dave but so is Michael.”

“We won’t argue about it.” He paused. “I’ve been out to the facility. They’re in a big hurry to pack up those moving trucks with everything that’s not nailed down. Maybe you made Sanborne a little nervous. Nervous men are unpredictable. We need to talk again. Invite me in for a cup of tea after I bring Michael home.”

“The hell I will.”

“On second thought, I think I’ll come over right away. I need to start to work on you. You’re getting more stubborn as time passes.”

“I’ll lock the damn door on you. Go back to Scotland.”

She heard him chuckle before he hung up.

She shook her head as she hung up the phone and stood. She shouldn’t be feeling this sense of relief. It wasn’t fair to Jock to keep him here and she wouldn’t do it. She’d call MacDuff and tell him to put more pressure on Jock. He certainly wasn’t listening to her.

Tomorrow.

It was late and she had an eight o’clock appointment in the morning.

She went down the hall and checked Michael.

Please, sleep deep and well, baby. Every night is a gift.

She carefully closed the door and went back down the hall and got the automatic coffeemaker ready for the morning. She needed all the caffeine she could get just to keep going these days.

She went into her bedroom and reached out to flip on the light.

An arm snaked around her neck!

“Scream and I’ll break your neck, bitch.”

Christ.

She didn’t scream. She lashed her elbow back into his stomach and kicked his shin at the same time.

He grunted and his grip loosened.

She tore away and ran toward the nightstand where she kept the gun Jock had given her.

She fell to her knees as he tackled her before she was halfway there. He was on top of her, his hands encircling her throat.

Pain.

She couldn’t breathe.

Her hands tore at his fingers.

Jesus, she couldn’t die.

Michael…

She spat in his face.

“Bitch!” He released one hand to slap her face.

She twisted her head and sank her teeth into his hand.

The coppery taste of blood. His scream of outrage and pain.

She rolled out from under him. His hand caught her hair before she could get to her knees.

A glint of metal shone in his hand.

Knife.

Death.

No!

She stared up at his twisted, contorted face as she fought to get away. Ugly. So ugly.

“Scared?” He panted. “You should be. It would have been easier for you if—” His eyes widened, his body arched. “What is—”

Then she saw the tip of the dagger protruding from his chest.

His eyes were glazing as he started to slump forward toward her. He was pushed to one side by the man standing behind him. Jock? she wondered dazedly.

“Did he stab you?”

Not Jock, she realized. Tall, muscular, close-cut dark hair and his tone was as totally without expression as his high-planed face.

“Did he stab you?” he repeated. “You’re covered with blood.”

She looked down at her blood-spattered blouse. “No, it must be his blood.”

He glanced at the man slumped on the floor. “I guess so. Who is he?”

She forced herself to look at her attacker’s face. Thinning brown hair, gray eyes staring wide open from a triangular face. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I’ve never seen him before.”

“Oh, just dropped in to slit your throat?” he asked skeptically.

She was shaking, she realized. She felt weak and vulnerable and angry. “Who the hell are you?”

“Matt Royd. You might recognize the name.”

“No.”

He shrugged. “But then there were so many, weren’t there?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your son’s room is down the hall, right?” He was turning toward the door.

She jumped to her feet. “How do you know that? Don’t you go near him.”

“I did a little reconnoitering before I saw your friend jimmying the window open. But whoever you pissed off might have decided to—”

“I just left Michael.” But someone else could have gotten into his room while she was struggling, she thought in panic. She pushed past Royd as she raced down the hall. She threw open Michael’s door. It was dimly lit by a night-light but she could see him lying safely in bed.

Maybe.

She had to be sure. She glided quietly across the room. He was breathing deeply, evenly. Not that deeply. He drowsily opened his eyes. “Mom? Anything wrong?”

“Hi,” she said softly. “You’re fine. I was just checking. Go back to sleep.”

“Okay…” His eyes closed. “You been cooking? You’ve got ketchup on your blouse.”

She’d forgotten the blood. “Pasta sauce. Spaghetti for tomorrow night. I made a mess. Good night, Michael.”

“ ’Night, Mom…”

She turned and left the room.

Royd was standing in the hall. “He seems okay.”

She nodded jerkily as she closed the door. “How did you get into my house?”

“The back door.”

“It was locked.”

“A pretty good lock. It took me a few minutes to spring it.”

“Are you a thief?”

His lips twisted. “When ordered. I did a little of everything and a lot of the activities practiced by the man who wanted to slit your throat. That came easiest to me. I had training and experience before REM-4.”

She stiffened. “What?”

“REM-4.” His gaze was narrowed on her face. “Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m on a short fuse right now. It wouldn’t take much to push me over the edge.”

“Get out of my home,” she said unevenly.

“No thanks for saving your life? How rude.” His lips tightened. “If you start cooperating, I might rid you of that body in your bedroom. I’m good at things like that.”

“How do you know I won’t call the police? He invaded my home.” She stared him in the eye. “Like you.”

“A threat?” he asked softly. “I don’t like threats.”

Fear iced through her. Jesus, he frightened her more than that maniac in the bedroom. She moistened her lips. “You’re the one threatening me. You broke into my home. How do I know that if that man in the bedroom hadn’t attacked me you wouldn’t have done it?”

“You don’t. I may still do it. It’s very tempting. But I’m trying to control myself. If you give me what I want, you have a chance of surviving.”

Her heart was beating so hard she could scarcely breathe. She backed against the wall. “Get out.”

“You’re frightened.” He took a step nearer and put his hands on either side of her shoulders on the wall. “You have a right to be. It would be a shame if your son lost his mother because she was stupid.”

He was only inches away and she felt trapped. His blue eyes were glittering down at her. Hard, cold, ice-cold. “Who sent you?”

He smiled. “Why, you did.”

“The hell I did.” She kneed him in the nuts and ducked under his arm as he bent double with pain. She ran toward the front door. Get away. Get help. No time to think.

He was right behind her as she flung open the front door.

And ran straight into Jock’s arms.

She tried to push him back. “Jock, be careful. He’s—”

“Shh, I know.” He was looking beyond her and put her gently aside. “What’s happening, Royd?”

Royd stopped, his gaze wary. “You tell me, Jock. I wasn’t expecting to see you here. Are you saying you have first dibs on her? No way.”

Sophie’s eyes widened in shock. “You know each other, Jock?”

“You could say that. We attended the same school.” He met Royd’s gaze. “You’re on the wrong track. She’s not your target.”

“The hell she’s not,” Royd said harshly. “Her name was in Sanborne’s files, both past and current.”

“How do you know?”

“Nate Kelly. He’s a good man. He doesn’t make mistakes.”

“That doesn’t mean he might not interpret what he finds incorrectly.” He turned to Sophie. “Is Michael okay?”

She nodded jerkily. “But there’s a dead man in my bedroom.”

Jock looked at Royd. “One of your men?”

“I don’t kill my own men,” he said sarcastically. “He got here ahead of me. He was going to take her out. I couldn’t have that. I needed her.”

Jock’s gaze shifted to her. “Sophie?”

“He killed him.”

“Who’s the man he killed?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Then I think I’d better take a look.” He took Sophie’s arm. “Come on. Let’s get off the porch. You don’t want the neighbors curious.”

She didn’t move, her gaze on Royd.

“He’s not going to hurt you,” Jock said. “It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding? He killed a man five minutes ago.”

“And saved your neck,” Royd said coldly.

“Obviously for your own purposes.”

“Absolutely.”

“Royd, she’s not the target,” Jock repeated. “When I get the chance, I’ll explain it to you. In the meantime, back off.”

Royd stiffened. “Are you threatening me?”

“Only if you don’t back down. But it would be stupid for us to pit ourselves against each other. We’re on the same side. In fact, I’ve been trying to track you down for the last few days.” He made a face. “And I’m not sure I could take you. MacDuff has seen that I haven’t had any practical experience for a good while. And you’ve lived a life that definitely keeps you sharp.”

“Don’t bullshit me. You were the best and you don’t forget.”

“We’re on the same side,” Jock repeated. “Give me some time and I’ll prove it.”

Royd didn’t want to give in to Jock, Sophie thought. She could see the tenseness, the violence brimming beneath the surface. For a moment she thought that violence would erupt and then he turned abruptly and started back down the hall. “Take a look at the body. If he was professional, he let emotion get in the way. He was so angry with her that he didn’t hear me behind him.”

“I don’t want this Royd in my house, Jock,” Sophie said. “I don’t care what’s between the two of you. It’s not going to affect me or my son.”

“The devil it’s not.” Royd whirled, eyes glittering. “You’re in this up to your neck and everything I do from now on is going to affect you. You’d better hope that Jock can make me believe what he’s telling me. It’s not likely.”

“Easy.” Jock pushed Sophie into the house and closed the front door. “Sophie, go make a pot of coffee while we go check out your intruder. You look like you could use it.”

“I want to go with—” It was a lie. She didn’t want to see that murderer with the bloody knife sticking out of his chest again. And it would be of no purpose. “I’ll go do another check on Michael and meet you in the kitchen.”

Ten minutes later she was putting the coffee on and trying to regain her composure. Lord, she was shaking so badly she wouldn’t be able to hold a cup without spilling it. Reaction must be setting in. She’d be fine in a minute. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After her parents’ deaths she’d had months of periods when she’d lost control. But she was strong now and that man meant nothing to her but a threat.

Blood gushing from that bloody wound. Senseless. Senseless. Senseless.

No, she wouldn’t lose control. She was fine now.

“Sophie?” Jock was coming into the kitchen.

She opened her eyes and nodded. “I’m okay. I guess it brought back a few memories.”

“What memories?” Royd asked as he came into the room after Jock.

She gave him a cool glance. “None of your business.”

“Go to the bathroom and get cleaned up.” Jock handed her a white blouse he was carrying. “I didn’t think you’d want to go back into your bedroom right away.”

“Thanks.” She took the blouse and went past him and Royd as she left the kitchen. Royd was leaning on the doorjamb and she was careful not to touch him. But she could still feel his tension, sense the passion of emotion that was electrifying him. She didn’t want to deal with that passion until she could get herself together. Let Jock handle him. Let Jock get him out of her house.

She washed up, changed her blouse, and ran a comb through her hair. Then she took a moment to try to block out the thought of that body in her bedroom. It didn’t work. It shouldn’t work. She had to deal with what had happened and she had to deal with Matt Royd. So stop whining and face it.

Jock and Royd were sitting at the kitchen table when she entered the room. Royd looked as comfortable as a tiger forced to balance on a stool. Tiger. Yes, that description was very apt.

“I poured your coffee.” Jock gestured to the chair beside him. “Sit down. We have to talk to Royd.”

She shook her head.

“Sit down,” Jock repeated. “You have enough trouble on your plate. You don’t need Royd to come down on you.”

She hesitated and then slowly sat down. “Did you recognize the man in the bedroom?”

He shook his head. “And neither did Royd. But we may hear soon. He used his phone to take a photo of him and sent it to his man at Sanborne’s facility.”

She stiffened. “His man?”

“He hired a man to go undercover and get information from Sanborne’s files. He works with the video monitors in the security center at the plant.”