A Man Like Morgan Kane (33 page)

"I understand you've been upset since Jimmy's death."Bethany's voice was calm and sweet, but Morgan felt her take a cautious half step backward. "You should be happy knowing that Linc has come out of his coma."

Vivian grabbedBethany's hand. "Thank you for being so forgiving. And thank God that Linc is going to live. If he can identify his attacker, then perhaps the police will reopen Jimmy's murder case. There's a chance you might go free, after all, isn't there?"

Bethanyjerked her hand out of Vivian's grasp, but Vivian immediately manacledBethany's wrist, then slipped her other hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out a knife.

"I can't let you live! Not after what you did to Jimmy!"

Gasping,Bethany's eyes widened in surprise. "No, Vivian. No!"

Oblivious to her surroundings, to the shocked cries from onlookers and to Morgan's quick movements, Vivian raised the shiny blade into the air, preparing to strike. ShovingBethanybehind him, Morgan stepped in front of her and reached for Vivian's arm just as she lunged with the knife. The sharp edge ripped through Morgan's jacket and shirt, nicking the skin beneath. He tore the knife from Vivian's hand and subdued her with a minimum of force.

She fought him like a wildcat, screaming curses atBethany. "You killed Jimmy! I know you did! I don't care what Linc tells the police. You can't go unpunished!"

The young officer rushed back inside the boutique from his post at the entrance. He called his partner, who was waiting outside in the patrol car. Two of the security guards followed close behind him. The crowd closed in around Morgan and the screeching Vivian. Officer Beldon fought his way through the throng, hurrying toward Morgan.

"Ms. Crosby just tried to attack Ms. Wyndham," Morgan said.

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Officer Beldon helped Morgan shackle Vivian with handcuffs, and then Morgan turned her over to the policeman. The security guards parted the crowd, allowing the officer to drag her, kicking and screaming, through the horde of startled onlookers.

Morgan made a quick survey of the boutique. Seth hadn't left Eileen's side. But Tony Hayes had disappeared.

Bethanynoticed the bloodstain on Morgan's jacket. "You're hurt. Vivian stabbed you before you got the knife away from her."

"It's just a scratch, honey," he said.

"I don't believe you."Bethanytugged his jacket off his shoulder.

He allowed her to remove his jacket, but wished he hadn't when she cried out in alarm. He glanced at his nicked arm. Bright red blood trickled from the wound, turning the sleeve of his white shirt to scarlet.

"We need to get you to an emergency room," she said.

"I'm all right. I've cut myself worse shaving."

"Don't be so damn macho,"Bethanysaid. "I have a first aid kit in the office." She led Morgan over to a velvet Victorian sofa, glared at the two women sitting there until they moved. "Sit down. I'll be right back."

Lifting his injured arm, he reached for her, then winced slightly when a sharp pain shot through him.

"Dammit, Beth, come back here."

But she didn't heed his command. He jumped up off the sofa. James and Seth and Eileen rushed toward him, along with a dozen nosy patrons eager for the sight of blood. They inadvertently blocked his path.

"Hey, man, are you all right?" James asked. "That bitch was crazy, wasn't she?"

"Thank God you were here to protectBethany," Eileen said. "I had no idea Vivian was unbalanced. She's been so dear and kind since Jimmy's death."

Morgan shoved his way through the bevy of concerned and curious. Scanning the room again, he couldn't find Anne Marie. And Tony Hayes was still missing.

"Where's Anne Marie?" Morgan asked, his voice one octave above a roar.

"She was here just a few minutes ago," Eileen said, then turned to Shelly Harris, who had taken over as manager of the Galleria boutique in Lisa Songer's absence. "You were talking to Anne Marie. Did you see where she went?"

"The last time I saw her, she was walking toward the office with Tony Hayes."

Morgan broke through the crowd, plowing a wide path as he ran towardBethany's office.

* * *

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She knew exactly where she kept the first aid kit. It would take only a minute to get it and return to clean and dress Morgan's wound.Bethanyrushed into her office. She stopped so quickly that she reeled backward when she saw Tony Hayes holding a gun to Anne Marie's head.

"Come on in and close the door," Tony said.

"Mama!" Anne Marie's blue-gray eyes swam with tears.

"What are you doing? What do you want?"Bethany's instincts told her to rush forward, to attack, to remove her child from Tony's dangerous clutches. Common sense warned her to be careful.

"I want you and Anne Marie to come with me. Right now." Reaching behind him, Tony turned the doorknob, opening the door that led into the storage room. "We're going to go out the back way before anyone knows that we're gone."

"Morgan is right outside. If I don't return with the first aid kit, he's going to come rushing in here."

"That's why we're leaving. Now! Come on!" He backed out the door, dragging Anne Marie with him.

Bethanyfollowed like an obedient puppy. She didn't dare take any chances with her child's life.

"Get that back door open," Tony told her. "Go on outside. We're right behind you. If you scream or try to alert anybody, I'll shoot her. And you don't want that, do you?"

"No, I don't want that."Bethanyfollowed his instructions to the letter, fear gnawing away at her insides like a strong acid.

Once outside, Tony motioned forBethanyto move closer. When she did, he tightened his hold on Anne Marie, slipped his gun into his jacket pocket and stuck the hidden revolver in Anne Marie's ribs.

"Get my car keys out of my pocket and don't try anything," he warnedBethany. "When we get to my car, you're going to drive. Anne Marie and I will sit in the back seat."

* * *

Morgan Kane stormed intoBethany's office, calling her name. James followed closely behind him.

Noticing the door leading to the storage area was open, Morgan drew his gun from the shoulder holster and dashed into the cluttered room. After quickly giving every inch of the place a visual examination, he closed his eyes momentarily and cursed himself. Why hadn't he gotten toBethany's office quicker?

Dammit, why hadn't she listened to him when he told her not to leave his side?

How long had it taken him to get away from Eileen and Seth and James and shove his way through the crowd? Three minutes? Four? But four minutes had obviously been enough time for someone to abduct Bethany.

Not Vivian Crosby. And not Seth Renfrew.

Tony Hayes! Had Tony panicked when he'd overheard Officer Beldon explaining that Linc Prescott had come out of the coma? Did Tony know that it was only a matter of time untilPrescottidentified him as his attacker?

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Morgan jerked open the outside door. He spottedBethanyrunning alongside Tony Hayes, who held Anne Marie close to his side. Dear God in heaven, Hayes had them both. Bethany and her daughter!

"Get the police," Morgan yelled to James. "Tony Hayes has Bethany and Anne Marie!"

Aiming his Sig, Morgan pulled off a warning shot. Anne Marie screamed.Bethanystopped dead in her tracks. Tony Hayes jerked Anne Marie behind the nearest vehicle and motioned forBethanyto come to him.

Morgan ran out into the parking lot, his long stride rapidly spanning the distance between him and his objective. Tony Hayes pivoted quickly when Morgan was only a few yards away. Clutching Anne Marie in front of him, he jerked the gun out of his pocket and placed it against her temple.

"Don't come any closer, Kane, or I'll blow her head off!" Tony said. "Bethanyis driving the three of us out of here, and if I see one cop following us, neither of them will come out of this alive. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly," Morgan shouted.

Tony glanced atBethany. "My car's right over there." He nodded to the left. "Go open the doors and get behind the wheel. Once Anne Marie and I get in the back seat, you take off, straight down 459."

Bethanylooked at her child. All color had drained from Anne Marie's face. She trembled from head to toe.

"Don't hurt her,"Bethanysaid. "If you do, I'll find a way to kill you."

"Go get in the damn car!"

Bethanydid as she was instructed, praying that Morgan could save them. Right now, he was probably blaming himself for what had happened. But it wasn't his fault. No one could have foreseen the events that enabled Tony to abduct Anne Marie or instigate her own flight from Morgan's protection.

For every backward step Tony made, with Anne Marie in tow, Morgan moved forward slowly. He was close enough now to put a bullet in the man's head, but maybe not before Tony squeezed the trigger on his own gun and ended Anne Marie's life.

A young couple drove into the parking space behind Morgan. Damn, that's all he needed. Innocent bystanders.

Bethanyunlocked Tony's classic GTO, got in and started the engine. Tony made his way to the car, hauling Anne Marie with him. He shoved her into the back seat, aiming the gun at her the whole time.

Once he was settled, he reached out and snatched the long scarf from aroundBethany's neck. She gasped.

"Get going! And don't slow down for anything. You and sweet little Anne Marie are my ticket to freedom."

Bethanyglanced over her shoulder. "What are you going to do with my scarf?"

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"I said start driving!"

Bethanyshifted from Park to Drive and pulled out of the parking space. Glancing in her rearview minor, she saw Tony tying Anne Marie's hands behind her back.

The young couple who had parked behind Morgan got out of their Ford Mustang, both of them laughing and totally oblivious to the drama being enacted around them.

Morgan turned to them, brandishing the big Sig in his hand. The woman screamed and held up her hands in surrender.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you," Morgan said. "I need to borrow your car. It's a matter of life and death."

The trembling young man rummaged in his pocket, pulled out his key chain and tossed it to Morgan.

Morgan caught the keys in midair, then unlocked the Mustang, got in and started the engine. He drove off in a frenzy, tires screeching. The couple stood frozen to the spot, watching while the big man with the big gun zoomed out of the parking lot.

Bethanycaught a glimpse of the blue Mustang behind her and recognized the driver immediately. But she didn't let on by word or action, hoping Tony wouldn't discover Morgan's presence.

"Where are we going?"Bethanyasked.

"Just keep driving down459," Tony said. "When we're far enough away from the mall, we'll ditch my car. We're going to make a little trip to the bank, and you're going to get me enough money so I can go into hiding in style."

"You'll never get away with this," she told him. "I'm sure Morgan has already alerted the police."

"Well, you'd better hope that the police don't show up. Because if they do, Anne Marie will die before they can take me alive."

Anne Marie cried out.Bethanynearly lost control of thePontiacwhen she turned around to check on her child. Tony was running the edge of his revolver up and down the side of Anne Marie's face.

She had to find a way to help her daughter and herself, to save their lives. But if it came to saving herself or saving Anne Marie, there would be no choice to make. Anne Marie came first, always. She wouldn't want to live if anything happened to her child. Morgan's child.

"You don't have to do this, Tony,"Bethanysaid. "You didn't kill Linc Prescott. He's going to be all right.

And Jimmy was an evil man and I'm sure you had a good reason for killing him. Maybe it was self-defense. Whatever happened, I'll see to it that you have the best lawyer money can buy."

"Shut up! You and your damn money. Miss I'm - Too - Good - For - The - Likes - Of - You. You thought you were too good for Jimmy, too, didn't you? He really had a thing for you, you know? That's why I tried so hard to get in your pants. It would have killed him if I'd scored with you when he couldn't."

Keeping her vision focused on the highway,Bethanygripped the steering wheel tightly. "You framed me for Jimmy's murder. You deliberately set me up."

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"It wasn't anything I planned," Tony said. "You just played right into my hands. You threatened to kill Jimmy one night and showed up at his office the next day and got into a fight with him. I saw you run out of his office, so I went in to see what had happened.

"Jimmy was wiping the blood off his face from where you'd scratched him. I saw your purse lying on the floor, so I picked it up. Jimmy was laughing about what a wild thing you were. I found the gun in your purse and pulled it out and shot him. He just stared at me as if he couldn't believe what I'd done. Then he called me son. That's when I filled the sorry bastard full of lead."

"Why, Tony? Why did you kill him? I thought you loved him?"

"Loved that good-for-nothing piece of trash? I hated his guts. Do you know the only reason he allowed me into his life, the only reason he made me his sidekick on Wake Up Birmingham? Do you? Huh?

Huh?" Tony's voice grew louder and louder.

"No, why?"

"Because I was blackmailing the old son of a bitch! He didn't want his fans finding out that he'd deserted his pregnant teenage sweetheart and that he had an illegitimate son he'd never claimed. He didn't think his right-wing, conservative, redneck fans would understand if, as that son, I told them the truth about their beloved Jimmy Farraday. That he'd known all along where I was and never bothered to see me. Not once my entire life."