Текст книги "Shadow Play: An Eve Duncan Novel"

Автор книги: Iris Johansen

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

CHAPTER

9

SONDERVILLE

He was coming.

He would be here soon.

Margaret sat absolutely still beside the creek, waiting. She was excited, she realized. Was there an element of fear with that excitement? Maybe. Strange. She was seldom afraid.

But everything she’d been feeling since she’d arrived in these woods was somehow … different.

He had stopped just beyond the trees. He was looking at her.

Excitement again.

Don’t let him see it. “Are you going to stand there and gape at me? I promise I don’t have any explosives strapped to me tonight, either, Nalchek.”

“How do I know that?” He came toward her. “You’re an unknown quantity. Eve may trust you, but I don’t.” He stopped a few yards from where she sat. “And I don’t know how she can trust you, either, with what little she knows about you.”

Margaret chuckled. “We have a sort of history, and I was able to help her when she needed me. That must count for something in the balance.” She tilted her head. “Haven’t you ever run into a situation that warranted a little faith in the face of suspicious circumstances?”

“No.”

“I think you have.” She studied him. He was all lean hardness, and his eyes were cool and intent. But there was a barely contained explosiveness beneath that restraint. She knew how strong he was, and she could sense that at the moment, he was barely able to stop himself from lashing out. “Maybe not lately. Why are you here, Nalchek?”

“Because you’re here.” He dropped to his knees beside her. “I could ask you the same thing. You know you shouldn’t be in these woods.”

“And how did you know I was here?”

“I assigned a man to watch the hotel and report if you left it.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to keep my eye on you.” He added roughly, “And you hitchhiked here again, dammit. How stupid can you get? That’s inviting an attack.”

“I’m a pretty good judge of character.” She smiled. “And I can take care of myself.”

“I didn’t notice that last night.”

“You surprised me. Besides, I knew right away that you were probably no threat.”

“Then you were wrong. I am a threat to you.”

She went still. The fear was back. Her gaze flew to his face. Then she relaxed. “You’re bluffing. You just want to be in control. You wouldn’t hurt me unless you had to.” She paused. “But I’m surprised you would want me to believe it. I don’t think it’s what you’d ordinarily—” She nodded suddenly. “You want something from me, and you’re not sure I’ll give it to you. What is it?”

His expression didn’t change. “What do you think I want?” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Yes, I do want to be in control. Why do you think I became sheriff?”

Her cheek was tingling beneath his fingers. She could feel a tightness in her chest. “Because you’re one of the good guys?”

“How do you know? Oh, that’s right, you’re such a great judge of character.” His hand moved down to cup her throat. “Bullshit, Margaret.”

She could feel her pulse beating hard against his hand. It felt strange and rhythmic and completely sexual. “I am a good judge of character.” She moistened her lips. “And you would never use your office to either hurt me or for sexual gratification. You’re just angry or frustrated about something, and I’m handy to vent.” She took his hand from her throat and leaned back. “And the fact that you can’t put me in a convenient pigeonhole is making it worse.” She met his gaze. “But I’m no one’s whipping boy, so tell me why you’re being an ass. What do you want from me?”

He stared at her for a moment. “I’m beginning to think of all kinds of things.”

“Don’t start that again. I’m not your type. You thought I was a college kid. You probably like them tall, leggy, and sophisticated. I’m not any of those things.”

He smiled faintly. “No, you’re not. But you’re undoubtedly interesting.”

“You’re damn right.” She got to her knees, her hands clenching into fists. “Why did you come looking for me? I’m sure it wasn’t to make sure I made it safely here to the woods.”

The corners of his lips deepened. “You look like you’re going to take a swing at me.”

“I’m tempted. I don’t like being used.”

“I didn’t use you. Well, maybe a little.”

“I don’t like being manipulated, either.”

He shrugged. “I only tried, I didn’t succeed. I guess I didn’t appeal to you.”

He knew that wasn’t true. That moment had been brimming with sexual tension, and Margaret was aware she was usually transparent as glass. “Why?”

His smile faded. “I’m tired as hell of being the outsider. This is my town, my case, and Eve would never have been involved with that little girl if I hadn’t sent her the skull. Then she brings Quinn and you into it and leaves me out in the cold. That’s not going to happen.”

“She doesn’t regard it as a competition. She’s grateful for your help.”

“As long as she calls the shots.”

“You weren’t this angry earlier today.” Her eyes narrowed on his face. “What happened?”

“She phoned me from Sacramento and wanted to know Jenny’s blood type. When I asked her why, she said she’d call me back.”

“And she didn’t do it?”

“No, and when I tried later, the call went to voice mail.” He smiled crookedly. “So I decided I’d go and search for answers from someone else who belongs to the club.”

“Me?” She shook her head. “I don’t know why she’d want to know that. I haven’t heard from Eve since she left the hotel.” She frowned. “She doesn’t want to involve me any more than she has to, Nalchek. At least, she doesn’t feel guilty about contacting you.”

He didn’t answer.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, she called you, didn’t she? Why are you being so possessive about the little girl in that grave?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s my job.”

“It’s more than that,” she whispered.

His gaze flew to her face. “More?” he repeated softly.

Fear again. Yet she had just said that she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. It didn’t matter. Unreasonable or not, the fear was here.

She braced herself to try to break through it. “Did you know Jenny before she was killed, Nalchek?”

He was suddenly rigid. “What?” She could see he hadn’t expected that question and could sense the shock. “What the hell do you mean?”

“It’s a clear question, isn’t it? Did you?”

“There’s nothing clear about it. Are you asking me if I had something to do with her murder?”

“No, but I’m asking you if you had reason to be so obsessive about Jenny’s death. Eve just accepted it because she’s obsessive about her, too.”

“But you don’t accept it. And you’re confronting me about it while we’re alone, and you couldn’t be more vulnerable.” He leaned closer to her. “Which makes my point about the fact that you’re about as able to take care of yourself as the little child in that grave.”

“Stop it.” She drew a deep breath. “Answer me. I’m not going to back down and let you intimidate me. I stand by my guns.”

“Except you don’t have a gun or any other weapon.”

“I know karate and several varieties of street fighting.” She glanced down at his holster. “And, besides, I’m sure you wouldn’t shoot me. Did you know Jenny?”

He didn’t answer for a moment. “Why would you think that? And don’t give me that obsession bullshit.”

“You’re answering a question with a question. You first, Nalchek.”

He gave a half shrug. “No, I did not know that child before I pulled her out of her grave. Did it occur to you that I went to a hell of a lot of trouble to find out her identity if I already knew who she was?”

“Yes, but it would seem the innocent thing to do, wouldn’t it? I had to ask.”

His brows rose. “And you believe me?”

She nodded. “But I had to hear you say it.”

“Because you’re such a great judge of character?” he said sarcastically. “And I passed the test?”

“You passed the test.”

“If you had any suspicions about my having something to do with Jenny’s death, you should know that I was still in Special Forces at that time and based in Afghanistan.”

“I know,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean you might not have been in a position to– I understand your missions weren’t entirely confined to Afghanistan. You’re very clever, and you could have finagled something.”

“Finagled? That’s a fancy word for a good ole country boy like me.”

She snorted. “A country boy who majored in mathematics at MIT and turned down two prestigious European scholarships to enlist in the army.”

“Now how did you know that?”

“I dug. The same way that you probably went about trying to find out everything about me.”

“But I have a number of investigative sources at my disposal.”

“And I only have one. My friend, Kendra Michaels. But she has all kinds of friends in police and FBI circles. Though she did say that prying any information out of the military about you was like pulling teeth. Some of the things you did are still considered classified.”

“And why did you put her to that trouble?”

“I had to be sure.”

“But you’re still not entirely sure, are you? Why? Why not accept me as I am? Why dig?”

“Tit for tat?” She made a face. “You’re not going to like it.”

“I can’t say I liked much of what’s transpired tonight,” he said dryly. “Well, maybe a few things.”

His hands on her throat that should have been a threat and became …

She veered quickly away from that memory. “I couldn’t be sure of anything, so I had to check. There were questions about you…”

“What kind of questions? Who was asking them?”

She hesitated, then went for it. “Sajan.”

His jaw dropped. “Oh, my God.”

“I told you that you wouldn’t like it.”

“A coyote has questions about me?”

“Not exactly. You were just jumbled in with Walsh when I was melding with him.” She stared him in the eye. “But it confused me. Because Walsh wasn’t the only one searching in this forest. Sajan saw you, Nalchek. Not once, but many times.”

“When? Anyone can tell you I’ve been practically living in this forest since we found Jenny.”

“I didn’t get the impression that’s what Sajan meant. I believe it was before that.”

“But you’re not certain.”

She shook her head. “But I believe in my instincts. I believe that I’m good at what I do. Sometimes that’s all that I’ve had to hold on to.”

He stared at her. “I could almost believe you, too.” He grimaced. “What am I saying? Sorry, I refuse to be placed under suspicion by the blurred meanderings of your guardian coyote.”

She suddenly grinned. “There wouldn’t be any suspicion at all if you’d tell me the truth. Of course, I don’t expect you to do that. You must have had an important reason to be in the woods—important to you, at least. And you would have told Eve if it wasn’t confidential. I only wanted to know that you weren’t involved in Jenny’s death. That’s all I care about.”

“Is it?” He reached out and touched her cheek. “You’re fairly incredible.”

“That probably means you think I’m weird.”

“A little.” His hand dropped away from her face. “But a lot of people think I’m weird, too. It’s usually a question of choices. I’ve made some pretty bad ones.” He got up in one lithe movement. “But you’re not old enough to have made many mistakes.” He reached down and pulled her to her feet. “And I’m not about to let you start on my watch. No hitchhiking. I’ll drive you back to your hotel.”

“What if I’m not ready to go?”

“You’re ready.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t believe you were here communing with your coyote. I think you came out here because you knew I’d follow, and you wanted to talk to me.” He shook his head. “Do you always take chances like that?”

“I have to trust myself,” she said simply. “I don’t have anyone else.”

“Oh, shit. Now what am I supposed to say to that?”

“Nothing.” She started toward the trees. “Now I know that you may have your own agenda, but you won’t hurt Eve.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “And if I hear from Eve, I’ll call you and tell you.” She smiled. “I won’t leave you out in the cold, Nalchek. I know how painful that can be.”

“Not painful, just annoying.”

She turned and moved ahead of him. “Whatever…”

TAHOE

“Three miles ahead,” Joe said as he turned the curve. “If he’s going to contact us, it should be soon.”

“Yes.” Eve glanced out the window at the glittering waters below. Beautiful, she thought. Incredibly beautiful and remote from the ugliness of Walsh. She had thought all during the drive up here to the mountains that this entire countryside was filled with glamour and breathless beauty. Yet she knew that Walsh saw only the trap he was setting for them. “Do you suppose he’s watching us?”

“Probably. He’d have a good view from anywhere along those cliffs.” He didn’t look at her. “Opt out. Let me go it alone.”

She didn’t answer.

“Eve.”

“I’m the one who should be saying that. I knew that was what you had in mind when you insisted on stopping at that army surplus store on the way.”

“Walsh is a professional, and he’s bringing us to fairly wild country. I need to be prepared.”

“See, it’s all about you. Look, I’m the one Walsh wants. I’m willing to take a chance to get that reconstruction, but that chance doesn’t include you, Joe.”

“Then we won’t take a chance.” He smiled recklessly. “I’ll make certain that it’s a sure thing.” He suddenly pulled around a curve and far over to the inside of the mountain. “And we’d better start now.” He cut the engine. “Get out. This car is too much of a target.”

Eve was already out of the car. “You’re right.” She moved over to the brush and pine trees bordering the road. “But I’m interested to know how you intend to—”

Her phone rang. “Walsh.”

“Why did you stop?” Walsh asked mockingly when she picked up. “And I thought you were so eager to see me.”

“You can’t have it all your own way, Walsh,” she said. “We’re not going to blindly follow your orders as if you’re some kind of Pied Piper.”

He chuckled. “Funny that you made that comparison. You do know that the Pied Piper was paid to lead those creatures from the village to drown in the river. Don’t you think that this magnificent lake is so much more impressive?”

“Joe and I have no intention of being your victims, Walsh.”

“But you may have no choice, Eve. You’ve proved to be far too persistent, and you’ve attracted the attention of my employer. I was intending to dispose of you anyway, but now I have a direct order.”

“From whom? If you’re so certain that you’ll be able to get rid of us, you shouldn’t mind satisfying my curiosity.”

“I’m not that arrogant. Nor that stupid. There’s a possibility that you might slip away this time. Not a great possibility, but it does exist.”

“Then tell me where I can find the reconstruction.”

“You’re almost there. Go another mile or two and look down the cliff. I’ve even been considerate enough to put a few Coleman lanterns to light your way.”

“And make certain that we can be seen if we make the attempt.”

“There is no if. You want it too much. You’ll think that you can find a way. Tell me, is it really the idea of bringing that poor child home, or is it that you’re more arrogant than even I’ve ever dreamed of being.”

“Or is it that Jenny wants you dead and in hell and has picked me to send you there.”

There was silence, and when he finally spoke, his voice was harsh. “The dead don’t have power. I have the power just as I did when I killed the bitch. Now go find her skull before I blow it into a thousand pieces.” He hung up.

“I believe you struck a nerve,” Joe murmured.

“Or Jenny did.” She slipped her phone back in her pocket. “What next?”

“We move.” He went to the trunk and started pulling out the equipment he’d picked up on the way out of Sacramento. He put on the backpack. “On foot. And I lead.”

“No argument.” She fell in behind him. “Your qualifications as a SEAL far outweigh mine in this area. Just don’t try to leave me behind.”

He didn’t answer as he moved up into the trees at the side of the road.

*   *   *

One mile …

Bright moonlight on the lake below but only darkness here in the trees.

Joe was moving fast, smoothly, every step springy and catlike. He was making no allowances for her, but then he never did when he was on the hunt. He trusted her to keep up with him and not hold him back.

“I see a light,” he whispered as he stopped on the ridge ahead. He fell to his knees and took out his infrared binoculars. “But it could be only a decoy. Let’s take a look…”

“Walsh said another couple miles.” Eve knelt beside him. “Why would he lie about—” She stopped. Why was she questioning why Walsh would do anything? You couldn’t have any expectations about that murderer. You couldn’t believe anything he said. “Maybe he wanted to catch us off guard?”

Joe didn’t answer as his gaze raked the surrounding terrain, then he trained the binoculars on the steep, jutting cliff ahead. “The light’s being cast up from that cliff. But I don’t have a view of where it’s coming from. I have to get closer.” He was rising to a half crouch. “Stay here.”

“The hell I will.” She drew her gun and crawled after him. “Look, we see where he’s setting up his trap, but if it appears too dangerous we don’t go for it. Okay?”

Joe didn’t answer.

“Joe.”

“You want that reconstruction.”

“I want you alive. I’ll find another way to get the skull.”

“Not if he blows it up.” He pulled himself onto a boulder. “And, besides, the bastard annoyed me. He’s too sure of himself.”

She felt a chill as she recognized that tone. There was no one more competitive or deadly than Joe when he was zeroing in on the prey. “Maybe because he’s holding the best hand right now.”

“Possibly.” He’d lifted the binoculars to his eyes again. “But there’s almost always a way to get around that– There it is!”

Her gaze flew down the sheer face of the cliff to where he was staring.

A shallow ledge only twenty feet above the lake.

Two large Coleman lanterns illuminating an object sitting between them.

“What is it?” Her fingers dug into Joe’s arm. “Was he lying?”

He handed her the binoculars. “See for yourself.”

She raised the binoculars and focused.

At first she couldn’t make out the shadowy object because of the brilliance of the light blurring everything around the lanterns. Then, as her eyes became accustomed to the light, she began to see details.

Familiar details. Winged brows, high cheekbones, pointed chin.

Jenny.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Joe asked. “I only saw the completed reconstruction for a few minutes, but she has a face to remember.”

She nodded. “It’s Jenny. He didn’t destroy the skull.”

“Yet,” Joe qualified. “But he has her set up as a target.” He paused. “I think we’d better go get her.”

“No!” She drew a deep breath. “How could we get down that cliff? There’s only that single winding road, and once we reach the ledge, we’d be the targets Walsh planned. I told you that if it was too dangerous, I didn’t want to make the attempt.”

Joe was staring thoughtfully down at the road leading to the ledge. “He’d expect me to go down that road. I’d bet he’s positioned himself to take the shot.” His eyes lifted and slowly traveled over the terrain. “Probably in those boulders near the road. Or maybe in those pine trees about ten feet down the slope of the cliff.” He tilted his head. “I’d bet on the pine trees and go down and take him out. But I can’t do that because if I guess wrong, he might have time to destroy Jenny’s reconstruction. Pity.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

He smiled. “I won’t. Because there’s probably another way.” He took out his phone and quickly punched in a topographical site. “He’s expecting us to knock on the front door. But that would be boring, wouldn’t it?” He smiled as he found what he was looking for. “That cliff juts out and then back in a few miles away from here. That side of the cliff doesn’t appear to have another road and no ledges, but if I can make it around or under that ledge from the other side, I might be able to snatch and grab.”

“It’s not worth it.” She moistened her lips. “Do you think that I could stand the thought of your dangling over that lake and risking getting shot just to get that skull for me? No way.”

“Not just for the skull,” he said quietly. “Not just for you, Eve. Maybe if I hadn’t spent most of the day looking at the photos of Walsh’s victims, you might have been able to convince me. But I don’t think we can let Walsh win even one battle from now on.”

She wasn’t going to be able to persuade him, and it was scaring her to death. “Don’t do this, Joe. Dammit, if you don’t care about the risk to yourself, think about what you’re doing to me. How do you think I’ll feel knowing it will be my fault if anything happens to you?”

“I’ll just have to make sure nothing does.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Stop trying to give me a guilt trip. Because you’re right, everything that happens to me is because of you. I chose that path a long time ago, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He turned away. “But it’s always my choice, Eve.”

“We were only supposed to explore the possibilities,” she said desperately.

“That’s what we’re doing. You stay here and keep an eye on that reconstruction and any move from Walsh.” He handed her the binoculars. “If you can manage to kill the bastard, that would be fine, too. I’ll go and explore the possibility of stealing Jenny away from him.”

“It’s only a skull, Joe. Jenny is dead.”

He slanted her a smile over his shoulder. “Not to you, love.”

He disappeared into the trees.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Her nails bit into her palms as she stared blindly into the pines.

She wanted to run after him. She wanted to shout and pound her hands on the ground.

What good would that do? Only an exercise in frustration. Once Joe made up his mind, he wouldn’t budge. All she could do was stay here in an agony of desperation and try to help however she could. Which meant do what Joe had said and watch and wait until she had an opportunity to move more actively.

If you can kill the bastard, that would be fine, too.

Yes, it would, and she had no doubt she would do it if given the opportunity, she thought fiercely. She hated violence, but Walsh was a monster, and that monster was a threat to Joe. Her hand instinctively closed on her gun. Then she forced herself to release it.

She wouldn’t be able to do anything to help unless she located Walsh. Joe was vulnerable, and so was she as long as Walsh was hovering over them like a threatening cloud.

Find him.

Neutralize.

Or destroy.

Find.

Joe had said either that clump of boulders or the pine trees on the slope.

Find out which one.

She started to move slowly toward the boulders.

*   *   *

Joe moved through the foliage, bending and contorting his body almost as if by instinct. His SEAL combat training taught him to move stealthily. The brush around him barely moved as he made his way up the steep hill.

He glanced back. Eve hadn’t been happy to be left behind, and knowing her, she was already taking a position to give him cover. He’d practically given her marching orders by pointing out the boulders and the row of young pines, but there were actually a half dozen other places where Walsh could be hiding.

Let me handle this, Eve. It’s what I do.

And he couldn’t deny the hunt was stirring all the adrenaline and excitement that it always did.

He half smiled as his pace increased. What was he thinking? Eve was going to do whatever the hell she wanted. Exasperating, yes, but also why he loved her so damn much.

Okay, Eve. That’s how we’ll play it. You’ve got my back, and I’ve got yours, just like always.

With certain limits …

He crouched and looked up at the reconstructed skull in the distance. He’d seen literally hundreds of Eve’s reconstructions, but there was something so luminous, so lifelike, about this one that it gave him an eerie feeling to see the disembodied head apparently floating over the hillside.

We’re coming to get you, Jenny. Eve wants to bring you home.

Joe glanced around as he slowly pushed ahead. Someone had been on this path. Recently. Leaves had been freshly torn from bushes, and several branches were bent away from the others. It had clearly been a one-way journey toward the plateau but not back. He’d have to be careful; that could be a sign of possible—

Sproing.

Joe froze. The sound was almost imperceptible but unmistakable.

He looked down and saw, beneath his left foot, a familiar, oval-shaped outline.

Shit.

He’d just stepped on the triggering pedal of a Dieter land mine.

Great. Just great.

He remembered “skill with explosives” had been on Walsh’s résumé that he’d been sent by Interpol. Evidently the bastard had made careful preparations for his trap.

The triggering device had been buried on the trail. Now, if he lifted his foot, he’d be blown to bits.

There was movement up ahead, in the brush. Dammit. He was a sitting duck.

The movements drew closer. Joe crouched, keeping his foot planted squarely on the triggering pedal. He drew his Winkler field knife from its sheaf and angled himself toward the sound.

Come and get me, you sick son of a bitch. I’ll be ready for whatever you’re dishing out.

*   *   *

Not at the boulders.

Her heart was pounding as she drew back from the moss-covered rocks and moved back toward the road.

But that didn’t mean that he might not have been there and moved on.

It didn’t mean that he couldn’t be anywhere in the darkness.

She jumped as her phone vibrated.

Walsh.

“Where are you, Eve?” he asked mockingly. “You’ve been too quiet. Did I discourage you? I have to admit that it’s a challenge that would intimidate most people.”

“It’s a trap, not a challenge. We both know that.” She paused. “And neither Joe nor I are foolish enough to walk into it. Did you really believe we would?”

“Oh, yes. I still believe it. Why do you think I arranged the bait with such care? I had to make sure you could see all the fine details you’d installed in that reconstruction. Such a pity to have it blown to bits and sunk into that icy water. What do you think the chances are that you’d ever be able to retrieve it?”

“Science is a wonderful thing. There’s a possibility.”

“You’re bluffing. You haven’t given up. You’re probably frantically plotting with your lover about how you’re going to manage to get the best of me.” He added softly, “I’ll give you another forty-five minutes to study your handiwork and decide whether you’re going to make a try at it. After that, I’m done. I’ll destroy it as I intended to do in the beginning.”

“And why didn’t you do that, Walsh?”

Silence. “I didn’t get around to it.”

“Really? Then maybe it was fate,” she said mockingly. “Maybe you were never meant to have it. You don’t seem to have handled it very professionally since the moment you killed that poor FedEx driver in Georgia.”

“That’s a lie,” he said harshly. “There’s no one more professional than I am. I tell you, I just didn’t get around to it.” He changed the subject. “Forty-five minutes, and you’ll see all your work vanish as if it had never been.” He hung up.

Forty-five minutes.

She almost wished that Walsh would destroy the skull now.

If Joe heard the shot, then he’d know there was no reason to go after that reconstruction. He would be safe.

But she couldn’t rely on wishes. Don’t think about what Joe was doing.

Think about what she could do to make him safer.

She quickly dialed Nalchek. “I need your help.” She quickly gave him the location. “Walsh is here. I don’t know how much time we have.”

“Not my jurisdiction. I’ll have to—”

“I don’t care. Get someone up here.” She hung up.

Now find Walsh.

*   *   *

Joe cocked his head, listening for the rustling brush. The sounds had stopped. Whatever or whoever it was was only fifteen feet away, maybe twenty. Had he been spotted?

Doubtful.

But he couldn’t stay here, that was for sure. The bomb beneath his left foot clearly put him at a serious tactical disadvantage.

Understatement.

He looked down at the half-buried mine. He knew what he had to do, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Shit.

He jabbed his knife into the ground beside him and grabbed the short blade from his ankle scabbard. He’d been taught a trick that might work, but, of course, his teacher had been missing his right arm and half his face, Joe remembered ruefully. From a mine a hell of a lot less powerful than this one.

Joe thrust his hand into the soft earth and moved his fingers underneath the mine. He stretched his thumb over the top triggering pedal and gripped its muddy surface next to his boot. It was slick and wet, and the spring pushed against his clenched fingers.

One slip, and he was a dead man.

Joe slowly, carefully raised his foot, eyeing the triggering pedal to make sure that it remained in place beneath his thumb.

His foot was free. Now for the tricky part.

He pulled the mine from the damp earth, wincing as his thumb slid over the slippery pedal. He looked at the mine for a moment, keeping it at arm’s length from his face. As if that would help if it exploded. The temptation was strong to just throw the damned thing, but there would be only a second between release and the deadly blast.

And it was probably how his old instructor had lost half his face. No, he had to take care of this another way. Joe slowly turned over the mud-encrusted explosive device and looked at its underside. The top half fit cleanly over the bottom, almost like an oval-shaped shell. A thin ridge separated the two parts, a ridge just wide enough for …

Joe looked at the short blade in his left hand. It seemed about right. He’d know soon enough.

He slowly loosened his grip on the mine. The spring-tensioned top half rose slightly …

He stopped. Hopefully, the thicker part of his blade would catch and keep it from rising any more. He probably had only a few more millimeters to play with.

He loosened his grip even more.

It didn’t move. The wedge was holding.

He held his breath.

So far, so good. Here goes nothing …

One … two … three!

He let go.

And the pedal held in place.

He let out his breath. He cradled the mine in both hands. He bent over and carefully, gently, placed it on a large rock.

He backed away and moved toward a denser area of brush. Climbing would be harder this way, but less likely to yield another nasty surprise.

He wiped his brow and realized that his face and hair were soaked with perspiration. As he slid through the brush, he looked up at the reconstructed skull, still glowing in the lights trained on it. What other traps did Walsh have waiting for him up there? It wouldn’t take much, of course. A rifle scope and a decent perch would do the trick. But the psycho had also shown an affinity for explosive booby traps.