“Those are all there are left.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Barky said nothing.

“I’m not a fool. You’ve always thought that, haven’t you? József Major, the idiot, the inferior, the low-class moron. You were always so superior.”

“Only in your mind, József.”

“Now you know the truth.”

Barky gave a small smile. “I have always known the truth.”

There came the sound of a small plane overhead. Barky looked up and swore silently. Ashley. He raised up his arms to wave her away.

“No.” It was Balaton.

Barky ignored him, waving to Ashley.

“Stop it! She can get me the rest of the jewels—”

Barky ran out onto the airstrip, but Balaton grabbed him and jerked him back, heaving him to the pavement. The farmer fought, heedless of the gun. But Balaton didn’t pull the trigger. Instead he slammed the butt of the gun down on the side of Barky’s head. He groaned, rolling over, but it wasn’t worse than any of the thousand kinds of pain he’d had inflicted on him over the years. Once, a long time ago, he had been a victim of the senseless tortures of this man who now pretended to be a rich and polished executive. The physical pain Barky could tolerate. It was the mental anguish that had nearly driven him over the edge of sanity.

As he lay on the runway, he heard the engine of the Cessna as it came lower, and then felt the vibrations beneath him when it landed. He would will himself to move. He had to. This time, he couldn’t permit Balaton to kill those he, Barky, loved in order to save himself.

But the pain seared through him as he tried to roll up onto all fours. And Balaton laughed. “You’ve set me up beautifully, my friend,” he sneered. “All this can be blamed on you.”

With a loud snort, the corporate executive kicked Barky in the head.

“Barky!” Ashley screamed as she jumped out of the plane. She had watched in horror as Balaton had kicked Barky in the head. Now he was lying facedown near the fuel pump, and Balaton was moving toward her. She had left the drenched, battered satchel inside the plane. She had brought them along only in case worse came to worst. Apparently it had. But having the contents of the satchel couldn’t save Balaton now. She had to make him see that. She was looking down at her uncle. “Is he alive?”

“For now.” And the president and CEO of Crockett Industries pointed his monstrous gun at her. “I want the jewels, Miss Wakefield.”

She had never dealt with guns before. “You can have them.” Her voice quavered. And why not? She was terrified. “But they won’t help you.”

“Get them. Now! Or I will kill your damn Barky.”

Then he was alive. Fighting to retain her self-control, Ashley gestured behind her, toward the plane. “They’re in the cockpit. And...and killing Barky won’t change anything. It can’t help you. Please, Mr. Balaton. You haven’t murdered anyone yet. Mac Stevens is still alive—and David. There’s no reason this can’t end now.”