Amanda Ashley (31 page)

Again, Hamblin shook his head.

“He's going to kill her,” Alex said, his voice edged with panic. “Do you want her blood on your conscience?”

For the first time, Hamblin looked uncertain.

“My checkbook is in my desk at home. Once Barrett's taken me back to his lab, you can go to my house and get it. Fill out a check. Bring it to me. I'll sign it.”

Kara looked up at Alex, worried by the sudden choppiness of his words. She could feel the weakness growing within him, knew he remained on his feet by sheer force of will. Remorse filled her heart. She never should have come home, should have known Barrett would look for her here, that Alex would come after her.

“A hundred thousand dollars,” Alex said again. “No one will know.”

Hamblin licked his lips. It sounded so easy.

“Make up your mind,” Alex said. He clung to Kara's hand, drawing on her strength. The trip across town to her house had been excruciating. Even inside the truck, the sun had found him, burning his eyes, draining his strength. But he'd known he couldn't wait for nightfall, known Kara was in danger. Had it been dark, had his strength been undiminished,
he would have lunged at Hamblin and wrested the gun from his grasp. But not now. Not when it took all his energy just to remain on his feet.

“Okay,” Hamblin said. “She can go.”

Kara shook her head. “No, Alex, I'm not leaving you.”

“Go on, Kara.”
I'll find you.

How?

Trust me, Kara. You've got to go now, before he changes his mind.

I don't want to leave you! Not here. Not like this.

Kara, get out of here! I'm in no danger. Barrett needs me alive.

Leaving him was the last thing she wanted, but she knew it was the right thing to do. At least, if she was free, she might be able to help. If Barrett caught her again, the best she could hope for was to be imprisoned while he experimented on her. The worst-case scenario was one she couldn't bring herself to contemplate.

Rising on tiptoe, she wrapped her arms around Alex. “I love you,” she whispered, and then she kissed him. And for a moment, nothing else existed in all the world but this man and the love that enveloped them.

And then Alex was putting her away from him, urging her to go.

And because she knew it was the only way to help him, she went. Tears blurred her vision as she unlocked the door to her Camry and slid behind the wheel. She started the engine, then sat there for a moment, staring at the house, afraid she'd never see Alex again. Blinking back her tears, she backed out of the driveway and drove down the street.

She saw Barrett's car pull up in front of the house as she turned the corner.

Alex sank down onto the sofa as soon as he knew Kara was safe. The drive across town had been torture; now he closed his eyes and surrendered to the pain.

He heard footsteps and knew that Barrett had arrived. And still he sat there, his eyes closed, conserving what little strength he had left while he listened to the two men.

“Where's the girl?” Barrett asked, his voice sharp.

“She got away.”

“Got away? How?”

“The alien tried to fight. He killed Kelsey, and then turned on me. We struggled, and the girl escaped.”

“Secure his hands,” Barrett said curtly. “Use these.”

Alex opened his eyes as Hamblin cuffed his hands together. They weren't ordinary shackles. A few inches of heavy chain ran from one thick iron cuff to the other.

Alex smiled faintly. Barrett was taking no chances this time. But it didn't matter. Kara was safe.

“Let's go,” Barrett said.

Alex shook his head. “The sun . . .”

“We're going,” Barrett said firmly. “Now.”

It was useless to argue. Barrett wanted to move him now, while he was too weak to cause any trouble.

“Keep him between us,” Barrett said.

Alex blinked against the sunlight as they left the house. The street, filled with kids an hour ago, was
deserted. A nondescript dark brown van stood at the curb. Barrett backed it up the driveway, opened the door, and motioned Alex inside. Hamblin climbed in beside him, and Barrett closed the door.

Hamblin leaned closer to Alex. “That checkbook better be there,” he whispered.

“It's there.”

Moments later, Barrett opened the back door of the van and dumped Kelsey's body inside. “I went through the house and wiped everything off,” he informed Hamblin.

“What are you gonna do with Kelsey?”

“We'll dump him in an alley somewhere. There's nothing to connect him with us.”

A few minutes later, they were headed out of the city.

Back to Silverdale, Alex surmised. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. He would need all his strength for what was to come.

Sarah Waite answered the door, her face registering surprise and alarm when she saw Kara.

“Hello, Mrs. Waite,” Kara said, combing her fingers through her hair. “Is Cherise home?”

“Yes, she is.” Mrs. Waite narrowed the opening in the doorway. “Is anything wrong?”

“I need to talk to Cherise. Please, it's important.”

Mrs. Waite hesitated a moment, then took a step backward. “Come in. Cherise is in the front room watching TV.”

“Thank you.”

Cherise Waite was a pretty girl, with a slender figure, brown eyes, and straight brown hair. She glanced up as Kara entered the room, her eyes growing wide.

“Kara!”

“Hello, Cherise. Has Gail called today?”

“Not yet. It's only three-thirty. She always calls at four.”

Kara glanced at Mrs. Waite. “Is it okay if I wait here?”

“Of course. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“Make yourself at home.”

Kara sat in the easy chair next to the sofa. “Has Gail said anything to you?”

“No. She just calls twice a day and asks if I've heard from you. What's wrong?”

“It's better if you don't know.”

Cherise blinked at her several time. “You're in some kind of trouble, aren't you?”

“Yes, but please don't ask me any questions, Cherise. I can't tell you anything. Believe me, you don't want to know.”

“What kind of trouble?” Mrs. Waite asked. She handed Kara a cup of coffee, then sat down on the sofa. “Is there anything we can do?”

“No. I'm afraid no one can help.”

Kara sipped the coffee. On the drive to the Waites' house, she had contemplated going to the police. She'd imagined the conversation in her mind.

“I want you to arrest Dr. Dale Barrett.”

“On what charge?”

“Kidnapping.”

“He kidnapped you?”

“Yes. And the author, Alexander Claybourne.”

“Am I to understand the doctor was holding you for ransom?”

“No. You see, Alex is an alien whose blood has the power to heal . . .”

She knew, logically, the conversation wouldn't go
like that. She wouldn't have to mention anything about Alex being an alien. But she had no proof that she had been kidnapped and held against her will, and even if the police arrested Barrett, the doctor would deny everything. And even if she could convince the police to search the lab where she'd been held, it wouldn't prove anything. Having a laboratory was no crime. Barrett was a doctor. The hospital in Grenvale knew he had been her doctor, so even if the police found samples of her blood, Barrett would have a valid alibi.

For a moment, she considered going to the government, but then she remembered bits and pieces of stories she had heard about other alien landings, like the one in New Mexico that the government had supposedly kept from the American people in order to prevent a panic.

Perhaps she could call one of those groups that was always claiming to have seen flying saucers. No doubt they would believe her, but what would they want in return? Exclusive rights to tell the story? Worldwide vindication? Pictures, movie deals. And, inevitably, the government would get involved, spouting rhetoric about national security while they dragged Alex off to be examined by a team of doctors and scientists.

She practically jumped out of the chair when the phone rang.

“Yes,” Cherise said, “she's here.”

Cherise handed the receiver to Kara, and then she and her mother left the room.

Kara's hand was trembling when she took the phone. “Gail?”

“Kara! Oh, Kara. Are you all right?”

“I'm fine. How are you? How's Nana? Where are you?”

“We're fine. Nana's much better. She's worried about you, though. Where've you been?”

“Is Mrs. Zimmermann with you?”

“Yeah. We're staying at her daughter's house. Her name is Nancy Ralston.”

“Where does she live?”

“In Darnell.”

Darnell? Why did that sound so familiar? “Let me talk to Nana.”

Moments later, Lena was on the phone. Kara couldn't contain her tears as she heard her grandmother's voice assuring her that she was well.

“How are you, child?” Nana asked, worry evident in her tone.

“I'm fine, just fine. Nana, where's Darnell?”

“It's east of Moulton Bay, about five miles from Eagle Flats.”

During the next half hour, she answered her grandmother's questions, telling her everything except the truth about Alex.

“Stay there, Nana. I should be there late tomorrow.”

“All right, Kara. Be careful.”

“I will. Tell Gail I'll see her later.”

Kara felt much better when she hung up the receiver. Nana and Gail were all right.

“Will you stay for dinner?” Sarah Waite stood in the doorway, a kitchen towel over her shoulder.

Kara shook her head, the thought of food making her feel nauseated. “I don't want to be a bother.”

“It's no bother.”

“Thank you,” she said, “I'd like that.”

“You look tired. Would you like to lie down for a while?”

Kara nodded.

“Cherise will show you the spare room. I'll call you for dinner. About seven?”

“Thank you again.”

“Is Gail all right?” Cherise asked.

“She's fine. She's on vacation with Nana.”

“Here's the guest room,” Cherise said, opening a door at the end of a long hall. “I'll come for you when dinner's ready.”

“Thanks, Cherise.”

Closing the door, Kara stood there for a moment, then sat down on the bed and removed her shoes. Lying back, she stared up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. She was safe. Tomorrow she'd see Gail and Nana. She tried to take comfort in that fact, tried to tell herself that everything would be all right, but all she could think of was Alex, at Barrett's mercy again.

She closed her eyes, and her mind filled with images of Alex surrounded by vampires with Barrett's face—human vampires draining Alex of blood, of life, selling little vials of Alex's blood, getting rich, while Alex was confined to a cage, his freedom forever lost while he was fed and groomed like a prize bull. She imagined Barrett collecting Alex's sperm, testing it, artificially inseminating some unsuspecting woman . . .

“Oh, Alex, no . . . no.” Sitting up, she wiped the tears from her eyes, wondering if Barrett would return to the lab in Silverdale. But surely he wouldn't be that foolish, that arrogant.

And yet, maybe he would. He'd never expect her to walk into the lion's den looking for Alex. Not
when she'd been lucky to escape with her life.

She worried her lower lip with her teeth. Maybe Barrett would have someone there, waiting for her, just in case.

I'm afraid you've become a liability, Miss Crawford,
he'd said not long ago.
But don't worry, I am a doctor, after all. Your passing will be quick and painless . . .

The calmness with which he had spoken those words still had the power to chill the blood in her veins. But she couldn't abandon Alex, couldn't leave him at Barrett's mercy, not when he had sacrificed his freedom for hers. Not when she loved him more than life itself.

Somehow, she would find him again.

He struggled through layers of darkness, groaned low in his throat as he opened his eyes and saw the skylight overhead. He blinked against the glare of the sun. Sometime during the drive back to the lab, Barrett had drugged him. It had left a bad taste in his mouth, made it hard to think coherently. He sat up, realizing, as he did so, that his hands were still shackled. A short chain had been attached to one of the cuffs, tethering him to the iron bed frame.

A noise behind him drew his attention, and he turned around to see Barrett hunched over a tray that contained a dozen glass vials filled with blood.

“How much?” Alex asked, his voice as dry as sandpaper. “How much are you selling my blood for?”

Barrett glanced up and smiled. “It varies,” Barrett replied. “The president of a bank paid me thirty thousand dollars to see if I could cure his little girl of leukemia. I received a check from a prominent
Hollywood director offering me fifty thousand to treat his wife. One of the country's leading attorneys wrote me a check for a hundred grand. He's suffering from heart trouble. And that was just this morning.”

Alex swallowed in an effort to clear the dryness from his throat. “Have you tried it? Does it work?”

Barrett nodded. “I gave the bank president's daughter an injection of your blood this morning. She's already showing signs of improvement. The Hollywood case is being flown in next week. The attorney arrives next Friday.”

“What if they couldn't pay?” Alex glanced at the tray again. “Would that little girl still have received my blood?”

“Not at this time,” Barrett said. “New vaccines are always expensive. Overhead, tests, new equipment . . .” He waved his hand in the air. “Once we've perfected the vaccine, the price may come down.”