Danger Signals

Chapter 12

Tierney noticed when Wade made the turn that would take him up the hill into his own neighborhood instead of toward hers, and he was so intent on his own thoughts it was a shock when she straightened up like she'd been stung.

And an even greater shock, after the deafening silence in the car for the past half hour, when she actually spoke.

"Where are we going? I thought-"

He smiled without an ounce of humor. "Yeah, I know the plan is to drive you home, pretend Jeannette's gone wandering off again…and off we go to the park to look for her."

This was the part of the plan he dreaded, the part where he and Tierney were supposed to split up to search the park. Which was supposed to give the killer his chance. Thinking about it now, he swore silent blasphemies, wondering at what point he'd lost his mind and agreed to go along with this insanity. Sure, supposedly there would be cops stationed undercover all over that damn park. But he, better than anybody, knew how the best-laid plans could turn bad.

"I'm going to stop by my place first, if you don't mind." His voice was a quiet but dangerous growl. "Pick up my mail and a change of clothes." And the backup weapon he wasn't supposed to carry, and which nearly all detectives did. He'd never had to use one, but he knew he'd feel better having it. He sure as hell didn't want to be caught without his weapon the one time he needed it.

It occurred to him then that she'd looked deathly pale, in the one quick glance he'd given her in the darkening car. He felt a painful stab of guilt and concern. He probably wasn't making this any easier for her, letting his dislike of this whole bait-the-tiger plan boil over the way he had. He hadn't been blocking the way he felt about her, either.

He pulled into his driveway, looked over at her and said contritely, "Hey, you okay? Getting any bad vibes?"

She looked him straight in the eye and said. "No."

Well, she told herself, it was the truth-the vibes she was getting weren't bad-not at all.

There was tremendous excitement and anticipation, all mixed up with intense anxiety. The emotions were rolling in on her in waves, from opposite directions, like weather fronts colliding, one benign, the other malevolent. Good and evil…

How would she know which was which, and which direction it was coming from? She felt paralyzed with panic.

Gran! Where are you? Please hear me. I need you!

"Well." Wade said, "I'm not about to leave you in the car. Not this time." He got out and slammed his door, head moving from side to side like a radar antenna, scanning the street as he went around to open hers.

She got out. moving like a robot, her mind filled with the thunder of those two massive, inexorable forces…

When a car door slammed across the street, she didn't even hear it.

Wade heard it. He whirled, shoving Tierney behind him. His weapon was already in his hands.

On the other side of the street a shadowy figure was moving toward him. Wade couldn't believe it-the dirtbag was going to make his move right here! It was his worst-case scenario, the reason he'd had no faith in this so-called plan. Reminded him of something he'd heard somewhere. You want to make God laugh? Make a plan.

He was already in his take-down crouch, weapon aimed and ready. "James Larson-stop right there!"

"Wait-" The figure extended his arms. Too dark to tell if he had a weapon. "I'm not-"

"Whoever you are-take one more step and I'll be forced to shoot. Don't make me do it…"

Hell, yeah. Make my day…

"Look, it's not what you think."

The man's voice-for an instant, Wade thought it sounded familiar. Hard to tell-it was high with fear and shook with nervous laughter. Uncertain now, he hesitated… turned to look at Tierney, trying to get her take on this guy.

She seemed frozen…eyes wide with terror. It was all the confirmation he needed.

"Down on the ground-now!"

The figure folded slowly to his knees, but his arms were still outstretched in entreaty. "Wade-wait-my name is Cory Pearson. We've met before. I just want to talk to you. For God's sake-I'm your brother!"

Rage blew through Wade's head, turning his vision red and his voice to ice.

"Yeah? Well, you just made the worst mistake of your life, pal. Now I know you're a liar. I've only got one brother. His name's Matthew not Cory. Lives in San Diego. In a wheelchair. That's right-he's a paraplegic, goddamn you. Now, get down on the ground! Lace your fingers together-hands behind your head! Come on-do it. Face on the ground! Do it-now!"

Tierney watched Wade dart into the street and drop to one knee beside the figure lying prone on the ground. The figure of the man who claimed to be Wade's brother. But…could this be right? Was this the killer, after all?

Her head hurt. Felt like it was going to explode. She felt so many emotions, so many intense conflicting emotions!

Fear…surprise…glee…menace…triumph…Jury…despair!

She felt like a dazed rabbit completely surrounded by wolves. Paralyzed…help less.

In the center of the maelstrom only one thought came to her. Her grandmother's voice, trembling with grief. /I saw, but I wouldna' believe.

She understood that now, as if a spotlight shone brightly on the words and images in her head. Understood how Jeannette could have "known" about her beloved's peril, but still be unable to prevent it.

It was, truly, what made The Gift a curse.

Gran… please help me. I need you!

The answer came at last, and she almost didn't hear it. Don't listen so hard, darling.

But the voice inside her mind wasn't Jeannette's. That voice had been crystalline and bright, like water laughing over pebbles. This was a voice she didn't recognize, and yet…had she heard it before? Somewhere… faint, like a whisper…nostalgic, like the softest of breezes on a warm spring morning, bringing with it the scent of lilacs.

Relax… let it pour over you… Like rain. You'll know…

Tierney's heart leaped with new hope. Gran?

Again the soft breeze, a hint of laughter. Not quite…

She reached out to the voice, incredulous…disbelieving… Mother? But you didn 't-you don't…

I've always been able to hear you, Tee.

"Momma?" She said it out loud, in a voice tremulous with tears.

Wade heard it and turned toward her. Too late.

To Cory, it seemed to happen in a second. Less. From his position, flat on his belly in the street with his cheek pressing into the gritty and still warm pavement, he saw a shadowy form lunge from the shadows between the trees and parked cars that lined the street. Saw him grab Tierney from behind and envelop her in an evil parody of an embrace-the same one with which he'd surprised his wife last night, on his return from Beirut.

The pressure on his spine vanished, as Wade sprang up and started for the pair at a dead run-only to come to a dead stop an instant later, hands stretched at his sides like outriggers to help halt his forward momentum.

A moment later Cory saw what Wade had seen first-the glint of a knife pressed against Tierney's throat. And something else in the man's other hand. A gun. Small, deadly…and pointed straight at Wade.

This was Cory's worst nightmare. Had it been a premonition? Superstition? Either way, his greatest fear-that he would find his lost brother only to lose him forever at the final moment-was coming true.

Shouts flew back and forth through the twilight.

The voice of a killer, high and taut, sobbing with fear and resolve. "Put the gun down, now! I'll kill her, I swear I will-"

"Don't do it-I'm warning-"

"I'll kill her right here. I'll cut her throat…"

"Wade! He means it, man. Don't do anything stupid-"

"Okay…okay. Look! I'm putting the gun down. Just… don't hurt her. Don't…hurt her."

Tierney was overwhelmed by the emotions. The sheer brutality of them, like hammer blows inside her head. Battering her. Destroying her. How much more of this could she take?

Desperately she clung to sanity, and her lifelines were the only clear thoughts she could find in the midst of the chaos.

The Watcher, Cory…he's who he says he is. He's Wade's brother!

Wade loves me, more than he does his own life.

And I love him the same.

And this man…with the knife I feel cutting into my throat and the gun pointed straight at Wade…he means to kill us both.

Then…incredibly, another "voice" swelled inside her mind, another voice to cling to in the terror of the moment.

This one she'd heard before. No words, just feelings. Simple and direct.

Love! Devotion! Defend! Protect!

She realized that she was moving backward, that she was being forced, half-dragged down the sidewalk. She could feel the warm trickle of blood down her neck and between her breasts.

She heard the sound of a man's ragged breathing and a high-pitched keening inside her head. The sound of fear and rage coming rapidly to a boil.

She heard a click-incredibly loud and outside her head-and even though she'd never heard the sound before, she knew it. The sound of a gun getting ready to fire.

And she couldn't move, couldn't do anything to stop what she knew was going to happen.

She kept moving…backward…the pressure on her throat unbearable. Darkness swam into the edges of her vision. She heard Wade's voice, rough with anguish.

"Come on. don't, man-don't-"

In utter desperation, her mind screamed. Bruno!

In the next instant she was falling backward.

There was an explosion-the gun! So close it seemed to be everywhere-inside her mind, outside her body. But she wasn't deafened by it. not completely-she could hear other sounds-scuffles, grunts of effort, screams of fury, wordless shouts and cries of pain.

And then…nothing. Darkness. Finally. And blessed, blessed silence.

Cory saw the man go down-inexplicably-taking his hostage with him. And almost simultaneously he heard the gunshot. Felt the concussion of it as if in his own body. He was already on his feet when he saw Wade crumple to the ground.

He'd been in enough life and death situations to know what he had to do first, and he did it without hesitation, even while his mind was screaming in agony. He darted across the street to where the shooter lay momentarily stunned, half under the body of the woman, who appeared to be unconscious. He kicked the gun away from the man's hand and sent it spinning across the driveway, then stomped down on the wrist of the hand holding the knife. Breathing hard, he bent down and felt for the woman's pulse.

Somewhere behind him, like the sound of a cavalry charge in the darkest hour, he could hear Wade swearing and groaning. Shouting at him.

"Is she all right? Did he hurt her?"

When Cory didn't reply immediately, being somewhat preoccupied with getting the knife out of its owner's reach and the man away from his intended victim. Wade almost screamed. "Answer me, goddamn it!"

Breathing hard, Cory yelled back. "She's okay I think- just fainted." He rolled the assailant, unresisting now and sobbing like a child, onto his stomach and planted one knee in the small of his back. And was finally able to ask the question he most desperately wanted the answer to. "How 'bout you? Where did he get you?"

"In my damn leg," Wade croaked, and started to laugh, the way someone does when he's in unspeakable pain. "I'll be okay…if somebody…will just get this…stinking dog off of me."

Cory twisted around to look at him, lying on his back at the bottom of the driveway. In the fading light he could see that his brother's arms were flung over his face in a vain attempt to protect it from the attentions of the enormously obese basset hound that was sprawled on his chest.

That was the first thing Tierney saw when she opened her eyes, though it took her a moment or two to realize what she was seeing. But yes. it was Bruno, his front half flopped across Wade's body, and he was bathing Wade's face with a long, floppy-no doubt very wet-tongue.

Clammy and crying-but laughing, too-she crawled over to the two of them, not sure which one to gather into her arms first.

The decision resolved itself when she saw the dark stain under Wade's body, growing larger as she watched. "Oh God. Wade, you're hurt. Where-"

"My leg-I think. Bleeding like a sonofagun, but…I'll be all right. Just please, get this miserable mutt off me."

"He's just trying to tell you he's sorry you're hurt," she sobbed. "He didn't mean for that to happen."

He turned his head toward her, desperately trying to avoid the dog's ministrations. In a much weaker voice, he rasped. "He got me shot."

"He saved my life." Tierney said as she pulled Bruno into her arms and hugged him.

Love! Adoration! Utter and complete devotion!

"Fair trade." Wade whispered. "Any day."

The cops arrived moments later, followed by a whole host of emergency personnel. With the prisoner in custody, finally relieved of his guard duty. Cory walked over to Wade, who was now strapped onto a gurney with a mask on his face and an IV bag dripping fluids into one arm. The other had been claimed by the blond woman, who clung to his hand as if she'd never let go.

Momentarily at a loss for words, Cory reached out and grasped his brother's shoulder. Wade tried his best to speak, but was too weak from pain and loss of blood to make himself understood through the oxygen mask.

Cory gulped back a dry sob, bent down close to him and said huskily. "Shh…It's okay…it's gonna be okay. You're safe now. It's okay…"

Above the mask, Wade's eyes grew wide with wonder. He clawed at the plastic, managed to pull it away. "I know you," he croaked. 'The voice in my dream. It's you. It was you. You're The Protector.'"

"Yeah, that's me," Cory said, ignoring the tears running down his face. "Some protector I am. I couldn't…I couldn't stop them. Man, I'm so sorry. They took you-"

Wade, too weak-or too emotional-for words, simply groped for his hand.

"Hey, guys…we need to take him now."

Cory looked up and nodded at the paramedics standing ready to heave the gurney into the ambulance. He squeezed his brother's hand, then moved aside. The blonde bent down to kiss Wade, then she, too, stepped back, out of the way. As the ambulance doors closed, she reached blindly for Cory's hand.

He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, pressed a brotherly kiss to the top of her head, then murmured, "Come on-the hospital. I'll drive, you tell me the way. I'm Wade's brother, by the way, Cory Pearson."

She dashed away tears, then smiled and held out her hand. "I know. I met you in the Rose Gardens that day, remember? I'm Tierney Doyle. Soon to be your sister-in-law. I think."

Oh, but in her heart, she knew.

It was much later that night, after the surgery and assurances from the doctors that Wade would recover completely from his wound, given time. Cory had offered to give Tierney a ride home, if she wanted to go.

She didn't, of course. She'd arranged for Clair Yee to stay with Jeannette until further notice. With the arrest of the Torture Killer, the security guard had been relieved of duty.

"Thanks," she told Cory, curling into the chair next to Wade's bed. "I think I'll stay here." In truth, there wasn't any place else she wanted to be. Ever. "You go ahead, though. Get some rest. I know you have a lot to talk about, but he'll be more able to…tomorrow."

Cory nodded, hesitated, stood gazing for a long moment at the man snoring quietly in the hospital bed, stubbled face dark against the pillows. His face flinched ever so slightly, and he threw Tierney a look of apology. "Sorry…I understand you're an empath. I must be coming on pretty strong right now."

She smiled sleepily at him. "It's okay. The kind of emotions I'm getting from you are like…balm. They heal me." Her voice broke and she lowered her face onto her arms for a brief moment. When she lifted it again, she caught Cory tiptoeing away.

"Oh, wait-Cory…"

He turned back, his face kind, eyes warm and bright. "Yes?"

"How did you do it?" She nodded toward the man she'd come to adore so completely in so short a time. "How did you find him?"

Cory's smile was wry. "Wish I could claim the credit. I hired a private investigator-great guy. His name's Holt Kincaid. Specializes in finding people."

He paused, fighting it. But he was a journalist, after all. "If you don't mind my asking…why?"

She took a breath. Lifted her face, ignoring the tears that had begun to roll freely down her cheeks. "I think," Tierney said as she gave him her most radiant smile, "I'd like to find my mother."