Quicksand

breathe. Do you hear me? Ray, you come back to me.' ' She looked back at Joe. 'Of course, you probably think I had time this afternoon at the motel to research tragedies at the swamp.'

'It's possible.'

'Think what you like. I don't care.' She shivered as an alligator slid down into the water from a sandbar they were passing. 'I never thought much about alligators before tonight. A teenager lost his leg to one near here. His buddy dared him to go into the water and he did. The alligator was under the lily pads not five yards away.'

'He didn't die?' Eve asked.

'Not here.' Megan's lips tightened. 'So maybe I will be able to hear Laura Ann if she's scared enough. God, I hope so.'

Joe stared at her thoughtfully, but for once there was no sarcasm forthcoming. He turned off the motor and picked up a paddle. 'So do we all.'

'AH, HERE WE ARE, LAURA ANN.' Kistle moored the boat behind a pond cypress and jumped out onto firm ground. 'Come along. We have places to go, people to see. Isn't that from Dr. Seuss? Children love him, don't they? Well, answer me. I don't like to be ignored.'

'Dr. Seuss is for kids,' Laura Ann said. 'I gave all my Dr. Seuss books to my little cousin last year.'

'How kind. But there are parts of his books that I enjoy. What about the one about the empty pants? Wouldn't that strike terror in a little child's heart?'

'No. It was silly.'

'How brave you are.' He knelt on the ground and pulled her down beside him. 'Now look over there. Do you see all those trees and bushes that seem to be growing out of the water across the way?'

'Yes.'

'Behind all those trees is an island like this one. No one can tell it's there. It's my own secret place. I can stand on the bank over there and see everything that happens on this island and no one can see me. Do you know why I'm telling you all this?'

'I don't care,' she said defiantly.

'I think you'll care. Because on one of these islands you're going to die. You'll have to guess which one. Perhaps you're kneeling on it right now. It's hard for children to realize the horror of death. How can I bring it home to you…? Do you miss your mama? You'll never see her again.'

Mama!

'I think that got through to you, bitch,' he murmured. 'Are you afraid at last?'

She had always been afraid. 'Someone will come and get me.'

'I'm going to let them try.' He got to his feet. 'I'm leaving you here. You can scream if you like. It will just draw them to you.'

Hope surged through her. 'You're going away?'

'Only for a little while.' He smiled. 'I'll be back. I wouldn't miss playing with you. It may be the highlight of my year.' He gave her a flashlight. 'Here, a light to keep you company and show Eve the way to you. Be sure to keep it on.' He headed back to the boat. 'Don't move too close to the water. I've seen a few alligators basking in the sun on this bank. I wouldn't want to waste you.'

Laura Ann watched him paddle away until he disappeared into the darkness.

She was alone.

He was gone.

And Eve would be here soon to get her. She had promised. All she had to do was sit here and wait. She turned on the flashlight.

FOURTEEN

THE FLASHLIGHT BURNED BRIGHT in the darkness.

Kistle could see Laura Ann huddled close to the light as if it were a fire to warm her and keep her safe.

He stroked the paddle through the water. Kistle Island was just across the water, as he'd told the child. It had no real name, so he had given it his own. He landed, hid the boat in the swamp shrubs, and unpacked his weapons. He felt exhilaration soar through him as he stepped onto the island.

They should be here soon, but he still had time to savor this homecoming. Sweet memories of power and total subjugation. He had been king here. He was king here. Life and death made him master, and that never changed.

He cast another glance at the light burning on the other island.

Bring them to you, Laura Ann.

Make them flutter like moths to your flame.

'IT'S NOT THE SAME.' MONTALVO glanced at the island and then down at the photo. He clicked off the flashlight. 'This one is a wild-goose chase.'

'So what do we do? Check out the rest of the area?' Miguel asked.

Montalvo thought about it. They were already here and that would be the practical course to follow.

Yet every instinct was telling him to go north in the direction Quinn had taken.

To hell with being practical.

THE BEAM FROM THE FLASHLIGHT was like the nightlight in her bedroom at home, Laura Ann thought. They both made her feel safe. Only the one at home was Tinker Bell and there were no fairies here. No one to tell you to believe. Only scary trees and slithering sounds in the darkness.

And that man Kistle who had left her here to wait for Eve. Would Eve bring the police with her? She hoped she would and they would catch Kistle and put him in jail for a hundred years.

But he had said he would come back and hurt her. So why would he give her the flashlight and leave her?

She didn't want to think about that. He had done it and she had the flashlight and soon Eve would come for her.

But if she had the flashlight it must be bad for her, bad for Eve, or Kistle would never have given it to her. He only wanted to do bad things.

Get away from him.

But he wasn't here now. She was safe.

He'd be back.

Get away from him.

No, she had her little pool of light here. There were bad creatures out there in the darkness. Maybe not monsters, but things that could hurt her.

She had to stay here in the light.

'WAIT.' EVE SEARCHED THE darkness ahead. 'I thought I saw something.'

'What?'

Joe asked.

'Light.'

'Where? I don't see anything.'

'It was just a glimpse through the trees. Up ahead and to the right. I'd swear it was… maybe I was wrong.' She glanced at Megan. 'Did you see a light?'

Megan didn't answer. Her body was tense, strained. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead and her face gleamed pale in the darkness.

'What is it?' Eve couldn't look away from the horror she saw in Megan's expression.

'I don't know,' Megan whispered. 'Oh, God, I don't know.'

THEY WERE COMING!

A surge of fierce joy tore through Kistle as he saw the boat in the distance. Three in the boat. Quinn, Eve, and who else? It didn't matter. First he'd take out Quinn, and then he'd be able to lure Eve. He positioned himself more comfortably on the high cypress branch that allowed him a clear vision of both the other island and the water leading to it. He sighted and drew a bead on Quinn's figure in the front of the boat. Too far yet for even a good shot.