No Mercy (28 page)

“How are you doing, honey?” Belle squeezed Marta’s fingers. “We miss you. It was so good to

see you at the memorial and later at the Puma Den was fun. We’l have to do it again when you wake

up.”

Belle’s lips quivered, but she wanted to keep it light, to say things that would make Marta happy

if she could hear and understand. “I’m looking forward to meeting your sons. I bet the twins are cute

guys and a handful.” She imagined Marta smiling at the thought of her boys. “One day I’d like to join

you in motherhood. It would be so much fun to get our kids together to play.”

The words Dylan had spoken to her just that morning went through Belle’s mind.
“I’m never

letting you go again.”
She could picture him so clearly as he said it.

Belle’s chest ached and she swallowed. “I like the name Shane for a boy. What do you think?”

Movement beneath Marta’s eyelids made Belle’s heart pound a little faster. Could her friend

understand her? Was Marta listening or dreaming? Or both?

“I’ve been thinking a lot of the things we did when we were young.” Belle shifted on the seat.

“We were good kids and teenagers, too, but we got into our share of trouble, didn’t we?”

She continued, “Remember the time you and I got into Old Mrs. Swierc’s pomegranate bush in

her back yard? We were seven and went to Central School at that time. We sat in the alleyway,

pul ing the fruit off the bush. At that time I didn’t know they were considered berries—the skin is so

tough and there are so many seeds inside. But we loved sucking the pulp from the seeds and spitting

the seeds out. Did you know that in the U.S. they can only grow in Arizona and California?”

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basket on the front. Your bike was green with a black wire basket. I bet the boys could tell us what

the makes were. I don’t remember.” She knew she was babbling, but she went on. “We each put

pomegranates into our baskets, enough for the CoS to each have one. We were getting ready to

ride to meet them when Mrs. Swierc came out of her house.”

Belle laughed. “She seemed so ancient then, swearing at us in Polish. She marched us to your

mom’s house and between our parents we got into so much trouble.” Belle shook her head. “We

were so innocent in those days.”

Marta’s eyes darted beneath her eyelids, something that encouraged Belle to go on and she

talked about other adventures in their elementary school years with a fondness that made her smile.

When she thought aloud about junior high, she said, “Now those were the awkward years. Al

those crazy hormones. I think our parents were wondering what they were going to do to us and if

they’d let us survive until we grew out of those stages.” She shook her head. “Remember how your

mom put you into dance because she thought you needed a little refinement, and mine stuck me in

softbal with Christie just to get me out of the house?” She laughed. “Christie and I wanted to trade

places with you so badly and take dance. You wanted to be the one playing softball. You always

were the tomboy and I was such a girly girl.” She grinned. “Stil am.”

Her grin faded and she sighed. “High school was different for us, but we stil managed to stay

close.” She tried not to think about how much her life had changed because of her stepfather. “I’m

sorry I didn’t stay in touch when I left.” Belle’s voice thickened as she struggled to hold back tears.

“I’m sorry about what I put the CoS through and how much I worried all of you.” Her throat ached.

“But I thought about you all the time. Christie told me what was going on with everyone. You know I

love you, Marta. Don’t you?”

A slight tremor went through Marta’s hand. It was as if she was trying to say to Belle that she

understood.

Belle nearly jumped out of her seat as she whipped her head to the side to look at Nancy. “I felt

something. I think she was trying to squeeze my hand.”

Nancy did come up from her chair, her eyes wide, hope in her gaze. “You did? Are you sure?”

Belle reached for Nancy. “I guess I can’t be positive, but I think so.” She took Nancy’s hand and

placed it over Marta’s. “Maybe she’ll do it again.” Belle traded places with Nancy.

Nancy sat and held Marta’s hand to her lips. “Come on, baby. I love you.”

For a moment, both Belle and Nancy were still. Then Nancy’s eyes widened. “I felt it. A slight

pressure but it went away. She squeezed my hand.” Nancy looked stunned, as if she couldn’t believe

it.

“I’l find the doctor or a nurse.” Belle moved toward the door. “Dr. Mil er, right?”

Nancy nodded, her gaze focused on Marta. “Yes.”

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Agent DeLong looked at her. “You need to stay in the room, Ms. Hartford.”

“She moved. Marta moved.” Belle glanced down the hal way. “I need to find the doctor or a

nurse. I’l only be a moment.”

The agent shook his head. “You need to stay.”

Before he could stop her, she hurried to the closest nurse’s station. She was aware the agent

couldn’t leave his post to chase her down, but saw him pul ing his cell phone out of the holster at his

belt. She didn’t want him disturbing Dylan, but this was too important to not take care of right away.

Belle felt a little lighter. Some good news. The thought that Christie had been kidnapped crashed

right back into Belle and she felt a thud in her chest, a pain so deep it almost drove her to her knees.

She paused in the hallway and held her hand over her heart, trying to maintain her composure.

Dylan and the other agents would find Christie. They would. Belle was certain of it, just as she was

sure Marta would come out of the coma.

Belle reached the nurse’s station and saw a nurse with a badge that read Carrie Prince with the

woman’s picture on it. Bel e felt out of breath and then she was talking rapidly. “Marta De La Paz just

moved. I mean she sort of squeezed my hand and then she did squeeze Nancy’s.”

The nurse smiled, in a way like it was the first thing she’d had to smile about in a while. “I’l let

Dr. Mil er know and I’l send Marta’s nurse, too.”

“Thank you.” Belle turned and hurried back down the hal way toward Marta’s room.

The agent looked relieved when she came around the corner and walked toward him. “Dylan is

on his way, and the nurse beat you here.”

She was glad Agent DeLong had called Dylan. He would be happy to hear the news, too. “Thank

you.”

He opened the door and she stepped inside.

Belle looked at the bed to see a male nurse leaning over Marta, his back to her. She couldn’t

see Nancy. Maybe she’d gone to the restroom. Belle walked closer as the door shut silently behind

her.

She opened her mouth to speak and then her mouth dropped open in horror. The nurse had a

pil ow over Martha’s face.

He was smothering her.

“No!” Belle grabbed the vase of flowers from the side of the bed at the same time she shouted.

The nurse whirled just as Belle swung the vase at his head like a baseball bat.

Flowers flew across the room. The vase shattered as it connected with his skull. He staggered

back and shook his head.

In a flash she saw Nancy slumped in her chair and the pil ow stil on Marta’s face.

Belle was certain the oxygen tube was dislodged. She had to put it back!

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wrapped his fingers around her neck and pinned her beneath his larger body.

Belle struggled but couldn’t move her legs. She tried to scream, but no sound would come out.

Stars sparked in her mind as she clawed at his face.

Why hadn’t she screamed for the agent? It had all happened so quickly.

And now, dear God, she was going to die.

Vaguely she heard the door open and slam against the wall.

The sound of male voices.

Dylan’s shout.

A shot echoed through the room.

Blood splattered Belle’s face.

The man slumped on her chest. His fingers relaxed around her neck and then he was thrown

off.

Dylan’s face appeared over hers, panic in his gaze. He grabbed her to him, holding her tightly

to his chest.

“Belle.” He rocked her against him. “Thank God.”

She gasped. “Marta.”

He relaxed his grip and looked over his shoulder. “Belle needs medical attention. Now.”

Behind him she saw people bending over Marta and she relaxed in Dylan’s arms.

“I’m okay.” Her words came out in a hoarse whisper. “You hugged me too tightly.”

“You’re not okay.” Dylan looked at her with fierce intensity. “I am never letting you out of my sight

again. Never.”

“I’l have to go to the bathroom sometimes.” She didn’t know where the remark came from.

Dylan’s features softened. “I’l go with you.”

Someone knelt beside them. Belle recognized Carrie Prince from the nurse’s station. “Let me

see her, Agent Curtis.”

Dylan held her hand in his tight grip as the nurse checked her vitals.

Nurse Prince looked at another hospital employee who was on one knee beside them. “Let’s get

her to a bed.”

“No.” It hurt Belle to shake her head and her throat ached as she croaked the words. “Marta.

How is she?”

A third person stood over Belle. “She’l be fine. We got to her in time, thanks to you.”

Belle realized the room was full of people now. “Let me up.” She tried to push herself in a sitting

position.

“We need to make sure he didn’t hurt your neck too badly.” Nurse Prince spoke in a reprimanding

tone as she held Belle down by her shoulders.

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“What about Nancy?” Panic lodged in Belle’s chest once again. “How is she?”

“She was drugged.” Agent DeLong was standing over them now. “They’re taking her to a room

now. They found a syringe by her chair.”

Tears stung at Belle’s eyes. “Is she going to be okay?”

“The doctor thinks so, but they won’t say until they’re sure what was in the syringe.” Agent

DeLong continued, “She was starting to come around, so they think she was just knocked out. They’ll

let us know as soon as they can.”

Belle sagged with a feeling of hopeful relief. She had to believe that Nancy would be all right, as

wel as Marta and Christie, too. She couldn’t give up hope on any of them. Not now.

Not ever.

***

***

Salvatore stared at Christie where she lay on the floor, tied to the chair, near Carl’s body.

Salvatore’s knuckles stung from hitting her and the side of her face was starting to swell and purple.

She stirred and moaned.

He crouched beside her. “
Mi mariposa
, you shouldn’t have said what you did. I had to teach you

a lesson. You know that, don’t you?”

She mumbled something and he was afraid she was saying,
“Monster,”
again, but he didn’t want

to hear that from her lips again.

His eyes narrowed. He looked at Paco and gestured to Christie. “Pick her up and keep her tied

to the chair.”

Paco looked unfazed as he took the chair and raised it so that Christie was again in a sitting

position. Paco was a cold-hearted kil er and that’s what Salvatore needed. Paco didn’t care if his

target was male or female. He just did his job. “Do you want me to take care of eliminating her?”

“No.” The words came out of Salvatore like pieces of ice. “I’l deal with Christie when I’m ready.”

A smear of blood was on the floor where Christie’s head had hit the concrete. Salvatore’s gut

churned involuntarily at the sight of her blood before he looked at his wife. She was dazed, blinking

as if trying to regain focus.

Anger burned through him, making him hot enough to sweat beneath his shirt and trousers.
She

had driven him to hit her.
She
had provoked him.
She
was at fault for
making
him hurt her.

Salvatore stepped over Carl’s body and walked around the chair until he was standing behind

Christie and saw that her long red hair was dark where it was matted with blood. It pained him to see

the blood. He reached out to stroke the hair he’d always loved and she flinched away from his touch.

He trembled with a flash of rage and almost hit her again. Instead, he moved to face her. He

picked up the piece of tape that he’d laid on the table earlier, the piece that had been across her