The Perfect Witness (9 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

“THEY’VE FOUND THE CAR,”
Navarro said. “It was left in the parking garage of a private airport in Louisville, Kentucky. Should I go down and—”

“No, I’ll do it myself.” It had been weeks since Camano had heard anything. Avis had even reported the car stolen. Damn, he’d been afraid he’d lost the track.

But a parking garage meant video cameras, and an airport had all kinds of ways to trace flights and passengers.

He hung up and called Gina. “I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes. We’re going to Louisville.”

Six Days Later

Allie saw the door open and Mandak’s silhouette framed against the light of the hall. “You’re late.”

He came toward her. “What a nag.”

“I want this over.”

“It will be.” He lifted the sheet and slipped into bed. For the last three nights he’d started holding her as the session commenced. He always ended up there anyway within a few minutes of making mental contact. He’d not been lying when he told her that first contact with Jokman might be the worst, but the others were also the stuff of nightmares.

She curled herself around him. “Where were you?”

He shifted back a little away from her. “Busy.”

“I was waiting.”

“And I was steeling myself. This is becoming increasingly difficult for me.”

“Why?”

“Because my focus appears to be shifting. Sixteen. I have to keep reminding myself. Sixteen.”

“Oh.” He meant sex. She had felt a tingling stirring occasionally when he touched her, but she had been too absorbed in what she was going through to let it affect her. “I guess it might bother you. I’ve never done it, so I don’t know what it’s like.”

“And I’m trying to keep you in ignorance.”

“If it’s getting in the way, we could do it. I probably wouldn’t mind.”

“Allie…” He cupped her face in his two hands and kissed her on the nose. “I don’t want your first time to be because you don’t want it to get in the way. It should mean something.”

“Whatever.” She shrugged. “Sex was all over the place at the compound, but my father didn’t want anyone to touch me, either.”

“He probably was afraid sex might destroy that ability he prized so highly.”

“That would be silly.”

“Yes, but there are stories and legends about the power of virginity and things like that. He wouldn’t have wanted to take a chance.”

She shook her head doubtfully. “I don’t know—”

“Would you mind if we stopped talking about sex and virginity? Both subjects are hot topics for me at the moment.”

“You started it.”

“So I did. Let’s move on.”

“That’s what I thought we’d—”

*   *   *

“GET OUT, TERESA.” MAMA WAS
opening the passenger door of the red Corvette convertible. “You’ll find everything you need in the cabin. I’ll call you to tell you when I’m coming to pick you up.” She smiled her brilliant white smile. “You know this is best, don’t you, baby? We have to let Mr. Camano become accustomed to the idea of you. It’s much better for you to be away from the compound for a while.”

Shut out Mama’s memories. She didn’t want to know.

“If you say so.” She got her duffel out of the car. “But not for long. You’ll let me come back to you, Mama?”

“Of course.” She made a fluttering motion with her beautifully manicured hand, a graceful, butterfly motion. “How I’ll miss you.” She started the car again. “Take care, baby.”

She watched the shiny red car drive down the road.

The dark tunnel.

How happy Mama was to be rid of her. She was remembering Camano and something they had done in bed last night and how he’d told her how pleased he’d be if—

Go blank. Shut out her mother’s memories.

Make them go away.

Tantona shouting.

Darkness.

Running.

Betrayal.

Don’t remember. Don’t remember.

“But you do remember.” Mandak was holding her close. “And it’s over.” He was wiping the tears from her cheeks with his handkerchief. “Accept it. Release.”

“Hard…”

He muttered a curse. “I knew it would be.” He held her closer. “Scars…” He rocked her back and forth. “But it’s the last one, Allie. Let it go.”

“I have.” She raised her head, and added shakily, “I don’t even know if she feels anything for me. I just don’t seem to be there for her. Yet she told me she loved me. Mothers have to love their children, don’t they? She kept telling me that she wished she could snatch me away, and we could just be alone together. But that’s not what her memories said. I tried and tried not to read those memories, but sometimes they were just there…”

“And the truth, Allie.”

“Maybe. But it could be that she was trying to love me. She told me that she grew up in the slums and had to fight to survive until my father took her. She probably had to fight him, too. She said that life could be terrible if you were just a weak woman with no weapons. I keep thinking that if we were alone together, she might change.”

“Dangerous thinking.”

She shook her head. “No. I won’t let her stop me.”

“I hope not. Your feelings for her are pretty deeply ingrained.” He stroked her hair back from her face. “But at least you’ve faced it.” He sat up in bed. “And I’m out of here.” He swung his legs to the floor. “First phase finished. Second phase starting. Tomorrow, we start building walls.”

She had an instant of panic. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“It will work.” He got to his feet. “Believe me.”

She did believe him. After all she had gone through with him during these weeks, she had no doubt he could do what he promised. But it was difficult to believe in miracles and what he’d promised was a miracle to her.

“How long now?”

“Another three weeks. It will be very different. You’ll hardly know it’s happening. Now that the road is cleared, it’s just concentration and a little help from me.” He moved toward the door. “And I believe we’ll do that part of the lesson in the library instead of the bedroom…”

*   *   *

CAREFUL …

Excitement was tingling through Allie as she circled Mandak around the mat. She had never been closer to bringing him down.

Allie swung her foot around and struck Mandak in the neck.

He grunted, grabbed her ankle, flipped her, and followed her down to the gym mat.

His arm held her immobile as he smiled down at her. A lock of dark hair had fallen on his forehead and his blue eyes were glittering down at her. “Beautifully executed. If I hadn’t moved an inch, you could have had me.”

“Next time.” She could feel the flush of excitement in her cheeks. She had the sudden urge to brush that hair away from his face. To touch his chest. To touch
him
 … “I’ll get you next time.”

“It just might happen.” He got to his feet and pulled her up. “But I doubt it. I’m wary of you now. You’ve become a force with which to reckon.”

“A weapon. It’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

“Among other things.” He headed for the door. “Now let’s move away from the physical to the mental. Go get your jacket. I’ll take you to the local Applebee’s and buy you a shake.”

She stiffened. “That place is full of college students. You know what happened last time. I got torn apart. I couldn’t hold them off.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t do it today. You’ve had a week longer to build defenses.”

“You don’t understand. It’s like fighting a battering ram. Those kids’ memories are damn strong and aggressive.”

“And so are you.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “I’ll bet on you, Allie. Now get your jacket.”

*   *   *

RED LEATHER BOOTHS.

All packed with students from the university.

Noise.

Music.

A cacophony of memories surrounding her.

“Block it.” Mandak murmured as he seated her in the booth closest to the door. “Block all of it.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Concentrate.”

“I’m trying.” Her desperate gaze clung to his. “Help me.”

He slowly shook his head. “Sink or swim.” He turned and started for the door. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Damn you.”

“Concentrate.”

He walked out the door.

She drew a deep breath.

Concentrate.

Dark tunnel.

Across the aisle, the gangly boy with the long, pink-streaked hair was remembering screwing his roommate the night before.

“Why shouldn’t I set up the camera? I want to make you a star. My star. You’re beautiful to me. That new tattoo…” His forefinger outlined the skull on Ron’s hip. “Sexy…”

Block it.

Concentrate.

The girl in the corner booth was blank.

But the Asian waitress taking her order was remembering her argument with the cook a few minutes ago.

Dark tunnel.

Anger. Stab the bastard.

“How can I make any tips if you don’t move your ass and get the food out. Don’t you smirk at me.”

Block it.

Concentrate.

Sink or swim.

Fight them off, fight them all off.

Her heart was beating hard.

Please don’t let them win.

Block them.

Block them.

Block them.

*   *   *

“ARE YOU READY TO GO?” MANDAK
was standing beside the booth, his gaze narrowed on her face. “It’s been over an hour. I half expected you to be waiting for me outside.”

“Sink or swim,” she said jerkily as she got to her feet. “I didn’t sink, Mandak. But I didn’t swim either. It was more of a dog paddle.”

“That’s good enough.”

“No, it’s not.” She stalked past him. “Pay the waitress. I want out of here. I’ll see you in the car.”

She took a deep breath as she walked toward the Camry. She was far enough away from the people in the restaurant not to have to fight and block. But there was a family pulling up in an SUV a few parking spots away.

Dark tunnel.

Not so bad.

The woman driving was remembering her doctor’s visit that morning. It had worried her …

“Just a few more tests, then we’ll know—”

Allie’s response was almost automatic.

Block it.

And the memory was gone.

Gone …

She froze, her eyes staring blindly straight ahead.

“Something wrong?” Mandak was beside her.

“No, maybe something right.” She got into the passenger seat. “Maybe I did swim.” Tears were suddenly causing her eyes to sting. “Hey, no dog paddle for me, Mandak.”

“And that means?”

“I’m on my way. It’s becoming automatic. Give me a little time, and I’ll be able to handle it.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. And I’m giving you time, Allie.”

“If you didn’t, I’d take it.” She swallowed to ease the tightness of her throat. Don’t show him how weak she was feeling. Or how gloriously triumphant. “I’m … grateful. You kept your promise.” She cleared her throat. “Not that I believe you did it for my sake. You keep telling me you have your own agenda. But it means everything to me so I thought I should— Or maybe not. You don’t care what I’m feeling.”

“Don’t I?”

“Oh, maybe a little. It’s that bonding thing.” She straightened her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter. But do you know what I want to do now?”

“I can hardly wait to find out.”

“I want to drive through the town and practice.”

He chuckled. “Practice blocking?”

“Yes. I know you said that my ability wouldn’t be more than seventy percent effective but maybe you’re wrong. I could be better than you think.”

“You’re pretty cocky.”

“I want to know. And I want to get better and better.” She felt as if she were glowing with excitement. “Okay, so I won’t be perfect. I might get very close. That’s almost normal, Mandak.”

“As opposed to being a freak?”

She made a face. “I’m trying not to say that word. You don’t like it.”

“Since when did that matter to you?”

“I don’t know. It just kind of snuck up on me.” She fastened her seat belt. “So take me for a drive. I want to show everyone that I won’t be ambushed anymore. I’m going to block the whole world.”

“Seventy percent, Allie.”

“For now.” She looked back at the restaurant as they pulled out of the parking lot. “I was able to block every single one of the people in the restaurant. It was shaky and messy, and I had to concentrate, but I did it. The woman in the SUV I blocked without thinking, automatic. It was … wonderful.”

“I can see it was wonderful for you.” He smiled at her. “I’ll drive very slowly through town and we’ll see if you can collect any more scalps to hang on your belt.”

“That’s not the right metaphor. I don’t want to hurt anyone, I just want to keep them from hurting me.”

“Correction noted. More like a black belt in karate?”

“Oh, I don’t care what you call it. I just want to see if I can
do
it.”

*   *   *

THEY HAD DINNER ON THE ROAD
and didn’t come back to the lodge for another two hours.

“You’ve been very quiet.” Mandak turned to Allie as he unlocked the door. “No triumphs?”

“Several.” She smiled brilliantly. “And some of them automatic.”

“Great.” He gazed quizzically. “But no exhilaration?”

“Two ambushes. I had to fight them off. One I couldn’t get away from until we were over a block away.”

“Seventy percent?”

“Not this time. Less. But it sort of pricked the balloon.” She looked him in the eye. “But I’ll blow that balloon sky-high. I just have to work at it.”

“Yes, you will.” He turned and moved down the hall. “Go to bed and rest. You deserve it. You’ve done a good day’s work. I’m proud of you.”

“You are?”

“Sure.” He glanced back at her strange tone. “What?”

“Nothing.” She turned and headed for her bedroom. “It’s just that no one has ever told me that before. Good night, Mandak.”

“Good night.” He watched her disappear into her room.