When Emily wound down, Tori said, “My goodness. We’ve got a lot to catch up on, don’t we?”
Over Emily’s shoulder, she was looking at Honor and telegraphing a hundred unspoken questions. She kissed Emily’s cheek, then set her down. “Let me talk to your mommy for a minute.”
She extended her open arms to Honor, and the two of them embraced. For several moments they just held each other tightly. Finally, Tori released her and sniffed back tears. “I could kill you for causing me such a fright. I’ve been worried sick.”
“I knew you would be, but there was no help for it.”
“The news stories led me to fear… Well, I’m just awfully glad to see that you and Emily are still in one piece. Did he…? Are you…? God, I’m so relieved,” Tori said emotionally. “You look like something the cat drug in, but you seem fine.”
“We are. Basically. I’m sorry you were so afraid for us. He wouldn’t let me call you until this morning. And even then he wouldn’t let me call you directly. I wasn’t sure you’d get the message. But he—”
“ ‘He’ being him?” Tori was watching Coburn as he came toward them. When her gaze moved back to Honor, her perfectly waxed eyebrows were raised. Speaking in an undertone, she said, “Kidnapper? I should be so lucky.”
Ignoring the remark, Honor made the introductions. “Tori Shirah. Lee Coburn.”
Tori gave him the inviting smile that men couldn’t resist. “Charmed.”
He didn’t acknowledge either the greeting or the smile. Instead he was looking toward the far side of the bridge that Tori had crossed in order to reach them. “Is your cell phone on?”
She was taken aback by the question and the abrupt manner in which he’d asked it, but answered immediately, “Yes.”
“Get it.” She looked at Honor, and when Honor nodded, she dropped her coquetry, retrieved her cell phone from her handbag in the car, and handed it to him.
Coburn asked, “Were you followed?”
“No.” Then, “Hey!” when he took the battery out of her phone.
“You’re sure?”
“I made sure.” She told them about the panel truck she’d seen parked on her street that morning. “I didn’t like the looks of it, so I went out the back way and borrowed the Mini from my neighbors. No one followed me.”
“What made you suspicious of the panel truck?” he asked.
“I thought someone might be watching the house. Doral Hawkins came to see me yesterday.” She went on to relate what had happened. “He’s more than a little pissed that you shot his brother. At least it’s said that you shot and killed Fred.”
To her implied question, Coburn merely nodded.
She eyed him speculatively, but when no explanation was forthcoming, she continued. “Doral told me that if I heard from Honor, I had better notify him first, or else.”
“He threatened you?” Honor asked.
Tori shrugged. “Let’s just say that he made himself understood. But screw him. Stan, too.”
“When did you talk to Stan?”
She recounted their conversation. “It vexes me to give him any credit at all, but I must admit that he was less obnoxious than usual. I guess fear has taken the shine off his brass.”
“What’s he afraid of?” Coburn asked.
Tori sputtered a laugh. “You left a trail of dead bodies, then you disappeared, taking Honor and Emily with you. Stan has a right to be more than a little concerned, don’t you think?”
“Coburn didn’t murder those men in the warehouse,” Honor said. “And he didn’t take Emily and me by force.”
Tori shifted her gaze from one to the other and said drolly, “I sorta gathered that.” Then, placing her hands on her hips and glancing down at her disassembled phone, she asked, “So, what gives?”
“The fact is that he’s—”
“No.” He put his hand on Honor’s arm to stop her from revealing his identity. “The only thing she needs to know is that you and Emily must stay underground until all this shakes out.”
“She deserves an explanation,” Honor argued.
“You said she would help with no questions asked.”
“I know that’s what I said. But it’s unfair to let her go on thinking that you—”
“I don’t give a damn what she thinks.”
“Well, I do. She thinks you’re a killer.”
“I am.”
“Yes, but—”
“Excuse me.” Tori held her raised hand palm out to stop Honor from continuing, but it was Coburn she addressed. “Keep your secrets. I’ve already volunteered my services.” Then she said to Honor, “Emily isn’t afraid of him, and kids are supposed to be good gauges of someone’s character. Like dogs.”
“Emily is four. She’s infatuated because he’s a novelty.”
“Yeah, well, I trust her instincts. Possibly even more than I do yours. In any case, you summoned me, and I’m here. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Get them away from Tambour,” Coburn said before Honor could speak. “Right now. Don’t stop for anything, don’t return home, don’t tell anybody that you’re going. Can you do that?”
“Of course. Where do you have in mind?”
“I don’t.” He looked at Honor, who shook her head.
“My dad’s shrimp boat was my only ace.”
Tori said, “I own a house on the far side of Lake Pontchartrain. Across the bridge. Would that do?”
“Who knows about it?” Coburn asked.
“Husband number two. I got it from him in the divorce settlement. The house in exchange for me keeping quiet about his… Never mind. It turned ugly. Anyway, the only reason I wanted the house was to spite the jerk. I don’t use it on a regular basis, I don’t even like it that much. It’s been months since I was there.”
Honor was listening to them, but she was watching Emily, who was still wearing the clothes in which Honor had hastily dressed her yesterday morning before fleeing their house. Her hair was unbrushed. There was a patch of dirt on her knee and a tear in the armhole of her top. Meals had been irregular and not very tasty. She’d slept in an uncomfortable, smelly bunk.
Yet she seemed perfectly content and carefree, heartbreakingly innocent of the seriousness of their situation. She’d found a stick and was humming happily as she used the tip of it to etch patterns in the mud.
“She’ll need some things,” Honor remarked.
“We’ll get whatever she needs.” Tori gave Honor’s arm a reassuring pat. “No one is looking for me. I’ll take care of everything.” To Coburn, she added, “But I’ll wait until we’re almost there before I stop to shop.”
“As of now, you can’t use credit cards. Do you have plenty of cash?”
“I have some,” Honor reminded him.
“Money is one thing we don’t have to worry about,” Tori said. “I can get what I need. All I have to do is ask.”
“Ask who?” Coburn wanted to know.
“My current beau.”
“No. Nobody can know where you are.”
“He wouldn’t tell.”
“Yeah, he would. If the right people got to him, he’d tell.”
He said it with such conviction that even Tori was daunted by what he implied. “We’ll pool our resources and make do.”
He appeared satisfied with that, but stressed that Honor and Emily must get into hiding before being spotted.
“Gotcha,” Tori said. “No one would know to look for me in this car.” Then her expression clouded. “The only person I worry about is Stan. If he tries to contact me again, and I don’t respond, he’ll smell a rat. I would be the logical person that Honor would come to for help.”