Hiding Out At The Circle C

Chapter 10

The next morning, Haley took one last swipe over the kitchen floor with her sponge. The tile gleamed from one corner to another, giving her a surge of satisfaction.

When the phone rang, she let out a frustrated sigh. 'Of course,' she muttered. She stood in the far corner, the length of the huge kitchen away from the telephone.

Ring… ring… ring.

Eyeing the beautifully clean, wet floor, she debated. Let it ring, or make tracks on her perfect tile? She made a face and hopped across the wet floor, leaving the dreaded prints.

'Hello?' she said, breathless. Silence.

'Hello!' she demanded, letting her irritation show.

'Do exactly as I say and I won't kill any of them.'

Her heart stopped, the breath clogged in her throat. 'What?' she whispered.

'You heard me.'

'Lloyd?' Lloyd Branson, her boss. 'But… you're dead.'

The gruff voice laughed and the evil sound sent chills up Haley's spine. 'Am I?'

Mindless, she sank to the wet, pine-smelling floor. Her jeans soaked up the water, but she didn't notice as she leaned back against the counter for support. 'You're alive.'

'Yes. And everyone else is dead.'

How could this have happened? 'Alda told me-'

'Exactly what I forced her to tell you. She served her usefulness. She's gone now.'

Terror, mind-numbing terror. 'You're insane.' She sounded so calm. Haley thought. Until she realized. 'You know where I am.'

'Oh, yes.' His voice hardened, sounding unlike the quietly determined, kind man she'd always known him to be. 'Pay attention now, Ms. Whitfield. Your freedom's over. You work for me again.'

'No.' Never.

'Oh, yes. I want you to make a little trip.'

'No.'

'Back to South America. We have a project to finish, and I'm flying with you to make sure you don't get cold feet or do something stupid… like bring someone with you. You'll meet me at the gate at seven o'clock.'

Only hours from now. 'No,' she whispered.

'Don't forget your passport. I wouldn't want to have to fit you in my suitcase.' He laughed softly and goose bumps rose over her skin.

Dear God, he was here. In Colorado. And he knew exactly where she was. 'Don't come here,' she said quickly. 'Please. I'll come to you.'

'See that you do.'

'Please. Please, don't hurt anyone.'

'Follow directions, Haley, and see that I don't have to.'

Her stomach turned. She was cold, clammy, and very close to being sick. Her nightmare was coming true and all she could think was that she just might throw up on her newly cleaned floor.

'Dr. Whitfield, are we in agreement?'

'Yes,' she whispered, starting to shake. She gripped the phone until her hand went numb. She couldn't see the pretty kitchen, could only see Zach, giving her that sweet, shy smile. Nellie and Jason-and oh, God, their unborn baby. And Cam. She loved him, oh, how she loved him. And now, if she wasn't careful, she'd destroy him.

'Don't hurt them. If you do-'

'No bargains. Now listen up. Once we're back in South America, you'll re-create that undersea system for me. The earth-movement detector. I want another one.'

'I can't.'

'You can,' he insisted roughly. 'If you don't, everyone around you will be very, very sorry. I want you to show me how to use the system by myself. I also want your notes. I want your observations. I know you took them with you when you left here.'

She hadn't. The small notebook in her purse held only a tiny fraction of her work. Her other notes had all been destroyed in the office bombing. 'Okay,' she said, afraid to make him angry, just wanting him as far from Colorado as possible.

'When we're done, you will turn yourself in. You'll tell them you stole the uranium and sold it, and that you bombed EVS.'

And because everyone thought him dead, he'd be free. With the uranium-which she had no doubt he'd sell to the highest bidder-he'd be wealthy beyond imagination. He'd never be found.

He'd get off, free and clear. And he'd be able to use her system as he pleased. She wouldn't let this happen, she vowed. She'd stop him somehow, and she'd gladly die to do it. 'Why are you doing this?'

'Greed,' he said simply. 'Pure greed. You were the head of my team. The smartest and the best. Certainly the only one capable of creating a system to predict earthquakes and volcanoes that any first-class government would pay an arm and a leg for. I'd much rather use you than kill you, Haley, but I'll do what I have to.'

She could hear the hissing of his breath over the wire, could see again in her mind the dead bodies of Frederick and Danyella as they lay covered in blood. Could imagine Bob's and Alda's death. He'd do the same to everyone here without a qualm.

'Haley?' It was Zach now, standing in the kitchen, looking down at her strangely. 'You okay?'

She stared up at him from the floor, the receiver still against her ear. She could see his lips moving, but couldn't make out the words over the roaring in her head.

'Don't screw this up, Haley. You'll be very sorry if you do,' Branson said in her ear. 'The airport. Seven o'clock.' He hung up.

Haley lowered her gaze from Zach to stare dully at the receiver in her hand. What the hell was she going to do? Then she dropped the phone as though it could burn her hand.

Zach bent and took her hands in his. 'Haley? Look at me.' When she did, he frowned. 'Are you sick?'

Branson would kill them, she thought, fear skittering up her spine. If she didn't do exactly as he said, he'd kill them all. She blinked away the haze of panic and straightened, then forced herself to smile at Zach. 'I'm fine. Just got dizzy for a minute there, that's all.'

'The cleaner's pretty strong stuff. You shouldn't use so much of it.' He reached for her, helped her to her feet, his gaze never leaving her face. 'You don't look good. Let me help you into the living room.'

She was too weak to protest.

'Wait here,' he said, when she'd slumped into a chair. 'I'm going to get you some water.'

When he left, she dropped her face into her hands.

She'd have to go back. Back to hell. How would she survive it? Would she even be allowed to?

'Here.' Zach was back, pressing a glass of water into her hands. He sat on the coffee table before her. 'Are you sure-'

'I'm fine now.' Sheer strength of will had her lying more fluently than she'd ever done before. Smiling and even laughing a little, she stood. 'But you're right about the fumes. I think I'll go lie down for a little while.' She had to lock her knees together to keep them from giving out.

Zach nodded slowly, carefully examining her face. 'That sounds like a good idea.' He patted her hand. 'Don't worry about lunch or dinner, okay? We'll be fine.'

She smiled again and just managed to walk from the room without falling into a heaping, sobbing mess.

She couldn't call the police; they'd take her away, leaving the Reeveses vulnerable and unprotected for when Branson came for his revenge.

She would have to leave the world she'd come to love beyond her wildest dreams. She had to. Then she could call the police, if she got the chance before Branson killed