been put on the helicopter with Quinn.
Oh, well, it was only a delay and none of his business. Nekmon had done his part and couldn't be blamed. Let Diaz toy with the woman to his heart's content.
In a few minutes Quinn and the CIA agents would be incinerated by the missile. The woman would be shot and disposed of and life could get back to normal. All this uproar since she'd arrived on the scene had been very annoying.
She'd stopped digging and was glaring at Diaz. She was saying something to him.
If her words were as provocative as her demeanor, she might not live to finish digging that grave.
16
Perez could hear the faint sound of the helicopter in the distance. It was still too far away but it would be on him before he knew it.
He steadied the missile launcher on the stone sill of the window. He would probably only get one shot and it had better be a good one. Diaz did not excuse failure.
He would not fail. He was the very best, Perez thought. Diaz would not have chosen him to take down the helicopter if he hadn't known how good he was.
The helicopter was closer. He could see it now, gleaming in the moonlight.
Come a little nearer, little bird. I'm going to pluck your feathers…
'If you want me to keep on digging keep your mouth shut,' Eve said. 'I'm tired of that poisonous slime you're spitting out.'
Diaz's lips tightened. 'Have you noticed I have a gun pointed at your head? I'll say anything I like to you.'
'You don't want me dead. Armandariz would know that-'
'You think you're safe because of that bullshit? I can get around it. Though it would have been better if you'd boarded that helicopter with Quinn. Keep digging.'
She tensed and then sank her shovel into the earth again. 'What do you mean?'
'Presently. When you hand me the skull. If it's truly buried here, as you told me. I'm beginning to doubt it.'
'It's here.' She shoveled more quickly. 'A few more inches…There!'
The dull gleam of the brown leather of the case was revealed as she scraped the dirt from around it. She picked up the case and held it out to him. 'Now tell me what you meant when you said it would have been better if I'd gotten on the helicopter.'
'Open it.'
She unsnapped the case and lifted the lid.
He shone the flashlight down at the reconstruction. He gave a low whistle. 'Yes, that's the bitch. You did a good job.'
'What did you mean?' she repeated.
'It's true I don't want to disrupt my very tentative relationship with the CIA. To kill an agent would bring pressure to bear to wipe me out.' He reached out and took the case. 'But if Montalvo does it, then everyone goes after him. The helicopter should be blown out of the air in his territory in about three minutes.'
'No!'
'Yes. I don't think we can hear it but we may be able to see the sky light up to the west. I believe we'll wait and let you see it before I kill you.'
She climbed out of the grave. 'You son of a bitch.'
'Of course, we'll have to transport your body to the wreckage immediately so that you'll be found with Quinn's remains. A little gasoline bonfire and your body should be similar to the other corpses.'
'They'll find the bullet wound when they do the autopsy. The burns wouldn't mask it.'
He snapped his fingers. 'That's right. What a fine scientific mind you have. I might have made a mistake. Let's see, then I'll have to break your neck, won't I?'
'If you can catch me, bastard.' She wheeled and tore down the path in the direction of the church.
She heard him laugh behind her. 'Run. You can't get away. Nekmon has been watching us from the hill. He knows that I have what I need and he'll be calling the castle to have my men come down to scoop you up. I may have them break a few more bodily parts other than your neck.'
She glanced at her watch as she threw open the church door. Three minutes. God, she'd cut it close. 'Sure, have them come after me,' she called back to him. 'You're too much of a coward to do it yourself. You beat up men who can't defend themselves. You crucify boys who are better men than you'll ever be. You think of yourself as a king of all you survey, but you'd be nothing without those goons.' She glanced over her shoulder. That had gotten him. He was stalking after her.
Her gaze shifted to the castle. Activity. The gates were opening to let Diaz's men stream out.
And Diaz had almost reached the church.
The helicopter!
'No!'
It was time. It was going to happen.
Miguel tensed beneath the sheet. Sweet Mary, he had waited too long for this. He was actually trembling like a baby.
Soldono stuck his head in the door. 'How are you doing, Miguel? Dr. Diego said you couldn't sleep and wanted some company. You're lucky I'm a night owl.'
Miguel nodded. 'So is the Colonel. But I'm still being terribly neglected. He's in the library, busy trying to arrange to send me away from here. And Eve didn't even pay me a courtesy visit today.'
'I believe she's busy too.' Soldono sat down in the bedside chair. 'We seem to be
