“She’s got a point,” Sam said.
“Yes, she does. I hate to admit it, but I may have underestimated you, Coppersmith. My own fault. I was warned that you might be a problem.”
“I try hard,” Sam said. “Sometimes I succeed.”
“So I see. The thing is, I need Miss Radwell. I give you my word she will not be hurt.”
“Then why are you trying to take her by force?” Sam asked.
“Because, unfortunately, you are in possession of her at the moment, and I doubt that you’ll give her up without a fight.”
“Good guess.”
“All right, then, let’s try this in a businesslike fashion. Name your price for her. I’ll top it.”
“She’s not for sale,” Sam said.
Abby wanted to throttle both of them. “Stop talking about me as if I was a rare book up for auction, do you hear me?”
“In my own defense, I would like to point out that I did try to go about the business in a civilized way, Miss Radwell,” the stranger said. “I heard rumors of your unusual talent, but it was made clear that you only work by personal referral. I was unable to approach you in the usual manner, because I’m not closely acquainted with any of your other clients and Thaddeus Webber declined to recommend me. So I tried an indirect approach.”
“The herbal,” Abby said. “You sent it to me.”
“It was a gift intended to assure you that I was qualified to become a client. But you never responded.”
“I’ve been a little busy lately.”
“I understand. I tried hiring my own freelancer to find the book. He’s good at his job, but he can’t break codes. I decided I would try to hire you to handle the encryption after the book was in my possession. But this afternoon I got a message from the freelancer saying that he was resigning. I can only assume he was put off by the recent murders. I concluded I had no choice but to take drastic measures.”
“Yes, well, as you can see, your drastic measures aren’t going to work,” Abby said.
“Out of curiosity, did Coppersmith come to you with a proper referral?”
“Yes, he did,” Abby said coldly. “And by the way, he is not only a client. I hired him to protect me while I look for a certain book.”
“The forty-year-old lab notebook that is coming up for auction. Yes, I know. Your choice of a bodyguard is an odd one, to say the least. Rather like hiring the wolf to watch the sheep, isn’t it?”
“Sam and I have an agreement.”
“I will double whatever he is paying you.”
“Sorry, I have to consider my reputation in the business,” Abby said.
“I give you my word that you will be in no danger from me.”
“Right,” Sam said. “That’s why we’re standing around this garage in the middle of the night, holding a conversation that includes a couple of para-weapons.”
“It would appear we have a standoff this evening,” the other man said.
“Who are you?” Abby demanded.
“I think we’ll wait on the formal introductions. Maybe we can do business together some other time.”
Anger flashed through Abby. “You’re the one who invaded my condo and contaminated it, aren’t you? Just so you know, I will never, ever forgive you for that. And I definitely won’t work for a bastard who would do that to a person’s personal space. I’m going to have you arrested.”
“Calm down, Miss Radwell. I admit that I took a quick look around your condo earlier this evening, but it was obvious that someone else had been there first. Either that or you are a very poor housekeeper.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“If I had searched your condo, Miss Radwell, I would have been far more discreet about the process. I would not have left any obvious indications of my presence.”
Sam shifted slightly in the shadows. “Any idea who did go through the condo tonight?”
“No, but it looked like whoever did it was in a tearing rage, probably mentally unbalanced. For Miss Radwell’s sake, I suggest you assume that the intruder is the same person who murdered Webber and Sparrow. You do know that both men are dead, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Abby said. “Are you going to tell us that you’re not responsible for those two killings?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“Both deaths were by paranormal means,” Abby said. “It looks like you have the talent for designing the kind of gadgets that could be lethal.”
“So does your bodyguard. While we’re on the subject, Coppersmith, I don’t suppose you would care to tell me what you used to destroy my flash-bang?”
“Sure. Right after you tell me what you used to turn this garage into a dreamscape.”
“Sorry, proprietary secrets. You know how it is in the business world. Cutthroat. You can’t trust anyone. To return to the subject of Sparrow and Webber, any idea who killed them?”
“There’s a guy named Lander Knox running around in this thing,” Sam said. “We’ve been trying to find him before he gets to the lab book.”
“Webber and Sparrow were both very good at what they did. I will miss their professional services. But my chief concern at the moment is for Miss Radwell. I do not want to lose her, as well. Her talents are quite unique. But, then, you already know that, don’t you? Take good care of her, Coppersmith.”
“I’ll do that,” Sam said.
“Nice to know so many people are so concerned about my well-being,” Abby grumbled.
“There are very few who can do what you do, Miss Radwell,” the stranger said. “If for any reason you find yourself in need of a new bodyguard or a new client, please do not hesitate to contact me.”
“Don’t hold your breath waiting for me to get in touch,” Abby said.
“You never know. Things have a way of changing. But since it appears that change is not going to happen tonight, I will say good-bye for now. I’ll look forward to a future meeting.”
“I suppose you want the herbal back?” Abby asked tentatively.
“Keep it as a souvenir. I’m not really into perfumes. But I would be interested to know if the Cleopatra recipe works.”
Footsteps echoed in the shadows. Abby sensed Sam revving up his nearly exhausted talent. She knew that he was trying to catch another glimpse of the stranger’s aura.
The alley door closed with a heavy metal clang that reverberated through the shadows. The garage went silent.
Sam got to his feet. “You asked him if he wanted the herbal back? What the hell was that about? Abby, that damn book was a bribe. You don’t have to return bribes.”
She rose quickly. “I told you, I have to think about my reputation.”
“And you got upset with me because I talked a little shop with him.”
“Are you okay?” she asked. “You took the brunt of that flash-bang blast.”
“I’ll survive.”
“It must have been a very heavy burn. I can’t even imagine how much energy you had to use to do whatever it was you did with that quartz. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Stop fussing,” Sam said. “We don’t have time. I’m going to crash soon.”
“Right. Yes. Sorry. I suppose that was Nick’s Mr. Anonymous.”
“Probably, but he’s not Mr. Anonymous as far as Coppersmith Inc. is concerned. We have another name for him.”
“What?”
“The competition.”
“That was someone from Helicon Stone?”
“Got a feeling we just took a meeting with Gideon Barrett, Hank Barrett’s son. I told you that Dad and Hank have been feuding for years.”
“Whew. Well, at least our side won tonight.”
“Our side?” Sam sounded amused.
“Figure of speech,” she said brusquely. “What now?”
“Now we find a place where I can crash for a few hours. Forget driving back to Anacortes. When I go down, I’m going to go down hard.”
“I can drive.”
> “I know, but you’ll be too vulnerable if I’m passed out on the backseat. I don’t want to risk another carjacking.”
Abby swallowed hard and braced herself. Show no weakness. Sam had used a lot of energy tonight. He would need to sleep, and soon. She had to be adult about this.
“We can go back to my condo,” she said. “That’s the nearest bed.”
“No,” he said, surprisingly gentle. “Not the condo.”
36
HE CHOSE ONE OF THE BIG, ANONYMOUS HOTELS A FEW blocks away in the downtown core, and requested and got a room with no connecting doors. In the close confines of the elevator, he was intensely aware that he was not the only one experiencing the effects of a strong afterburn. There was a lot of edgy energy in Abby’s aura. She had not taken the full force of the flash-bang blast because it had been focused on him, but she had caught some of the blowback. She was experiencing some of the downside, too.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Abby said. “Just a little jittery. You know how it is. Probably just as well you didn’t take me up on my offer to drive back to Anacortes tonight.” She glanced at his duffel. “But if this keeps up, I may have to start traveling with an overnight bag the way you do. At least the hotel provided a few basics.”
He looked at the small packet she clutched. The front desk clerk had given it to her. It contained a tiny toothbrush, toothpaste and a few other overnight essentials. She had refused to even take some of her underwear and a change of clothes from the devastated condo. All she had with her tonight was whatever she normally carried in her large tote.
The elevator doors opened. He followed Abby out into the hallway. He had to stay focused on getting her securely buttoned up for the night so that he could crash without having to worry about her safety.
“What was that flash-bang thing he used on you?” Abby asked.
“Damned if I know. The Barretts have their secrets, just like the Coppersmiths. I’d give a lot to know what kind of crystal he used to power that gadget, though.”
Abby smiled.
“What?” he asked.
“In hindsight, there was a certain humorous aspect to that showdown in the garage.”
“Yeah? I didn’t notice anyone laughing, especially not me.”
“Something about the way the two of you started to wander off into a discussion of crystal physics while you’re both holding weapons on each other,” Abby said.
“You think that was funny?”
“I guess you had to be there.”
“I was there.”
He concentrated on securing the room, but there was no getting around the fact that a part of him was consumed by the prowling tension that was the usual first phase of the post-burn syndrome. You’ve been here before, he thought. You can handle it.
The biochemistry of a heavy burn was complicated and not well understood. For males, there was a lot of adrenaline and testosterone involved, so the sexual arousal was predictable. But the hungry, urgent restlessness had never been this bad in the past. It didn’t take a psychic to know why the sensation was so overwhelming tonight. It had a focus, and that focus was Abby.
He forced himself to go through the drill. He noted the location of the emergency exits and came up with two possible escape routes. His hand shook a little when he inserted the key card into the lock. If Abby noticed, she was too polite to say anything.
Inside the room, he secured the door and did a quick survey. No connecting doors, as promised. The sealed windows looked out over Sixth Avenue twelve floors below.
Satisfied, he unzipped the leather duffel and took out two small crystals.
“What are those?” Abby asked.
“Think of them as psychic trip wires. If anyone tries to come in through the door or the window, I’ll know about it.”
“More PEC technology?”
“Yes.”
“Do you always carry those gadgets and your gun in your overnight bag?”
“Yes.”
When he was satisfied that he had taken all possible precautions, he turned around and looked at Abby. She stood, contemplating the bed, arms folded. Something about her obvious uncertainty irritated him.
“What?” he asked.
She cleared her throat. “Nothing. I, uh, thought there would be two beds, that’s all.”
For some reason, the knowledge that she did not want to share the bed with him hit him harder than the damn flash-bang had. And then he got mad; not at Abby, at himself. That was another problem with the burn-and-crash routine. It pushed everything, including normal, logical thought processes, to the edge. It made for a real roller-coaster ride.
“Sorry.” He knew he sounded brusque, but that was a hell of a lot better than begging her to sleep with him. “This was all that was available in a room that had no connecting door. No problem. I’ll take the chair or the floor.”
“No, you certainly will not.” Her brows scrunched together in a severe look. “You need to sleep soundly. You can’t do that in a chair or on the floor.”
“Trust me, the way I’m going to go down tonight, I won’t notice where I sleep.”
“Forget it. Sorry I raised the issue. I’m a little tense. You’ve had a very deep burn. I thought that you would sleep better alone.”
“I’m not going into a coma.” He took his overnight kit, a fresh T–shirt and a clean pair of briefs out of the duffel bag. “I just need some sleep.” He headed toward the bathroom.
“By the way, what is PEC technology?” Abby asked.
“What?” It was hard to focus on her question. The urge to pull her into his arms and lose himself in her warm, soft body while the aftermath flames burned through him was growing stronger. What the hell was the matter with him? He had never been this close to the edge of control. Maybe Barrett’s psychic flash-bang gadget had a few side effects.
“PEC technology,” she repeated. “You and Gideon Barrett both used the term.”
He stood in the doorway, staring into the white tile bathroom. “Stands for psi-emitting crystals. The paranormal equivalent of light-emitting diodes and liquid crystal displays.”
“They’re similar to LEDs and LCDs?”
“Yes, but the energy generated comes from beyond the normal range on the spectrum and has different properties. It’s the kind of technology Coppersmith is working on in the Black Box lab.” He moved into the bathroom and plopped the overnight kit down on the counter. “Do you mind if we save the science lesson for tomorrow? I’m beat. Not really in a good place to explain the physics of para-rocks right now. I need a shower.”
“I was just curious.”
That did it. Now he felt like a total brute. He closed the bathroom door.
He emerged a short time later wearing the clean underwear and the trousers he’d had on earlier. Abby was waiting, still fully dressed. She had the hotel vanity kit in hand.
It dawned on him that she did not have a nightgown.
“I’ve got a spare T–shirt,” he said.
“Thank you.” She looked relieved. “I’ll take it.”
He took a clean black T–shirt out of the duffel without a word and handed it to her. She slipped past him and disappeared into the small room. The door closed firmly. He heard water running in the sink. It ran for a very long time. He realized she was probably doing a little hand laundry. In the morning, he would probably find a pair of panties hanging on the towel rack. The vision heated his blood a little more.
He considered his options and went for the padded reading chair in the corner near the window. The sight of the ottoman cheered him in some macabre way.
“Damn perfect,” he muttered. “Just doesn’t get any better than this, does it, Coppersmith? You’re in the middle of a burn. Abby is a few feet away, getting ready for bed, and you get to crash in a chair with an actual ottoman. You’ll be able to prop up your feet. Wow.”
The bathroom door opened a crack. “Sam, did you say something?”
<
br /> “Just talking to myself.”
“I understand. I do that sometimes, too. Well, actually, I talk to Newton. Maybe you should get a dog.”
He realized that he was gritting his teeth. “I’ll definitely have to think about doing just that.”
The door closed.
He opened the minibar, chose two small bottles, the whiskey and the brandy. He yanked a pillow off the bed, turned off all the lights except the one by the bed and dropped into the chair. He propped his feet on the ottoman, twisted the top off one of the liquor bottles and swallowed some of the whiskey. He contemplated the closed door of the bathroom while he downed the medicinal alcohol. With luck, he would be unconscious by the time Abby came out.