Выбрать главу

“Look, he insisted I wear it. What was I supposed to do, refuse?” She shook off the whole subject impatiently and put the smile back on. The traditions of Christmas were among Eve’s favorites in all the world, and she was determined not to let Sonny and his thugs, hidden evidence, a houseful of video cameras and listening devices and federal agents, not to mention the unnerving presence of Jake up in the attic watching and listening to everything that was said, spoil it for her. “What’re you two up to in here? Can I play?”

“You’re just in time actually.” Summer picked up the third computer game that had been lying in her lap and tossed it to her. “Here-open it.”

Eve arched her eyebrows. “At this point, aren’t we supposed to be wrapping?”

“Not in here,” said Mirabella, sounding disappointed and at the same time breathless with excitement. She tossed the gaudy box onto the bed. “Sumz?”

Summer passed the scissors to Eve. Her hands trembled as she tore the box open and dumped its contents into her lap. “Here, either.” She looked at Mirabella. “It wouldn’t be a CD, would it?”

“More likely a floppy. Evie, get a move on-open yours.”

“Okay, guys…what’s going on?”

“Maybe nothing,” said Mirabella briskly. “We’ll know in a minute. Will…you…hurry…up?

“This is the present Hal brought for the kids,” Summer explained. “Last summer, you know, just before he died? If he did have that evidence-whatever it is Sonny was after him for-when he came, it almost has to be in one of these.”

“Oh…my God.” Eve’s heart was suddenly pounding, her hands shaking. She stabbed at the box’s wrappings with the scissors, then tossed them on the bed and tore at it with her hands. A moment later, she and her sisters stood with their heads together, staring at the flat, black, three-and-a-half-inch square of plastic in her hands. “Oh, God,” she whispered.

Just above their heads, in the attic command post, Jake and Birdie were standing, too, their eyes riveted on the monitor.

“Is that what I think it is?” asked Birdie softly.

“Mmm-hmm…looks like it.” Jake’s calm was all on the surface; inside he was a typhoon.

“Show’s over,” Birdie exhaled through his nose. “That’s all we needed…right?”

Jake looked over at him. “We don’t know what’s on that disk. Suppose it’s a dud? I still think it’d be better if we let Cisneros find it-that way, if nothing else, at least we’ve got a shot at getting some kind of admission on tape.”

“Yeah…guess you’re right.” But Birdie was shaking his head. “You’re not actually thinking of letting Cisneros get his hands on that disk, are you? What if he-” A flurry of movement drew their eyes back to the monitor screen.

Jake felt a shock go through his body, almost as if he’d been hit by a bullet. Through the roaring in his ears he heard his partner mutter, in a voice heavy with foreboding, “Houston, I think we’ve got a problem…”

“Sonny…” The name burst from Eve on a gust of breath, as if she’d been punched in the stomach. She turned to face him, her body a shield between him and her sisters, and the small black disk they held in their hands.

“Hey, babe.” He moved into the room with confidence, smiling his charming, Vegas-strip smile. “Whatcha up to?”

“What? Me? Nothing…” But her voice was breathless and afraid-a dead giveaway.

Sonny jerked in mock surprise. “Keeping secrets from me?”

Behind her, Mirabella said with a brave attempt at scorn, “Duh, it’s Christmas-what do you think?”

“Is that what you got there?” Sonny threw back his head and laughed; a stone in one of his rings caught the light and winked at them as he placed his hand on his chest. “My Christmas present. No kiddin‘.” He came a few steps closer, still smiling. “Maybe I’d like to have my present early. Why don’t you give it to me right now?”

Eve edged backward, shaking her head. His hand snaked out and caught her wrist, the one wearing the diamond Rolex. “Come on, baby-it’s only fair.” And though the voice was soft, the smile was no longer even remotely charming. “I gave you yours early, didn’t I? Now…it’s only fair you do the same for me.” He barely seemed to move, but Eve gave a gasp of pain. “Come on-hand it over.”

Jake was heading for the door when Birdie caught at his sleeve. “Hey-where do you think you’re going? You can‘t-”

“The hell I-” Birdie’s hiss of warning cut him off as he jerked him back to the monitor.

“Don’t…give it to him,” Eve gasped. Above the collar, her face was bone-white.

Summer took a step back; Mirabella moved with her, for once in her life with nothing to say. “It’s mine,” Summer said in a shaking voice. “It belonged to my husband. You can’t…have it.”

But her gaze had slid past Eve, past Sonny, and was riveted now on the two men who had just stepped into the room. Both of them held guns, pointed straight at her and at Mirabella. Their faces wore no expression at all.

“Oh, I think you’re going to give it to me,” Sonny drawled. He reached out a hand and plucked the disk from her nerveless fingers. “There now… see how easy that was?” He tucked it into his shirt pocket, laughing softly.

“How did you know?” Eve whispered.

“How’d I know?” Pleased with himself, he held up her captive wrist. “Your Christmas present, baby. Had it custom-made, just for you-with a little something extra. You’ve been wearin’ a wire-that’s a little idea I borrowed from the feds.” He gazed fondly at the Rolex. “A little flashy, I admit, but then…nothin’s too good for my Evie-girl. Right?”

“It was you.” Summer was still staring at the men with the guns. “Last summer. It was you…” The two men silently returned her gaze, one stone-faced, the other baring his teeth in a chilling smile. “Oh, God…this is all my fault,” she whispered. “If I hadn’t been such a… If I’d just let David have the stupid games, none of this would have happened. Evie, I’m so sorry…”

“For Pete’s sake,” Mirabella snapped, “don’t be an idiot.”

Sonny chuckled. “She’s right, Mrs. Robey. You want to blame somebody, blame your ex-husband. Hal doesn’t stick his nose where it doesn’t belong, nobody gets hurt. Hey-nobody has to get hurt anyway, right? Your sister and me, we’re gonna take a little trip, is all. Sorry we won’t be staying around for the festivities. It’s a shame, too. Everything looks so pretty and nice, all dolled up for Christmas…”

“We have to take ‘em,” Jake muttered through wire-tense jaws. “We have to take ’em now.” His eyes burned; the image on the monitor screen seared on his retinas. Eve’s eyes, like black holes, staring into the camera’s lens…into his soul. He heard Birdie’s words… “I can’t even imagine not having her around…”

His partner’s voice came as a distant rumble. “We can’t Not until he’s cleared the premises. Not with the children-”

“He’s going to kill her.”

“He won’t hurt her until he’s sure he’s home-free. By that time…”

“What about those two?” Ricky’s heavy voice boomed through the mike. “You ain’t gonna just leave ‘em here, are you? You want me to…” He waved his gun hopefully.

The look Sonny gave him was one of extreme pain. “Idiot. What’re you gonna do, off somebody with the whole FBI as eyewitnesses? Place is probably crawlin’ with feds. They’re probably listening to us right now.” He put his arm around Eve’s shoulders and snugged her to his side as he snarled disgustedly, “Let’s get outa here.”

“They’re witnesses.” Ricky was disappointed.

“What difference does it make? Once we’re out of the country, who the hell cares? Come on, come on-let’s go.” He pushed past the two thugs and headed for the doorway, yanking Eve with him. He paused there to murmur something in her ear, and the sensitive microphone picked up the words. “About time you and me had our honeymoon, don’t you think so, baby?”