He smiled in spite of his bad mood. Maybe he didn't scare her. Interesting, he thought. And different.
'Do you think the two of them are together? Monk and the woman who called me?'
'I don't know. If the missing women are still alive and if he's tied them up or hidden them somewhere that's really isolated,
then he could be with her. He's got a lot going on,' he said. 'If the women are still alive.'
'He has to keep his eye on them. And he has to follow us.'
'I don't think he's following us.'
'But he's tracking us, isn't he?'
He almost smiled. 'How?' he asked. He already knew the answer, but he was curious to know if she had figured it out.
'There's some kind of device inside the watch.'
'Yes,' he said. 'He knows exactly where we are.'
She shivered. The killer was monitoring their progress. 'Shouldn't we get rid of it?'
'No, I don't want to do that. I think we should use it to our advantage. Let's wait and see what happens when we get near the X.'
Avery picked up the watch and looked at it carefully. 'There isn't a single scratch or mark on it to indicate someone's tampered with it.'
'Monk's a professional. He wouldn't leave any marks.'
'So he knows all about transmitters? He understands that technology?'
'Yes, he does.'
'How do you know so much about him?'
'I read his file.'
'The FBI file?' Her eyes widened. 'If you're on leave, that's got to be illegal.'
'I'm sure it is.'
'John Paul, you could get into serious trouble.'
She sounded worried about him. She was just chock full of surprises, and what a piece of work she was turning out to be.
If he didn't watch out, he would start to like her.
'I've got connections who could bail me out,' he said.
'Like your brother-in-law?'
'How'd you know about Theo?' he asked.
'When my friend pulled up your file for me, she told me.'
'Having a relative working in the Justice Department comes in handy.'
'You don't like your brother-in-law?'
What an odd question. 'Sure I do. My sister loves him, and they're happy together. Why would you ask me that?'
'You sneered the words 'Justice Department.' '
He smiled. She was a quick study. 'I didn't sneer.'
She decided not to argue with him. 'Do you think the woman who called me hired Monk?'
'Could be,' he said, 'but I don't think so. From what you said about her, he's letting her call the shots. I think she might be more like a partner. It's so damn odd. Monk never played games before. So why the treasure hunt?'
'I don't know.'
'We might catch a break if the woman is making some decisions. Maybe she isn't quite the perfectionist he is.'
'She's someone who knows Carrie and me.'
'Because?'
'The way she talked. Her tone was mocking when she said Carrie's name. She doesn't like her.'
'That's a given.'
'Which means she's interacted with her.'
'What about you?'
'She called me stupid. I've got to assume she doesn't like me either,' she said dryly.
'No kidding.'
'Maybe it's just that Skarrett has told her about us. But the way she talked… it sure sounded like this was personal to her.'
Avery picked up the Swatch watch again and then gingerly placed it back in the cup holder. She could almost visualize a red
light inside, pulsating like a heart. The image creeped her out.
John Paul was a good driver. She decided to let him worry about getting stuck in the mud and nicking a tire on a rock. Closing
her eyes, she leaned back and let her mind move from one possibility to another. What was she missing? She felt as though she had the answer to this crazy puzzle in the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite reach it.
'How much time's left?' As soon as she told him, he said, 'I don't know what we're going to barrel into, so listen up. You do whatever I tell you. If I tell you to get down, don't argue. Just do it. Once I figure out where the X is, I'm gonna try to bypass it some way and then circle around. You'll stay in the car.'
'I have to show.'
'No, you don't.'
'Are you crazy? Of course I have to,' she argued. 'The woman said they would kill Carrie and the others if we're late. If I don't show my face…'
'Did this woman offer you any proof that they're still alive? Did you ask for any?'
'No,' she said. 'I should have, but I didn't. The conversation was short, and she wouldn't let me ask questions.'
'Then you should have said no.'
'Tell her I wouldn't play her game?'
'Yeah,' he said. 'That's what I would have done.'
She shook her head. 'I don't believe you. But, I'm sorry I didn't ask for proof. I should have.'
'Should have, could have… it's too late now. I figure we've got a ninety percent chance of walking into a trap, so I want-'
She wouldn't let him finish. 'I told you, I don't have a choice. I have to show. I'm hoping I can figure out a way to placate the madwoman.'
'Placate a madwoman? That's a contradiction, isn't it?'
'Don't be a smart…'
He raised an eyebrow. 'Smart-ass? Is that what you were going to say?'
'No.'
'Then what?' he challenged.
She became defensive. 'Look, if you want to bail, that's fine with me. Just get me to the X and take off.'
'I'm not going to bail.'
'Okay, then,' she replied, irritated she'd sounded so relieved. 'I know there's a good chance Monk has already dug our graves, but if you think I'm going to hide in the woods and hope for the best, then you're out of your mind.'
'All I'm trying to say is that, if I'm lucky, maybe I'll spot him and be able to get close.'
'And you don't want to worry about me. You want blind obedience.'
'Exactly.'
'Two heads are better than one.'
'How much survival training have you had?'
Point taken. 'None, but I could still help.'
'Yeah, sure.'
'Get rid of the attitude, John Paul. I can help. I have a few moves of my own.'
'I'll bet you do.'
